Section L DFS_Amend 1_TC.pdf

Section L – Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors

Disaster and Failure Studies Support Services

Solicitation #: 1333ND24QNB730225

L.1 General

(i) Offerors are instructed to read the entire RFP document, including all attachments, prior to submitting questions and/or preparing your proposal. Omission of any information from the proposal submission requirements may result in rejection of the proposal.

(ii) Offerors are required to be actively registered in SAM when submitting an offer and shall continue to be actively registered until time of award, during performance, and through final payment of any contract resulting from this solicitation. Refusal or failure to register shall forfeit consideration for award. Note that “Active” SAM registration is specifically required; “ID Assigned” registration is not acceptable.

(iii) Proposals shall be prepared in accordance with this RFP and are required to conform to the provisions of this RFP and the instructions of this section. To aid in the NIST’s evaluation, the proposal shall be clearly and concisely written as well as be neat, indexed (cross-indexed as appropriate), and logically assembled. All pages of each part shall be appropriately numbered and identified with the name of the offeror, the date, and the RFP number. The Technical and Price Proposals shall all be separate and distinguishable from each other. Text shall be single-spaced with a minimum of one-inch margins on all sides. All text shall be 12-point font, Times New Roman.

(iv) All correspondence in conjunction with this solicitation must be directed to the Government Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist identified below:

Contracting Officer: Adam Powell Phone Number: (301) 975-3725 E-mail address: adam.powell@nist.gov

Contracting Specialist: Lauren Roller Phone Number: (301) 975-3062 E-mail address: lauren.roller@nist.gov

All email correspondence shall reference the RFP number in the subject line.

(v) Proposals must be received by NIST on or before the due date and time specified in the RFP. Only information received on or before the due date and time shall be considered for award. Any proposal, or part thereof, received after the due date and time, shall be deemed late and not considered for award. Facsimile proposals will not be accepted.

Hard copy proposals via postal mail will not be accepted.

Proposals shall be submitted via email to Adam Powell at adam.powell@nist.gov and Lauren Roller at lauren.roller@nist.gov.

(vi) This RFP does not commit the Government to pay any cost for the preparation and submission of a proposal.

L.2 Anticipated Solicitation Schedule

The dates included in the table below are intended to be helpful with planning purposes and reflect the Government’s anticipated solicitation schedule. It is the Government’s intent to adhere to this schedule. However, these dates are subject to change. Any changes will be clearly communicated to the Offerors.

Synopsis October 9, 2024 Draft RFP Release October 9, 2024 Questions Due October 24, 2024 Final RFP Release November 5, 2024 Phase 1 Submissions Due November 15, 2024 Government Sends Advisory Notifications November 22, 2024 Phase 2 Submissions Due December 13, 2024 Award January 10, 2025

L.3 Question and Answer Process

The Government intends to release a Draft RFP prior to the release of the Final RFP. The intention is to release all documents as drafts and to conduct the traditional question and answer (Q&A) session during the Draft RFP phase only. The Government does not intend to allow for an additional round of questions after responses are provided during the Draft RFP phase, such as when the Final RFP is released. However, the Government reserves the right to conduct an additional round of Q&As if there are any substantial changes between the draft and final documents. Please use this Draft RFP question session to submit your questions as opposed to waiting until the Final RFP is released.

The Government intends to allow for questions from potential Offerors upon release of the Draft RFP and related documents. Questions relevant to this Draft RFP must be submitted via email to lauren.roller@nist.gov and adam.powell@nist.gov. Please use the question-and-answer document to submit questions. Questions are due no later than 12:00 PM Eastern Time on October 24, 2024.

The Government may not provide a response to questions submitted after the due date.

Offerors will not receive a response until all questions have been received by the date due.

Once reviewed and addressed, the Contracting Officer (CO) will post the complete Q&A response to www.SAM.gov.

L.4 Proposal Instructions

The following instructions are for the preparation and submission of proposals. The purpose of this section is to establish requirements for the format and content of proposals so that proposals contain all essential information and can be evaluated equitably.

