RFI - HPCC Claims Review Contract SAM.Gov (3.27.24) 1.docx

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Program Office Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Source Sought Thursday, March 28, 2024

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT) SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Office of Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Claims (“HPCC Claims Office”), requires Claims Review services in support of Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act (44 CFR Part 296).

GENERAL INFORMATION: This RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT is issued solely for information gathering purposes to identify sources that can provide Claims support for the Hermit’s Peak Fire Assistance Office. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), RFI/SOURCES SOUGHTs may be used when the Government wants to obtain price, delivery, other market information, and capabilities for planning purposes. Responses to these RFI/SOURCES SOUGHTs are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. This RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government for any purpose, nor does it restrict the Government to an ultimate acquisition approach. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with their RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT response. Respondents will not receive additional information in response to their submittal to the RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT and will not be notified of the resulting market research.

PROPRIETARY INFORMATION AND DISCLAIMERS: Respondents shall identify any proprietary information in its RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT response. Information submitted in response to this RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT will be used at the discretion of the Government. Further, the information submitted will remain confidential insofar as permitted by law, including the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts. FEMA reserves the right to utilize any non-proprietary technical information in the anticipated PWS or solicitation.

Although it is not necessary to address in their response, respondents shall be aware of any potential, actual, or perceived organizational conflicts of interests. Any real or potential conflicts must be sufficiently mitigated prior to a contract award. For further guidance, refer to the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Part 9.5.

NAICS CODE: 541611, 524291

PRODUCT SERVICE CODE (PSC): (R499)

ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: August 2024

ANTICIPATED ACQUISITION STRATEGY:

ATTACHMENT: (Draft requirements document, if desired)

RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT RESPONSE SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Interested contractors shall submit their RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT responses electronically to Michael Bonds, Contracting Officer, at Michael.bonds@fema.dhs.gov no later than 9:00PM Eastern Standard Time (EST), (Tuesday, April 9, 2024). Questions regarding this RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT are due no later than Thursday, April 4, 2024.

“RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT Response for HPCC Claims Review Support” shall be in the subject line of your e-mail. All responses shall be unclassified, with proprietary information clearly marked. The document format shall be either Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx), or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) formats. Pages shall be 8.5 by 11 inch and shall use a type pitch that is no smaller than a standard 11-point font type, with the exception of charts, graphs, or tables, which shall use a pitch not smaller than 10-point font. Responses shall not exceed (page limit) pages in length including images, data displays, charts, graphs, and tables. Page limitation does not include: 1 cover page. Do not include promotional materials.

RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT Responses shall include the following information in the order below:

6. GSA Schedule Number, Contract Number, and Period of Performance and/or DHS Strategic Sourcing Vehicle Category Name and Contract Number, if applicable

C. Contractor RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT Responses to questions (No more than 10 pages in length)

The responses received will assist FEMA with identifying the number and nature of the entities that consider themselves potential technical solution providers. Each respondent, by submitting a response, agrees that any cost incurred in response to this RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT, or in support of activities associated with this RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT, shall be the sole responsibility of the respondent. FEMA shall incur no obligations or liabilities whatsoever, to anyone, for any costs or expenses incurred by the respondent in responding to this RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT) QUESTIONS

1. Is the draft PWS clear, concise, and/or sufficient enough to develop and submit the required information in response to a Request For Proposal (RFP)?

2. Would your company be interested in submitting a proposal based on the current version of the PWS?

3. Is 15 days a sufficient amount of time to prepare a proposal given the scenario of a full trade-off best value source selection requiring a technical and price proposal and past performance references? If 15 days is not sufficient, please provide a reasonable timeframe to prepare a proposal.

4. Is the proposed Hybrid Time & Materials/Fixed Unit Price Contract suitable for this requirement? If not, which type do you suggest, considering the government's preference for maximizing the use of Fixed-Price contracting? Which work under this requirement could be segmented and priced at FUP?

5. Are the Claims Reviewer qualifications too lenient or overly stringent considering the scope of the services requested? Please provide suggestions on how to refine these qualifications to guarantee optimal quality and value for the Government.

6. The PWS seeks contracting services to expedite full legal compensation for injured persons, while minimizing claimant burden. Government compensation targets exceed those in the Final Rule and HPCC Guide (e.g., see Part 4. Scope in PWS). What specifics are missing in the PWS that would enhance your ability to meet or surpass the Government’s targets?

7. Discuss any other concerns, comments or recommendations you may have with the attached draft PWS.