CFIUS Fellows Recruitment Program

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Procurement Office, on behalf of the Department of the Treasury (Treasury), Office of International Affairs (IA), the Office of Investment Security (OIS), intends to award a sole source contract to American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to assist the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) Fellows Recruitment Program. The authority permitting a sole source acquisition is FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), in which only one responsible source and no other service will satisfy agency requirements. According to market research conducted, AAAS is the only firm that meets OIS's need for recruitment referrals and administrative management of scientific and technology policy fellows. Pursuant to the passage of the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA), the proposed sole source acquisition is to acquire urgent recruitment support services which will provide candidates highly qualified in economics, international affairs, public policy, finance, business or law, in which OIS was given expanded oversight of U.S. businesses involved in producing critical technologies that have implications for national security as well. A Top Secret / Special Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) may be required of each fellow. No other responsible source has been found that has the outreach OIS requires. The NAICS for this requirement is 813920, Professional Organizations, with a size standard of $16.5M. AAAS has a longstanding relationship with all branches of government and has placed fellows in the federal service for nearly 50 years. Approximately 250 fellows from various scientific disciplines are placed every year in federal agencies that utilize their skills and experience for a wide range of policy analysis and advisory needs. AAAS is one of the most well-known and respected scientific professional associations, with hundreds of thousands of member scientists. Because of its reputation and membership, AAAS is able to recruit better for these specialized positions in the Science and Technology Policy Fellowships, which results in better pools of candidates that might not otherwise consider government service. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR COMPETIVE PROPOSALS. NO SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED BASED UPON THE NOTICE OF INTENT. However, the Government will consider responsible firms capabilities statement. Responses must reference 2032H321Q00042 and shall include the following: Name and address of firm; Size and type of business; Point of Contact and full contact information; DUNS number; Capability statement (not more than 10 pages) to include specific service that your firm offers that fulfills the same function as the services to be included on this contract or evidence that your firm is capable of providing Science and Technology Policy Fellowships; and, List of organizations to whom the same or similar types of services have been previously provided to include contract number, dollar value, organization name, and the Contracting Officer's contact information. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. No telephone inquiries will be accepted. This notice does not commit the Government to any contractual agreement. The Government DOES NOT intend to award a contract based on responses under this announcement. Interested parties shall not be reimbursed for costs associated with preparation of their responses. Any proprietary information should be so marked. Any firm responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed, to allow the Government to determine the firm's qualifications to perform the services. Responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses. ALL INFORMATION SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST BE RECEIVED ON OR BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE OF APRIL 12, 2021, 2:00 PM (EST). Please submit responses via e-mail to Denise.Q.Williams@irs.gov.