Alternative Financing for Energy Resilience Projects and the Establishment of a Defense Resilience Bank for National Security

9/7/2017 - Solicitation Update:
Amendment 02 is posted to provide responses to the last two questions which were submitted by the due date on August 23, 2017.
Please see Amendment 02 and its associated attachments for further details..

9/7/2017 - Solicitation Update:

Amendment 02 is posted to provide responses to the last two questions which were submitted by the due date on August 23, 2017.

Please see Amendment 02 and its associated attachments for further details.

9/1/2017 - Solicitation Update:
Amendment 01 is posted to provide responses to the questions which were due on August 23, 2017. Please note that there are approximately two more questions to be answered regarding the Government's interest in accepting assumptions. This amendment also extends the quotation due date.
Please see Amendment 01 and its associated attachments for further details..

9/1/2017 - Solicitation Update:

Amendment 01 is posted to provide responses to the questions which were due on August 23, 2017. Please note that there are approximately two more questions to be answered regarding the Government's interest in accepting assumptions. This amendment also extends the quotation due date.

Please see Amendment 01 and its associated attachments for further details.

This is an open-market combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 12.6, "Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items," as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.

This solicitation is a request for quotations (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-95.

The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 541690, with a small business size standard of $15 Million.

The Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Acquisition Directorate on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Installation Energy, is seeking contractor support services for a research study into how companies do credit ratings for energy projects. The study's scope includes partnering with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lincoln Laboratory (MIT-LL), to review data and information on DoD energy resilience projects to develop a financial risk rating tool. The tool will include data and metrics required by lending institutions, to appropriately determine risk ratings and decisions for alternative financing.

The period of performance for the study will be one year from date of award with a target award date of Q1FY2018.

The Government intends to evaluate quotes and award a Firm Fixed Price - Labor, and Time & Materials - Travel contract, to the responsible Contractor whose quote, conforming to the solicitation, is determined to represent the overall best value to the Government using a best value trade-off evaluation process. Quotes will be evaluated on their proposed Performance Work Statement (PWS) and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP), and how it demonstrates the Contractor's ability to meet or exceed the performance objectives of the Statement of Objectives (SOO), on their price submission, and the administrative requirements of this solicitation, i.e.: completing the FAR and DFARS provisions & clauses requiring a response from the Contractor in this solicitation, and returning a signed block 30a, 30b, 30c - SF 1449.

All interested companies shall provide a quotation in response to the attached RFQ No. HQ0034-17-Q-0023.

All questions related to this solicitation shall be submitted in writing no later than Wednesday, August 23, 2017 @ 10:00 AM (EASTERN). Questions related to this solicitation should be addressed in writing and submitted by email to the attention of the Contracting Officer, Earl E. Anderson, earl.e.anderson51.civ@mail.mil and Contract Specialist, Elaina L. Barker, elaina.l.barker.civ@mail.mil. Oral communications are not permissible. The Government reserves the right not to answer questions submitted after this time.

.

This is an open-market combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 12.6, "Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items," as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.

This solicitation is a request for quotations (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-95.

The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 541690, with a small business size standard of $15 Million.

The Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Acquisition Directorate on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Installation Energy, is seeking contractor support services for a research study into how companies do credit ratings for energy projects. The study's scope includes partnering with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lincoln Laboratory (MIT-LL), to review data and information on DoD energy resilience projects to develop a financial risk rating tool. The tool will include data and metrics required by lending institutions, to appropriately determine risk ratings and decisions for alternative financing.

The period of performance for the study will be one year from date of award with a target award date of Q1FY2018.

The Government intends to evaluate quotes and award a Firm Fixed Price - Labor, and Time & Materials - Travel contract, to the responsible Contractor whose quote, conforming to the solicitation, is determined to represent the overall best value to the Government using a best value trade-off evaluation process. Quotes will be evaluated on their proposed Performance Work Statement (PWS) and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP), and how it demonstrates the Contractor's ability to meet or exceed the performance objectives of the Statement of Objectives (SOO), on their price submission, and the administrative requirements of this solicitation, i.e.: completing the FAR and DFARS provisions & clauses requiring a response from the Contractor in this solicitation, and returning a signed block 30a, 30b, 30c - SF 1449.

