A10 RFI 15PCR21N00000002.pdf

Beta.SAM Presolicitation Notice

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* = Required Field FedBizOpps Presolicitation Notice Rev. March 2010

R

Expert Architect Services for the Office for Civil Rights (OCR)

20531

15PCRD21N00000002

07-28-2021

N

Y

541611

US Department of Justice DOJ, Office of Justice Programs Acquisition Management Division 810 7th Street, N.W.

Washington DC 20531

Debashis Nag, Contract Specialist USDOJ Office of Justice Programs 810 7th Street, NW Room 3610 Washington, DC 20531 (202)616-1705 Direct | (202)354-4154 Fax debashis.nag@usdoj.gov

US Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC

20531

USA

http://ojp.gov

US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs debashis.nag@usdoj.gov

US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS (OJP)

OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS (OCR)

EXPERT ARCHITECT SERVICES

This Request for Information (RFI) is being released pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 10 Market Research. The information collected through the process is considered to be market research as described by FAR

2.101 and in accordance with FAR 10.002. This is NOT a Request for Proposals (RFP), and nothing shall be construed herein or through the Sources Sought process to commit or obligate the Government to further action. In addition, vendors responding to this RFI shall bear all risks and expenses of any resources used to provide the requested information. The submission of capability information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary.

The Department of Justice (DOJ), the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is issuing this RFI to identify qualified and responsible small business vendors (e.g., 8(a); Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business; Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Small Business; Small Disadvantaged Business; Veteran-Owned Small Business, Women-Owned Small Business and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business) having expert skills in architecture/engineering (A&E) with applying ADA (Americans for Disabilities Act) Standards for Accessible Design and Section 504 standards in funded prisons, jails, community corrections facilities, juvenile confinement facilities, and other facility types that are recipients of federal financial assistance to ensure that such facilities do not discriminate against individuals with disabilities..

The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to these proposed services is 541611. The anticipated contract type is Time & Material. The anticipated period of performance is a base year plus two

(2) option years commencing September 1, 2021. The anticipated place of performance will be the Contractor’s site and field locations.

Background

The Office of Justice Programs, Office for Civil Rights ensures that recipients of federal financial assistance (recipients) from the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) comply with civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination against individuals in the recipients’ delivery of services or benefits. As part of its efforts to address discrimination, the OCR investigates complaints and conducts compliance reviews of service delivery in funded prisons, jails, community corrections facilities, juvenile confinement facilities, and other facility types that are recipients of federal financial assistance to ensure they are in compliance with applicable laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. To assist OCR in conducting these investigations, it must consult with subject matter experts in meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities in custodial settings.

The OCR’s enforcement authority arises from several nondiscrimination statutes and regulations that require recipients to adhere to particular civil rights requirements. The following statutes and regulations prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability:

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) of 1973, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in OJP-, COPS-, and OVW-funded programs or activities (29 U.S.C. § 794 and 28 C.F.R. §

42.501 et seq.);

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/29/794 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_00/28cfr42_00.html

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as it relates to discrimination on the basis of disability in OJP-, COPS-, and OVW-funded programs or activities (42 U.S.C. § 12132 and 28 C.F.R. pt. 35);

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/12132 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_00/28cfr35_00.html http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/12132 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_00/28cfr35_00.html

Section 1407 of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or disability in VOCA-funded programs or activities (34 U.S.C.

§ 20110(e);; and http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/10604

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability in programs authorized under VAWA 34 U.S.C. § 12291(b)(13).

Applicable Documents

The above-referenced statutes and regulations, the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design (available at https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/2010ADAstandards.htm) and the guidance entitled “Examples and Resources to Support Criminal Justice Entities in Compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act” available at https://www.ada.gov/cjta.html.

