Facilitator Services
THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. This is not a request for offers, quotes or proposals. This notice does not represent a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or award a contract. This is a market research tool only to determine the capability of potential sources.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Office of Community Planning and Development is contemplating establishing a contract under NAICS Code(s)541611 Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services, and the Small Business Standard is $15 Million based on NAICS Code 541611, PSC Code R408--Program Management/Support Services, for Facilitator Services and is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to solicit responses from capable sources and capability statements to ensure sufficient competition exists to meet the Government's requirements.
This requirement encompasses Business Process Re-engineering and Performance Improvement through Lean Enterprise methodology. Lean Leadership Development using a powerful methodology called Lean Enterprise, recommendations will be developed based on a combination of CPD staff's deep knowledge of their own processes as well as the contractor's many years of experience with a wide variety of core processes across numerous organizations in the public and private sectors.
The methodology to be utilized by the contractor is designed to create "Eyes for Waste" and "Eyes for Flow," among those staff most deeply involved with a process, giving them a common language and a common vision of the existing process waste and possible improvements. Applying the Lean Enterprise methodology that the Contractor is proposing will not only generate the desired studies, insights and recommendations, it will also provide a level of training and common understanding among a cross section of CPD employees that will empower the organization to be able to continuously improve its processes as circumstances change.
Teaming arrangements and joint ventures will be considered for any subsequent procurement based on the Government's market research.
Please review the Performance Work Statement (PWS) and provide your feedback to Mrs. Rachel Wilson at Rachel.N.Wilson@hud.gov.
BACKGROUND
The Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has initiated a greatly expanded education and outreach program to its customers as part of a broader modernization effort. This outreach program will collect and analyze customer feedback to help CPD identify opportunities to improve its operations and, ultimately, provide greater value to customers.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WORK
The Contractor shall provide CPD with four basic types of interrelated services. These are:
1. Process Reengineering Services using Lean Enterprise process reengineering tools and techniques;
2. Provision of A Lean Enterprise Toolkit that will give CPD standard tools and techniques it can use on its own in its improvement efforts;
3. Train the Trainer Services to help CPD create an internal team of Lean Enterprise facilitators who can lead process reengineering engagements, and
4. Measurement System Development that will specify performance measures the team will use to measure and monitor the performance of the newly designed process/system, including comparing its performance with that of the original process.
Below are the characteristics of the Business Process Re-engineering and Performance Improvement requirement:
• Demonstrable knowledge in diverse areas of process reengineering using the Lean Enterprise methodologies. The fundamental premise of Lean Enterprise is to create the most efficient organization, as defined by the customer, with zero waste in the system.
The Contractor shall utilize five core principles of the Lean Enterprise Methodology:1. Define value based on how the customer defines value;
2. Map the entire value stream from start to finish;
3. Define the ideal state as one where the process is able to flow through all its steps without interruption;
4. Develop systems that are initiated by the pull of the customer, and
5. Support ongoing, continuous improvement of the process over time.
• Previous experience in Lean Enterprise methodology approach to business process improvement.
• Working knowledge of training people to be trainer in LEAN Enterprise methodology. • Ability to derive relevant concepts from Value Stream mapping.
Deliverables include 6 critical pieces -
1. team charter,
2. a current state map,
3. current state observations,
4. ideal and/or future state value stream maps,
5. baseline data with key performance improvement indicators, and a
6. detailed plan of Kaizen or Improvement Events, business process improvement
projects and "just do it's.
• Ability to facilitate meetings in a "lead" capacity for groups of various sizes and expertise. • Skills in oral and written communication. • Organized and deadline driven.
The tasks require a set of skill categories based on the following approximate breakdown:
Kaizen: Lean Rapid Improvement Events
Teach and implement Lean principles, helping organizations achieve performance improvement in internal business processes and throughout the value chain utilizing tools such as value mapping.
Lean Enterprise Toolkit
The Contractor shall provide these tools and associated training to team members and senior management, as appropriate, to enable them to execute not only near-term but all future improvement efforts.
The Contractor shall train participants in a broad range of Lean principles and tools needed to solve their specific challenge. In this way training and doing are closely linked. The goal is to create skills, not knowledge.
Train-the-Trainer Services
Working with CPD, the Contractor shall identify and educate/mentor individuals to become facilitators for the application of Lean tools and techniques in service/government organizations. Of particular importance is developing their ability to see waste and identify how to eliminate or minimize it.
Key Lean tools Train the Trainer activities to be utilized include Value Stream Mapping with an emphasis on:
• 5S Workplace organization and Standardization
• Standardized work
• Visual Controls
• Error proofing
• Conducting Kaizen events
Potential Candidates should possess the following attributes:
• Good communication skills
• Good presentation skills
• Good Problem-solving skills
• Positive attitude towards change and the need for continuous improvement
• Like to be challenged
• Well Respected by Peers
The proposed levels of competency are as follows:
Strategic Tools
Value-Stream Mapping
Cross-functional workshops
Policy Deployment
Tactical Tools
Kanban/Pull Systems
Cellular Flow
Mistake-proofing
5S / Visual Controls
Problem Solving
Standard Work
1) Advocate: (attends course) Participates in training course and leaves with a good general understanding of the concept with ability to identify opportunities and describe the concept and benefits to colleagues and/or client companies.
2) Champion: (attends course plus witnesses' field events in subject area) After participating in the class, an individual will witness an implementation at a client company, leaving the experience with the ability to first-hand describe the process, as well as be able to describe the experience and benefits. Champions also gain the ability to market and sell an implementation to a client company. Selling includes defining the scope of a project and communicating the opportunity to an implementer.
3) Implementer: (attends course plus witnesses several implementation events and begins taking increasing responsibility in facilitating an event) People becoming implementers learn through observation and taking responsibility for project work. The culmination of the student's learning occurs when this person can independently facilitate a project within the subject area. Each learning track will outline different types of activities consistent with the skills and knowledge required.
The steps to become an Implementer or master trainer will include:
1) Participate in the training and an event
2) Participate in approximately 2 day "Train the Trainer" session to review training materials and basic guidelines for conducting an event.
3) Participate in other events gaining experience on the application of the tool(s). A broad range of applications/industries is recommended. (It is recommended that CPD and/or CPD Implementers participate in VSM events outside of their environments. THE CONTRACTOR can provide opportunities as they arise.) Master Trainers will provide guidance and insight to those in training during these events, (a mentoring process).
4) Begin assisting in the facilitation of the events with a Master trainer.
5) Facilitate an entire event in the presence of a Master Trainer, until the Master trainer feels the individual is prepared to facilitate events by themselves.
The Contractor shall evaluate the needs of the Train the trainer program and revise direction as required. All CPD participants shall receive a training certificate after completing train the trainer training.
Measurement System Development
At the onset of the project, strategic measures shall be co-developed between the Contractor and CPD. The measures at the regional offices will be based on the strategic measures to ensure that there is strategic alignment. The measures at the regional offices will also be based on the customer input.
During each Value Stream Mapping event, actual "current state" process performance will be estimated for each key metric as a component of the current state mapping activity. The Contractor shall develop performance targets for each such metric as part of the future state mapping process.
During and following plan implementation, the Contractor shall work with CPD personnel in measuring actual performance after the team has introduced the process improvements. The purpose of this activity will be to document the improvements achieved and provide a baseline for future comparisons.
Project Plan
The Contractor shall develop a project plan for the Lean HUD/CPD Process Improvement that shall consist of a timeline of activities involved in the entire process - start to finish. The plan must provide dates and associated deliverables associated with each phase of the process highlighted in this statement of work.
The timing and sequencing of the Train the Trainer activities, as described in Section 1.3, will be jointly determined in consultations with pertinent CPD personnel. It is very probably that Trainer candidates will emerge from the various Lean Events the Contractor will conduct. It is realized that the timeline for identifying those candidates and beginning their training cannot be specified with precision.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Contractor and the Government will interact on a regular basis. The Contractor shall act as a facilitator and mentor just as much as we are technical experts. The Contractor shall lead /CPD participants in discovering process improvements leading to future state processes.
The Government shall designate a Subordinate Contracting Officer Representative who will lead the study through to implementation to ensure that efforts are not diffused and that there is someone who knows they will be held responsible for moving things forward.
The Contractor shall work with the Subordinate Contracting Officer Representative to identify appropriate staff to participate in the Lean Events, and coordinate scheduling and invitations.
Additional attendees might include the senior CPD leaders, representatives for particular process steps, or other process stakeholders, such as the lender and/or end consumers. In selecting participants, it is helpful to keep the group to no more than 12 with the ideal number of participants being 8-10.
The Contractor shall work closely with CPD to identify appropriate participants and schedule each of the Lean Events.
The Contractor shall meet monthly with the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and/or Subordinate Contracting Officer Representative (SCOR) and hold weekly phone calls in order to identify questions or concerns and ensure they are addressed.
CONTEMPLATED REPORT REQUIREMENTS
The Contractor shall recommend a design under which as many field locations as feasible perform separate value stream mapping and implementation events with teams that include representatives from non-host locations.
