C -- Reannouncement: OMB Circular A-76 Commercial Activities Study of Soil Conservation Technician Services at Nine Counties in Alabama

REQUEST FOR STANDARD FORMS 254 AND 255. 1.CONTRACT INFORMATION: The US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service is performing a study pursuant to the revised Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-76, Performance of Commercial Activities, Brooks Architect-Engineering Act as implemented in FAR Subpart 36. Certain deviations may be incorporated, as approved by OMB, for retention of the previous cost rules or procedures. Soil Conservation Technical Services are currently performed by Government employees. This is the formal notice requesting qualified, interested parties to submit their Standard Form (SF) 254s and Standard Form (SF) 255s for this requirement. Highly qualified firms will be selected for negotiation based on the selection criteria in this notice. Offerors are advised that only the most highly qualified firm may be awarded a contract. If no response is received from an acceptable qualified firm, the solicitation will be cancelled and the work will continue to be performed by Government personnel. A contract may not be awarded if the competition is determined not to provide the best value to the Government or if the cost of contract performance is determined to be greater than the cost of in-house performance by Government personnel. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code is 541330. This announcement is open to all businesses regardless of size. Should the competition result in award of a contract, a firm fixed price contract with a base period and four, one-year options is anticipated. Performance is anticipated to commence on or about January, 2004. 2. PROJECT INFORMATION: Firms must meet the following minimum criteria in order to be considered for this requirement. The offeror is to provide a minimum of nine (9) Soil Conservation Technicians (SCT) for the following counties: Henry, Calhoun, Talladega, Madison, Lawrence, Jackson, Green/Sumter, Perry/Bibb and Mobile counties in the state of Alabama. The offeror shall also provide at least one (1) Alabama Registered Professional Engineer (Civil or Agricultural) for supervision in the preparation of engineering drawings and plans as prepared by the Soil Conservation Technicians. The Professional Engineer(s) is required to comply with all the requirements of the State of Alabama regarding the practice of engineering. The minimum qualifications for the Soil Conservation Technicians include: (a) knowledge of federal, state and local laws pertaining to Soil Conservation Technical Services; (b) knowledge of agronomy, soil characteristics and the Unified Classification System, (c) ability to perform basic surveying activities and mathematical calculations relating to conservation practices, (d) plan and design natural resource conservation practices and combine practices into plans using computer programs such as ARCVIEW, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, (e) interpret and use aerial and topographic maps and soil surveys, (f) provide construction oversite, including testing, to ensure construction meets engineering standards and specifications, (g) completion of all documentation associated with conservation practices. A State of Alabama Pesticide License and Alabama Animal Waste Certification are required for each Soil Conservation Technician. Conservation Planning Certification will be required within ninety (90) days after contract award. A Performance Work Statement (PWS) and Technical Exhibits are provided as separate attachments to this notice. 3. SELECTION CRITERIA: The selection criteria are listed below in descending order of importance. Criteria A through E are primary. Criteria F is secondary and will only be applied as a - tie-breaker among highly qualified firms that are rated as technically equal to each other in order to determine the highest qualified firm. Evaluation will be based on the following: A. Specialized Experience and Technical Competence: The offeror should demonstrate recent (within the last 5 years) and significant relevant corporate experience performing SCT services such as planning, surveying, designing, construction inspection of conservation practices as well as similar relevant experience of each SCT and any specialized training/experience. B. Professional Qualifications: Evaluation will be based on the number of qualified soil conservation technical personnel to accomplish the work, their knowledge, certifications and level of experience relevant to the requirements of the PWS, their ability to perform the work required in the PWS and the minimum qualifications stated in paragraph 2 of this notice. The Professional Engineer must be registered as a Civil or Agricultural Engineer in the State of Alabama. Resumes for the proposed project manager, contract manager and project engineer should include only relevant education, experience, certifications, and evidence that the individual(s) is established in that position within the firm. Resumes for each Soil Conservation Technician, detailing relevant work experience with dates, training and certifications are required or the minimum qualifications the offeror will require if the SCT is not currently employed by the firm. Provide the number of SCT positions which will need to be filled if awarded a contract and identify how and when the firm will fill these positions. C. Capacity to accomplish work: The firm will be evaluated based on the evidence submitted of their ability to successfully perform and manage the anticipated workload as described in the PWS and Technical Exhibits, in conjunction with the firms other contracts/workload, and to provide sufficient staffing during normal work hours, vacations and absences. The ability to provide continuity of qualified services from the base period and throughout any option years should be demonstrated. Business relationships between subcontractors and consultants for this requirement must be fully explained, to include ownership, authorities and any limitations. D. Past Performance: The offerors past experience performing work of the nature described in the PWS with regards to (1) quality of work, (2) on-time performance, (3) compliance with regulations (4) management capabilities/efficiencies, and (5) within budget will be evaluated. References for work within the past three (3) years for the same or similar type soil conservation tasks as stated in the PWS should be provided to include company name, point of contact, telephone number, address, contract number, dollar value, performance dates and the offerors comments. E. Knowledge of the Locality of the Work: The offeror's knowledge of the clientele base, geology, soils, water resources and type farming operations in each of the specified counties should be demonstrated. The following criteria will be used only as a - tie-breaker, if needed: F. Offerors Proximity to Work Locations: The firm must be able to locate employees in offices (usually service centers) in the counties specified in the PWS. If the firm does not currently employ persons within a commuting distance (30 miles) for each county, describe how this will be accomplished within 30 calendar days. 4.SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Interested, qualified firms having the capabilities to perform the work described in this announcement and the PWS are invited to respond by submitting four (4) copies of (1) the completed Standard Form (SF) 254 and Standard Form (SF) 255 for the prime firm, all consultants and subcontractors, as applicable, 3) other information relative to the selection criteria and 4) a letter of interest, not later than 11:00 AM local time on August 21, 2003. Use no smaller than 12 font type. The SF-255 shall not exceed 50 pages, including no more than five (5) pages for Block 10. In Block 10 also indicate the estimated percentage of involvement for each firm being proposed. Include an organizational chart of the management and technical personnel to be assigned to this project, inclusive of subcontractors and consultants. Completed responses to this notice should be mailed to the attention of the Contracting Officer, USDA-NRCS, P O Box 311, 3318 Skyway Drive, Auburn, Alabama 36830. Indicate the solicitation number on the outside left corner of the envelope or package. FACSIMILE TRANSMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. SOLICITATION PACKAGES ARE NOT PROVIDED AND NO ADDITIONAL PROJECT INFORMATION WILL BE RELEASED TO FIRMS DURING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT PERIOD. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.