Sources Sought - Collaborative Membership

COLLABORATIVE MEMBERSHIP A. Purpose: This is a Sources Sought Notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The Department of Defense (DoD), Washington Headquarters Services (WHS). NAICS recommendations: 611310 Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; 611519 Other Technical and Trade Schools; 611710 Educational Support Services; 813920 Professional Organization. Responses from all qualified small business concerns are requested including Small Businesses, 8(a) Small Businesses, HUBZone Small Businesses, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), Woman-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB) and Economically Disadvantaged Women-owned Small Businesses (EDWOSB) are encouraged to respond. If a minimum of two qualified small businesses are identified during this market research stage, any competitive procurement that may result may be conducted as a small business set-aside. Small businesses are defined under the associated NAICS code and size standard (See Table of size standards (sba.gov)). B. Introduction/Background: The Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) requires the procurement of a membership (annual with renewal options) to an organization composed of industry, academic, and governmental leaders to discuss innovation and change(s) necessary to modernize DTIC from its legacy organization to a strategic asset for the Defense industry. The membership of the organization should provide solutions to challenges facing large DoD agencies undergoing significant change. The membership must include the organization's capability of providing large DoD agencies, such as DTIC, with insight on how DTIC can better serve DoD's Science and Technology (S &T) community to foster growth, increase DTIC's visibility across the S&T community, increase DTIC's usage as objectively evaluated against measurable and quantifiable metrics, and ensure S&T researchers get access to and provide all information with DTIC's control relevant to their research efforts, projects and programs. The organization would include assisting DTIC to evaluate the recommendations and devise solutions by leveraging best practices in use across industry, academia, and other governmental agencies. DTIC's modernization effort is consistent with language found in Senate Report 116-236 to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021; which directed the Under Secretary of Defense for research and Engineering, in coordination with the Chief Data Officer and other appropriate officials, to brief the congressional defense committee no later than December 31, 2021, on a plan for the modernization and revitalization of DTIC missions, capabilities, and roles to support the National Defense Strategy. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES 1155 DEFENSE PENTAGON WASHINGTON, DC 20301-1155 ACQUISITION DIRECTORATE The organization supporting DTIC must be capable of addressing challenges facing large organizations undergoing change. Its members must be willing and able to share real time challenges they faced during change and provide workable and achievable solutions from across industries and around the globe. The organization must be able to prepare and provide reports on emerging issues and be capable of addressing opportunities across a broad array of areas, such as innovation in large firms; the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in an organization; resiliency and leadership; how to measure innovation and outcomes; how to fund innovation - metrics, portfolio management, and governance (or oversight); and how to handle - too much data (e.g., how to deal with information overflow and get the most relevant data via search engines to customers). C. Place of Performance: (1) DTIC offices located in the Andrew T. McNamara Building, 8725 John J. Kingman Road, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6218 as (2) Web-based weekly virtual meetings and trainings using video conference capabilities on a regular (weekly basis) with a minimum of one and up to five DTIC representatives in attendance; and (3) The requirement in broad terms may require various meeting platforms (offsite - in person with group members to discuss challenges facing DTIC and its modernization efforts, virtual, and at DTIC facility). While work is performed in the building, DLA HQC COVID-19 guidelines will need to be followed. Current guidelines will be furnished when onsite dates are confirmed. D. Security Requirements: N/A a. Facility Clearance (FCL) & Personnel Clearance: N/A b. Physical Security. The contactor will not be issued a Common Access Card (CAC) or facility accesses. Contractor will be escorted at all times when visiting the HQC McNamara Complex. The Contractor Facility Security Officer (FSO) shall submit a Visit Request to DTIC utilizing the Defense Information System for Security (DISS), prior to any personnel coming on-site to perform maintenance. The contractor will be required to adhere to the DLA Visitor Control Center procedures for access to the HQC McNamara Complex. E. Objective: To obtain a membership with renewal options to an organization composed of industry, academic, and government leaders to discuss innovation and changes necessary to modernize DTIC from its legacy organization to a strategic asset for the Defense industry. F. Response Format/Requirements: To facilitate a timely and comprehensive review of all submitted responses, organizations shall respond using the format described in this Notice. All interested organizations having the experience, skills, and capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements are requested to provide capability statements. Text shall be at least single-spaced, 12-point font sized in Times New Roman, on 8.5 x 11 paper, with a minimum one-inch margin all around. Text and graphics portions of the electronic copies shall be in a format readable by Microsoft (MS) Office 2010 or Adobe Acrobat version 10. Data submitted in spreadsheet format shall be readable by MS Excel 2010. Note: to adhere to page limitations, imbedded hyperlinks will NOT be accessed for review. No hard copy or facsimile submissions will be accepted. A total of no more than 5 pages (excluding 1 cover page and 1 table of content) shall be submitted. Responses to this notice must include: 1. Organization name, address and phone number 2. Contractor and Government Entity (CAGE) code and/or Unique Entity ID 3. Primary Point of Contact name, phone and email address a. Identify whether company is a small business under (NAICS) code 813920 Professional Organizations. If company is a small business, identify socioeconomic classification, e.g., Woman-Owned, Economically Disadvantaged Women-owned, Service- Disabled Veteran-Owned, Veteran Owned, HuBZone as described in FAR Part 19. 4. Identify if the organization is capable of providing the following requirements and can meet the requirements identified in No. 5 below. DTIC is seeking an organizational (NOT INDIVIDUAL) membership to an organization comprised of members from academia, industry, and government to assist DTIC in addressing its challenges with modernization and revitalization. 5. If any, identify and suggest equal products with the same salient physical, function or performance characteristics. The equal products must meet the following requirements: a. Organization should be comprised of diverse members (e.g., members from academia, industry, and government). The list of active members is not all inclusive but rather suggested. b. The organization shall provide two reports annually assessing specific areas of DTIC that are undergoing change. c. The organization shall conduct regular meetings (at least one per month) and trainings (at least one per month) addressing change and ways to improve large organizations. d. Shall be an organizational membership; not limited or identified as a membership limited to individuals. 6. If there are no equal products, please indicate there are no equal products and why. As noted in No. 5 above - this requirement is preferably for membership to an organization. 7. If respondent has a government contract vehicle such as a Federal Supply Schedule or other government-wide use contract that would address the scope of this requirement, please indicate contract vehicle and contract number in your response. 8. Questions Submission: Interested offerors must submit any questions concerning this Sources Sought Notice no later than 12:00 pm (EST), 3 February 2023. 9. Please indicate whether your organization will submit a proposal if an RFP is issued and whether your organization's interest is for prime contracting or as a subcontractor. 10. Please include the percentage of subcontracting contemplated, if applicable, and for which specific tasks. This can assist WHS/AD in establishing a basis for developing set-asides and/or subcontracting opportunities, if necessary. 11. Identify any recommended NAICS codes for this effort. 12. Please indicate if your organization is able to respond to this SSN in a timely manner. If not, indicate why. G. Deadline: The Government requests interested organizations to submit a letter of interest and statement of capability to provide the above services to Frederick Ray at Frederick.c.ray.civ@mail.mil by 12:00 pm (EST), 10 February 2023. H. Disclaimer and Important Notes: This Sources Sought Notice is for market research purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal/Quotation; and, it is not considered to be a commitment by the Government to award a contract nor will the Government pay for any information provided; no basis for claim against the Government shall arise as a result from a response to this Sources Sought Notice or Government use of any information provided. Failure to submit information in sufficient detail may result in considering a firm as not a viable source and may influence competition and set-aside decisions. Regardless of the information obtained from this Sources Sought Notice, the Government reserves the right to consider any arrangement as deemed appropriate for this requirement. Respondents are advised that the Government be under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response to this Sources Sought Notice. The Government reserves the right to use any information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation. At this time, no solicitation exists; therefore, please DO NOT REQUEST A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION and DO NOT SUBMIT OFFERS. G. Point of Contact: Frederick Ray Contract Specialist Email: frederick.c.ray.civ@mail.mil