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

This is a Sources Sought announcement to be used for market analysis in determining the availability of grounds maintenance services that can be provided by an SBA Certified 8(a) Program Participant. ... This is a Sources Sought announcement to be used for market analysis in determining the availability of grounds maintenance services that can be provided by an SBA Certified 8(a) Program Participant. The U.S. Government is seeking qualified SBA Certified 8(a) Program Participant vendors interested in providing a proposal prepared in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 12.602 and FAR 19.805, for Grounds Maintenance Services at Fort Bliss, Texas. All interested SBA Certified 8(a) Program Participant vendors are invited to provide information about your company/institution, or any teaming or joint venture partners. 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. A continuing need is anticipated for grounds maintenance services which is currently being fulfilled through contract # W911S8-19-D-0001, Fort Bliss. The current acquisition strategy for the Government’s follow-on contract will be an 8(a) competitive effort. The anticipated NAICS code(s) is/are: 561730, Landscaping Services, and the size standard is $9.5 million. Attached are the draft Performance Work Statement (PWS), applicable Service Contract Act (SCA) for El Paso, TX and Dona Ana, NM, and Technical Exhibits. Fort Bliss is comprised of approximately 1.12 million acres of land in Texas and New Mexico. The service will include inspection, service, maintenance, and landscaping of the Fort Bliss grounds, including the scheduling and performance of mowing and trimming; turf replacement; leaf and debris removal; tree, hedge, and shrub planting, maintenance, irrigation, and fertilization; policing of areas; tree and stump removal (in accordance with the performance work statement). In response to this sources sought, please provide: 1. Name of the firm, point of contact, phone number, email address, DUNS number, CAGE code, UEI, a statement regarding the small business status for 8(a) including the social disadvantage qualification letter. 2. Identify whether your firm is interested in competing for this requirement as a prime contractor or not. Identify subcontracting, joint ventures or teaming arrangements that will be pursed, if any. 3. Insight as to the commerciality of this service, i.e. do you currently provide this service to any customer other than the Federal Government? 4. Capability information of experience in grounds maintenance services similar to the requirement described above. At a minimum, the capability statement shall state skills, experience, and knowledge required to perform this type of work, including but not limited to the following: I. Company name, address, point of contact (POC), telephone number, email address, website, CAGE Code and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). II. Company's business size and/or socioeconomic status (SBA Certified 8(a) Program Participant). III. A positive statement of your intention to bid on this contract as a prime contractor. IV. Offeror's Joint Venture, Partnering Agreement, or Mentor-Protégé information if applicable - existing and potential. V. A listing of any government contracts held over the last three (3) years. VI. Are you considering submitting a proposal as a prime contractor? Please include sufficient detail regarding previous experience (indicate whether as a prime contractor or subcontractor) on similar requirements (include size, scope, complexity, timeframe, government or commercial), pertinent certifications, etc. Capability Statement should be no more than 10 pages in length, single spaced, minimum 12-point font. The capability package must be clear, concise, and complete. 5. 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, Mr. Scott Kukes, at scott.d.kukes.civ@army.mil 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 SAM.Gov notice. Provide the specific aspects that unreasonably restrict competition and the rationale for such conclusion. 6. Any recommendations to improve the approach/specifications/draft PWS/PRS to acquiring the identified items/services. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledge and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submission. Interested parties who consider themselves qualified to perform Grounds Maintenance Services on a magnitude capable of supporting Ft. Bliss are hereby invited to submit a response to this notice by 11:00AM MDT (Mountain Daylight Time) on Wednesday, 11 October 2023. All responses under this notice shall only be submitted electronically to CPT Kyle W. Hensley at kyle.w.hensley2.mil@army.mil and SFC China A. Mathews at china.a.mathews.mil@army.mil. Any questions can be submitted no later than Monday, 9 October 2023 by 5:00PM MDT. Answers to the questions will be answered by an amendment to sources sought no later than Tuesday, 10 October 2023.