Description
This is a Presolicitation Notice Not a Solicitation. The US Department of the Interior, National Business Center (DOI/NBC) Acquisition Services Directorate (AQD), Sierra Vista Branch, Sierra Vista, Arizona is currently working on a requirement for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Defense Sciences Office (DSO). A solicitation will be issued on or around 17 June 2010. Background: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) requires support services to assist this office, and the Defense Science Research Council, in its program planning and technical analysis, program and financial management/analysis, conference and meeting planning, data management and control, and contract specialists to support work in the general areas of Physical Sciences, Materials, Neuroscience, Biology, and Mathematics for existing, planned, and yet to be defined technology programs. In addition, scientific, engineering, and technical assistance (SETA) and administrative support services are required to support the DSO front office in the areas of broad agency announcements, internal and external websites, graphics, strategic planning, executive briefings, subject matter experts/consultants, and administrative management. The anticipated dollar value of the requirement is estimated to be $220,000,000.00 for 5 years, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract (multiple award contract). Contractor personnel will be required to have security clearances commensurate with the level of Top Secret by the task on which they are assigned at the time of award. Technical Requirements: The contractors are expected to have the expertise and appropriate personnel to accomplish the following requirements. 1. Program Planning and Technical Analysis - Work with the Program Managers in developing and researching ideas for formulation of new programs and the associated acquisition strategy; provide research expertise and program support of government activities with regard to procurements, schedules (technical and administrative), technical risk, user impact, and technology transfer efforts; provide in-depth expertise in the assessment of proposals to determine the technical merit of proposal objectives and methodologies; assist in the development and transition of technology to the user community; support the activities of on-going and future work and be familiar with the interaction of the technology program with the respective community at large; identify and translate user requirements into specific technology research and development objectives; illustrate the benefits of applying technology to military equipment users and developers; identify the commercial utility of new products and technology developments; and prepare and draft Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs), Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs), and Scientific Technology Transition Agreements (S&TTAs). 2. Program & Financial Management/Analysis - Be familiar with the DARPA financial systems, strategic budget planning, schedule trade-off's/variance analysis during the source selection process as well as the program(s) life cycle; provide inputs to centralized planning that consolidates performance, budget, and schedule information for existing and future DSO programs; experience with the various types of award instruments that DSO programs employ (e.g. contract, grant, cooperative agreement, other transaction agreement, etc.), including specific documentation, approvals, planning, and limitations associated with each, that affect a program's execution; be familiar with DARPA and DSO policies, instructions, procedures, processes, and guidelines; assist in maintaining and monitoring the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) and animal use research at DARPA; and familiar with SBIR/STTR OSD and DARPA regulations. 3. Conference/Meeting Planning - Provide the personnel and resources necessary for planning and conducting unclassified and classified (up to SECRET level) technical conferences, seminars, workshops, industry days, and program reviews, as specified by the DSO staff and locate and secure the conference facilities (in Washington DC area and in various sites throughout the United States) and coordinate the conferences with other groups and individual participants. 4. Defense Sciences Research Council (DSRC) Support - Help provide insight into advances in science and technology that might provide future opportunities for DARPA activities, conducts a series of selected topic workshops and studies and DARPA Director is out briefed on the results; facilitate in obtaining speakers and other subject matter experts as required to support workshops, reviews, meetings, or other activities as specified by DARPA; organize and coordinate all workshops, study meetings, Fall and Spring review meetings, Steering Committee meetings, and the extended summer session, which involves the activities under conference/meeting planning; assist in obtaining security support for council members and consultants including obtaining and holding clearance information and records at the SECRET level. 5. Data Management and Control - Manage, maintain, and coordinate program data repository activities compliant with DARPA Security Information Directorate (SID) and Office of Management Operations (OMO) policies and procedures; maintain the existing comprehensive DSO electronic library (e-Library) in very close proximity (within a 15-minute delivery time) to DARPA; organize and scan required documentation into the e-Library; train personnel on how to use and upload (scan) documents into the e-Library; develop, test, and implement software enhancements to the e-Library as determined by the available budget, user feedback, and priority according to DSO front office; provide a quick-response, flexible data repository/database that allows for custom and standard reports to be generated; provide storage facilities and required retention time, followed by appropriate document dispensation for required DSO unclassified data within 15-minute maximum transit time to DARPA, provide the DSO front office with an annual log of all enhancements, bugs, fixes, detected intrusions, and any other required information to all data management/control tools; and be familiar and comply with the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002. 6. Contracting Support Personnel - Provide contracting personnel with demonstrated expertise and experience to support the DSO Contracting Management Office (CMO) Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) in the following: demonstrate experience and expertise in comprehending and applying the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Department of Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS), and Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulations (DODGAR) to corresponding award instruments; review/analyze technical and cost proposals; interface with the proposer as necessary to obtain missing data, clarifications, etc.; prepare award instrument documentation for contracts (all variants), grants, cooperative agreements, technical investment agreements, other transaction agreements, and any other instrument; work with DSO program managers and their support team to obtain technical/cost analysis and any other required data; recommend acquisition strategy, award instrument type, timelines, and contracting alternatives; and publish broad agency announcements, request for proposal, special notices, and amendments to the aforementioned in FEDBIZOPPS. 7. DSO Office-Wide Support - Provide technical and administrative personnel and expertise for Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Support, DSO Website/Graphics Support, Strategic Planning Support, Executive Briefing Support, Subject Matter Experts/Consultants, and DSO Office-wide Administrative Program Support. 8. Transition Plan/Schedule/Phasing- provide a detailed Transition Plan that outlines the strategy and methodology for transitioning support services performed under this contract to assure a smooth and effective transition between the incumbent contractor and a follow-on contractor; describe how the contractor's organization will be staffed, managed and ready to meet the requirements of transitioning the DSO support services at the end of the contract period; identify the proposed approach to phase-in of management and technical personnel and the implementation of control procedures and methods; establish in the Transition Plan the management controls, procedures, and methods necessary to accomplish a phased transition of program support activities, including personnel staffing, subcontracting, procurement, status reporting, security arrangements, and documentation control, security, and transfer; identify a phased schedule with a transition milestone chart. Requirements critical to transitioning shall be identified, including personnel training, security arrangements (controls and procedures) and documentation transfer (controls and procedures). The phased transition of the contractor's technical and management data shall be fully complete and operational 90 days after any follow-on contract is awarded. Expertise Requirements: The contractor shall provide qualified, experienced engineering and technical support personnel, management support personnel, and administrative support personnel to accomplish the tasks and deliver the services as identified above. NAICS Code: This procurement is for NAICS Code 541330 Engineering Services, 541690 Other Scientific & Technical Services, and 541990 All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services.