Train-the-Training for Intensive Testimony Workshops

(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. (ii) Solicitation number SECHQ114Q0159 is issued as a Request for Quotation(RFQ). (iii) Solicitation number SECHQ114Q0159 incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular FAC 2005-74 effective July 1, 2014. (iv) This is an unrestricted acquisition (i.e., no set-aside). The NAICS code for this procurement is 611430, Size Standard $7.0 Million. (v) Quoters shall provide firm-fixed pricing for training SEC staff to serve as faculty to conduct interactive, participatory workshops, in accordance with Attachment 1, Statement of Work, Train-the-Trainer for Intensive Testimony Workshops (SOW). The format for pricing is provided in Attachment 2, Pricing Schedule Format. (vi) Description of requirements for the items to be acquired: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) intends to award a non-personal services firm fixed-price contract to provide Intensive Testimony Development and Training in accordance with Attachment 1, SOW. (vii) The anticipated contract's period of performance will be for one (1) year from date of award, with four (4) 1-year options. Anticipated Contract Type: The Government anticipates awarding a Firm Fixed-Price (FFP) type contract. Place of Delivery is as follows, unless otherwise indicated at the time of contract: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Human Resources, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549. Delivery is FOB Destination. The anticipated date of contract award is September 11, 2014. The Government reserves the right to award one contract or make no award. (viii) FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial, applies to this acquisition. Quoters may obtain full text versions of these clauses electronically at http://farsite.hill.af.mil/. Parties responding to this solicitation who believe they can provide Train-the-Trainer for Intensive Testimony Workshops may submit their quote in accordance with their standard commercial practices (e.g., on company letterhead, formal quote form, etc.) but must include the following information: a. The Solicitation Number SECHQ114Q0159; b. The time and date specified in the solicitation for receipt of quotes; c. Price and any discount terms in accordance with Attachment 2, Pricing Schedule Format. Note: The price quote shall be separate from Vendor's technical approach & understanding and past performance. d. "Remit to" address, if different than mailing address; e. A completed copy of the representations and certifications at FAR 52.212-3 (see FAR 52.212-3(b) for those representations and certifications that the quoter shall complete electronically). Note: If your firm's completed electronic representations and certifications are available on System for Award Management (SAM) , it is not necessary to provide a copy with your quote; f. A copy of System for Award Management (SAM) registration (see https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/) or a copy of System for Award Management application; g. Acknowledgment of Solicitation Amendments, if applicable; h. Narrative addressing capability to provide the Train-the-Trainer for Intensive Testimony Workshops in accordance with the requirements herein, including confirmation that Trainer(s) provided have experience in taking depositions or trial testimony. i. Narrative addressing past performance, including three (3) references with the following information: a. Name of Agency/Organization; b. Contract number; c. Contract type; d. Total contract value; e. Description of contract work; and f. Contracting Officer (or similar representative) name, telephone number, and email address for contracts performed within the past 2 years that are similar in size and scope to this requirement. j. A statement specifying the extent of agreement with all terms, conditions, and provisions included in the solicitation. Quotes that fail to furnish required representations or information, or reject the terms and conditions of the solicitation may be excluded from consideration; and k. Period for acceptance of quotes. The Quoter agrees to hold the prices in its offer firm for 90 calendar days from the date specified for receipt of offers, unless another time period is specified in an addendum to the solicitation. (ix) The provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items (Jan 1999), applies to this acquisition as follows: 52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Items (Jan 1999) (a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible quoter whose quote conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. This is a Best Value Procurement. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: 1. Technical Approach and Understanding The Government will evaluate the degree to with the Quoter's proposed solution will meet the Government's requirements as described in the Statement of Work (SOW), and the extent to which the Quoter's solution is feasible. 2. Past Performance The Government will evaluate the relevance, breadth and quality of the Quoter's recent past performance on similar type of work. The Government will assess the quality of the Quoter's past performance based on the past performance references provided in the Quoter's submission and/or other information obtained from references provided by the Quoter, as well as other relevant past performance information obtained from other sources known to the Government. A Quoter without a record of past performance or for whom information on relevant past performance is not available will be evaluated as neutral. 