THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS FOR WRITTEN INFORMATION ONLY. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is performing a ?market search? for large and small businesses in preparation for a future procurement. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has a need for a contractor to provide the Office of Air Radiation (OAR), Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ), Compliance Division (CD). Through the Compliance Division the purpose of this contract is to support testing of vehicles and engines at EPA's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in support of EPA?s imports program; tracking defect and voluntary emissions recall reports; and In-use compliance and evaluation testing. Vehicles defined to include light duty vehicles (cars, vans, pickups, etc.) heavy duty trucks. Engines are defined as heavy duty engines, small hand held, nonroad (including lawnmowers, marine, tractors, etc.), developmental, advanced testing, manufacturer loan and heavy-duty construction engines. The vehicles and engines will be used for EPA?s in-use testing program and several other programs. The efforts supported by this resultant contract include both regulatory and compliance programs. EPA programs must be evaluated and implement based on sound scientific principles and must provide the best environmental improvements; therefore analysis and testing are important to the programs. For the voluntary programs in particular, it is vitally important to inform partners and the public of these programs, to encourage broader participation and to expand and enhance current and future programs. The contractor shall provide analysis and support services for CD in the areas of data management; program and emissions analyses; and vehicle and engine testing, imports program, tracking defect reports and voluntary emissions recall reports, In-use compliance and evaluation testing. Specific areas to be addressed in capability packages are as follows:The Contractor shall have experience in project management and analysis, program auditing, scientific analysis of emission or other data, database development and maintenance, as well as regulatory analysis (CFR Part 85).The Contractor shall also demonstrate the following capabilities:? Ability to read and understand the Federal regulations describing the importation and exportation of motor vehicles; ? Ability to work with spreadsheets, relational databases, and presentation programs; ? Ability to search the relational database containing the records, past and present, and provide the data in report form for use by upper management, including but not limited to spreadsheet and presentation programs for use in meetings and for publication to the EPA website; ? Ability to maintain a current filing system for incoming electronic and hard copy requests to provide quick retrieval service to upper management within a day?s notice? Ability to prepare vehicles for testing. These preparations may include: installing marmon flanges, thermocouples, placards, fuel changes, installation of fuel drains, repairs, identification of emission system components, mileage accumulation, providing vehicle dynamometer operation instructions (traction control, ABS, etc.), and other preparations as directed by work assignment. Responsible for completion of vehicle inspections and performing maintenance necessary to prepare vehicles for testing. Also performs necessary periodic maintenance to loaner fleet vehicles. May install or set up test equipment. Mechanics shall be thoroughly familiar with current and recent emission control systems. The mechanics shall be certified as Master Mechanics by the State of Michigan. They shall require both oral and written communication skills since they meet the public during vehicle check in. In addition, personnel involved in operating heavy duty vehicles and nonroad equipment shall be appropriately trained and licensed as necessary in the State of Michigan. ? Ability to arrange shipment of test vehicles by common carrier to other test facilities. ? Ability to send out mailings to vehicle owners requesting permission to test their vehicles as part of EPA?s surveillance program.? Ability to review the accuracy and contract compliance of outgoing data. Responsible for developing and maintaining audit programs for procurement and maintenance data. Solicits vehicles from the general public for testing in the EPA emissions programs. Performs clerical functions in support of projects. May coordinate vehicle exchanges with program participants.The successful contractor shall supply all necessary labor, materials, and services in support of the efforts delineated by the Performance Work Statement (PWS). A draft PWS can be obtained from the OAM website, http://www.epa.gov/oam/cinn_cmd/. It is anticipated that a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee/Level-of-Effort contract will result from the award of thissolicitation. The base period is expected to begin on October 1, 2012. The period of performance is estimated at one 12-month base period plus four option periods of 12 months each. The total amount of LOE for all periods and all options is estimated at 34,000 hours. The applicable NAICS Code is 541330, and the size standard is $4.5M.It is anticipated that the following firms will be excluded from consideration for award:-Automotive manufacturers,-Nonroad vehicle and engine manufacturers-Fuel refineries and distributors-Air emissions testing equipment manufacturers and dealers Additionally, all offerors will be required to disclose any business or financial relationships with the firms listed above, which could pose a significant actual or potential conflict of interest. Any interested firms should submit a capability statement of no more than 15 pages which demonstrates the firm?s ability to perform the key requirements described above. Standard company brochures will not be considered a sufficient response to this Sources Sought Synopsis. In the capabilities statements, contractors should provide their size status for the above referenced NAICS code, (i.e. large, small) and whether or not they are a certified hubzone, 8(a), women-owned, small disadvantaged and/or disabled veteran owned concern. As a reminder, small businesses are required to perform at least 50 percent of the costs of the contract performance with their own personnel (FAR 52.219-14). The EPA reserves the right to set this action aside for small businesses. Responses to the above should be submitted to Angela Lower via email at
contact@example.gov no later than 15 calendar days from date of posting. A separate synopsis will be issued for the Request for Proposal (RFP) resulting from this sources source synopsis.
