Call_0002-Amendment_3.docx

Amendment Number 3 to Call 0002

1. Announcement Number: Open Broad Agency Announcement (OBAA) HSHQDC-14-R-B0009 Call 0002

2. Call 0002 Open/Close Dates:

· Opening Date – July 29, 2014

· Closing Date – August 25, 2014

Proposals are due by 12:00 p.m. EST time on the closing date. There will be no exceptions to the time and date on which responses are due, unless determined otherwise by the Government. Proposals received after the closing date/time will not be considered. Please submit all full proposals via the DHS BAA portal: https://baa2.st.dhs.gov.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND FULL PROPOSALS TO THE CONTRACTING OFFICER OR THE CONTRACTING SPECIALIST.

Number of Awards: Only 1 contract award.

3. Single Phase Evaluation: Single Phase Evaluation will be utilized. Full proposal containing a technical proposal, past performance and cost proposal shall be evaluated. Once the peer/scientific review process has been completed, offerors will be notified via e-mail that its proposal has been selected or not selected for award. Note: Only one offeror shall be awarded a contract.

4. Technical Focus Area of Call: CBD.06

5. Specific Objective of Proposal to be submitted: This Objective provides information regarding the specific scope of the requirement. All proposals submitted must address the objective below. If an Offeror submits a proposal that does not address the objective below then it will not be evaluated.

Objective:

This project leverages previous gap analysis efforts performed in the Biological Threat Risk Assessment (BTRA) program where high priority knowledge gaps were identified as those parameters where the supporting research was deemed to be lacking (i.e., low confidence) and the impact of the parameter was deemed high based upon model sensitivity analysis. It is desired to fully develop the method to include data quality criteria designed to support the BTCP mission, expand the number of agents assessed, and refine the calculation to support measurement of BTCP progress over the long term.

To support the objectives of the BTCP, this project will:

· Develop objective data quality criteria that can be vetted by the BTCP with interagency partners,

· Perform sensitivity studies using the BTRA models to assess parameter importance in estimating consequence,

· Evaluate the underlying data sources for their ability to meet the data quality criteria, and apply the developed methodology to produce a risk prioritization measure (RPM) for each agent considered and each agent parameter.

· Develop a visualization tool, the BTCP Research Prioritization Measure (RPM) Calculator that allows the BTCP to assess research priorities and understand the underlying information that supports the prioritization.

Ultimately, the methodology and tool can be used by the BTCP to track progress on agent research and serve as a rational way to determine research investments may be better directed towards less-studied and emerging threats rather than biological agents of more traditional concern.

6. Total Estimated Contract Value: $700,000

7. Award Type: 1 Cost plus fixed fee contract or 1 Firm Fixed Price Contract

A Firm Fixed Price Contract may be awarded if no DCMA/DCAA approved indirect rates or DCMA/DCAA approved provisional billing rates are provided.

8. Anticipated Award Dates: The contract shall be awarded by September 30, 2014.

9. Method of Submission: Offerors shall submit their proposals in accordance with the instructions under OBAA HSHQDC-14-R-B0009, Section 5 - Application and Submission Information.

10. Proposal Instructions: OBAA HSHQDC-14-R-B0009, Section 5.4 Format and Content Full Proposals is not applicable to this call. Provided below are specific instructions for this call.

Full Proposal Format

Proposals will consist of two volumes:

· Volume 1 - Technical Proposal

· Volume 2 - Cost Proposal

For each volume, the following format shall apply:

· Paper Size – 8.5-by-11-inch paper

· Margins – 1 inch

· Spacing – Single- or double-spaced

· Font – Times New Roman, 12 point..

· Number of Pages – Volume 1 (Technical Proposal): No more than 25 single-sided pages. Proposals exceeding the page limit will not be evaluated. The Official Transmittal Letter, as well as the cover page, table of contents and resumes/biographical information about potential performers in the proposal are not subject to the page limitation.

Copies – A proposal shall consist of one electronic file for the Technical Proposal volume and one electronic volume for Cost proposal volume. Electronic files will be in portable document format (PDF), readable by IBM-compatible PCs. Each file size must be no more than 10 MB.

Proposal Content:

· Official Transmittal Letter: This is an official transmittal letter with authorizing official signature. For an electronic submission, the letter can be scanned into the electronic proposal. The letter of transmittal shall state whether the proposal has been submitted to another government agency, other than DHS S&T, and if so, which one and when.

