Procurement Office: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Superfund/RCRA Regional Procurement Operations Division, Emergency Response Service Center (3805R) 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20460 Response Date: April 1, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. ET NATIONAL SECURITY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM (NSEPP) REFERENCES a) Analytical and Technical Services to Support the Environmental Protection Agency?s National Security Emergency Preparedness Program (NSEPP) Performance Work Statement (PWS? DRAFT ) BACKGROUND The Environmental Protection Agency?s (EPA) Office of Acquisition Managment is currently in the acquisition planning process for the follow-on contract to support the Environmental Protection Agency?s National Security Emergency Preparedness Program (NSEPP). It is anticipated that the follow-on contract will be competed as an 8 (a) small business set-aside with a maximum period of performance of five (5) years (2 year base with 3 one year option periods) worth approximately $7 million dollars. The current NSEPP contract is structured as a five (5) year cost reimbursement contract with a fixed fee and has been utilized as such for the past ten (10) years. However, the EPA would like to query industry to find out if a more cost effective and efficient method of contracting the requirement exists. The nature of the work involves the EPA providing facilities to an on-site contractor who is designated for emergency operations at locations for which the EPA?s Emergency Coordinat or has overall management and operational responsibility. Contractors are tasked with maintaining the facility and keeping the facility in an ?operational readiness status? while providing technical support for operations and maintenance of the facility. (See attached DRAFT PWS). To this end, the EPA is issuing this Request for Information (RFI). DESCRIPTION OF INFORMATION REQUESTED The Government requests that you read through this RFI, as well as the attached draft PWS, and provide thoughtful responses to the questions below. Responses to this RFI may be evaluated by Government technical experts drawn from staff within EPA. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and must be clearly marked. Responders are encouraged to avoid use of excessive marketing lexicon, jargon; submission of complex or elaborate brochures; and other unnecessary sales literature or product or service endorsement. This RFI is being issued to: 1. Gather industry input on the attached draft PWS 2. Request information on any changes in industry that the Government should consider to achieve direct cost savings 3. Request information on possible contract pricing considerations 4. Request information on other possible contract changes 5. Inform industry of the general acquisition timeline As we work to develop an acquisition strategy for this procurement, please provide input for the following questions. QUESTIONS: The government contemplates changing the contract type to fixed price. In your opinion after reviewing the task listed in the PWS would a fixed priced contract be feasible? If not, what do you believe to be the most cost-effective and efficient contract vehicle to procure the services listed in the attached PWS? In a fixed priced environment, how would you structure the contract? Would your approach include CLINS for each task listed in the PWS? If so explain or if not explain. If you select CLINS, would each task in the PWS be listed as separate CLINS or would you combine the tasks into one or two CLINS? What are the pros and cons for your selected approach? After reviewing the PWS do you believe the current format is conducive for a fixed price contract? If not how might you advise the Government to structure the PWS to make it more favorable in a fixed price environment? WHAT SHALL BE INCLUDED IN YOUR RESPONSE 1. Do submit succinct, thoughtful responses to the questions listed in this RFI. 2. Do submit comments that address the Government?s requirements, assumptions, conditions or contemplated approaches to a future acquisition. 3. Do submit information and suggestions that may encourage new, different, or innovative approaches that would result in direct cost savings to the Government and improve data quality. WHAT SHALL NOT BE INCLUDED IN YOUR RESPONSE 1. Do not submit proposals or offers. 2. Do not submit past performance information or general descriptions of corporate experience. 3. Do not submit requests to be considered for award or to be notified of a future solicitation. 4. Do not submit requests to be added to a mailing or distribution list. 5. Do not submit questions or comments not related to the RFI. 6. Do not respond via telephone. DISCLAIMER This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Invitation for Bid (IFB), or an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any services. Responses to this RFI are not offers and will not be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract of any nature. The Government will not award a contract based on this RFI. The Government reserves the right to determine how it should proceed as a result of this notice. Responding parties should not anticipate Government feedback on their respective submissions. The Government will not pay any cost incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the responding party?s expense. If a solicitation is released, it will be done via FedBizOpps (http://www.fedbizopps.gov). Contractors who submit information for this RFI are in no way entitled to preferential treatment when the solicitation is released. All in formation solicited and received in this RFI will be treated as information only. Responses to this RFI will not be returned. HOW TO RESPOND Please submit your response to this RFI via e-mail to Percy Jones,
[email protected], Ron Bell
[email protected] and Dionne Wright at
[email protected] with the words ?NSEPP RFI Response? in the e-mail subject line. The closing time for responses is 3:00 P.M. EST, on April 1, 2013. Please limit responses to no more than five (5) pages in length. Telephonic and mail/courier responses will not be accepted. NO PHONE CALLS will be accepted regarding this announcement. Please visit http://www.epa.gov/oamsrpod/ersc/NSEPP/index.htm to view a copy of the draft Statement of Work.