Inactive

1.1. The Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) 24th Analysis Squadron, Systems Development Directorate (SD) and AMIC Det 2 OL/PKA (Patrick AFB, FL) are conducting Market Research for non-per... 1.1. The Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) 24th Analysis Squadron, Systems Development Directorate (SD) and AMIC Det 2 OL/PKA (Patrick AFB, FL) are conducting Market Research for non-personal services for information and planning purposes in support of LIMS enhancement services. This sources sought is one element of our Market Research, and it will be used to help determine the acquisition approach. 1.2. This Sources Sought Notice does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ) or an Invitation for Bid (IFB). The Government may use the information obtained from responses to this notice in determining its acquisition approach, but the issuance of this notice does not restrict the Government acquisition approach. The Government is contemplating an award of a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) contract with one (1) 12-month base year and two (2) 12-month option years. 1.3. The Government is contemplating an award of a Task Order from the NETCENTS-2 Net Ops contract, with a period of performance of one (1) 12-month base year and two (2) 12-month option years. It is anticipated that the task order will consist of Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) CLINs, to be grouped by labor categories and performance areas of responsibilities. 1.4. Submitted capabilities package should describe relevant knowledge and experience offered to Government and commercial customers. Submitted information shall be UNCLASSIFIED. 1.5. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 541511 and the size standard is $27.5M. 2. Information 2.1. The anticipated award date is in the second quarter of FY21. 2.2. Security Requirements: Overarching security requirements and contractor access to classified information will be specified in the DD Form 254, Department of Defense Security Classification attached to the contract. The contractor shall have a final U.S. Government issued SECRET security clearance at the start of contract award. 3. Requested Information 3.1. Company capability statements shall provide administrative information and shall include the following at a minimum: 3.2. Company Name (including point of contact), CAGE, DUNS, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail of designated point of contact. 3.3. The facility security clearance of the ior alternate arrangement that allows the offeror to conduct classified work. 3.4. A list/description of past/current/future contracts which demonstrate the ability to provide the services listed in paragraph 7 below. 3.5. Capability statement which demonstrates the ability to provide the services listed in paragraph 7 below, to include the capability to provide DOD security clearances at the SECRET level for all personnel on day one of performance start. 3.6. Firms responding must state whether they are a Small Business (SB), Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), HUBZone Small Business(HSB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Business (EDWOSB), Historically Black College or University or Minority Institution (HBCU/MI), an 8(a) firm, an Indian Tribe or Alaskan Native Corporation, or a large business based on the size standard in paragraph 1.4 above. 3.7. Respondents are encouraged to provide input or suggestions for the following: Contract Structure Firm Fixed Price (FFP) with a fixed performance period; Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) Structure (i.e. Labor, Travel, Materials, Phase-in and Phase-out); minimum and maximum Periods of Performance; Commercial or Non-Commercial; possible North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes; Small Business Set-Aside possibilities; Small Business Goals and opportunities for Small Business Subcontracts; Technical - Certification Requirements; Industry Standards and Business Practices; Technology Trends and Opportunities; Special Terms and Conditions; and Other discussions and recommendations. 4. Capabilities Package Responses 4.1. Please submit your capabilities packages to Ms. Laura Colville, laura.colville@us.af.mil and Ms. Charlotte Simon, charlotte.simon@us.af.mil. Responses must be submitted no later than 3:00 P.M. ET on 2 December 2020. NO FACSIMILE RESPONSES OR PHONE CALLS WILL BE ACCEPTED. The Government will not award a contract solely on the basis of this Sources Sought, nor will it reimburse the contractor for any costs associated with preparing or submitting a response to this notice. All responses shall be submitted in Microsoft Word or ACROBAT readable format via email. 4.2. Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted via e-mail to same personnel identified in paragraph 4.1 above. VERBAL QUESTIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Questions will be answered via posting on the BetaSAM website; accordingly, questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after 24 November 2020 will be answered. 4.3. Responses shall be limited to 5 pages. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. No classified information shall be submitted. 4.4. It is the submitter’s sole responsibility to verify the e-file was received and readable. NOTE: It is the responsibility of all potential offerors to monitor BetaSAM for release of any future synopsis or release of the solicitation. Currently no solicitation documents exist at this time. 5. Market Research 5.1. AFTAC representatives may contact interested parties for the purpose of market research. 6. Summary 6.1. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT to identify potential prime contractors or sub-contractors that can provide AFTAC with LIMS enhancement services. The information provided in this announcement is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. AFTAC has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this Sources Sought should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. OMBUDSMAN - AFFARS 5352.201-9101 (OCT 2019) (a) An ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. When requested, the ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The existence of the ombudsman does not affect the authority of the program manager, contracting officer, or source selection official. Further, the ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes. The ombudsman may refer the interested party to another official who can resolve the concern. (b) Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the contracting officer for resolution. Consulting an ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines for any other processes (e.g., agency level bid protests, GAO bid protests, requests for debriefings, employee-employer actions, contests of OMB Circular A-76 competition performance decisions). (c) If resolution cannot be made by the contracting officer, the interested party may contact the ombudsman, Lt Col Aaron D. Judge, 114 Thompson St., Bldg 586, Room 129; Langley AFB, VA 23665, phone number (757) 764-5372, facsimile number (757) 764-4400, E-mail address: aaron.judge@us.af.mil. Concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations that cannot be resolved at the Center/MAJCOM/DRU/HQAFICA/AFISRA/SMC ombudsman level, may be brought by the interested party for further consideration