CSTA - Sources-Sought-Notice-FINAL.pdf

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE FOR CIVIL SUPPORT TRAINING ACTIVITY (CSTA)

SUPPORT SERVICES

I. DISCLAIMER:

THIS NOTICE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. IT DOES NOT

CONSTITUTE ANY FORM OF A SOLICITATION INCLUDING A REQUEST FOR

QUOTE (RFQ), REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP), OR INVITATION FOR BID (IFB)

OR AN INDICATION THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTRACT FOR ANY OF THE

ITEMS AND/OR SERVICES DISCUSSED IN THIS NOTICE. ANY FORMAL

SOLICITATION THAT MAY BE SUBSEQUENTLY ISSUED WILL BE ANNOUNCED

SEPARATELY ON THE GOVERNMENT-WIDE POINT OF ENTRY (GPE),

HTTPS://SAM.GOV, AS APPLICABLE. INFORMATION ON THE SPECIFIC TOPICS

OF INTEREST IS PROVIDED IN THE SECTIONS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WHICH

FOLLOW. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE IS

STRICTLY VOLUNTARY AND WILL NOT BE RETURNED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

NEITHER ACC-ORL NOR ANY OTHER PART OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY COST INCURRED BY RESPONDERS IN

FURNISHING RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE. NOT RESPONDING TO THIS NOTICE

DOES NOT PRECLUDE POTENTIAL RESPONDERS FROM PARTICIPATING IN ANY

FUTURE SOLICITATION FOR THIS REQUIREMENT, IF ANY. IT IS THE

RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL POTENTIAL RESPONDERS TO MONITOR THE GPE FOR

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS REQUIREMENT.

II. BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The Army Contracting Command – Orlando (ACC-ORL) is conducting baseline market research under this Sources Sought Notice to identify market interest in and current capability within the certified 8(a) small business community for performing the Civil Support Training Activity (CSTA) Support Services detailed in Enclosure 1 DRAFT Performance Work Statement.

A. It is anticipated that any acquisition for the services described in this notice will be done on a competitive 8(a) basis which would result in a single contract award.

B. It is anticipated that any future contract for the services described in this notice will be a Hybrid structure using a combination of firm-fixed price, cost type, and not-separately priced Contract Line Items (CLINs). The below list is provided as an example.

o CLIN XX – CSTA Training Support Services 1 – Program Management and Full Time training support services in accordance with the PWS (Firm Fixed Price) o CLIN XX – CSTA Training Support Services 2 – Part Time Training Exercise Support and pre-approved Over and Above training support services by Full-Time Contractor personnel in accordance with the PWS

(Cost Plus Fixed Fee) o CLIN XX – CSTA Travel in accordance with the PWS (Cost Only No Fee) o CLIN XX – Materials and Other Direct Costs in accordance with the PWS

(Cost Only No Fee) o CLIN XX – Contract Data Requirements List (NSP) o CLIN XX – Service Contract Reporting – Formerly entitled Contractor

Manpower Reporting (NSP) o CLIN XX – Delivery of Contractor Acquired Property (CAP)–

INFORMATIONAL ONLY (NSP)

C. It is anticipated the requirement includes tasks or involves functions that may be covered by the Service Contract Act or a collective bargaining agreement.

III. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

The anticipated Personnel and Facility Security Clearances requirements are described in the attached Draft PWS. A DD254 will be generated and included as an attachment to any future solicitation for this requirement.

IV. ELIGIBILITY:

It is anticipated that this requirement best aligns to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 541990, All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, with Product Service Code (PSC) R429, Professional: Emergency Response / Disaster Planning / Preparedness Support. The current Small Business Size Standard for NAICS 541990 is $19.5M. Respondents to this notice may suggest another suitable NAICS and PSC code combination for consideration, but the Government reserves the right to select the appropriate NAICS and PSC code for the effort described. See Section V.

below.

