SEPS RFI Amd 0001_20210514 .docx

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES

SOF Enterprise Professional Services (SEPS) Amendment 0001, 17 May 2021

NOTICE: This notice is being issued for market research purposes only. The information obtained as a result of this notice will be used to assist the Government in its acquisition strategy.

This Request for Information (RFI) is for Market Research purposes only and shall not be considered as an invitation for bid, request for quotation, request for proposal, or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. No contract awards will be made from this notice and no solicitation is available at this time. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission of responses to this announcement or the Government use of such information.

The acquisition of services will be in support of the SOF Enterprise Professional Services (SEPS) acquisition, which will focus on acquiring Knowledge Based Services, as defined by Department of Defense taxonomy for the acquisition of services. The Government is contemplating this acquisition as a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Set-aside. A USSOCOM single award IDIQ contract for current similar services, SOCOM Wide Mission Support, Group C (SWMS-C), will be ending January 30, 2022 and it is the Government’s intent to extend the current contract through July 31, 2022.

NOTE: “Organizational Conflict of Interest” (OCI) compliance is a material requirement of this contract. OCI means that, because of other activities or relationships with other entities, a contractor is potentially unable to render impartial assistance or advice to the Government, impairs the contractor’s objectivity in performing the contracted work, or potentially puts the contractor in a position to have an unfair competitive advantage as a result of the knowledge, information, and experience gained during the performance of this task order. The nature of the SEPS contract will expose employees to such knowledge, information, and experiences in the performance of this contract.

RFI Submittal Instructions:

Industry Day (Virtual): A virtual industry day is anticipated during the month of July 2021, and details will be published in advance.

Questions: It is the Government’s intent to allow questions to be submitted specific to requesting clarifications about this RFI. As this effort is in the very early acquisition stage, the Government may not be able to provide response to all questions. Questions and responses that can be addressed will be published for public reference. Questions shall be submitted not later than Thursday, 6 May 2021 at 11:00am, Eastern. Question submission period has ended.

Responses: Interested parties shall submit a response according to the below instructions not later than 11:00am, Eastern on Thursday, 6 June 2021. Emailed responses shall be received prior to this date and time by carrie.eastburn@socom.mil

Description of Requiring Organization. USSOCOM is comprised of a headquarters, four Components (U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC); Naval Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWARCOM); Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC)), a sub-unified command (Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC)), and Theater Special Operations Commands (TSOCs).

The TSOCs are:

· Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH), Homestead Air Force Base, FL

· Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAFRICA), Stuttgart, Germany

· Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR), Stuttgart, Germany

· Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), MacDill Air Force Base, FL

· Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC), Camp Smith, HI

· Special Operations Command Korea (SOCKOR), Yongsang, Korea

· Special Operations Command U.S. Northern Command (SOCNORTH), Peterson Air Force Base, CO.

The USSOCOM is responsible for organizing, training, and equipping all Special Operations Forces. The Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SOF AT&L) Center, located in Tampa, FL, is responsible for all USSOCOM research, development, acquisition, procurement, and logistics. SOF AT&L works closely with government, academia, and industry in meeting its mission to provide rapid and focused acquisition, technology, and logistics support to Warfighters, delivering the most effective capabilities to our Special Operations Forces.

At this time, it is anticipated the SEPS contract will be a single award Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract with a ceiling value yet to be determined. To help develop a strategy that maximizes competition, small business participation, and contractor performance, the USSOCOM is seeking industry input, comments, and questions from interested companies. This exchange of information resulting from this RFI will assist with market research to determine the capabilities of industry to meet the USSOCOM's developing requirements and establish the degree of industry interest in the acquisition.

The requirements being contemplated for the SEPS acquisition include:

1. Engineering Management Services - pertains to contractual services such as systems engineering, specifications development, technical assistance, engineering and technical services, and professional services and technology sharing.

2. Program Management Services - consists of services related to Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) management and support, special studies and analysis, operations research, policy review and development, program evaluation, program management/support, program review/development, and management services/contract and procurement.

3. Management Support Services - contractual services that provide assistance or advice, for the efficient and effective management and operation your organization. These services are closely related to the basic responsibilities and mission of the agency originating the requirement for the acquisition of the new contract. Included are efforts that support or contribute to improved organization of program management such as data collection, accounting and financial services, and performance auditing.

4. Administrative and Other Services - pertains to material management, courier and messenger support, transcription, mailing and distribution, library services, word processing and typing, stenographic, and administrative technical support for conferences and training programs.

5. Professional Services - contracted services that provide organized, analytical evaluations in support of policy review and development, program management support, operations research, , specifications development, systems engineering, analyses, or evaluations.

Description and Location of Required Work. Locations of service requirements include primarily the MacDill Air Force Base area at Headquarters USSOCOM.

Tentative Milestone Dates. The Government is anticipating issuing a draft (only) solicitation on or around June 28, 2021 with the final solicitation to follow during the month of September 2021. Anticipated Period of Performance. Projected award date will be on or around 1 April 2022 with an anticipated (FOC)/full start date of 19 May 2022 for a five-year ordering period.

Anticipated NAICS/Service Code: NAICS 541611 (Administrative Management and General) / R499 (Support – Professional: Other) Contracting Office Address. USSOCOM SOF AT&L-KH, 7701 Tampa Point Blvd., MacDill AFB, FL 33621. Contracting Officer, Carrie Eastburn, carrie.eastburn@socom.mil.

Request for Information.

USSOCOM is requesting that industry submit a 10-page (maximum) technical document that demonstrates the vendor’s ability to provide highly qualified professional services in support of global Special Operations Forces (SOF) day-to-day business operations described above.

1) Vendors company name and address, Point of contact, to include telephone number and email address, CAGE code and DUNS identification number.

2) Identify your business size status and all other socio-economic status under NAICS code 541611. If you are under the 8(a) program, please identify when you will graduate from the program.

3) Describe your company’s previous experience as a prime contractor within the past five years successfully transitioning and supporting the specific types of knowledge based professional services described in the attached, draft PWS. Specify the total number of positions transitioned for each contract submission . Include a description of the professional services provided, contract number, total number of prime and subcontracted positions per contract, and number of geographically dispersed locations, if applicable.

4) Describe specific transition practices and processes used previously to successfully transition workload from an incumbent contractor.

5) Describe your company’s current approach (ex. Compensation, solving personnel issues, opportunities for employee growth and development) methods, incentives and other related tools utilized to retain employees.

6) Describe your company’s current approach, methods and ability during steady and routine operations to addressing employee turnover in a manner that maintains work stability and quickly restores normal operations. Address for both planned and unplanned personnel turnover.

7) Please describe your company’s current ability, processes and incentives to conduct recruiting nationally, targeting qualified Engineering and Program Management Services, Management Support and Logistics Management Services; Administrative, Professional, and Education and Training personnel to quickly fill positions on time. Please discuss and specify staff hiring, recruitment plans, and marketing efforts that are currently in place to identify qualified labor categories for this effort.

8) Does your company employ a Facilities Security Officer?

9) Describe how your firm resolves management issues.

10) Provide examples of complex requirements examples when you outsourced outside expertise?

11) What lessons, recommendations can you provide, with respect to transitioning workload from an incumbent contractor to another?