PNNL_RFP_848614_PNW_Regional_Planning_Facilitator_0.00.pdf

Battelle Memorial Institute, Pacific Northwest Division Acting Under Prime Contract DE-AC05-76RL01830

With the U.S. Department of Energy Operating the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) (www.pnnl.gov)

BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE, PACIFIC NORTHWEST DIVISION'S

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NUMBER 848614

Pacific Northwest Regional Energy Planning Project – Public Engagement Facilitator

Issued By:

Battelle Memorial Institute, Pacific Northwest Division

902 Battelle Boulevard

Richland, WA 99352

Contracts Specialist:

Name: Joseph Smith

Telephone Number: 509/375-3854

Email: joseph.smith@pnnl.gov

Proposal Due Date:

September 06, 2024, 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time

Anticipated Period of Performance:

October 10, 2024 through December 31, 2025

Questions Due Date:

August 29, 2024 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time

Anticipated Contract Type: Labor-Hour/Time-and-Materials

Proposal

Offeror proposes to sell the goods and/or services (or alternates as specified) at the prices indicated in accordance with the General Provisions, Statement of Work, DRAFT Contract, and other provisions/documents of the Request for Proposal.

Offeror shall sign and return this page with their proposal.

Firm Name:

Offeror's Point of Contact Name:

Title:

Telephone Number:

Email Address:

Proposal Date:

Payment Terms (check one or check and fill in

"Other Discount"):

2% 15, Net 30

3% 15, Net 30

Net 30

Other Discount__________________________

Signature:

1. INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND

Battelle Memorial Institute, Pacific Northwest Division (Battelle) operates the Pacific Northwest

National Laboratory (PNNL) for the U.S. Department of Energy and is authorized to issue this

Request for Proposal (RFP). Throughout this document, the term "Contract" is used to refer to any resultant Battelle Contract. Captions are included in this document and Battelle's General

Provisions for convenience of reference only and in no other way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

mailto:joseph.smith@pnnl.gov

Request for Proposal Number: 848614

The Offeror shall propose its most favorable price and technical approach because of the possibility that award will be made without discussion of the proposal received.

Under no circumstances shall the recipient of this RFP contact any individual within Battelle

(excluding contact with Battelle's Ombudsman [see RFP Additional Instructions/Information for

Offeror section below]), other than the Contracts Specialist named above regarding this RFP.

2. SCOPE OVERVIEW

Scope: This RFP is for the Contractor to provide Pacific Northwest Regional Energy Planning Project, Public Engagement Facilitator support.

DRAFT Contract: Offeror shall thoroughly review the attached DRAFT Contract and propose accordingly. It includes applicable language related to Scope, Environment, Safety, and Health

Requirements and the role of the Technical Oversight Representative as well as other applicable language. The DRAFT Contract is provided for preliminary review purposes and is an example of what the final Contract will include. The content of the DRAFT Contract is subject to change prior to execution of the final Contract.

NAICS: The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for this RFP is 541620 -

Environmental Consulting Services. The stated size standard is $19 Million. The stated size shall be the sole determining factor as to classification (small or large business) of an Offeror. It is the responsibility of the Offeror to certify its size on the Representations and Certifications in their proposal. If a manufacturing NAICS code is used, a wholesale trade or retain trade business concern submitting a proposal is categorized as a "nonmanufacturer" and deemed small if it has

500 or fewer employees and meets the requirements of 13 CFR 121.406.

3. BASIS OF AWARD

Contract Award (cl 600 revised - July 2020)

Battelle may evaluate proposals received in response to this RFP without discussion (initial proposal should contain the Offeror's best price and technical terms).

Selection Method: Contract award, if any, will be made to the responsive and responsible Offeror whose evaluated proposal provides for the lowest price after satisfying all the technical requirements of this RFP.

