Inactive 8(a) Set-Aside (FAR 19.8)

The U.S Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) in support of the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR), is seeking information in the form of capability statements f... The U.S Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) in support of the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR), is seeking information in the form of capability statements for providing support services for a Technology Transfer Associate. ***The Government is ONLY requesting responses from eligible 8(a) companies*** System for Award Management (SAM) registration is mandatory (www.sam.gov). It is anticipated that the type of contract will be a Firm Fixed Price. This RFI is issued for informational and planning purposes only. Contact with Government personnel, other than those specified in the RFI, by potential vendors or their employee’s regarding this requirement is not permitted. This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP). It is not to be construed as a formal solicitation or an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. The information requested by this RFI, will be used within USAMRAA to facilitate decision making and will not be disclosed outside of USAMRAA. Any information provided to the Government is strictly voluntary and will be provided at no cost to the Government. This RFI is for fact finding and planning purposes only. You are encouraged to inform the Government of any barriers that would prohibit them from competing. Please refer to the Performance Work Statement (PWS) excerpt below and the full draft PWS which is provided as an attachment. The Government reserves the right to decide whether or not a small business set-aside is appropriate based on responses to this notice. If the information provided contains propriety information, such information must be identified with appropriate disclaimers. At a minimum, the following additional information is requested: (1) Capability Statement; (2) Company Cage Code, DUNS, SAM registered, name, address, point of contact and their telephone number and e-mail address; (3) Approximate annual gross revenue; (4) Any small business status (8(a), HUB Zone, veteran-owned, women-owned, etc.); (5) Indicate which NAICS code(s) your company usually performs under for Government contracts; (6) Information pertaining to any GWACs, IDIQs, or other contract vehicles where your company can meet the requirements listed in the PWS; Entrance and Exit dates for the SBA 8(a) Program for your company. PWS Excerpt: Background The USAISR Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA) is responsible for Technology Transfer involving a broad range of technologies within the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) and the Defense Health Agency (DHA). These technologies reflect the breadth of the military medical mission, which includes medical research, development, and acquisition. The ORTA negotiates all license agreements, Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) and attendant agreements. The ORTA also conducts all patent licensing for the USAISR in coordination with the USAMRDC and DHA. Additionally, the ORTA conducts Technology Transfer analysis and agreement formation support functions. Technology transfer (T2) activities are an integral element of the Department of Defense (DoD) national security mission and are to be given a high-priority role in all DoD acquisition programs per DoD Instruction 5535.8 and DoD Directive 5535.3. Through effective use of T2 agreements, technological advancements can be fielded at a cost savings to the government and often faster than conventional procurement means by leveraging the value of the government’s Intellectual Property (IP). The U.S. industrial base, and by extension the U.S. economy, also benefit from these T2 collaborations given the access to valuable IP and other government resources made available to industry through such collaborations. Marketing is a critical function of the USAISR ORTA’s T2 activities. Marketing includes a broad range of activities that disseminate information on DHA and USAMRDC biomedical research programs. Opportunities to license federally owned inventions and to engage in research collaborations are marketed to prospective business partners. Invention abstracts are written and disseminated via multiple media outlets to attract such partners. USAISR success stories are written and published in the popular press. USAISR inventors are recognized with award nominations in the federal technology transfer and science arenas. Marketing opens technology to further development by the private sector, which is the primary means for Army biomedical technologies and inventions to be fully developed into commercial products. Finally, the license agreements, CRADAs, and attendant agreements establish partnerships that enable the development of commercial products by the private sector from early-stage inventions. The sale of such products provides revenue back to the inventing laboratory. Developing and maintaining these agreements by the USAISR/ORTA requires a broad range of specialized skills to include budget management and license agreement compliance. Objective The USAISR ORTA develops technology transfer agreements to enable new medical products to be developed for the warfighter and provides research proposal support to USAISR scientists which enables advancement of military medical technologies. ORTA offices are mandated at each Federal laboratory with 200 or more technical staff to facilitate technology transfer by the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (Pub. L. No. 96-480), that recognizes “many new discoveries and advances in science occur in universities and federal laboratories” and encourages “cooperation among academia, federal laboratories, labor, and industry” through such mechanisms as “technology transfer, personnel exchange, joint research projects, and others” (Pub. L. No. 96-480). The Contractor should be capable of working independently, must be able to balance legal and business considerations, USAISR mission, and government regulations and policies regarding technology transfer. The overall objective of this effort is to provide the USAISR ORTA with services in support of its mission. The major task area for which the Contractor shall provide support to the ORTA is Technology Transfer and Research Management Support. If your company is capable of providing the requirements described in the PWS, please provide a Capability Statement to Brandon Clingan at james.b.clingan.civ@health.mil Please do not respond with generic material only such as brochures or advertisements. Response documents should be five (5) pages or less in length. *** The Government is ONLY requesting responses from eligible 8(a) companies *** A response to this RFI must be provided no later than (NLT) 13 November 2024 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time. No extensions will be granted. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT OR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT