START IV

This is only a sources sought announcement published for market research purposes. Submitted information will assist Region 5, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with internal acquisition planning relative to set-aside decisions, and or an appropriate level of completion and/or small business subcontracting goals. THIS IS NOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE MADE FOR ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ANY FOLLOW-UP REQUESTS. No telephone calls requesting a solicitation will be accepted or acknowledged. Standard company brochures will not be reviewed. The purpose of this Sources Sought Synopsis is to determine the availability of small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, HUBZone small businesses, woman-owned small businesses, veteran owned small businesses, 8(a) small businesses, etc... capable of meeting the requirements of the attached performance work statement (PWS), as applicable for nationally consistent advisory and assistance to EPA On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) and other federal officials implementing EPA responsibilities under the national response system for the Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) class of contracts. These services primarily support the Emergency Response Branches in the Superfund Division at the Region 5, EPA. The contractor shall be prepared to provide scientific/technical support and align its activities with EPA activities to protect human health and the environment. The primary performance of work will be conducted within Region 5 (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI); however, contractors may need to respond to unforeseen national responses and be able to perform outside the region. In times of national response, the additional areas of response may include any of the 44 U.S. states, District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam. The contractor shall be able to maintain a 24 hour, seven day a week, and year-round response capability to EPA needs within the region as well as outside the region on a backup regional, cross regional, national, and international response. The successful contractor shall provide all necessary personnel, materials, equipment, and services in support of the responsibilities and efforts delineated by the PWS. A draft PWS is attached for your information; this document is not in final form and is subject to change. Contractors shall have extensive experience in investigating, restoring and directly supporting the restoration of a contaminated environment. Activities are described in the PWS and include, but are not limited to: preliminary assessments, site inspections, testing, remedial investigations, feasibility studies, engineering evaluation and costs analysis, enforcement support, human health/health ecological risk assessments, and cost recovery. A business does not need to have all the capabilities to perform the entire tasks listed within the SOW but would need to demonstrate how they would cover all the tasks. A business may submit its qualifications based on a teaming arrangement with other business (es). In Region 5, approximately 90% of the projected work will be Response Activities under the Technical Requirements of the PWS. For more information, please visit the following link: http://www.epa.gov/oamsrpod/ersc/start/index.htm It is anticipated that the ONE contract will be an Advisory and Assistance, Indefinite Quantity/Indefinite Delivery (IDIQ) type contract starting around February 2013 with a 48 month base period, and three (3), 24 month award term options. Work will be ordered through the issuance of task orders. The estimated maximum potential value is $130 million over the life of the contract. The applicable primary NAICS code is 562910, Environmental Remediation Services, with a small business size standard of 500 employees; smaller sub-component NAICS codes include 541620 Environmental Consulting Services with a small business size standard of $7 Million; and 541330 Engineering Services with a small business size standard of $4.5 Million. For more information on size standards under this NAICS code and the Small Business Administration (SBA) small business standards visit: http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/contracting/contracting-officials/eligibility-size-standards ANY INTERESTED FIRM shall give a brief description of their ability to satisfy all the requirements of the PWS, and shall provide five references of relevance (within the past five (5) years) or currently being performed, which specifically demonstrates the contractor's ability to successfully satisfy the requirements. Firms shall also provide point of contact information (name, title, telephone number, and email address) where available for the efforts cited above. Limit responses to 4 pages = 2 physically double-sided papers. Firms shall also provide specific details about personnel capabilities, current equipment, or methods of obtaining the necessary equipment, office locations (indicate how your company can respond to the various locations within the required timeframes as listed in the PWS), and quality assurance procedures currently in place. Specific details shall also describe simultaneous responses to a site assessment in Minnesota and Ohio (including how you would staff), and emergency response in the upper peninsula of Michigan, a removal in Indiana, and a PRP oversight in Wisconsin. Responses to this sources sought shall include a list of key personnel who would perform key tasks; such as responses requiring the appropriate levels of personal protection equipment; a list of necessary equipment in good working condition and trained staff to operation equipment; and the ability to support the Regional Response Centers and Emergency Response Notification System (NRNS) during spills/releases, and periods of multiple emergencies disasters, and terrorist acts. This includes support for Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) and Disaster Field Offices under the Federal Response Plan (FRP) and National Contingency Plan (NCP). Limit responses to 12 pages = 6 physically double-sided pages. Social and Environmental submission requirements: potential contractors shall provide their size status for the above referenced NAICS, (i.e. large, small) and whether or not they are a certified HUB Zone, small disadvantaged, woman-owned, veteran, service-disabled veteran-owned, or 8(a) small businesses concern. The EPA reserves the right to set this action aside for small businesses. If a business submits a response based upon teaming arrangements, it must be in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 9.601. If a response to this sources sought intends on forming a teaming arrangement, then this shall be clearly identified with details listing each firm's capability. Contractors shall describe their ability to meet the Sustainable/Green requirements in the attachment of the PWS entitled, START IV Greening Clean-Ups. Submissions of additional sustainable practices are encouraged. Limit responses to 4 pages = 2 physically double-sided papers. Responses should be submitted either as a hard copy or electronically with font sizes no smaller than 12 point and on standard 8-1/2" x 11" size paper. Maximum page submission should not exceed 20 double sided pages. The maximum page limit is 20 pages. Electronic submissions shall be in a PDF format and less than 10MB as email boxes in our office have limited capabilities; therefore, it is advised to submit electronic responses 24 hours in advance and verifying electronic submissions were received. Submit responses to both Thomas Harrison and Sara Losos, either to the address below or via the following email addresses: contact@example.gov and contact@example.gov. Responses are due no later than COB on February 23, 2012.