National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) Sources Sought

Added: Nov 13, 2014 2:57 pm Modified: Nov 19, 2014 1:58 pmTrack Changes The sources sought is modified to add questions and answers received in response to the initial posting. See Attached file "SS Q&A_11-19-2014".

**************************************************************THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS FOR WRITTEN INFORMATION ONLY. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE MADE FOR ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ANY FOLLOW-UP REQUESTS. NO TELEPHONE CALLS REQUESTING A SOLICITATION WILL BE ACCEPTED OR ACKNOWLEDGED.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is performing market research to identify the capabilities of firms that can provide support to the EPA's Office of Water by providing support for the National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS). NARS was developed in response to the Government Accountability Office and other independent reviews calling for improved water monitoring and reporting. The NARS are designed using state-of-the art survey techniques to randomly select sites to represent the conditions of aquatic resources at multiple spatial scales. Field crews use the same and often innovative protocols at all sites to ensure that results are nationally comparable. For many of the indicators selected for research purposes, scientists analyze the results against reference conditions derived from water bodies judged to have been the least disturbed by human activities. This survey and continuing research program provides statistically valid data and information vital to describi ng water resource quality conditions across the country, how these conditions vary with geographic setting, and the extent of human and natural influences.

It is anticipated that the contract will be an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) multiple award contract with firm fixed price and cost plus fixed fee task orders with an ordering period of 5 years. Approximately 74,700 LOE hours are anticipated for the ordering period. The applicable NAICS code is 541620 with a size standard of $15 million in average annual receipts. In the capabilities statements, contractors must provide their size status for the above referenced NAICS code, (i.e. large, small) and whether or not they are a certified hub zone, 8(a), women owned, small disadvantaged and/or service disabled veteran owned concern. The EPA reserves the right to set this action aside for small businesses. As a reminder, small businesses are required to perform at least 50 percent of the costs of the contract performance with their own personnel (See FAR 52.219 14) under a procurement set aside for small businesses.

A draft copy of the performance work statement (PWS) is included as an attachment. Interested parties with the capability of providing any of the services described in the draft PWS posted at the FedConnect website: https://www.fedconnect.net/ are invited to submit a ten (10) page document with sufficient information to clearly demonstrate their ability to provide the services described in the draft PWS, including personnel, experience and qualifications. A description of similar services previously or currently provided shall be provided. Additionally, interested parties should include a discussion of the capability of their accounting system or ability to implement a cost accounting system required of a cost-type contract. Previous experience with cost-type government contracts should be discussed. Standard company brochures will not be considered a sufficient response to this Sources Sought Synopsis.

Capabilities Statements in response to this Sources Sought Synopsis MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE FEDCONNECT PORTAL by 4:00 p.m. EST, on December 11, 2014. Any questions regarding the content of this sources sought synopsis announcement must be submitted through the FedConnect portal. You must register with FedConnect to submit documents, questions, and to view responses. FedConnect can be accessed at https://www.fedconnect.net/Fedconnect/. FedConnect is a web portal that connects agencies and vendors to streamline the process of doing business with the federal government. Through FedConnect contractors will be able to receive, review and respond to contract pre- and post-award actions and documents such as correspondence, request for proposals, tasking instruments and contract modifications. The use of FedConnect also furthers the EPA's commitment to moving towards a paperless acquisition environment by reducing its carbon footprint and conducting its business in an ecologi cally friendly manner. There is no charge to use FedConnect. Vendors can register with FedConnect at www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/. For assistance in registering or for other FedConnect technical questions please call the FedConnect Help Desk at (800) 899-6665 or email at support@fedconnect.net. In addition, all vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), as this facilitates registration for FedConnect. Please note that vendors MUST have their SAM profile set to "public" otherwise FedConnect will not be able to access the SAM information required to validate vendor credentials. Registration may be completed and information regarding the registration process may be obtained at http://www.sam.gov. There is no charge for registration in SAM.

A separate synopsis will be issued for the Request for Proposal (RFP) resulting from this sources sought synopsis. Any resulting contract(s) from the RFP would be a follow-on to contracts EP-C-12-002 with ENVIROSCIENCE, INC and EP-C-12-004 with PG ENVIRONMENTAL, LLC.