SS-2024020895_Clean Bus Transition Planning Support.pdf

Sources Sought Notice No. SS-2024020895

“Clean Bus Transition Planning Support” May 29, 2024

Background:

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a national laboratory owned by the U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE). NREL is the only federal laboratory dedicated to research, development, commercialization, and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. NREL is managed and operated for DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy (Alliance), the “M&O Contractor”.

Both public and private entities have made great progress in implementing alternative fuels, advanced technology vehicles, and fuel-saving measures into their fleet operations. Efforts to smartly plan for and deploy electric vehicles and buses (EVs) and EV charging have taken priority for fleets, states and other transportation stakeholders. Yet, as the mobility landscape evolves, both public and private entities encounter challenges.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) Center for Integrated Mobility Science supports U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) to address these challenges by offering technical assistance which connects transportation decision makers and stakeholders with objective information and subject matter experts. This assistance targets specific problems and barriers related to alternative fuels, fuel efficient technologies, planning resources and emerging transportation. By utilizing trusted, unbiased, and time-tested resources, NREL has become a leader in providing technical assistance and in helping provide resources to solve alternative transportation implementation problems.

Providing unbiased technical information, tools, and resources is a requirement of several pieces of federal legislation, including the Alternative Motor Fuels Act of 1988, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, and the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and 1995.

The projects undertaken are broad and diverse and will help solve problems, overcome barriers and accelerate the rate of adoption of alternative fuels, fuel efficient technologies and energy efficient mobility systems into the transportation mainstream.

Objective:

The objective of this Sources Sought is to identify potential subcontracting companies that are qualified and capable of supporting alternative fuel and electric (transit and school) bus transition planning, development and deployment. NREL’s Clean Bus Planning Awards (CBPA) program provides transition planning support, which reduces barriers to zero-emission bus deployment by providing school and transit bus fleets with technical assistance. More information on the program can be found here: (https://driveelectric.gov/clean-bus-planning-awards).

Project Details:

In the event a solicitation is released, NREL is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a solution that meets or exceeds the following minimum capabilities:

Develop comprehensive and customized fleet electrification transition plans for school and transit bus fleets. Electrification transition plans are expected to generally include:

• Existing fleet baseline analysis.

• Vehicle electrification (battery electric and/or hydrogen fuel cell) feasibility analysis.

• Infrastructure assessment and optimization strategy.

• Procurement and project staging.

• Financial analysis.

• Emissions modeling.

• Stakeholder analysis.

• Workforce considerations.

• Recommendation for next steps.

NREL anticipates any subsequent award or Work Ordering Agreement to potentially go to multiple firms.

Request Details:

The Alliance intends to competitively solicit for Clean Bus Transition Planning Support, dependent on the volume of qualified responses received.

Step 1 - Sourcing (SSN): Parties that meet the minimum criteria outlined herein are encouraged to submit their capabilities statements. Submitted capabilities statements that meet the Alliance’s stated criteria will be considered for inclusion in the source list to receive notice of the planned RFP. The Alliance reserves the right to add additional sources to the source list at its discretion.

Step 2 - Proposal & Selection (RFP): In the RFP step, offerors will be asked to demonstrate their technical approach to the project as well as a firm price to perform the work. This step may include oral presentations as a part of the final selection.

Small-Business Requirements: Sufficient, qualified responses to this SSN will determine if a total small business set aside is appropriate for a resultant RFP. The NAICS code applicable to this SSN is 541690.

The following links are being provided for convenience:

• https://www.sba.gov/document/support--table-size-standards

• https://www.sba.gov/size-standards https://driveelectric.gov/clean-bus-planning-awards) https://www.sba.gov/document/support--table-size-standards https://www.sba.gov/size-standards

Period of Performance: This project is anticipated to have a base period of performance totaling twelve (12) months or 365 days, plus four one-year option periods totaling twelve (12) months of 365 days. The total Period of Performance, if all options are exercised, shall not exceed sixty (60) months.

Anticipated Lead/Delivery Time: The Alliance program anticipates the lead/delivery time to be 6- 12 Months ARO.

Submission Requirements:

For companies interested in competing for the “Clean Bus Transition Planning Support” RFP, please submit the following to ASP.responses@nrel.gov on or before 5:00 p.m. (MST), 7/1/2024.

Your submission response is limited to 4 electronic pages:

1. Company Name, Address, and Company URL (include bona-fide location as stated above)

2. Point of Contact Information (Email, Direct Phone Number)

3. Services Capability: Alliance is seeking a subcontractor that has demonstrated success with similar projects and transition plans, has experience with federally funded projects and working directly with fleets and school districts, is knowledgeable with challenging schedules on project deliverables, and is well versed and skilled in effectively integrating with all project team stakeholders. The Subcontractor shall provide a narrative of the Offeror’s company expertise with projects of similar scope, size, and complexity. The Subcontractor shall also provide capabilities statement that describes how the Project Details section can be met.

Disclaimer: Responding to this request identifies your company as an interested candidate only.

Your submittal is not in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP). This is an SSN, not a Request for Proposal. Verbal replies will not be accepted. All inquiries must be in writing via email. Project related questions will not be entertained at this point in the procurement process. This document represents a market research effort. Any costs associated with the development of a response to this request will not be reimbursed by NREL and submission does not guarantee or otherwise promise inclusion in any forthcoming RFP. In the event a solicitation results from this SSN, NREL reserves the right to set aside in total or in part any resultant award. No award will be made to any subcontractor/vendor that is not registered or in the process of registering with the System for Award Management (SAM). Please visit the SAM website at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration for instructions on how to register.

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration