8(a) Communications and Operations Research and Analysis (CORA) Support Services

Added: Apr 01, 2013 4:55 pm

The United States Department of Transportation (DOT), Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) of Cambridge, MA, intends to issue a competitive solicitation for Communications and Operations Research Analysis (CORA) Support Services. It is anticipated that a majority of the work will be performed on-site at the Volpe Center. This requirement is being conducted as an 8(a) set-aside and is intended to be competed among eligible 8(a) firms, resulting in multiple awards.

Communications Support services will include the following sub-areas: 1) Writing and Editing; 2) Graphics; 3) Web Design and Development; 4) Communications Strategy Development and Stakeholder Engagement; 5) Conference Planning and Logistics; 6) Financial and Administrative Program Support; and 7) Printing and Production Support. Operations Research and Analysis (ORA) services will include the following sub areas: 1) System Analysis and Policy Impacts; 2) Industry Analysis; 3) System Operational Performance; 4) Technological Advances; 5) Strategic Framework; 6) Program Evaluation; and 7) Engineering Support. In addition to the required Communications and ORA support services, Contract and Task Order Management and Administration services will be required for the overall management of the work to be performed under the resultant contracts and task orders. A complete Statement of Work will be set forth in the solicitation. The Volpe Center anticipates that the first task order issued under this multiple award contract vehicle will provide services in a manner and scope similar to those being provided under Contract No. DTRT57-09-D-30002, Task Order DTRTV-T9001 with MacroSys Research and Technology. For information purposes, a redacted version of the current task order may be viewed at the following website: http://www.volpe.dot.gov/foia/onsite.html.

The small business size standard associated with the designated NAICS code is $14 million. This procurement will be conducted in accordance with FAR Part 15, Contracting by Negotiation. A draft solicitation will be released on or about mid-April 2013 to seek questions and comments regarding the Volpe Center's acquisition strategy outlined in the draft solicitation. Proposals will be due approximately 60 days following the issuance of the final solicitation. The solicitation will be issued on an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) basis with the ability to issue firm fixed price, cost-plus-fixed-fee completion, and cost-plus-fixed-fee term type task orders. It is anticipated that a pre-proposal webinar will be held in May 2013. Complete details of the pre-proposal webinar will be provided in the final solicitation. The period of performance for the resulting contracts will be five (5) years from the date of award. The Volpe Center intends to award the first task order for on-site Communications and ORA services (similar in scope to the services currently being performed under Contract No. DTRT57-09-D-30002, Task Order DTRTV-T9001) concurrently at the time of contract award.

The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website: http://www.fbo.gov. Paper copies of these documents are not available and no hard copies will be mailed. The Government will not pay for any documentation provided in response to this synopsis and any documentation received will not be returned to the sender. Prospective Offerors desiring to receive electronic notification of the solicitation posting and availability for downloading must register on the FBO website. Offerors are warned that when they register to receive solicitations, amendments, and other notices, it is their responsibility to provide an accurate and complete email address to the Government. The Government will make no additional effort to deliver information when the system indicates that transmissions cannot be delivered to the email address provided. For questions regarding the solicitation, contact the Contracting Officer in writing by email at Alison.Fecht@dot.gov. Telephone inquiries will not be honored. All contractors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) in order to receive an award from a DOT agency. Contractors may access the CCR via the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov to register and/or obtain information about the registration process. In addition, solicitation Representations and Certifications are no longer included in solicitation documents and must be completed online via the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA). ORCA is a web-based system that centralizes and standardizes the collection, storage, and viewing of the Representations and Certifications required by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Offerors must complete the online Representations and Certifications using the ORCA system accessible via the SAM website at www.sam.gov. ATTENTION: This notice is for informational purposes for Minority, Women-owned, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises: The Department of Transportation (DOT) Short-Term Lending Program (STLP) offers working capital financing in the form of lines of credit to finance accounts receivable for transportation related contracts. The maximum line of credit is $750,000. The STLP loan has a variable rate, which is connected to the prime rate. The current rate may be found on the OSDBU website: http://osdbuweb.dot.gov. For further information, call (800) 532-1169.