All interested companies shall provide a quotation in response to the attached RFQ No. HQ0034-17-Q-0023.

All questions related to this solicitation shall be submitted in writing no later than Wednesday, August 23, 2017 @ 10:00 AM (EASTERN). Questions related to this solicitation should be addressed in writing and submitted by email to the attention of the Contracting Officer, Earl E. Anderson, earl.e.anderson51.civ@mail.mil and Contract Specialist, Elaina L. Barker, elaina.l.barker.civ@mail.mil. Oral communications are not permissible. The Government reserves the right not to answer questions submitted after this time. 

The Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) / Acquisition Directorate (AD) is seeking information from industry to assist with the development and planning of a new requirement for the Department of Defense, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Installation Energy (ODASD(IE)).

PROJECT TITLE: Alternative Financing for Energy Resilience Projects and the Establishment of a Defense Energy Resilience Bank for National Security.

INTRODUCTION: This is a Sources Sought technical description to determine the availability and technical capability from "all" sources, including Small Businesses, Certified 8(a), HUBZone firms, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, Women-Owned Small Businesses, and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Businesses.

This Sources Sought notice is for market research purposes only and is not a Request For Proposal (RFP). The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs incurred in preparation of a response to this notice.

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:
Attachment 1 - Draft Statement of Objectives is provided for reference purposes and additional details.

The desired response to this Sources Sought will demonstrate the capability to perform the following five main objectives:

1. Reviewing important financial, economic, and technical metrics needed for the pursuit of alternative financed projects, and determining risk ratings for energy resilience projects to include:
a. Life cycle costs: Evaluating a project based on its full economic life, including all costs arising from owning, operating, maintaining, testing, and disposing of a project. Metrics could include cost of operating, maintaining, testing, and fuel costs.
b. Technical metrics: Availability, reliability, and quality of current and future energy systems to meet the desired capability or requirement of an energy resilience project.

2. Recommending improvements in current DoD tools and methods to include:
a. Considering financial industry metrics needed for alternative financing and lending.
b. Describing and recommending data inputs necessary to reduce risk for projects.

3. Documenting & reviewing the current impediments to accelerate alternative financing and lending to include:
a. Financial, business, and private sector challenges.
b. Legislative, regulatory, and DoD authority considerations.
c. Project challenges (e.g., lack of project level details such as economic or reliability data, minimal details associated with project schedules, key stakeholders unwilling to make firm execution or performance commitments, etc.).

4. Documenting & recommending the appropriate processes needed to overcome challenges to accelerate broad adoption of alternative financing for energy resilience projects and the establishment of a Defense Energy Resilience Bank which address:
a. Is a deregulated or regulated structure appropriate?
b. What processes and procedures should DoD establish?
c. Can projects be bundled for more efficient and effective execution?
d. What current or new authorities are required to maximize execution of projects?

5. Building a risk rating tool for energy resilience projects to include:
a. Comparing, contrasting, and translating DoD requirements to the financial sector.
b. Reviewing, validating, and coordinating the tool's development with all the appropriate stakeholders (e.g., installation, Command/region, Service, OSD, financial industry, etc.).
c. Including actual project data across various DoD energy resilience projects into the tool.

CLASSIFICATION CODE:
The anticipated North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) for this requirement is 541690 - Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services, with the corresponding size standard of $15 Million. Companies may recommend a different NAICS Code, but shall state the reasons why they believe another NAICS Code is preferable. The final NAICS Code determination shall be made by the Contracting Officer.
The Product Service Code (PSC) is AG96 - Research and Development (R & D), Other Energy (Management / Support).
CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS:
Washington Headquarters Services / Acquisition Directorate
1225 South Clark Street, Suite 910
Arlington, VA 22202
QUESTIONS:
Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail, no later than Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at 10:00 AM EASTERN to Contract Specialist, Elaina Barker, elaina.l.barker.civ@mail.mil and Contracting Officer, Earl Anderson, earl.e.anderson51.civ@mail.mil. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after this date will be answered. The Government will not reimburse companies for any costs associated with the submissions of their responses.
DUE DATE & SUBMISSION DETAILS:
The Due Date to submit a response to this notice is extended to no later than Monday, April 10, 2017 at 10:00 AM EASTERN via email to Contract Specialist, Elaina Barker, elaina.l.barker.civ@mail.mil and Contracting Officer, Earl Anderson, earl.e.anderson51.civ@mail.mil.

Responses should include:
1) The Project Title

2) How your company can specifically support each of the five identified performance objectives outlined above, based on technical capabilities, experience, and staffing.

3) Company Name & Address

4) Company Web Page

5) Primary Point of Contact Name, Business Title, Email & Telephone Number

6) Business Classification / Socio-Economic Status under NAICS Code # 541690 or Business Classification / Socio-Economic Status under the alternative NAICS code proposed

7) Company Cage Code & DUNS #

8) Contracts that may be available to the Government for the procurement of these services such as General Service Administration (GSA) Schedules, NIH, NASA SEWP, or any other Government Agency contract vehicle. (This information is for market research only and does not preclude your company from responding to this notice.)

9) Whether the Company is / is not registered in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

10) Whether the response would be as a Prime or a Sub.

11) Whether or not the Company has a Secret clearance. Information regarding whether the Company has a Secret clearance is for market research purposes only, for insight into future requirements.

Required format:
Submissions should not exceed 5 pages, single spaced, 12-point type with at least one-inch margins on 8 ½" x 11" page size. A one page cover page is allowed and will not be considered part of the 5 page limitation. No hard copy or facsimile submissions will be accepted. Cover letters and extraneous materials (brochures, etc.) will not be considered.

INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS:
Government representatives may choose to meet with potential offerors and hold one-on-one discussions. Such discussions would only be intended to obtain further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements.

DISCLAIMER:
This Sources Sought is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals nor will any award be made as a result of this synopsis.

All information contained in this Sources Sought is preliminary as well as subject to modification and is in no way binding on the Government. The Government does not intend to pay for information received in response to this notice. Responders to this invitation are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this Sources Sought. This Sources Sought will be the basis for collecting information on capabilities available. This Sources Sought is issued solely for information and planning purposes.

Proprietary information and trade secrets shall NOT be submitted as part of a response. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. All government and contractor personnel reviewing responses will have signed non-disclosure agreements and understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information as described in 41 USC 423. The Government shall not be held liable for any damages incurred if proprietary information is submitted, as it is clearly stated this type of information shall NOT be submitted.

.

The Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) / Acquisition Directorate (AD) is seeking information from industry to assist with the development and planning of a new requirement for the Department of Defense, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Installation Energy (ODASD(IE)).

PROJECT TITLE: Alternative Financing for Energy Resilience Projects and the Establishment of a Defense Energy Resilience Bank for National Security.

INTRODUCTION: This is a Sources Sought technical description to determine the availability and technical capability from "all" sources, including Small Businesses, Certified 8(a), HUBZone firms, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, Women-Owned Small Businesses, and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Businesses.

This Sources Sought notice is for market research purposes only and is not a Request For Proposal (RFP). The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs incurred in preparation of a response to this notice.

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:
Attachment 1 - Draft Statement of Objectives is provided for reference purposes and additional details.

The desired response to this Sources Sought will demonstrate the capability to perform the following five main objectives:

1. Reviewing important financial, economic, and technical metrics needed for the pursuit of alternative financed projects, and determining risk ratings for energy resilience projects to include:
a. Life cycle costs: Evaluating a project based on its full economic life, including all costs arising from owning, operating, maintaining, testing, and disposing of a project. Metrics could include cost of operating, maintaining, testing, and fuel costs.
b. Technical metrics: Availability, reliability, and quality of current and future energy systems to meet the desired capability or requirement of an energy resilience project.

2. Recommending improvements in current DoD tools and methods to include:
a. Considering financial industry metrics needed for alternative financing and lending.
b. Describing and recommending data inputs necessary to reduce risk for projects.

