Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

NOTICE TYPE: THIS IS A Sources Sought Notice ONLY. The U.S. Government desires to procure Strategic Communication and Analytical Services for the Army Chaplains’ Corps as described in the attached DRA... NOTICE TYPE: THIS IS A Sources Sought Notice ONLY. The U.S. Government desires to procure Strategic Communication and Analytical Services for the Army Chaplains’ Corps as described in the attached DRAFT Performance Work Statement by supporting a small business program, provided 2 or more qualified small businesses respond to this sources sought notice with information sufficient to support a set-aside. Be advised the Government will not be able to set aside this requirement if 2 or more small businesses do not respond with information to support the set aside. We encourage all small businesses, in all socioeconomic categories (including 8(a) Business Development Program, Small Disadvantaged Business, Historically Underutilized Business Zone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, and Women-Owned Small Business concerns) to identify their capabilities in meeting the requirement at a fair market price. 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 Government-wide Point of Entry beta.sam.gov (Contracting Opportunities). It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor beta.sam.gov (Contracting Opportunities) for additional information pertaining to this requirement. The anticipated NAICS code is 541613, Marketing Consulting Services with a small business size standard of $16.5 Million. BACKGROUND: The Office of the Chief of Chaplains, provides religious services and support to the command as an instrument of the U.S. Government to ensure that Soldiers’ religious "free exercise" rights are protected. The scope of this requirement is to provide strategic communication support services and other deliverables to the United States Army Office of the Chief of Chaplains and its subordinate Project/ Product Managers (PMs). These services will augment existing Army Chaplain Corps resources with capabilities not available from within the core Chaplain Corps Structure. The Contractor shall provide: Media Relations support which shall consist of communications market analysis, videography and still photography, public affairs management, and social media channel management for Chaplain Corps activities; Graphic Design support which applies the required skills, knowledge, and experience to advise on and produce various visual media and artwork to create communications products in support of Chaplain Corps communication goals and objectives; Videography, Photography, and Audio Visual Technical Support which applies the required skills, knowledge, and experience to advise on and produce video and photographic projects, and to provide audio-visual technical support to achieve Chaplain Corps communication goals and objectives; and 4. Exhibit Support which applies the required skills, knowledge, and experience to advise on and design, develop, produce, and maintain exhibits and associated equipment support during Exhibits and Demos in support of Chaplain Corps communication goals and objectives. The period of performance shall be for one (1) Base Year of 12 months and four 12 month option years. For additional information please refer to the attached DRAFT Performance Work Statement. This is a new contract action, there are no previous contractors. NOTE: This requirement was previously synopsized under RFI No. W9124J-21-R-SC21. RESPONSES REGARDING POTENTIAL SOURCES STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES: Interested Offerors having the required specialized capabilities / qualifications to support some or all of the work described in the draft PWS are asked to answer the following questions and submit a capability statement. Capability statements shall contain the following information. In response to this sources sought, vendor responses are limited to ten (10) written pages (PDF or MS Word Format) and should include: 1. Name of the firm, point of contact, phone number, email address, DUNS number, CAGE code, a statement regarding small business status (including small business type(s)/certifications(s) such as SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.) and the corresponding NAICS code. 2. Identify whether your firm is interested in competing for this requirement as a prime contractor or not. Identify subcontracting, joint ventures or teaming arrangement that will be pursued, if any. 3. Information in sufficient detail regarding previous Strategic Communication, and Analytical Service experience (indicate whether as a prime contractor or subcontractor) on similar requirements (include size, scope, complexity, timeframe, government or commercial), pertinent certifications, etc., that will facilitate making a capability determination. Specifically explain: a. What skill sets do you possess that will enable and enhance your ability to provide branding, strategy development, and analytical services? b. Identify the staffing approach that you will use to acquire and retain qualified personnel with the necessary skills to ensure all contract tasks are completed on-time and of high quality? c. How will you ensure continuity of service when an employee leaves? Indicate your employee turnover ratio as a percentage (number of employees who left each year divided by total number of employees multiplied by 100) for the last three years? 4. Information to help determine if the requirement is commercially available, including pricing information, basis for the pricing information (e.g., identify by Customer name your sales to non-governmental Customers and contracts, market pricing, catalog pricing, indirect rates to include overhead, fringe and G&A), delivery schedules, customary terms and conditions, warranties, etc. 5. Information regarding whether you consider the NAICS Code 541613 “Marketing Consulting Services” appropriate for this requirement. If it is not the most appropriate, please provide suggested NAICS that you consider appropriate with rationale as to why you think it’s the best fit. 6. Identify how the Army can best structure these contract requirements, to include contract type (note proposed contract type in PWS), to facilitate competition by and among small business concerns. 7. Identify any condition or action that may be having the effect of unnecessarily restricting competition with respect to this acquisition. Please contact the MICC Alternate Advocate for Competition, Mr. Scott Kukes, at scott.d.kukes.civ@mail.mil or 210-466-3015, 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 beta.sam.gov (Contracting Opportunities) notice. Provide the specific aspects that unreasonably restrict competition and the rationale for such conclusion. 8. Recommendations to improve the approach/draft PWS for acquiring the identified items/services. 9. Upon receipt of responses, the Government will request from our Customer an assessment regarding each firm’s potential to fulfil our requirements as depicted in the draft PWS. 10. Questions for this sources sought shall be submitted on or before 12:00PM Central Time on 1 June 2021. Due to the large volume of submitted questions, the anticipated 5 business days turnaround was not a sufficient amount of time to respond to all of questions. The Government anticipates providing responses to questions submitted by the deadline within the next week. 11. Responses to this sources sought notice shall be submitted on or before 1200PM Central Time on 10 June 2021 via email to Javelin Carouthers, Contract Specialist at javelin.m.carouthers.civ@mail.mil and Angelic Hatcher, Contracting Officer at angelic.m.hatcher.civ@mail.mil. The Government will not return any information submitted in response to this notice. All questions MUST be in writing. In all responses, please reference W9124J-21-R-SC21 and OCCH Strategic Communication Services in the subject line. Verbal questions will not be accepted. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. No telephonic responses will be accepted. No solicitation currently exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in beta.sam.gov (Contracting Opportunities). It is the potential offerors responsibility to monitor this site for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. Primary Point of Contact: Secondary Point of Contact: Javelin Carouthers Angelic M. Hatcher Contract Specialist Contracting Officer Email: javelin.m.carouthers.civ@mail.mil Email: angelic.m.hatcher.civ@mail.mil