to the Air Force ombudsman, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (ADAS)(Contracting), SAF/AQC, 1060 Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1060, phone number (571) 256-2395, facsimile number (571) 256-2431. (d) The ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds the agency. (e) Do not contact the ombudsman to request copies of the solicitation, verify offer due date, or clarify technical requirements. Such inquiries shall be directed to the contracting officer. (End of clause) 7. Performance Work Statement (PWS) for LIMS Enhancement Services 7.1. Background: AFTAC’s Trace Particle Analysis program (TPA) has been in operation for many years and enjoys a well-established reputation of unmatched particle analysis and data reporting. AFTAC understands the importance of audit trails and traceability and has levied those requirements on our contract laboratories who analyze our samples. To complete the process though, the gateway to our analytical system, the ANN cleanroom, must be held to the same data-handling standard. A Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) captures every record and makes tracing the trustworthiness of all values possible. 7.2. Scope: This requirement will enhance a current commercial off-the-shelf software product (LabVantage LIMS) which is in use by the TPA program and is a very common software application to laboratory environments. Another requirement will be to bridge the LabVantage LIMS software with existing TPA data stores, databases, and data systems and plan for bridging with future data storage systems. This enhancement to the product will achieve the following: 7.2.1. Upgrade the current LabVantage LIMS 8.3 to the latest software version. 7.2.2. Deliver quality metrics tramstop for Quality Assurance and Management 7.2.3. Support joining of LIMS database with ANN database 7.2.4. Enhance and create new configuration files applicable to ANN mission that differs from Labvantage LIMS. 7.2.4.1. Meets mission nomenclature and operational activities 7.2.4.2. Identified by users during familiarization effort of new system 7.2.5. Assist the Government in facilitating any bridging that is required between the LIMS system and existing/future TPA data stores, databases, and data systems. 7.3. Specific Tasks 7.3.1. LIMS Enhancements Design 7.3.1.1. Contractor shall provide a plan which the contractor will follow to meet ANN laboratory objectives for LIMS LabVantage software enhancements and data bridging with requirements defined by the Government. This will involve a site visit to AFTAC/ANN to further refine requirements. The contractor shall provide a LIMS Enhancements Design Report to detail the proposed plan for the ANN LIMS enhancements and data bridging. 7.3.1.2. The contractor shall create and incorporate into the LIMS all proposed code enhancements, which will result in a LIMS uniquely suited for ANN’s mission and data. The data from the LIMS must be exportable or bridged to ANN’s existing database by use of common database procedures and packages. 7.3.1.3. The contractor shall test, debug, and validate all software prior to delivery to assure data accuracy and integrity, as well as assure the LIMS will function correctly. Contractor will also assist with the software install. 7.3.1.4. Contractor shall update the LabVantage LIMS: 7.3.1.4.1. The contractor shall update the current LabVantage LIMS 8.3 to the latest software version. The updates shall include, but are not limited to: new modules, plug-ins, software licenses, and barcode printing capability. 7.3.1.4.2. The contractor will provide an improved scheduling module to be used for scheduling sample splits, clean room availability, along with certified available ANN personnel. 7.3.1.5. The contractor shall provide a dashboard type view of quality metrics for management and quality control. 7.3.1.5.1. The contractor shall incorporate on-demand reports in a dashboard format for commonly asked for metrics (examples include: number of samples, number of projects, number of X1, number of X2, sample analysis timelines, number of splits, number of reports published, etc.) and change the output of the results based on different time periods (examples include: weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, multi-year, custom). 7.3.1.5.2. The contractor shall include QA/QC results from STAR isotopic and STAR elemental programs in the dashboard. Implementation will require access to these data types in the LIMS system. 7.3.1.6. The contractor shall create trend studies, reports, and historical analysis using easily accessed archived data. The contractor shall create the ability to access archived data using the full complement of screens, queries and reports available with the production database. 7.3.1.7. The contractor shall assist the Government in facilitating any bridging that is required between the LIMS program or the LIMS database and the existing TPA database or existing TPA tool suite. 7.3.1.8. The contractor shall provide a demonstration of the LIMS product ninety days before period of performance (POP) completion. 7.3.2. LIMS Enhancements Delivery 7.3.2.1. The contractor shall provide a Systems Administration Guide, a System Installation Guide, and an Architecture Source Code with the LIMS enhancements delivery, thirty (30) days prior to end of each POP. The contractor shall provide a System Installation Guide forty-five (45) days prior to end of each POP. Dataflow diagrams and network requirements shall be included. 7.3.2.2. The LIMS software development shall follow an agile, iterative methodology with incremental software enhancement deliveries that should not exceed a quarterly schedule. Minimum viable software products shall be demonstrable monthly. Software solutions should adhere to the AFTAC Software Development Strategy Document, to include software security and quality considerations, and deviations should be presented to the AFTAC Software Strategy Council as soon as they are identified. 7.3.2.3. The contractor shall make available personnel who are able to assist in the installation of the enhanced LIMS system on Government equipment during the final LIMS enhancements delivery. 7.3.3. LIMS Training 7.3.3.1. The contractor shall provide three (3) training sessions after the delivery of the enhanced LIMS product at the Government facility. Training materials shall be provided three (3) business days prior to the first training session. A Software User Manual shall be provided five (5) days prior to the training class. DISCLAIMER: This request is for informational purposes only. This is not a request for proposal (RFP), request for quote (RFQ), or an invitation for bid (IFB). In accordance with far 15.201(e), this notice does not constitute a solicitation and shall not be construed as a commitment by the government. Responses in any form are not offers and the government is under no obligation to award a contract as a result of this announcement. No funds are available to pay for preparation of responses to this announcement. Any information submitted by respondents to this technical description is strictly voluntary. The government may use the information obtained from responses to this notice in determining its acquisition approach. The issuance of this notice does not restrict the government acquisition approach. Attachment Development Strategy Document to aide in responses to this sources sought.