A11 Sources Sought Notice_Laboratory Support Services_Final.docx

Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) – Acquisition Directorate (AD) For Defense Prisoner of War/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Laboratory Support Services Sources Sought Notice

General Information

Document Type: Sources Sought Notice Title: Laboratory Support Services Organization: Defense Prisoner of War/MIA Accounting Agency Sources Sought Notice Post Date: February 16, 2021 Response Date: March 2, 2021 at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time NAICS: 621511 Medical Laboratories/ Medical Forensic Laboratories Product Service Code: R499 – Other Professional Services

Security Requirement:

Interested firms responding to this notice must have a Top Secret SCI Facility Clearance. See security requirements below. This effort also requires Contractors to have access to Privacy Act and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) information/material.

Sources Sought Notice

WHS-AD is requesting responses from “all” sources. This includes Other than Small Businesses, Small Businesses, 8(a) Small Businesses, HubZone Small Businesses, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, Woman-Owned Small Businesses and Economically disadvantaged Women-owned Small Businesses, are encouraged to respond.

I. Introduction.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency was established on January 30, 2015 to more effectively increase the number of missing accounted for. The agency brings together the former Defense Prisoner of War Missing Office (DPMO), the Joint Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command (JPAC), and the Life Sciences Equipment Laboratory (LSEL). Consolidating the Department’s accounting assets will lead to better oversight of family resources and services, research, and operations.

This requirement will assist with the DPAA Laboratory team’s transition and migration to a new consolidated organization with a primary laboratory in Hawaii and a satellite laboratory in Nebraska. The majority of the work will be performed at the DPAA Laboratory in Hawaii. A separate element includes performance of similar laboratory work which will be performed at the satellite laboratory in Nebraska. The Contractor shall track work performed, funding expended and amount invoiced for each location separately.

The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to obtain information on the interest, qualifications, and capabilities of firms who are interested in supporting this DPAA requirement. This is not a solicitation announcement. This notice is issued to obtain information. It is not a Request for Proposal, nor does it restrict the Washington Headquarters Services, Acquisition Directorate (WHS/AD) from determining the ultimate acquisition approach. No contract will be awarded from this announcement and requests for solicitation will not receive a response. No reimbursement will be made for any cost associated with providing information in response to this announcement. Any information submitted by respondents is strictly voluntary.

Response Instructions

All firms submitting a response to this Sources Sought Notice should provide information which covers experience, staffing and technical capabilities in providing Medical Laboratory Support, and Program Management as described in Section II below. Firms should also provide information which demonstrates how the firm’s recent past performance (last 3 years) is relevant to providing Medical Laboratory Support and Program Management which includes providing technical and scientific analysis at the expert level to support a Medical Forensic Laboratory. Relevant Past performance information should include the dollar value, period of performance, size and scope of the firm’s prior contracts.

II Essential Task Areas

3.1 Laboratory Support

3.1.1. The Contractor shall provide technical and scientific analysis, forensic testing, and associated reports at the expert level to the DPAA Laboratory Support Program. The contractor shall conduct research, testing, analysis, sampling, and data interpretation in the following fields: forensic anthropology, forensic archaeology, forensic odontology, histomorphology, DNA, chest radiograph comparison, and isotope analysis. As the Laboratory expands capabilities the contractor shall support the introduction, validation, and accreditation of new technologies.

3.1.2. The Contractor shall perform forensic anthropological, archaeological, odontological, or isotopic research and tests in accordance with laboratory SOPs; interpreting data resulting from forensic anthropological, archaeological, odontological, or isotopic tests in the laboratory or from outside sources. The Contractor shall conduct evidence database searches to address specific research problems; and provide expert review of research papers and proposals, case reports, and identification report packets. The Contractor shall provide expert review (i.e. peer review) of research papers, proposals, case reports, and identification report packets.

3.1.3. The Contractor shall perform Case Coordination and Case File Review research or functions, which may include records compilations, evidence management, administrative casework functions, imaging of casework, or quality assurance to ensure evidence is secure (handled in accordance with proper chain of custody) and case files contain all appropriate information.

3.1.4 The Contractor shall prepare presentations for professional scientific meeting venues in support of new method presentation and/or validation or to educate the public about the DPAA Laboratory capabilities. The Contractor shall prepare scientific papers for publication in peer-reviewed venues in support of new method presentation and validation.

3.1.5 The Contractor shall perform special projects to include development of new forensic test methods and standard operating procedures at the Principle Investigator level. The Contractor shall participate in the development and evaluation of new testing equipment and/or techniques. The Contractor shall conduct validation studies of new test methods and standard operating procedures. The Contractor shall perform laboratory testing and development of standard operating procedures for the purposes of case resolution. The Contractor shall collate data and documents validation studies on new testing procedures developed in the lab.

3.2 Research Support Program

3.2.1 Historians and Editors. The Contractor shall perform complex historical research and/or archaeological analysis regarding specific DPAA recovery, investigative, or disinterment-related missions. The Contractor shall contextualize loss incidents and unaccounted-for service members within this historical framework. The Contractor shall also have the responsibility to compose Investigation and Excavation Proposals to further mission objectives at current or proposed sites. The Contractor shall conduct historical research across published historical literature, original archival records, and digitized archival holdings. Relevant research findings shall be consolidated and organized within DPAA’s digital repositories, whether on shared DPAA drives or in the case management system (CMS).

3.2.2 The Contractor shall provide historical expertise on the conduct of World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and/or the Cold War and contemporary efforts to recover U.S. service members, repatriate their remains, and effect identifications. For example, the Government will provide the name of the research subject and the Contractor shall provide a report of the possible loss location/investigation or recovery sites and events surrounding the loss location or investigation/recovery site; interview first and/or second-hand witnesses to the loss incident; identify other historical facts or documented evidence that may aid in the recovery of the potential human remains or artifacts associated with service members unaccounted-for from past conflicts. Technical expertise is required to research the political and medical processes required for securing and transporting human remains and material evidence properly across international borders.

3.2.3 The Contractor shall employ historical research methodology to construct the circumstances of loss, previous recovery efforts, and identify gaps in information that may be filled through additional research or fieldwork. The Contractor shall conduct archival research in DPAA’s internal records repository, U.S. archives, and archives abroad, both in paper and digital records, as well as oral histories. The Contractor shall collect records and testimony and store and organize them for use by others within DPAA’s repository.

3.3 Project Management

3.3.1 The Contractor shall be responsible for the administration of this program. The task order requires that a Project Manager be available throughout the order to assume responsibility for overall order and contract performance, individual task order performance, deliverables, reporting and communication between the contractor team and the Government.

3.3.2 The Project Manager shall establish a program to conduct advertising and recruiting in order to increase awareness of the DPAA to potential experts.

3.3.3 The Project Manager shall ensure all contractor skilled position(s) participate in required lab training, in-services and continuing professional education programs. The Contractor shall actively participate in preparations for annual inspections, five- year assessments, and other inspections by accrediting bodies and other organizations. The contractor is placing experts into an existing lab operation, not taking responsibility for cases.

3.3.4 The Project Manager shall manage with the Quality Assurance program of the laboratory. The Project Manager is responsible for ensuring all contractors skilled position(s) adheres to infection control procedures including use of personal protective equipment and disposal of bio-hazardous waste. The Contractor shall ensure a safe work environment and skilled positions safe work habits.

Security Requirements:

All submissions *must include verifiable* information about its firm’s ability to comply with the security requirements for this effort:

Facility Clearance Required: Top Secret Potential Proposed Personnel: Some personnel must hold a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) clearance at the time of award or be able to be granted an interim clearance within sixty (60) days of hiring date.

Due to the nature of the work, all contractors will be required to have a TOP SECRET facility security clearance (FCL). The Government anticipates access to classified data/information up to and including TS/SCI. The TS/SCI work associated with this contract may be performed within Government Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities. If required to be performed at the vendor’s facilities, the contractor will be required to have an accredited Government Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs). Please describe personnel security policies and procedures used to propose personnel with current Secret and Top Secret security clearances with Sensitive Compartmented Information eligibility. In addition, please describe the extent to which those procedures will ensure rapid replacement of individuals, should the need arise.

Place of Performance: The majority of the work associated with this effort is anticipated to be performed laboratories which are located in Hawaii, Nebraska, and Ohio. In the event of a local or national emergency, operations may be moved to another government facility.

Submission Requirements:

Interested firms should submit their response to include a capabilities statement covering experience, staffing and technical capabilities. The capabilities’ statement should address the Critical Task areas identified below and for each Task Area demonstrate how the firm’s recent past performance (last 3 years) is relevant to the enterprise focus areas listed including the dollar value, period of performance, size and scope of the firm’s prior contracts. Firms need to include their business address, point of contact, CAGE code, DUNS number and small business status.

The following information is also requested and should be included with your capability information: Please indicate whether your firm will submit a proposal if a Request for Quote (RFQ) is issued and whether your firm’s interest is for prime contracting or as a subcontractor.

Firms should also indicate their intent to submit a proposal if a RFQ is issued.

Do not include proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in your response to this Request for Information Notice. The Government reserves the right to use any information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation. Responses to this Notice will not be returned.

Response Format: To facilitate a timely and comprehensive review of all submitted responses, firms should respond using the format requested in this Notice. Any deviation from this format may lead to the rejection of the response.

All interested firms having the experience, skills and capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements are requested to provide capability statements between 3-5 pages – no more than 5 pages maximum- in “Times New Roman” 12-inch font on 8.5 x 11 paper that include the following information:

1) Company name, address, point of contact name, telephone, and email address.

2) CAGE Code and DUNS Number.

3) Business size status (business size/socio-economic category must be submitted to be used).

4) Vendor Facility Clearance, number of Vendor staff members holding a current Secret and Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility, and other information demonstrating the Vendor’s ability to satisfy the Security Requirements described above.

5) Documentation that addresses each of the three (3) Critical Tasks as it applies to the Enterprise Focus areas above.

6) Address the impact of contractor performance completed at the contractor site versus Government space.

7) A description of Corporate Experience & Past Performance Information for similar contracts and/or projects accomplished within the last 3 years. The description must include where, when, and for whom each similar contract and/or project was performed and a brief description of each contract and/or project, including the size, scope, dollar value, and period of performance. This information must demonstrate how the firm’s recent Corporate Experience and Past Performance (last 3 years) is relevant to the DPAA Laboratory Support Services.

8) Vendors who provide their capability statement from the Sources Sought notice posted on beta.SAM, are requested to provide their GSA schedule contracts appropriate to meet the Laboratory Support Services requirement.

No hard copy or facsimile submissions will be accepted. Cover letters and extraneous materials (brochures, etc.) will not be considered.

Capability Statements: Vendors must demonstrate their ability to comply with the requirements in this Request for Information in order to be considered capable of satisfying the Government’s requirement. Capability statement will not be returned.

Submission of Responses: Please submit your final documentation electronically no later than 10 a.m., EST, on March 2, 2021 to the primary point of contact, Susie Lee, susie.m.lee3.civ@mail.mil with a copy to Rashida Webb, Rashida.d.webb.civ@mail.mil. The email subject line should be titled “RFI Response for DPAA Laboratory Support Services.”

No hard copy submissions will be accepted. Submissions to any person other than the ones listed above will not be considered. Submissions after this date will not be considered.