This solicitation and its evaluation are being conducted in two phases. The purpose of the two-phase approach is to streamline the process for offerors and minimize traditional burdens associated with lengthy submissions. The two-phase approach requirements are summarized in the table below.

Proposal Submission Page Limit Phase 1 Submission: Technical Volume I (PDF) Cover Page 1 Page Factor 1: Demonstrated Prior Experience 8 Pages*

Advisory Down-Select Notification Phase 2 Submission: Technical Volume II (PDF) Cover Page 1 Page Factor 2: Mock Task Order(s) 6 Pages Factor 3: IDIQ Management Approach 5 Pages Phase 2 Submission: Business Volume (PDF) Assumptions, Exclusions, or Deviations No Limit Price (Labor Category (LCAT) Pricing) No Limit Small Business Subcontracting Plan (if applicable)

No Limit

*See L.4.1.iii for details All information within the page limitations of the proposal is subject to evaluation. Written content that extends beyond the page limitations may not be considered and may result in the offeror’s proposal being rejected. Any hyperlinks provided may not be reviewed. The PDF file shall be searchable.

The cover page shall include the offeror name, contact information, and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). The cover page shall also identify which track(s) the proposal is submitted for. No cover letter, executive summary, or table of contents is required. Any cover letter, executive summary, or table of contents provided will not be evaluated.

L.4.1 Phase One

The offeror shall submit a PDF document, totaling no more than eight (8) pages, detailing its prior experience as it aligns to the requirements of this solicitation and the specific Statement of Work of the scope track the offeror is proposing for. Offerors may propose for more than one scope track, in which case a single proposal shall be submitted, but the offeror may need to respond to multiple sets of questions—see section L.4.1(iii) for specific details on the questions. Prior experience is not limited to Federal experience and may include State, Local, or private sector work, as well as work outside of the United States. It may include work completed under grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and other engagement vehicles.

(i) Of the eight pages, the offeror is limited to three (3) pages to provide the bulleted information required in paragraph (ii) below. The offeror may reference up to three (3) projects, with a maximum of one page per project. Projects must be completed or substantially completed during the last five (5) years from the release date of the solicitation. The offeror may use prior experiences in which they served as a prime or subcontractor; however, experience as a prime may instill higher confidence.

The offeror may include one example of subcontractor prior experience as part of the three required experience examples. If choosing to do so, the offeror must provide the subcontractor’s name, UEI, and contact information. Note that page limitations remain the same, and a subcontractor's experience may not instill the same level of confidence as that of a prime offeror.

(ii) Each description shall include the following information:

A brief description of the scope (60 words or less) Contract/task order/agreement number Period of performance Contract ceiling/agreement estimate and total obligated values The customer Role as prime contractor or subcontractor.

Reference information, including name, email, phone number, of the Contracting

Officer’s Representative (COR), Program Manager (PM) or equivalent individual (not the Contracting Officer) for the experience submission. These contacts may be federal or non-federal.

The Government may contact the Reference points of contact to confirm the level and quality of demonstrated prior experience submissions. In addition, the Government reserves the right to review any information contained within the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) or any other Government system, source, or individual.

(iii) The other five (5) pages are for the offeror to address questions for each track under which the offeror submits a proposal using experience from the three (3) projects it submitted descriptions for in paragraph (ii) of this section. Experience from outside of the three projects is not allowable. The questions for each track are identified below.

If an offeror submits to the primary track and one or more sub tracks, only the primary track questions shall be answered in the proposal. If an offeror submits to multiple sub tracks but not the primary track, the questions for each relevant sub track must be submitted, with a total of five pages per track (offerors in this case may exceed the 8-page overall limit in accordance with this sentence). Offerors submitting to multiple sub tracks are still limited to three pages for reference information, per sections L.4.1

(i) and (ii) above, however.

