Task Force For Business and Stability Operations in Afghanistan (Natural Resources Support Services)

Request for Information Solicitation: HQ0034-12-SMS201205100136 Agency/Office: Washington Headquarters Services (Acquisition Directorate) Location: WHS/AD/EASD (Enterprise Analysis & Studies Division) Title: Task Force For Business and Stability Operations in Afghanistan (Natural Resources Support Services) Request for Information Description: This Request for Information (RFI) is being issued by the Washington Headquarters Services Acquisition Directorate (WHS/AD), on behalf of the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations in Afghanistan. Note that this is not a request for proposal. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. This RFI seeks industry comments to assist the Government in (1) Locating potential sources with the ability to satisfy its requirement. The critical element of this RFI is determining industry availability to perform the subject requirements. Small businesses that are certified and qualified as a small business under NAICS code 541611: Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services with a size standard of $14,000,000 are encouraged to respond. RFI Guidelines Please note that this synopsis is for INFORMATION and PLANNING purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP). Responses to the RFI cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract nor will the Government pay for the information solicited or recognize any costs associated with the submission of the RFI. The purpose of the RFI is to provide an opportunity for industry to enhance the success of any future procurement to meet this requirement. Any information obtained as a result of this RFI is intended to be used by the Government on a non-attribution basis for program planning and acquisition strategy development. Providing data/information that is limited or restricted for use by the Government for that purpose would be of very little value and such restricted/limited data/information is not solicited. By submitting information in response to this RFI, submitters of such information impliedly consent to the release and dissemination of submitted information to any Government or non-Government entity to which WHS releases and disseminate the information for review. As such, to the extent that any information submitted in response to this RFI is marked as or construed to be proprietary or business-sensitive, submitters are hereby notified (a) about the potentiality that such information may be disclosed to third parties and (b) that submission of information in response to this RFI constitutes consent to such handling and disclosure of submitted information. Responses to this notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Potential sources are invited to submit a Capabilities Statement up to 5 pages for responses, as described above, to the "Task Force for Business and Stability Operations in Afghanistan - Natural Resources Support Services". All responses should be submitted electronically via e-mail address to kellie.buck@whs.mil and steve.slagle.ctr@whs.mil no later than 3:00 P.M. on May 16, 2012. Only attach MS Word/Excel compatible files or Adobe Acrobat PDF files in electronic correspondence. WHS will not acknowledge receipt of responses to this RFI. If you have any questions pertaining to this notice shall be submitted via email to the WHS POC's listed in the above paragraph. Performance Work Statement Natural Resources Support Services (Afghanistan) Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO) 1. BACKGROUND The Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO) was established in June 2006 to aid in the revitalization of Iraq's economy and create jobs for the Iraqi people. In 2010, the Task Force began operations aimed at creating economic opportunities for the people of Afghanistan. 2. OBJECTIVE To provide general management in direct support of the Natural Resources Division of TFBSO. A sustainable and profitable natural resource/mining sector is required in order for TFBSO to accomplish its mission of revitalization/stabilization of an economy in a conflict Area of Operation (AO). These conflict AOs need natural resource development, management, and organization in order to shift the focus from despair to prosperity. 3. TASKS The contractor shall provide the necessary services, qualified personnel, materials, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government, as needed to perform this Performance Work Statement in coordination with the Contract Officer's Direction in the Task Areas specified below. 