3. Documenting & reviewing the current impediments to accelerate alternative financing and lending to include:
a. Financial, business, and private sector challenges.
b. Legislative, regulatory, and DoD authority considerations.
c. Project challenges (e.g., lack of project level details such as economic or reliability data, minimal details associated with project schedules, key stakeholders unwilling to make firm execution or performance commitments, etc.).

4. Documenting & recommending the appropriate processes needed to overcome challenges to accelerate broad adoption of alternative financing for energy resilience projects and the establishment of a Defense Energy Resilience Bank which address:
a. Is a deregulated or regulated structure appropriate?
b. What processes and procedures should DoD establish?
c. Can projects be bundled for more efficient and effective execution?
d. What current or new authorities are required to maximize execution of projects?

5. Building a risk rating tool for energy resilience projects to include:
a. Comparing, contrasting, and translating DoD requirements to the financial sector.
b. Reviewing, validating, and coordinating the tool's development with all the appropriate stakeholders (e.g., installation, Command/region, Service, OSD, financial industry, etc.).
c. Including actual project data across various DoD energy resilience projects into the tool.

CLASSIFICATION CODE:
The anticipated North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) for this requirement is 541690 - Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services, with the corresponding size standard of $15 Million. Companies may recommend a different NAICS Code, but shall state the reasons why they believe another NAICS Code is preferable. The final NAICS Code determination shall be made by the Contracting Officer.

The Product Service Code (PSC) is AG96 - Research and Development (R&D), Other Energy (Management / Support).

CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS:
Washington Headquarters Services / Acquisition Directorate
1225 South Clark Street, Suite 910
Arlington, VA 22202

QUESTIONS:
Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail, no later than Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at 10:00 AM EASTERN to Contract Specialist, Elaina Barker, elaina.l.barker.civ@mail.mil and Contracting Officer, Earl Anderson, earl.e.anderson51.civ@mail.mil. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after this date will be answered. The Government will not reimburse companies for any costs associated with the submissions of their responses.

DUE DATE & SUBMISSION DETAILS:
The Due Date to submit a response to this notice is extended to no later than Monday, April 10, 2017 at 10:00 AM EASTERN via email to Contract Specialist, Elaina Barker, elaina.l.barker.civ@mail.mil and Contracting Officer, Earl Anderson, earl.e.anderson51.civ@mail.mil.

Responses should include:

1) The Project Title

2) How your company can specifically support each of the five identified performance objectives outlined above, based on technical capabilities, experience, and staffing.

3) Company Name & Address

4) Company Web Page

5) Primary Point of Contact Name, Business Title, Email & Telephone Number

6) Business Classification / Socio-Economic Status under NAICS Code # 541690 or Business Classification / Socio-Economic Status under the alternative NAICS code proposed

7) Company Cage Code & DUNS #

8) Contracts that may be available to the Government for the procurement of these services such as General Service Administration (GSA) Schedules, NIH, NASA SEWP, or any other Government Agency contract vehicle. (This information is for market research only and does not preclude your company from responding to this notice.)

9) Whether the Company is / is not registered in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

10) Whether the response would be as a Prime or a Sub.

11) Whether or not the Company has a Secret clearance. Information regarding whether the Company has a Secret clearance is for market research purposes only, for insight into future requirements.

Required format:
Submissions should not exceed 5 pages, single spaced, 12-point type with at least one-inch margins on 8 ½" x 11" page size. A one page cover page is allowed and will not be considered part of the 5 page limitation. No hard copy or facsimile submissions will be accepted. Cover letters and extraneous materials (brochures, etc.) will not be considered.

INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS:
Government representatives may choose to meet with potential offerors and hold one-on-one discussions. Such discussions would only be intended to obtain further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements.

DISCLAIMER:
This Sources Sought is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals nor will any award be made as a result of this synopsis.

All information contained in this Sources Sought is preliminary as well as subject to modification and is in no way binding on the Government. The Government does not intend to pay for information received in response to this notice. Responders to this invitation are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this Sources Sought. This Sources Sought will be the basis for collecting information on capabilities available. This Sources Sought is issued solely for information and planning purposes.

Proprietary information and trade secrets shall NOT be submitted as part of a response. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. All government and contractor personnel reviewing responses will have signed non-disclosure agreements and understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information as described in 41 USC 423. The Government shall not be held liable for any damages incurred if proprietary information is submitted, as it is clearly stated this type of information shall NOT be submitted.

The Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) / Acquisition Directorate (AD) is seeking information from industry to assist with the development and planning of a new requirement for the Department of Defense, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Installation Energy (ODASD(IE)).

PROJECT TITLE: Alternative Financing for Energy Resilience Projects and the Establishment of a Defense Energy Resilience Bank for National Security.

INTRODUCTION: This is a Sources Sought technical description to determine the availability and technical capability from "all" sources, including Small Businesses, Certified 8(a), HUBZone firms, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, Women-Owned Small Businesses, and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Businesses.

This Sources Sought notice is for market research purposes only and is not a Request For Proposal (RFP). The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs incurred in preparation of a response to this notice.

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:
Attachment 1 - Draft Statement of Objectives is provided for reference purposes and additional details.

The desired response to this Sources Sought will demonstrate the capability to perform the following five main objectives:

1. Reviewing important financial, economic, and technical metrics needed for the pursuit of alternative financed projects, and determining risk ratings for energy resilience projects to include:
a. Life cycle costs: Evaluating a project based on its full economic life, including all costs arising from owning, operating, maintaining, testing, and disposing of a project. Metrics could include cost of operating, maintaining, testing, and fuel costs.
b. Technical metrics: Availability, reliability, and quality of current and future energy systems to meet the desired capability or requirement of an energy resilience project.

2. Recommending improvements in current DoD tools and methods to include:
a. Considering financial industry metrics needed for alternative financing and lending.
b. Describing and recommending data inputs necessary to reduce risk for projects.

3. Documenting & reviewing the current impediments to accelerate alternative financing and lending to include:
a. Financial, business, and private sector challenges.
b. Legislative, regulatory, and DoD authority considerations.
c. Project challenges (e.g., lack of project level details such as economic or reliability data, minimal details associated with project schedules, key stakeholders unwilling to make firm execution or performance commitments, etc.).

4. Documenting & recommending the appropriate processes needed to overcome challenges to accelerate broad adoption of alternative financing for energy resilience projects and the establishment of a Defense Energy Resilience Bank which address:
a. Is a deregulated or regulated structure appropriate?
b. What processes and procedures should DoD establish?
c. Can projects be bundled for more efficient and effective execution?
d. What current or new authorities are required to maximize execution of projects?

5. Building a risk rating tool for energy resilience projects to include:
a. Comparing, contrasting, and translating DoD requirements to the financial sector.
b. Reviewing, validating, and coordinating the tool's development with all the appropriate stakeholders (e.g., installation, Command/region, Service, OSD, financial industry, etc.).
c. Including actual project data across various DoD energy resilience projects into the tool.

CLASSIFICATION CODE:
The anticipated North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) for this requirement is 541690 - Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services, with the corresponding size standard of $15 Million. Companies may recommend a different NAICS Code, but shall state the reasons why they believe another NAICS Code is preferable. The final NAICS Code determination shall be made by the Contracting Officer.
The Product Service Code (PSC) is AG96 - Research and Development (R & D), Other Energy (Management / Support).
CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS:
Washington Headquarters Services / Acquisition Directorate
1225 South Clark Street, Suite 910
Arlington, VA 22202
QUESTIONS:
Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail, no later than Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at 10:00 AM EASTERN to Contract Specialist, Elaina Barker, elaina.l.barker.civ@mail.mil and Contracting Officer, Earl Anderson, earl.e.anderson51.civ@mail.mil. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after this date will be answered. The Government will not reimburse companies for any costs associated with the submissions of their responses. Answers to questions will be posted to FBO.

DUE DATE & SUBMISSION DETAILS:
The Due Date to submit a response to this notice is no later than Monday, April 3, 2017 at 10:00 AM EASTERN via email to Contract Specialist, Elaina Barker, elaina.l.barker.civ@mail.mil and Contracting Officer, Earl Anderson, earl.e.anderson51.civ@mail.mil.