The Contractor team shall take the draft future state map generated during this first event and incorporate them into their thinking as they approach the subsequent events. This ensures each event leads to ever greater understanding of the system. After each event, the Contractor shall meet with the Contracting Officer Representative and/or Subordinate Contracting Officer
Representative to discuss findings and discuss whether any changes in approach are warranted. The output of each Lean Event will be the group's documentation of the current process, their vision of the optimal future state and the draft implementation plan they develop as a reality check on the feasibility of their optimal future state. Each of these three documents shall be shared with and delivered in hardcopy to the Contracting Officer Representative and/or Subordinate Contracting Officer Representative during the post-event debrief. The final reports shall include copies of the types of process maps and draft implementation plans Lean Events generate While the Lean Events will form the core of the performance improvement, The Contractor shall design its approach to allow for a series of key informant interviews with other critical staff who may not have as direct a role in the process or who may represent different perspectives on a particular process step. The Contractor shall work with the Subordinate Contracting Officer Representative to identify any candidates for such interviews. In particular, the Contractor shall work with senior management within CPD to discuss big picture issues regarding the way the CPD processes interfaces with the rest of the organization and the organization's most senior procurement officers to discuss details of regulations and alternative methods that may be available, including some newer IT options. These interviews will be scheduled on an as needed basis as determined with the Subordinate Contracting Officer Representative and summaries will be included in interim reports.
CONTEMPLATED MAGNITUDE OF THE PROJECT
The total magnitude of the contract is $1,250,000.00.
CONTEMPLATED PLACE OF PERFORMANCE
To implement the Lean Enterprise approach, CPD and the Contractor shall collaboratively convene a series of six 3-day value stream mapping events. This activity will occur at five Government field offices. There will be one in-person training held at HUD Headquarters.
RESPONSE REQUESTED
Small Businesses are encouraged to respond.
This synopsis is a market research tool being used to determine the availability and capability of potential sources prior to determining the method of acquisition and whether the government will proceed with this acquisition. The Government will not pay for any information solicited. If a contract is ultimately pursued, responses to this synopsis will be used to aid in determining whether the acquisition is set-aside for small business or in establishing small business subcontracting goals. All qualified firms are encouraged to respond.
The capability statement shall address, at a minimum, the following for the past three years:
1. Name and address of company and or companies (if there is a teaming arrangement or joint venture);
2. Do you hold a GSA Schedule? If so, what is the contract number?
3. Technical expertise relevant to the requirement;
4. Technical approach relevant of the requirement (1 to 2 paragraphs);
5. Management approach relevant to the requirement (1 to 2 paragraph);
6. Corporate experience relevant to the requirement (1 to 2 paragraph);
7. Indicate if you are a small business or any other socio-economic categories that apply to your firm under the designated NAICS code;
8. Whether you have had unequal access to any information relevant to the acquisition that could provide an unfair competitive advantage;
9. Relevant past performance. Your capability statement needs to include a list of three customers (Government/non-Government) within the past three (3) years highlighting similar work in nature, scope, complexity, and difficulty and a brief description of the scope of work. Your submission for relevant past performance must include for each customer:
• Contract name;
• Contracting Agency or Department, POC and contact information;
• Yearly contract value (in $);
• Whether your firm was the prime or a subcontractor;
• Period of performance;
• Description of work and how it relates to the requirements.
Interested firms responding to this market survey must provide a capability statement demonstrating their experience, skills and capability to fulfill the Governments requirements for the above. The capability statement shall be in enough detail, but not exceed 5 pages TOTAL, so that the Government can determine the experience and capability of your firm to provide the requirements above. Please specify one primary and one alternate Point of Contact (POC) within your firm, including telephone numbers and email addresses in case clarifications of your submission are needed.
Only electronic copies of capability statements will be accepted and should be emailed to: rachel.n.wilson@hud.gov.
The e-mail shall contain the following subject line:
Response to Sources Sought Notice - Facilitator Services requirement.
The Government may use the responses received to determine whether to proceed with the acquisition as a set-aside, or in the absence of a least two small business responses to this notice, may determine to proceed with a full and open competition. This decision and whether to proceed with the acquisition are at the sole discretion of the Government.
All interested contractors should submit their capability statements by:
• TIME_4:00 PM EST
• DATE: 6-7-2019
Attention POC: Mrs. Rachel N. Wilson
Late responses will not be considered.
Responses to this announcement will not be returned, nor there any ensuing discussions or debriefings of any responses.
Rachel.N.Wilson Rachel.N.Wilson, Contract Specialist, Phone 2024024284, Email rachel.n.wilson@hud.gov
