FY_2015_DHA-RAI_Program_SOW_Geology_(1350)_FINAL_(1).pdf

BLM – Office of Recruitment and Retention Programs

Resource Assistant Internship Program

Geology (1350) Occupational Series Related Project

I. INTRODUCTION

Background On December 18, 2012, the Office of the Secretary published Personnel Bulletin (PB) No. 12-15 which outlines the following on the Direct Hire Authority for Resource Assistant Internship

(DHA-RAI) Programs:

The target participants for the program are current collegiate Interns and recent graduates, with particular attention to be given to ensure full representation of women and participants from

Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) or other schools with diverse Intern populations.

Purpose and Objectives The BLM Office of Recruitment and Retention Programs (ORRP) will have complete oversight of the Resource Assistant Internship Programs bureau-wide. ORRP will host project based internship programs that will be a minimum of 11-weeks of continuous service. The internships will be an opportunity to bring new and diverse viewpoints to the Bureau while working on specific projects targeted for attracting, recruiting, and filling mission critical and hard-to-fill occupations. In order to meet the needs of the bureau this may result in one or multiple awards.

Period of Performance: The period of performance for this

II. STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

Contractor(s) are expected to:

A. Task 1: Program Design

a. Develop a recruitment strategic plan for the fiscal year, with an agreed timeline in recruiting for internship positions.

b. Develop marketing materials in support of the recruiting strategy.

i. All marketing materials will be provided for the ORRP.

c. Make program design suggestions based on experience with other internship programs as well as external research and best practices within four weeks of award of contract. *See attachment for occupational series specific education requirements.

B. Task 2: Recruitment

a. Post the job announcement to school career services sites and specific job boards.

b. Recruit specifically from MSI’s and placement of Interns to ensure targeted recruitment is conducted.

c. Accept applications from candidates, conduct initial screening (review applications for completeness and eligibility), and forward applications as a package to BLM ORRP for review.

d. Collecting and maintaining Interns’ applications and information in a centralized database.

e. Administering and disbursing payroll and any other required expenses, such as living allowances to Interns participating in the program.

f. Maintaining pertinent financial and personnel records on Interns selected.

C. Task 3: Training

a. Coordinate regular training session logistics with Interns (live or web based).

i. This may include initial orientation and monthly mentorship sessions.

b. Make Intern travel arrangements to and from training sessions.

D. Task 4: Internship Management

a. Coordinate logistics of all necessary travel for the Intern to include travel arrangements to and from duty stations or reimburse Interns for travel expenses.

b. Ensure appropriate liability insurance coverage is in place.

c. Dismiss an Intern only upon consultation with the Bureau of Land Management.

d. Assist Interns in making arrangements for housing.

e. Make Intern travel arrangements and coordinate logistics for travel required during the internship period, if necessary

i. To include transportation to and from worksite daily

1. Public transit, bike, or privately owned vehicle.

E. Task 5: Program Evaluation

a. Analyze program impact information and areas of improvement from participating BLM staff and Interns.

b. Present evaluation feedback to the ORRP via formal report.

III. PROJECT SCHEDULE AND DELIVERABLES

The project is estimated to begin in late February 2015. Please provide one proposal with projected schedule for tasks I-IV to include cost per recruit. Key dates for the listed tasks above are as follows:

Task 1 – Program design: Submit a program strategic plan for current FY to ORRP within 2 weeks.

Task 2 – Recruitment: Provide the ORRP qualified candidates based on the required projects.

Task 3 – Training: Provide the ORRP with bi-weekly reports on each Intern’s status, contributions and experiences throughout their perspective internships.

Task 4 – Internship management: Provide the ORRP with bi-weekly reports on each intern’s status, contributions and experiences. Upon completion of internship provide quarterly reports on each intern’s status and progression (School/Career).

Task 5 – Program evaluation: Provide the ORRP with an after action report based on feedback from BLM project supervisors and Interns to include lessons learned, areas of improvement, and complete budgetary breakdown within 4 weeks of the internship completion.

IV. EVALUATION AND AWARD

Minimum:

A. Minimum of five recruits for five years.

Ordering:

BPA Calls will be issued in accordance with FAR 8.405-3

Blanket Purchase Agreements. Specifically;

1. Unless the requirement is waived on the basis of a justification that is prepared and approved in accordance with FAR 8.405-6, the ordering activity will provide the recruitment requirements to all

BPA holders offering the required services under the multiple-award BPAs. The ordering activity will afford all BPA holders responding to the requirement an opportunity to submit a quote.

