Request for Information - NOAA/OMAO Organizational Structure

General Information Document Type: Request for Information (RFI) - For Planning Purposes Only RFI Number: AB133M-09-RFI-OMAO Synopsis: This document is a request for information as defined in FAR 15.201(e). Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. The government requests information from experienced respondents capable of supporting a structural performance review, conducting a gap analysis, and creating a communication plan for internal and external constituents and stakeholders of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO). Background: OMAO is an organization of just under 1,000 people consisting of a commissioned service, civilian, and wage mariner employees. OMAO is responsible to maintain the NOAA fleet which includes 12 aircraft and 17 research vessels, with two vessels and two planes currently in the final stages of construction and outfitting. OMAO conducts diver training for NOAA and other governmental entities, small vessel inspection and charter vessel certification as part of its fleet and aviation safety program, and coordinates with the NOAA programs that operate over 400 boats to ensure operator qualification and safety standards. Formulation of policies and procedures, development of plans and budgets, and management of NOAA Commissioned Personnel are conducted by OMAO personnel located at headquarters in Silver Spring, MD. Execution of annual fleet allocation plans are delegated to the three operational centers: The Aircraft Operations Center co-located with MacDill AFB in Tampa, FL; the Marine Operations Center-Atlantic located in downtown Norfolk, VA; and the Marine Operations Center-Pacific currently located in downtown Seattle, WA (this operational center is scheduled to move to in Newport, OR in summer 2011). Additionally, there are satellite facilities that support the ships and aircraft. These satellite facilities may or may not represent the most efficient organization but provide a level of Continuity of Operations capability. NOAA's ships and aircraft face challenges similar to other national observational infrastructure: expanding mission requirements, age and obsolescence, and finite resources for recapitalization. To address these issues, NOAA has published "The FY 2010 to FY 2024 NOAA Ship Recapitalization Plan." http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20081023_researchships.html This plan provides a comprehensive review of at-sea observation mission requirements, assesses current capabilities and capacities, and provides a plan to ensure the sustainability of vital at-sea data collection capability currently provided by ships that will reach 50 years of age by 2024. To address similar challenges of aircraft, NOAA has developed "The FY 2011 to FY 2025 NOAA Aircraft Recapitalization Plan" currently in the final stages of approval. Major Objectives: The Government's primary objective is to develop a strategic approach and a tactical plan for improving OMAO organizational effectiveness consistent with the strategic plan that is under development for NOAA and the Department of Commerce. A secondary objective is to create a transition plan to migrate available resources from the current state to the desired future state. NOAA/OMAO requests you describe how you would approach an organization like OMAO to understand current assumptions and processes; identify current and emerging challenges; and baseline available resources. Use previous experience to illustrate how you would implement asset lifecycle and knowledge management to improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Describe how you would mitigate the risks associated with managing change. Please expand your description of past experiences to include further complexity of issues you have encountered so that the Government may consider these details in developing the scope of a potential solicitation. For purposes of this RFI, please submit your response by 12:00 noon EST on October 1, 2009. The feedback should be no more than 10 pages in length and should be submitted to Contracting Officer Paul Reed at Paul.J.Reed@noaa.gov. Please annotate all responses with the relative RFI Number (AB133M-09-RFI-OMAO). If proprietary information is provided, all such data shall be appropriately marked on each page. In addition to the submission, it is requested that responses also include the name and address of your firm, existing Government contract vehicles, and point of contact - position, address and phone number.