> International Forest Research, Development, Technical and Support Services

International Forest Research, Development, Technical and Support Services The United States Forest Service (FS) is issuing this Sources Sought Notice to obtain information on small businesses capable of completing large-scale, multi-year international forest research, development, technical and support services. This Sources Sought Notice is issued solely to identify prime Small Business contractor sources and determine their capabilities to fulfill the Government's requirement. This notice does not constitute an RFP or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. Respondents are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any infomnation or administrative cost incurred in response to this Sources Sought Notice. The Office of international Programs has a mandate to coordinate all international activities for the FS around the world. The office receives funds from Congress, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. State Department and other federal agencies, intemational and domestic cooperators and partners for the purpose of implementing projects which enhance cooperation between FS and other countries on practices and policy related to natural resources management, conservation, disaster mitigation and disaster response. FS is seeking small businesses capable of managing and providing multiple, simultaneous, multi-million dollar projects across the globe, as well as providing on-demand technical expertise for numerous smaller studies and projects. FS seeks small businesses with experience: Providing short- and long-term natural resource research, development and management expertise in Africa, Asia, Russia and Eurasia, Latin and Central America, and the Middle East. Expertise includes but is not limited to program management, forest planning and monitoring, disaster mitigation and response, recreation services, watershed management, invasive species management, global climate change, and migratory species. Experience must include the recnjitment and management of long-term consultants or employees located both in the U.S. and in foreign countries. Establishing and managing multiple overseas offices for multi-million dollar natural resource programs. The programs typically utilize 5-15 U.S. and in-country full time employees in capital cities and rural locations in one or more of the following geographic regions: Africa, Asia, Russia and Eurasia, Latin and Central America, and the Middle East. Experience must include the ability to recruit and field long tenn expatriate staff and host country staff and ensure compliance with local laws and United States Government policies. Developing and managing databases both domestically and intemationally for financial management and program monitoring and evaluation. Organizing and managing multi-day trainings for approximately 5-35 participants both intemationally and domestically across a number of topics related to natural resource management. Working with domestic and foreign government entities in executing complex, multi-year programs in one or more of the following geographic regions Africa, Asia, Russia and Eurasia, Latin and Central America, and the Middle East. The Contractor will need to provide a variety of services to assist International Programs with accomplishing their mission. They will need to recruit, hire, manage and oversee all aspects of Contractor personnel matters for U.S.-based and in-country personnel. In addition, the Contractor will provide personnel, including U.S. and foreign nationals, with the appropriate technical, language, administrative and cultural skills, for short-term and long-term assignments to assist with the implementation of US Forest Service and partner projects and programs. Furthermore, the Contractor will provide complete solutions, including personnel and supplies, to effectively establish, manage and implement overseas project offices. Lastly, at the request of US Forest Service, the Contractor will fulfill requests to process payments for the Forest Service overseas for the provision of administrative services. Sources Sought Response Elements FS is not seeking elaborate responses, but rather concise, meaningful responses from vendors with relevant expertise. In 12 single-sided 8.5" x 11" pages or less, vendors are requested to provide the following information. All elements are required for a vendor's Sources Sought Response to be responsive and demonstrate capability. 1. Company Information a. Name and address b. DUNS Number c. Point-of-Contact d. Business Size/Socioeconomic Status under NAICS 541715, Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering and Life Sciences e. Current number of company employees f. State whether there is a Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) compliant accounting system g. Briefly describe system and whether it has been reviewed by an authorized representative of the US Government 2. Company capabilities relevant to the requirements. Note: If an eventual solicitation is a small business setaside, the small business is required to complete 51% of the work. While teaming is not discouraged, FS wants to ensure that vendors responding to this sources sought have in-house capabilities to efficiently and effectively complete the requirements. 3. Provide three references for intemational research, development, technical and business support projects completed for a federal agency or government entity within the past three years, especially those related to natural resources. References will only be accepted for projects for which the vendor served as the prime and completed at least 51% of the work using the prime's personnel. References should include: a. Customer b. Name, phone number and email address for the customer's program manager c. Contract Name d. Contract Number e. Contract Value f. Contract Type g. Brief description of services, including information such as number of FTE's assigned to the project. 4. What pricing approaches (fixed price, time and materials, labor hour, cost plus fixed fee) have been used most frequently for similar international work? Please also comment on the advantages/disadvantages of those approaches. 5. Any additional information that may be helpful to the FS in developing its requirements. Your response shall include the following information: size of company (i.e., 8(a), HUBZONE, WOSB, Veteran Owned, Small Disadvantaged Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, etc.), revenue for the last three years, relevant past performance on same/similar work for not more than five years and your company's capability to do this type of work. Documentation of technical expertise and capability must be presented in sufficient detail for the Government to determine that your company possesses the necessary functional area expertise and experience to compete for this acquisition. It is imperative that business concerns responding to this Sources Sought articulate their capabilities clearing and adequately. The point of contact for information regarding this Sources Sought is Cassandra Carey, Contracting Officer at cassandra.carey@usda.gov. All inquiries or responses shall be electronically submitted, include the sources sought number in the subject line and be in Word or PDF format. All responses must be submitted via email by 10:00 AM, ET on December 14, 2021