Note: The Government reserves the right, and in accordance with FAR 8.405-6, to award directly to a specific Contractor if it serves the Government's best interest. For example, the contemplated requirement has a reasonable connection to a previous effort performed by a specific Contractor and performance by a different Contractor would result in increased cost to the Government than if the original Contractor performed the effort.

NOTE: A BPA holder may be excluded from the competition for a call if pre-existing constraints exist from another acquisition such as exclusion from future competition.

Ordering Methods:

All Calls under the BPA(s) shall be made via a written award. A unique call number shall be included on the award and shall specify the BPA number.

1. The requiring office will provide an amount of the required recruits to include the scope of services to be performed, location(s) of services, and lengths. The requirement will be tailored to specific occupational series.

2. The BLM Contracting Officer will send the requirement to the BPA Holder(s) in accordance with the BPA Call Ordering Instructions v i a electronic means.

3. The BPA Holder(s) will respond in accordance with the instructions as stated in the BPA Call requirement.

4. The Government may or may not conduct Oral Presentations.

5. Based on the evaluation instructions in the BPA Call RFQ, a BPA Call will be issued.

Evaluation Criteria

All intern candidates will be current students or recent graduates (within two years) and will be required to submit a formal resume and transcripts. The contractor will be responsible for screening all participant applications for :

1. Incomplete applications

2. Disqualification elements to include:

a. Not a recent graduate or current student of higher education

b. Package not submitted with all required attachments (e.g. resume, transcripts)

c. Current federal employee

All eligible applicant packages will be forwarded by the contractor to the ORRP Program

Manager for evaluation by a board. The selection process will include the following steps:

1. The board will utilize a standard scoring method provided by the ORRP.

2. The board will meet virtually and all documents will be made available electronically.

3. The board will select their top candidates for virtual interviews.

a. The ORRP will schedule all interviews with applicants.

4. Post interviews, the board will make their final recommendations for selection.

a. Participant Notifications Sent

i. The ORRP will notify the contractor of all participants of acceptance into the DHA-RAI Program along with project assignment.

ii. The contractor will notify the selected intern and assist in coordination efforts of local onboarding processes.

iii. Initial onboarding will take place via assigned State/Center/Office

Servicing Personnel Office to include:

1. Fingerprints

2. NACI Background check (as interns will have access to computers)

3. Volunteer agreements

Technical Expertise:

The offeror must have proven technical expertise in successfully recruiting qualified candidates from underrepresented groups. The offer will be evaluated as to whether the vendor understands the work requirements as embodied in the SOW and their proposed approach to meet those requirements.

Project Management/Schedule: The offeror will be evaluated on their ability to meet the project management requirements as set forth in the SOW, including reporting.

Past Performance Information:

Describe the experience and capability of your organization in conducting similar work. Provide a summary of at least two similar contracts/orders performed by your organization for the last two years. Include a brief description of the project, contract number, period of performance, contact amount, client identification, point of contact information. The contract information must be current (within 3 years).

Award will be made to the contractor whose quotation conforms to the solicitation and is considered to represent the best value to the Government, after considering Technical expertise, Past Performance, and Price. In making a best value determination the Government considers

Technical expertise and Past Performance when combined as being significantly more important than Price. The sub-criteria identified under Technical Capability are Organization and Prior Experience and are listed in descending order of importance. In addition, experience, expertise and/or knowledge of the following ranking factors will be considered:

a) Expertise in recruiting underrepresented Interns and/or recent graduates (within 0-24 months).

b) Expertise and familiarization of BLM’s mission critical and hard to fill occupations to include affiliated course work/degrees.

c) Expertise in governance of youth initiative internship programs.

V. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Please submit proposal via email to Willie Bethune: Wbethune@blm.gov

Proposal must be received by: Friday, February 13, 2015 by 6:00 PM (ET).

VI. CONTRACTING OFFICER

The Bureau of Land Management’s Contracting Officer for the overall negotiation and administration of this agreement/task order on behalf of the Federal Government is:

Kenneth E. Lund

20 M ST SE, 2

nd

Floor

Washington, DC 20003 klund@blm.gov

(202)912-7034

CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE (COR):

Jessica Sobarzo

20 M ST SE

Washington, DC 20003

Jsobarzo@blm.gov

Phone: 202-912-7536 mailto:klund@blm.gov mailto:Jsobarzo@blm.gov