AFMS Education and Administrative Support Services

SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS

THIS IS A Sources Sought Notice ONLY.  The U.S. Government desires to procure all personnel, equipment, supplies, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to operate and present Force Management education and training to DOD personnel on a small business set-aside basis, provided 2 or more qualified small businesses respond to this sources sought synopsis with information sufficient to support a set-aside.  Be advised that the U.S. Government will not be able to set aside this requirement if 2 or more small businesses do not respond with information to support the set-aside.  We encourage all small businesses, in all socioeconomic categories (including, 8(a) Business Development Program, Small Disadvantage Business, Historically Underutilized Business Zone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, Women-Owned Small Business concerns), to identify their capabilities in meeting the requirement at a fair market price.

This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes – it does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ)/Invitation for Bid (IFB)/Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFQ, IFB or RFP in the future.  This notice does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service.  Further, the U.S. Government is not seeking quotes, bids or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals in response to this sources sought notice.  The U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice. Submittals will not be returned to the responder.  Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future RFQ or IFB or RFP, if any is issued.  If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Governmentwide Point of Entry.  It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the Governmentwide Point of Entry for additional information pertaining to this requirement.  The anticipated NAICS code is:  611430, Professional and Management Development Training, with a size standard of $12M.

The capability packages for this sources sought market survey are not expected to be proposals, but rather statements regarding the company’s existing experience in relation to the areas specified in the PWS.  Capability packages must not exceed 30 pages (8x11 inches), not including pictures and brochures and must be submitted electronically. Format of submissions shall be in accordance with outline provided above.  Font shall be 12 pitch with one inch borders.  All contractor questions should be submitted, by e-mail, to Kenneth Lutes at Kenneth.l.lutes.civ@army.mil no later than 12:00 PM ET on 3 May 2022. Questions and answers (Q&A) will be posted approximately 3 days after all questions are in.

The bulk of the work to be performed under this contract will be performed at the Army Force Management School, 5500 21St Street, Suite 1400, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060.  A single award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract is anticipated. Task orders may be issued under this contract that would require either off-site work, or work at other government installations that will be specified within the individual task order. 

A need is anticipated for the Army Force Management School (AFMS) Education and Training Support Services during the estimated period of performance from 16 March 2023 through 15 March 2028.  The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to operate and present Force Management education and training to DOD personnel as defined in the attached Performance Work Statement (PWS) except for those items specified in Part 3 as government furnished property and services.  The contractor shall perform to the standards in the PWS.

Responses to this Sources Sought Notice shall be e-mailed to the Contract Specialist, Kenneth Lutes at Kenneth.l.lutes.civ@army.mil no later than 12 May 2022 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

In response to this sources sought, please provide:

1.  Name of the firm, point of contact, phone number, email address, DUNS number, CAGE code, a statement regarding small business status (including small business type(s)/certifications(s) such as SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.) and the corresponding NAICS code.

2.  Identify whether your firm is interested in competing for this requirement as a prime contractor or not.  Identify subcontracting, joint ventures or teaming arrangement that will be pursued, if any.

3.  Information in sufficient detail regarding previous experience (indicate whether as a prime contractor or subcontractor) on similar requirements (include size, scope, complexity, timeframe, government or commercial), pertinent certifications, etc., that will facilitate making a capability determination. 

4.  Information to help determine if the requirement is commercially available, including pricing information, basis for the pricing information (e.g., market pricing, catalog pricing), delivery schedules, customary terms and conditions, warranties, etc.

5.  Identify how the Army can best structure these contract requirements to facilitate competition by and among small business concerns.

6.  Identify any condition or action that may be having the effect of unnecessarily restricting competition with respect to this acquisition.  Please contact the MICC Advocate for Competition, Scott Kukes, at scott.d.kukes.civ@army.mil or 210-466-2269, if you believe that this action is unreasonably restricting competition.  Include the subject of the acquisition, this announcement, and the MICC POC information from the notice.  Provide the specific aspects that unreasonably restrict competition and the rationale for such conclusion.

7.  Recommendations to improve the approach/specifications to acquiring the identified items/services.

Capability packages are to address the following questions (Areas or tasks where a contractor does not have prior experience should be annotated as such.):

(1). Technical understanding of the work:  What degree of understanding do you have with the Total Army School System (TASS), U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Accreditation requirements, Force Management, Force Development, and Force Integration processes and systems, Planning, Programming, Budget, and Execution (PPBE), U.S. Title 10 roles and responsibilities, Army Organizational Life Cycle Model, and other Force Management processes and systems.  Demonstrate knowledge of TASS, TRADOC Accreditation requirements, Force Management, Force Development, Force Integration, and how the Army fulfills its roles and responsibilities through Title 10 functions.

 (2). Key Personnel:  Do the key staff members that would be assigned to this requirement have the academic, functional, technical knowledge and experience directly related to the tasks outlined within the PWS?  Do you have sufficient resources on hand and available to begin work on the effort?  Do they have, at minimum, secret clearance?  Please demonstrate your key personnel’s technical knowledge, experience and understanding of TASS, TRADOC Accreditation, Army Force Management School (AFMS), AFMS curriculum/subject matter to include the Force Management functions, systems, and processes relevant to accomplish the required PWS tasks outlined in Part 5, Specific Tasks.

(3).  Past Performance:  Do you have specific past performance and experience with the execution of an Army Educational Institution, TASS, TRADOC Accreditation requirements, Force Management, Force Development, Force Integration, Title 10 functions, PPBE, Army Organizational Life Cycle Model, or similar work equivalent to PWS tasks?  Elaborate on relevant past performance within the last three years. 

(4). Financial Capability:  Does your firm have the financial capability to withstand a negative cash flow of up to $250,000.00 per month?

(5) Corporate Experience: Does your firm have the work experience similar in nature, scope, complexity, and difficulty of work in the PWS?

A draft PWS is attached for your information.  This document may not be in final form and is subject to change.

Contractor personnel performing work under this contract WILL require an active secret clearance. The contractor WILL require a secret facility clearance.