3.1 Field Site Management The contractor shall be responsible for providing suitable field housing and work accommodations for sampling, mapping and survey team members. The contractor shall be responsible for providing all equipment needed to collect the data sets requested by TFBSO or its partners. This equipment should be the property of the contractor or under control of the contractor, and contractor acquired property/equipment shall be accounted for on the contractor's property records. The contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that data from the field is provided to appropriate team members with TFBSO, the Afghan Government, and other partners in an efficient and standardized format as requested by the appropriate body upon request and no later than every two weeks. Deliverables: Field data reports and analysis as requested by the US and Afghan Governments - Word, PowerPoint, Excel 3.2 Engineering, Drilling, and Technical Services The contractor shall provide senior level support for management and oversight of the field activities performed by the contractor and TFBSO partners. The contractor shall oversee, manage and certify the drilling, sampling, mapping, and potential mine planning and design of between 3 and 7 sites within the CENTCOM AOR. The contractor shall manage the drilling, assaying, cataloging, plotting, logging and transport of all samples from field locations to an internationally certified laboratory (and/or a technically feasible laboratory available within the CENTCOM AOR) for all required analysis. The contractor shall also be responsible for tracking the progress of samples through the laboratory process to ensure results are received in a timely manner as agreed upon between the contractor and the TFBSO. The contractor shall oversee purchase of all equipment in support of Village Stability Operation (VSO) projects, including replacement parts if necessary. The Contractor will also manage and assist in shipping, transport and repair of equipment at VSO sites. Contractor will also be responsible for training both military and local partners in on all VSO-purchased equipment. The contractor shall provide technical guidance in support of VSO projects, including but not limited to assessments of current mining practices at potential sites, training local partners and US military partners in best mining practices, participating in pre assessment and after action reports, etc. The contractor shall manage the transport of all equipment and samples in accordance with local laws and regulations and shall be responsible for any licenses or certification necessary in order to comply with local and host nation law. The contractor shall train sampling and mapping teams according to the US Government's requirements to ensure all data and resulting products are appropriate for attracting international, regional and local investment. The contractor shall use Afghan employees for all field technicians and researcher positions wherever able. The contractor shall assist in design of mining concepts to be deployed at various areas of interest to include processing facilities, metallurgy processes and mining plants. 3.3 Deliverables: Status reports as required by the US Government on fieldwork and sample analysis progress Compliance Plan with local and national laws and regulations - Word or PowerPoint Copies of any licenses or certifications necessary to conduct required work - PDF 3.4 Knowledge Transfer To enable the Afghan Government's continued success the contractor shall document their efforts to allow for knowledge transfer to the appropriate Afghan government personnel. The contractor shall coordinate closely during all phases to foster the development of a strategy that encompasses the Afghan government's diverse investment and mineral development needs. This collaboration shall also assist in establishing standardized processes and protocols across multiple Afghan Government offices as they emerge. The contractor shall ensure all data collected and analyzed, along with any products derived from that data, remains in the possession of the appropriate US or Afghan Government office and any authorized partners with whom the office is working. The contractor shall not distribute or release any data or derived products without the explicit permission of the Contracting Officer. 3.5 Village Stability Operations Management The Contractor shall provide management services for projects in support of Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan and other military commands in Afghanistan. Contractor will create and manage various documents including but, not limited to, pre-project assessments, project plans, timelines, after action reviews, etc. The Contractor will be the liaison between special operations and various local parties; at the same time will also report back to US Government personnel and Afghan Government partners on project updates. The contractor shall manage all aspects of the VSO project, including any training of military or local partners and any third party investment that might take place in the VSO area. 3.6 Management and Professional Services The contractor shall provide management and professional support services, i.e. services that provide assistance, advice or training for the efficient and effective management and operation of organizations, activities (including management band support services for mining or mineral development activities) or systems. These services are normally closely related to the basic responsibilities and mission of the agency originating the requirement. Included are efforts that support or contribute to improved organization of program management, logistics management, project monitoring and reporting, data and sample collection, budgeting, accounting, performance auditing, and administrative technical support for conferences and training programs. The Contractor shall: 