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REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) Pilot Program for a Manufacturing Apprenticeship Program General Information: Type: Request for Information (RFI) Response Date: 30 August 2020 Classification Code: A – I... REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) Pilot Program for a Manufacturing Apprenticeship Program General Information: Type: Request for Information (RFI) Response Date: 30 August 2020 Classification Code: A – Industrial Machinery Manufacturing Anticipated North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS): a. 326199 – All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing b. 332710 – Machine Shops c. 332999 – All Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing d. 611513 - Apprenticeship training programs Contracting Office Address: The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Edgewood Contracting Division (ACC ECD), 8456 Brigade Street, BLDG E4215, Aberdeen Proving Ground MD 21010-5401 THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY – This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes – it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. Solicitations are not available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response and documents submitted in response to this RFI will not be returned. This notice does not constitute a commitment by the United States Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary; the United States Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the United States Government. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on https://beta.sam.gov/. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement. The ACC ECD, on behalf of CCDC CBC is exploring options for Contractor performance of launching a pilot program to establish a Manufacturing Apprenticeship Program registered in the state of Maryland, which will enter into a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Agreement under the authority of 10 U.S.C. §2368, with an entity interested in becoming an anticipated partner to this agreement. Authority to enter into this PPP under §2368 requires that the participating Government facility shall have a designation as a Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory (STRL), which CCDC CBC has been designated as an STRL by the Secretary of Defense. All activities contemplated and mentioned in the RFI are subject to approval of the implementation of a pilot program within the Department of Defense (DoD) that may permit this unique partnership. The intent of this unique partnership is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operations at the CCDC CBC’s, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives Product Development Facility (CBRNE PDF) at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), to improve support provided by the PDF for the elements of the DoD who use the services of the PDF, and to enhance capabilities by reducing the cost and improving the performance and efficiency of PDF missions. Critical strategic and economic requirements for the U.S. and the DoD are improved manufacturing-related industrial technology, an increased domestic manufacturing industrial base, and an increased availability of a skilled workforce. The implementing PPP will enable a pathway for participants to become skilled, certified manufacturing journeypersons while working with government journeypersons and to then transition to external companies or to government service for career opportunities in manufacturing trades. Companies with manufacturing vacancies within the regional industrial base are turning away work due to lack of qualified manufacturing workers. CCDC CBC program goals are to: 1. Leverage the Army’s significant investment in the CBRNE PDF’s infrastructure, equipment, and human capital to develop a manufacturing apprenticeship program that addresses the U.S national economic and strategic requirement to expand the U.S. manufacturing workforce. 2. Develop a manufacturing apprenticeship program that is hosted by the Army, sustained by industry and government funded work, performed by apprentices, under the oversite of government journeyman in coordination and collaboration with CCDC CBC. 3. Design a manufacturing apprenticeship program that targets candidate apprentices from the emerging workforce, veterans, underserved populations, and reentry workers. 4. Design and execute a program that expands the organic and industrial base for added defense readiness and operational efficiency by providing career candidates to industry and government; and concurrently enhances the nation’s ability to surge in times of crisis. 5. Enable apprentices to obtain skills and gain employment in the manufacturing workforce. First, in support of these efforts, given that the applicable objectives of 10 U.S.C. §2368 in standing up this program, anticipated activities will include: Maximizing the use of the capacity of a Center. Reducing or eliminating the cost of ownership of a Center by the DoD. Reducing the cost of science, technology, and engineering activities of the DoD. Leveraging private sector investment in such efforts as research and equipment recapitalization for a Center, and promotion of the undertaking of commercial business ventures based on the capabilities of a Center, as determined by the director of the Center. Increasing access by a Center to a skilled technical workforce that can contribute to the effective and efficient execution of the missions of the DoD. Increasing the ability of a Center to access and use non-DoD methods to develop, innovate and access capabilities that contribute to the effective and efficient execution of the missions of the DoD. Description: The CBRNE PDF is seven-acre manufacturing facility where science, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities are integrated to facilitate rapid innovation, prototyping, and product development for warfighters and first responders. The PDF features 175,000 square feet of manufacturing and classroom space, over 120 large stationary machines, hundreds of smaller tools, and state-of-the-art printers providing comprehensive additive manufacturing capabilities. The combined talent of government engineers, scientist and technicians represent over 60+ government journeypersons with unparalleled design and manufacturing capability. The PDF supports defense mission readiness and the warfighter through development and manufacturing expertise with