1333ND22QNB670428 Combined Synopsis Solicitation.pdf

1333ND22QNB670428

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation

THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN

ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN FAR SUBPART 12.6-STREAMLINED PROCEDURES

FOR EVALUATION AND SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS-AS SUPPLEMENTED

WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT

CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; QUOTATIONS ARE BEING REQUESTED; AND A

WRITTEN SOLICITATION DOCUMENT (I.E. STANDARD FORM) WILL NOT BE ISSUED.

This solicitation is a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2022-06.

The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the requirement is 541990 – All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services. The small business size standard is $16,500,000.00

This is a 100% small business set-aside open market RFQ. Simplified acquisition procedures will be utilized.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Smart connected systems, devices, and applications are the foundational elements of modern technologies, in which information technology (IT, including computational hardware and software, computers, cloud computing, distributed and edge computing, data processers, artificial intelligence, and other computational capabilities) and communications (wired, wireless, broadband, core networks, and local networks and all other communications modalities and technologies) are applied in operational technologies (systems engineering, management, monitoring and control systems and supporting technologies that track and implement desired physical world changes via sensors and actuators) together with human participation, management and oversight to constitute all of our sector-based and other smart integrated infrastructures, which make up our modern technical world.

Smart connected systems include Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber-physical systems (CPS), which similarly can be described as smart connected systems that encompass computational (i.e., hardware and software) and physical components, seamlessly integrated and closely interacting to sense and respond to the changing state of the real world. These systems involve a high degree of complexity at numerous spatial and temporal scales and highly networked communications integrating computational and physical components.

The smart grid is an example of a cyber-physical system(s) or smart connected system(s), one in which NIST has a mandated role. Under Title XIII, Section 1305 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007, the U. S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has “primary responsibility to coordinate development of a framework that includes protocols and model standards for information management to achieve interoperability of Smart Grid devices and systems.” This role provides a catalyst for a timely deployment of a secure and reliable smart grid that upgrades the aging electrical power grid infrastructure. NIST also has smart connected systems programs in applications areas including smart manufacturing, intelligent/automated transportation, networked control systems, core and emerging communications networks, smart cities and communities, and smart infrastructure.

NIST smart connected systems programs coordinate IoT and cyber-physical systems research and standards development (including in smart grid, smart manufacturing, automated transportation, trustworthy control networks, smart communication networks, and smart cities and communities) through various stakeholder engagement activities.

Timely communications with stakeholders for the NIST smart connected systems programs are an essential element for the programs to achieve its goals. These stakeholders are extremely diverse and include senior-level federal and state and local elected officials; federal, state and local regulators (e.g., electric power and telecommunications) and companies; manufacturers including electronic, communications and IT equipment; standards developers; engineering solution providers; and consumers.

To ensure that stakeholders are fully informed about the very wide range of activities affecting research, development of standards and best practices, and deployment of smart connected systems infrastructure components, the NIST smart connected systems programs require professional communications services from a contractor with demonstrated technical knowledge of the fields of physical science (including smart energy, smart manufacturing, smart networking, and smart cities), electronics, and information technology, as well as proven ability to translate complex technical materials into engaging website content, reports, and other communications products intended for a broad public audience.

APPLICABLE ATTACHMENT

• Attachment I – Statement of Work

• Attachment II – Applicable Provisions and Clauses

1352.215-73 INQUIRES (APR 2010):

Offerors must submit all questions concerning this solicitation in writing electronically to Adam Powell at adam.powell@nist.gov. Questions must be received no later than August 24, 2022 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Any responses to questions will be made in writing, without identification of the questioner, and will be included in an amendment to the solicitation. Even if provided in other form, only the question responses included in the amendment to the solicitation will govern performance of the contract. (End of Provision).

DUE DATE FOR QUOTATIONS

All quotations must be submitted via e-mail to adam.powell@nist.gov.

Quotations must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time August 26, 2022. Quotations received after this date/time will not be considered for award. It is the Offeror’s responsibility to ensure delivery of the quotation is on time and to confirm receipt of quotation delivery date and time. The email must reference the RFQ # in the subject line. Quotations shall remain valid for a minimum of 90 days from the date of receipt.