3.7 Manage contractor employees and performance. Maintain a stable workforce. Develop and maintain a customer-orientated philosophy, create an environment that improves employee performance, solves programmatic issues and delivers high-quality performance. Ensure that the new personnel meet or exceed the stated qualification requirements as stated in the original proposal. Respond to the Contracting Officer (CO) or US Government Program Manager (PM) requests in a timely manner as directed. Identify, document and notify the US Government or actual or potential contractor program management problems and deficiencies and report unresolved problems to the CO and US Government PM. Perform corrective actions for all identified contractor program management problems and deficiencies in line with time frames specified by the CO. Support periodic meetings and conferences convened at the direction of the PM. The contractor shall be responsible for providing multi-scale definition and analysis for the TFBSO minerals program in order to provide relevant information and insight systems analysis. The Contractor shall: Provide project management expertise and guidance; Assist in comparing program direction and guidance in program management directives, plans and other program documents and identify discrepancies and recommend action; Assist in the preparation, review and integration of selected milestone review documentation, periodic reports and certifications; Assist in identifying and mitigating risks to the program; Assist in reviewing contractor deliverable status together with milestone schedules, status reports, and cost performance reports; Determine accuracy of information/situation depicted, and report inconsistencies; 4. EXPERTISE REQUIREMENTS The Government is relying on the expertise of the contractor to determine the appropriate personnel qualifications to perform the effort. 5. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE The period of performance for this effort is twelve months from the date of award. (Tentative award date of June 30, 2012). 6. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE Primary place of performance is in Kabul, Afghanistan and other sites throughout Afghanistan. Contract performance shall occur primarily throughout various locations in the CENTCOM AOR, the National Capital Region (DC), other CONUS locations, and other areas as identified by the Government COR. 7. MEETINGS AND DELIVERABLES 7.1 MEETINGS 7.1.1 Kick-Off Meeting: The Contractor shall schedule and conduct a joint Government and Contractor kick-off meeting to review the contract and the Performance Work Statement within 10 calendar days from the date of award. The kick-off meeting may be conducted via several methods. The method of the meeting shall be determined by the Government. 7.1.2 Periodic Progress Meetings: The contracting officer, Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), and other US Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the contractor to review the contractor's performance. At these meetings the contracting officer will apprise the contractor of how the US Government views the contractor's performance and the contractor will apprise the US Government of issues or concerns, if any, being experienced. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues. 7.1.3 Final Report/Briefing: The contractor shall provide an electronic copy of the Final Report to the COTR and a final briefing no later than 10 days before contract expiration. The Final Report shall summarize all the monthly reports and include achievements, lessons learned, areas to improve, a summary of all administrative actions (both positive and negative actions) and a budget/cost summary in the performance of the effort. 7.2 DELIVERABLES 7.2.1 Deliverables Format: All deliverables shall be provided in electronic format to the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). Unless otherwise instructed by the COR, deliverables shall be provided as an email attachment. 7.2.2 Monthly Program Management Reports: The contractor shall submit monthly program management reports delivered in a format or media approved by the COR. Electronic media shall be used, whenever practical. Report formats shall be created by the Contractor and approved by the COR within 10 days of contract award. However, these reports shall include the following: Contractor name and address Contract number Date of report Period covered by report Description of progress made during period reported, including problem areas encountered and recommendations, if any, for solutions. Trips and significant results to include travel proposed and travel expended Plans and recommendations for activities during the following reporting period Problems and Shortfalls; identification of potential problems; and identification of any anticipated technical or funding shortfall or irregularity during the specified period of performance not later than four (4) months prior to the anticipated shortfall. 