RFI FBO 3 23 09.doc

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is conducting market research to assist in planning for an anticipated requirement. The information will be used to assist in planning an acquisition in support of the Program Coordination and Planning (PCP) Division’s operations for catastrophic/contingency planning and long-term community recovery services and other disaster assistance programs authorized under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §5121-5206 (hereinafter referred to as the Stafford Act).

PCP coordinates and manages catastrophic disaster recovery and other planning activities; guides and coordinates long-term community recovery activities; develops, manages, and tracks post-disaster reviews; and coordinates other activities in support of the FEMA Disaster Assistance Directorate’s mission. The PCP Division is comprised of the following components:

· Disaster Assistance and Recovery Operations Planning

· Long-term Community Recovery (LTCR)/Post-Disaster Community Planning

· Program Evaluation and Coordination

· Disaster Assistance Continuity of Operations

· Disaster Assistance Training To better prepare for future disasters, FEMA proposes to acquire Contractor services to provide required services that include providing technical support for community recovery planning; writing, reviewing, and revising contingency plans; developing and conducting program evaluations; developing and maintaining SOPs, program guides, and job aids; conference planning and delivery support. These program activities are highly visible and require the services of community recovery planners with expertise in community development related fields such as urban land use planning, sociology, civil engineering, historical preservation, economics, grant writing, anthropology, and agronomy; emergency management planners; general management consultants; project managers; training/education developers.

The services provided shall support FEMA operations in the continental U.S., U.S. territories and possessions and special districts to include the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianna Islands. Work shall be conducted at any number of locations to include contractor, various governmental, disaster, and private-sector locations to be determined based on task order, and/or disaster location.

This Request for Information is being posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website to gather information and expert advice from industry to inform its need and direction in preparing a solicitation document with the most current best practices.

Interested firms are requested to respond to the following questions and submit responses by Tuesday, March 31, 2009 to Antoine Barnes, Contract Specialist, Antoine.Barnes@dhs.gov, 202-646-3148.

After consideration of comments addressing the draft solicitation, a Request for Proposal shall be posted on the Federal Business Opportunity website.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

1. What are some of the best practices for providing evaluation; training; disaster assistance recovery operations planning; and post-disaster recovery planning services?

2. What are some of the challenges you would anticipate in providing the above-mentioned services? How should these challenges be addressed?

3. What are recommended strategies to handle surge needs and diversity of potential skill sets for Long Term Community Recovery technical assistance in multiple locations and multiple disasters?

4. What capabilities does a company need to address to meet Program Coordination and Planning objectives?

5. What are the optimal structures and strategies for creating a community recovery planning team?

6. Is there sufficient commonality among the five mission areas of PCP for a single vendor to provide support to all of them?

CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

1. What suggestions do you have to maximize competition for the Program Coordination and Planning Division support contract?

2. How would you envision the selection of contractors for task orders issued under the potential Program Coordination and Planning Management Support Service awards?

3. What is your best practice on procurement of Management Support Services?

READINESS

1. How should readiness be defined?

2. What is a recommended approach for readiness?

3. What cost items are included in readiness?

4. What do you consider to be the largest budget item for inclusion in readiness?

5. How would you propose reducing readiness costs over the life of the contract at base year as well as base year plus options?

6. What benefits will FEMA experience by providing readiness costs to contractors?

7. Once a contract is awarded, when would you, as the contractor, be “ready” to support Program Coordination and Planning?

NAICS CODE

1. We think that the code should be 925120. However, we welcome suggestions.

QUESTIONS FROM VENDORS

1. You are to direct all questions no later than Tuesday, March 31, 2009 via e-mail to Antoine.Barnes@dhs.gov . All answers will be posted as an amendment to the RFI.

CAPABILITY STATEMENTS

1.

Please provide a brief Capability Statement of your company’s qualifications to Antoine.Barnes@dhs.gov by April 10, 2009.

THIS IS ONLY A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.

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