DIAGNOSTIC, ADVISEMENT AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH (DATR)
INTRODUCTION
On behalf of the Directorate of Distributed Learning that is responsible for The Army Distributed Learning Program (TADLP), the Mission and Installation Contracting Command Center - Fort Eustis, Virginia, is issuing this sources sought synopsis as a means of conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in and the resources to support the requirement for Diagnostic, Advisement and Technical Research of TADLP's Distributed Learning interactive multi-media content generally referred to as courseware. The intention is to procure these services on a competitive basis.
This Sources Sought is being issued in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 10, Market Research by the Mission and Installation Contracting Center-Fort Eustis. It is for information, planning and market research purposes only and shall not be construed as either a solicitation or obligation on the part of United States Government. The purpose of this announcement is to help the United States Government understand the industry best practices and technical solutions capable of providing the full range of requirements described in this announcement. The US Government will use this market research information to assess the market's capability to successfully meet the United States Government requirements.
Based on the responses to this sources sought notice/market research, this requirement may be set-aside for small businesses (in full or in part) or procured through full and open competition. It is anticipated that a single award Firm Fixed Price contract will be awarded for this requirement. All Small Business categories will be considered. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions.
DISCLAIMER
"THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A "REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)" TO BE SUBMITTED. 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. RESPPONSES WILL NOT BE RETURNED TO THE RESPONDER. NOT RESPONDING TO THIS NOTICE DOES NOT PRECLUDE PARTICIPATION IN ANY FUTURE REQUEST FOR QUOTE (RFQ) OR INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) OR RFP, IF ANY 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 INFORMMATION PERTAINING TO THIS REQUIREMENT."
PLACE OF PERFORMANCE
The work to be performed under this contract will be performed at Fort Eustis, Virginia area or off-site Contractor facilities.
PROGRAM BACKGROUND
The Directorate of Distributed Learning that is responsible for The Army Distributed Learning Program (TADLP) has funded development of DL content in which issues have been identified that affect usability and playability. DL training content that employs an interactive multi-media instruction training strategy is generally referred to as courseware. Currently, there exists a need to determine the source of courseware issues, identify the measures to correct them and document and distribute the solutions to the issues to ensure courseware performs as expected.
REQUIRED CAPABILITIES
The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform DL DATR as defined in the Performance Work Statement except for those items specified as government furnished property and services.
If your organization has the potential capacity to perform these contract services, please provide the following information: 1) Organization name, address, email address, Web site address, telephone number, and size and type of ownership for the organization; and 2) Tailored capability statements addressing the particulars of this effort, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements.
The Government will evaluate market information to ascertain potential market capacity to: 1) provide services consistent, in scope and scale, with those described in this notice and otherwise anticipated; 2) secure and apply the full range of corporate financial, human capital, and technical resources required to successfully perform similar requirements; 3) implement a successful project management plan that includes: compliance with tight program schedules; cost containment; meeting and tracking performance; hiring and retention of key personnel and risk mitigation; and 4) provide services under a performance based service acquisition contract.
ELIGIBILITY
The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 541513, Computer systems facilities management and operation services, with a Small Business Size Standard of $27.5 million. Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond; however, each respondent must clearly identify their business size in their capabilities statement.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND SUBMISSION DETAILS (CAPABILITIES STATEMENT)
A draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) that includes the draft Personnel Qualifications Description are attached for review. (Attachment 1)
Interested parties are requested to submit a capabilities statement of no more than ten (10) pages in length in Times New Roman font of not less than 10 pitch. The deadline for response to this request is no later than 2 pm, EST , XX (Month) 20XX.
This documentation must address at a minimum the following items:
1.) What type of work has your company performed in the past in support of the same or similar requirement?
2.) Can or has your company managed a task of this nature? If so, please provide details.
3.) Can or has your company managed a team of subcontractors before? If so, provide details.
4.) What specific technical skills does your company possess which ensure capability to perform the tasks?
5.) Whether your firm is interested in competing for this requirement as a prime contractor. If you are subcontracting any of the services out, contemplating a Joint Venture, and/or creating a teaming arrangement, please provide the name of these companies and what work they will be performing, if available. Please provide your company's specific experience in providing comparable services. Ensure the information is in sufficient detail regarding previous experience (indicate whether the experience has been as a prime contractor or subcontractor) on similar requirements (include the services provided to support this requirement and any key metrics supporting similar requirements as well as any other relevant information you deem applicable. If applicable, please provide the same experience information from any subcontracts, Joint Venture, and/or teaming partners you may propose with in response to this particular requirement.
6.) What percentage of work will be performed by the small business prime contractor and all similarly situated entity subcontractors?
In accordance with Defense Acquisition Regulation System (DARS), Class Deviation 2019-00003, Limitations on Subcontracting for Small Business:
"Similarly situated entity" means a first-tier subcontractor, including an independent contractor, that has the same small business program status as that which qualified the prime contractor for the award and that is considered small for the NAICS code the prime contractor assigned to the subcontract the subcontractor will perform. An example of a similarly situated entity is a first-tier subcontractor that is a HUBZone small business concern for a HUBZone set-aside.
Refer to the following link which provides additional information regarding limitations on subcontracting specific to small business set-aside or further socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB, EDWOSB, or HUBZone set aside):
https://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/policy/policyvault/USA000039-19-DPC_Class_Deviation_2019-O0003.pdf
7.) Provide a statement including current small/large business status and company profile to include number of employees, annual revenue history, office locations, DUNs number, etc.
8.) Respondents to this notice also must indicate whether they qualify as a Small, Small Disadvantaged, Women-Owned, HUBZone, or Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concern.
9.) Information on the financial capacity of your business to meet financial obligations (i.e. payroll, payment of subcontractors, etc.).
10.) Identify any condition or action that may have the effect of unnecessarily restricting competition with respect to this acquisition. Please contact the MICC Advocate for Competition, Mr. Scott Kukes, at scott.d.kukes.civ@mail.mil or 210-466-2269, if you believe that this action is unreasonably restricting competition. Include the subject of the acquisition, this announcement, and the MICC POC information from the FedBizOpps notice. Provide the specific aspects that unreasonably restrict competition and the rationale for such conclusion.
The estimated period of performance consists of (1) Base Year of 12 months and four (4) 12-month option years with performance commencing in September 2019.
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.
Your response to this Sources Sought, including questions and capabilities statement, shall be electronically submitted to the Contract Specialist, Nicola Cicolini III, in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF), via email nicola.cicolini2.civ@mail.mil or the Contracting Officer, Rhoda C. Harrison-Spence, rhoda.c.harrison-spence.civ@mail.mil.
All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government.
No phone calls will be accepted.
All questions must be submitted to the contract specialist identified above. The Government is not committed nor obligated to pay for the information provided, and no basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought.
Nicola Cicolini , Contract Specialist, Phone 7575018140, Email nicola.cicolini2.civ@mail.mil
