WETLANDS AND AQUATIC RESOURCES TECHNICAL SUPPORT
THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS AND IS FOR WRITTEN INFORMATION ONLY. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE MADE FOR ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ANY FOLLOW-UP REQUESTS. NO TELEPHONE CALLS REQUESTING A SOLICITATION WILL BE ACCEPTED OR ACKNOWLEDGED.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is performing market research for small businesses in preparation for future procurement.
The EPA has need for support to the EPA¿s Office of Water with section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). The Clean Water Act (CWA) section 404 regulatory program permits a wide range of projects which impact waters of the U.S. Under section 404, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) or states, who have assumed the permit program, issue permits in compliance with regulations established by the EPA. The EPA reviews public notices for proposed projects and policies, approves assumption of the permit program and works with the Corps and states on ways to more efficiently and effectively implement the 404 program. The permit review criteria for the 404 program is enumerated in regulations referred to as the 404(b)(1) Guidelines. (see http://www.epa.gov/cwa-404/section-404b1-guidelines-40-cfr-230).
One of the key components of the Guidelines analysis is the review of projects for additional potential avoidance and minimization of impacts to waters of the U.S. Identifying and comparing project-specific opportunities for additional avoidance and minimization often requires advanced technical knowledge of the design and implementation of the proposed activities. Given the complexity of some of these projects and proposals, the EPA is seeking technical expertise for the review of proposed activities requiring authorization under section 404 of the CWA. Common activities under review include transportation infrastructure development, residential and commercial developments, and mineral and coal mines and facilities. Based on the circumstances of the proposed project and impacts, review of these projects may focus on the identification of jurisdictional waters on site; direct impacts to aquatic resources; effects on the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of downstream waters; and/or secondary and cumulative environmental impacts.
In addition to the review of specific project materials, the EPA also has a role in advancing the science supporting the 404 program and assisting in efficient implementation of the 404 program. In this capacity, EPA may review, for example, permitting practices to better understand direct, secondary and cumulative impacts associated with categories of projects; or review the ecological condition of past mitigation projects. Such reviews may lead to the development of technical manuals, peer reviewed publications, trainings, and/or work with the Corps to develop or revise regulations or guidance documents. The EPA has need for support in the review process and/or development of technical manuals, peer reviewed publications, trainings, and/or work with the Corps to develop or revise regulations or guidance documents.
In order to support these project-specific and general policy reviews, the EPA is seeking technical assessments of site hydrology, construction, development, mine design and operation, wastewater treatment practices, compensatory mitigation practices, and watershed condition and projected change in condition. The EPA is also seeking site assessment expertise for field investigation and reporting for aquatic resource mapping, structural and functional characteristics, and relationships to other waters and ecological resources. The EPA has need for support in evaluating project costs or other economic costs and benefits, and in the development and delivery of trainings on any of the aforementioned topics.
A draft PWS is attached. A draft copy of the performance work statement (PWS) is included as an attachment. Significant potential exists for an organizational conflict of interest (COI) under any resulting procurement. Therefore, for informational purposes areas of concerns are identified in the Attachment ¿Draft COI Requirements¿.
It is anticipated that the contract will be a single award IDIQ contract with a five-year ordering period. The anticipated contract will also include an option to extend services for up to six months. The government is still considering which task order type(s) will be utilized, and is contemplating firm fixed price and time and materials task orders. The total level of effort of approximately 26,600 hours is anticipated over the five-year period of the contract. The applicable NAICS code is 541620 with a size standard of $16.5 million.
As a reminder, small businesses are required to perform at least 50 percent of the costs of the contract performance with their own personnel (See FAR 52.219-14) under a procurement set aside for small businesses.
Interested parties with the capability of providing the services described in the draft PWS are invited to submit a ten (10) page document, in writing, that clearly demonstrates their ability to provide the services described in the draft PWS, including personnel, experience and qualifications. A description of similar services previously or currently provided shall be provided. The information should include: size status for the above referenced NAICS code, (i.e. large, small); whether the firm is a certified Hubzone, 8(a), women-owned, small disadvantaged and/or service disabled veteran-owned small business concern; point of contact; telephone number; email address, and interest in proposing on the solicitation when issued. Standard company brochures will not be considered a sufficient response to this Sources Sought Synopsis.