Track Questions

PRIMARY TRACK

Please describe your experience with the collection, transportation, preservation, storage, maintenance, management, and security of data, artifacts, and evidence. What field data collection experience following hazard events does your organization have? Please describe your experience with tagging or tracking artifacts and evidence, as well as experience with heavy structural components, including those over 20 tons, when available.

Please describe the subject matter expertise your organization offers for conducting field assessment and data collection, including conducting surveys and interviews, for buildings and infrastructure damaged by fires, earthquakes or geotechnical events, windstorms, floods, explosive blasts, or collapse, related to the disciplines identified in the primary track Statement of Work. Please include details on your ability to organize teams of such experts for deployment for data collection within 48 hours after an event.

Please describe your experience developing and implementing survey- or interview-based data collection strategies for building occupants, emergency responders, and other persons with relevant knowledge/experience to gather fire, earthquake or geotechnical, windstorm, flood, explosive blast, or collapse related data to support the study of the emergency response and evacuation process/procedures. Please describe experience performing this work in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act and Human Subjects requirements.

Please describe your experience with the development and implementation of recommended changes to standards, codes, and practices.

Please describe your experience in determining field data collection needs and developing data collection tools or forms to collect data relevant to hazards events, the performance of the built environment during hazard events, associated emergency response and evacuation procedures, pre-disaster mitigation activities, and post-disaster response and recovery efforts.

Please describe your experience with responding to Freedom of Information Act requests for disaster-related information, including methods used to manage documents, collecting, and reproducing information.

Please describe your experience obtaining copyright and/or use permissions for data, materials, and artifacts collected during studies.

EARTHQUAKE

TRACK

Please describe the subject matter expertise your organization offers for field assessment and data collection, including conducting surveys and interviews, for buildings and infrastructure damaged by earthquake or geotechnical events. Please include details on your ability to organize teams of such experts for deployment within 48 hours after an event.

Please describe your experience with the development and implementation of recommended changes to earthquake and geotechnical related standards, codes, and practices.

Please describe your experience in developing and implementing survey- or interview-based data collection strategies for building occupants, emergency responders, and other persons with relevant knowledge/experience to gather earthquake or geotechnical related data to support the study of the emergency response and evacuation process/procedures. Please describe experience performing this work in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act and Human Subjects requirements.

Please describe your experience in determining field data collection needs and developing data collection tools relevant to earthquake and geotechnical events, the performance of the built environment during earthquake and geotechnical events, associated emergency response and evacuation procedures, pre-disaster mitigation activities, and post-disaster response and recovery efforts.

FIRE TRACK

Please describe the subject matter expertise your organization offers for field assessment and data collection, including conducting surveys and interviews, for fire-damaged buildings and infrastructure. Please include details on your ability to organize teams of such experts for deployment within 48 hours after an event.

Please describe your experience with the development and implementation of recommended changes to fire-related standards, codes, and practices.

Please describe your experience in developing and implementing survey- or interview-based data collection strategies for building occupants, emergency responders, and other persons with relevant knowledge/experience to gather fire performance, alarm, or suppression system/activities related data to support the study of the emergency response and evacuation process/procedures. Please describe experience performing this work in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act and Human Subjects requirements.

Please describe your experience in determining field data collection needs and developing data collection tools relevant to fire events, the performance of the built environment during fire events, associated emergency response and evacuation procedures, pre-disaster mitigation activities, and post-disaster response and recovery efforts.

EVIDENCE

PRESERVATION

TRACK

Please describe your experience with the collection, transportation, preservation, storage, maintenance, management, and security of data, artifacts, and evidence. Please describe your experience with tagging or tracking artifacts and evidence, as well as experience with heavy structural components, including those over 20 tons, when available.

Please describe your experience obtaining copyright and/or use permissions for data, materials, and artifacts collected during studies.

Please describe your experience with responding to Freedom of Information Act requests for disaster-related information, including methods used to manage documents, collecting, and reproducing information.

Please describe your experience in determining field data collection needs and developing data collection tools, tagging procedures, databases, and techniques.

