NCETR Explosives Training and Credentialing Support

SOURCES SOUGHT/REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) THIS NOTICE IS A SOURCES SOUGTH/REQUEST FOR INFORMATIONAL (RFI) and market research PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OR QUOTE. 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. ALL QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS RFI SHALL BE IN WRITING. NO PHONE CALLS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Summary/ PURPOSE: The purpose of this Sources/Sought/Request for Information (RFI) is to ascertain the capabilities and past performance of qualified small businesses and socio-economic program participants. This includes the 8(A), HUBZone, Service-Disable Veteran Owned, Woman Owned, and general small businesses capable of providing the required NCETR Explosives Training and Credentialing Support under NAICS Code 541330, and in accordance with the draft Performance Work Statement (PWS). BACKGROUND: ATF's National Center for Explosives Training and Research (NCETR) is responsible for providing explosives training that is codified in Section 1114 of the Homeland Security Act of 2022. In addition to its explosive's enforcement mission, ATF is also tasked with investigating fires primarily of Federal interest/jurisdiction. NCETR consists of the Explosives Enforcement and Training Division; Explosives Research and Development Division; and Fire Investigation and Arson Enforcement Division, all located at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The NCETR's mission is to provide basic and advanced arson and explosives training and research that leverages lessons learned and best practices to provide focused support to ATF's core mission of investigating the criminal use of explosives and regulating the explosives industry. This support is aligned with the whole-of-Government counter-improvised explosive device effort. NCETR provides outstanding training facilities and unmatched expertise in the delivery of life-saving explosives and arson training for explosives handlers, bomb technicians, criminal investigators, and military explosives ordnance disposal (EOD) personnel across the nation. In pursuit of operational and training excellence, NCETR is committed to pursuing appropriate organizational and individual credentialing for the purpose of validating the product it puts forth and ensuring personnel competency relevant to its mission. To accomplish this, NCETR intends to submit a variety of explosives and fire related training programs for third-party credentialing to include accreditation. When accreditation is chosen to be pursued, where possible, it should be conducted by an ISO 17011 accredited organization to a valid national standard, i.e., ANSI/ASTM E2659-2018, Standard Practice for Certificate Programs, or the National Commission for Certifying Agencies Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs. NCETR is also eligible to put forth its federal law enforcement training programs for accreditation by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation. In addition, NCETR reserves the right of putting forth these programs for consideration of Continuing Education Units, and other forms of recognition. NCETR intends to put forth its personnel certification programs (currently Certified Explosives Specialist, and Certified Fire Investigator programs) for accreditation to a valid international standard (ISO/ANSI/IEC 17024) for personnel certification programs, and the National Response Team (NRT) and Device Examination Unit (DEU) for consideration of third-party accreditation to a valid international standard (ISO/ANSI/IEC 17020) for inspection bodies. In as much as possible, the accreditation for these standards should also be conducted by an ISO 17011 accredited organization. In addition to seeking recognition, NCETR is committed to sustaining its credentialing as needed. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The contract is anticipated to be awarded by June 2024, to be effective September 2024. The contract is contemplated to be for a base year and four one (1)-year option periods. The projected release date for the Requests for Quote or Request for Proposal (RFQs/RFPs) is the mid-March 2024. ANTICIPATED CONTRACT TYPE: The contract is contemplated to be firm-fixed priced using labor rates, but ATF retains the right to consider alternatives based upon responses to this RFI. The applicable NAICS Code is 541330. RFI RESPONSE SUBMITTAL INFORMATION: If you are a Socio-economic vendor and are interested in providing NCETR Explosives Training and Credentialing Support in accordance with the attached DRAFT Performance Work Statement (PWS) you are requested to submit a capability statement which addresses at a minimum, the questions presented within this announcement. Please submit 1 copy of your response in Microsoft Word and 1 copy in PDF format. Each document should not exceed eight (8) one-sided 8 - x 11 pages per document. That is a total of not more than 16 pages, with one-inch margins, and font no smaller than 12-point. Should any vendor exceed the ten (10) page limit per document only the first ten (10) pages will be evaluated. Additionally, there is to be no cover page, table of contents, appendix or extensive emails; if submitted, each page will count towards the total page limit. Item #1. Company name, CAGE code, address, telephone number, a point of contact with email address and Unique Entity ID (UEI). Indicate business size status for the NAICS Code identified in this document, and all identified Socio-economic sub-category status held. Item #2. A summary of the firm's relevant past experience; to include a minimum of three (3) references in providing the same or similar NCETR Explosives Training and Credentialing Support as those required in the attached DRAFT PWS during the past five years, including any on-going contracts. Include contracting activities/agencies, contract numbers, contract value, contract period of performance, whether your company served as a prime contractor or subcontractor, and a point of contact (name, email address and telephone number) at the activity that can verify the information you are providing. Item #3. Capability Statement - Please describe in detail how you would fulfill the requirements of the Draft PWS. The Government will evaluate all responses and determine if the Socio-economic vendors or general small business firms are capable of fulfilling this requirement. The Government does not intend to rank submitted capabilities based on the submission. It is highly recommended that, prior to submitting a response, all interested vendors ensure the accuracy of their SAM.gov, CAGE code, ORCA and Unique Entity ID (UEI) information and status under the applicable NAICS Code 541330, as these requirements are mandatory for any firm selected for task order award. Any interested Socio-economic or general small business vendors capable of providing the required NCETR Explosives Training and Credentialing Support are encouraged to submit the information requested in items 1-3 for consideration, and inclusion in notice of additional information. The capability package and answers to the questions shall be sent via email to Contract Officer, Brian Wilkins, at contact@example.gov not later than 5:00PM Eastern Time on January 3, 2024. Questions or comments regarding this notice must be emailed to contact@example.gov -- no telephone calls will be accepted. NOTE: No pricing information is requested. As noted above, this is not a Request for Quotation or Proposals. Responses to this Sources Sought/RFI are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Respondents should not submit any proprietary information when responding. The Government is not responsible for any costs incurred by respondents to this Sources Sought/RFI. The purpose of this amendment is to state the following: Capability package shall be sent via email to the Contracting Officer Brian Wilkins at contact@example.gov no later than January 12, 2024, 5:00pm EST. And questions shall be received no later than January 3, 2024, 5:00pm EST. via email to contact@example.gov -- no telephone calls will be accepted.