Capabilities Statements in response to this Sources Sought Synopsis MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE FEDCONNECT PORTAL MESSAGE CENTER by 4:00 p.m. EST, on February 19, 2020. Any questions regarding the content of this Sources Sought Synopsis announcement must be submitted through the FedConnect portal. You must register with FedConnect to submit documents, questions, and to view responses. FedConnect can be accessed at https://www.fedconnect.net/Fedconnect/. FedConnect is a web portal that connects agencies and vendors to streamline the process of doing business with the federal government. Through FedConnect contractors will be able to receive, review and respond to contract pre- and post-award actions and documents such as correspondence, request for proposals, tasking instruments and contract modifications. The use of FedConnect also furthers the EPA's commitment to moving towards a paperless acquisition environment by reducing its carbon footprint and conducting its business in an ecologically friendly manner. There is no charge to use FedConnect. Vendors can register with FedConnect at www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/. For assistance in registering or for other FedConnect technical questions please call the FedConnect Help Desk at (800) 899-6665. In addition, all vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), as this facilitates registration for FedConnect. Please note that vendors MUST have their SAM profile set to ¿public,¿ otherwise FedConnect will not be able to access the SAM information required to validate vendor credentials. Registration may be completed and information regarding the registration process may be obtained at http://www.sam.gov. There is no charge for registration in SAM.
A separate synopsis will be issued for the Request for Proposal (RFP) resulting from this Sources Sought Synopsis. Any resulting contract(s) from the RFP would be a follow-on to contract Wetlands and Aquatic Resources Technical Support contract, EP-C-17-001, with Ecosystem Planning and Restoration, LLC.
68HERC20R0041 Environmental Protection Agency Cincinatti Procurement Operations Division
1/30/20, 3:02 PM Wetlands Aquatic Resources Technical Support
The EPA has need for support to the EPA's Office of Water with section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). The Clean Water Act (CWA) section 404 regulatory program permits a wide range of projects which impact waters of the U.S. Under section 404, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) or states, who have assumed the permit program, issue permits in compliance with regulations established by the EPA. The EPA reviews public notices for proposed projects and policies, approves assumption of the permit program and works with the Corps and states on ways to more efficiently and effectively implement the 404 program. The permit review criteria for the 404 program is enumerated in regulations referred to as the 404(b)(1) Guidelines. (see http://www.epa.gov/cwa-404/section-404b1-guidelines-40-cfr-230).
One of the key components of the Guidelines analysis is the review of projects for additional potential avoidance and minimization of impacts to waters of the U.S. Identifying and comparing project-specific opportunities for additional avoidance and minimization often requires advanced technical knowledge of the design and implementation of the proposed activities. Given the complexity of some of these projects and proposals, the EPA is seeking technical expertise for the review of proposed activities requiring authorization under section 404 of the CWA. Common activities under review include transportation infrastructure development, residential and commercial developments, and mineral and coal mines and facilities. Based on the circumstances of the proposed project and impacts, review of these projects may focus on the identification of jurisdictional waters on site; direct impacts to aquatic resources; effects on the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of downstream waters; and/or secondary and cumulative environmental impacts.
In addition to the review of specific project materials, the EPA also has a role in advancing the science supporting the 404 program and assisting in efficient implementation of the 404 program. In this capacity, EPA may review, for example, permitting practices to better understand direct, secondary and cumulative impacts associated with categories of projects; or review the ecological condition of past mitigation projects. Such reviews may lead to the development of technical manuals, peer reviewed publications, trainings, and/or work with the Corps to develop or revise regulations or guidance documents. The EPA has need for support in the review process and/or development of technical manuals, peer reviewed publications, trainings, and/or work with the Corps to develop or revise regulations or guidance documents.
In order to support these project-specific and general policy reviews, the EPA is seeking technical assessments of site hydrology, construction, development, mine design and operation, wastewater treatment practices, compensatory mitigation practices, and watershed condition and projected change in condition. The EPA is also seeking site assessment expertise for field investigation and reporting for aquatic resource mapping, structural and functional characteristics, and relationships to other waters and ecological resources. The EPA has need for support in evaluating project costs or other economic costs and benefits, and in the development and delivery of trainings on any of the aforementioned topics.
It is anticipated that the contract will be an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) single award contract with firm fixed price and time and materials task orders with an ordering period of 5 years. Approximately 26,600 hours are anticipated for the contract ordering period. The applicable NAICS code is 541620 "Environmental Consulting Services" with a size standard of $16.5 million in average annual receipts. In the capabilities statements, contractors must provide their size status for the above referenced NAICS code, (i.e. large, small) and whether or not they are a certified hub zone, 8(a), women owned, small disadvantaged and/or service disabled veteran owned concern. EPA intends to set this action aside 100% for small businesses. As a reminder, small businesses are required to perform at least 50 percent of the costs of the contract performance with their own personnel (See FAR 52.219 14) under a procurement set aside for small businesses.
The Contractor must be capable of providing support for the required services in an unbiased and objective manner. Because of the nature of the PWS requirements, it is anticipated that an offeror with the expertise to perform these requirements could also have relationships (e.g., a parent/subsidiary/sister company affiliation, or an existing contractual relationship) which present the potential for significant OCOI. It is the EPA's contention that a significant potential OCOI may exist if award were to be made to offerors within the following groups: Entities that are the sponsor of the project under review or that represent the sponsor for this project; Entities that have worked on a component of the project under review; Entities that are working for the project sponsor, but not on the project under review; Entities that have worked for the project sponsor in the last five years. Therefore, all offerors will be required to submit an OCOI plan identifying the projects they are working on and explain how potential or actual OCOI can be mitigated, avoided, or neutralized. In order to be considered for award, a determination must be made that the proposed plan adequately protects the Government¿s interest.
All offerors shall submit an OCOI plan that describes procedures the offeror uses to identify and report COIs. The solicitation shall include standard EPAAR provisions (EPAAR 1552.209-70 and 1552.209-72) which require that an offeror certify whether it is aware of any potential OCOI or disclose any potential OCOI, and provide disclosure statements describing such OCOI, which may impact their ability to impartially conduct work under the PWS. The standard EPAAR solicitation provision (EPAAR 1552.209-71) requiring a contractor to make full disclosure of any actual or potential conflict of interest that is discovered or arises after contract award shall also be part of the solicitation. Furthermore, the EPAAR clause (EPAAR 1552.209-74, Alternate V, Limitation of Future Contracting) shall also be included in the solicitation and prohibits the contractor, without the approval of the Contracting Officer, from entering into contracts with an individual, organizations, or their consultants, to provide services on or in support of the specific remediation equipment, technology, or process identified in a task order. This restriction applies during the life of the contract.
The anticipated solicitation release date is on or about August 12, 2020, and the close date shall be approximately 30 days thereafter. The solicitation will be issued under full and open competition procedures as a small business set-aside, using a Best Value source selection approach, price and other factors considered, where all non-price criteria, when combined, are significantly more important than price. Notices of any modifications to this Beta.sam procurement announcement, including Requests for Proposals and amendments, will be posted using both the FedConnect web portal and Beta.sam. FedConnect can be accessed at https://www.fedconnect.net/Fedconnect/. Interested parties are expected to download the solicitation and any subsequent amendments from the website and to monitor the status of the solicitation. All responsible sources may submit a proposal. Contract award will be made in accordance with FAR Part 15.
FedConnect is a web portal that connects agencies and vendors to streamline the process of doing business with the federal government. Through FedConnect contractors will be able to receive, review and respond to contract pre- and post-award actions and documents such as correspondence, request for proposals, tasking instruments and contract modifications. The use of FedConnect also furthers the EPA¿s commitment to moving towards a paperless acquisition environment by reducing its carbon footprint and conducting its business in an ecologically friendly manner. There is no charge to use FedConnect.
Vendors can register with FedConnect at www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/. For assistance in registering or for other FedConnect technical questions please call the FedConnect Help Desk at (800) 899-6665 or email at support@fedconnect.net.
In addition, all vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), as this facilitates registration for FedConnect. Please note that vendors MUST have their SAM profile set to ¿public¿ otherwise FedConnect will not be able to access the SAM information required to validate vendor credentials. Registration may be completed and information regarding the registration process may be obtained at http://beta.sam.gov. There is no charge for registration in beta.sam.gov.
68HERC20R0041 Environmental Protection Agency Cincinatti Procurement Operations Division
7/28/20, 10:45 AM