Sources_Sought_ISO.docx

Sources Sought Notice

Background: ALC’s Business System is currently registered as compliant to the ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 standards. Sustainment of the ISO registrations is vital to Aviation Logistics Center’s business system to ensure on-going process improvement, continued delivery of a high quality product and service to its customers, and a highly effective environmental management system.

Requirements: The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Aviation Logistics Center (ALC) is performing market research to determine available sources that can provide re-certification of its Business System to include both the ANSI/ISO/ASQ Q9001:2008 Quality Management System (QMS) and ANSI/ISO/ASQ E14001:2004 Environmental Management System (EMS). ALC has combined the QMS and EMS into a single integrated Business System therefore the contractor must have capability to perform integrated re-certification and surveillance audits. The contractor also must have capability to certify our organization to the following additional standards: AS 9100, AS 9110, AS 9120 and OHSAS 18001

Contractor Accreditations and Experience: The contractor shall meet the following minimum accreditation and experience:

1. The contractor shall be a Registrar accredited through the American National Accreditation Program for Registrars of Quality Management Systems and Environmental Management Systems as administered by the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB). The Registrar’s registration must be recognized in all the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) countries. The scope of this accreditation shall include the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 336413 for aircraft overhaul, repair and aviation component overhaul and repair.

2. The contractor shall have a published directory of companies that have achieved registration to ANSI/ISO/ASQ Q9001:2008 and ANSI/ISO E14001:2004, and the NAICS Code 336413 for aircraft overhaul, repair and aviation component overhaul and repair.

3. The contractor shall have audited and certified at least one U.S. Government aircraft facility for conformance to ANSI/ISO/ASQ Q9001:2008. The contractor must be capable of providing objective evidence of this experience.

4. The contractor shall have audited and certified at least one U.S. Government aircraft organization for conformance to ANSI/ISO/ASQ E14001:2004. The contractor must be capable of providing objective evidence of this experience.

5. The contractor must have the ability to certify our organization to the AS 9100, AS 9110, AS 9120 and OHSAS 18001 standard if pursued in the future.

6. Members of the contractor’s Audit Team shall be ANAB certified auditors, qualified in the ANSI/ISO/ASQ Q9001:2008 and ANSI/ISO/ASQ E14001:2004 standards (dual qualified). They must have participated in at least one audit of a U.S. Government aircraft facility for compliance to ANSI/ISO/ASQ Q9001:2008, and at least one organization for compliance to ANSI/ISO/ASQ E14001:2004. The contractor must be capable of providing objective evidence of this experience.

7. The audits under this contract will be performed aboard a DHS facility with special access requirements for foreign nationals. The contractor shall be responsible for obtaining all special access clearances in a manner that will not affect scheduled performance for all personnel provided to work under this contract.

Contractor Specific Questions/Information Requested:

1. Describe your organizations approach to registration transfer including application processes, documentation requirements, review timeframe, application cost and initial onsite audit requirements.

2. For organizations seeking certification transfer, what affects (if any) should be expected on their business system during the transition period/process?

3. If transfer of certification is not approved, please describe the difference in the level of effort required for certification vs. re-certification/transfer (i.e. additional audit days, documentation differences, number of auditors, etc.) to remain certified through your organization.

4. Additional time would likely need to be invested on the front end to bring a new registrar up to speed with our organization. What techniques are used by your organization to minimize this redundant effort and impact on the client?

5. Interpretation differences of the standard by different registrars may occur causing possible changes to an organizations business system, policy’s, manuals, documents, etc. What techniques are used by your organization to minimize impacts on your new clients?

6. If possible, please provide client references (particularly government) gained through certification transfer process.

The information provided shall be in enough detail so that the USCG can determine if the contractor is capable of meeting the requirements.

The North American Industrial Classification Code (NAICS) is 541611, and the small business size standard is $14M. A set-aside determination has not yet been made. Interested parties shall submit their business size and shall include any applicable preference program (i.e. 8(a), HUBZone, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, Woman Owned and Small Business). Responses are due no later than June 6, 2014 by 9:00am EDT and may be submitted via email to sherri.l.peele@uscg.mil or facsimile at 252-335-6840. Questions concerning this sources sought notice may be directed to Ms. Sherri Peele at 252-335-6768. This notice is for informational and market research purposes only. This synopsis does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website http://www.fbo.gov/. It is the responsibility of the potential respondents to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this potential requirement. The information provided in this sources sought synopsis is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The release of this sources sought synopsis should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. Respondents are advised that the USCG will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this sources sought synopsis.