Responses should include:
1) The Project Title

2) How your company can specifically support each of the five identified performance objectives outlined above, based on technical capabilities, experience, and staffing.

3) Company Name & Address

4) Company Web Page

5) Primary Point of Contact Name, Business Title, Email & Telephone Number

6) Business Classification / Socio-Economic Status under NAICS Code # 541690 or Business Classification / Socio-Economic Status under the alternative NAICS code proposed

7) Company Cage Code & DUNS #

8) Contracts that may be available to the Government for the procurement of these services such as General Service Administration (GSA) Schedules, NIH, NASA SEWP, or any other Government Agency contract vehicle. (This information is for market research only and does not preclude your company from responding to this notice.)

9) Whether the Company is / is not registered in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

10) Whether the response would be as a Prime or a Sub.

11) Whether or not the Company has a Secret clearance. Information regarding whether the Company has a Secret clearance is for market research purposes only, for insight into future requirements.

Required format:
Submissions should not exceed 5 pages, single spaced, 12-point type with at least one-inch margins on 8 ½" x 11" page size. A one page cover page is allowed and will not be considered part of the 5 page limitation. No hard copy or facsimile submissions will be accepted. Cover letters and extraneous materials (brochures, etc.) will not be considered.

INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS:
Government representatives may choose to meet with potential offerors and hold one-on-one discussions. Such discussions would only be intended to obtain further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements.

DISCLAIMER:
This Sources Sought is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals nor will any award be made as a result of this synopsis.

All information contained in this Sources Sought is preliminary as well as subject to modification and is in no way binding on the Government. The Government does not intend to pay for information received in response to this notice. Responders to this invitation are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this Sources Sought. This Sources Sought will be the basis for collecting information on capabilities available. This Sources Sought is issued solely for information and planning purposes.

Proprietary information and trade secrets shall NOT be submitted as part of a response. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. All government and contractor personnel reviewing responses will have signed non-disclosure agreements and understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information as described in 41 USC 423. The Government shall not be held liable for any damages incurred if proprietary information is submitted, as it is clearly stated this type of information shall NOT be submitted.

.

The Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) / Acquisition Directorate (AD) is seeking information from industry to assist with the development and planning of a new requirement for the Department of Defense, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Installation Energy (ODASD(IE)).

PROJECT TITLE: Alternative Financing for Energy Resilience Projects and the Establishment of a Defense Energy Resilience Bank for National Security.

INTRODUCTION: This is a Sources Sought technical description to determine the availability and technical capability from "all" sources, including Small Businesses, Certified 8(a), HUBZone firms, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, Women-Owned Small Businesses, and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Businesses.

This Sources Sought notice is for market research purposes only and is not a Request For Proposal (RFP). The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs incurred in preparation of a response to this notice.

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:
Attachment 1 - Draft Statement of Objectives is provided for reference purposes and additional details.

The desired response to this Sources Sought will demonstrate the capability to perform the following five main objectives:

1. Reviewing important financial, economic, and technical metrics needed for the pursuit of alternative financed projects, and determining risk ratings for energy resilience projects to include:
a. Life cycle costs: Evaluating a project based on its full economic life, including all costs arising from owning, operating, maintaining, testing, and disposing of a project. Metrics could include cost of operating, maintaining, testing, and fuel costs.
b. Technical metrics: Availability, reliability, and quality of current and future energy systems to meet the desired capability or requirement of an energy resilience project.

2. Recommending improvements in current DoD tools and methods to include:
a. Considering financial industry metrics needed for alternative financing and lending.
b. Describing and recommending data inputs necessary to reduce risk for projects.

3. Documenting & reviewing the current impediments to accelerate alternative financing and lending to include:
a. Financial, business, and private sector challenges.
b. Legislative, regulatory, and DoD authority considerations.
c. Project challenges (e.g., lack of project level details such as economic or reliability data, minimal details associated with project schedules, key stakeholders unwilling to make firm execution or performance commitments, etc.).