*NOTE 01: Effective 19 DEC 2022, SBA updated its Table of Small Business Size Standards to increase the small business size standards for monetary-based NAICS Codes by 13.65% to account for inflation since 2019. Businesses must update their SAM.gov profiles in order to have their small business status updated based on the new size standards. Until updated, the SAM profiles will continue to display the small business status under the old size standards.

*NOTE 02: In accordance with 13 C.F.R. 121.104, the current calculation for dollar (monetary) value based NAICS codes is average total receipts over the last five (5) completed fiscal years

*NOTE 03: In accordance with 13 C.F.R. 121.106, the current calculation for employee based NAICS codes is average number of employees used for each pay period for the preceding completed 24 calendar months.

V. Sources Sought Notice (SSN) Responses – Content, Format and Submission Requirements:

All current certified 8(a) small businesses are encouraged to submit a response to this Sources Sought Notice (SSN) which identifies their potential interest in and capabilities for supporting the requirement and information requests described in this notice. The Government does not wish to obtain marketing materials, general business information or other information that is NOT tailored to address the specific requirements of this notice.

A. Interested parties must provide a written response to this notice describing its interest in and capabilities for performing this requirement as detailed in Enclosure 1 DRAFT Performance Work Statement. All responses shall specifically address/respond to the following areas:

1) Please define your company profile by providing at a minimum:

a. Company Name

b. Company Address

c. Company CAGE code and Unique Entity ID

d. Primary and secondary points of contact to include name, title, phone number, email address

e. Status as certified 8(a) small business and estimated date for graduating the 8(a) program

f. All applicable socio-economic status [i.e., 8a, Small Disadvantaged

Business (SDB), HUBZone, Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), or Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)]

g. Primary and Secondary NAICS codes and business size

2) Please describe your interest in this effort as a potential Prime Contractor and/or as a Subcontractor.

a. Identify any subcontracting, joint ventures, or teaming arrangements that will be pursued. Responses shall

i. Detail the names and types of business that will be utilized and the portions of the requirement / capabilities to be subcontracted out (See Note below regarding limitation on subcontracting).

ii. Detail, for comparability purposes, what percentage of total effort on average does your company normally subcontract for this type of work.

b. Identify if you are interested in potential teaming/contracting arrangements with other vendors and your willingness to be included in a list of “interested vendors” for possible inclusion in future notices for this requirement.

Note: Any future solicitation for this requirement will contain FAR Clause 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting. If you are a certified 8(a) small business interested in being the prime contractor for this effort, please be advised that the standard FAR clause 52.219-14 was most recently updated in October 2022. However, CLASS DEVIATION 2021-O0008 to this clause issued September 2021 remains in effect and currently applies to this requirement until rescinded or superseded. This deviation adds the definition of “Similarly Situated Entity” and the 50% calculation for compliance with the clause. Small business prime contractors may now count “first tier subcontractor” work performed by a “Similarly Situated Entity” as if it were performed by the prime contractor itself. If you are a certified 8(a) small business interested in priming this effort and plan to utilize a “Similarly Situated Entity” to meet the Limitations on Subcontracting requirements as clarified in the Deviation, please identify the name & Unique Entity ID/CAGE Code of the specific firm(s) you intend to partner/subcontract with to meet the requirements as well as their SB size status under the NAICS that you as the prime would assign for their workshare. Information regarding any planned “Similarly Situated Entity” should be included in answering any questions outlined in the SSN in order to assist the Government's capability determination.

3) Please describe your company’s experience managing a team of subcontractors. Responses shall distinguish between company’s experiencing managing a team of subcontractors broadly and that of managing a team of subcontractors performing the same or similar work of size and scope as outlined in this announcement. Responses shall identify previous contract numbers, subcontractor names, etc. and detail how your company maintained effective control (management and quality) over subcontracted portions of these contracts.

4) Please describe your company’s recent relevant experience (past three (3) years) and/ or current work experience performing under efforts size, scope, and complexity. Responses shall

a. Detail your company’s specific technical skills that ensure the capability to meet the objectives and requirements in Enclosure 1 DRAFT Performance Work Statement (PWS)

b. Detail your company’s capability to provide all of the necessary training materials and equipment to support the training objectives and requirements in the PWS

c. Describe similar work your company has performed or is currently performing and how it demonstrates your capability to perform the requirements detailed in this notice to include:

i. The relevant contract number and your company’s involvement as a prime contractor or subcontractor and

ii. The percentage and dollar amount of the work your company performed.