agile, rapid response to battlefield requirements. It is anticipated that during surge periods, the apprentices may be funded to support the PDF mission, and during other times, would utilize excess capacity at net-zero cost to the DoD in accordance with the partnership agreement. DoD priorities supersede other program efforts. ACC ECD is seeking the following information from respondents: Potential respondents shall describe strategies and explicit examples of how they would propose to facilitate and advance CCDC CBC's initiatives in collaboration and engagement; business planning, educational outreach and curriculum development; recruitment strategies, requirements of fiduciary / operational oversight, daily operations, and the overall requirements for establishing a registered Maryland manufacturing apprenticeship program. In addition, potential respondents shall describe their proposed development of metrics for each initiative detailed below: a. CCDC CBC Initiative 1: Collaboration and Engagement The partner will be expected to identify and shape opportunities to collaborate, and engage with Maryland manufacturing businesses, educational institutions, Maryland Department of Labor, non-profit organizations and others to develop strategies to structure, launch and sustain a Maryland registered manufacturing apprenticeship program. The program will be hosted by the Army, sustained by industry and government funded work. Work performed by the program’s apprentices will be under the supervision of the partner with 1:1 technical mentoring provided by government journeyman. b. CCDC CBC Initiative 2: Business Planning: Success of the manufacturing apprenticeship program will be contingent on the partner performing due diligence in areas of business and financial planning, risk identification and mitigation, outreach to community, industrial partners, and coalition building to ensure that the program is tailored to tangible results for government, business, academic and apprentices stakeholders. The partner will need to develop and execute business strategies that cover the cost of paying apprentice’s a sustaining wage while they are performing work that is generated by industry and government. The partner will also be responsible for all operational costs, educational institution costs and others costs the program may incur. c. CCDC CBC Initiative 3: Education Outreach and Curriculum Development The Maryland Department of Labor has specific standards of apprenticeship that will be adopted by the partner in cooperation with the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council to stand up a Maryland registered apprenticeship program. The partner is expected to perform outreach and alliance building to develop and implement the appropriate curriculum for apprentices. d. CCDC Initiative 4: Recruitment Strategies The partner is anticipated to recruit apprentices via a process of significant and continuous outreach activities with industry, school systems, veterans’ organizations, social service agencies, manufacturing associations and others to ensure a steady pipeline of apprentices are available to join the pilot program. (i). CCDC CBC Requirement 1: Fiduciary and Operational Oversight The partner will provide fiduciary and operational oversight of the alliance members, i.e. industry partners, apprentices, educators, and stakeholders. The government will make available to the partner the manufacturing equipment, space, infrastructure, instrumentation, and government journey workers needed to establish and execute the pilot program. The government anticipates that the partner will develop work agreements with the private sector and the government for the work the apprentices will perform under the mentorship of government journeypersons. The government expects that when the apprentice program provides services for the government, the government will pay the partner for the services provided. The partner is expected to compensate the government for costs incurred by the government associated with operating the pilot program, compensation maybe through in-kind services, material replacement, equipment, or cash reimbursement. Monthly reconciliation of all costs will be required. (ii). CCDC CBC Requirement 2: Daily Operations In coordination with the CCDC CBC shop leadership, the partner is expected to workload and schedule apprentices in coordination with government journeypersons and within the master schedule set by the government. The daily operations will be executed as prescribed by the standards of apprenticeship adopted by the partner. CCDC CBC Requirement 3: Overall Requirements for a Registered Maryland Manufacturing Apprenticeship Program • The partner shall adopt standards of apprenticeship consistent with the Maryland Department of Labor. • The standards of apprenticeship adopted by the partner shall be in cooperation with all statues and registered with the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council. • The partner will work with Army and the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council so that the apprentices, through proven systematic programs of schooling and on-the-job training, may become the qualified, all-around manufacturing journey workers of tomorrow. Potential respondents shall describe proposed financial plans, including, if appropriate, the manner in which charges levied for services rendered would be derived. Respondents shall not be obligated to provide the services described herein and it is understood by the Government that the cost estimates provided as a result of the RFI are “best” estimates only. Submission Guidelines: The response date for this market research is August 30, 2020. No telephone calls will be accepted. All responses to the RFI may be submitted via e-mail to the Contract Specialist at Sheila.l.ramos2.civ@mail.mil or the Contracting Officer at brian.e.mazen.civ@mail.mil. Responses must be in Microsoft Word format or PDF format. Please provide an Entity name and address; Point of contact (POC) name, phone number and email address. Questions or Requests for Clarification: Only electronically submitted questions and requests for clarification regarding this RFI will be accepted. No telephone calls regarding this RFI will be accepted. Written questions and requests for clarification shall be submitted to the following email address: Contract Specialist at Sheila.l.ramos2.civ@mail.mil or the Contracting Officer at brian.e.mazen.civ@mail.mil no later than 3:00 PM EDT, 20 August 2020.