Polar Icebreaker Model Tests in Open Water and Ice

This is a sources sought notice only for purposes of market research for a requirement for contractor support with United States Coast Guard (USCG) Polar Icebreaker model tests in open water and ice. The USCG has determined that recapitalization of the service's polar icebreaker fleet is necessary to meet existing and project mission demands and has initiated a program to acquire a heavy icebreaker. The USCG is now in the Analyze/Select phase of acquiring a new polar icebreaker. This phase involves establishing asset requirements, evaluating the alternative for achieving requirements, and assessing the merits of each alternative to select a solution. As part of the Analyze/Select phase, the USCG has a requirement for polar icebreaker model tests in open water and ice as further described in the attached Statement of Work (SOW). This is not a request for proposals and in no way obligates the Government to award any contract. Furthermore, the USCG is not at this time seeking proposals, and will not accept unsolicited proposals. All costs associated with responding to this sources sought notice will be solely at the responding party's expense. The purpose of this sources sought notice is to: (1) gain knowledge of any potential available qualified sources and their size classifications (Small Business, Veteran-Owned Small Business, Service-Disable Veteran-Owned Small Business, HUBZONE, 8(A), Small Disadvantaged Business, Woman Owned, or Other-Than-Small Business, etc.) relative to NAICS Code 541330 Engineering Services; (2) responses will be used to make acquisition strategy decisions for this procurement; (3) obtain industry feedback and comments on the attached draft Statement of Work (SOW); and (4) gain knowledge of industry practices of company's engaged in providing the needed services. Not responding to this sources sought notice does not preclude participation in any further RFP, if any is issued. In accordance with FAR 15.201 (e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S. Government to form a binding contract. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this sources sought notice. At this time, proprietary information is not being requested, and respondents shall refrain from providing proprietary information in response to this sources sought notice. Responses to the sources sought notice will not be returned. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. The information provided may be used by the USCG in updating the attached SOW. The USCG intends on soliciting and awarding a contract for USCG Polar Icebreaker model tests in open water and ice as described in the attached SOW. The USCG would like any interested parties to review the attached draft SOW, and to respond to this Sources Sought Notice with an executive-level response which addresses the following information: 1. Name of Company, Address, DUNS Number/CAGE Code, and Point of Contact Information (i.e. phone number, and email address); 2. Business Size Classification in accordance with NAICS Code (Official NAICS Code will be selected should a solicitation be published/released)(Small Business, Veteran-Owned Small Business, Service-Disable Veteran-Owned Small Business, HUBZONE, 8(A), Small Disadvantaged Business, Woman Owned, or Other-Than-Small Business); 3. Does your firm currently have the capabilities to meet the requirements in the attached SOW? Please provide a description that provides insight into your firm's capabilities to include among other items facilities and any specialized labor categories that are required to fulfill the requirements in the SOW. 4. The Government anticipates that the proposed place of performance will be the contractor's facility for performing the requirements in the attached SOW. Where is the location of the facilities that your firm intends on using for fulfilling the requirements in the attached SOW? 5. Evidence of experience in work of similar type, scope, and complexity of the subject requirement in the context with providing polar icebreaker model tests in open water and ice similar to the tasks in the attached SOW. Please include a very brief, but concise synopsis that includes contract numbers, project titles, dollar amounts, points of contact, telephone numbers, and a statement of the scope and breathe of the projects; 6. Technical capability in conducting polar icebreaker model tests in open water and ice similar to the tasks in the attached SOW. Please include: a. Correlation data for models tested at facility versus full scale trials for both ice and open water. b. Typical ice properties for the range of thicknesses proposed, including flexural strength, crushing strength and elastic modulus utilized by the facility. c. Ice property measurements technique utilized by the facility. d. Methodology and procedures used by the basin to ensure model-ice coefficients of friction are correctly modeled. 7. Does your company intend on using subcontractors or entering into teaming arrangements to fulfill the requirements of the SOW? If so, please describe very briefly how that would function. 8. Can your firm complete all the tasks in the attached SOW within the timeframe prescribed in SOW - 4.0 and 6.0, Period of Performance and Schedule, respectively? 9. Based on the requirements in the attached SOW, please provide a notional pricing model that addressed how your firm will normally price these services to include all tasks in the attached SOW? Using the notional pricing model in response to the previous question, please provide a rough order of magnitude (ROM). The Government anticipates that the requirements in the attached SOW will be solicited on a firm-fixed price (FFP) basis, but would like industry's input regarding which contract types (i.e. FFP, cost reimbursement, time-and-material) are commonly used by your firm for pricing these services with other clientele in both the private and Government sectors? Does your firm have a compliant cost accounting system? 10. Are there any standard contract financing or payment terms (i.e. progress payments, performance based/milestone payments) that the Government should be aware of that are typically used by industry when fulfilling the services in the attached SOW? 11. As discussed above, the USCG has initiated a program to acquire a heavy icebreaker, and is now in the Analyze/Select phase of acquiring a new polar icebreaker which among other items involves establishing asset requirements, evaluating the alternative for achieving requirements, and assessing the merits of each alternative to select a solution. Should your agency believe that it will likely engage in future actions relating to the USCG Polar Icebreaker acquisition, how would you mitigate any potential organizational conflicts of interest (OCI) as defined by FAR Subpart 9.5 as a result of your participation and award of a contract for fulfilling the services in the attached SOW? In addition, responses to the sources sought notice may include recommended edits and comments on the attached draft SOW to enhance clarity and task execution. After the review of the responses to this sources sought announcement, and if the Government still plans to proceed with the requirement, a solicitation announcement may be published at www.fbo.gov. Responses to this sources sought notice are not adequate responses to any future request for proposal announcement. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Again, this is not a request for proposals and in no way obligates the Government to award any contract. Responses to this sources sought notice along with any capability statements shall be emailed to the attention of Eric McDoniel and Trellis Martin, Contracting Officers, at Eric.C.McDoniel@uscg.mil and Tellis.T.Martin@uscg.mil, respectively. Please reference Sources Sought No. HSCG23-16-I-PIBMODELTESTS in the subject line. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses must be received no later than 25 July 2016 at 11:00 a.m. ET. This notice is to help the USCG in determining potential sources only. All firms responding to this sources sought notice are advised that their response to this notice is not a request to be considered for a contract award. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor FBO sites for additional information pertaining to this sources sought notice to include any resultant solicitation that may be issued using a different solicitation number from this sources sought notice.