Complex Operations Lessons Learned Support Services

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services 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; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. (ii) This solicitation, NBCHQ090100, is being issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). (iii) A statement that the solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-29. (iv) This procurement is a small business set aside. The NAICS code is 611710 and the size standard is $7.0M. (vi) The following commercial item is requested in this solicitation: Complex Operations Lessons Learned Support Services for National Defense University located at Fort McNair, Washington D.C. (vii) Services will be conducted at The Center for Technology and National Security Policy at Ft Lesley McNair, Washington D.C. (viii) The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition: The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items. DUNS, Cage Code, tax ID, terms and conditions shall be submitted with quote. All firms must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration Database at www.ccr.gov in order to be considered for award. (ix) FAR 52.212-2(a) Evaluation-Commercial Items (Jan 1999), applies to this acquisition. Quote will be based on the best value to the government based on technical and price proposal described under "Evaluation Factors for Award" in the Statement of Work (attached). (x) The provision at FAR 52.212-3 (Jun 2008), Offeror Representations and Certification-Commercial Items, is applicable to this acquisition. All vendors must be registered in Online Representations and certifications (ORCA) (https://orca.bpn.gov)) at the time of Quote submittal. (xi) The clause at FAR 52.212-4 (Feb 2007), Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, applies to the acquisition.. (xii) The clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders--Commercial Items (Jun 2008), applies to this acquisition. a) FAR 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (Oct 2000) b) FAR 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era (Sep 2006) c) FAR 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers (Jun 1998) d) FAR 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era (Sep 2006). e) FAR 52.224-1, Privacy Act Notification (Apr 1984) f) FAR 52.224-2, Privacy Act (Apr 1984) g) FAR 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds-Central Contractor Registration (Oct 2003) h) FAR 52.222-3, Convict Labor (Jun 2003) i) FAR 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facility (Feb 1999) j) FAR 52.222-43, Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act-Price Adjustment (Nov 2006) k) FAR 52.203-3, Gratuities (Apr 1984) l) FAR 52.219-4, Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns (Jul 2005) m) FAR 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (May 2004) n) FAR 52.222-39, Notification of Employee Rights Concerning Payment of Union Dues or Fees (Dec 2004) o) FAR 52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires (May 1989) p) FAR 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (Sep 2006) q) FAR 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons (Aug 2007) r) FAR 52.225-1, Buy American Act-Supplies (Jun 2003) s) FAR 52.237-2, Protection of Government Buildings, Equipment, and Vegetation (Apr 1984) (xiii) The clause at FAR 52.228-5, Proof of Insurance (Jan 1997); and FAR 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965 (Nov 2007). (xiv) According to FAR 52.237-1 (Apr 1984), a site visit is not scheduled . (xv) Quote Submission: include price information along with DUNS, Cage Code, tax ID, terms and conditions shall be submitted with quote. (xvi) All quotes submissions must be in accordance with requirements set forth in the SOW. Please send quotes to [email protected]. Quotes are required to be received no later than 4:00 PM EST, August 13, 2009. Statement of Work National Defense University Center for Technology and National Security Policy Complex Operations Lessons Learned Support Services 1. BACKGROUND The National Defense University (NDU) plays a critical role in developing education programs and curricula to help military and civilian personnel develop effective responses to emerging national security threats, and in conducting research that contributes to policy formulation regarding those emerging threats. The Center for Technology and National Security Policy (CTNSP) supports the NDU mission through research and analysis on future trends in science and technology and their implications for national security policy, military transformation, and defense strategy. The 2009 National Defense Authorization Act authorized the Secretary of Defense to establish, and provides funding for, a Center for Complex Operations (CCO). In January 2009 the CCO relocated to CTNSP and CTNSP became responsible managing and administering its daily operations. 2. OBJECTIVE The CCO was envisioned as an innovative interagency partnership, which will link U.S Government education and training institutions, including related centers of excellence, lessons learned programs, and academia, to foster unity of effort in stability operations, counterinsurgency, and irregular warfare - collectively called "complex operations." As an interim measure pending establishment of a steady-state manning structure, the CCO requires limited duration assistance in: conducting literature review; providing research for the collection and analysis of lessons learned for two interagency pilot projects; supporting efforts of other CTNSP research staff involved in the CCO lessons learned project; and assisting with the subsequent dissemination of lessons learned by providing substantive, theoretical, and methodological advice, with a special focus on interagency and international coordination, and civil-military cooperation. 3. TASKS The contractor shall be directly responsible for ensuring the accuracy, timeliness, and completion of all tasks under this effort. The position supports the CCO through the collection, analysis and dissemination of US Government interagency lessons learned in stability operations and irregular warfare. This task order requires the following professional services: a) Contractor supports collection activities through ongoing performance of literature reviews to extract lessons learned from a broad range of documents originating from government, academia, think tanks, advocacy groups and other relevant sources. Contractor conducts in-person interviews of U.S. Government (USG) personnel returning from participation overseas USG complex operations. The incumbent will provide theoretical and methodological advice to the Inter-Agency Best Practices Working Group (BPWG), senior CTNSP and CCO staff to develop surveys and interview questions for the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) lessons learned projects and to support future CCO efforts to enhance U.S. Government interagency organizational learning. b) Contractor applies in-depth knowledge of stability operations and irregular warfare to assess and analyze relevance of cross-agency issues and findings related to whole of government operations during conduct of complex operations. The incumbent is responsible for advising and updating senior staff on all aspects of the seminar series, and will provide expert advice on the theoretical context and methodological implications of the CCO pilot project on lessons learned from PRTs in Iraq and Afghanistan. c) Contractor is responsible for supporting the dissemination of lessons learned products by planning, organizing, and executing outreach seminars, workshops and conferences in support of the CCO and CTNSP. The Contractor is responsible for coordinating the CCO literature review and liaising with representatives of the BPWG to aggregate findings and report them to CCO stakeholder agencies. d) The incumbent will support efforts of other CTNSP research staff involved in research activities that are related to complex operations. 4. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS a) Contractor must have a minimum of 2 years experience working in an academic environment and will be familiar with in-person interview techniques and processes. b) 4 years combined experience with complex operations and conflict resolution, through work in the public/NGO, private or military sectors is highly desirable. c) A Master's degree with a focus on conflict resolution, stability operations or similar is preferred. d) Contractor must have published in the realm of international relations, complex operations/conflict resolution. e) Contractor shall demonstrat related experience in the conduct of seminars, workshops and other similar outreach-type activities in their quote. 5. PLACE(S) OF PERFORMANCE Services may be provided off-site, on-site, or a combination of, depending on program requirements. However, the majority of the work will be performed at the Center for Technology and National Security Policy at Ft. Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC. 6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE The period of performance for this task order will be 4 months from date of award.7. TRAVEL Contractor will be required to perform 3-4 CONUS trips outside of the local area to attend conferences or workshops related to the task. 8. TYPE OF CONTRACT The task order will be a Firm Fixed Price Contract. 9. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY (GFP) Contractor will be provided GFP for any work performed on-site. 10. DELIVERABLES/DELIVERABLE SCHEDULE In fulfillment of this effort, the Contractor shall provide the following deliverables. All deliverables shall be delivered or submitted to Program manager unless otherwise agreed upon. Unless otherwise specified, the Government will have a maximum of fifteen (15) working days from the day the draft deliverable is received to review the document, provide comments back to the contractor, approve or disapprove the deliverable(s). The contractor will have a maximum of five (5) working days from the day comments are received to incorporate all changes and submit the final deliverable to the Government. All documentation will be delivered to the government in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Project 2000 unless otherwise specified. a. Literature reviews and in-person interviews are an ongoing requirement for the duration of the two pilot projects (Iraq and Afghan PRTs). i. Contractor will perform research on relevant open source material in order to identify and extract lessons learned by Afghan and Iraqi PRTs and by conducting in-person interviews and will assist in dissemination of those lessons via written report and outreach activity. (Report: 5 pages) ii. The contractor is required to: a) Identify and collect best practices and lessons learned (observations will be recorded in spreadsheet summary) b) Analyze collected lessons and best practices to identify specific success and/or failure causes and issues (analysis will be documented in a 1-3 page summary report in the following format: 1) issue, 2) discussion, 3) recommendation. c) Contractor will create and update spreadsheet containing relevant literature on a bi-weekly basis throughout the duration of the contract. iii. Contractor will submit written interview summaries in the format provided by CCO leadership NLT 5 days following completion of each interview conducted (estimated at 10-15 interviews over the duration of the contract, 10-20 pages per interview.) b. Completion of initial pilot programs is estimated to be not later than October 31, 2009. Contractor will consolidate lessons which are collected over the period of the contract, and will prepare and submit a final lessons learned report for review and approval by CCO leadership not later than one week prior to the final workshop. c. Coordination for the final workshop includes: 1) Collection and preparation of read ahead materials.2) Notification of all required stakeholders (approx 200 email contact messages) 3 Performance of on-site logistics and administrative assistance for an audience estimated at 50-60 persons. d. Contractor will be responsible for providing administrative and logistics support for approximately 3 interim outreach seminars to be held at NDU to include: 1) maintaining and developing the Stability Operations section of the CTNSP attendee data base (Data Shark); (update approx 500 records per month)2) assisting with identification of seminar themes: 3) assisting with identification and recruitment of speakers; (approx 20 speakers per event) 4) performing on-site support for attendees estimated at 120-150 persons per seminar. 5) Contractor will collect and aggregate seminar notes and will prepare draft seminar reports for approval and uploading onto the CTNSP/CCO websites NLT 15 days following the interim seminar. (approx. 3 reports total at 15 - 25 pages each) e. Monthly Status Report. Reporting requirements for the monthly status reports will be outlined at the initial kick-off meeting. It is expected that these will include, but not be limited to Program status, to include: " Work completed (1- 2 page spreadsheet summary)" Plans for next month (1-2 page MS word document work plan) The COTR shall receive the Monthly Status Reports. Deliverable Schedule The table below delineates the deliverables and their respective due dates required during the performance of this task. Deliverable Description Due Date1 Literature Review/ updated spreadsheet Bi-weekly 2 Consolidated lessons learned report NLT one week prior to final workshop (est late Nov - early Dec 2009)3 Outreach Seminar Support (est. 3 total) Dates TBD 4 Outreach Seminar Reports (est. 3 total) Seminar + 15 days5 Complex Ops/Stability Ops topic/literature identification Daily or as required by Program Manager6 Monthly Status Report Monthly, with each invoice7 In Person Interviews and Summary Reports Est 10-20, NLT 5 days following interview 11. NON-PERSONAL SERVICES STATEMENT Contractor employees performing services under this order will be controlled, directed, and supervised at all times by management personnel of the contractor. Contractor management will ensure that employees properly comply with the performance work standards, outline in the statement of work. Contractor employees will perform their duties independent of, and without the supervision of, any Government official or other Defense Contractor. The Contractor shall not invoice the Government above 40 hours per work week unless authorized by the Director, CTNSP. The tasks, duties, and responsibilities set forth in this effort may not be interpreted or implemented in any manner that results in any contractor or sub-contractor employee creating or modifying Federal policy, obligating the appropriated funds of the United State Government, overseeing the work of Federal employees, providing direct personal services to any Federal employee, or otherwise violating the prohibitions set forth in Parts 7.4 and 37.1 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The Government will control access to the facility and will perform the inspection and acceptance of the completed work.