Department of Defense (DoD) National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship Program

NOTICE OF CONTRACT ACTION (NOCA), ANTICIPATED RELEASE DATE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
On or about 23 Jul 10, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) anticipates releasing a Request For Proposal (RFP) for the Department of Defense (DOD) National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship Program to determine the existence of potential sources capable of providing the necessary personnel, accounting, administrative and database management services, and other resources required for the administration of the NDSEG Fellowship program. A sources sought synopsis for this requirement was posted in the FedBizOpps on 21 Apr 10. AFOSR anticipates a single contract with a length of 8.3 years to cover six Fellowship classes. Under the proposed contract, the administration provided by the contractor will be through a Cost-Plus Fixed Fee arrangement, while the pass through funds for students' stipends, tuition and fees will be through a Cost Reimbursable arrangement. The proposed service North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS Code) is 561110, Management Services, size standard $7.0M. Respondents should identify if they are a small disadvantaged business based on this NAICS code. The date for the submission of a proposal will be established in the RFP. Offerors will be given 30 days for proposal submittal. Contract award is planned for March 2011. This acquisition will be conducted under the source selection procedures outlined in FAR Part 15.3 as supplemented by AFFARS Part 5315.3. It is solely the offeror's responsibility to access the information on FedBizOpps. Acquisition Ombudsman for this requirement is AFRL/PK, Karen Sue Hunter, Wright-Patterson AFB OH, (937) 904-4407. Email address is karen.hunter@wpafb.af.mil. Please direct all technical and contractual questions to Ms. Patricia Gorski, at (703) 696-6208; fax (703) 696-6240, or email: patricia.gorski@afosr.af.mil. After the final request for proposal release, communications will only be conducted through the Contracting Officer, Julia Fitzpatrick, at (937) 255-0208 or email julia.fitzpatrick@afosr.af.mil.

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) anticipates issuance of a Request for Proposal (RFP) for offers to administer the Department of Defense (DoD) National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship Program on or about08 Jul 2010. The NDSEG program promotes education in science and engineering disciplines relevant to the defense mission through three-year graduate fellowships to U.S. citizens who have demonstrated ability and special aptitude for advanced training in science and engineering. Preference is given to applicants who indicate intentions to pursue doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. NDSEG Fellows may choose U.S. institutions of higher education with accredited programs in the appropriate STEM disciplines. Recipients of NDSEG Fellowships do not incur any military obligation. The NDSEG Fellowship program provides monthly stipends to the Fellows as well as payment of full tuition and required fees to the Fellows' institutions of choice. Each application will be evaluated and ranked by a disciplinary panel of academic experts from the STEM discipline of the applicant's proposed advanced degree program. Final selection of awardees is made by the three participating DoD services: the AFOSR, the Army Research Office and the Office of Naval Research. The current stipend amount starts at $30,500, prorated monthly based on a twelve-month academic year. The present contract (FA9550-05-C-0059) was awarded in August 2005. The contract covers the administrative cost of the program and allows for transfer of funds (pass through funding) to the contractor to pay participants' stipends and academic fees. The current contract's final period of performance for the three-year program is March 2010 to July 2013. AFOSR plans to compete and issue a follow-on contract to start in March 2011. AFOSR is seeking qualified sources to provide the necessary personnel, accounting, administrative and database management services, and other resources required for the administration of the NDSEG Fellowship program. The successful offeror will be required to work with the incumbent contractor, as necessary, to smoothly transition administration of the program, as well as be required to transition administration of the contract to a successor contractor when the contract performance period ends. Functions required to administer the program include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: advertising the NDSEG Fellowship program; soliciting qualified applicants; collecting and receiving applications in a secure electronic (online) format; distributing applications among the disciplinary panels for evaluation to the three participating DoD services for selection; making offers of appointment to selected applicants and notifying unsuccessful applicants; administering payment of stipends to Fellows and payment of tuition and required fees to institutions; gathering and maintaining data, suitable for analysis and presentations, from current and former participants and unsuccessful applicants; organizing a yearly NDSEG panel of PhDs to evaluate the applications. DoD anticipates awarding a minimum of one hundred (100) and a maximum of three hundred (300) new three-year NDSEG Fellows each fiscal year subject to the availability of funds. AFOSR anticipates a contract with a potential length of seven years to cover five Fellowship classes. Under the proposed contract, the administration provided by the contractor will be through a Cost Plus Fixed Fee arrangement, while the pass through funds for students' stipends, tuition and fees will be through a Cost Reimbursable arrangement. The proposed service North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS Code) is 561110, Management Services, size standard $5.0M. Respondents should identify if they are a small disadvantaged business based on this NAICS code. Interested sources are requested to provide a concise capability statement, limited to three pages, addressing past three years of experience relevant to the above described functions, to include: experience in similar programs; knowledge of appropriate means to publicize the program and recruit participants; familiarity with issues related to conducting research in science and engineering; ability to attract university faculty members of the science and engineering community to serve on evaluation panels; cost accounting and financial management systems adequate to track costs, issue stipends and pay academic expenses; database management capabilities to gather and maintain data; and other resources necessary to conduct a program of this magnitude in a timely manner. Reference to past customers for similar services should include organization name, point of contact name and telephone number. Capability statements will be screened using the above described capabilities to identify qualified sources. Interested sources are encouraged to provide capability statements no later than 28 April 2010 to the Contract Specialist/Negotiator, Ms. Patricia Gorski, at AFOSR/PKS, 875 N. Randolph Street, Suite 325, Room 3112, Arlington, Virginia 22203; or fax (703) 696-6240. Please direct all Technical and Contractual questions to Ms. Patricia Gorski, at (703) 696-6208; fax (703) 696-6240, or email: patricia.gorski@afosr.af.mil. AFOSR anticipates an award date for the pending contract on or about, 1 February 2011 with an effective date for performance of 1 March 2011. This is a request for information only.

Contracting Office Address:
Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFOSR - Air Force Office of Scientific Research, 875 N. Randolph Street, Suite 325, Room 3112, Arlington, VA. 22203.

Place of Performance:
TBD

Point of Contact(s):
Patricia Gorski, Contract Specialist/Negotiator, Phone 703 696-6208, Fax 703 696-6240, Email patricia.gorski@afosr.af.mil; Laura Peters, Team Lead, Phone 703 696-5957, Fax 703 696-6240, Email laura.peters@afosr.af.mil; John Sanderson, Contracting Officer, Phone 703 696-5979, Fax 703 696-6240, Email john.sanderson@afosr.af.mil