(iv) Phase One Submission Due Date. Phase One proposals shall be received electronically at lauren.roller@nist.gov and adam.powell@nist.gov by or before November 15, 2024 at 12:00 PM Noon ET. Proposals shall remain valid for a minimum period of 90 days.

L.4.2 Advisory Notice

The Government will evaluate Factor 1 and provide advisory notifications to offerors.

This notification will inform the offeror of the Government’s advisory recommendation to proceed or not to proceed with the Phase 2 submission.

Rated Most Highly: Offerors who are most highly rated for Phase 1 will be advised to proceed to Phase 2 of the proposal submission process.

Rated Not Among the Most Highly: Offerors who were not among the most highly rated will be advised that they are unlikely to be viable competitors. The intent of this advice is to minimize proposal development costs for those offerors with little to no chance of receiving an award. Offerors should note that the Phase 1 factor is more important than Phase 2 factors.

Number of Offerors: The Government intends to provide no more than four (4) offerors per track with an advisory notification to proceed but reserves the right to notify more offerors. However, the Government’s advice will be a recommendation only, and those offerors who are advised not to proceed may elect to continue their participation in the procurement.

Proceeding to Phase 2: The Government does not intend to provide debriefings after the completion of the advisory notifications. Failure to participate in Phase 1 of the procurement precludes further consideration of an offeror. Phase 2 submissions will not be accepted from offerors who have not submitted Phase 1 proposals by the due date and time stated in this RFP. All offerors who choose to proceed with a Phase 2 submission shall send an email to lauren.roller@nist.gov and adam.powell@nist.gov no later than the date specified in the notification, after receipt of the advisory notifications, indicating their intent to participate in Phase 2. Failure to respond within the time frame indicated in the advisory notification may preclude the offeror from being further considered for award.

L.4.3 Phase Two

For Phase Two, Offerors shall provide their proposal as described below. Each proposal shall consist of the volumes listed below and each shall be submitted in separate electronic files.

Volume Section Page Limit

1 Cover Page 1 21 Factor 2 - Mock Task Order Approach 6 32 Factor 3 - IDIQ Management Approach 5 4 Business/Pricing Proposal No Limit

Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Other than Small Businesses Only)

No Limit

All information within the page limitations of the proposal is subject to evaluation. Written content that extends beyond the page limitations may not be considered and may result in the offeror’s proposal being rejected. Any hyperlinks provided may not be reviewed. The PDF file shall be searchable.

L.4.3.1 Cover Page

The cover page shall include the offeror name, contact information, and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). The cover page shall also identify which track(s) the proposal is submitted for.

No cover letter, executive summary, or table of contents is required.

L.4.3.1L.4.3.2 Factor 2 - Mock Task Order Approach

The offeror shall submit a technical approach and key personnel for the mock task order relevant to their chosen scope track(s). The offeror shall describe its approach to successfully completing the mock task order requirements and identify how its key personnel’s qualifications align with the requirements stated. The technical approach shall clearly demonstrate the offeror’s technical understanding of the mock task order requirements and identify the planned level of effort by labor category which would be provided. Mock task order key personnel resumes shall be submitted as part of the Factor 2 response; however, tThe mock task order approach page limit does not includes key personnel resumes. Mock task order key personnel resumes are limited to twos page each.

Pricing is not required for this factor.

L.4.3.2L.4.3.3 Factor 3 - IDIQ Management Approach

The offeror shall discuss its plan for managing all aspects of the prime contract to ensure successful support of the DFS program. Only one IDIQ Management Approach shall be submitted regardless of whether an offeror is proposing for one or more tracks. The IDIQ Management Approach discussion shall consist of the following focus areas:

(i) The offeror shall describe the structure of its organization (including key subcontractors/team members), how that organization fits into its overall corporate structure, and the reporting and review relationship with corporate management. The offeror shall provide a Teaming Composition Matrix (one page maximum) that breaks down the task areas of the SOW, including which team members are primary or secondary in covering each task area at the IDIQ level. The offeror shall delineate organizational responsibilities, clear lines of authority, and effective spans of control as well as how the offeror will control the flow of information and communications among team members, customers, CORs, and the Contracting Officer. Discuss any unique or innovative business practices that will be implemented to facilitate the successful execution of the overall DFS IDIQ requirement.