4. Documenting & recommending the appropriate processes needed to overcome challenges to accelerate broad adoption of alternative financing for energy resilience projects and the establishment of a Defense Energy Resilience Bank which address:
a. Is a deregulated or regulated structure appropriate?
b. What processes and procedures should DoD establish?
c. Can projects be bundled for more efficient and effective execution?
d. What current or new authorities are required to maximize execution of projects?

5. Building a risk rating tool for energy resilience projects to include:
a. Comparing, contrasting, and translating DoD requirements to the financial sector.
b. Reviewing, validating, and coordinating the tool's development with all the appropriate stakeholders (e.g., installation, Command/region, Service, OSD, financial industry, etc.).
c. Including actual project data across various DoD energy resilience projects into the tool.

CLASSIFICATION CODE:
The anticipated North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) for this requirement is 541690 - Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services, with the corresponding size standard of $15 Million. Companies may recommend a different NAICS Code, but shall state the reasons why they believe another NAICS Code is preferable. The final NAICS Code determination shall be made by the Contracting Officer.

The Product Service Code (PSC) is AG96 - Research and Development (R&D), Other Energy (Management / Support).

CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS:
Washington Headquarters Services / Acquisition Directorate
1225 South Clark Street, Suite 910
Arlington, VA 22202

QUESTIONS:
Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail, no later than Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at 10:00 AM EASTERN to Contract Specialist, Elaina Barker, elaina.l.barker.civ@mail.mil and Contracting Officer, Earl Anderson, earl.e.anderson51.civ@mail.mil. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after this date will be answered. The Government will not reimburse companies for any costs associated with the submissions of their responses. Answers to questions will be posted to FBO.

DUE DATE & SUBMISSION DETAILS:
The Due Date to submit a response to this notice is no later than Monday, April 3, 2017 at 10:00 AM EASTERN via email to Contract Specialist, Elaina Barker, elaina.l.barker.civ@mail.mil and Contracting Officer, Earl Anderson, earl.e.anderson51.civ@mail.mil.

Responses should include:

1) The Project Title

2) How your company can specifically support each of the five identified performance objectives outlined above, based on technical capabilities, experience, and staffing.

3) Company Name & Address

4) Company Web Page

5) Primary Point of Contact Name, Business Title, Email & Telephone Number

6) Business Classification / Socio-Economic Status under NAICS Code # 541690 or Business Classification / Socio-Economic Status under the alternative NAICS code proposed

7) Company Cage Code & DUNS #

8) Contracts that may be available to the Government for the procurement of these services such as General Service Administration (GSA) Schedules, NIH, NASA SEWP, or any other Government Agency contract vehicle. (This information is for market research only and does not preclude your company from responding to this notice.)

9) Whether the Company is / is not registered in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

10) Whether the response would be as a Prime or a Sub.

11) Whether or not the Company has a Secret clearance. Information regarding whether the Company has a Secret clearance is for market research purposes only, for insight into future requirements.

Required format:
Submissions should not exceed 5 pages, single spaced, 12-point type with at least one-inch margins on 8 ½" x 11" page size. A one page cover page is allowed and will not be considered part of the 5 page limitation. No hard copy or facsimile submissions will be accepted. Cover letters and extraneous materials (brochures, etc.) will not be considered.

INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS:
Government representatives may choose to meet with potential offerors and hold one-on-one discussions. Such discussions would only be intended to obtain further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements.

DISCLAIMER:
This Sources Sought is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals nor will any award be made as a result of this synopsis.

All information contained in this Sources Sought is preliminary as well as subject to modification and is in no way binding on the Government. The Government does not intend to pay for information received in response to this notice. Responders to this invitation are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this Sources Sought. This Sources Sought will be the basis for collecting information on capabilities available. This Sources Sought is issued solely for information and planning purposes.

Proprietary information and trade secrets shall NOT be submitted as part of a response. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. All government and contractor personnel reviewing responses will have signed non-disclosure agreements and understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information as described in 41 USC 423. The Government shall not be held liable for any damages incurred if proprietary information is submitted, as it is clearly stated this type of information shall NOT be submitted.