CONTRACT LINE ITEM STRUCTURE

Offerors shall provide pricing for the following contract line item numbers (CLINs):

CLIN Description Quantity Unit Price

Total Price

BASE PERIOD: The Contractor shall provide Technical Writing Services in accordance with Attachment I – Statement of Work

One (1) Job

(JB)

mailto:adam.powell@nist.gov mailto:adam.powell@nist.gov

Period of Performance: October 1, 2022 through March 31, 2023 0002 BASE PERIOD: Travel required for completion of Statement of

Work requirements One (1) Lot

(LO)

NTE

$1,500.00

NTE

$1,500.00

0003 OPTION PERIOD: The Contractor shall provide Technical Writing Services in accordance with Attachment I – Statement of Work

Period of Performance: April 1, 2023 through September 30, 2023

One (1) JB

0004 OPTION PERIOD: Travel required for completion of Statement of Work requirements

One (1) Lot

(LO)

NTE

$1,500.00

NTE

$1,500.00

PAYMENT TERMS

Partial payments will be authorized. The Contractor shall bill on a monthly or quarterly basis in arrears.

The Contractor’s invoices shall be consistent throughout the period of performance (e.g. should the Contractor elect to issue invoices on a monthly basis, all invoices that follow shall be issued on a monthly basis; and vice versa for quarterly payments). Payment will be approved upon receipt of a proper invoice, if all services required within the billing period have been successfully completed and accepted by the Government. Payment will not be authorized for services that are pending or have been rejected. Payment terms shall be Net 30 Days.

ADDENDUM TO FAR 52.212-1 – INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

All quotations shall conform to solicitation provisions/clauses and be prepared in accordance with this section. The quotation shall be clearly and concisely written as well as be neat, indexed (cross-indexed as appropriate) and logically assembled. Note: The term “indexed” refers to a table of contents that lists sections and page numbers. In the event that the Offeror is unable to create an indexed quotation, an alternative approach such as a Table of Contents shall suffice. All pages of the quotation shall be appropriately numbered. Page limits are provided below for the different sections as appropriate. In all sections of the Offeror’s quotation, the Offeror must use a font size of no smaller than 11-point and must use margins of no smaller than 1 inch on top/bottom/left/right. The Offeror may use a font size no smaller than 8-point font for tables and graphics.

In preparing the quotation, each volume shall stand on its own. Each volume shall be able to be evaluated with a minimal amount of cross-referencing. Where the quotation does use cross-referencing between sections/volumes, it shall be very clear to the reader how/where the two sections/volumes relate.

There shall be no pricing information included in the Non-Price/Technical Volume. Volume I shall include the responses to Technical Capabilities & Management Approach and Organizational Experience.

The Offeror’s quotation shall be clearly divided into the following distinct sections.

The page limitation for Factors A and B combined is 15 pages (excluding resumes, writing samples, cover letter, and executive summary). The page limitation for all writing samples shall be no more than thirty

(30) pages.

OVERALL ARRANGEMENT OF QUOTATIONS

VOLUME I – TECHNICAL VOLUME

Factor A: Technical Capabilities & Management Approach

The Offeror shall include its technical approach for completing the requirements of the Statement of Work. The technical approach shall demonstrate the Offeror understands the requirements of the contract and demonstrate the Offeror’s technical expertise in the requirements. Further, the Offeror shall provide the resume(s) of its proposed key personnel that meet the Contractor minimum qualifications included within the Statement of Work. Each resume shall demonstrate the proposed individual’s ability to perform the role for which they are being proposed and their experience in performing the same or similar service.

At a minimum, resumes shall include: 1) Full name; 2) Education; 3) Chronological work experience (i.e.

list of previous contracts worked on; reports; etc.).

The Offeror shall submit a minimum of three (3) writing samples (i.e. no more than thirty (30) pages for all writing samples) written by the proposed key personnel candidate. The writing samples shall demonstrate experience writing about research results in the physical sciences, electrical engineering, and information technology in an engaging journalistic style for lay readers.

The Offeror’s management approach shall demonstrate the Offeror’s approach for managing personnel, tracking and reporting of project deliverables. The management approach shall also describe the Offeror’s plan to resolve conflicts and mitigate delays, and their plan on how to regularly engage NIST research staff in a consistent, meaningful and effective manner.

Factor B: Organizational Experience

At a minimum, the Organizational Experience subsection shall provide examples of experience (either as a prime Contractor or as a significant subcontractor) in performing work on similarly sized and scoped contracts completed or substantially completed within the past five (5) years.

VOLUME II – BUSINESS VOLUME

The Offeror shall also submit the following as part of Volume II:

1) The Offeror shall provide a firm-fixed price quotation for the solicitation. The price quotation shall include sufficient documentation that clearly demonstrates how the proposed firm-fixed price was calculated. Offerors shall propose a Not to Exceed (NTE) price of $1.500.00 for each of CLINs 0002 and 0004.

