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

AMEND 0002: 25 MARCH 2022 The purpose of the amendment is to provide answers to the questions posed during the sources sought phase of this requirement. Primary - Contract Specialist (CS), Isabel Rodr... AMEND 0002: 25 MARCH 2022 The purpose of the amendment is to provide answers to the questions posed during the sources sought phase of this requirement. Primary - Contract Specialist (CS), Isabel Rodriguez at: isabel.m.rodriguez12.civ@army.mil Secondary - Contracting Officer (PCO), Gloria Bailey at: gloria.e.bailey2.civ@army.mil ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AMEND 0001: 20 JAN 2022 Your response to this SSN, including any capabilities statement, shall be electronically submitted in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF) via the DoD Secure Access File Exchange (SAFE) located at https://safe.apps.mil . Respondents shall ensure the recipients receiving the submitted SSN response via DoD SAFE are the Primary Point of Contact (POC), and the Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO), identified below. If you can't access the SAFE site via a Common Access Card(CAC), please email the POCs below to request a code to upload your documents on the SAFE site. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Government will confirm receipt, via email, within one business day. If confirmation email is not received, please coordinate directly with the CS/PCO to resolve issues. If there are any technical difficulties with DoD SAFE, the responder shall coordinate an alternate method of response submission with the Primary POC, no less than 24 hours prior to the due date and time. //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// INTRODUCTION: The Army Contract Command Orlando is issuing this sources sought notice/synopsis as a means of conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in and the resources to support the requirement for Role Players and Foreign Language Speaking Role Player Services to support the US Army Intelligence Center of Excellence (USA ICOE), located at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. The intention is to procure these services on a competitive 8(a) basis. The anticipated date of award is on/or about June 2022. It is anticipated the contract vehicle will be a 5 year C-Type contract with an estimated period of performance consisting of a one (1) Year Base Period, with four (4) One Year Option Periods. Specifics regarding the number of option periods will be provided in the solicitation. The Government intends to evaluate all responses received to determine if sufficient interest and capability exists within the 8(a) community to support a Competitive 8(a) acquisition or whether it should pursue another acquisition strategy The proposed contract is anticipated to include tasks that would be accomplished by labor categories that may be subject to the Service Contract Act or a collective bargaining agreement. Upon evaluation of the capability statements, if it is determined that this requirement cannot be met by 8(a) companies, the Government intends to evaluate the Small-Business responses and conduct further market research to identify a potential small business set-aside or small business participation/subcontracting goal for full and open competition. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: The work is to be performed primarily at Fort Huachuca 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 IS ISSUED. IF A SOLICITATION IS RELEASED, IT WILL BE POSTED ON THE GOVERNMENT-WIDE POINT OF ENTRY (GPE). IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF POTENTIAL OFFERORS TO MONITOR THE GPE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS REQUIREMENT.” PROGRAM BACKGROUND: The Selection for the USA ICOE Role Players and Foreign Language Speaking Role Player Services in support of the 309th MI BN's Counterintelligence Special Agent Course (CISAC), Counterintelligence Officer Course (CIOC), and Human Intelligence (HUMINT) training courses. REQUIRED CAPABILITIES: The Contractor shall provide Role Players and Foreign Language Speaking Role Player Services in support of the areas specified in Program Background (above). Further detail is provided in the Draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) attached to this announcement (Attachment 1). SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Personnel and Facility Security Clearances requirements are described in the attached Draft PWS. A DD254 will be generated and posted with any potential RFP. ELIGIBILITY: The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 611710 Educational Support Services with a Small Business Size Standard of $16.5M. The Product Service Code is U009_Education/ Training Other. Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond; however, each respondent must clearly identify their business size in their capabilities statement as it relates to the NAICS listed. Respondents may suggest another suitable NAICS for consideration but the Government reserves the right to select the appropriate NAICS for the effort described. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND SUBMISSION DETAILS (CAPABILITIES STATEMENT): A draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) for review. (Attachment 1) If your organization has the potential capacity to perform these contract services, please provide a tailored capability statement that addresses the below questions. The Government does not wish to obtain marketing materials, general business information or other information that is NOT tailored to answer the below questions and the ability to execute this requirement. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. All information should be UNCLASSIFIED material only. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. The responses to this Sources Sought Notice (SSN) will be utilized to determine if any small business set-aside opportunities exist and to identify all potential and eligible sources (small and large). Teaming arrangements are highly encouraged. Interested parties are requested to submit a capabilities statement of no more than ten (10) pages in length using Times New Roman font of not less than 10 pitch. The deadline for response to this request is no later than 2 PM, EST, 1 February 2022. Your response to this SSN, including any capabilities statement, shall be electronically submitted in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF) via the DoD Secure Access File Exchange (SAFE) located at https://safe.apps.mil/. Respondents shall ensure the recipients receiving the submitted SSN response via DoD SAFE are the Primary Point of Contact (POC), and the Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO), identified below. Primary - Contract Specialist (CS), Isabel Rodriguez at: isabel.m.rodriguez12.civ@army.mil Secondary - Contracting Officer (PCO), Gloria Bailey at: gloria.e.bailey2.civ@army.mil The Government will confirm receipt, via email, within one business day. If confirmation email is not received, please coordinate directly with the CS/PCO to resolve issues. If there are any technical difficulties with DoD SAFE, the responder shall coordinate an alternate method of response submission with the Primary POC, no less than 24 hours prior to the due date and time. 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 Interested parties must provide, at a minimum, the information requested below and address the following questions: What recent relevant performance (past three (3) years) and/ or current work experience does your company have performing work of similar size and scope? a. Please describe the work your company performed. b. What percentage and dollar amount of the work did you perform? c. Was your company a prime contractor or subcontractor? d. Describe the specific technical skills the responder possesses which ensure capability to meet the objectives and requirements. e. describe the ability to staff role players with prior Former Military Operational Intelligence occupational specialty 35M or 35L experience (or comparable DoD component experience). f. Describe the ability to provide qualified candidates within a short window and to also provide qualified candidates who hold a current active Secret Clearance. Please describe what capabilities are currently present in your company and what capabilities will need to be subcontracted if you were to pursue this opportunity. Would you be interested in this effort as a Prime contractor or as a subcontractor? Do you believe there are unique support requirements not correctly captured and/or articulated in the PWS? 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) 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 & DUNS/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 RFI in order to assist the Government's capability determination. 6. Pleases define your company profile by providing at a minimum: a. Your size standard for the suggested NAICS b. If another NAICS is suggested based on review of the draft PWS, provide your companies size standard for that NAICS. c. Company cage code d. DUNS e. Socio-economic indicators (i.e. Small, Small Disadvantaged, Women-Owned, HUBZone, or Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concern.) f. Number of office locations g. Primary and secondary points of contact to include name, title, phone number, email address, etc. 7. What do you see as the risk areas associated with this overall effort and how would you mitigate that risk? 8. Provide comments or challenges that industry may have in recruiting for contemplated role player positions for this requirement. 9. Are there challenges filling positions located in Arizona? Additionally, responder shall provide proposed solutions that would mitigate recruiting challenges of the role players proposed. 10. What metrics are utilized to measure effectiveness of the process for vetting and qualifying staff to perform the requirements in the Draft PWS? Are there industry standards? 11. Based on experience what is the lead-time to fill role player positions as defined in the Draft PWS for upcoming training scenarios? What are your recommend timelines for notification of the need for role players? 12. What is your capability to accommodate fluctuations in Role Player staffing requirements?