Administration of Historically Black College & Universities/Minority Institution (HBCU/MI) Student Internship Program

SOURCES SOUGHT ADMINISTRATION OF HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITIES/MINORITY INSTITUTION (HBCU/MI) STUDENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM W911SR-20-HBCU INTRODUCTION The Army Contracting Command Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG) Edgewood Division, E4215 Brigade Street, APG MD 21010 is issuing this sources sought synopsis on behalf of the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (CCDC CBC) as a means of conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in, and the resources to, provide subject matter expertise for the development and establishment of a student internship program focused on underrepresented groups such as racial minorities, and women, in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pipeline. The program will focus its effort through creating a Historically Black College or University and Minority Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) STEM Pipeline through a comprehensive, multi-tiered, and collaborative program. BASED ON THE RESPONSES TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE/MARKET RESEARCH, THIS REQUIREMENT MAY BE SET-ASIDE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES (IN FULL OR IN PART) OR PROCURED THROUGH FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION. All Small Business Set-Aside categories will be considered. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE APG Edgewood Area and Conus locations 80% On-Site Government 20% Off-Site Contractor DISCLAIMER "THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A "REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)" TO BE SUBMITTED. 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. RESPONSES WILL NOT BE RETURNED TO THE RESPONDER. NOT RESPONDING TO THIS NOTICE DOES NOT PRECLUDE PARTICIPATION IN ANY FUTURE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP), IF ANY ISSUED. IF A SOLICITATION IS RELEASED, IT WILL BE SYNOPSIZED ON THE GOVERNMENT-WIDE POINT OF ENTRY (GPE). IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF POTENTIAL OFFERORS TO MONITOR THE GPE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS REQUIREMENT." PROGRAM BACKGROUND The Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) program is designed to increase the participation of underrepresented institutions in the Army's research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) programs and activities. As part of CCDC CBC's mission, this program aims to strengthen the capabilities of these institutions in order to conduct basic and applied research. As a result, this will increase the quality and quantity of STEM programs with a focus on minority researchers and graduates. In 2008, CCDC CBC started the Minority Undergraduate Student Internship Program (MUSIP). This was developed in collaboration with CCDC CBC's Diversity Committee and Workforce Management Office. The intent of the MUSIP is to provide undergraduate students from underrepresented communities with limited engineering, and applied research experience, an opportunity to participate in integrated science, technology, and engineering solutions at one of the nation's premier chemical, and biological defense laboratories. REQUIRED CAPABILITIES The Contractor shall provide: 1) Subject matter expertise (SME) in development, establishment and administration of a student internship program focused on underrepresented groups such as racial minorities and women; and 2) Create a HBCU/MI Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pipeline through a comprehensive, multi-tiered and collaborative program. If your organization has the potential capacity to perform these contract services, please provide the following information: 1) Organization name, address, email address, Web site address, telephone number, and size and type of ownership for the organization; and 2) A tailored capability statements addressing the particulars of this effort, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. The Government will evaluate market information to ascertain potential market capacity to: 1) provide services consistent, in scope and scale, with those described in this notice and otherwise anticipated; 2) secure and apply the full range of corporate, financial, human capital, and technical resources required to successfully perform similar requirements; 3) implement a successful project management plan that includes: compliance with tight program schedules; cost containment; meeting and tracking performance; hiring and retention of key personnel and risk mitigation; and 4) provide services under a performance based service acquisition contract. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS At a minimum, each HBCU/MI participant, attending an internship in a CCDC CBC Laboratory shall require a National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) before starting performance onsite at APG. ELIGIBILITY The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 541611 with a Small Business Size Standard of less than $16.5 million dollars. The Product Service Code is R408. Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond; however, each respondent must clearly identify their business size in their capabilities statement. A draft PWS is attached for review (Attachment 1). The CCDC CBC Student Internship Program Qualifications Description can be found in C.3.1.1, of the draft PWS. This documentation must address at a minimum the following items: 1.) What type of work has your company performed in the past in support of the same or similar requirement? 2.) Can, or has, your company managed a task of this nature? If so, please provide details. 3.) Can, or has, your company managed a team of subcontractors before? If so, provide details. 4.) What specific technical skills does your company possess which ensure capability to perform the tasks? 5.) 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 of performance. Provide an explanation of your company's ability to perform at least 50% of the tasking described in this PWS for the base period as well as the option periods. 6.) Provide a statement including current small/large business status and company profile to include number of employees, annual revenue history, office locations, DUNs number, etc. 7.) Respondents to this notice also must indicate whether they qualify as a Small, Small Disadvantaged, Women-Owned, HUBZone, or Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concern. 8.) Include in your response your ability to meet the requirements in the Facility and Safeguarding requirements. The estimated period of performance shall be for one (1) Base Year of 12 months and two (2) 12-month option years with performance commencing on November 30, 2019. The contract type is anticipated to Firm Fixed Price. The proposed contract is anticipated to include tasks that will be accomplished by labor categories that are subject to the Service Contract Act or a collective bargaining agreement. Upon evaluation of the capability statements, if it is determined that this requirement will be an unrestricted competition, the Government intends to evaluate the Small-Business responses and conduct further market research to identify a subcontracting goal. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND SUBMISSION DETAILS (CAPABILITIES STATEMENT) Interested parties are requested to submit a capabilities statement of no more than ten (10) pages in length in Times New Roman font of not less than 10 pitch. The deadline for response to this request is no later than 3:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time (EST), 04 NOVEMBER 2019. All responses under this Sources Sought Notice must be e-mailed to stacey.l.jump.civ@mail.mil. All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government. No phone calls will be accepted. All questions must be submitted to the Contracting Specialist identified above. The Government is not committed nor obligated to pay for the information provided, and no basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought.