Inactive

This is a REQUEST FOR INFORMATION - SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS announcement to be used for preliminary market research purposes only. No proposals are being requested or accepted with this synopsis. THIS... This is a REQUEST FOR INFORMATION - SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS announcement to be used for preliminary market research purposes only. No proposals are being requested or accepted with this synopsis. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT SHALL BE AWARDED FROM THIS SYNOPSIS. The type of solicitation issued in the future will depend upon the responses to this sources sought synopsis. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this synopsis or any follow up information requests. The purpose of this synopsis is to gain knowledge of interest, capabilities and qualifications of various members of the community to compete and perform a Service Contract. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is issuing this request for information (RFI) announcement as part of a market survey for a Service Contract for the Review and Analysis of Completed USACE Planning Studies to Advance the Prioritization and Selection of Alternative Designs that Feature Natural Infrastructure and Engineering With Nature Projects. The requirements are listed below: Task 3.1 –Technical Review The Contractor shall identify, review and analyze existing technical documents relevant to NI, NBS, and EWN at the federal, state and local levels within the US and pertinent examples from other countries. Additionally, the contractor shall also evaluate literature and policy documents that describe and/or define current requirements for conducting USACE Planning Studies and the associated evaluation of alternative project designs for navigation and flood-risk reduction studies. Collectively, the review of these documents will identify the evolution of these policies and procedures over time as well as existing gaps relevant to rapidly developing technical practice as well as obstacles to further implementation of nature-base solutions. Moreover, data and Information derived from this task will be analyzed to better understand the predominant factors that are promoting deference for selected plans that exclude NI, NBS and EWN alternatives. Deliverables: A report that: (1) outlines how EWN principles have been historically treated in law and regulation; (2) describes the evolution of applicable policies and procedures relevant to the rapidly developing technical practice pertaining to implementation of NI, NBS and/or EWN; (3) Analyzes and succinctly documents successful international program integration of EWN principles in BCA-like processes (e.g., UK, Netherlands, New Zealand); (4) identifies predominant factors, specific to USACE Planning Studies, that promote deference for selected plans that exclude NI, NBS, and EWN alternatives, and provides a detailed rationale for why each of the identified factors are important; (5) documents perceived gaps and obstacles to further implementation of NI, NBS and/or EWN; (6) includes contractor’s overarching as well as specific comments and assumptions resulting from this analysis; and (7) conclusions resulting from cumulative efforts associated with Task 3.1. The report should include elements that are suitable for publication in the peer reviewed literatures will be prepared. The interim draft report shall be delivered to the ERDC technical representative (TR) for review and comment. Within 30 days of receipt, the ERDC TR shall review the report and provide the contractor with recommended edits and revisions. Within 30 days of receiving the edited draft report from the ERDC TR, the Contractor shall make suggested revisions and submit final report to ERDC. Reports shall be in peer-review publication format and results shall pass peer-review scrutiny. Task 3.2: Identification and Inventory of Historical USACE Planning Studies with NI, NBS and/or EWN. The contractor shall use best available methods to identify and inventory USACE Planning Studies, which occurred over the last 10-15 years. Appropriate USACE Planning Studies should have resulted in completion of a USACE “Chief’s Report”. Deliverables: A project inventory report that: (1) offers overview of steps taken to identify projects; (2) details concerning approach to project selection and review of Chief’s Report and other supporting documents; (3) includes detailed tables that clearly identifies each project and includes the following information for each: project descriptions; geographical location; project purpose/need; type of NI, NBS or EWN considered; date Chief’s Report issued; cost associated with planning study; and results of BCA; (4) includes contractor’s overarching as well as specific comments and assumptions resulting from Task 3.2; and (5) offers conclusions resulting from cumulative efforts associated with Task 3.2. The interim draft report shall be delivered to the ERDC technical representative (TR) for review and comment. Within 30 days of receipt, the ERDC TR shall review the report and provide the contractor with recommended edits and revisions. Within 30 days of receiving the edited draft report from the ERDC TR, the Contractor shall make suggested revisions