This is a Sources Sought Notice seeking information from potential sources that have the interest and capability to support the Improvised Explosive Device Detector Dog (IDD) effort for the United States Marine Corps. This is only a Sources Sought notice, and there currently is no Request for Proposal (RFP) available. The Marine Corps Systems Command has a potential requirement to provide long-term training, sustainment and maintenance for the IDD effort. The requirement will include kenneling, training, physical conditioning, transporting, and re-training of approximately 647 dogs throughout the deployment/sustainment lifecycle. The only dogs utilized for the purposes of this effort are purebred Labrador retrievers. All training shall be conducted and performed in accordance with the USMC prescribed procedures. Below is a description of the potential requirement. IDD Sustainment/Kenneling: The contractor will be responsible for the full range of actions necessary to sustain the IDDs when not in the direct care of the Marine Corps. This includes, but is not limited to kenneling facilities, food, water, shelter, transportation for training, physical conditioning, basic obedience skills, and continued training and handling to ensure that the dogs retain the skills necessary for the mission. Kenneling facilities must be located CONUS and meet the Department of Defense kennel standards, with minimum kennel size of 8’x4’, not including dog house. The anticipated workload is approximately 50%/50% East Coast/West Coast for the purposes of units that will be receiving the IDDs and associated training, travel and support. Coordination with DoD veterinarians will be necessary for the healthcare of active IDDs. It is anticipated that the contractor will not be responsible for sustaining/kenneling all 647 dogs at the same time due to deployments and training requirements. Although the actual quantity will vary, the current level of sustainment/kenneling is projected to be 364 dogs (while 283 are deployed). The contractor will be responsible for providing deployment kits that include all of the materials necessary to sustain the IDD while deployed (deployment kennel, food, leash, collar, first aid kits, etc). IDD Training: All training shall be conducted and performed in accordance with the USMC prescribed training procedures. The contractor shall be responsible for initial and sustainment training for IDDs in the manner of comprehensive off-leash explosive detection training dogs. Sustainment training will be required throughout the sustainment/kenneling requirement as described above. The contractor may be responsible for procuring additional IDDs and providing initial training to new dogs not currently part of the IDD effort as part of the replacement cycle as dogs are retired from the Military Working Dog (MWD) program. IDD Handler/Unit Training: Training for deploying units for IDD handling will be required and includes several different kinds of training. Primary training includes initial Handler Training which is provided to designated USMC personnel. This includes class sizes of up to forty (40) students taught twenty times/year, and consists of Primary Handlers, Alternate Handlers, and a Kennel Supervisor. These classes are conducted at the contractor’s facility. The Kennel Supervisor will have additional training to ensure that their capabilities are able to support the long-term sustainment and care of the dogs when not in the direct care of the contractor. Handler Training Instructor/IDD Team ratio is currently one (1) Instructor per three (3) IDD Teams. An IDD Team consists of an IDD and a Handler. Current requirement is for a class lasting not longer than five (5) weeks. Additional training includes Refresher Team Training for up to five (5) days and Additional Team Training, as required, for up to ten (10) days at the unit’s home location (CONUS). Transportation: Full transportation logistics will be required to transport the IDDs to various locations within CONUS. Potential locations where the IDDs will need to be transported by the contractor include Yuma, AZ, Twenty-Nine Palms, CA, Camp Pendleton, CA, Camp Lejeune, CA, Riverside, CA, Cherry Point, NC and other locations as required by the Government. Included in transportation is the delivery of IDDs to their point of deployment and recovery from units returning from deployment to the contractor’s sustainment location. Field Service Representatives (FSRs): Field Service Representatives will be required to provide unit support Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) in support of Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) for a 210 day deployment. FSRs for OCONUS support will accompany deployed units, submit status reports and training reports, and provide training assistance to support the IDDs while they are deployed. Personnel selected as FSRs currently must be able to obtain and retain a Secret clearance level. It is anticipated that up to twenty (20) FSRs will be required to deploy with the units. A FSR will be identified and attached to a unit beginning at initial handler training and last throughout the pre-deployment training cycle, deployment overseas, and return to CONUS. Throughout the training/deployment cycle, the FSR will provide support to the unit in the way of continued training/reinforcement for the IDD team, and provide feedback/reporting on the status of the deployed IDDs. Period of Performance: The anticipated period of performance is up to three years. Parties interested in providing information in response to this sources sought notice are invited to provide the following information to assist the Government with its market survey: • Introductory Statement that includes at least the following o Organization Name, Address and Point of Contact information o DUNS and CAGE Code o Business size and type (large, foreign, small, small disadvantaged, veteran owned, minority owned, etc.). Include the NAICS code under which company’s business size is based upon. • Statement of capabilities addressing the Government’s potential requirement. Information contained in the capability statement should be pertinent and specific to the Government’s requirement, and at a minimum address the following qualifications: 1. Experience: An outline of previous work, with an emphasis on specific work previously performed or being performed which is similar to the potential requirement; 2. Personnel: Amount, availability, experience and qualifications of current employees that can support the effort or existence and accessibility to potential employees, including potential FSRs (statements of intent are not needed); 3. Facilities: Availability and description of kenneling facilities location and availability to support performance. Include current capability to transport and sustain IDDs while CONUS and not at the contractor’s home facility. 4. Security: A statement regarding personnel and facility security clearance; 5. Organization structure; 6. Include any other specific and pertinent information as it pertains to the particular supplies to enhance our consideration and evaluation of your company’s capability to meet the requirement (e.g. ability to provide at least twenty OCONUS FSRs). Responses shall be limited to a total of not more than 20 pages that are not larger than 8 ½� x 11� for each sheet. Mailed responses in CD format are acceptable, but must be readable in at least Microsoft Office 2003 and/or Adobe Reader Professional 8. Responses from all industry sources are welcome. E-mail responses are preferable and shall be sent not later than 4 March 2011 to the following POC:
[email protected]. If delivery via express mail methods is preferred, responses should be sent to COMMANDER, Marine Corps Systems Command, Attn: Chris Enos, CESS (CT023), 2200 Lester Ave, Quantico, VA 22134. NOTE: This Sources Sought Notice is for planning purposes only and is issued in accordance with FAR Clause 52-215-3. No solicitation document exists at this time. Issuance of this notice does not constitute any obligation on the part of the Government to procure these items or to issue a solicitation. Additionally, the Government is under no obligation to pay for information submitted in response to this sources sought notice, and responses to this notice cannot be accepted as offers. Any information that the vendor considers proprietary should be clearly marked.