RFI-_Administrative_Organization-APP-H-2019-016.docx

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. This is not a request for offers, quotes or proposals. This notice does not represent a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or award a contract. This is a market research tool only to determine the capability of potential sources.

Reference: APP-H-2019-016 The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is contemplating establishing a contract under NAICS Code 541690 (Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services), and the Small Business Standard is $15 million, PSC Code R425 (Support-Professional: Engineering/Technical), for assistance with HUD’s Office of Manufactured Housing Programs (OMHP) Administration Organization for the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (MHCC) and is issuing this Request For Information (RFI) in order to solicit responses from capable sources and capability statements to ensure sufficient competition exists to meet the government’s requirements.

Teaming arrangements and joint ventures will be considered for any subsequent procurement provided that the prime contractor provide fifty percent or more of the support/service.

So, what exactly is HUD contemplating acquiring?

BACKGROUND

The National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards (MHCSS) Act of 1974 (the Act), implemented in June 1976, established the framework for HUD’s development and implementation of the federally preemptive manufactured housing construction program. The Act, as amended by the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act (MHIA) of 2000 sets forth authority for HUD to:

· develop and enforce federal manufactured housing construction and safety standards,

· establish a Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee to make recommendations on new or revised construction and safety standards through an administering organization,

· establish a dispute resolution program, administered through contracted assistance; and

· mandates implementation of an installation program administered by qualifying state agencies or by HUD.

The MHIA states, “there is established a committee to be known as the "consensus committee", which shall, in accordance with this chapter – provide periodic recommendations to the Secretary (of HUD) to adopt, revise, and interpret the Federal manufactured housing construction and safety standards and the manufactured home procedural and enforcement regulations, including regulations specifying permissible scope and conduct of monitoring.”

The MHCC is subject to several policy and operational requirements imposed by the MHIA. MHCC operates by a consensus standards development process, which means “…the process by which additions, revisions, and interpretations to the Federal manufactured home construction and safety standards and enforcement regulations shall be developed and recommended to the Secretary (of HUD) by the MHCC.”

MHIA declares the committee to be “…an advisory committee not composed of Federal employees.” This provision, in addition to an analysis of the MHCC in the context of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), clearly identifies it as a Federal Advisory Committee, subject to FACA, as well as the requirements of MHIA.

MHCC membership is composed of twenty-one (21) voting members appointed by the Secretary (of HUD), from among individuals who are qualified by background and experience to participate in the work of the MHCC; and one non-voting member appointed by the Secretary (of HUD) to represent the Secretary on the MHCC. Membership is equitably distributed among the following interest categories: PRODUCERS - Seven (7) producers or retailers of manufactured housing; USERS - Seven (7) persons representing consumer interest, such as consumer organizations, recognized consumer leaders, and owners who are residents of manufactured homes; and, GENERAL INTEREST AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS - Seven (7) general interest and public official members. Recruitment and appointment of MHCC members is subject to MHIA-specified criteria and procedures for consensus committees, promulgated by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Per the MHIA, “the consensus committee and the administering organization shall (i) operate in conformance with the procedures established by the American National Standards Institute for the development and coordination of American National Standards; and (ii) apply to the American National Standards Institute and take such other actions as maybe necessary to obtain accreditation from the American National Standards Institute.”

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WORK

HUD is seeking services to assist with administering a consensus standards development process – a process by which additions, revisions, and interpretations to the Federal MHCSS and enforcement regulations shall be developed and recommended to the Secretary of HUD by the MHCC. The Contractor will provide administrative and technical support to HUD and to the MHCC to fulfill the tasks, duties and responsibilities identified in the MHIA, and HUD standards and regulations. These include administration of the consensus committee process, providing administrative and technical resources to support the consensus committee in its efforts to provide periodic recommendations on the Federal manufactured construction and safety standards, the installation regulations, and the procedural and enforcement regulations.

These services/tasks shall include:

· Management & Administration

· MHCC Meetings

· Provide Training to the MHCC on the Consensus Committee Process

· Provide Technical Services Specifically, the services include:

· Management & Administration

· Track and manage correspondence and public inquiries regarding the MHCC

· Establish an automated method or process to collect MHCC membership applications and proposals

· Manage and organize MHCC membership and Applications

· Provide recommendations to address membership vacancies in accordance with selection procedures

· Provide and review draft Federal Register Notices

· MHCC Meetings (Up to two Full Committee Meetings annually (in-person or teleconference) and up to five Subcommittee or Taskforce Meetings annually (teleconference))

· Organize and Administer MHCC Meetings

· Provide recommended dates based on MHCC and HUD availability

· Provide meeting agenda

· Review the HUD Office of Manufactured Housing Program (OMHP) MHCC website prior to meetings to ensure all documents are accurately posted for the public viewing

· Provide pending committee actions and proposals before the MHCC in advance of the meeting

· Actively keep the meeting on schedule and inform MHCC members on all activity regarding recommendations

· Provide comprehensive meeting minutes and ballots

· Document MHCC actions on all proposals

· Administer the voting and balloting process during meetings using Roberts Rules of Order

· Transmit proposals to all MHCC members with a fixed timeframe for response; and providing justifications for all negative or abstaining votes

· Assist with the distribution, collection and accurate accounting of all ballot results on proposals passed by the MHCC

· Ensure receipt of all ballots by all MHCC members and provide final results of ballots to HUD

· Confirm and document that all proposals have met the requirement for approval in accordance with the MHIA.

· Transmit all proposals that meet the requirements of the MHIA to HUD after a vote by the MHCC members.

· Provide Training to the MHCC on the Consensus Committee Process

· Provide training and support to the MHCC on the following

· MHIA and regulations published pursuant thereto;

· Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and regulations/guidelines;

· Roberts Rules of Order;

· ANSI procedures and protocols;

· MHCC Charter;

· MHCC by-laws; and

· Other statutory, regulatory or procedural guidelines.

· Assist HUD and the MHCC with updating the MHCC Charter, by-laws, and other statutory, regulatory, or procedural guidelines

· Provide Technical Support

· Provide technical assistance to the MHCC developing recommendations and interpretation of the Federal standards, the procedural and enforcement regulations, and regulations specifying the permissible scope and conduct of monitoring for the establishment and enforcement of the standards

· Perform a draft economic impact analysis for proposals approved by the MHCC

· Assist the MHCC with submittal of proposed revised standards to HUD, after a proposal has been approved by two-thirds of the MHCC members, including an economic analysis

CONTEMPLATED REPORT REQUIREMENTS

· Monthly Report of Inquires and/or Requests Received, MHCC applications and proposals received, meeting prep activities, and other activities

· Summary/Log of MHCC Applications

· Summary/Log of Proposals and Pending Actions

· Regulatory Impact Analysis Reports

CONTEMPLATED PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Performance will be primarily at the contractor’s location; however, annual meetings with the MHCC will take place within the Washington D.C area or a location designated by HUD.

RESPONSE REQUESTED

Small Businesses are encouraged to respond.

This synopsis is a market research tool being used to determine the availability and capability of potential sources prior to determining the method of acquisition and whether the government will proceed with this acquisition. The Government will not pay for any information solicited. If a contract is ultimately pursued, responses to this synopsis will be used to aid in determining whether the acquisition is set-aside for small business or in establishing small business subcontracting goals. All qualified firms are encouraged to respond.

The capability statement shall address, at a minimum, the following for the past three years:

1. Name and address of company and or companies (if there is a teaming arrangement or joint venture);

2. Technical expertise relevant to the requirement;

3. Technical approach relevant of the requirement (1 to 2 paragraphs);

4. Management approach relevant to the requirement (1 to 2 paragraph);

5. Corporate experience relevant to the requirement (1 to 2 paragraph);

6. Indicate if you are a small business or any other socio-economic categories that apply to your firm under the designated NAICS code;

7. Whether you have had unequal access to any information relevant to the acquisition that could provide an unfair competitive advantage;

8. Relevant past performance. Your capability statement needs to include a list of three customers (Government/non-Government) within the past three (3) years highlighting similar work in nature, scope, complexity, and difficulty and a brief description of the scope of work. Your submission for relevant past performance must include for each customer:

· Contract name;

· Contracting Agency or Department, POC and contact information;

· Yearly contract value (in $$);

· Whether your firm was the prime or a subcontractor;

· Period of performance;

· Description of work and how it relates to the requirements.

Interested firms responding to this market survey must provide a capability statement demonstrating their experience, skills and capability to fulfill the Governments requirements for the above. The capability statement shall be in sufficient enough detail, but not exceed 5 pages TOTAL, so that the Government can determine the experience and capability of your firm to provide the requirements above. Please specify one primary and one alternate Point of Contact (POC) within your firm, including telephone numbers and email addresses in case clarifications of your submission are needed.

Only electronic copies of capability statements will be accepted and should be emailed to Brandon A. Carson@hud.gov. The e-mail shall contain the following subject line: Response to Sources Sought Notice – Office of Manufactured Housing and Regulatory Affairs. The Government may use the responses received to determine whether to proceed with the acquisition as a set-aside, or in the absence of a least two small business responses to this notice, may determine to proceed with a full and open competition. This decision whether to proceed with the acquisition is at the sole discretion of the Government.

All interested contractors should submit their capability statements by TIME 3:00 pm (Standard Eastern Time) on DATE November 6, 2018, attention POC: Brandon Carson. Late responses will not be considered.