19GE5026Q0004_Combined Synopsis and Solicitation.pdf

COMBINED SYNOPSIS & SOLICITATION

Health Insurance for Locally Employed Staff (LES) U.S. Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

SOLICITATION NO. 19GE5026Q0004

Issued by:

Regional Procurement Support Office (RPSO) Giessener Strasse 30 60435 Frankfurt am Main Germany

Solicitation Number: 19GE5026Q0004 Issued as: Request for Quotations (RFQ) Procurement Type: Commercial Services – Simplified Acquisition Procedures under FAR Part 13 Place of Performance: U.S. Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam Contract Type: Firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract that includes an economic price adjustment provision. The Government will issue annual task orders for the required services within the stated minimum and maximum quantities.

Notice: One or more of the items under this acquisition is subject to the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement and Free Trade Agreements.

Purchase Restriction: Unless offers for U.S.-made or designated country end products are either not received or are insufficient to fulfill the requirements, only U.S.-made end products or designated country end products will be considered (FAR 25.403(a)). See FAR 52.225-5 for definition of a “designated country”.

List of Attachments:

Attachment 1: The Schedule & Contract Clauses Attachment 2: Volume 1 - Pricing and Representations & Certifications Attachment 3: Volume 2 - Technical Capability Attachment 4: Form W-14 and Instructions

(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products or commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes only the solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

(ii) Solicitation number 19GE5026Q0004 is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ) for Health Insurance for its Locally Employed Staff (LES) and their eligible dependents at the U.S. Embassy Brunei Darussalam.

Regional Procurement Support Office (RPSO) Giessener Strasse 30

60435 Frankfurt am Main Germany https://www.acquisition.gov/far/subpart-12.6#FAR_Subpart_12_6

(iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2025-06, effective 10/01/2025.

(iv) This acquisition is not set-aside for small business concerns and will be competed to the maximum extent practicable under FAR 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures. The applicable NAICS Code is 524114 – Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers.

(v) List of line item numbers and items, quantities, and units of measure including options. See attachment Volume 1 for complete price breakdown:

Line Item Description Period of Performance QTY Unit

001 Base Year Services LES Health Insurance Inclusive of Sub-CLINs 001A-001C

March 27, 2026 – March 26, 2027 1 Year

1001 Option Year One Services LES Health Insurance Inclusive of Sub-CLINs 1001A-1001C

March 27, 2027 – March 26, 2028 1 Year

2001 Option Year Two Services LES Health Insurance Inclusive of Sub-CLINs 2001A-2001C

March 27, 2028 – March 26, 2029 1 Year

3001 Option Year Three Services LES Health Insurance Inclusive of Sub-CLINs 3001A-3001C

March 27, 2029 – March 26, 2030 1 Year

4001 Option Year Four Services LES Health Insurance Inclusive of Sub-CLINs 4001A-4001C

March 27, 2030 – March 26, 2031 1 Year

(vi) Description of Requirements / Statement of Work:

Regional Procurement Support Office (RPSO) Frankfurt seeks quotations from qualified offerors to provide comprehensive health insurance coverage for Locally Employed Staff (LES) and their eligible dependents at U.S. Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam in accordance with the attached Statement of Work. The health insurance plan must meet the specified technical capability requirements, including confirmation of the benefit levels outlined in attachment Volume 2 - Technical Capability. Offerors are expected to demonstrate their ability to fulfill these requirements as part of their quotation submission.

(vii) Reserved.

(viii) The provision at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Sep 2023) applies to this acquisition and is incorporated by reference. In addition, the following addendum to this provision is also applicable and must be followed in the preparation and submission of offers:

Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instruction to Offerors - Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Sep 2023)

• Period for Acceptance of Offers: The period for acceptance of offers, as stated in FAR 52.212-1, is extended from 30 calendar days to 90 calendar days.

• Preparation and Submission of Offers: Offerors shall prepare and submit their quotations in two (2) separate volumes using the format and templates provided in the attachments as guidance:

Volume 1 – Price Quotation: see Volume 1 attachment* Volume 2 – Technical Quotation: see Volume 2 attachment*

*The templates are provided for orientation and consistency in submission; offerors may expand fields as necessary to fully address the requirements. Offerors may also use their own templates, provided all required information is included and clearly presented.

(ix) The provision at 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Nov 2021) and the following addendum apply to this acquisition:

Addendum to FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation – Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Nov 2021)

The Government will conduct an initial compliance review of all quotations received to assess completeness and adherence to the terms of the solicitation. Quotations that are incomplete or fail to comply with the requirements may be rejected in accordance with FAR 52.212-1(b)(11).

In accordance with FAR 13.106-2(b)(4)(ii), the Government intends to utilize streamlined evaluation techniques under Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) to promote efficiency.

