B01.01 CSS - W912HQ22R0002 - Vessel Data.docx

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation Number: W912HQ23R0002 Title: Acquisition of Commercial World Fleet Vessel Register Data & Information for Application to Data Verification & Analysis in Support of the Waterborne Navigation Program of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Acquisition of Subscription Service for World Fleet Ship or Vessel Register Data

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.603 – Streamlined Solicitation for Commercial Items, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice and FAR Part 13 procedures. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation. Offers are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2023-01, dated 18 October 2022.

A Firm Fixed Priced (FFP) award will be made in accordance with the following:

The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 519290 Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services: with a size standard of 1,000 employees.

II. NATURE OF ACQUISITION:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a requirement to purchase the services stated below. This procurement will be awarded under Simplified Acquisition Procedures. All questions must be received by Friday, 17 February 2023, 4:30 pm EST. Proposals must be received no later than Thursday 9 March 2023, 4:30 pm EST. Electronic proposals submitted via email are required. Email questions and proposals to the Contract Specialist, David A. Kaplan at david.a.kaplan@usace.army.mil. It is the Offeror’s responsibility to ensure the proposal has been received by the contracting office via email. Fax proposals will not be accepted. Late proposals will be processed in accordance with FAR 52.212-1(f) “Late submission, modifications, revisions, and withdrawals of offers.” Upon receipt of the electronic offer, the Government will acknowledge receipt of that offer via email to the Offeror.

III. SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES:

IWR seeks vessel registry information needed by the Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center (WCSC, located in New Orleans, Louisiana) of the Institute for Water Resources (IWR) and the capital region and headquarters office of IWR (located in Alexandria, Virginia) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

The Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center (WCSC, New Orleans, Louisiana) of the Institute for Water Resources (IWR) and the capital region office of IWR (Alexandria, Virginia) of the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) compiles, processes, and analyzes data and information for waterborne transportation and associated trade, and affiliated services involved with the conduct of both domestic and foreign trade critical to the economy of the United States. The data and information assembled by WCSC and IWR are employed in the engineering and economic evaluation of Federally-sponsored waterway improvements for coastal harbors and deep-draft approach channels and waterways in addition to internal or inland waterway(s) systems. Such improvements include placement of new general navigation features (GNFs) such as channels or vessel maneuvering areas and enhancements to existing features.

Enhancements may include deepening and enlargement of maneuvering areas to accommodate evolving changes in vessel or fleet characteristics and fleet service regime driven by trade and demand for supporting waterborne transport. In the same contexts of evaluation of new GNFs or related enhancements, subject data and information is also routinely employed to inform agency (USACE) decisions for management of operation(s) and maintenance (O&M) within the framework of budgetary and fiscal resource constraints of the agency’s waterborne navigation program.

Part of the information essential to waterway system evaluations includes the specifications of vessels including vessel type, physical dimensions, capacities, and other characteristics, including (but not necessarily limited to) age, powering and immersion. The WCSC employs this data and information to help verify the identity of vessels with linkage of vessel and trade tonnage movements to develop a more complete profile of trade statistics used for decisionmaking and evaluations of waterway system projects. Analysts at IWR and in the field use described information to conduct economic and engineering evaluations to assess the feasibility and economic return of new construction, physical improvements or enhancements, and O&M initiatives based on transportation cost efficiencies made possible by such measures, such as or including loading and operating vessels more efficiently than would otherwise be possible (without specified improvements or enhancements).

Period of Performance:

The period of performance includes one year of services.

Place of Performance:

The Offeror’s facility. See the Performance Work Statement (PWS) for additional information.

IV. BASIS FOR AWARD

All offers will be comparatively evaluated based on the factors described below: Technical and Price. Offers must be submitted using the CLIN structure below in Factor 2 - Price.

FACTOR 1 – TECHNICAL:

The Offeror must submit a technical proposal detailing how the Offeror’s subscription services meet the requirements specified in the PWS. The Offeror must limit their technical proposal to no more than twenty (20) typed pages. Key personnel resumes are highly encouraged and do not count against the page limitation. Key personnel resumes are limited to no more than 2 pages each.

Subfactor 1.1 – Technical Data The Government will assess the quality of the offerors vessel data that can be provided to determine the Offeror’s understanding of and knowledge of the performance requirements; and the Offeror’s ability to meet the required period of performance/delivery dates

Subfactor 1.2 – USACE Data Rights The Government will assess whether the proposal allow sufficient USACE data rights and whether the proposal identifies potential challenges which may occur as a result of providing the required data. The evaluation will also consider the degree to which the proposed usage rights provides assurance that the services will meet the program’s requirements and the minimum requirements set forth in the PWS.

FACTOR 2 – PRICE

This factor will use price analysis to determine the total evaluated price. The price factor will be evaluated for price reasonableness in accordance to FAR 13.106-2. The price to be analyzed is the total price inclusive of the base and all options.

Contract Line Items: This requirement and associated contract line-item numbers (CLIN) are provided below (also are contained below within the PWS):

Grand Total

All work is to be performed in accordance with the attached PWS.

Prices must show the total price per task to complete the required services in accordance with the PWS, including all indirect rates and profit. This requirement will be awarded as a firm-fixed price contract.

These two factors: Technical Capability, and Price will be comparatively evaluated. Technical capability is more important than price.

The Government intends to award a contract without discussions with respective offerors. Offerors shall submit sufficient information and, in the format, specified in the Proposal Preparation Instructions. Offerors may be asked to clarify certain aspects of their offer (e.g., the relevance of technical capability information).

V. QUOTE PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

52.212-1 ADDENDUM - INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS – COMMERCIAL ITEMS (Jan 2017) To ensure timely and equitable evaluation of quotes, offerors must comply with instructions contained herein. Offers must be complete, detailed and respond directly to the requirements of this solicitation.

a. Interested parties capable of providing the requirement must submit a signed and dated offer on company letterhead with unit prices, extended prices, discount terms, tax identification number, CAGE code, and DUNS in response to this solicitation. The requirements of this synopsis/solicitation, including specification, "Schedule of Supplies/Services" and terms and conditions, the offeror agrees to all solicitation requirements. Offerors must clearly identify any exception to the solicitation terms and conditions and provide complete accompanying rationale.

b. All offer information shall be emailed to David Kaplan at david.a.kaplan@usace.army.mil. The offer must be signed and dated by an authorized official of the company. Electronic submissions via e-mail are required.

c. Offerors must provide pricing for the total price to complete the required services, the hourly rate proposed for each labor category and subtotal cost of labor for each of the labor categories.

d. To be eligible to receive an award resulting from this RFQ, Contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database, no exceptions. To register, please visit http://www.sam.gov.

e. Offer Content: See section IV – Factor 1 and 2, above

VI. CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition and can be viewed electronically at https://www.acquisition.gov/ in accordance with 52.252-1. The use in this solicitation of any Department of Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (48 CFR Chapter 2) provision with an authorized deviation is indicated by the addition of "(DEVIATION)" after the name of the regulation.

The Following Provisions and Clauses Are Incorporated By Reference:

The Following Provisions and Clauses Are Incorporated by Full Text:

FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation -- Commercial Items

(a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers:

(i) Technical Capability

(ii) Price The Technical Capability factor is more importance than Price.

A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

The following FAR Clauses cited within FAR 52.212-5 are applicable to this acquisition:

The following FAR and DFARS Clauses are applicable to this acquisition in addition to those above in the table for clauses within FAR 52.212-5.