12-14-23 (00120-24) Sehlhorst to Interested Parties PPPO TSS 89303324REM000120 DRFP.pdf

December 14, 2023 EMCBC-00120-24

To: Interested Parties

PORTSMOUTH PADUCAH PROJECT OFFICE (PPPO) TECHNICAL SUPPORT

SERVICES (TSS) – DRAFT REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

The Department of Energy (DOE) is releasing the Draft Request for Proposal (RFP), Solicitation No. 89303324REM000120, pertaining to the Portsmouth Paducah Project Office (PPPO) Technical Support Services (TSS) procurement for review. The purpose of the Draft RFP is to solicit questions and comments from all interested parties, and to assist the DOE in developing a Final RFP for this procurement.

DOE IS NOT REQUESTING PROPOSALS AT THIS TIME, AND INTERESTED

PARTIES SHALL NOT SUBMIT PROPOSALS IN RESPONSE TO THE DRAFT RFP.

DOE WILL NOT EVALUATE ANY PROPOSALS RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THE

DRAFT RFP. PROPOSALS SHALL BE SUBMITTED ONLY IN RESPONSE TO THE

FINAL RFP, CURRENTLY ANTICIPATED TO BE ISSUED IN SPRING 2024.

DOE hereby invites all interested parties to thoroughly examine the Draft RFP and the accompanying procurement website (https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/SEB/PPPOTSS/) in their entirety and to submit comments in writing to the following email address:

pppotss2@emcbc.doe.gov. During the development of the Final RFP, DOE will consider the comments received from interested parties in response to the Draft RFP.

The PPPO TSS procurement will be conducted as a Small Business (SB) Set-Aside Competition (open market). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 562910, Environmental Remediation Services, and the small business size standard is 1000 employees.

DOE intends to conduct a virtual pre-solicitation briefing for this procurement on January 9, 2024, with industry feedback on the Draft RFP due January 16, 2024. Interested parties are encouraged to review the Draft RFP prior to the virtual pre-solicitation briefing. Interested parties should refer the PPPO TSS Procurement website for specific details regarding registration for the pre-solicitation briefing at: https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/SEB/PPPOTSS/.

Department of Energy

Environmental Management Consolidated Business Center 550 Main Street, Room 7-010

Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

(513) 246-0500 https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/SEB/PPPOTSS/ mailto:pppotss2@emcbc.doe.gov https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/SEB/PPPOTSS/

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The new contract resulting from this acquisition will replace the contract awarded to Enterprise Technical Assistance Services, Inc. (E-TAS), which will expire March 31, 2025.

The current E-TAS contract can be referenced at https://www.energy.gov/pppo/pppo-contracts.

The PPPO TSS Draft RFP contemplates primarily a Cost-Plus-Award-Fee (CPAF) contract, with Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) CLINs utilizing FP or CR Task Orders, as needed. The period of performance is anticipated to be up to five years, including a three-year base period (which will include a 60-day transition period) and two one-year option periods. EM is pursuing a best value selection process that will include three technical factors (management approach, key personnel, and past performance), along with a streamlined cost and fee factor. In particular, DOE is seeking feedback from interested parties on the following:

1. Does your company have any input regarding the level of detail requested within each Evaluation Factor and/or the relative importance of the Evaluation Factors that DOE should consider in making this contractor selection?

2. Are the Performance Work Statement (PWS) requirements clear? If not, what is unclear and what improvements can be made?

3. Are the Section H clauses within the Contractor Human Resources Management (CHRM) section clear to potential Offerors? If not, what is unclear and/or how can these clauses be improved?

4. In accordance with the requirements of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Section 9.506, the Contracting Officer (CO) for the PPPO TSS procurement has completed an analysis of the PWS and identified Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCIs). Potential Offerors should carefully review the Section H clause Organizational Conflict of Interest Between PPPO Site Contracts and the instructions regarding OCI within the Section L provision DOE-L-2002 Proposal Preparation Instructions, Volume I

– Offer and other Documents. Potential Offerors are also requested to address the following questions in response to this Draft RFP:

a) Are there any potential OCIs affecting your company or potential team, should you choose to propose on the PPPO TSS contract? If so, what type of OCI(s) do you foresee?

b) What strategies would you anticipate proposing to mitigate the OCI issues that you identified (if any)? Please provide strategy details for previous examples/experience with other Government contracts.

5. Are the definitions of “Offeror” and “teaming subcontractor” within Section L.11 (a) clear?

6. Are the instructions within Section L.17 DOE-L-2010 Proposal Preparation Instructions, Volume II – Past Performance and Attachment L-3 Past Performance Reference Information Form, as well as the language within Section M.4 DOE-M-2008 Evaluation https://www.energy.gov/pppo/pppo-contracts https://www.energy.gov/pppo/pppo-contracts

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Factor – Past Performance clear? If not, what is unclear and/or how can these portions of the Draft RFP be improved?

7. Are the instructions within Section L.18 Proposal Preparation Instructions, Volume III – Cost and Fee Proposal, and the Attachment L-6 Cost and Fee/Profit Elements workbook and Attachment L-7 Consolidated Direct Cost Schedules workbook clear and consistent with each other?

8. Are there any additional specific technical or programmatic documents and/or information that you think would be helpful and should be posted to the EMCBC Acquisition website’s documents library in order to assist in preparation of proposals?

9. Does the Draft RFP contain any potential restrictive barriers to competition? Do barriers exist (DOE imposed or otherwise) that would hinder your firm from participating in this acquisition? Which, if any, of the requirements contained in the Draft RFP do you believe are unnecessary or represent barriers to successful contract performance?

10. Foreign Ownership Control or Influence is a very important aspect of the procurement process and can be very time consuming. It is imperative that Offerors submit complete packages and subsequent timely responses to DOE for any clarification questions asked during the procurement process. There is currently guidance on the EMCBC procurement website at https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/SEB/FOCI with general FOCI information and DOE has updated the Section L provisions related to FOCI requirements to provide clarity. Are the RFP instructions regarding FOCI clear and consistent with each other?

11. Do you have any additional comments or suggestions?

Interested parties will have until January 16, 2024, to submit written comments regarding the Draft RFP. All comments shall be submitted in the Microsoft Excel format provided on the procurement website, separated by RFP section. Please do not make any changes to the Microsoft Excel formatting with the exception of adding rows as needed. DOE will not respond to or post on the procurement website any questions or comments pertaining to the Draft RFP; however, DOE will consider comments when preparing the Final RFP. Interested parties will be given the opportunity to submit questions and comments in writing for DOE response once the Final RFP is issued.

Sincerely, Lori A. Sehlhorst Contracting Officer

Enclosures:

Draft RFP Solicitation No. 89303324REM000120 Industry Comment Matrix https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/SEB/FOCI