B -- Project based scientific and technical support services

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a bureau operating within the Department of Commerce, is interested in identifying venders capable of providing short-term, project specific scientific and technical support. During government fiscal year 2003, NOAA's headquarters acquisition office acquired over $92 million worth of supplies and services to support the mission of the Ocean Service, Marine Fisheries Service, and Research Office. Approximately 70% of the 1,200 transactions issued in 2003 were simplified acquisitions for services and supplies that directly support NOAA programs. A portion of these simplified acquisitions were individual agreements for short-term (i.e., 6-12 months) technical and scientific services that required specialized skills to address a diverse range of issues associated with NOAA's mission. The type of services acquired include scientific data collection and analysis, creating, reviewing and revising scientific and technical plans and reports, reviewing program plans, procedures and results for compliance with pre-stated goals, building and sustaining coalitions among scientific and technical experts, and coordinating actions among Federal, state and local governments as well as industry and citizen groups. The majority of these services require individuals with broad technical and scientific knowledge as well as detailed knowledge of NOAA's mission, objectives and line office operating plans. The following is a partial list of the types of labor that have previously been sought to work on short term projects: physical oceanographer, coastal scientist, oceanographer, marine biologist, marine ecologist, environmental scientist, fishery biologist, and natural resource economist. The level of experience can vary from junior level (graduate students) to principals and senior scientists. NOAA's mission, line offices and program objectives can be reviewed on its webpage: www.noaa.gov. PURPOSE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT: In order to create a more efficient process for acquiring and managing the scientific and technical support services described above, NOAA is evaluating the benefits of awarding one or more IDIQ contracts, or delivery orders (issued against the GSA/FSS schedule). NOAA is particularly interested in identifying one or more venders who are small, small disadvantaged, women-owned, service disabled veteran owned, or HUBZONE qualified. The vender must be capable of providing the following types of support: 1. Identify and retain persons with the most appropriate scientific and technical skills necessary to accomplish projects as defined by the programs and line offices identified above. 2. Proactively work with NOAA program and line office personnel to define projects using performance-based metrics that correspond with and advance program and administration goals. 3. Proactively manage assigned personnel such that the projects are accomplished in accordance with the performance metrics. 4. Provide monthly reports of performance progress including and a clear method for correlating each project's costs to one or more program specific accounting lines. This reporting should reflect an explanation of progress relative to all current work objectives, performance metrics, funding allowances (current obligations) and costs incurred to date. It shall be presented in a format that is easily understood by both program and procurement/finance personnel, and document the value delivered for the costs incurred. Since new work may be periodically added, monthly reports shall include an explanation of performance objectives, metrics, and prices necessary to accomplish the stated objective accompanied by documentation of price reasonableness in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation. SUBMITTING A RESPONSE: NOAA is specifically seeking venders that understand NOAA's programs and mission such that they can proactively manage on-site labor, and can break down broad program needs into clearly defined performance objectives with metrics. Accordingly, venders interested in this prospective action should demonstrate a working knowledge and fundamental understanding of NOAA's program goals and objectives as well as its operating environment and constituents. Prospective venders should also clearly demonstrate an understanding of performance based service contracts including defining performance objectives, managing the effort, and achieving measurable results. Specific examples of past performance in each of these areas are strongly encouraged as well as an illustration/explanation of how monthly progress will be reported. Interested firms with capability to provide these services are invited to provide a written response to this request no later than 12:00 Noon (EST) in Silver Spring, Maryland on May 24, 2004. The response shall be submitted electronically in MS Word to robert.ransom@noaa.gov and in paper version to Robert E. Ransom, Contracting Officer, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, 1305 East West Highway, Suite 7604, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. The response shall be no more than ten pages plus one attachment and shall include the following: A Description of Firm including the following: Type of Business; Central Contractor Registration Status; Management Structure & Organization Chart; Location; Income statement - Past three years (attachment); Banking Reference; Summary of Credit Facility; Suspensions, Debarments, Terminations; DUNS Number; Tax Identification Number; GSA FSS MAS Number and/or statement of 8(a) certification and duration of certification; Points of Contact - Names, phone, fax, email; A description of your capacity to perform the work described including - Understanding & knowledge of NOAA programs and constituents; Understanding and knowledge of performance based service contracts including the definition of performance objectives and metrics; Capacity to keep clients informed through clearly presented progress reports; A description of your past performance including: Relevant Experience; Quality of Performance; A description of your relevant labor categories, current market rates, rate discounts, and preferred pricing method. Any comments and recommendations you would like to share including: comments and recommended changes to the anticipated goal/outcome of this contract; Ideas on streamlined management and methods for identifying new projects; Contract Type; Comments on the most appropriate type of contract; comments on use of GSA FSS or 8(a) award award vehicles; Comments on the pricing mechanism; and any other comments you would like to make. An original and four copies shall be submitted as well as the electronic version in MS Word. A one page letter shall cover the response signed by an individual authorized to commit the firm. The cover letter is the first of ten pages. The electronic version shall be in the form of an email with one attachment. That single attachment shall contain all content and shall be sized less than five megabytes. The Government will not be liable for any costs incurred in response to this request. Each response shall be on 8-1/2 x 11-inch paper, in a commercially standard font, not smaller than size 10 (excluding separately created artifacts included within the text). The response shall be secured by simple stapling with the cover letter as the first page and shall not contain any elaborate binding. Each page in the response shall be separately numbered in Arabic numerals. A page of paper printed on both sides is considered as two pages (if using double-sided pages, the front side would be page 1, the reverse side would be page 2). The response shall not include brochures, newsletters, or other marketing materials uniquely created for this procurement. Elaborate artwork and expensive paper, bindings, visual or other presentation aids are discouraged. EVALUATION OF RESPONSES: Responses to this announcement will be evaluated relative to the above stated factors. Venders that demonstrate the most effective combination of knowledge and skills relative to the above factors will be invited to submit competitive offers or, if appropriate, awarded a contract directly. The responses to this Request for Information may form the basis for requesting a number of firms to provide briefings or submit quotations. Questions and comments may be directed to the Contracting Officer by email only at robert.ransom@noaa.gov. There will be no acknowledgement by the Government to responses to this Request for Information. If a response generates further interest, you will be contacted. The pricing mechanism that will be put forth in any subsequently issued award contemplates use of fully loaded labor rates, discounted based on volume, to be used as the basis for pricing individually defined performance-based assignments. Payment will be made upon inspection and acceptance at completion. While no orders are guaranteed, it is contemplated that pricing will be discounted in a manner commensurate with the vender's estimation of the potential volume of orders that may be placed. For pricing purposes and, absent a more specific knowledge of potential ordering volume, vender may contemplate an annual order volume of $5.0 million. The maximum duration of each agreement will not exceed 5 years.