5) Please describe your ability to quickly recruit, retain, or replace personnel with appropriate security clearances and qualifications. Responses shall include the differing levels of security classifications under which your company has performed work in the past and the differing levels of security clearances your company has experience managing in the past.

6) Please, provide feedback/ comments/ concern on this potential requirement:

a. Does your company believe there are specific NAICS and PSC codes that would be best suited to this requirement? If so what are they and why?

b. Does your company believe there are specific contract type or types that would be best suited to this requirement? Is so what are they and why?

c. What risk areas have you identified with this overall effort and how would you mitigate that risk?

d. What other concerns, if any, do you have with this requirement?

e. Are the PWS and the attachments adequate to submit a proposal?

f. Do you believe there are unique support requirements not correctly captured and/or articulated in the PWS?

g. How can you improve this requirement?

h. Does your company believe these services meet the definition of a commercial service as defined in FAR 2.101? If so, how?

i. Does your company currently provide similar services in support of commercial products or as standalone services to the general public under terms and conditions similar to those offered to the Federal Government?

ii. Does your company offer and sell these services competitively in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace based on established catalog or market prices for specific task performed or outcomes to be achieved and under standard terms and conditions? For the purposes of these services:

1. “Catalog price” means a price included in a catalog, price list, schedule, or other form that is regularly maintained by the manufacturer or vendor, is either published or otherwise available for inspection by customers, and states prices at which sales are currently, or were last, made to a significant number of buyers constituting the general public; and

2. “Market prices” means current prices that are established in the course of ordinary trade between buyers and sellers free to bargain and that can be substantiated through competition or from sources independent of the offerors.

iii. Does your company offer these services under one or more GSA multiple award schedules (MAS) or other Government Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC)? If so, please identify the specific MAS/GWAC and Contract Number.

B. All responses shall be formatted as follows:

1) Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx extension) or searchable Adobe PDF format.

2) Prepared using no less than 10 pt. Times New Roman and 1-inch margins.

3) Organized as follows:

a. Cover Sheet (limit 1 page in length) that includes:

i. Date of Submission

ii. Company Profile

b. Table of Contents with Page Numbers (limit 1 page in length)

c. Contractor detailed capability statement including answers to the SSN specific questions (limit 15 pages)

4) The inclusion of classified data IS NOT permitted. Responses to this notice must be unclassified. No classified response will be accepted.

5) The inclusion of cost/price data IS NOT permitted. No cost/price data will be accepted.

6) The inclusion of proprietary data in responses shall be minimized. The inclusion of any proprietary data in responses SHALL BE CLEARLY MARKED. Any proprietary data received in response to this SSN, appropriately marked, will be handled accordingly.

C. All responses shall be submitted electronically via DoD Secure Access File

Exchange (SAFE) located at https://safe.apps.mil/ on or before 14:00 (2 PM) Orlando Florida local time 01 May 2023 to the Primary and Secondary Points of Contact (POCs), identified below.

Primary – Contract Specialist, Markly Jean-Charles at markly.jean-charles.civ@army.mil

Secondary – Lead Contract Specialist, David F. Godfrey at david.f.godfrey.civ@army.mil

1) Responders which do not have the capability to initiate submissions through the DoD SAFE application shall notify the primary and secondary POCs as soon as practical before submitting their response to this notice to obtain a code for that purpose. Responders which have the capability to initiate submission through DoD SAFE application should self-initiate but may also obtain a DoD SAFE code for submitting their response if preferred.

2) If there are any technical difficulties with DoD SAFE, the responder shall coordinate an alternate method of response submission with the Primary POC, no less than 24 hours prior to the due date and time.

3) The Government will confirm receipt, via email, within one business day. If confirmation email is not received, please coordinate directly with the CS/PCO to resolve issues.