Rights Reserved: Battelle may:

A. reject any or all proposals;

B. request clarification of minor irregularities, informalities or apparent clerical mistakes;

C. waive minor irregularities, informalities or apparent clerical mistakes in offers received;

D. accept any item or combination of items, unless doing so is precluded by a restrictive limitation in the RFP or the proposal;

E. award multiple contracts as a result of this RFP;

F. reject a proposal as non-responsive if the prices proposed are materially unbalanced between line items or sub-line items. A proposal is materially unbalanced when it is based on prices significantly less than prices for some items and prices which are significantly overstated in relation to prices for other items, and if there is a reasonable doubt that the proposal will result in the lowest overall price to Battelle even though it may be the lowest evaluated proposal, or if it is so unbalanced as to be tantamount to allowing an advance payment;

G. conduct site visits to the home or field offices of Offeror (Offeror will be notified with the date and time of arrival, an outline of the duration of the visit, and any assistance/information required);

H. require oral presentations from any or all Offerors, determined to be in the competitive range

(Offerors will be notified of the time and place for such presentation);

I. request oral and/or written discussions;

J. determine a competitive range, including all proposals that are judged to have a reasonable chance of being selected for award, and negotiate with all Offerors within it. (In the event a competitive range is determined, it will be based solely on Battelle's judgment, and Best and

Final Offers will be requested at the conclusion of negotiations);

K. negotiate only with a single Offeror to further reduce the price paid if, in the judgment of

Battelle after a review of the technical and price offers, only one Offeror has a reasonable chance of being selected for award.

L. conduct a cost or price audit to facilitate a determination of price reasonableness; or

M. re-solicit this requirement.

4. PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

General: Proposals should be prepared simply and economically, and provide a straightforward, concise delineation of the information required to be furnished. Emphasis should be on completeness and clarity. Elaborate brochures or other presentations are neither required nor desired. Offerors that fail to provide ALL items and quantities specified in this RFP may be deemed non-responsive in their entirety and may not be considered for award.

Questions: Should Offeror have questions on the RFP, they must be presented to the Contracts

Specialist, in writing, by the Questions Due Date and Time provided on Page 1. Questions received late may not be answered. If applicable, the Questions should reference specific scope details.

The Questions and Battelle's Answers will be transmitted in writing to all Offerors.

Submission of Proposal: Proposals are due by the Proposal Due Date and time provided on Page 1 of this RFP. Proposals are preferred to be submitted via email to joseph.smith@pnnl.gov with a subject line that includes the words "Proposal to RFP 848614".

Proposal shall include:

• Price Proposal:

o Provide a completed Attachment A Pricing Proposal Form.

o Information on Offeror's Accounting System (which demonstrates that it is capable of accumulating, segregating, and billing costs under Government contracts).

• Technical Proposal:

o Contractor shall submit a Technical Proposal that provides, but is not limited to, the

Offeror's approach to performance of the services outlined in the Statement of Work, dated July 29, 2024. Please describe:

o Key assumptions; description and theory of facilitation approach; proposed Key

Personnel including labor category, educational and professional qualifications; and availability/capacity to commence and sustain work throughout the period of performance. (Attachment B: Labor category descriptions, minimum qualifications and duties) o Training and techniques related to consensus-building; methods of meeting deadlines with quality output; understanding of both the energy sector and regional stakeholder needs.

o Experience in providing services of a similar nature and magnitude towards what is described in the Statement of Work; and ability to facilitate large virtual meetings.

o Experience with energy sector policies or regulations in the Pacific Northwest o Experience working with investor-owned and/or consumer-owned utilities in the

Pacific Northwest o Familiarity with Pacific Northwest Tribal issues o Demonstrated commitment to transparent, inclusive process building and consistent stakeholder engagement; reliably/accurately recording and summarizing meeting history and action items.

o Experience organizing and coordinating multiple concurrent activities.

• Other Submittals:

o Completed attached Representations and Certifications.

o Proof of registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov. Battelle prefers Offerors have an active SAM registration.

o Completed Employment Eligibility Verification (E-Verify) at www.e-verify.gov with proof of enrollment which can be provided by accessing "Edit Company Profile" in the navigation menu and printing the screen containing your company information.

o Completed Small Business Subcontracting Plan, if applicable, in accordance with General

Provisions 52.219-9 (template available at https://www.pnnl.gov/contracts/contractdocuments.aspx).

o Statement of acceptance of Battelle's General Provisions.

5. ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS/INFORMATION FOR OFFEROR

In addition to the requirements outlined herein, the Solicitation Provisions, Form A-609-SP, dated

November 2014, apply to this RFP and are available at https://www.pnnl.gov/contracts/contractdocuments.aspx.

Proposal Validity Period: Unless otherwise stated in Offeror's proposal, the proposal validity period is 90 days from receipt of proposal.

Ombudsman Program: Offeror is hereby notified that issues/concerns relative to this RFP and/or any resulting Contract award that are not resolved by the Contracts Specialist identified herein shall be resolved through Battelle's Ombudsman Program by email at acquisitionombudsman@pnnl.gov. Any issue/concern shall be submitted, in writing, no later than

15 calendar days after Contract award to be considered for review.

http://www.sam.gov/ file:///C:/Users/smit981/Downloads/www.e-verify.gov https://www.pnnl.gov/contracts/contractdocuments.aspx https://www.pnnl.gov/contracts/contractdocuments.aspx mailto:acquisitionombudsman@pnnl.gov

PNNL Vendor Portal Registration: Offeror must have an approved registration in the PNNL Vendor

Portal to be awarded a Contract with PNNL. The successful Offeror will receive an invitation (sent from PNNL@jaggaer.com or support@sciquest.com) to register in the portal during the contracting award process, and no action is required before the invitation is sent. The Contracts Specialist for this RFP can be contacted if any assistance is needed with registering in the PNNL Vendor Portal.

Banking Information: The successful Offeror will provide banking information through the PNNL

Vendor Portal to set up the payment process. Offerors shall not include banking information in any part of their proposal/submittal(s).

Unclassified Foreign Visits and Assignments: Battelle requires completion of the Non-U.S. Citizen

Pre-Interaction Questionnaire, including the Curriculum Vitae (CV) for any proposed staff with a foreign nationals status in support of the scope of work. The completed form information will be submitted to the PNNL Point of Contact (TOR), Sabrah L. Holmes. For additional information please refer to the Unclassified Foreign Visits and Assignments clause in the referenced General

Provisions.

6. FUNDING

Funding is not fully obligated for this action. However, Contract award is subject to availability of funds at the time of award.

7. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL ATTACHMENTS

• Draft Contract

• Representations and Certifications

• Provide a completed Attachment A Pricing Proposal Form

• Attachment B - Labor Category Descriptions

• SF-1408

mailto:PNNL@jaggaer.com mailto:support@sciquest.com

DRAFT CONTRACT

BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE, PACIFIC NORTHWEST DIVISION'S

CONTRACT NUMBER TBD

Pacific Northwest Regional Energy Planning Project – Public Engagement Facilitator

Issued By:

Battelle Memorial Institute, Pacific Northwest Division

902 Battelle Boulevard

Richland, WA 99352

Contractor:

TBD

Contracts Specialist:

Name: Joseph Smith

Telephone Number: 509/375-3854

Email: joseph.smith@pnnl.gov

Contractor's Point of Contact:

Name: TBD

Telephone Number: TBD

Email: TBD

Payment Terms: TBD

Contract Type: Labor-Hour/Time-and-Materials

Period of Performance:

October 10, 2024 – December 31, 2025

Total Ceiling Amount: $TBD

Submit Invoices and Invoice/Payment Inquiries To ap.invoices@pnnl.gov.

Note: Invoices must list location(s) of service (U.S.: City, State; Foreign: Country).

Award

Battelle hereby awards this Contract to the

Contractor subject to acceptance. The rights and obligations of the parties to this Contract are subject to and governed by this document and any documents attached or incorporated by reference.

Contractor Agreement

Contractor accepts and agrees to furnish and deliver the items and/or perform the services to the extent stated in this document for the consideration stated in this Contract. The rights and obligations of the parties to this Contract are subject to and governed by this document and any documents attached or incorporated by reference.

Battelle Memorial Institute, Pacific Northwest Division

Contractor shall sign and return a copy of this document

Signature of person authorized to sign

Signature of person authorized to sign

Name

Joseph Smith

Name

Title

Contracts Specialist

Title

Date

Date

Note: Captions in this document and in Battelle's General Provisions are included for convenience of reference only and in no other way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

mailto:joseph.smith@pnnl.gov mailto:ap.invoices@pnnl.gov

1. SCOPE AND PRICING

Scope: Contractor agrees to perform the scope outlined in the attached Statement of Work dated

July 29, 2024 for this Contract (hereinafter referred to as "Contract").

Pricing: The following fixed, fully-burdened, hourly labor rates shall apply:

Labor Category/Key Personnel Fixed, Fully-Burdened, Hourly Labor Rate

Principal / Director $TBD

Associate $TBD

Senior Associate $TBD

Project Manager $TBD

Administrator/Project Coordinator $TBD

The labor rates of other personnel which may be used by the Contractor in the performance of the work required herein shall have prior written approval by the Battelle Contracts Specialist.

Limitation of Funds: This Contract is incrementally funded and is subject to the Limitation of Funds clause of the General Provisions. The incremental funding amount currently allotted to this

Contract is $[DOLLAR AMOUNT].

It is contemplated that additional funds will be allotted to this Contract up to the Contract ceiling amount, contingent upon Battelle receiving additional funding from their client. Unless and until additional funds are provided by Battelle, Contractor shall not incur nor shall Battelle be liable for charges in excess of the authorized amount, whether such charges were incurred during Contract performance or as a result of termination.

Non-Labor Costs: The Contractor's approved accounting system considers, specific to this

Contract, non-labor costs to be directly chargeable to this Contract. Such costs will be reimbursed at cost with no burdens or fees of any type applied.

2. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE/DELIVERY

Period of Performance: The period of performance will be in accordance with Page 1 of this

Contract.

3. CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS/INFORMATION

Travel: Allowable and allocable travel under this Contract, if any, will be reimbursed in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 31.205-46. Reimbursement for travel costs between a temporary duty station within a 50-mile radius of an employee's regular duty station must be approved in advance by Battelle. Lodging will be reimbursed at actual expense subject to maximum per diem rules listed in the Federal Travel Regulations (FTRs); and meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) will be reimbursed at a flat rate per day, not to exceed the limits specified for the geographical location in the FTRs. Also, the M&IE flat rate shall be prorated per the FTRs during the first and last day of travel. Contractors who claim an M&IE per diem allowance do not have to substantiate each meal expense but must demonstrate that the trip occurred with a copy of a receipt, such as an airline receipt or hotel folio, that indicates dates of travel. Notwithstanding the applicable regulation, only the lowest available air fare during normal business hours will be reimbursed unless otherwise approved in writing by the Battelle Contracts Specialist.

In instances where the Contractor is subject to 2 CFR, Part 200, allowable costs for travel shall be determined in accordance with the appropriate regulation, provided the Contractor maintains an established travel policy consistent with that regulation. Notwithstanding the applicable regulation, only coach airfare will be reimbursed unless otherwise approved in writing by the Battelle Contracts

Specialist.

4. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

Invoicing: In addition to information provided elsewhere in this Contract, the Contractor shall provide copies of receipts for all expenditures >$75.00 (as failure to do so will cause the invoice to be rejected).

Battelle Contracts Specialist: The Battelle Contracts Specialist, Joseph Smith, is the sole point of contact for any contractual/administrative communications or questions regarding this acquisition.

Contact information is on Page 1.

Technical Oversight Representative: All technical questions should be directed to the Technical

Oversight Representative (TOR), TBD at TBD or via email at TBD. The TOR cannot modify this

Contract.

Key Personnel: The following named Key Personnel shall be assigned to the performance of the work and shall not be replaced without the prior written approval of the Battelle Contracts

Specialist.

TBD

Lower-tier Subcontractors: Lower-tier Subcontractors require the prior written approval of the

Battelle Contracts Specialist.

5. TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The General Provisions Applicable for Labor-Hour/Time-and-Materials Contracts, Form A-409.33-

LH, dated April 2024, apply and may be viewed at https://www.pnnl.gov/procurement/documents.

6. CONTRACT ATTACHMENTS

In addition to the above, the Contract consists of:

• Statement of Work - dated July 29, 2024

• Representations and Certifications

7. ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Contract contains the entire agreement and understanding between the parties, and there are no agreements, understandings or representations not set forth or incorporated by reference herein. This Contract supersedes all prior proposals, understandings and agreements, whether oral or written, between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. No subsequent

Modifications of this Contract shall be of any force or effect unless in writing by authorized representatives of each party to this Contract. No communications, written or oral, by other than a

Battelle Contracts Specialist shall be effective to modify or otherwise affect the provisions of this

Contract.

https://www.pnnl.gov/procurement/documents