A03-MR-SAM-RFI.docx

Request for Information/Sources Sought

Agency/Office: U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Enforcement (“MSHA”), Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances (OSRV) Location: Remote PSC: R499 – Support—Professional: Other NAICS: 541611- Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services

1. GENERAL INFORMATION: The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) develops and enforces safety and health standards as a means to eliminate fatal accidents; to reduce the frequency and severity of nonfatal accidents; to minimize health hazards; and to promote improved safety and health conditions in the Nation's mines. The Office of Standards Regulations and Variances (OSRV) is the organization within MSHA that develops standards and regulations for the mining industry that protect the safety and health of miners. These standards and regulations establish enforcement requirements for compliance in accordance with the Mine Act as amended by the MINER Act.

In accordance with the requirements of Executive Orders 12866 and 13563, the Regulatory Flexibility Act, and the Paperwork Reduction Act, OSRV prepares cost-benefit and economic analyses of proposed and final standards to determine their effect on businesses.

In accordance with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act), as amended by the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006, MSHA works to promote a safe and healthful workplace for U.S. miners and to prevent death, illness, and injury from mining. MSHA develops and enforces safety and health rules for all U.S. mines. MSHA also provides training, education, and technical assistance programs to mine operators; and works cooperatively with diverse stakeholders including other governmental agencies to improve safety and health conditions for all miners in the U.S. Within MSHA, OSRV guides all MSHA's rulemaking activities and serves as the point of contact with the public and other Federal agencies on regulatory matters. OSRV develops the regulatory text, the rulemaking preamble, and the economic impact and cost-benefit analyses for MSHA's proposed and final standards and regulations.

MSHA is engaged in a number of rulemakings including but not limited to: respirable crystalline silica; use of non-permissible surveying equipment in underground mines; safety program for surface mobile equipment; and testing, evaluation and approval of electric motor-driven mine equipment and accessories, among other topics.

1. OBJECTIVE: This Request for Information (RFI) is being issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances (OSRV) to acquire technical, statistical, and editorial expertise to assist MSHA in developing, conducting and/or refining the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA), including the regulatory alternative analysis and regulatory flexibility analysis, Technological and Economic Feasibility Analysis, Health Effects Analysis, Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA), and Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) analyses for a health rule on respirable crystalline silica.

1. SCOPE: The contractor shall provide services for analytical, technical, statistical, and editorial expertise to assist MSHA in developing, conducting, and/or refining compliance assistance materials, educational resources, regulatory impact analysis (RIA), including the regulatory alternative analysis and regulatory flexibility analysis (RFA), technological and economic feasibility analysis, health effects analysis, quantitative risk assessment (QRA), and Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) analyses for MSHA’s safety and health rulemakings and related initiatives.

The contractor shall provide a pool of labor categories that can provide expertise required to accomplish the tasks below. Program adjustments are anticipated and may result in different specialties employed at differing times on MSHA’s rulemaking efforts. The Government will provide at least 5-business-days advance notice for each assignment and the contractor will submit agreed upon deliverables within an agreed upon timeframe.

Services to be provided by Contractor are as follows:

2. The Contractor shall review and summarize the research and literature findings and other documents that are relevant for MSHA’s safety and health rulemakings.

2. The Contractor shall, in consultation with OSRV, employ sound methodologies to assist in developing, conducting, and/or refining the RIA, including the regulatory alternative analysis and RFA, technological and economic feasibility analysis, health effects analysis, QRA, and PRA analyses for each MSHA rulemaking and related initiatives.

2. The Contractor shall, in consultation with OSRV, assist MSHA in categorizing, summarizing, reviewing, analyzing, and addressing comments, testimony, or questions received from mining community stakeholders and members of the public, about issues related to the RIA, including the regulatory alternative analysis and RFA, technological and economic feasibility analysis, health effects analysis, QRA, and PRA analyses and rulemaking documents for MSHA rulemakings and related initiatives.

2. The Contractor shall, in consultation with OSRV, assist MSHA in categorizing, summarizing, reviewing, analyzing, and addressing feedback received from OMB and other agencies about issues related to the RIA, including the regulatory alternative analysis and RFA, technological and economic feasibility analysis, health effects analysis, QRA, and PRA analyses and rulemaking documents for MSHA rulemakings and related initiatives.