3. Price (non-rated) The Technical Approach and Understanding will be accorded more weight than Past Performance. Technical Approach and Understanding and Past Performance, when combined, are significantly more important than price. As the technical quotes become more equal, price becomes more important in making the award determination. In the event that two or more quotes are determined not to have any substantial technical differences, i.e., are technically equivalent, award may be made to the lower priced quote. It should be noted that award may be made to other than the lowest priced quote if the Government determines that a price premium is warranted due to technical merit. The Government may also award to other than the highest technically rated quotation, if the Government determines that a price premium is not warranted. A written notice of award or acceptance of a quote, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful quoter within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. (x) Quoters shall include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, with its offer, or indicate that representations and certifications are available on-line in the Reps & Certs section of their System for Award Management (SAM) record available at https://www.sam.gov. (xi) FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items (May 2014), applies to this acquisition. (xii) FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items (May 2014), applies to this acquisition. The following FAR clauses cited in this clause are applicable to the acquisition: 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (Sept 2006), with Alternate I (Oct 1995) (41 U.S.C. 253g and 10 U.S.C. 2402). 52.203-13, Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct (Apr 2010) (Pub. L. 110-252, Title VI, Chapter 1 (41 U.S.C. 251 note)). 52.204-10, Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (Jul 2013) (Pub. L. 109-282) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note). 52.209-6, Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment. (Aug 2013) (31 U.S.C. 6101 note). 52.209-9, Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters (Jul 2013) (41 U.S.C. 2313). 52.209-10, Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations (May 2012) (section 738 of Division C of Pub. L. 112-74, section 740 of Division C of Pub. L. 111-117, section 743 of Division D of Pub. L. 111-8, and section 745 of Division D of Pub. L. 110-161). 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (Jul 2013) 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Jul 2013), (iii) Alternate II (Oct 2001) 52.219-16, Liquidated Damages-Subcontracting Plan (Jan 1999) (15 U.S.C. 637(d)(4)(F)(i)). 52.222-3, Convict Labor (June 2003) (E.O. 11755). 52.222-19, Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Jan 2014) (E.O. 13126). 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Feb 1999). 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (Mar 2007) (E.O. 11246). 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans (Sep 2010)(38 U.S.C. 4212). 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities (Oct 2010) (29 U.S.C. 793). 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans (Sep 2010) (38 U.S.C. 4212). 52.222-40, Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act (Dec 2010) (E.O. 13496). 52.222-54, Employment Eligibility Verification (Aug 2013). (Executive Order 12989). (Not applicable to the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items or certain other types of commercial items as prescribed in 22.1803.) 52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (Aug 2011) (E.O. 13513). 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (June 2008) (E.O.'s, proclamations, and statutes administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury). 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-System for Award Management (Jul 2013) (31 U.S.C. 3332). 52.232.40, Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (DEC 2013) (xiii) Contract financing arrangements and warranty requirements are not applicable. The following FAR clauses apply to this procurement: 52.216-1 Type of Contract (Apr 1984). The Government contemplates award of a firm fixed-price contract. 52.217-5 Evaluation of Options (July 1990) Except when it is determined in accordance with FAR 17.206(b) not to be in the Government's best interests, the Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. Evaluation of options will not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services (Nov 1999) The Government may require continued performance of any services within the limits and at the rates specified in the contract. These rates may be adjusted only as a result of revisions to prevailing labor rates provided by the Secretary of Labor. The option provision may be exercised more than once, but the total extension of performance hereunder shall not exceed 6 months. The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor within the period of performance of the contract. 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000) (a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor within the period of performance of the contract; provided that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 30 days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension. (b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause. (c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed 5 years. 52.232-22, Limitation of Funds (Apr 1984) 52.232-39, Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations (Jun 2013) (xiv) Defense Priority and Allocations System (DPAS) is not applicable. (xv) The due date and time for Quotes is August 18, 2014 at 11:00 am local time (Eastern). Late quotes may not be accepted. Quotes shall be delivered via email to Vanessa Boger-Wallace, bogerwallacev@sec.gov, and cc'd to Regina Mumford-Rush, Mumford-Rush@sec.gov, respectively. (xvi) All questions concerning this RFQ shall be submitted in writing to Vanessa Boger-Wallace, bogerwallacev@sec.gov, no later than 3:00 p.m. local time (Eastern), August 13, 2014. Questions will not be answered orally. E-mail submission of questions is required. Questions submitted after the specified time/date may not be addressed.