· Cover Page: This should include the words “Technical Proposal” and the following:

· BAA number;

· Call number;

· Title of Proposal;

· Identity of prime Offeror and complete list of subcontractors, if applicable;

· Technical point of contact (name, address, phone/fax, electronic mail address);

· Administrative/business point of contact (name, address, phone/fax, electronic mail address); and,

· Duration of effort (separately identify the basic effort and any options)

· Dun and Bradstreet Number

All Offerors must be registered on System Award Management at wwww.sam.gov.

11) The signature and title of an authorized representative of the entity submitting the proposal. If multiple organizations are participating, one signature from the principal/leading organization is acceptable.

Table of Contents

· Executive Summary: Summarize the proposal and the expected benefits of the solution.

· Proposal: Describe the proposed work and the associated technical and management issues.

· Performance Goals: Describe the overall methodology and how it will meet the program objectives and the specific Technical Task Area.

· Detailed Technical Approach: Describe the proposed design and technical issues. Identify the critical technical issues in the design and concept.

· Statement of Work (SOW), Schedule, and Milestones: Provide an integrated display for the proposed research, showing each task with major milestones. Include a proposed schedule for the effort (estimated dates of tasks, milestones and deliverables). Describe how each task will be performed and identify sub-tasks, if appropriate. Include a section clearly marked as the SOW you propose to undertake. It is anticipated that the proposed SOW will be incorporated as an attachment to the resultant award instrument. To this end, such proposals must include a severable self-standing SOW without any proprietary restrictions, which can be attached to the contract or agreement award.

· Deliverables: Provide a brief summary of all deliverables proposed under this effort, including data, and reports consistent with the objectives of the work; along with suggested due dates (calendar days after the effective date of award). This section shall be severable, i.e., it will begin on a new page and the following section shall begin on a new page. It is anticipated that the proposed detailed list and description of all deliverables will be incorporated as an attachment to the resultant award instrument. To this end, such proposals must include a severable self- standing detailed list and description of all deliverables without any proprietary restrictions, which can be attached to the contract or agreement award.

· Management Plan: Provide a brief summary of the management plan, including an explicit description of what role each participant or team member will play in the project, and their past experience in technical areas related to this proposal.

· Facilities: List the location(s) where the work will be performed.

· Government-Furnished Resources: Provide a brief summary of required information and data which must be provided by the Government to support the proposed work, if any.

· Cost Summary: Summarize the projected total costs for each task in the initial period of performance and any proposed option year of the effort, including a summary of subcontracts, man hours, and consumables.

· Resumes for Key Personnel: Resumes and curriculum vitae (CVs) for each of the key personnel. These resumes do not count toward the 25 page limit.

· Past Performance: Past Performance shall be no more than three pages and is inclusive of the 25 page limit.

The past performance volume must provide past performance information for both your company (and/or your company’s predecessor, if applicable) and proposed subcontractors (if used for over 15% of the work by dollar volume). The total number of past contracts and/or subcontracts listed by your company and your company’s proposed subcontractors (if applicable) shall be three.

The past performance information that shall be provided includes:

A list of similar contracts and/or subcontracts (hereinafter referred to as “contracts”) completed during the past 3 years, a list of similar contracts currently in process; or a combination of both. Similar contracts listed may include any contract entered into with the Department of Homeland Security, other Federal Government agencies, and agencies of state and local governments. Contractors that are newly formed entities without prior similar contracts shall list similar contracts as required above for the proposed personnel. Include the following information for each contract:

a) Name of Contracting Activity

b) Contract Number

c) Contract Type

d) Total Contract Value

e) Description of Contract Work

f) Contracting Officer’s Name and E-mail Address

g) Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative name and Telephone Number (if applicable)

h) Administrative Contracting Officer’s name and telephone number (if different from f))

i) List of First-Tier Subcontractors

Your company may provide information on both problems encountered and corrective actions taken to resolve those problems on the contracts identified. Your company shall not provide general information on your company’s performance on the identified contracts.

The words “Price/Cost Proposal” should appear on the cover page in addition to the following information:

1) BAA number;

2) Call number;

4) Title of Proposal;

· Identity of prime Offeror and complete list of subcontractors, if applicable;

· Technical point of contact (name, address, phone/fax, electronic mail address);

· Administrative/business point of contact (name, address, phone/fax, electronic mail address); and,

· Duration of effort (separately identify the basic effort and any options)

· The signature and title of an authorized representative of the entity submitting the proposal. If multiple organizations are participating, one signature from the principal/leading organization is acceptable.

Part 1: Detailed breakdown of all costs by cost category. The Offeror should provide a total estimated price for major demonstrations and other activities associated with the program, including cost sharing, if any. The Offeror should state whether any Independent Research and Development (IR&D) program is or will be dedicated to this effort, or if IR&D is being pursued to benefit related programs as well. Any cost sharing estimates should include the type of cost share, i.e. cash or in-kind. If in-kind is proposed, the Offeror should provide a discussion of how the cost share was valued.