(ii) The offeror shall discuss the qualifications (education, experience, accomplishments, and skills) of the proposed IDIQ Program Manager, specifically addressing his/her experience and capability in managing a contract, similar to this requirement in terms of technical and contractual complexity and magnitude, with multiple task orders underneath it. The offeror shall clearly demonstrate that the proposed IDIQ Program Manager meets or exceeds the minimum qualifications identified for the IDIQ Program Manager labor category. The IDIQ Contract Program Manager’s resume, limited to two pages, shall be included in this section. The IDIQ Contract Program Manager’s resume is excluded from the 5-page limit.

(iii) The offeror shall describe its commitment to using small businesses in its teaming composition for the overall IDIQ and Mock Task Order. This includes if the prime offeror is a small business itself, but also extends to its teaming partners also qualifying as small businesses.

(iv) The offeror shall provide a list of its proposed labor categories for the IDIQ contract including the descriptions, experience requirements, and minimum education requirements for each labor category. At a minimum, the schedule of proposed IDIQ labor categories must include the labor categories required by the RFP (see Section B of the RFP), including the same descriptions, experience and education requirements.

This portion of the IDIQ Management Approach response does not count towards the 5-page limit.

L.4.3.3L.4.3.4 Business/Pricing Proposal

The Offeror shall propose ceiling fully burdened hourly labor rates for the following periods.

The Offeror shall assume for price proposal preparation purposes that the contract will begin on January 20, 2025. However, these dates are not binding and the actual period of performance of the base contract may be different than listed below:

Year 1: 01/20/2025 – 01/19/2026 Year 2: 01/20/2026 – 01/19/2027 Year 3: 01/20/2027 – 01/19/2028 Year 4: 01/20/2028 – 01/19/2029 Year 5: 01/20/2029 – 01/19/2030

The Offeror shall submit ceiling fully burdened hourly labor rates — on-site (Government site) and off-site (Contractor or other work site) — for each proposed labor category detailed in the Offeror’s Technical Volume Schedule of Labor Categories.

Below is a sample of what the proposed Schedule of Labor Categories and corresponding rates should resemble (Table 1). As stated earlier in Section L, Offerors must propose labor categories that match the descriptions of the work to be performed under each category, the minimum experience requirements, and the minimum education requirements. However, since Offerors are required to provide the descriptions and minimum requirements for each of its proposed labor categories in Volume II: Management Volume, the Offerors need not provide the descriptions and minimum qualifications again in the Business Volume. The following table, complete with the awardee’s labor categories and rates, will be included in Section B of the resultant IDIQ contract:

Table 1: Ceiling Fully Burdened Hourly Labor Rates

Labor Category

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 On- Site

Off- Site

On- Site

Off- Site

On- Site

Off- Site

On- Site

Off- Site

On- Site

Off- Site

Labor Category X

Labor Category Y

Labor Category Z

Table 1: Ceiling Fully Burdened Hourly Labor Rates

Labor Category Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Labor Category X

Labor Category Y

Labor Category Z

L.4.3.4L.4.3.5 Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Other than Small Businesses Only)

Other than Small Business offerors shall submit a Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Plan). The plan shall reflect subcontracting goals as a percentage, and the plan must reflect goals for a five (5) year period. The maximum practical subcontracting goals should be proposed along with a rationale for the goals presented. As the NIST is not issuing any task orders at present, the Plan should represent a good faith effort at estimating based on the offeror’s proposed approach and teaming composition. Offerors shall submit their Plan using the attached template and ensure that all elements required by FAR 19.704 are addressed.

Offerors are encouraged to break out the percentages further to socioeconomic status goals.