Atmospheric Gas Analysis Services

1.0 Description 1.1 The Air Force Applications Center (AFTAC) TM Directorate and AFISRA/A7KR are conducting Market Research for non-personal services to provide Atmospheric Gas Analysis services. This sources sought is one element of our Market Research, and it will be used to determine the acquisition approach. It will additionally be used to determine, if needed, the sub-contracting goals. Therefore, if your company has the capabilities to participate as a subcontractor, please let us know. 1.2 This Sources Sought Notice does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ) or an Invitation for Bid (IFB). The Government may use the information obtained from responses to this notice in determining its acquisition approach, but the issuance of this notice does not restrict the Government acquisition approach. The Government contemplates award of a five (5) year contract. 1.3 The capabilities package should describe relevant contract experience offered to Government and commercial customers. Include a reference to the contract number, magnitude, place of performance, and points of contact for each example provided (name of the point of contact, address, e-mail, telephone number, fax number, and the company's web page, if applicable). Submitted information shall be UNCLASSIFIED. 1.4 The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 541380. The small business size standard is $14.0M. 2.0 Background The services to be acquired are primarily concerned with the processing, separation, and radioassay of atmospheric gas samples for elemental determination of sample components for the purpose of nuclear test ban treaty verification. Definition of some terms: sample = physical object requiring processing to isolate selected atmospheric radioactive effluent gasses of interest for analysis. Gas analysis requires the ability to: (a) be proficient with various radioactive gas counting techniques (b) determine, prior to separation, the percent of oxygen and nitrogen and the volume (in cubic centimeters) of other selected effluent gases within sample bottles (c) separate selected radioactive effluent gases, as required, from cryogenic air samples (d) radioassay separated samples (e) maintain capability to process and analyze samples from surge of additional collections, as required. Requests for these analyses may occur with little notice and may require 8-hour to 24-hour analysis capability. f) In the event the Government elects to procure atmospheric gas analysis services, prospective sources must possess, or show the capability to obtain, a US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Radioactive Materials License (or an agreement state license/permit, as applicable for the facility where work will be performed), prior to performance start (g) Offerors shall be responsible for providing a suitable site for performance of the contract requirements. Unique analysis equipment essential to the mission will be provided, with ownership retained by the Government. Due to the potential of contaminating mission samples, analysis equipment and areas of any facility used for gas analysis services shall not be used for activities other than Government work without the expressed written permission of the Government program office and shall be isolated from other facilities doing nuclear work (h) Prospective sources would be required to have DOD security clearances of at least the SECRET level. 2.1 Estimated Period of Performance: 1 Oct 2014 - 30 Sep 2019 2.3 Security Requirements: Participation in this potential effort would require both a facilities clearance and storage capability of at least the SECRET level. Prospective sources would be required to support secure communication capabilities at the SECRET level. 3.0 Requested Information 3.1 Your capability statement shall provide administrative information, and shall include the following as a minimum: 3.2 Name, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail of designated point of contact. 3.3 The facility security clearance of the offeror. 3.4 Firms responding must state whether they are a Small Business (SB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), Woman-owned Small Business (WOSB), Historically Black College or University or Minority Institution (HBCU/MI), an 8(a) firm, a Native American Firm, a HUBZone firm, a Veteran-Owned Small Business Concern, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concern or a large business based on the size standard above. 4.0 Responses 4.1 Please submit your capabilities packages to AFISRA/A7KRB, Attn: Ms. Karen Hayes, 1030 South Hwy. A1A, Bldg 989, Patrick AFB, FL 32925-3002 or e-mail: karen.hayes.1@us.af.mil. Any questions may be directed to Ms. Karen Hayes or to the Contracting Officer, Ms. Lois Brockson, same address, e-mail: lois.brockson@us.af.mil. Responses must be submitted no later than 11:00 A.M. ET on 22 May 2013. No facsimile responses will be accepted. The Government will not award a contract solely on the basis of this Sources Sought, nor will it reimburse the contractor for any costs associated with preparing or submitting a response to this notice. 4.2 Responses shall be limited to 12 pages. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. 4.3 It is the submitter's sole responsibility for verifying package delivery or e-file receipt and readability. 5.0 Industry Discussions AFTAC representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential offerors. Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements, especially any development and certification risks. Industry discussions requests will be considered no later than 11:00 A.M. ET on 13 May 2013. 6.0 Ombudsman Clause, Nov 2012 (a) An ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. When requested, the ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The existence of the ombudsman does not affect the authority of the program manager, contracting officer, or source selection official. Further, the ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes. The ombudsman may refer the interested party to another official who can resolve the concern. (b) Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the contracting officer for resolution. Consulting an ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines for any other processes (e.g., agency level bid protests, GAO bid protests, requests for debriefings, employee-employer actions, contests of OMB Circular A-76 competition performance decisions). (c) If resolution cannot be made by the contracting officer, the interested party may contact the Center/MAJCOM/DRU or AFISRA ombudsmen, Ms. Veronica Solis, AF ISR Agency/A4-7, 102 Hall Street, Ste 258, San Antonio, TX 78243-7091 (P) 210-977-4505, (F) 210-977-6414, e-mail: veronica.solis@us.af.mil. Concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations that cannot be resolved at the Center/MAJCOM/DRU or AFISRA level, may be brought by the interested party for further consideration to the Air Force ombudsman, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (ADAS) (Contracting), SAF/AQC, 1060 Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1060, phone number (571) 256-2397, facsimile number (571) 256-2431. (d) The ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds the agency. (e) Do not contact the ombudsman to request copies of the solicitation, verify offer due date, or clarify technical requirements. Such inquiries shall be directed to the Contracting Officer. (End of clause) 7.0 Questions Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to the Contracting Officer's, email address. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions will be answered by posting answers on the FedBizOpps website; accordingly, questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after 22 May 2013 will be answered. 8.0 Summary THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT to identify potential prime contractors or subcontractors that can provide Atmospheric Gas Analysis. The information provided in this announcement is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. AFTAC has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this Sources Sought should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.