Strong Bonds Instructor Certification

Added: Jun 28, 2016 4:10 pm SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS

THIS IS A Sources Sought Notice ONLY. The U.S. Government desires to procure Strong Bonds (SB) Instructor Certification for training requirements of the Department of the Army Chief of Chaplains (DACH) 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.

Existing Contract:

A continuing need is anticipated for SB Instructor Certification for training requirements of the DACH which is currently being fulfilled through W9124J-13-C-0028 which expires 2 September 2016. The requirement includes Instructor Training for Army Chaplains, chaplain assistants, and volunteer instructors. Instruction will be evidence based and focused on married couples, Army Families and single Soldiers relationship skills as defined in the Performance Work Statement (PWS) except as specified in Part 3 as Government Furnished Property (GFP) and services.

Background:

The Strong Bonds program is a skills-based relationship building program developed by the DACH to preserve and strengthen Army Families under stress from frequent deployments and the pressures of Army life in general. Unit ministry teams (UMTs) are in the forefront of this program providing specialized training for single Soldiers, married couples, and families as part of the deployment cycle (pre-deployment, deployment, and reintegration). This program is specifically designed to provide certification training for Chaplains, chaplain assistants, and Family members and to conduct training Army-wide utilizing this curriculum. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for this action is 611430, Professional and Management Development Training. The size standard for this NAICS code is $11M. Please see attached draft Performance Work Statement (PWS).

In response to this sources sought, please provide:

Vendor responses are limited to ten (10) written pages (PDF or MS Word Format) and should include:

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. Capability statement displaying the contractor's curriculum based on empirical research and data and ability to provide the services, to include past performance information. Include only relevant past performance on the same/similar work within the last three (3) years, the contract numbers, dollar value, and period of performance for each contract referenced in response to this sources sought.

4. Identify whether your firm possess the capability to author/update relationship skills curriculum and training materials as needed based on evolving research and studies in order to conduct instructor certification training.

5. Information to help determine if the requirement service 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.

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

7. Information regarding whether you consider the NAICS Code 611430 appropriate for this requirement. If it is not the most appropriate, please provide suggested NAICS that you consider appropriate with rationale as to why you think it's the best fit.

8. 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, Dean Carsello, at dean.m.carsello.civ@mail.mil or 210-466-2419, 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 FedBizOpps notice. Provide the specific aspects that unreasonably restrict competition and the rationale for such conclusion.

9. Recommendations to improve the approach/specifications/draft PWS/PRS to acquiring the identified items/services.

Please note respondents are responsible for adequately marking proprietary, restricted or competition sensitive information contain in their response. All emails responses should include in the subject line Company Name and SSS Number.

Primary Point of Contact: Secondary Point of Contact:
Daniel P. Olivas Regina M. Espinoza
Contract Specialist Contracting Specialist
210-466-2248 210-466-2234
daniel.p.olivas.civ@mail.mil regina.m.espinoza.civ@mail.mil