Notice of Intent to Sole Source -

BACKGROUND The Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) of the United States Department of Commerce, Office of the General Counsel, is a technical assistance provider working on the development and implementation of laws and international agreements affecting trade and investment in over 35 countries worldwide including the Middle East and North Africa. CLDP provides assistance to a number of universities in the Middle East to enhance their commercial law curriculum and instruction through the establishment of commercial arbitration oriented moot court programs that will equip students with the skills to represent clients in commercial legal transactions and arbitrations. CLDP seeks collaboration with a partner that will provide expertise and help implement a multi-stage assistance plan to implement the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot (Vis Moot) at Middle Eastern law schools. The Department of Commerce intends to award a sole-source contract to the University of Pittsburgh School of Law the following: SCOPE OF WORK The Contractor will be called upon by CLDP to do the following: - Assist CLDP in refining and implementing a multi-stage assistance plan for competition in the Vis Moot over the course of the academic year to colleges of law in Bahrain, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Jordan, and Iraq. - Engage faculty members in Kuwait, Egypt, Palestine, Morocco and Algeria in order to encourage and facilitate their future participation in the Vis Moot program. - Assist in the establishment of a regional international commercial arbitration moot. - Purchase books necessary for the study of international commercial law and arbitration and for participation in the moot. - Accompany university teams to Vienna, Austria for the Vis Moot competition and assist both the teams and their faculty in continuing to develop appropriate and flexible arguments for the competition. DELIVERABLES The deliverables that would be required under this contract include: - Initial report developed in concert with CLDP and the six selected universities recommending action items and a corresponding timeframe for these schools in the establishment of their moot court program. - Develop and implement introductory course/consultations at the selected universities, comprising 1-2 weeks, providing relevant faculty and participants with a fundamental grasp of international commercial arbitration concepts, legal research and writing. - Develop and implement a program, lasting 4-5 days, at the select universities providing assistance with coaching techniques and oral advocacy skills. The program will be held between the completion of the Vis Moot memoranda and the Vis Moot itself in early spring. - Develop and implement a networking activity for delegations from the universities facilitating linkages with at least 4 other participating law schools, such as an Annual Vis Middle East Pre-Moot, before the Vis Moot in Vienna, Austria. - Conclusive report noting obstacles encountered, practical recommendations for enhancement of the universities' program in future years and strategic plan for sustainable implementation of an Annual Middle East Pre-Moot. REQUIREMENT SUBMISSION: Contractor's capable of meeting the following requirements and providing the aforementioned services shall submit a statement of capabilities to Kimeerly Fleming, Contracting Officer at contact@example.gov on or before December 8, 2011. The Contractor must be an ABA accredited law school, or a unit thereof that has partnered with at least 7 foreign law schools for commercial law and arbitration instruction as part of a moot court program. The Contractor's program team should include a project leader who is a Professor of Law with administrative responsibilities for international students and/or international legal studies. The Contractor must have 10 years of experience participating in the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna, Austria. The Contractor's project leader must have: - 10 + years teaching international commercial law courses; - 10 + years working directly with foreign legal students; - Experience teaching commercial law to foreign students abroad, - spanning over at least 5 years; and - Publications on International Business Transactions or International Commercial Arbitration.