Inactive 8(a) Sole Source (FAR 19.8)

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE INTRODUCTION The Army Contracting Command – Orlando is issuing this Sources Sought Notice as a means of conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in and t... SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE INTRODUCTION The Army Contracting Command – Orlando is issuing this Sources Sought Notice as a means of conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in and the resources to support the requirement for subject matter expertise (SME) primarily in the areas of systems engineering and acquisition lifecycle processes focused on the acquisition of major and minor test instrumentation systems; remote sensing systems (primarily for electro-optic); electromechanical systems; radio-frequency systems; nuclear effects; stimulators/emulators for weapon system sensors; and adverse environmental simulation/replication. The intention is to procure these services utilizing the Small Business Administration (SBA) Section 8(a) program. A site visit is unnecessary and will not be held. (see Additional Information Section below). Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE Location % On-Site Government % Off-Site Contractor Orlando, FL 20% 80% White Sands 60% 40% Test Center, NM Redstone Test 60% 40% Center, AL Point Mugu, CA 60% 40% DISCLAIMER: THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A “REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)” TO BE SUBMITTED. IT 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. RESPONSES WILL NOT BE RETURNED TO THE RESPONDER. NOT RESPONDING TO THIS NOTICE DOES NOT PRECLUDE PARTICIPATION IN ANY FUTURE REQUEST FOR QUOTE (RFQ) OR INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) OR RFP, IF ANY ISSUED. IF A SOLICITATION IS RELEASED, IT WILL BE SYNOPSIZED ON THE GOVERNMENT-WIDE POINT OF ENTRY (GPE). IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF POTENTIAL OFFERORS TO MONITOR THE GPE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMMATION PERTAINING TO THIS REQUIREMENT. PROGRAM BACKGROUND The Project Manager for Cyber, Test and Training (CT2), Integration Management Office (IMO), U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), is designated as the program office (PEO STRI). In accordance with these assignments, PM CT2 requires specialized expertise to supplement the Integrated Product Team (IPT) staffing complement of programs within the portfolio to expedite the procurement process and identify cost, schedule, and performance risks as technology is adopted at Major Range Test Facility Bases. IPT support will provide subject matter expertise and analysis, planning, tracking, and review to facilitate the life-cycle management process for each Limited Production Test Instrumentation Program (LPTIP) within the portfolio. This future requirement is intended to build upon the experience and success of existing contract number W900KK20D0009, “Test and Evaluation Support for Transitions IDIQ.” REQUIRED CAPABILITIES The Contractor shall provide a robust staff augmentation service to PEO STRI to support the full range of mission responsibilities incumbent upon a full-service Program Office. Anticipated staff augmentation requirements include, but are not limited to, providing high quality engineering, scientific, program management, acquisition, enterprise resource planning, and financial and cost estimating and data analysis expertise and consultation to fulfill mission requirements. Further detail is provided in the draft Performance Based Work Statement (PBWS) attached to this announcement (Attachment 1). If your organization has the potential capacity to perform these contract services, please provide the following information: 1) Organization name, address, email address, Web site address, telephone number, and size and type of ownership for the organization; and 2) Tailored capability statements addressing the particulars of this effort, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. The Government will evaluate market information to ascertain potential market capacity to: 1) provide services consistent, in scope and scale, with those described in this notice and otherwise anticipated; 2) secure and apply the full range of corporate financial, human capital, and technical resources required to successfully perform similar requirements; 3) implement a successful project management plan that includes: compliance with tight program schedules; cost containment; meeting and tracking performance; hiring and retention of key personnel and risk mitigation; and 4) provide services under a performance based service acquisition contract. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Personnel and Facility Security Clearances. The contractor should posess an active Facily Clearnance at contract award. A DD Form 254 Contract Security Classification Specification shall apply to this requirement and the prime contractor shall have or demonstrate ability to obtain a Secret/Top Secret Facility Clearance. Service Contract Act Government Furnished Property plan. ELIGIBILITY North American Industry Classification System (NAICS): The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 541330 (Engineering Services), with a Small Business Size Standard of $25.5M. The applicable Product Service Code (PSC) is R425 (Support--Professional: Engineering/Technical). *NOTE 01: The current SBA Table of Small Business Size Standards was updated 17 March 2023; since the beginning of 2022, the SBA has regularly updated the table to account for inflation. Businesses must update their SAM.gov profiles in order to have their small business status reflect the most current small business size standards. Until updated, the SAM profiles will continue to display the small business status under outdated size standards. *NOTE 02: In accordance with 13 C.F.R. 121.104, the current calculation for dollar (monetary) value based NAICS codes is average total receipts over the last five (5) completed fiscal years *NOTE 03: In accordance with 13 C.F.R. 121.106, the current calculation for employee based NAICS codes is average number of employees used for each pay period for the preceding completed 24 calendar months. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND SUBMISSION DETAILS (SITE VISIT) Army Contracting Command – Orlando does NOT intend to hold a site visit. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND SUBMISSION DETAILS (CAPABILITIES STATEMENT) A draft Performance Based Statement of Work (PBSOW) are attached for review. (Attachment 1) Interested parties are requested to submit a capabilities statement of no more than ten (10) pages in length in Times New Roman font of not less than 10 pitch. The deadline for response to this request is no later than 5 pm, EST, 20 February 2024. All responses under this Sources Sought Notice must be e-mailed to joshua.e.jackson8.civ@army.mil. This documentation must address at a minimum the following items: 1.) What type of work has your company performed in the past in support of the same or similar requirement? 2.) Can or has your company managed a task of this nature? If so, please provide details. 3.) Can or has your company managed a team of subcontractors before? If so, provide details. 4.) What specific technical skills does your company possess which ensure capability to perform the tasks? 5.) A statement indicating if your firm is a large or small business under NAICS code 541330 (Engineering Services); if small business, please indicate any applicable socio-economic status [i.e., 8a, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), HUBZone, Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), or Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)]. 6.) LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING: If you are a small business interested in being the prime contractor for this effort, please be advised that FAR clause 52.219-14 (Limitations on Subcontracting) (DEVIATION 2021-O0008) was updated in September 2021. The current clause adds the definition of “Similarly Situated Entity” and the 50% calculation for compliance with the clause. Small business prime contractors may now count “first tier subcontractor” work performed by a “Similarly Situated Entity” as if it were performed by the prime contractor itself. To assist in our market research and set-aside determination for this effort, if you are a small business interested in priming this effort and plan to utilize a “Similarly Situated Entity” to meet the Limitations on Subcontracting requirements, please identify the name & Unique Entity ID/CAGE Code of the specific firm(s) you intend to partner/subcontract with to meet the requirements as well as their SB size status under the NAICS that you as the prime would assign for their workshare. Information regarding any planned “Similarly Situated Entity” should be included in answering any questions outlined in the SSN in order to assist the Government's capability determination. 7.) Include in your response your ability to meet the requirements in the Facility and Safeguarding requirements. 8.) Explain your ability to manage multiple Task Orders simultaneously. Describe your employee vetting and management processes that ensures highly qualified and cleared employees are onboarded efficently. 9.) Demonstrate that your company has the necessary core corporate competencies and capabilities in providing staff support representing multiple technical and professional disciplines sufficient to manage and advise on Army Test Center test instrumentation requirements ranging from low complexity to highly complex. Identify your quality certifications obtained. The estimated period of performance consists of a base period (12 months) and four option periods (12 months each) for a total potential period of performance of 60 months. Performance is projected to commence in May 2024. Specifics regarding the number of option periods will be provided in the solicitation. The contract type is anticipated to be a mix of fixed price and cost contract line items (CLIN). The proposed contract is anticipated to include tasking that would be accomplished by labor categories that are subject to the Service Contract Act or a collective bargaining agreement. Your response to this Sources Sought, including any capabilities statement, shall be electronically submitted to the Contract Specialist, Joshua Jackson, in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF), via email joshua.e.jackson8.civ@army.mil. All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government. No phone calls will be accepted. All questions must be submitted to the contract specialist identified above. The Government is not committed nor obligated to pay for the information provided, and no basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought.