R -- UNION ADVISORY SERVICES

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information in the notices. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and written solicitation will not be issued. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 921190. This is a 100% small business set aside. Solicitation number DOL069RP20231 is issued as a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Union Advisory Services for the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment Standards Administration, Office of Labor-Management Standards. The Government intends to award a multiple Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract established on the basis of Firm-Fixed Rates for Labor Hour Services. There will be a minimum of one (1) case per year with a maximum of $350,000.00 per year across the multiple awards contract. The Government estimates awarding three (3) contracts. Expected term of contract will be a base period of one year, from date of award, with four (4) one year optional periods. The total award shall not exceed 60 months. Orders may be placed non-competitively on a rotational basis between vendors and the Government will seek to equalize the work awarded rotationally. The Competition or rotation of Task Orders may be restricted to vendors who have a satisfactory record of performance on task orders issued to them. This notice incorporates provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-11. The clauses may be viewed at www.arnet.gov - FAR 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERS-COMMERCIAL ITEMS-JAN 2006 FAR 52.212-3 OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS-COMMERCIAL ITEMS-MAR 2005 FAR 52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS-COMMERCIAL ITEMS-SEP 2005 FAR 52.212-5 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT STATUES OR EXECUTIVE ORDERS COMMERCIAL ITEMS-FEB 2006 FAR 52.219-6 NOTICE OF TOTAL SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE-JUN 2003 FAR 52.222-3 CONVICT LABOR-JUN 2003 FAR 52.222-19 CHILD LABOR-COOPERATION WITH AUTHORITIES AND REMEDIES-JAN 2006 FAR 52.222-21 PROHIBITION OF SEGREGATED FACILITIES-FEB 1999 FAR 52.222-26 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY-APR 2002 FAR 52.222-35 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SPECIAL DISABLED VETERANS. VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM ERA AND OTHER ELIGIBLE VETERANS-DEC 2001 FAR 52.222-36 AFFIRMATIVE ACTION FOR WORKERS WITHDISABILITIES-JUN 1998 FAR 52.222-37 EMPLOYMENT REPORTS ON SPECIAL DISABLED VETERANS, VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM ERA AND OTHER ELIGIBLE VETERANS-DEC 2001 FAR 52.225-1 BUY AMERICAN ACT-SUPPLIES-JUN 2003 FAR 52.225-3 BUY AMERICAN ACT-FREE TRADE AGREMENTS-ISRAELI TRADE ACT-JAN 2006 FAR 52.225-5 TRADE AGREEMENTS-JAN 2005 FAR 52.225-13 RESTRICTIONS ONCERTAIN FOREIGN PURCHASES-FEB 2006 FAR 52.232-7 PAYMENTS UNDER TIME & MATERIALS AND LABOR HOUR CONTRACTS-DEC 2002 FAR 52.232-29 TERMS FOR FINANCING OF COMMERCIAL ITEMS-FEB 2002 FAR 52.232-33 PAYMENT BY ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER- CENTRAL CONTRACTOR REGISTRATION-OCT 2003 FAR 52.233-3 PROTEST AFTER AWARD-AUG 1996 -STATEMENT OF WORK- The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) is initiating a program to provide enhanced advisory support and compliance assistance to labor organizations to promote union democracy, transparency, and financial integrity under the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA). This initiative supports the Department's Performance Goal for a secure workforce by increasing compliance with worker protection laws, specifically LMRDA protections to ensure union financial integrity, democracy, and transparency. The initiative provides for enhanced outreach, compliance assistance, and union advisory services to monitor and assist unions in complying with the requirements of the LMRDA. OLMS will establish a contactor-staffed union advisory unit to directly address three problems that currently cause unions to be in violation of the LMRDA or the Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA) in the case of Federal-employee unions. 1. The first problem is that frequently union constitutions and bylaws do not conform to the requirements of the LMRDA and CSRA. The unit will review union constitutions and bylaws to determine if they contain any provisions that are in conflict with these statutes. The unit will advise unions of the changes necessary to bring any conflicting provisions into compliance with the Acts. 2. The second problem is that unions frequently do not file their current constitution and bylaws with OLMS. The LMRDA requires covered unions to adopt a constitution and bylaws and file a copy with OLMS both initially with the union's Form LM-1, Labor Organization Information Report, and annually thereafter whenever the constitution and bylaws are amended. The union advisory unit will institute a program to ensure that OLMS has an up-to-date copy of every union's constitution and bylaws available for public disclosure on the OLMS Web site. This will ensure that union members and the public have access to the union governing documents that the law requires be available to them. 3. The third problem relates to the LMRDA requirement that a union's Form LM-1 cite the constitutional provisions relating to 13 specific practices and procedures, such as levying assessments or authorizing disbursement of union funds. If the constitution does not address a procedure, the union must file a detailed statement describing the procedure. If the procedure changes, the union must filed an amended Form LM-1. Many unions either do not file a detailed statement or cite a constitutional provision that does not describe the procedure in adequate detail. Or if they file correctly initially, they do not file an amended Form LM-1 as required when practices and procedures are changed. The union advisory unit will review a union's Form LM-1 in conjunction with its constitution and bylaws to insure that the 13 specific practices and procedures are described in sufficient detail to comply with the legal requirements and reflect the union's current practices and procedures. The unit will work with unions at the national, intermediate, and local levels to remedy these problems. Contract staff in the unit will work under the direction of a career employee in the OLMS Office of Policy, Reports, and Disclosure. TASKS Professional positions: Assists in the development of a systematic program to obtain, review, analyze, and, as necessary, secure updated labor organization constitutions and bylaws and Forms LM-1, Labor Organization Information Report. Reviews national, intermediate body, and local labor organization constitutions as assigned to determine if any of the provisions violate the LMRDA on their face or could violate the LMRDA in application. Prepares written analyses of the violations/potential violations including an explanation of how the provisions are inconsistent with the LMRDA and suggested revisions. Makes effective oral presentations of the analyses to OLMS staff and to labor organization officers and employees as requested. Prepares responses to oral and written inquiries from labor organization officers and employees and others about the application of the LMRDA to labor organization constitutional procedures and practices. Administrative positions: Contacts labor organizations orally and/or in writing to determine if their constitution and bylaws on file with OLMS is up-to-date. If not, obtains the current document in a format that can be posted on the OLMS Web site. Reviews the latest Form LM-1 on file with OLMS for national, intermediate body, and local labor organizations. Analyzes the information in Item 18 of Form LM-1 to determine if (1) all constitutional references in Column (1) correspond to the labor organization's constitution and bylaws on file with OLMS and all referenced constitutional provisions adequately describe the corresponding practice or procedure and (2) any descriptions of practices and procedures not contained in the labor organization's constitution are adequate. Prepares reports of the above findings, after obtaining OLMS approval notifies the labor organization of the deficiencies, and obtains an amended Form LM-1 correcting the deficiencies, if necessary. Proposals should be evaluated on the basis of (1) price, (2) past performance, and (3) technical qualifications and experience. Technical qualifications, experience, and past performance should be weighted substantially greater than price. Technical Qualifications/ Experience a writing sample must be submitted for each individual included in the proposal for a professional position. Professional positions: Proposals must demonstrate that the proposed contractor possesses the unique qualifications necessary to review union constitutions and Form LM-1s for compliance with the LMRDA and to communicate their findings clearly and persuasively both orally and in writing. These qualifications include: comprehensive working knowledge of the provisions of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA), ability to analyze union constitutional provisions to determine if they violate the LMRDA on their face or through a potential method of application, familiarity with LMRDA legal and administrative decisions, and proven skill in written and oral presentations of complex analyses. Administrative positions: Proposals must demonstrate that the proposed contractor possesses the following qualifications: ability to effectively use Word and similar word processing programs as well as Excel and Access; skill at organizing work and keeping track of multiple assignments; good telephone technique; ability to deal effectively with individuals both in person and on the phone; proofreading skills; good grammar, spelling, and writing skills. Direct labor expenses, and travel related expenses allowable under the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR), may be allowed to be billed on a cost reimbursement basis. AWARD will be based on the Technical Qualifications, experience and past performance which may be weighted substantially greater than price. Prospective vendors are advised that registration in the Centralized Contractor Registration (CCR) database is mandatory. Offerors are advised that any proposal responses received after the receipt of proposal response date and time shall be considered late and may not be considered for award. QUESTIONS: The cut off time and date for receipt of all questions regarding this RFQ via e-mail to mccray.kim@dol.gov, NO LATER THAN 2:00 PM on August 10, 2006 EST. The offeror shall include, with their business/cost proposal, a cover letter that must be signed by an official authorized to bind the offeror, and it shall contain a statement to the effect that the proposal is firm for a period of at least one hundred and twenty (120) days from the date of receipt by the Government. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL RESPONSE (Separate Business/Cost and Separate Technical Proposal Responses): Submit signed and dated proposal responses on or before August 24, 2006; 3:00 PM EST ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION PROPOSAL RESPONSE, in Microsoft Word file (Do not send PDF file). Concurrent with this, please forward three (3) original hardcopies of separate business/cost and separate technical proposal response must also be provided to the address below by the due date and time using U.S. POSTAL or FEDEX as follows: Point of Contact: Kim McCray, Contract Specialist, Email mccray.kim@dol.gov - Office of Procurement Services (OPS), U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (DOL), 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Room N-5416, Washington, DC 20210 Phone 202-693-4570, FAX 202-693-4579. Place of Performance Address: Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210 or off-site at the discretion of OLMS.