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

SOURCES SOUGHT National Guard Bureau Youth Challenge Program Inspection Services NOTE: THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. This SOURCES SOUGHT is for planni... SOURCES SOUGHT National Guard Bureau Youth Challenge Program Inspection Services NOTE: THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. This SOURCES SOUGHT is for planning and informational purposes only and shall NOT be considered as a Request for Proposal (RFP) or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred in responding to this SOURCES SOUGHT or furnishing the requested information. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of a contractor's submission of responses to this SOURCES SOUGHT or the Government's use of such information. The Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any contractor's input resulting from this SOURCES SOUGHT. No contract will be awarded from this announcement. The Government is only seeking sources/information for market research to determine the availability of commercial capabilities in the described areas. Availability of any formal solicitation will be announced separately. Submittals will not be returned to the sender. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. 1.0 Introduction The National Guard Bureau’s Operational Contracting Division Contracting Office (NGB-AQ-C), 111 South George Mason, Arlington, VA 22204 is issuing this sources sought as a means of conducting market research to identify interested parties to support the requirement for Youth Challenge Program Inspection Services at the National Guard Bureau (NGB), Arlington, VA 22204. BASED ON THE RESPONSES TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE/MARKET RESEARCH, THIS REQUIREMENT MAY BE SET-ASIDE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES OR PROCURED THROUGH FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION. If this requirement is set-aside for small businesses, only Small Business Administration (SBA) Certified Small Business Program Participants will be considered. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. 2.0 Description of Requirement The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program (YCP) (see YCP Website at https://www.jointservicessupport.org/ngycp) was established by the National Guard in 1993 to turn around the lives of young men and women between the ages of 16 and 18 who were experiencing difficulty in completing traditional high school. The NG is currently operating 40 programs in 28 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program is a voluntary 17 1/2-month dropout recovery program helping at-risk youths earn their high school diploma or GED. The program is conducted in a very discipline and structured way using the military model to instill self-discipline, values, education and other skills to improve the youth’s life. The YCP works with program participants after graduation to help them enroll in college or trade school, start a new career, or join the military. Since 1993, more than 149,300 students have graduated to date, changing the path for their lives. This is a non-personnel services requirement to provide Inspection Services for the YCP. The Government will not exercise any supervision or control over the Contractor employees performing the services herein. Such Contractor employees shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government. The program consists of eight core component areas that are used to foster the holistic growth of participants. The component areas are: academic excellence, service to community, health and hygiene, job skills, leadership, followership, life coping skills, physical fitness, and responsible citizenship. The National Guard’s Office of Athletic and Youth Development (NGB-J1-AY) is in need for contractor services to provide Quality Control Inspections to ensure the mandate the YCP are being followed at the state level. The inspections gauge and document program compliance and performance with record keeping and other requirements in accordance with applicable law, policy, doctrine or special directives. Each Inspection includes four main components; (1) operational compliance, (2) operational performance, (3) resource management compliance, and (4) financial performance. The estimated period of performance consists of five (5) years (base and four option periods) commencing in July 2023. The contract type is anticipated to be Firm-Fixed Price with Cost CLINs for Travel and Other Direct Costs. The current contract number is W9133L17D0002. 3.0 Responses Contractors possessing the requisite skills, resources, and capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements are invited to respond to this notice via a submission of an executive summary on 8 ½ x 11 in paper, no more than eight (8) pages in length, using 12-point font. All responses must include the following information: Name and address of applicant/company (Corporate/Principal Office) SBA 8(a) Entrance and Exit Dates (if applicable) Name, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of primary point of contact CAGE Code and UEI Number The Government is considering NAICS Code 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services. If another more appropriate NAICS code applies, please recommend an approved NAICS code. Identify capabilities and relevant past performance. Recommendations to improve NGB’s approach to this requirement. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. Please state if your company plans to submit a proposal for the Youth Challenge Program Inspection Services requirement (if solicited). If not, please provide the reasons your company does not plan to submit a proposal. 4.0 Response Deadline / Submission Info Sources Sought Responses (Section 3.0, Items 1 – 9) shall be provided by 3pm Eastern Time on December 16, 2022. Responses shall be submitted via e-mail to Annie Nguyen at an.nguyen.7@us.af.mil. Please be advised that any proprietary information must be marked as such on a page-by-page and paragraph by paragraph basis. The Government will not assume that any of the information provided by a respondent is proprietary unless it is conspicuously marked on this basis. Moreover, the Government does not assume any duty to contact a respondent and inquire whether any unmarked information submitted in response to this notice is proprietary.