Sources Sought Notice.pdf

Solicitation Number: W91RUS-20-R-EPG2 Notice Type: Sources Sought (SS)

SECTION I – DISCLAIMER

“THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS

IS NOT A “REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)” TO BE SUBMITTED. IT DOES

NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A

COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE

NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO

AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS

ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS

ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO

THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. RESPONSES WILL NOT

BE RETURNED TO THE RESPONDER. NOT RESPONDING TO THIS NOTICE

DOES NOT PRECLUDE PARTICIPATION IN ANY FUTURE REQUEST FOR

QUOTE (RFQ) OR INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) OR RFP, IF ANY ISSUED. IF A

SOLICITATION IS RELEASED, IT WILL BE SYNOPSIZED ON THE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE POINT OF ENTRY (GPE) UTILIZING THE SOLICITATION

NUMBER: W91RUS-20-R-EPG2. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF POTENTIAL

OFFERORS TO MONITOR THE GPE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PERTAINING TO THIS REQUIREMENT. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS ISSUED IN

SUPPORT OF MARKET RESEARCH, TO GATHER INFORMATION, AND TO

IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SOURCES FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES.”

SECTION II – INTRODUCTION:

The Army Contracting Command Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG) Huachuca Division is issuing this sources sought notice as a means of conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in and the resources to support the requirement for United States (U.S.) Army Electronic Proving Ground (EPG) Scientific and Engineering Support Services (SESS). The intent is to procure these services on a competitive basis.

SECTION III – LOCATION/DEMOGRAPHICS:

The Contractor shall support these services primarily at the facilities at Fort Huachuca, Arizona with contingent support at Fort Hood, Texas (TX), Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland (MD), and Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), Washington (WA);

and various Continental United States (CONUS) and Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) Temporary Duty (TDY) locations. CONUS TDY support areas may include but are not limited to: Huntsville, Alabama; Fort Irwin, California; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Fort Bragg, North Carolina;

Fort Dix, New Jersey; White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; and Austin, College Station and Fort Bliss, TX. OCONUS TDY support areas may include but are not limited to: Asia, Europe, and Southwest Asia.

SECTION IV – PROGRAM BACKGROUND:

The U.S. Army EPG mission is to plan, conduct, analyze and report the results of developmental testing in direct support of Army Futures Command through rigorous testing, while continuing to support Program Executive Office’s and industry partners ensuring Soldiers receive systems that enable mission accomplishment on the battlefield. EPG also supports Operational Tests (OT) and rapid initiative, technical, or customer test and evaluations in support of our Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), Network, Electronic Warfare (EW) customers. To fulfill this mission EPG provides quality, efficient, timely, value added test services that support the acquisition process, provide comprehensive test and evaluation data products and performance information to its customers. EPG’s customers are Army Program Executive Office’s, program, project, and product managers, evaluators, acquisition decision makers, and those supporting the Soldier directly.

SECTION V – REQUIRED CAPAPBILITIES:

The Contractor shall provide non-personal services support, and provide personnel, management, transportation, tools, material, and equipment (except as specified as Government-furnished) to perform non-personal scientific and engineering support services. These services shall include planning, engineering, test design and analysis, software and hardware development, and support of testing activities conducted by the EPG. Intrinsic test services functions comprise: data collection, reduction and processing: compilation, review and reporting; technical writing; help desk/computer operations; and typing and editing of Government correspondence and technical reports on a wide variety of automotive, military, electronic, general equipment, and software materiel undergoing extensive testing. Major support will be comprised of C4ISR testing functions, instrumentation development support, logistics and infrastructure support.

Further detail is provided in the draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) attached to this announcement (Attachment 1). Note, most attachments referenced within the PWS are under revision and will be available as part of the solicitation.

SECTION VI – SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Personnel and Facility Security Clearances. A Department of Defense (DD) Form 254, Contract Security Classification Specification, shall apply to this requirement.

Highest level security clearance requirement for this contract is TOP SECRET. The prime contractor shall have a TOP SECRET Facility Clearance at time of contract award. Further detail is provided in the draft DD254 attached to this announcement (Attachment 2).

2. Contractor Government Furnished Property (GFP) Plan. For any resulting solicitation and award the resultant Contractor would be directly responsible and accountable for roughly 9,400 line items with an estimated value of $519,000.00.

Contractor will be required to establish and maintain a system in accordance with (IAW) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 45, and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) Part 245, and DFARS Procedures, Guidance, and

Information (PGI) Part 245. Reference PWS section C-4, Government Furnished Property and Services for further information.

3. Any resulting solicitation and award will be subject to provide a Financial Tracking System. Potential Offerors will be required to provide a financial tracking system as detailed in PWS section C-2.16, Financial Tracking and Reporting. Current contemplated elements that the system must be able to track are purchases, travel, work breakdown structure (WBS) projects, overtime, funding (allocation, actual, billed, and available), and be able to provide a financial “checkbook reconciliation summary”.

4. Any resulting solicitation and award will be subject to FAR Subpart 9.5, Organizational and Consultant Conflicts of Interest (OCI). The Government intends to utilize a multi-phase OCI evaluation process IAW FAR 15.202. In Phase-I a review of any potential OCI concerning Contractor affiliation with the Department of Defense (DoD) developmental testing will be performed. Providing a Phase-I OCI submission will be a requirement for any company wishing to submit a proposal as part of Phase II.

During Phase-II an evaluation of each Offeror’s full proposal will commence.

Submissions of proposals will only be accepted from companies who participated in Phase-I and were determined not to have any OCI’s.

5. Any resulting solicitation and award will be subject to FAR provisions 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation, 52.204-24, Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment, FAR clause 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment.

6. Any resulting solicitation and award may be subject to the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) process as a non-attribution, not for credit, assessment of the Prime and select members of the supply chain. Thereby Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clause 252.204-7012, Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting, would be applicable at a minimum of Level I.

SECTION VII – ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

1. The Government anticipates the utilization of Produce Service Code (PSC) AD24 – Research & Development (R&D): Defense Services – Engineering Development. With a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 541330 – Engineering Services. NAICS 541330 has a Small Business Size Standard of $16.5 Million.

Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond; however, each respondent must clearly identify their business size within their capabilities statement.

2. The Government anticipates the need for a Cost-Reimbursement type contract;

therefore, an adequate cost accounting system would be applicable for Cost Reimbursement type contracts IAW FAR 16.301-3(a)(1). Furthermore, based upon the performance requirements the Government anticipates utilization of an incentive contract. The Government is considering the use of an Award-Fee, thereby the resulting contract type is anticipated to be Cost-Plus-Award-Fee (CPAF).

3. The Government anticipates the basis of award to obtain best value continuum through the utilization of a subjective tradeoff process. The Government intends to evaluate and make award without discussions.

4. The estimated period of performance is anticipated to consist of a 60-day phase-in period, base period, and four option periods, for a total not to exceed period of five (5) years.

5. The proposed contract is anticipated to include requirements that would be accomplished by professional services labor classifications, thereby FAR provision 52.222-46, Evaluation of Compensation for Professional Employees, would be applicable.

6. Anticipated milestones. The Government anticipates the utilization of a multi-phased solicitation as discussed above in Section VI paragraph 4. Phase-I at a minimum will consist of the OCI Phase-I, and buy-in for further participation. Phase-II at a minimum will consist of receipt of proposals from those companies who participated and completed Phase-I to include being determined not to have any OCIs. The anticipated award date will be within the 2nd Quarter of fiscal year 2022, followed by an anticipated 60-day phase-in period

SECTION VIII – INQUIRIES FOR INDUSTRY RESPONSE:

1. The Government welcomes alternative suggestion(s) for contract type, viable vehicles, or NAICS, please provide said suggestion(s) with rationale.

2. The Government is trying to determine if a capability exists in the market place by means of Contractor team arrangement recognized by FAR Subpart 9.6 to support EPG. Based upon the responses to this SS notice this requirement may be set-aside for small businesses (in full or in-part) or procured through full and open competition. If the Government determines, based upon responses, set-aside is not feasible then the Government anticipates a Minimum Quantitative Requirement (MQR) for small business subcontracting of 10 percent. The Government is open to suggestions for MQR percentages.

3. The Government is contemplating the utilization of Earned Value Management System (EVMS). The standard would be in compliance with the guidelines in the American National Standards Institute/Electronic Industries Alliance standard (ANSI/EIA) 748, EVMS, and would like industries perspective on the pros and cons of utilization of EVMS for the services to be provided.

4. The Government is contemplating the incorporation of FAR clause 52.246-11, Higher-Level Contract Quality Requirement, and would like industries perspective on the pros and cons of incorporation of this clause, and suggested Quality Management Systems (QMS) that would be most applicable to the services provided.

