Improvised Explosive Research

INTRODUCTION The Federal Bureau of Investigation is issuing this sources sought synopsis as a means of conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in and the resources to provide Improvised Explosive Research and, if so, the feasibility of a competitive acquisition. BASED ON THE RESPONSES TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE/MARKET RESEARCH, THIS REQUIREMENT MAY BE SET-ASIDE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES (IN FULL OR IN PART) OR PROCURED THROUGH FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION. All Small Business Set-Aside categories will be considered. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE The place of contract performance is to be determined though its feasible performance could be a mix of both contractor premises and designated Government locations, as necessary. DISCLAIMER "THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A "REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)." IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. RESPONSES WILL NOT BE RETURNED TO THE RESPONDER. NOT RESPONDING TO THIS NOTICE DOES NOT PRECLUDE PARTICIPATION IN ANY FUTURE REQUEST FOR QUOTE (RFQ) OR INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) OR RFP, IF ANY ISSUED. IF A SOLICITATION IS RELEASED, IT WILL BE SYNOPSIZED ON THE GOVERNMENT-WIDE POINT OF ENTRY (GPE). IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF POTENTIAL OFFERORS TO MONITOR THE GPE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS REQUIREMENT." PROGRAM BACKGROUND Worldwide events have demonstrated that terrorist groups have a continuing interest in manufacturing and using improvised explosives, also referred to as homemade explosives, in bombing attacks. Improvised explosives consist of suitable combinations of fuels and oxidizers (either as physical mixtures or incorporated at the molecular level) that can have energetic potential. A crucial intelligence and operational mission of the FBI is to provide timely and accurate technical threat assessments to assist in disrupting the planning stage of such an attack and to provide the intelligence and law enforcement community technical details to better understand the threat posed by an improvised explosive in various physical configurations and sizes. Unfortunately, scientific information pertaining to the hazards and explosion potential of improvised explosives is scant. As part of this effort, it is also crucial for the U.S. Government to develop the technical capabilities to detect, interdict, and lessen the impacts of non-nuclear explosives used in terrorist attacks against mass transit, civil aviation, and critical infrastructure. This includes, but is not limited to, passenger, baggage, and cargo-screening technologies; blast-resistant aircraft construction; and integrated protective systems for high-value facilities. The FBI is looking for an experienced team to safely process, handle, and characterize improvised explosives. The Contractor team shall develop, process, and handle explosives that will be used for experimental activities. In addition, the Contractor may assist in the collection and analysis of explosive detection system (EDS) performance data. Tests previously performed for the Government have included measurements of the thermal stability, physical stability, and explosive performance characteristics of improvised explosives. Safety and hazard characterization of improvised explosives provides crucial information regarding their safe handling, processing, and scale-up. Performance characterization experiments, such as, but not limited to, rate stick, critical diameter, and air blast arena tests, are used to test the explosive in a variety of scenarios to determine its explosive potential and quantify its energy release. This has included the remote mixing and processing of improvised explosives, up to 5000 lbs. for select materials, to meet national security threat and mission-critical requirements. The anticipated contract continues these types of characterization efforts, and describes new efforts centered on detection and desensitization technologies, designed to provide useful scientific information to the Government for use in legal and regulatory settings and in the preparation of technical threat assessments and reports that will be disseminated to other domestic and international law enforcement agencies, intelligence agencies, and the homeland security community. ELIGIBILITY The applicable North American Industry Classification System code for this requirement is 541715 with a Small Business Size Standard of 1000. The Product Service Code is AJ11. Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond; however, each respondent must clearly identify their business size in their capabilities statement. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND SUBMISSION DETAILS (CAPABILITIES STATEMENT) Interested parties are requested to submit a capabilities statement of no more than ten (10) pages in length in Times New Roman font of not less than 10 pitch. The deadline for response to this request is no later than 2 pm, EST, 17 November 2020. All responses under this Sources Sought Notice must be e-mailed to jcruse@fbi.gov. This documentation must address at a minimum the following items: 1.) What type of work has your company performed in the past in support of the same or similar requirement? 2.) Can or has your company managed a task of this nature? If so, please provide details. 3.) Can or has your company managed a team of subcontractors before? If so, provide details. 4.) If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. 5.) What specific technical skills does your company possess which ensure capability to perform the tasks? 6.) Are there any commercial business practices/terms and conditions unique to your industry/company? If so, please describe. 7.) Please note that under a Small-Business Set-Aside, in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.219-14, the small business prime must perform at least 50 percent of the work themselves in terms of the cost of performance. Provide an explanation of your company's ability to perform at least 50 percent of the tasking described for the base period as well as the option periods. 8.) Provide a statement including current small/large business status and company profile to include number of employees, annual revenue history, office locations, Data Universal Numbering System number, CAGE code, etc. 9.) Respondents to this notice also must indicate whether they qualify as a Small, Small Disadvantaged, Women- Owned, HUBZone, or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concern. The estimated period of performance consists of up to 5 years, with performance commencing in July 2021. Specifics regarding the number of option periods will be provided in the solicitation. The potential contract, if awarded is anticipated to be Firm Fixed Price. The proposed contract is anticipated to include tasking that would be accomplished by labor categories that are subject to the Service Contract Act or a collective bargaining agreement. Upon evaluation of the capability statements, if it is determined that this requirement will be an unrestricted competition, the Government intends to evaluate the Small-Business responses and conduct further market research to identify a subcontracting goal. Your response to this Sources Sought, including any capabilities statement, shall be electronically submitted to the Contract Specialist, Jackson Cruse, in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format, via email jcruse@fbi.gov. All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government. No phone calls will be accepted. No phone or email contact with regards to the status of a potential RFP will be accepted prior to its release. All questions must be submitted to the contract specialist identified above. The Government is not committed nor obligated to pay for the information provided, and no basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought.