Sources Sought_Russian Research Services_v04Mar2025.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES

ACQUISITION DIRECTORATE

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

General Information

Document Type: Sources Sought Notice Title: Russian Research Services Sources Sought Post Date: March 17, 2025 Sources Sought Response Date: April 05, 2025

Introduction

In order to proactively plan for future requirements, the Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) Acquisition Directorate (AD) is conducting market research to identify qualified, experienced, and interested businesses who have the capability to support the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Joint Commission Support Division (JCSD).

Responses from “all” sources are requested including Other than Small Businesses, Small Businesses, 8(a) Small Businesses, HubZone Small Businesses, Service-Disabled Veteran- Owned Small Businesses, Woman-Owned Small Businesses, and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Businesses are encouraged to respond in providing Comptroller Mission Support Services.

This Sources Sought (SS) Notice is for information and planning purposes only and shall NOT be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Government. This notice is for market research purposes only and is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a Request for Quote (RFQ), nor does it restrict the Government as to the final acquisition strategy. No contract will be awarded from this announcement. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs incurred in preparation of a response to this notice. No reimbursement will be made for any cost associated with providing information in response to this notice. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in the response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation.

As a result of this notice, the Government MAY issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quote (RFQ). Should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against the Government will arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought Notice, nor the Government’s use of such information as either part of our evaluation process, nor in developing specifications for any subsequent requirement. Any firm responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the firm’s qualifications to perform the work. At this time, no solicitation exists. Therefore, please do not request a copy of the solicitation. Responses in any form are not offers.

Background

In March 1992, the United States-Russia Joint Commission on Prisoners of War/Missing in Action (USRJC, hereinafter called “the Commission”) was established by the direction of the Presidents of the United States and the Russian Federation, hereinafter called the “RF”, to serve as a forum through which both nations would seek to determine the fates of their missing Service members from conflicts since, and including, World War II.

Much of the work necessary to clarify the fates of unaccounted-for Service members is accomplished in RF libraries, online databases and Soviet-era official archives. Access to official archives is restricted, requires physically visiting the archives and requires Russian Side approval of research objectives. Access to the archives for the contractor is obtained from the Russian Side of the Commission after a formal request from the U.S. Side. For DPAA to succeed at providing the fullest possible accounting for missing U.S. Service members in the region of the former Soviet Union, access to these official archives, where fate-clarifying information is held, is a crucial element of this effort. Therefore, DPAA must have researchers who have previously been given access to, and experienced in working in, restricted Russian archives on cases related to unaccounted-for U.S. Service members.

The work of the Commission also involves periodic plenary meetings and technical talks, during which the United States and Russian Sides discuss the research conducted, review accomplishments, work out solutions to obstacles to research, and agree on new research tasks. It is important that the research services contractors participate in these events and provide support for the United States Side in the form of interpretation, translation, and archival research expertise.

Objectives and Scope

The Contractor shall provide one (1) Chief of Research and two (2) Researchers. The Researchers shall perform services in Moscow, Russia and shall conduct research within various RF archives, online databases, libraries and other Russian language sources in various locations within a local commute of Moscow, Russia, as directed. The Chief of Research need not be based in Moscow, Russia, and shall oversee the Researchers in locating, analyzing, categorizing, recording, and reporting information in Russian language sources that pertains to missing, captured, repatriated, or killed U.S. Service members. In addition, the contractors will provide support to the DPAA Joint Commission Support Division (JCSD) with applicable research, analysis, record-keeping, interpretation, translation, and related tasks.

a. Archival research is conducted in various archives of the RF, including the Central Archives of the Ministry of Defense (TsAMO), the Russian State Military Archives

(RGVA), the State Archives of the Russian Federation (GARF), and others, as needed, in accordance with the U.S. Embassy Diplomatic Note MFA/102/09 and RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Diplomatic Note No 3378/dsa exchanged in Moscow on July 6, 2009, hereinafter called the “Diplomatic Notes” and their objectives, and in conjunction with DPAA.

b. Research is conducted in online databases, Russian language libraries, and other Russian language sources, as needed, in accordance with the Diplomatic Notes, and their objectives, and in conjunction with DPAA.

c. Results of research are delivered to the United States Side in translated form and in the designated format.

d. Chief of Research and Researchers support the activities of United States Side of the Commission, which includes conducting research specific to these activities and providing active participation support (i.e. interpretation, translation, and archival research expertise) during and in preparation for official Commission functions with the Russian Side.

Special Qualifications for Researchers

a. Ability to write professional reports in the English and Russian languages and to communicate effectively in both languages during meetings with U.S. and Russian government officials at the Diplomatic/General Officer (GO)/Senior Executive Service (SES)/Elected Federal Government Official level.

b. Familiarity with the U.S. POW/MIA program as demonstrated by previous work experience.

c. Experience working in restricted Russian archives on cases related to missing U.S.

Service members: Chief of Research—at least five (5) years of experience, Archival Researchers – at least three (3) years of experience.

d. Previous U.S. Diplomatic Mission abroad work experience: Chief of Research—at least five (5) years of experience, Archival Researchers – at least three (3) years of experience.

e. Ability to handle and protect Personally Identifiable Information (PII) as demonstrated by the ability to pass PII testing and previous work experience: Chief of Research—at least five (5) years of experience, Archival Researchers – at least three (3) years of experience.

f. Ability to pass background check as described in U.S. Department of State 3 FAM 7220 to work in and around the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia.

g. Ability to meet the Government of Russia (GOR) requirements to obtain permission to work in relevant collections within the GOR archives. Because access to these collections are not open to the public, this special qualification will be measured by proven past archival access.

General Task Examples

a. Archival research in online digitized collections of Soviet military records (400-800 pages/month)

b. Research in the Russian State Library and other publicly-accessible record collections (200 pages/month)

c. Translation services of previously collected archival records as well as for communication with the Russian Side (200 pages/month)

d. Extraction of data that may correlate with losses from previously collected archival records (350-400 pages/month)

Place of Performance

On a routine basis, the Researchers can expect to work out of various RF archives for two weeks, followed by two weeks of analytical work conducted from home, not to exceed forty (40) hours per week. The Chief of Research can expect to work from home, not to exceed forty (40) hours per week. All Researchers can expect to meet with DPAA personnel, either virtual or in person, on an as needed basis. Contractor personnel may be requested to work at alternate locations during emergencies and emergency exercises.

General Instructions

All responses to this Sources Sought Notice must be submitted electronically (via e-mail) no later than April 05, 2025 at 12:00PM EST only to Jacob R. Lindell at jacob.r.lindell.civ@mail.mil and Pamela Odhiambo at pamela.w.odhiambo.civ@mail.mil.

Sources should include their business address, point of contact, cage code, and DUNs number.

Subject Line: Response to Sources Sought: Russian Research Services for JCSD.

Capability statements will not be returned. Nor will an assessment of a firm’s response be returned. No telephone requests will be honored. Hard copy or facsimile submissions will not be accepted. Cover letters and extraneous materials (brochures, etc.) will not be considered.

Submissions to any person other than the ones listed above will not be considered. Submissions after this date and time will not be considered. Responses to this Notice will not be returned. No questions other than clarifying the information within the Source Sought Notice will be accepted.

The Government will NOT accept phone calls, requests for meetings or briefings. All firms responding to this Sources Sought Notice are advised the Government will not provide or acknowledge receipt of the information received, provide feedback to firms with respect to any information submitted, or provide any follow-up information after the deadline of this sources sought notice.