5. Please discuss what risks (if any) your company sees for successful contract execution of the Governments proposed approaches discussed within this SS notice, and company recommendations to mitigate those risks.

SECTION IX – SUBMISSION DETAILS:

1. If your firm is capable of meeting the criteria stated in this SS notice, inclusive of attachments, has qualified personnel and relevant past performance experience, please submit a technical capability statement including the following information.

(Please note that the firm must be registered through the System for Award Management System (SAM) at either www.sam.gov or www.beta.sam.gov prior to consideration of contract award).

a. Company name and mailing address, including Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, and company’s business size based on the primary NAICS code 541330 or your firms alternate suggested NAICS from SECTION VIII, paragraph

1. For more information, refer to http://www.sba.gov/content/tablesmall-business-size-standards

b. Point of contact (name, telephone number, and e-mail address)

c. Identify Prime Contractor sized, and socio-economic status (if any). IAW FAR clause 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns, interested businesses shall identify opportunities for small business, 8(a) business development, veteran-owned small business (VOSB), service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB), HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business (SDB), and women-owned small business concerns: women-owned small business (WOSB) and economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business (EDWOSB). Indicate how your firm will utilize small businesses in meeting the requirements of this SS notice. Please include a realistic goal for work and indicate whether having socio-economic subcategory goals, e.g. SDB, WOSB, EDWOSB, VOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone, etc. is feasible. If so, include those goals and the rationalization behind their derivation.

d. The firm’s anticipated role in the performance of the requirement (a) Prime Contractor; (b) Subcontractor; or (c) Other, please describe;

i. If the anticipated role is a “Prime Contractor,” indicate the following:

a) Functions for which you would use subcontractors

b) Estimates of the percentage of the expected effort to be able to subcontract to the small business categories listed in paragraph 3.d above, in response to this SS notice. If zero percent is indicated in your response, provide a http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.beta.sam.gov/ http://www.sba.gov/content/tablesmall-business-size-standards http://www.sba.gov/content/tablesmall-business-size-standards brief explanation of why no small business subcontracting opportunities are expected for this requirement overall or for a particular category.

ii. If you identify your company as a small business or any of the small business subcategories above, do you plan to be a prime for this requirement? If so, does your company possess the capabilities to provide the entire range of these requirements? If not, please list which requirements your company can provide.

a) Under the current small business size standard, do you anticipate your company remaining a small business under the stated NAICS code 541330 or previously suggested alternative to this SS notice.

b) This effort requires short notice to meet objectives at world-wide locations. The contractor must have adequate financial resource to perform the contract and meet the Government’s needs. If you are a small business, can your company sustain operations if not paid for 90 calendar days?

c) If you are a small business and plan to be a prime for this requirement, please provide information to show how you will meet the Limitations on Subcontracting per FAR clause 52.219-14.

e. Provide a synopsis of past experience/performance within the past 36-months to support your capabilities to perform the requirements within the PWS.

2. Technical capability statements may be submitted in your firms own format and shall be no more than eight pages, provided in Microsoft Word utilizing Arial font, and 10 point/size. Electronic submission is the accepted method of receipt, electronically mailed to the Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist listed below under Contracting Office Point of Contact(s).

3. Questions are welcome as part of your response to this SS notice. Responses to these questions may not be answered at this time, but rather will be used to assess the clarity of the DRAFT PWS and to allow the Government the opportunity to revise and strengthen the document prior to any resultant solicitation.

4. Contracting Office Point of Contact(s):

Mistie Bishop, Contract Specialist, mistie.d.bishop.civ@mail.mil Emily Harston, Contracting Officer, emily.m.harston.civ@mail.mil No phone calls will be accepted.

5. Please submit your responses to this SS notice in writing to both the Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer. Responses must be received by 8:00 A.M. (Arizona time), Wednesday, 23 September 2020.

THE GOVERNMENT SHALL NOT REIMBURSE RESPONDENTS FOR

INFORMATION SOLICITED. THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN IS SUBJECT

mailto:mistie.d.bishop.civ@mail.mil mailto:emily.m.harston.civ@mail.mil

TO CHANGE AND IN NO WAY BINDS THE GOVERNMENT. THE GOVERNMENT

RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CONSIDER ACQUISITION STRATEGIES AS DEEMED

APPROPRIATE.

END OF NOTICE