Following the compliance review, the Government will pre-screen quotations and identify those demonstrating initial indicators of best value. Only these quotations will proceed to the comparative evaluation phase.

The source selection will be conducted using the comparative evaluation method, as authorized under FAR 13.106-2(b)(3). Comparative evaluation entails a direct comparison of two or more https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.212-1#FAR_52_212_1 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.212-2#FAR_52_212_2 quotations on an item-by-item basis to determine which offers the best value to the Government. Evaluation criteria will include technical capability, past performance, and price, as specified in this solicitation.

This is not a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) or trade-off source selection. However, the Government may award to the lowest-priced quotation if it is determined to offer the best overall value based on the evaluation criteria.

Evaluation Process and Factors Factor 1: Compliance Review

1. Submission of a complete quotation that includes all required information identified in the solicitation, including technical approach, and pricing;

2. Completed representations and certifications in accordance with attachment Volume 1;

3. Past performance information, including prior contracts of a similar nature or commercial equivalents.

4. To demonstrate eligibility at the time of proposal submission, offerors who are already registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) must include proof of active SAM registration with their proposal.

Offerors not currently registered in SAM must follow the instructions provided under provision FAR 52.204-90 Offeror Identification, contained in the attachment Volume 1, and must provide their Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code.

After the compliance review, offers that do not meet the solicitation’s basic submission requirements or fail mandatory representations/certifications will be excluded from further consideration. Remaining offers will proceed to comparative evaluation based on technical capability, past performance, and price.

Factor 2: Technical Capability

• Technical capability will be evaluated to determine the degree to which the offeror’s proposed solution meets the solicitation requirements and provides value to the Government.

• Emphasis will be on the quality, feasibility, and strength of the proposed solution, and whether the proposal offers any comparative technical advantages over other offers.

• Evaluation will be comparative among all responsive offers and may support selection of a technically superior solution, even if priced higher.

Factor 3: Past Performance

• Past performance will be considered to assess the offeror’s demonstrated ability to successfully perform relevant commercial or government contracts.

• Evaluation will focus on quality, timeliness, and customer satisfaction, where available.

• If past performance information is not available or limited, the offeror’s past performance will be rated as “Unknown.” A rating of “Unknown” will not automatically disqualify an offer but may be treated as neutral in comparative assessments.

• Comparative assessment may be used as a discriminator to support selection of a technically or commercially superior offer, where justified.

Factor 4: Price

• Price will be evaluated primarily for reasonableness relative to the scope of commercial services being acquired. In accordance with FAR 12.209 and 13.106-3(a), the price reasonableness on competitive offers will be evaluated. Reasonableness will be assessed using the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) and market comparisons.

• Price will be evaluated in conjunction with technical capability and past performance.

• Comparative analysis of total proposed price may inform the source selection decision but must not override technical or performance considerations when value justifies a higher price.

Responsibility Determination:

The Government will determine contractor responsibility by analyzing whether the apparent successful offeror complies with the requirements of FAR 9.1, including:

a. adequate financial resources or the ability to obtain them;

b. ability to comply with the required performance period, taking into consideration all existing commercial and governmental business commitments;

c. satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics;

d. necessary organization, experience, and skills or the ability to obtain them;

e. necessary equipment and facilities or the ability to obtain them; and

f. otherwise qualified and eligible to receive an award under applicable laws and regulations.

Award Without Discussions Pursuant to FAR 52.212-1, the Government reserves the right to award a contract without discussions based on initial offers. Upon completion of the Government’s initial evaluation of quotations, exchanges with offerors may occur, for the purpose of clarifications and communications in accordance with FAR Part 12. This is a commercial acquisition for which debriefing is not required, and none will be provided. Requests for information will be addressed in accordance with FAR 13.106-3(d).

(End of addendum)

(x) Offerors are required to submit the completed provisions at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Oct 2025) and other required Representations and Certifications with its offer (see attachment Volume 1).

(xi) The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Nov 2023), applies to this acquisition.

(xii) The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Oct 2025) (DEVIATION FEB 2025), applies to this acquisition. See attachment Schedule and Contract Clauses for additional applicable clauses.

(xiii) Additional applicable provisions are incorporated in this section by reference and in full text. The contract clauses are included in the attachment, Schedule and Contract Clauses.