2) Proposed payment schedule based on the deliverables included within the Statement of Work.

3) This is a 100% small business set-aside for Technical Writing Services as defined herein. The

Government intends to award a purchase order as a result of this solicitation that will include the terms and conditions that are set forth herein. In order to facilitate the award process, ALL quotations shall include a statement regarding the terms and condition herein as follows:

a. The offeror shall state “The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document without modification, deletion, or addition.”

OR

b. The offeror shall state “The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document with the exception, deletion, or addition of the following:…”

Offerors shall list exception(s) and rationale for the exception(s)

4) The Unique Entity ID # for the offeror’s active System for Award Management (SAM) registration. Quoters must have an active registration at www.sam.gov to be considered for award.

5) Completed Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) provisions:

c. FAR 52.204-20 – Predecessor of Offeror

d. FAR 52.204-24 – Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video

Surveillance Services or Equipment

e. FAR 52.209-2 – Prohibition on Contracting With Inverted Domestic Corporations –

Representation

f. FAR 52.209-11 – Representation by Corporations Regarding an Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction Under Any Federal Law

Please note that this procurement IS NOT being conducted under the GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) program or another Government-Wide Area Contract (GWAC). If an offeror submits a quotation based upon an FSS or GWAC contract, the Government will accept the quoted price.

However, the terms and conditions stated herein will be included in any resultant Purchase Order, not the terms and conditions of the offeror’s FSS or GWAC contract, and the statement required above shall be included in the quotation.

ADDENDUM TO FAR 52.212-2 – EVALUATION – COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND

COMMERCIAL SERVICES

The Government intends to use a cost/technical tradeoff process to award a single Purchase Order to the responsible Offeror whose quotation represents the best value to the Government, cost/price and other factors considered. The Government reserves the right to make an award to other than the lowest-cost/priced Offeror or to the Offeror with the highest technical rating if the Contracting Officer determines that doing so would result in the best value to the Government. The Contracting Officer intends to award without discussions, but reserves the right to initiate discussions if necessary.

Upon receipt of quotations, the Contracting Officer will review them to determine if each Offeror followed all of the quotation preparation/submission instructions in this solicitation. A quotation that did not follow the proposal submission instructions to an extent that the Government cannot properly evaluate the quotation in accordance with the stated evaluation factors may be deemed unacceptable and may not be further evaluated.

Quotations that are unrealistic in terms of technical or schedule commitments, or unrealistically high or low in terms of price, may be deemed to be reflective of an inherent lack of technical competence, or indicative of a failure to comprehend the complexity and risks of the proposed work and may be grounds for rejection of the quotation as being technically unacceptable. Failure to provide the information required to evaluate a quotation could result in rejection of the quotation as being technically unacceptable.

Each quotation will be evaluated using the trade-off method against the evaluation factors listed below.

An Offeror’s failure to address any factor may be considered indicative of the Offeror’s lack of understanding of the Government’s requirements and may result in the quotation being determined unacceptable.

http://www.sam.gov/

The following evaluation factors will be used. Factor A is considered more important than Factor B. In determining best value, all non-price factors, when combined, shall be more important than Factor C – Price. However, should technical competence between Offerors be considered approximately the same, Factor C (Price) could become the primary factor for award.

Factor A – Technical Capabilities & Management Approach

Factor B – Organizational Experience

Factor C – Price

Factor A: Technical Capabilities & Management Approach

The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s overall understanding of the SOW, and the extent to which the Offeror has demonstrated the expertise and ability to perform the requirements of the SOW. More specifically, the Government will evaluate writing samples for the degree of organization, clarity, and expected level of engagement from lay readers.

The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s proposed key personnel to determine the extent to which the proposed personnel are representative of the work to be performed under this requirement (i.e. personnel meet minimum Contractor qualifications identified within the SOW).

The Government will further evaluate the extent to which the Offeror’s quotation demonstrates an effective and feasible approach for managing a team of personnel; tracking and reporting of project deliverables; resolving conflicts and mitigating delays; regularly engaging NIST research staff in a consistent, meaningful and effective manner on a daily basis.

Factor B: Organizational Experience

The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s relevant previous organizational experience, either as a prime Contractor or as a subcontractor, in performing work on similarly scoped contract/orders completed or substantially completed within the past 5 years. Relevancy means similarity to the current requirement in scope of work, period of performance, and total dollar value.

Factor C: Price

The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s proposed pricing information to determine the extent to which the pricing is fair, reasonable, realistic and consistent with or discounted from prevailing market pricing information. Proposed pricing must be entirely compatible/consistent with the technical quotation.