RFI for SIRAP

The Government is conducting market research and identifying, as potential sources, companies that may possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet the requirements as specified in the Program Description below. CAUTION: This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for information and planning purposes. This RFI is in conjunction with the previous RFI that was posted 15 February 2020 - 5 March 2020 titled RFI for SIRAP. In accordance with Part 10 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the U.S. Government is conducting market research. The intended purpose is to identify potential sources that may possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience in order meet Intern requirements. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. Further, USAF is not at this time seeking proposals, and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responders are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the responding party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The USAF is seeking to procure a varying quantity of interns and research associates for the 88th Air Base Wing (88th ABW), National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC), and Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) for 1 base year and 4 option years. This includes the hiring, managing, security clearances including top secret, training and supervising of interns and research associates. The Student Intern and Research Associate Program (SIRAP) shall utilize undergraduate and graduate students, and/or postdoctoral research associates for tasks within the scope of this contract throughout each period of performance. The contractor will provide the technical and functional expertise required for effectively executing the performance, and schedule associated with the requirements of each task order from the IDIQ. The estimated number of interns required breaks down roughly to 120 in year one, 140 in year two, 152 in year three, 163 in year 4, and 179 in year 5. These amounts are purely estimates at this time and are subject to increase or decrease as requirements change during the market research phase. The contractor must have the ability to obtain Top Secret security clearances for NASIC task orders with a projected 30 interns per year. Coordination with each facility, (AFIT, 88th, NASIC) staff, and personnel will be required during the initiation, execution and completion of each task order (TO). The contractor shall maintain effective and timely communications with the Government faculty and staff by: providing prospective candidates who are acceptable to the Government's Faculty POC; completing all administrative, environmental, safety, security and training requirements; coordinating acceptable start and end dates; coordinating in- and out-processing; reporting the current status, and/or change in status for each research task, on a continuous, on-going basis to the Government's Faculty POC or Government COR. Please see the attached Working PWS (Attachment 1). If, after reviewing the PWS, you desire to participate in the market research, you should provide documentation that supports your company's capability in meeting these requirements. All interested firms shall submit a capabilities package that explicitly demonstrates company capabilities-indicating examples of commercial services and specifications related to this effort. Also indicate if you are the provider, or provide the name and size of the provider of the services you will be supplying. Failure to provide documentation may result in the government being unable to adequately assess your capabilities. If you lack sufficient experience in a particular area, please provide details explaining how you would overcome the lack of experience/capabilities in order to perform that portion of the requirement (i.e., teaming, subcontracting, clearances, etc.). Please provide feedback for any requirements that are above your company's scope of capabilities for described IDIQ. Included in your response, please provide the following business information for your company/institution and for any teaming or joint venture partners: Company/Institute Name: Address: Point of Contact: CAGE Code: Phone Number: E-mail Address: Web Page URL: Capabilities: Response Due Date: Responses to this RFI are due no later than 1:00 pm, EST. Friday, 07 May 2021 and should be sent to Zachary.Huffman.2@us.af.mil and John.Ruppert@us.af.mil. Primary Points of Contact: John Ruppert, Contract Officer, John.Ruppert@us.af.mil Zachary Huffman, Section Chief, Zachary.Huffman.2@us.af.mil. Attachments: Working PWS The Government is conducting market research and identifying, as potential sources, companies that may possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet the requirements as specified in the Program Description below. CAUTION: This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for information and planning purposes. This RFI is in conjunction with the previous RFI that was posted 15 February 2020 - 5 March 2020 titled RFI for SIRAP. In accordance with Part 10 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the U.S. Government is conducting market research. The intended purpose is to identify potential sources that may possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience in order meet Intern requirements. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. Further, USAF is not at this time seeking proposals, and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responders are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the responding party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The USAF is seeking to procure a varying quantity of interns and research associates for the 88th Air Base Wing (88th ABW), National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC), and Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) for 1 base year and 4 option years. This includes the hiring, managing, security clearances including top secret, training and supervising of interns and research associates. The Student Intern and Research Associate Program (SIRAP) shall utilize undergraduate and graduate students, and/or postdoctoral research associates for tasks within the scope of this contract throughout each period of performance. The contractor will provide the technical and functional expertise required for effectively executing the performance, schedule, and cost parameters associated with the requirements of each task order from the IDIQ. The estimated number of interns required breaks down roughly to 120 in year one, 140 in year two, 152 in year three, 163 in year 4, and 179 in year 5. These amounts are purely estimates at this time and are subject to increase or decrease as requirements change during the market research phase. The contractor must have the ability to obtain Top Secret security clearances for NASIC task orders with a projected 30 interns per year. Coordination with each facility, (AFIT, 88th, NASIC) staff, and personnel will be required during the initiation, execution and completion of each task order (TO). The contractor shall maintain effective and timely communications with the Government faculty and staff by: providing prospective candidates who are acceptable to the Government's Faculty POC; completing all administrative, environmental, safety, security and training requirements; coordinating acceptable start and end dates; coordinating in- and out-processing; reporting the current status, and/or change in status for each research task, on a continuous, on-going basis to the Government's Faculty POC or Government COR. Please see the attached Working PWS (Attachment 1). If, after reviewing the PWS, you desire to participate in the market research, you should provide documentation that supports your company's capability in meeting these requirements. All interested firms shall submit a capabilities package that explicitly demonstrates company capabilities-indicating examples of commercial services and specifications related to this effort. Also indicate if you are the provider, or provide the name and size of the provider of the services you will be supplying. Failure to provide documentation may result in the government being unable to adequately assess your capabilities. If you lack sufficient experience in a particular area, please provide details explaining how you would overcome the lack of experience/capabilities in order to perform that portion of the requirement (i.e., teaming, subcontracting, clearances, etc.). Please provide feedback for any requirements that are above your company's scope of capabilities for described IDIQ. Included in your response, please provide the following business information for your company/institution and for any teaming or joint venture partners: Company/Institute Name: Address: Point of Contact: CAGE Code: Phone Number: E-mail Address: Web Page URL: Capabilities: Response Due Date: Responses to this RFI are due no later than 1:00 pm, EST. Friday, 07 May 2021 and should be sent to Zachary.Huffman.2@us.af.mil and John.Ruppert@us.af.mil. Primary Points of Contact: John Ruppert, Contract Officer, John.Ruppert@us.af.mil Zachary Huffman, Section Chief, Zachary.Huffman.2@us.af.mil. Attachments: Working PWS