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

NOTICE TYPE: Sources Sought THIS IS A Sources Sought Notice. This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to iss... NOTICE TYPE: Sources Sought THIS IS A Sources Sought Notice. This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP or Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). The notice does not commit the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to contract for any supply or service. The FHWA is not at this time seeking proposals. Responders are advised that the FHWA will not pay any cost incurred in response to this notice. All costs associated with responding to this notice will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future RFP or BAA. The information provided in this notice is subject to change and is not binding on the FHWA. All submissions become the property of the FHWA and will not be returned. TITLE: FHWA Mobile Concrete Trailer (MCT) BACKGROUND: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Preconstruction, Construction, and Pavements (HICP-40) oversees the MCT Program. The MCT Program is essential in the development and deployment of new concrete pavement technologies, material test procedures, and mix design methods. To accomplish this requires continued refinement of these new procedures and methods, and the demonstration and dissemination of information to government and industry personnel. In order to provide a long lasting, safe and efficient highway network, FHWA uses the MCT Program to respond to stakeholder needs (State and local highway agencies, FHWA Division Offices, and industry), refine, and standardize innovations in the concrete pavement industry. The MCT Program utilizes a series of initiatives and tools to gather and identify stakeholder input and needs, showcase, refine, and validate innovative concrete pavement materials and procedures, perform concrete material tests, monitor deployment trends in the concrete pavement industry, disseminate findings on a national scale, and provide on-site guidance for concrete mixture production quality control. These tasks are crucial to the effective implementation and adoption of these new and innovative procedures, materials, and evaluation technologies by both industry and agencies. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this contract is to provide technical assistance on-site to the concrete pavements community on various technologies, test procedures, and quality initiatives. The program is to focus on assisting State agencies and the concrete industry with initiatives by providing technical assistance, guidance, equipment loans, and training materials to design, produce, and construct longer lasting concrete pavements. The MCT Program also supports the implementation of Performance Engineered Mixtures and AASHTO PP 84 by coordinating with stakeholders, sharing data, and facilitating the implementation of emerging test procedures. REQUIRED CAPABILITIES: At a minimum, the needed expertise will include: Demonstrated high-level understanding of, and national experience with: Concrete materials, concrete pavement, concrete pavement design and construction, concrete performance, and concrete testing. Direct and specific knowledge of quality assurance programs and their concepts, requirements, specifications, sampling and testing, risk analysis, and payment provisions. 2. Demonstrated high level understanding of incorporating concrete technologies into agency quality assurance programs and specifications. 3. Ability, expertise, and resources to coordinate and conduct concrete program activities, including assisting the research community with field evaluations and refinements of new concrete testing technologies. 4. Demonstrated readiness to undertake and complete MCT Program activities in a timely manner, within a specified period of performance, with clear and substantial commitment from highly qualified key team members. 5. Key team members’ superior knowledge of previous, current and ongoing related projects in the subject field, to reduce the likelihood of duplicated effort, and to readily identify when resource sharing is possible. 6. Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate, coordinate, and manage joint and separate activities with state agencies and industry. 7. Demonstrated understanding and ability to deliver products, reports, training materials, and guidance documents that are technically sound, user friendly, visually appealing, and Section 508 compliant to meet accessibility requirements. 8. Demonstrated ability to produce papers and reports of quality suitable for publication by the Transportation Research Board and technical journals. 9. A minimum of two concrete materials testing technicians who also possess a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). The estimated period of performance for the research project is a base period of twenty-four (24) months with an additional three (3) one-year option periods. SUBMISSION DETAILS (CAPABILITIES STATEMENT): Interested businesses shall submit responses electronically to the Contracting Specialist, Matthew Gilliard, in Microsoft Word 2010 or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) at matthew.gilliard@dot.gov no later than 1 pm Eastern Standard Time on March 8, 2019. The email Subject Line must include “FHWA Mobile Concrete Trailer”. No phone or email solicitations with regard to the status of a Request for Proposal (RFP) will be accepted prior to its release. Specific details will be provided in a solicitation which will be posted at https://www.fbo.gov/. Be advised that periodic access to the website is essential for obtaining updated documentation and the latest information regarding this procurement. All data received in response to this sources sought, marked or designated as corporate or proprietary, will be fully protected from release outside the Government. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned. Classified material SHALL NOT be submitted as well as marketing materials, slide presentations, or technical papers. Interested businesses should submit a brief capabilities statement package (no more than ten (10) one-sided, 8.5x11 inch pages in length with font no smaller than 12 point) demonstrating a technical understanding and ability to perform the services listed in this notice. Vendor responses shall include the following administrative information: 1. Company Name, Company Address, and Point(s) of Contact including name, telephone number(s), fax number(s), and email address(es). 2. Respondents to this notice SHALL be a member of the 8(A) BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM and must provide proof of their status within the program. 3. Company profile to include number of employees, annual revenue history (average over the last three completed fiscal years), office location(s), DUNS number, and a statement regarding current small/large business status. 4. Prior/current corporate experience performing efforts of similar size and scope within the last three years, including contract number, federal customers, indication of whether as a prime or subcontractor, contract amount, Government point of contact with current telephone number, and a brief description of how the referenced requirement relates to the services herein. 5. Resources available such as corporate management and key personnel to be assigned to tasks under this effort to include professional qualifications, and specific experience of such personnel. 6. Statement regarding capability to obtain the Department of Transportation (DOT) security clearances for personnel. (N/A for this requirement) 7. Please note that under a Small-Business Set-Aside, in accordance with FAR 52.219-14, the small business prime must perform at least 50% of the work themselves in terms of the cost performance. 8. Company's ability to begin performance upon contract award. All responses must be sufficient to permit agency analysis to determine bona fide capability to meet requirements. DISCLAIMER: THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. 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.