Scope

The OCR is seeking to obtain the services of a Contractor who has expertise in architecture/engineering (A&E) and experience in applying the ADA and Section 504 in funded prisons, jails, community corrections facilities, juvenile confinement facilities, and other facility types that are recipients of federal financial assistance to ensure that such facilities do not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. In particular, the Contractor will: 1) assist OCR staff in evaluating allegations of disability discrimination against recipients in any aspect of their facilities’ operations; 2) analyze policies, procedures, practices, and training for compliance with the ADA and Section 504, including but not limited to requirements regarding a) program accessibility and b) architectural access; 3) assist OCR staff in developing an investigative plan for onsite visits of subject facilities, including guidance for the collection of evidence such as measurements and photographs to establish compliance with the ADA and Section 504; 4) review all relevant information, which may include inmate grievances, disciplinary, and medical records, as well as photographs, measurements, and other evidence collected during onsite visits by OCR staff; 5) for some investigations visit facilities, which may involve interviewing administrators, staff, inmates, volunteers, and contractors, and develop an investigative record as to compliance with the ADA and Section 504; 6) present analysis and opinions to the OCR orally and in writing;

7) assist the OCR in preparing written reports, each tailored to the specific investigation at hand, regarding its analysis of and conclusions about recipients’ policies, procedures, practices, and training; and 8) aid the OCR in developing appropriate remedies and monitoring recipients’ implementation of those measures.

Services

The Contractor may be required to:

Task 1: Advise the OCR on data request and data collection methodologies to ensure that information gathered in connection with investigations is sufficient to determine the compliance of a prison, jail, community corrections facility, or juvenile confinement facility’s with the ADA and Section 504.

Task 2: The Contractor will collaborate with OCR staff to produce an investigative plan for onsite visits by OCR staff.

This plan should be tailored to the specific investigation, but generally should include the standards for compliance for areas or features surveyed, a detailed list of measurements and photographs necessary to record compliance with the ADA and Section 504, related interview questions for facility engineering or architectural staff, and other considerations for a thorough and complete onsite review by OCR staff. During this meeting, the OCR and Contractor will specify the parameters of the written report for the specific investigation at hand.

Task 2.1: If circumstances warrant, conduct a site visit to the prison, jail, community corrections facility, or juvenile confinement facility to evaluate the facility’s compliance with the ADA and Section 504. While onsite, the Contractor will produce field notes of their expert observations. These notes should include documentation of all features subject to the accessibility requirements of the ADA, including maintaining records of the locations of all measurements taken, and photographs of areas surveyed including visible, legible records of the measurements taken.

Task 3: Within 45 days of a site visit conducted by either OCR staff or the Contractor, the Contractor will produce for each investigation a draft written report, per the parameters of Task 2.1, detailing the Contractor’s findings about whether the prison, jail, community corrections facility, or juvenile confinement facility is in compliance with the applicable ADA and Section 504 standards, recommended remedies, and procedures for monitoring compliance with the report’s corrective action recommendations. The OCR will review the draft report and may offer comments; the Contractor will produce a final report, incorporating any feedback from OCR, within two weeks after the receipt of the OCR’s comments.

The Contractor may be required to provide expert testimony in administrative proceedings or other public hearings regarding issues raised in the report.

Key Personnel Qualifications

Key Role Description

Architecture / Engineering (A/E) Consultant

The A/E Consultant must have a four-year degree from an accredited university in architecture, structural engineering, or a related field and possess all proper professional licenses. Strong knowledge of the ADA and Section 504 is required, as well as knowledge of the relevant regulatory accessibility standards and guidelines.

The A/E Consultant must have specialized knowledge and experience with the ADA and Section 504 Standards of Technical Design referenced above in prisons, jails, community corrections facilities, and juvenile confinement facilities, and have experience in preparing declarations, affidavits, or reports for litigation or administrative hearing matters.

Respondents to this RFI shall provide the following information:

a) Vendor background summary including, Contractor name, address, DUNS, point of contact information, email, phone, website address, small business designation, and any GSA schedule number.

b) Tailored capability statements addressing the particulars of this effort, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. If subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements.

c) Past Performance - Provide a list of previous contracts where similar services were provided. Provide customer/Government Agency contact information where these services were provided including: contact name and organization, telephone number, and email address.

The Government will evaluate market information to ascertain potential market capacity to provide services consistent in scope described in this notice and otherwise anticipated.

Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. Interested vendors should monitor a government point of entry site for further information.

Submission Instructions: Interested small business vendors who consider themselves qualified to perform the above-listed services are invited to submit a response to this RFI Notice by Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at 5:00PM Eastern.

All responses under this RFI Notice must be emailed to debashis.nag@usdoj.gov.