• Direct Labor – Individual labor category or person, with associated labor hours and unburdened direct labor rates;

• Indirect Costs – Fringe Benefits, Overhead, G&A, COM, etc. (Must show base amount and rate)

• Travel – Number of trips, destinations, durations, etc.

• Subcontract – A cost proposal as detailed as the Offeror’s cost proposal will be required to be submitted by the subcontractor. The subcontractor’s cost proposal can be provided in a sealed envelope with the Offeror’s cost proposal or will be requested from the subcontractor at a later date;

• Consultant – Provide consultant agreement or other document which verifies the proposed loaded daily/hourly rate;

• Materials--Materials should be specifically itemized with costs or estimated costs. Where possible, indicate purchasing method, (Competition, engineering estimate, market survey, etc.)

• Other Directs Costs, particularly any proposed items of equipment or facilities. Equipment and facilities generally must be furnished by the contractor/recipient. Justifications must be provided when Government funding for such items is sought.

• Fee/Profit including fee percentage.

• Approved Indirect Rates Offeror should provide DCMA/DCAA approved indirect rates. If approved indirect rates are not available, then the Offeror may provide DCMA/DCAA approved provisional billing rates.

Part 2: Cost breakdown by task/sub-task using the same task numbers in the Statement of Work.

The Price/Cost Proposal should be consistent with your proposed SOW. Activities such as demonstrations required to reduce the various technical risks should be identified in the SOW and reflected in the Price/Cost Proposal. The Offeror should provide a total estimated price for the major Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) activities associated with the program.

For the Price/Cost Proposal, the DHS BAA website system has a web form where the Offeror may enter data regarding the cost proposal. The system does not allow the Full Proposal to be submitted without completing this Cost Proposal web form. Offerors may choose to not enter information in the Cost Proposal web form since the Cost Proposal cover page, Part 1, and Part 2 will be uploaded separately. However, Offerors will still need to go to the last page of the Cost Proposal web form and hit the confirmation button noting that the Offeror has reviewed the empty web form and is submitting the web form blank.

11. Evaluation Criteria: OBAA HSHQDC-14-R-B0009, Section 6.1 – Evaluation Criteria is not applicable to this call. Evaluations factors applicable to this call are provided below:

Technical Evaluation Factors:

· Bioterrorism risk modelling

· Companies/organizations that have the hardware (classified high performance computer and servers) necessary to run complex multivariate probabilistic risk assessments and Monte Carlo simulations supporting biodefense decisions.

· Companies/organizations with demonstrated expertise providing expert evaluation of biological agent open and classified R&D literature to evaluate biodefense knowledge gaps.

· Companies/organizations that have information or have access to databases containing information on the US biological research and development efforts of the 1950s-1970s for the purposes of evaluating that information to inform the current prioritization of biological agent R&D.

· Experience in Biodefense Research

· Companies/organizations that have supported other government agencies through bio-defense research and development activities. Such work includes production, processing and dissemination of biological agents up to risk group 3. If previous experience is being claimed, those companies/organizations are required to provide, in their response to this Request for Information, a brief description of the type of work that it had performed and identify a United States Government Point of Contact (name, telephone, and email address) for reference purposes.

· Experience with animal model development with up to risk group three pathogens

· Companies/organizations that have highly controlled and validated collection methods for quantifying various types of bioaerosols (virus, bacteria, toxin, rickettsia).

· Companies/organizations that have experience characterizing aerosols generated through a variety of small and medium scale devices.

· Security and Suitability

· Companies/organizations that have the ability to produce, handle, store and transmit classified information. Companies are required to identify if they have DHS Suitability clearances and identify what types of security clearances, validity of those clearances that they hold and identification of what Federal agency/organization granted them clearance.

12. Questions: Any questions concerning this call must be submitted via email to the Contract Specialist at Shayani.Mukherjee@hq.dhs.gov and copy the Contracting Officer at Michael.Jones@hq.dhs.gov no later than August 4, 2014 12:00 PM EST in the following format:

Please include “Questions for OBBA HSHQDC-14-R-B0009 Call 0002 in the subject line. All responses will be posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website http://www.fbo.gov or from https://baa2.st.dhs.gov by August 6, 2014 4:00 pm Questions will only be accepted or answered electronically.

13. Attachments: None

14. Additional Information: In the event that any of the information contained in the call conflict with OBAA, the individual call shall take precedence.

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