Career_Services_SMA_USMMA_2018_RFP.pdf

USMMA AND SMA SIP GRADUATES

CAREER SERVICES

SUBJECT: Career Services for United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) and the State Maritime Academies (SMAs) Student Incentive Payment (SIP) Program participants.

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to identify industry knowledge and capabilities to provide career services for USMMA and SMA SIP participants and graduates.

This RFP does not commit the Government to contract for any service if no companies are found that adequately meet the requirements in the RFP. However, it is the intent of MARAD to obtain a company for these services. Proprietary information is not being requested, and respondents shall refrain from providing proprietary information in response to this RFP. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

MARAD will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this RFP. Responsive information may be emailed directly to the attention of Judy Bowers at judy.bowers@dot.gov.

BACKGROUND: Under the terms of 46 U.S.C. § 51306 and 46 CFR § 310.58 graduates from USMMA have a five-year employment service obligation following graduation. Similarly, under 46 U.S.C. § 51509 and 46 CFR § 310.7, SIP graduates from the SMAs have a three-year employment service obligation. These graduates are expected to fulfill this obligation independently and MARAD does not provide assistance in finding employment prior to or after graduation. Unlike other Federal service academies (whereby DOD guarantees graduates employment through active duty), MARAD does not guarantee employment. The success or failure of USMMA and SIP programs is measured by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on the basis of whether the USMMA and the SIP graduates fulfill their service obligation.

Under the current program structure, graduates must submit an Employment Determination Request (EDR) to MARAD for employment that is other than US Flag Afloat, NOAA Corp, the US Public Health Service (USPHS), or the US Armed Forces. Other types of employment must be approved by MARAD as meeting a graduate’s service obligation. In order for MARAD to approve service in a shoreside position or as an officer aboard a foreign flag vessel not through a U.S. labor union, a determination has to be made by MARAD that a graduate conscientiously sought an afloat position as an officer aboard a U.S. flag vessel and that such afloat employment is not available to them.

Currently, the determination of whether afloat employment is available to graduates is accomplished through dialogs between MARAD and various shipping companies, labor unions, and government agencies that traditionally hire maritime academy graduates. These conversations typically occur while attending the SMAs’ annual briefings, meetings with the labor unions and maritime companies, and various maritime industry meetings. Additionally, through the EDR process, we communicate with these groups to validate the graduate’s claims that s/he sought afloat employment. This is an individualized process leading to a determination as to whether employment was available to that graduate at that time.

Although the USMMA has a Professional Development & Career Services office, and the SMAs provide career assistance to their graduates, it has become apparent that additional resources are needed to provide career services specific to afloat jobs to graduates throughout their service obligation period. MARAD is charged with monitoring the USMMA and SIP graduates on the performance of their service obligation. Although the academies provide career services, it appears the graduates would benefit from a dedicated afloat, maritime support program.

REQUIREMENTS:

This is an RFP to identify companies with capabilities to provide career services for USMMA and SIP participants and graduates to include:

• Provide individualized assistance to undergraduates and graduates that have a service obligation to find afloat employment so as to achieve the success of the programs.

• Provide MARAD a monthly, or other pre-determined period, written assessment of the availability of afloat jobs across the maritime industry, including specific factors that are/will impact afloat employment in the maritime industry, as well as a forecast of future employment opportunities for graduates, including employment shortages and areas of growth and declines in employment opportunities.

• Provide reports to MARAD on the number and names of graduates that have contacted the contractor for career services and the number, names, positions, and employers of graduates who actually obtained employment through such service.

• Coordinate a pre-determined number of PDCS Potential Presentations/Workshops and/or SMA career fair visits.

Coordinate with PDCS employer participation at one of the USMMA job fairs. Able to attend weekly, or pre-determined meetings via telephone/and or web. An estimated 200 graduates will be utilizing the service, up to a maximum number of 800. Contractor will not be required to be in a specific location. Services may be provided via telephone, website, or email.

HOW TO RESPOND:

MARAD would like to know which firms can provide the services for this contemplated requirement. MARAD requests the following information:

1) Company name; business size and status; NAICS Code(s); point of contact.

2) Evidence to show that your company can provide the requested services (i.e. technical ability, personnel, and experience). Do not exceed 12 total pages, including attachments.

3) Whether your company has a GSA Schedule and if they are capable of providing these services on schedule. If able to provide the services on schedule, provide the schedule and SIN.

4) Any other assumptions, comments, concerns, and/or questions relating to the contemplated services.

5) Proposal of cost for one year, including employee(s) resumes, and any travel cost needed in the performance of this contract.

6) Past Performance Questionnaire completed by three vendors that can verify your knowledge of requested services (sent directly from the vendor to the Contracting Officer)

7) Company must be registered in the Systems for Award Management (SAM.gov).

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: One year with an option to extend (subject to the availability of funds for option year and MARAD evaluation of the contractor performance).

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Provide you location, office address. The contractor can perform the duties at their facility, however will be expected to visit the State maritime academies each at least once, and the USMMA at least twice.

TRAVEL:

All travel required to perform this contract the cost shall be e included in your proposal.

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT (GFE): N/A

ACCEPTANCE OF DELIVERABLES/TECHNICAL POINT OF CONTACT:

Rita Jackson, Academies Program Officer Christopher Wahler, Direct., Office of Maritime Labor and Training

PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

The contractor will provide MARAD an itemized bill monthly.

PRINCIPLE CONTRACTOR POC

Judy Bowers, Contracting Officer, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20509 – (202) 366- 1913; judy.bowers@dot.gov