2. The Contractor shall create and maintain a comment database system (fully accessible by designated MSHA staff) for MSHA rulemakings.

2. The Contractor shall, in consultation with OSRV, provide specialized technical expertise and counsel related to regulations, policy initiatives, and data issues arising from the development or evaluation of MSHA programs and priorities. The Contractor shall systematically coordinate, analyze, summarize, and present the findings from multiple disciplines in its submission to OSRV. The Contractor shall assist MSHA in supplying comprehensive and timely responses to inquiries regarding the Agency’s rulemakings and related initiatives. These inquiries can be technical, legislative, and editorial, and come from OMB, departmental and Agency leadership, as well as from external stakeholders and members of the public. The Contractor shall support MSHA in drafting, reviewing, and editing documents regarding MSHA’s rulemakings and related initiatives, such as compliance assistance materials, guidance documents, educational resources, research reports, and economic analyses to describe, explain or summarize and explain the Agency’s position and decision-making process.

2. The Contractor shall participate in meetings, videoconferences, and teleconferences with OSRV, and other offices at MSHA, DOL and/or OMB to discuss MSHA rulemakings and related initiatives. The Contractor shall provide meeting notes within 5 business days after the meeting.

2. The Contractor shall provide a monthly progress report, detailing the labor hours billed and the progress made in the previous 30 days of each month.

2. The Contractor shall provide the progress report every 5th day of the month via email as a Microsoft Word or Excel attachment.

1. PERIODS OF PERFORMANCE:

1. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: REMOTE

Note that this is not a request for quotes. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. This Request for Information (RFI) seeks industry comments to assist the Government in locating potential FSS sources with the ability to satisfy its requirement. Vendors that believe they can provide the needed services that fully meet the Government's requirements may submit substantiating documentation to determine capability.

1. RESPONSE:

Respondents should provide the following information:

A. A one-page cover letter that includes your company’s:

0. Applicable GSA schedule number

0. CAGE code

0. DUNS Number

0. Business size for the NAICS listed above

0. Contract Point of Contact.

B. Firms will need to provide a response no longer than five (5) pages which addresses each of the Performance Requirements listed in the Draft Product Specifications provided with this announcement.

Each major task requires a written explanation to assess for capability.

Tasks include:

1. The contractor shall provide assistance in developing, conducting, and/or refining the RIA and other analyses for several rulemakings, including but not limited to safety program for surface mobile equipment; the use of non-permissible surveying equipment in underground coal mines; and testing, evaluation, and approval of electric motor-driven mine equipment and accessories, among other topics.

2. The contractor shall assist MSHA in categorizing, summarizing, reviewing, analyzing, and addressing comments, testimony, or questions received from mining community stakeholders and members of the public on the proposed rulemakings.

3.The contractor shall assist MSHA in categorizing, summarizing, reviewing, analyzing, and addressing feedback received from OMB and other agencies on MSHA’s rulemaking documents.

4. The contractor shall provide experts in compliance with the Federal rulemaking process (including the Office of Management and Budget clearance process), and related statutes and executive orders as well as MSHA's authorizing statutes and programs, in order to provide an expert review of MSHA's regulatory materials.

5. The contractor shall assist in evaluating regulatory text and developing, conducting, and/or refining RIAs and other required analyses for several rulemakings, including but not limited to: use of non-permissible surveying equipment in underground coal mines; safety program for surface mobile equipment; and testing, evaluation, and approval of electric motor-driven mine equipment and accessories, among other topics.

6. All analyses provided must be accurate, consistent with governing statutes and executive orders, and drafted using plain language.

C. Firms shall also provide one page that outlines:

Past government experience (task order/contract) with tasks similar in scope of this draft requirement. Past example should include contract numbers, customer information, and identify point of contacts.

D. Documentation will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining the availability and potential technical capability of all businesses in providing the requirement through GSA schedules.

Submissions should be organized in accordance with the instructions in this document to permit a thorough and accurate review and evaluation. Responses to this RFI must be submitted to Blaine S. Jackson, Contract Specialist via email no later than November 26, 2024, at 4:00 PM, EDT @ jackson.blaine.s@dol.gov.