and submit final report to ERDC. Task 3.3: Selection of USACE Planning Studies for Future Analysis and Evaluation The contractor shall use best available methods for identifying 6 possible USACE Planning Studies for additional analysis and evaluation. Prior to start of the additional analysis, the contractor shall seek concurrence from the appropriate USACE TR representative that a specific USACE Planning Study (and associated Chief’s Report) merits review and evaluation. To aide in the selection process, the report generated in Task 3.2 will be used by the ERDC TR and Contractor to inform the selection process. In addition, the Contractor shall also prepare a 1-page document for each nominated USACE Planning Study, which describes the study and justifies its overall value to this research effort. This 1-page document shall be prepared by the Contractor and presented to the ERDC TR for review. In turn, the ERDC TR shall accept or decline use of the proposed USACE Planning Study as part of this research effort. This process shall continue until the USACE TR has approved 6 total studies for use in this research effort. Deliverables: One-page documents for each USACE Planning Study, which is nominated by the Contractor, for consideration in subsequent tasks of this research effort. There will be at least 6 navigation studies and/or flood risk reduction studies accepted by the ERDC technical representative for further review and evaluation for Task 3.3 Task 3.4. Review and Evaluation of Completed USACE Planning Studies. The Contractor shall conduct a review and evaluation of the 6 completed USACE Planning Studies (with Chief’s Reports) identified in Task 3.3. The contractor will consider and dissect all pertinent information attributed to the identification of various alternatives considered in the study. Factors in the study that preferentially prioritized conventional infrastructure and/or subjugated NI, NBS and/or EWN will be documented for future analysis. Those factors may include, but are not limited to: study metrics, resource/asset valuations, approaches BCA calculations, considerations of four Principles and Guidelines (P&G) accounts (e.g., National Economic Development (NED), Regional Economic Development (RED), Other Social Effects (OSE), and Environmental Quality (EQ)) and/or other considerations that were ultimately attributed to identification of the selected plan will also be documented for future analysis. In addition, the Contractor shall carefully examine the USACE Planning Studies (and associated Chief’s Report) to ascertain if all benefits associated with the proposed project were considered. Special attention will be given to examining the quantification of economic benefits without appropriate consideration of environmental and social benefits. The review and evaluation of each USACE planning study will first be conducted independently to capture best available information and observations that are unique to a particular study. However, upon completion of the independent analysis for each planning studies, the contractor shall compare/contrast findings across all of the studies to identify trends, patterns, and/or common justification techniques that negated the selection of NI, NBS, and EWN. Deliverable: A project report that: (1) offers overview of steps taken to review and analyze the planning studies; (2) details concerning the various alternatives that were proposed for each of the planning studies with specific attention placed on considerations concerning NI, NBS and EWN; (3) details descriptions and reporting of information in the Planning Studies (Chief’s Reports) concerning resource/asset valuations, approaches BCA calculations, considerations of four Principles and Guidelines (P&G) accounts (e.g., National Economic Development (NED), Regional Economic Development (RED), Other Social Effects (OSE), and Environmental Quality (EQ)) analysis as part of the overall study; (4) includes Contractor’s results from examination of all studies that determines if all benefits in each study (e.g., economic, environmental, social) were considered and quantified; and (5) includes contractor’s overarching as well as specific comments and assumptions resulting from Task 3.4; and (6) offers conclusions resulting from cumulative efforts associated with Task 3.4. The interim draft report shall be delivered to the ERDC technical representative (TR) for review and comment. Within 30 days of receipt, the ERDC TR shall review the report and provide the contractor with recommended edits and revisions. Within 30 days of receiving the edited draft report from the ERDC TR, the Contractor shall make suggested revisions and submit final report to ERDC. Task 3.5: Perform Quantitative Policy Analysis of Benefits for Projects with NI, NBS, and/or EWN. Upon completion of Task 3.4, the Contractor will re-analyze each of the 6 USACE Planning Studies. In Step 1 of the analysis, the Contractor consider all economic, environmental, and social benefits using the most up-to-date tools and methods in accordance with the most current guidance including the updated Principles, Requirements and Guidelines (PR&G). In Step 2, the Contractor will take the results from the first step and develop an updated/improved BCA for each of the Planning Studies (i.e., an updated Chief’s Report step using the new values). In Step 3, the Contractor shall take the re-analyzed projects results within each of the Planning Studies being considered and proceed through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) process to determine a final score. Deliverables: A project report that: (1) offers details on methods used to reconstruct the benefits analysis, which uses the most currently available guidance, from the existing studies; (2) provides results of the Step 1 analysis and explanation of same; (3) offers details on methods used to develop an updated BCA for each of the Planning Studies; (4) provides the results of the Step 2 analysis and explanation of same; (5) offers details on methods used to take results from Step 2 and proceed with OMB process to generate a final score for each study; (6) provides the results and explanation of same from the Step 3 analysis; (7) includes contractor’s overarching as well as specific comments and assumptions resulting from Task 3.5; (8) offers conclusions resulting from cumulative efforts associated with Task 3.5; and (9) include recommendations on improving federal practice to better consider economic, environmental, and social benefits. As part of these recommendations, that Contractor shall also include specific recommendations for what changes in the approach to USACE Planning Studies and associated process should be made. The interim draft report shall be delivered to the ERDC technical representative (TR) for review and comment. Within 30 days of receipt, the ERDC TR shall review the report and provide the contractor with recommended edits and revisions. Within 30 days of receiving the edited draft report from the ERDC TR, the Contractor shall make suggested revisions and submit final report to ERDC. Task 3.7 EWN Technical Review Summit The Contractor shall organize a summit related to EWN project development and implementation. The Contractor shall identify potential participants as well as host and facilitate the summit. A communication plan shall be developed to report new results, scope new project components (such as work identified in quantitative analyses), gain new feedback, and organize new concepts for incorporation into a report that will include components that are suitable for peer-reviewed publication. The interim draft report shall be delivered to the ERDC technical representative (TR) for review and comment. Within 30 days of receipt, the ERDC TR shall review the report and provide the contractor with recommended edits and revisions. Within 30 days of receiving the edited draft report from the ERDC TR, the Contractor shall make suggested revisions and submit final report to ERDC. Deliverables: Proposed dialogue participant list, agenda, meeting minutes, meeting location (virtual or in-person) for initial and/or subsequent meetings, and communication plan Task 3.8 Facilitate ERDC Project Development Team (PDT) monthly meetings. The Contractor shall organize and facilitate PDT monthly meetings (12). The meetings will be organized through a series of engagements across public and private sector organizations. The Contractor shall identify potential participants as well as host and facilitate meetings. The Contractor shall develop agendas, maintain and distribute meeting minutes, and coordinate guest speakers as part of this task. During the meetings, the Contractor shall provide updates reviews, analyses, and activities from other tasks. Revisions to agendas may be implemented after feedback from ERDC TR. Deliverables: Agendas, meeting minutes, updates on task progress. Period of Performance: 1 year after award. The contractor shall perform work as specified. North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) Code applicable to this sources sought is 541620, Environmental Consulting Services. The Small Business Size Standard for this sources sought is $16.5 million. Interested organizations having access to demonstrated research and capabilities in this area are invited to submit literature, which describes the general approach, previous related work, and a response per the submission instructions below. After review of the response submissions, the Government may contact select respondents to further clarify the candidate materials. If you have an interest in participating in this type of contract, please provide the following information: 1. Cage code or DUNS number 2. Company information: (type of small business: 8(a), SDB, SDVOSB, etc) Please indicate contact information and email address. 3. Capability Statement: Please include a capability statement not to exceed ten pages. Interested parties should register on-line and subscribe to receiving procurement announcements related to this sources sought notice at beta.SAM.gov. Any questions related to this notice shall be submitted in writing to the point of contacts listed below. All information marked as proprietary information will be safeguarded to prevent disclosures to non-government personnel and entities. Your interest in this response is appreciated. Interested vendors should provide information regarding this announcement no later than 5 January 2021 at 1:00 pm Central Time to: E-mail amanda.andrews@usace.army.mil and Chelsea.M.Whitten@usace.army.mil