Support for Workshops on Advancement in Computational Wind Engineering & Performance Based Wind Design

This is a Combined Synopsis / Solicitation for Commercial Items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6 – Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation of Commercial Items – as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. The solicitation is issued using simplified acquisition procedures under the authority of FAR Part 13.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. QUOTATIONS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION DOCUMENT (i.e. STANDARD FORM) WILL NOT BE ISSUED.

This solicitation is a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2022-06 dated May 26, 2022.

The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 541690 – Other Technical and Scientific Consulting Services. The small business size standard is $16.5 Million. This competition is unrestricted. Contractors of all business sizes are eligible and encouraged to respond. 

DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENTS

Background
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Engineering Laboratory (EL) has a long history of research and development in wind engineering and windstorm impact reduction.  More recently it has been building capabilities in computational wind engineering (CWE) and performance-based design for wind (PBWD) research and development (R&D) and expanding its windstorm R&D activities, including tornadoes, machine learning techniques for simulation of hurricanes, and data-based assisted design for wind. There is now a need to assess the current state-of-the-art in CWE and PBWD to support future development of a Measurement Science Roadmap for advancing the knowledge in these areas and their applications in practice.

Objectives
The purpose of this requirement is to procure contractor support to organize and hold two (2) two-day workshops assessing the state-of-the-art in CWE and PBWD in calendar year 2023.

Scope of Work & Specific Tasks

Please see the attached Statement of Work for details.
 

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The award shall have a 17-month period of performance.
 

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE
The primary place of performance shall be the Contractor’s facilities. Work will also take place at workshop locations.
 
CONTRACT TYPE & PAYMENT TERMS
A firm fixed price purchase order is anticipated. Payment will be made on a NET30 basis using milestone payments following inspection and acceptance of individual deliverables.
 

APPLICABLE PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES
Please see the attached document for applicable provisions and clauses.

QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD
CAR 1352.215-73 INQUIRIES (APR 2010):
 

Quoters must submit all questions concerning this solicitation in writing electronically to Ms. Lauren Roller, Contract Specialist, at lauren.roller@nist.gov. Questions must be received by or before July 25, 2022 at 11:00 AM ET. Any responses to questions will be made in writing, without identification of the questioner, and will be included in an amendment to the solicitation. Even if provided in other form, only the question responses included in the amendment to the solicitation will govern performance of the contract.  (End of Provision).


DUE DATE FOR QUOTATIONS

All quotations must be submitted via email to Ms. Lauren Roller, Contract Specialist, at Lauren.Roller@nist.gov. Submission must be received not later than August 5, 2022 at 11:00 AM ET.

Note: Quoters must have an active registration at www.SAM.gov at time of quote submission to be considered for award.

INSTRUCTIONS TO QUOTERS (Addendum to FAR 52.212-1)

The Quoter’s quotation shall be submitted electronically via email and shall consist of two volumes as detailed below. Each quotation volume shall include the Quoter’s name, UEI number, and point of contact information in a cover page, header/footer, or other easily identified location. The Contracting Officer intends to award a purchase order without discussions but reserves the right to enter into discussions if in the best interest of the Government.

Volume 1: Technical Response

This volume shall contain the Quoter’s technical response. The technical response (not including table of contents, figures, schematics, key personnel resume(s), cut sheets, or past performance information) shall not exceed ten (10) single-spaced, single sided pages or twenty (20) double-spaced, single sided pages. Text shall be no less than 12-point Arial or otherwise reasonably legible font in read-only Microsoft Word or searchable Adobe PDF format.

The technical response shall include the name, title, phone number, and email address of the Quoter’s primary point of contact and the individual authorized to negotiate on behalf of the Quoter (if negotiations are determined to be necessary).

The technical response shall include:
 

1. A narrative of the Quoter’s technical approach to executing the Statement of Work requirements. If subcontractors will be used, the Quoter shall provide the names of the companies and their expected roles.
    
2. Resume(s) of proposed key personnel. Quoters shall identify and provide the resume of key personnel (including those of subcontractors, if any) to demonstrate their qualifications and expertise. 
    
3. Past performance information to include information on at least three (3) purchase orders or contracts in which the Quoter performed work similar to the scope of this requirement. Past performance information provided shall be for work completed or substantially completed within the past five (5) years. Past performance shall include the following information:
    
   1. Name of the Organization Supported
   2. Organization Point of Contact with Current Phone Number and Email Address
   3. Contract Number
   4. Period of Performance
   5. Dollar Value of the Contract
   6. Narrative describing the services performed. The narrative should make clear similarities to the scope of work outlined in this solicitation.
       
4. Completed provision responses, from the provisions attached to this solicitation. Provisions requiring response are highlighted in yellow.

Volume 2: Price Quotation

This volume shall contain the Quoter’s price quotation in read-only Microsoft Excel format, or in searchable PDF format.  All figures must be rounded to the nearest hundredth.

Price quotations shall be submitted on a firm fixed price basis in accordance with the contract line item numbering structure identified in this solicitation. Quotations shall be valid for 90 days after solicitation close.

To assist the Government in evaluating firm fixed price quotations, the Quoter shall provide a breakdown of the proposed materials costs and labor costs.

Quoters shall also include a proposed fixed price payment schedule based on requirement milestones/deliverables in relation to the deliverables table in the Statement of Work. Quoters may propose alternate payment schedules.
 

CONTRACT LINE ITEM STRUCTURE:

Responsible Quoters shall provide pricing for the following line item:

LINE ITEM 001: Support for Workshops on Advancement in Computational Wind Engineering & Performance Based Wind Design in accordance with the attached Statement of Work (Firm Fixed Price)

LINE ITEM 002: Travel and Other Direct Costs (Not-to-Exceed Reimbursable)

EVALUATION CRITERIA AND BASIS FOR AWARD (Addendum to FAR 52.212-2)

The Government intends to award a firm fixed price purchase order, with a not-to-exceed ceiling for travel and other direct costs, resulting from this solicitation to the responsible Quoter whose Quotation, conforming to the solicitation, will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered.
 

The Government reserves the right to make an award to other than the lowest-priced Quoter or to the Quoter with the highest technical rating if the Contracting Officer determines that to do so would result in the best value to the Government. The Contracting Officer intends to award without discussions but reserves the right to initiate discussions if necessary.
 

Upon receipt of Quotations, the Contracting Officer will review them to determine if each Quoter followed all of the Quotation preparation/submission instructions in this solicitation. A Quotation that did not follow the Quotation submission instructions to an extent that the Government cannot properly evaluate the Quotation in accordance with the stated evaluation factors may be deemed unacceptable and may not be further evaluated.
 

The Government intends to evaluate quotations using the tradeoff method. The factors below will used to evaluate offers. In determining best value, the Non-Price Factors A, and C are considered equally important and are more important than Factor B.  Non-price factors A through C, when combined, shall be more important than price, Factor D.

Factor A (Technical Factor):  Technical Capability

Factor B (Technical Factor):  Key Personnel

Factor C (Technical Factor):  Past Performance

Factor D (Non-Technical Factor): Price
 

A.       Technical Capability

The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s technical approach to completing the requirements of the Statement of Work for understanding of NIST’s requirements, for the Quoter’s capabilities to complete NIST requirements, and for the reasonableness, efficiency, and effectiveness of the proposed approach(es) to completing NIST’s requirements.
 

B.       Key Personnel

The Government will consider the extent to which the proposed key personnel meets or exceeds the minimum qualifications given in the Statement of Work. Greater consideration will be given to key personnel that exceed the minimum qualifications.
 

C.       Past Performance

The evaluation of past performance information will consider the extent to which the Quoter’s past performance for work completed or substantially completed within the last five years demonstrates the capability and capacity to provide high quality services within the scope of the SOW. The term “Quoter” here is defined as the prime contractor and any of its primary subcontractors.

The Government may contact provided references. The Government may also use data obtained from other sources. The Government will consider the relevance of the Quoter’s previous contracts to the subject requirement and the Quoter’s performance on the previous contracts. Quoters without a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available, will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on Past Performance, and will be assigned a Neutral rating.

D.      Price

Quoted pricing will be evaluated but not scored. Price evaluation will determine whether the quoted price is complete, fair, and reasonable in relation to the RFQ requirements.