Inactive

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announce... This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation number 36C24E23Q0008 is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-92. This requirement will be made using a cascading set-aside under the associated NAICS code 518210 with a small business size standard of $35M. Evaluation procedures: Evaluation of offers will be made in accordance with FAR 13.106-2, and award made on the basis of lowest price technically acceptable. This project establishes a partnership between the National Artificial Intelligence Institute (NAII) and a contractor to procure research services that help to benchmark the U.S. federal government s hiring demand for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging and disruptive skill sets. This research also contributes to the NAII s efforts to certify and validate AI knowledge across the workforce, ultimately ensuring that AI is designed and used in ways that are effective, trustworthy, and ethical. The contractor shall draw from a database of current and historical job postings across the globe to develop a comprehensive, real-time portrait of labor market demand. Specific tasks to be completed: The contractor shall use an agreed upon definition of the AI workforce to identify job openings requesting skills related to AI. This definition generally classifies jobs based on job titles (e.g.e.g., machine learning engineers), skills (e.g.e.g., deep learning), and related attributes listed in job openings to identify jobs requiring AI-related expertise. The contractor would work with the NAII to forge a definition that is consistent with the way that the NAII is thinking about AI. The contractor shall provide data enabling the investigation into key questions that include, but are not limited to, the following: How often does the federal government request skills related to artificial intelligence or other emerging and disruptive skill sets? What are the key roles in which the federal government requests artificial intelligence or other emerging and disruptive skill sets? How does the federal government s demand for artificial intelligence or other emerging and disruptive skill sets differ by experience and education levels? How does the federal government s demand for artificial intelligence or other emerging and disruptive skill sets compare against employers in the private sector? The contractor shall use questions from a list created by both the NAII and the contractor as survey questions for AI baselining. The contractor shall leverage data elements to investigate these, or related, questions including the following, broken out by the federal government and by private NAICS 2-digit sectors: Total online job openings for AI-related jobs to gauge demand for AI skills, relative also to non-AI related jobs to normalize for overall growth. Projected growth (as implied by posted wages) and average salary premium by skill to pinpoint additional emerging and disruptive skill sets. Top skills requested by occupation to track demand for other emerging and disruptive skills across different job roles. Average advertised salary by job and skill to assess compensation levels across different roles and skill requirements. Education and experience requirements by job and skill to analyze the education and experience levels typically associated with different roles and skills demanded by employers. In addition to the data elements listed above, the contractor shall provide a high-level summary of key findings and data from its initial analysis of the data in a PPT presentation and document; The contractor shall provide requisite data and analysis in well-formatted flat files; The contractor shall collaborate with representatives from the NAII to design a white paper and, if mutually agreed upon, a jointly-authored academic article that communicate key findings and data elements from the analysis; The contractor shall collaborate with the NAII to jointly promote the research via media outlets, social media, websites, conferences, or other mutually agreed upon channels. Our objectives for this contract are to secure a contractor that has (a) the ability to conduct large-scale benchmarking surveys, (b) survey knowledge to program surveys, (c) access to the most up-to-date survey strategies, and (d) access to a probability-based online panel that includes Veterans. All responses shall include information that demonstrates equivalency or better to the specifications shown above. The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition: 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors Commercial, (ix) A statement regarding the applicability of Offerors are advised to include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items, with its offer. 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items, 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Commercial Items 852.212-70  PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES APPLICABLE TO VA ACQUISITION OF COMMERCIAL ITEMS (APR 2020)52.252-2  CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998) This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):  http://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html                                                            http://www.va.gov/oal/library/vaar/  52.204-13 SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT MAINTENANCE (OCT 2018) 52.252-1  SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998) This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):   http://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html                                                             http://www.va.gov/oal/library/vaar/     52.204-7 SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (OCT 2018) 52.212-3  OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES (MAY 2022) (JUL 2020) (DEVIATION)                                                       Additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions determined by the contracting officer: Set Aside Cascading set-aside procedures. Any award resulting from this solicitation will be made using a cascading set-aside order of precedence as follows: 1. In accordance with FAR Subpart 19.1405 and VAAR Subpart 819.7005, any award under this solicitation will be made on a competitive basis first to an eligible Service Disabled Veteran Owned small business [SDVOSB] concern provided that the conditions of 38 U.S.C. 8127(d) are met (the VA Rule of Two) whereby the Contracting Officer receives adequate competition of two or more small business concerns owned and controlled by Veterans, and that the award can be made at a fair and reasonable price that offers the best value to the United States. 2. If there is inadequate competition for award to an SDVOSB concern, the SDVOSB set-aside shall be withdrawn and cascaded to the next contracting order of priority in accordance with VAAR 819.7004, which is Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB) and conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in VAAR 819.7006 provided that the conditions of 38 U.S.C. 8127(d) are met (the VA Rule of Two) whereby the Contracting Officer receives adequate competition of two or more small business concerns owned and controlled by Veterans, and that the award can be made at a fair and reasonable price that offers the best value to the United States. 3. If there continues to be inadequate competition between SDVOSB and VOSB concerns, the cascading will continue through the contracting order of priority in accordance with VAAR 819.7004 and FAR 19.203. If the contracting officer determines that offers from small business concerns do not meet the solicitation requirements in terms of technical acceptability, past performance, and fair market price, the small business set-aside[s] will be withdrawn and award will be made on the basis of full and open competition. Adequate competition: Adequate competition shall be deemed to exist if At least two competitive offers are received from qualified, responsible business concerns at the set-aside tier under consideration; and Award could be made at fair market price as determined in accordance with FAR 19.202-6. The VA contracting officer reserves the right to consider competitive proposals submitted from all responsible offerors (including large businesses) in determining the fair market price. Due date and submission of quotes: The quotes are due on 10/18/2022 at 10:00 AM (EST) and shall be directed electronically to Michael.haydo@va.gov. Quotes shall be marked with the solicitation number. Information regarding the solicitation can be addressed to the Contracting Officer, Michael Haydo, michael.haydo@va.gov