7.2.3 Proprietary Rights: All analyses, reports, documentation, briefings, etc., in any medium or format, developed and conducted under this contract are Government property. The Government will retain sole right to use, distribute, and/or publish these data and items as it sees fit. Release of any such information by the Contractor to personnel or organizations outside TFBSO will be done on a case-by-case basis with approval by the Contracting Officer or COR. 7.2.4 Dissemination of Information/Publishing: There shall be no dissemination or publication, except within and between the Contractor and any subcontractors or specified Integrated Product/Process Team (IPT) members who have a need to know, of information developed under this order or contained in the reports to be furnished pursuant to this order without prior written approval of the Contracting Officer. TFBSO approval for publication will require provisions which protect the intellectual property and patent rights of both TFBSO and the Contractor. 7.2.5 Record Retention: The contractor is required to maintain all reports and records for the duration of the contract and shall supply the government the reports upon completion of the contract. 7.2.6 Deliverables Table TASK TITLE DATE DUE SUBMIT TO MEDIUM/ FORMAT 3.1 Field data reports and analysis 14 Days from Field Mission or Upon Request COR MS Office, appropriate DoD document formats via email 3.2 Status reports on fieldwork and sample analysis progress Every Week COR MS Office, appropriate DoD document formats via email 3.3 Compliance Plan with local and national laws and regulations 14 Days from Request COR MS Office, appropriate DoD document formats via email 3.4 Copies of any licenses or certifications necessary to conduct required work 30 Days from Award COR PDF or MS Office, appropriate DoD document formats via email Kick-Off Meeting 10 Days from Award COR Meeting 7.1.3 Final Report 10 Days Prior to Contract Expiration COR PDF or MS Office, appropriate DoD document formats via email 7.2.2 Monthly Program Management Reports Every 30 Days COR PDF or MS Office, appropriate DoD document formats via email 8. ACCEPTANCE The TFBSO will have five (5) working days to complete its review of the deliverables. The TFBSO will accept or reject the deliverables in writing. In the event of the rejection of any deliverable, the contractor shall be notified in writing by the COR, giving the specific reason(s) for rejection. The contractor shall have five (5) working days to correct the rejected deliverable and return it to the COR. 9. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS Performance Objectives: The contractor's performance will be measured against the performance objectives identified in the Service Delivery Summary in the table below. Contractor Performance Objectives are derived from the contract statement of work. Government reserves the right to Terminate for Convenience (TFC) services for its sole convenience under the contract for substandard performance change in requirements or subject to availability of funds. 9.1 Performance Requirements Summary TASK TITLE MEDIUM/ FORMAT 3.6 Field data reports and analysis No more than 3 discrepancies and 100% on time 3.7 Status reports on fieldwork and sample analysis progress No more than 3 discrepancies and 100% on time 3.7 Plan for Compliance with local and national laws and regulations No more than 3 discrepancies and 100% on time 3.7 Copies of any licenses or certifications necessary to conduct required work No more than 3 discrepancies and 100% on time 7.1.1 Kick-Off Meeting 100% on time 7.1.3 Final Report No more than 3 discrepancies and 100% on time 7.2.2 Monthly Program Management Reports No more than 3 discrepancies and 100% on time 9.2 Performance Requirements Summary PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE STANDARD PERFORMANCE THRESHOLD METHOD OF SURVEILLANCE Field Data Reports and Analysis 3.6 N/A No more than 3 discrepancies and 100% on time Random Sampling 10. QUALITY CONTROL The contractor shall develop and maintain an effective quality control program to ensure services are performed in accordance with this PWS. The contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The contractor's quality control program is the means by which he assures himself that his work complies with the requirement of the contract. As a minimum, the contractor shall develop quality control procedures that address the areas identified in "Performance Requirements Summary". The contractor's QC plan must be submitted to the Contracting Officer via the COR no later than 10 calendar days following contract award. Once finalized and agreed upon, the QC plan will be incorporated into the awarded contract. After acceptance of the Quality Control plan, the contractor shall receive the contracting officer's acceptance in writing of any proposed change to this QC system. 11. QUALITY ASSURANCE The government will evaluate the contractor's performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. This plan is primarily focused on what the government must do to ensure that the contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s). 12. SECURITY AND PRIVACY Due to the nature of the work, all Contractor personnel will be required to have and maintain a SECRET security clearance. Performance of this contract may require the Contractor to access data and information proprietary to the Government or of such a nature that its dissemination or use, other than in performance of this contract would be adverse to the interest of the Government or others. The Contractor shall not divulge or release data or information developed or obtained in performance of this contract except to authorize Government personnel or upon written approval of the Contracting Officer. The Contractor shall not use, disclose, or reproduce proprietary data, other than as required in the performance of this contract. The limitations above do not apply to data or information that has been made public by the Government. Further, this provision does not preclude the use of any data independently acquired by the Contractor without such limitations or prohibit an agreement at no cost to the Government between the Contractor and the data owner, which provides for greater rights to the Contractor. All products produced and their associated work papers are to be considered the property of the Government. 13. TRAVEL The contractor shall be required to travel in performance of this PWS. The number of trips and types of personnel traveling shall be limited to the minimum required to accomplish work requirements and shall be coordinated with the COR prior to travel. All travel and expenses will be in compliance with the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR). Travel will be reimbursed based on actual cost and conducted in accordance with FAR 31.205-46 in effect at time of travel, as set forth in FTR, JTR, and Standard Regulations, Section 925, as applicable. The COR must authorize all travel prior to commencement of travel. The Contractor must provide a minimum of one week's notice of expected travel. An approved Contractor's Travel Authorization Request (TAR) shall be the standard document authorizing Contractor travel. Local travel, including to and from Government offices in the NCR, the Pentagon, and in the surrounding Washington D.C. area, will not be reimbursed as a direct charge to the contract. Travel to and from the normal place of duty will not be reimbursed, nor will parking fees. No profit/fee shall be applied to travel expenses. The contractor is authorized private security services, as required and as authorized by the COR of this contract, to ensure secure travel between the various points of mission execution for TFBSO members, contractor support and guests. 14. OTHER DIRECT COSTS All other direct costs associated in the performance of this effort must be approved in advance by the COR. The approval shall clearly indicate the PWS Task/Section associated with the ODC. 15. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL 15.1 Identification of Contractor Employees: All contract personnel attending meetings, answering government telephones, and working in other situations where their contractor status is not obvious to third parties are required to identify themselves as such to avoid creating an impression in the minds of members of the public that they are government officials. They must also ensure that all documents or reports produced by contractors are suitably marked as contractor products or that contractor participation is appropriately disclosed. The contractor shall ensure that contractor personnel identify themselves as contractors in the email signature block or working in situations where their actions could be construed as official Government acts. 15.2 Attendance at Meetings: Contractor personnel may be required to attend meetings, conferences or otherwise communicate with Government and/or other contract representatives to meet the requirements of this order. Contractor personnel shall make their contractor status known during introductions. 15.3 Use of Military Rank by Contractor Personnel: Contractor personnel, while performing in a contractor capacity, are prohibited from using their retired or reserve component military rank or title in all written or verbal communications associated with the contracts in which they provide services under. 15.4 Billable Hours: Government surveillance of contractor performance is required to give reasonable assurance that efficient methods and effective cost controls are being used. In order for man-hours to be billed on this requirement, deliverable services must have been performed in direct support of a requirement in the PWS. In the course of business, situations may arise where Government facilities may not be available for performance of these requirements (i.e., base closure due to weather, down day etc.). During these situations contractor personnel will not be paid or will report to their corporate offices. 15.4.1 Hours of Operation: CONUS weekly hours shall not exceed a forty (40) hour work week and a typical work day will be 0700 to 1600 Monday through Friday. Professional services are exempt from overtime. The Government reserves the right to change hours of operation or restrict contractor access. Work outside these daily hours is prohibited without Contracting Officer approval. 15.4.2 Holidays: Government agencies will not be available during scheduled holidays, inclement weather, weekends, or after normal duty hours. All chargeable work will be directly attributable to the task being performed by the individual. New Year's Day; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday; President's Day; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veteran's Day; Thanksgiving Day; Christmas Day are all observable Federal Holidays. 15.4.4 OCONUS Hours: The work week for CENTCOM AOR is based on a 7-day work week. It is common practice for all Government employees and contractors to either take Friday off, or half day on Friday and half day on Saturday. The common work period is 8 am to 6 pm, this is the same for all Government employees and contractors. It is necessary to work a minimum of a 40-hour week to meet the contract schedule in a forward combat zone. Additional hours are usually required -- resulting in a 60-hour work week on average. The contractor shall be expected to provide the required services at any time of the year, including holidays. The contractor must at all times maintain an adequate work force for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS when the government facility is not closed for the above reasons. When hiring personnel, the contractor shall keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the work force is essential. 15.4.5 Unauthorized Work: No payments will be made for any unauthorized supplies and/or services, or for any unauthorized changes to the work specified herein. This includes any services performed by the Contractor of their own volition or at the request of an individual other than a duly appointed Contracting Officer. Only a duly appointed Contracting Officer is authorized to change the specifications, terms, and conditions under this effort. 15.5 Regulations: The contractor shall adhere to all local and national Government laws, regulations, and standards when implemented. The Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) through the contracting officer's representative (COR) will ensure that the contractor is properly notified and provided guidance on how to obtain copies of rules, laws and regulations and policies that are adopted. In the case of inconsistencies, the contractor shall contact the contracting officer's representative ("COR") or the PCO (whichever is more expeditious) to identify the inconsistency, and seek guidance. 15.6 Health, Safety and Environment ("HSE"): The contractor shall establish and submit a copy to the COR a HSE plan NLT 10 days after the date of the contract award , in accordance with applicable U.S. standards, which provides for the safety and health protection of contractor personnel and TFBSO occupants. All contractor personnel working on this contract are required to adhere to sound environmental practices and all applicable U.S. Environmental Laws and Regulations. 15.7 All contractor employees will either be literate in English or the contractor shall ensure that the translator is available at all times to the extent of being able to read, speak and understand the language in order to ensure all safety, health and security requirements are met. Use of government facilities and equipment for employee life support is dependent on availability and is at the discretion of the coalition site commander. All agreements will be made and coordinated with the contracting officer representative (COR) for documentation of the contract file. All contractor personnel will be required to adhere to documentation of the contract file. 15.8 Contractor Site Manager 15.8.1 The Contractor shall have a site manager on-site at all times. The COR for this contract will be informed of the Site Manager's name, contact information and provided with a roster of all personnel supporting this contract, as needed, and included in the Bi-Weekly Status Report. If the Site Manager is absent or on leave, a replacement/alternate site manager will be identified by the COR. The Site Manager shall be empowered to make decisions for the contractor. 15.8.2 The Contractor shall provide supervision, engineering, QC, and labor staff adequate to perform the work under this contract, 7 days a week. The contractor's team will be responsible for implementing the work in accordance with the contractor's plans as approved by the COR, that describe all aspects of life support on compound for direct support of contractor's property. 15.9 The Contractor shall ensure communications are provided as necessary to understand instructions concerning equipment that the contractor's employees are required to operate, maintain, or repair. 15.10 The contractor shall provide personnel information on all employees and adhere to current Trafficking in Persons ("TIPS") regulations including periodic questioning of employees of treatment and ensuring that employees have their passports in their possession. 15.11 The contractor shall be responsible for vetting all employees through the proper organizations within CENTCOM AOR. 16. CONTRACTOR-FURNISHED PROPERTY AND SERVICES 16.1 Office Space and Materials The Government will not furnish contractor personnel working on-site with Government-controlled office space and furniture in the theater of operation, material, and equipment, expendable supplies to include typical office supplies, and services, and other support. The Government will not provide telephones and telephone service or DSN, access to copier and fax machines and IT equipment (computers, printers, unclassified and, if required classified, network connections for e-mail, peripherals and required software, to include ILAN, Internet support as well as spe...