FA9101-21-Q-0005-TSD Leadership Training-Sources Sought.docx

FA9101-21-Q-0005- TSD Leadership Training-Sources Sought The Air Force Test Center (AFTC), Arnold Air Force Base, TN intends to solicit, negotiate, and award a sole source firm-fixed price (FFP) purchase order under FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures, to Zenchronistic Enterprises, LLC (Falls River Center), 6710 Greenyard Rd., Chester, VA, 23831-1423 once market research has been finalized. The proposed North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541611, PSC: R699, with a small business size standard of $16.5M.

Authority: FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) Period of Performance: 3 Years (2021-2023) Place of Performance: Arnold Air Force Base, TN Zenchronistic Enterprises, LLC, dba, Falls River Center (FRC) is projected to be the only reasonable training facility that has the capability to develop specialized unique leadership training to maintain and build upon the Test Support Division’s (TSD) leadership qualities at Arnold Air Force Base, TN. The unique basis for TSD’s specialized training stems from employee assessment data, proprietary training materials, one on one interviews with TSD personnel, and personal interactions developed through nine years of partnership with TSD Leadership. Over the period of partnership, FRC has utilized multiple assessment tools including MBTI, FIRO-B, LPI and DiSC with the TSD team to assess leadership strengths and improvement opportunities. The output from these assessments provide valuable employee self-awareness information on how each TSD individual can better understand their own communication style, problem-solving style, and how they can better understand their colleagues’ styles in order to enhance organizational collaboration so TSD’s mission objectives are achieved in a more efficient and effective manner. The results of these assessments, stored in FRC’s database, are not transferable to another vendor due to licensing agreements. The cost and time required by TSD Leadership to recreate this knowledge base with a new vendor is projected to be cost prohibitive to the organization.

Given the dynamic nature of TSD organization, FRC provides another unique benefit of continuity that other organizations are projected not to be able provide. FRC’s knowledge allows the organization to assist new team members in quickly assimilating to the TSD organization by providing catchup training, ensuring a common thread of foundational knowledge and vocabulary is shared throughout the team. It is projected that no other vendor could reasonably be able to provide these refreshers, as they were designed exclusively for Arnold.

In addition to the assessment data, FRC has committed significant time in one-on-one interviews and coaching sessions with TSD employees. These personal relationships with the team members assists FRC in confirming the assessment data, leading to team members trusting results and being willing to take action in response to the feedback. From prior working knowledge, FRC has a unique understanding of the TSD Vision, Mission, goals and objectives and understanding of the demands and challenges experienced by the organization over time. FRC utilizes this cultural understanding of the TSD organization along with their knowledge of training previously shared with TSD to tailor future training and development sessions. This trust and understanding allows FRC to dive into deeper issues and facilitate candid conversations to achieve resolution and actionable objectives.

Through the analysis of TSD individual and group assessments, FRC has assisted TSD leadership in identifying critical areas of needed improvement. Much of the improvement areas are focused on closing perception gaps between junior and senior civilian staff. FRC’s knowledge of the organization, TSD training, and one on one relationships will be critical to facilitate conversations and actions needed to close this organizational gap. Moving forward, financial costs and the time required to develop the data and relationships with another organization is projected not to be recovered through full and open competition. As a result of FRC’s prior working history/data obtained from TSD employees paired with the data that is projected to be obtained through future assessments, circumstances of the project deem only one source, FRC, reasonably available to execute TSD’s training requirement.

· Vendors who believe their organization is capable to execute this requirement shall provide reasonable rationale on why their company’s capability supersedes TSD’s current training approach.

The anticipated award date is 15 December 2020. This notice is not a request for competitive proposals or quotes. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed action based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Although the Government intends to solicit and award a sole source purchase order under the authority of FAR 13.103-1(b)(1), all responsible sources may submit a capability statement, a bid, proposal, or quotation which will be considered by the Government if received no later than 11 November 2020 at 12:00pm CST. All information shall be submitted electronically to the following:

Contracting Officer: Greg Jones, greggory.jones.4@us.af.mil

· Attachment 1: FA9101-21-Q-0005-TSD Leadership Training-Draft SOW