The following provisions are incorporated by reference:

FAR 52.204-16 Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting FAR 52.209-7 Information Regarding Responsibility Matters FAR 52.214-34 Submission of Offers in the English Language FAR 52.225-17 Evaluation of Foreign Currency Offers

The full text of the referenced FAR and DOSAR provisions may be accessed electronically at:

https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.acquisition.gov/dosar

The following provisions are incorporated by full text:

FAR 52.233-2 Service of Protest (Sept 2006)

(a) Protests, as defined in section 33.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, that are filed directly with an agency, and copies of any protests that are filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), shall be served on the Contracting Officer (addressed as follows) by obtaining written and dated acknowledgment of receipt from the Contracting Officer at the following physical address below: (for mailing address, see block 7 of the SF 1442):

American Consulate General Regional Procurement Support Office (RPSO) https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.212-3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.212-4#FAR_52_212_4 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.212-5#FAR_52_212_5 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-16 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-16 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.209-7#FAR_52_209_7 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.214-34 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.214-34 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.225-17 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.225-17 https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://www.acquisition.gov/dosar https://www.acquisition.gov/far/33.101#FAR_33_101

Giessener Str. 30 60435 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

(b) The copy of any protest shall be received in the office designated above within one day of filing a protest with the GAO.

(End of provision)

FAR 52.252-5 Authorized Deviations in Provisions (Nov 2020) (a)The use in this solicitation of any Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR Chapter 1) provision with an authorized deviation is indicated by the addition of "(DEVIATION)" after the date of the provision.

(b)The use in this solicitation of any FAR (48 CFR Chapter 1) provision with an authorized deviation is indicated by the addition of "(DEVIATION)" after the name of the regulation.

(End of provision)

DOSAR 652.206-70 Advocate for Competition/Ombudsman (Feb 2015)

(a) The Department of State's Advocate for Competition is responsible for assisting industry in removing restrictive requirements from Department of State solicitations and removing barriers to full and open competition and use of commercial items. If such a solicitation is considered competitively restrictive or does not appear properly conducive to competition and commercial practices, potential offerors are encouraged first to contact the contracting officer for the solicitation. If concerns remain unresolved, contact:

(1) For solicitations issued by the Office of Global Acquisition (GA) or a Regional Procurement Support Office, the Advocate for Competition, at AQMCompetitionAdvocate@state.gov.

(2) For all others, the Department of State Advocate for Competition at cat@state.gov.

(b) The Department of State's Acquisition Ombudsman has been appointed to hear concerns from potential offerors and contractors during the preaward and postaward phases of this acquisition. The role of the ombudsman is not to diminish the authority of the contracting officer, the Technical Evaluation Panel or Source Evaluation Board, or the selection official. The purpose of the ombudsman is to facilitate the communication of concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations of interested parties to the appropriate Government personnel, and work to resolve them. When requested and appropriate, the ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of formal contract disputes. Interested parties are invited to contact the contracting activity ombudsman, Sharon D. James, Email: JamesSD@state.gov. For an American Embassy or overseas post, refer to the numbers below for the Department Acquisition Ombudsman.

Concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations which cannot be resolved at a contracting activity level may be referred to the Department of State Acquisition Ombudsman at (703) 516–1680, by fax at (703) 875–6155, or write to: Department of State, Acquisition Ombudsman, Office of the Procurement Executive (A/OPE), Suite 603, SA–6, Washington, DC 20522–0602.

(End of provision)

(xiv) Reserved.

(xv) Questions and Offer Due Date

Submission of Questions: Interested parties may submit any questions concerning the solicitation as soon as possible but not later than 12:00 hours Central European Time (CET) on Monday, December 15, 2025, email to Jenina Dosch at DoschJK@state.gov, and copy to FrankfurtRPSO@state.gov. The email subject line must read “Questions 19GE5026Q0004.”

Late questions may not be considered.

Submission of Offers: Offers shall be submitted as soon as possible but not later than 12:00 hours Central European Time (CET) on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, email to Jenina Dosch at DoschJK@state.gov, and copy to FrankfurtRPSO@state.gov. The email subject line must read “Quotation 19GE5026Q0004.”

Offerors are advised to carefully review and follow all submission instructions to ensure consistency and compliance. Volume 1 and Volume 2 shall be submitted electronically as separate files, in formats compatible with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, or Adobe PDF, as applicable. Each email submission must not exceed 45 MB in total size. Late submissions will not be considered. The Government will not be responsible for any failure to receive proposals due to excessive file size or incompatible file formats.

Failure to furnish and deliver all requested information in accordance with these instructions may result in exclusion from further consideration pursuant to FAR 52.212-1(b)(11). The penalty for making false statements is prescribed in 18 U.S. Code § 1001.

mailto:DoschJK@state.gov mailto:FrankfurtRPSO@state.gov mailto:FrankfurtRPSO@state.gov

(xvi) Solicitation Contact Information:

Jenina Dosch Procurement Agent U.S. Department of State Bureau of Global Acquisition Regional Procurement Support Office Frankfurt, Germany Email: DoschJK@state.gov

Offerors are encouraged to submit inquiries in writing via email; no phone calls will be accepted.

END OF SOLICITATION