Environmental Database Support Services

NOTICE: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. The information provided in response to this notice will assist the Government in determining the extent of all firms, large, small, and the socio-economic market for the type of work described herein. The intent of the announcement is to identify sources that are qualified business concerns capable of providing the National Ocean Service (NOS) with environmental database support services. The objective of this contract is to support the maintenance, application, and continued development of NOAA's environmental databases, which serve as a repository for environmental-contaminant chemistry for surface and sub-surface sediment, soil, tissue, oil, and water and toxicity data for sediment and water. These databases have three general applications: 1) to serve as an integral component of NOAA's Watershed Database and Mapping Projects, 2) to support site-specific investigations, including evaluations of risk or injury to NOAA resources, derivation of cleanup goals, and evaluations of remedial alternatives at hazardous waste sites or spills, and 3) to provide the foundation for conducting specialized analyses, such as exploring innovative approaches for the evaluation of sediment chemistry and toxicity data and developing new guidelines for screening sediments in support of risk assessments. Work includes conducting a high level of QA/QC review on each new dataset; developing documentation for each dataset; developing or refining automated systems for importing and checking data added to existing databases maintained in Microsoft Visual FoxPro format; develop or assist in developing database queries and reports; generate a wide variety of specialized queries and data outputs; conduct statistical analysis; perform basic GIS mapping of sample data for the purpose of confirming coordinate projections and datum; develop automated procedures; provide training; assist in developing a comprehensive plan for streamlining the collection of field sample information and laboratory data; tracking status, and capturing the result of data validation and the process of combining the sample and lab data, including QA/QC data, etc. Minimum Qualifications: Each person designated for a labor category is required to have the minimum background/experience as required below. (1) The Contractor shall maintain and manage multiple large relational databases in Microsoft Visual FoxPro in support of the various tasks. All of the tasks require a high level of environmental database management expertise and programming experience in both Microsoft FoxPro (and/or Microsoft Visual FoxPro) and Microsoft Access. Examples of relevant experience include aquatic ecological risk assessment, environmental data analysis, chemical data validation, chemical and toxicological laboratory methods, environmental field sampling methods, and sample plan design. (2) Database Management Coordinator and Database Programmer/Analyst - Individuals performing under these labor categories shall have a minimum of five (5) years experience managing, designing, and developing environmental-contaminant databases and database applications using: (1) Microsoft FoxPro or Microsoft Visual FoxPro, and (2) Microsoft Access. Additionally, individuals must have an environmental science background that includes a minimum of five (5) years experience using environmental sediment chemistry, tissue contaminant-residue chemistry, and environmental contaminant toxicity data in conducting or supporting hazardous waste site investigations, including investigation and sample plan design, ecological risk assessment, cleanup level derivation, development and evaluation of remedial alternatives, development of mitigation strategies, natural resource damage assessment (pathway evaluation, injury determination, restoration project development, and scaling damages), and long-term effectiveness monitoring programs. (3) Database Technician(s) - Individuals performing under this labor category shall have a minimum three (3) years technical experience in Microsoft FoxPro/Microsoft Visual FoxPro and Microsoft Access and a minimum three (3) years experience with contaminant and hazardous waste site data, including environmental sediment chemistry, tissue contaminant-residue chemistry, and environmental contaminant toxicity data. It is anticipated that an Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract may be awarded as a result of any solicitation issued for this project. The period of performance will be one base period (beginning approximately January or February 2012) with four one-year option periods. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) is 561990 with a size standard of $7M. All contractors doing business with the Government are required to be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). In addition, completion of the online representation and certifications application (ORCA) is required. NOTE: THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT CONSIDERED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL BUT A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. No solicitation document is available. No contract will be awarded on the basis of responses received to this notice. Interested firms shall provide a response that includes, but is not be limited to: (1) the contractor's name, address, point of contact, telephone number, DUNS Number, CCR Cage Number, business type, socio-economic status and size, i.e., small, large, non-profit, educational, contractor's General Services Administration, Federal Supply Schedule (GSA, FSS) contract number (if applicable), etc., (2) a brief narrative and documentation to support the contractor's personnel qualifications outlined in 1-3 above, capability, experience and expertise of personnel, as well as the organization to meet the requirements herein, (3) a brief description of previous and current contracts performed within the past three years which are similar in scope/software to the requirements listed herein, including a reference name of Government or commercial organization, contract number, point of contact name and phone number or email address, and short description of the services provided and software used, and (4) provide the names and business size of any potential teaming arrangement and/or subcontractors. The response should be in sufficient detail to permit evaluation and consideration by the Government. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of the submission of contractor's information. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement, to restrict the project to small businesses, a socio-economic group, or to GSA, FSS contractors. Any response that does not include this information will not be considered. The Government will review each response to determine if the contractor has the experience, knowledge, and capability to perform the services as specified above. Detailed information must be submitted by email to the address noted below by 2:00 PM local Seattle time (PDT), October 14, 2011. Email Address: Sharon.S.Kent@noaa.gov. Questions of any nature must be addressed in writing to the email address noted above as NO TELEPHONE INQUIRIES WILL BE HONORED.