--Planned Extension of the Non-Stockpile Systems Contracts II Ordering Period

The purpose of this special notice is to conduct a market survey of parties that may have interest and capability to respond to and comply with Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel program requirements or submit proposals if a future competitive Non-Stock pile Systems Contract (NSSC) request for proposal is issued. The anticipated award lead-time for this would be approximately one year. If issued, a future competitive NSSC acquisition would be based on a best value, multiple award approach with submission of initial and probably final written proposals and oral pre sentations. Qualifications necessary to be considered a viable candidate to compete in a future NSSC will include, among other technical and management qualifications, relevant Chemical Demilitarization experience and past performance, with emphasis withi n the Non-Stockpile Chemical Material program. In addition, interested parties are notified that the standard procedure, unless exempted, for issuing task orders over $100,000 is to compete them among the awarded contractors. Substantial proposal prepara tion efforts and cost would be involved for both competition of the basic contract as well as any competed task orders. As such, given the projected limited workload beyond 2006 and the competitive aspects of task ordering, a contractor, even if awarded a basic NSSC contract, may not be able to recoup all of its proposal preparation costs based on the competitive task source selection decisions. The only guaranteed workload is the stated minimum contract quantity of $100,000 contained in the basic contrac t. The current projected workload for 2007 through 2012 includes 2 task orders being planned for award in 2007, 2 in 2008, and 1 in 2009. These task orders vary in scope and period of performance. Other tasks not planned may occur and would be handled o n a task by task basis. Based on a competitive, formal best value solicitation, four basic systems contracts, under the Non-Stockpile Systems Contract (NSSC) II acquisition, were awarded, on 7 Dec 2001, as indefinite quantity, task order types (FAR 16.504). The NSSCII basic cont racts contained an umbrella statement of work (SOW) that established the overall requirements and capabilities for acquiring the systems support for the Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel program. Each NSSCII contract had a minimum contract quantity of $100, 000 and a maximum contract quantity of $300,000,000. The basic contracts contain both competitive and non-competitive ordering procedures (FAR 16.505) for awarding the various task orders during the ordering period and allow for the award of six different contract types. The standard procedure, unless exempt ed, for ordering task orders over $100,000 is to compete them among the four awarded contractors. To accomplish the systems support, a 60 month ordering period with a 96 month overall period of performance was established in the four basic NSSCII contracts . To date, sixteen task orders have been awarded under the NSSCII basic contracts for an approximate value of $140 million. The contract type for each awarded task was based on the requirements and risks associated with the individual task order. Many o f the tasks involved complex requirements, extensive integration and coordination efforts, and significant environmental and safety matters. Indemnification has been approved on some of the NSSCII basic contracts. As ordered by task order, the NSSCII requirements have included program/task management and integration, equipment design, design upgrade or modification, fabrication, engineering, system development and integration, testing, system/equipment operations, a gent operations, hazardous waste disposal, and former production facility decontamination and disposal. The performance of these efforts was accomplished at various locations, including government installations, as specified in the individual task order(s ). The current ordering period under the NSSCII basic contracts will expire as of 7 Dec 2006. Based on a review of the anticipated significant proposal preparation/evaluation costs for a follow-on future competition and on the limited projected workload beyond 2006, the government is planning, in accordance with DFARS 217.204(e)(i), to process an extension to the NSSCII ordering period from 7 Dec 2006 to 7 Dec 2011 in lieu of issuing a new, competitive follow-on acquisition. The overall period of performance under the NSSCII basic contracts wo uld be extended from 7 Dec 2009 to 7 Dec 2012. However, the maximum contract quantity and umbrella SOW of the existing NSSCII basic contracts will not be changed. It is the governments intent to limit the extension to the four current NSSCII basic contractors under the authorities of DFARS 217.204(e)(i) and of FAR 6.302-1 based on a substantial duplication of cost to the government and to the competing contractors that is not expected to be recovered through a future competition. Please submit your interest in response to this special notice, and a description of your capabilities, as it applies to Non-Stockpile requirements, to the noted point of contact, Mrs. Jessica Dobbeleare. Responses are requested no later than 19 August 20 05. Email submission is acceptable. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all information received within thirty days after the date of publication of this special notice will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compe te with this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the planning purpose of determining whether to conduct a follow-on NSSCII competitive a cquisition.