Scientific, Technical, Engineering and Program Support Services

The purpose of this update is to post responses to the questions submitted for the draft PWS. Please continue to monitor Beta.Sam for any other updates on this solicitation. DISCLAIMER This Posting is strictly for questions and comments pertaining to the draft PWS. All questions and answers will be posted after July 6th the closing date of the comment period. Any questions or comments should be submitted via email to BOTH the Primary and Secondary contact. All business sizes are encouraged to respond. For tracking purposes this is a continuation of a sources sought notice previously posted on FBO under solicitation number W911SR-19-R-STEPSS(Jan 10, 2019). "THIS IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A "REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)". IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. RESPONSES WILL NOT BE RETURNED TO THE RESPONDER. NOT RESPONDING TO THIS NOTICE DOES NOT PRECLUDE PARTICIPATION IN ANY FUTURE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP), IF ANY IS ISSUED. IF A SOLICITATION IS RELEASED, IT WILL BE SYNOPSIZED ON THE GOVERNMENT-WIDE POINT OF ENTRY (GPE). IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF POTENTIAL OFFERORS TO MONITOR THE GPE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS REQUIREMENT." The Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG) is posting this draft Performance Work Statement for the requirement for Scientific, Technical, Engineering and Program Support Services (STEPSS). This will be a multiple award IDIQ contract. Contractors are encouraged to review and submit questions and comments to the contracting office via the Points of contract included in this notice. (please submit to both Point of contacts) PROGRAM BACKGROUND US Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) is headquartered in the Edgewood area of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG). ECBC is tasked with providing support to meet the non-medical needs across the very specialized and unique CBRNE Community for Department of Defense (DoD) and non-DoD agencies. This support includes integrated science, technology, and engineering solutions. REQUIRED CAPABILITIES The Contractor shall provide research, development and testing support to ECBC in the following three major functional areas: Engineering Support, Research and Technology, and Program and Integration Support. Each functional area is described below. Engineering Support: Including but not limited to the following activities: life cycle systems engineering, product integration engineering (computer aided engineering design and analysis, fabrication, drawing and acquisition/sustainment documentation, product installation), product engineering, product assessment (test planning, test execution, environmental and field testing, product verification), and acquisition logistics support (technical manuals, maintenance planning). This support includes cost estimating, equipment installation, chemical and agent monitoring, chemical demilitarization, quality assurance, risk assessment, closure studies, training, and support of safety programs. Additional activities include design, fabrication, installation, modification, and validation testing of large-scale test capabilities and facilities. Research and Technology Support: Including but not limited to the following activities: research, development, analysis, and experimentation and program management in both laboratory and non-laboratory environments. The following areas require support: biosciences, life sciences, chemical and biological (CB) detection, CB information systems technology, CB protection and decontamination sciences, chemical sciences, toxicology, pharmacology, aerosol science, veterinary/laboratory animal sciences, and obscurants and target defeat technologies, Program and Integration Support: Including but not limited to the following activities: management, safety, security, surety, health, environmental and test and evaluation support. This support includes risk analyses; preparation of environmental documentation; preparing, reviewing or processing standing operating procedures; conducting inspections; organizing and facilitating meetings, special studies, test plans, and reports. Draft documents, public release articles, and reports may be required in support of these tasks. Respondents shall demonstrate the ability to provide support across the entire life cycle from basic research to hardware development and management. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS In the event that a contract is awarded the contractor shall be required to comply with the following requirements: Personnel and Facility Security Clearances. The contractor shall have personnel cleared to Secret. Certain personnel may require clearance to Top Secret (TS) -Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) to allow attendance at high level programmatic and threat briefings where scenarios will be described in which prototypes will have to operate and where threats will be defined that prototypes will be required to defeat. The TS SCI shall be in effect no later than 90 days after contract award. A DD Form 254 Contract Security Classification Specification shall apply to this requirement and the prime contractor shall have or demonstrate ability to obtain a Secret Facility Clearance. For a limited number of competed task orders, the prime contractor shall have or demonstrate ability to obtain a Top Secret Facility Clearance. Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA) shall be applicable to some task orders. The Personnel Reliability Program (PRP) is a United States Department of Defense security, medical and psychological evaluation program, designed to permit only the most trustworthy individuals to have access to nuclear weapons (NPRP), chemical weapons (CPRP), and biological weapons (BPRP). Contractor shall have approved program for CPRP and BPRP in place within 6 months of contract award. Certifications such as Arms, Ammunition, and Explosives (AA&E) shall be required for certain contractor personnel performing specific tasks. An approved Property Management System in accordance with FAR 52.245-1(b)(1) as the result of potential government furnished property (GFP), ex, laptops, An approved accounting system in accordance with DFARS 252.242-7006 Information Technology (IT) (e.g. Clinger-Cohen Act) Service Contract Act ELIGIBILITY The applicable NAICS codes for this predominance of this requirement are 541330 with a small business size standard of $15M and 541715, with a small business size standard of less than 1000 Employees. The Product Service Code is AD23. Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond; however, each respondent must clearly identify their business size in their capabilities statement. Additional applicable NAICS for this requirement include 541990, 541940, 541430, and 561110. In the event that a contract is solicited/awarded, the estimated period of performance consists of five years. The contract type is anticipated to be a hybrid of cost plus fixed fee (CPFF) and Firm Fixed Price (FFP) task orders. The Level of Effort for each year is estimated 640,000 man-hours. The proposed contract is anticipated to include tasking that would be accomplished by labor categories that are subject to the Service Contract Act. Upon evaluation of the capability statements, if it is determined that this requirement will be an unrestricted competition, the Government intends to evaluate the Small-Business responses and conduct further market research to identify a subcontracting goal. No phone calls will be accepted.