R -- Updating Criteria for Standard Review Plan Sections 3.7.1, 3.7.2, and 3.7.3 Pertaining to the Review of Seismic Analysis and Design of Nuclear Power Plants

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for a commercial item, prepared in accordance with FAR 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This is a total, small business set-aside. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. PROPOSALS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. Direct all questions or inquiries referencing this RFQ to Eleni Jernell, Sr. Contract Specialist (301) 415-6345, or via e-mail at exj1@nrc.gov. All offers shall be submitted by mail NO LATER THAN 12:00 noon EST on Wednesday, September 21, 2005, and addressed to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Division of Contracts, Attn. Eleni Jernell, RFQ No. NRR-05-034, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. Solicitation No. NRR-05-034 is herein issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ) under FAR Part 13. Proposals received after the date and time specified for receipt of proposals shall be considered late in accordance with FAR 52.215-1. The Statement of Work includes specific tasks to be completed, deliverables to be submitted, etc. E-mail Eleni Jernell (exj1@nrc.gov) for a copy of the Statement of Work. The Government intends to award a Labor Hour (including travel) Purchase Order with a twenty-four (24) month period of performance. For planning purposes, the estimated level of effort in professional staff days, apportioned among the tasks, is as follows: Task 1 is 5; Task 2 is 4; Task 3 is 6; Task 4 is 6; Task 5 is 3; Task 6 is 3; Task 7 is 5; Task 8 is 4; Task 9 is 7; Task 10 is 3; Task 11 is 3; Task 12 is 3; Task 13 is 3; Task 14 is 3; Task 15 is 3; Task 16 is 4; Task 17 is 5; and Task 18 is 7. Total planned days = 77 This information is advisory and is not to be considered as the sole basis for the development of the proposal. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS Proposals must be typed, numbered, legible and printed or reproduced on letter size paper. PROPOSALS SHALL NOT EXCEED 15 PAGES (if both sides of a page are used, each side is counted as one page). ANY PAGES BEYOND THE FIRST 15 WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED IN THE EVALUATION. All charts, graphs, sales brochures, and other information will be counted in the page limitation. All technical questions concerning this RFQ must be e-mailed to exj1@nrc.gov no later than 3:00 p.m. NRC local time on 9/14/05. The Contracting Officer (CO) will not respond in writing to questions received after the deadline for receipt of questions. Proposals in response to this solicitation must be submitted in separate and distinct parts: 1 original & 3 copies of the "Price Proposal" and 1 original & 3 copies of the "Technical and Management Proposal." Offerors are notified that all information provided in their proposals must be accurate, truthful, and complete to the best of the offeror's knowledge and belief. The Commission will rely upon all such representations made by the offeror both in the evaluation process and for the performance of the work by the offeror selected for award. The Government may reject any or all offers if such action is in the public interest; accept other than the lowest offer; and waive informalities and minor irregularities in offers received. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS--PRICING With the exception of travel, the fixed labor unit price under this contract shall include ALL CHARGES, direct, indirect, labor, supplies, etc. All offerors shall submit a fixed labor unit price based on the estimated level of effort, e.g., labor category, estimated number of hours, fixed unit price, travel and the total price for performance of the entire effort. The estimated travel price shall be in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS--TECHNICAL & MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL (T&M) The T&M proposal shall not contain any reference to prices. The offeror shall submit full and complete information, in the order set forth below, to permit the NRC to perform a thorough evaluation and make a sound determination of whether the offeror will have a reasonable likelihood of meeting the requirements and objectives of this procurement. The proposal shall be fully self contained, and shall specifically address the technical evaluation factors. EVALUATION FACTORS In accordance with FAR 52.212-2(a) the following factors will be used to evaluate offerors: PRICE--Although price is a factor in the evaluation of proposals, technical merit will be a more significant factor in the selection of a contractor. The TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTORS are: PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS---Extent to which the offeror demonstrates that the proposed key personnel possess the required qualifications and experience to perform the work described in the Statement of Work for this solicitation. Personnel shall have the following: (1) Strong background in structural, geotechnical and earthquake engineering, in-depth knowledge in the theory and application of seismic analysis (including site response analysis, definition of ground motion, development of geotechnical data (best-estimate, upper-bound, and lower-bound), modeling of structures, modeling foundation media, soil-structure interaction analysis, and distribution of seismic member forces for the design); (2) Demonstrated experience in performing seismic analyses of massive structures such as nuclear power plant structures; (3) Background in performing site ground motion amplification and deamplification analyses that accommodate the variability in site-specific soil material properties as well as structural properties to maintain the hazard level of the input design bedrock motions; and, (4) Ability and experience in the analysis and design of massive and large sized foundation mat (e.g., nuclear power plant foundation mat) under various loads and combined load conditions. Offeror must identify key personnel who will perform the work and include resumes of those personnel. To demonstrate PAST PERFORMANCE, provide pertinent details regarding your firm's performance history (quality of services, how well you performed) on contracts similar in size and scope to this requirement. Demonstrate your ability to control costs and timeliness of performance. Include letters of commendation, awards received, and any other available factual documentation to support your firm's performance history. Provide any other pertinent information that will aid in the evaluation of your performance record. Identify ALL contracts that your firm has been awarded that were terminated for default, or subject to any disputes, if none, indicate none. At the discretion of NRC, the NRC reserves the right to contact none, one or all sources identified on Attachment 2 - References, regarding past performance information. PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-03 (04/11/05). FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items; 52.204-6, Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number; 52.219-22, Small Disadvantaged Business Status; 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items; 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition with the following additional clauses: 52.204-7, Central Contractor Registration (Oct 2003), Alternate 1. In addition, the following clause applies to this acquisition: Compliance with U.S. Immigration Laws and Regulations -- NRC contractors are responsible for ensuring that their alien personnel are not in violation of United States Immigration and Naturalization (INS) laws and regulations, including employment authorization documents and visa requirements. Each alien employee of the Contractor must be lawfully admitted for permanent residence as evidenced by Alien Registration Receipt Card Form 1-151 or must present other evidence from the Immigration and Naturalization Services that employment will not affect his/her immigration status. The INS Office of Business Liaison (OBL) provides information to contractors to help them understand the employment eligibility verification process for non-US citizens. This information can be found on the INS website http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/services/employerinfo/index.htm#obl. The NRC reserves the right to deny or withdraw contractor use or access to NRC facilities or its equipment/services, and/or take any number of contract administrative actions (e.g., disallow costs, terminate for cause) should the contractor violate the contractor's responsibility under this clause. The full text of the provisions and clauses can be accessed electronically at: www.arnet.gov/far The following NRCAR clauses are hereby incorporated by reference: NRCAR 2052.209-72, Contractor Organizational Conflicts of Interest (JAN 1993); 2052.215-70, Key Personnel. THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH YOUR PROPOSAL: "I represent, to the best of my knowledge and belief that the award of this purchase order does / / or does not / / involve situations or relationships of the type set forth in NCAR 2009.570. (Conflict of Interest) http://www.nrc.gov/who-we-are/contracting/48cfr-ch20.html"