Enterprise Risk Management Consulting Project

This is a Notice of Proposed Contract Action Synopsis. There is no solicitation available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will receive no response. This Proposed Contract Action is published to notify potential sources that The Rocky Mountain Research Station intends to award a sole source firm-fixed price contract, on behalf of the USDA Forest Service, to MacGregor Bates Inc for the Enterprise Risk Management Consulting project. Annually, within an enterprise risk management context, the Forest Service is exposed to the risk of over 10,000 individual wildland fire decisions. Of those decisions, there are about 200 that expose significant amounts of firefighters to the hazardous wildland fire environment that can result in fatalities and significant costs. Over the last 10 years, the Forest Service has been working to develop a risk management capacity among the agency administrators and fire commanders that make wildland fire decisions. Making risk informed decisions is critical to the outcomes we seek. A key outcome is discovering the least exposure that meets reasonable objectives while maintaining relationships with stakeholders. Another very important outcome is the need to develop a capacity to account for the decisions that we make in order to demonstrate that the agency's wildland fire response is appropriate and reasonable. Unfortunately, the Forest Service has not developed a curriculum for educating AAs and ICs in making risk informed decisions. Further, the Forest Service does not have a protocol or standards for how decisions are to be made. The Forest Service also needs to develop a capacity for responsible officials to make risk informed decisions for not only wildland fire but for all land management activities. The scope of this contract entails four areas working in concert with RMRS scientists: - Frame and develop a case for change towards developing a capacity for making and accounting for risk informed decisions. The intended use of the case for change will be to help senior leaders understand and support the need to develop a protocol, curriculum and certification. In addition, - Develop a protocol that will provide a requirement to make accountable risk management decisions. - Develop an outline for a curriculum that will provide the requisite education for decisions makers to be proficient and congruent with the protocol. - Develop a certification protocol that will ensure decisions makers demonstrate they are capable of performing their decision making responsibilities according to the protocol. Consultation will occur from September 24, 2018 through December 30, 2019. Consultation will occur remotely with 2-5 face to face meetings over the course of the contract at locations to be determined. The proposed contract action is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Date posted to FedBizOpps: August 29, 2018. Date posting will close: September 3, 2018. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541618. The Size Standard is $15,000,000. The desired period of performance for the services described herein is anticipated to be from September 24, 2018 through December 31, 2019. The responses to this synopsis will be used to confirm that this is a sole source requirement. This notice is not a Request for Proposals (RFP); it is a market research tool being utilized to determine the availability and adequacy of potential sources prior to awarding the contract. Any information submitted by respondents to this synopsis is strictly voluntary. The Government will not pay for any information that is submitted by respondents to this notice of proposed contract action. Contractors who believe they possess the expertise and experience shall submit technical capabilities in writing to Anthony Salas electronically to: asalas@fs.fed.us. Responses must be received no later than September 3, 2018, 11:00 am MDT. All documentation shall become the property of the Government. Firms responding must indicate the following information: Indicate the business size: small business or disadvantaged business, veteran owned small business or HUB Zone certified, indicate the appropriate NAICS code, and DUNS #. This synopsis neither constitutes a Request for Proposal, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. This synopsis should not be construed as commitment by the Government for any purpose other than market research.