RFP.pdf

U . S . T R A D E A N D D E V E L O P M E N T A G E N C Y

SUBJECT: COMBINED/SYNOPSIS SOLICITATION: Regional Africa Natural Gas

Sector Desk Study (DS) Series

SOLICITATION NUMBER: RFP-PO201611151

ISSUANCE DATE: May 17, 2016

CLOSING DATE: May 31, 2016, 4:00 PM Washington, D.C. Local Time

This request for commercial item prepared in accordance with the format in Federal

Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6 and procedures in Subpart 13.1 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only

RFP; offers are being requested and written solicitation will not be issued.

This solicitation is being issued IAW FAR Subpart 15.203. The Government will offer up to three awards resulting from this solicitation to the offeror who is deemed responsible and is determined, based on the evaluation factors and sub factors, to represent the best value to the Government.

This procurement is a 100 percent set-aside for Small Business under NAICS Code

541690. Award is limited to U.S. Firms or U.S. individuals. Contractor and U.S.

subcontractor employees used shall be either U.S. citizens on non-U.S. citizens lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States. Contractor use of subcontractors is limited to less than fifty percent of the proposed price. International transportation and insurance must have their nationality; source and origin in the U.S., local lodging, food and transportation in the host country are not subject to this restriction.

THE FOLLOWING ITEMS REPRESENT THE "PROPOSAL PACKAGE" THAT

SHOULD BE RETURNED IN RESPONSE TO THIS SOLICITATION (Addendum to FAR

52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items (APR 2014)).

1. Proposal Due Date:

Your proposal must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. local Arlington, VA time on

Tuesday, May 31, 2016. Late proposals will be processed in accordance with Federal

Acquisition Regulation guidance.

2. Offer Submission:

Send your offer by email to contractproposals@ustda.gov which is due no later than 4:00 p.m., local Arlington, VA time on Tuesday, May 31, 2016. Proposals submitted by facsimile or to alternate email addresses will NOT be accepted.

3. Questions Relating to This Solicitation:

All questions must be emailed to the POC listed in the solicitation at awilliams@ustda.gov no later than 12 Noon, May 24, 2016. Please reference the Solicitation Number in the

SUBJECT LINE of your email.

4. Notice Regarding Suspension/Debarment/Ineligibility:

Any contract awarded to a contractor who, at the time of award was suspended, debarred, and ineligible for receipt of contract with Government Agencies or in receipt of a notice of proposed debarment from any Government Agency, is voidable at the option of the

Government.

5. System for Award Management (SAM) Database:

All Contractors must be registered in the SAM database via https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ in order to be eligible for contract award. Lack of registration in SAM will make an Offeror ineligible for award as described in FAR 52.204-7.

Do NOT delay submission of your offer pending receipt of a CAGE code.

6. Inspection and Acceptance:

All services are subject to the COR's and/or ACOR’s final approval. All work will be inspected and accepted at USTDA's Office, Arlington, VA.

7. Deliveries or Performance:

The performance of this contract shall start immediately after the effective date of award.

The Contractor shall submit all deliverables under this contract to the Contracting Officer's

Representative (COR) as stated in the Performance Work Statement. The Period of

Performance for this contract shall be two years from the date of the Contracting Officer's signature on the contract. Performance of this contract shall be at USTDA's Office, Arlington, VA, at other locations in the U.S., and/or the designated host country.

8. Special Contract Requirements:

This solicitation includes the following additional contract requirements and terms and conditions:

mailto:contractproposals@ustda.gov mailto:awilliams@ustda.gov https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/

CONTRACTOR FOLLOW-ON (INELIGIBILITY). The Contractor and its subcontractors shall be ineligible to compete for, as a prime or subcontractor or otherwise, USTDA funded activities that result from this contract. USTDA reserves the right to grant a waiver, based upon FAR 9.503, if preclusion of the contractor or its subcontractors from the follow-on activity would not be in the Government's interest. This restriction shall remain in effect for three years from the completion of this contract. The contractor agrees to include this provision in all subcontracts to this contract.

9. Contract Clauses:

The clauses at 52.214-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items and 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-

Commercial Items, apply to this acquisition.

10. Proposal Content:

SF 1449, Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Items – Offeror should ensure the

CAGE CODE and DUNS Numbers are placed in Block 17A and complete blocks 24

(PRICE PROPOSAL), 30A, 30B, and 30C. Finally, the offeror should sign and date in blue or black ink while ensuring that all changes made are initialed. PLEASE DO NOT

SUBMIT YOUR PRICES IN ANY OTHER FORMAT.

Technical Proposal – Technical proposal, not exceeding 5 pages, that documents their

Technical/Financial Expertise and Desk Study Strategy/Approach (as outlined below in the evaluation factors).

Past Performance Information – Please include reference information for at least one but not more than three clients for relevant work of similar size, scope, and complexity you have performed in the last three years. The name and contact information of Offeror’s references will not count towards the page limit.

11. Past Performance Questionnaire:

The Offeror shall provide information for a maximum of three (3) contracts and/or subcontracts held within the last three (3) years. Also, ensure the attached Past Performance

Questionnaire is forwarded by the Offeror to the contract POC for which the past performance reference is being provided. The government will use information submitted by the Offeror’s past performance POC, such as other Federal Government offices and commercial sources, to assess performance. The attached Past Performance Questionnaire

MUST be completed by the POC providing the reference. Upon completion, the past performance POC should forward the completed questionnaire to USTDA via email to contractproposals@ustda.gov no later than 4:00 P.M. local time on May 31, 2016.

12. Evaluation Factors for Award: FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation, Commercial Items

(available at www.farsite.hill.af.mil under FAR), is being used. The following non-price mailto:contractproposals@ustda.gov http://www.farsite.hill.af.mil/ factors are of equal importance and will be used to evaluate all offers. All evaluation factors, other than cost or price, when combined, are significantly more important that cost or price.

(1) TECHNICAL: The following sub-factors are listed in descending order of importance:

Sub-factor 1: Qualification and professional experience performing activities of relevant similar scope and complexity to the requirement (experience in Sub-Saharan

Africa and quality of proposed technical expert(s)). Preference will be given to

Offerors, which demonstrate significant gas sector expertise (including upstream, midstream, and downstream projects), particularly within sub-Saharan Africa, and to

Offerors that demonstrate how this expertise is relevant to the requirement.

Sub-factor 2: Adequacy of proposed methodology and work plan. Offerors shall propose a clear rationale for the proposed methodology and work plan, and describe how the requirement will be completed successfully. This may include a strategy for timing, project risk assessments and mitigation strategies, etc.

(2) PAST PERFORMANCE

(3) PRICE: The Government will evaluate price to determine the following--

Completeness: All information required by the solicitation has been submitted and is accurate.

Reasonableness: Price is fair and reasonable in accordance with FAR.

Technical factor and sub-factors shall be evaluated using the following adjectival ratings:

Table 1. Technical Ratings

Rating Description

Outstanding Proposal meets requirements and indicates an exceptional approach and understanding of the requirements. Strengths far outweigh any weaknesses. Risk of unsuccessful performance is very low.

Good Proposal meets requirements and indicates a thorough approach and understanding of the requirements. Proposal contains strengths which outweigh any weaknesses. Risk of unsuccessful performance is low.

Acceptable Proposal meets requirements and indicates an adequate approach and understanding of the requirements. Strengths and weaknesses are offsetting or will have little or no impact on contract performance. Risk of unsuccessful performance is no worse than moderate.

Marginal Proposal does not clearly meet requirements and has not demonstrated an adequate approach and understanding of the requirements. The proposal has one or more weaknesses which are not offset by strengths. Risk of unsuccessful performance is high.

Unacceptable Proposal does not meet requirements and contains one or more deficiencies. Proposal is unawardable.

Past Performance factor shall be evaluated using the following adjectival ratings:

Table 2. Past Performance Confidence Assessments

Rating Description

Substantial Confidence Based on the offeror’s recent/relevant performance record, the Government has a high expectation that the offeror will successfully perform the required effort.

Satisfactory Confidence Based on the offeror’s recent/relevant performance record, the Government has a reasonable expectation that the offeror will successfully perform the required effort.

Limited Confidence Based on the offeror’s recent/relevant performance record, the Government has a low expectation that the offeror will successfully perform the required effort.

No Confidence Based on the offeror’s recent/relevant performance record, the Government has no expectation that the offeror will be able to successfully perform the required effort.

Unknown Confidence (Neutral) No recent/relevant performance record is available or the offeror’s performance record is so sparse that no meaningful confidence assessment rating can be reasonably assigned.

BASIS FOR CONTRACT AWARD: The Government will use Trade-off Source Selection

Procedures to evaluate offers and determine the best value. The Government will award a contract resulting from this RFP to the offeror who is deemed responsible in accordance with

Federal Acquisition Regulation, as supplemented, who's proposal conforms to the RFP requirements (to include all stated terms, conditions, representations, certifications, and all other information required by this solicitation) and is determined, based on the evaluation factors to represent the best value to the Government. The Government seeks to award to the offeror who gives USTDA the greatest confidence that it will best meet or exceed the requirement affordably. This may result in an award to a higher rated, higher priced offeror, where the decision is consistent with the evaluation factors and the Contracting Officer reasonably determines that the technical approach of the higher priced offeror outweighs the cost difference.

//Signed//

GARTH A. HIBBERT

Chief, Office of Acquisition Management