SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- R - FTS Networx Acquisition Support Services
- Notice Date
- 6/10/2003
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- General Services Administration, Federal Technology Service (FTS), Center for Contract Management & Administration (TQN3), 10304 Eaton Place, Fairfax, VA, 22030
- ZIP Code
- 22030
- Solicitation Number
- TQN3-PLB-03-0003
- Response Due
- 6/24/2003
- Archive Date
- 7/9/2003
- Point of Contact
- Phillip Barber, Contracting Officer, Phone (703) 306-6441, Fax (703) 306-6441, - Phillip Barber, Contracting Officer, Phone (703) 306-6441, Fax (703) 306-6441,
- E-Mail Address
-
phil.barber@gsa.gov, phil.barber@gsa.gov
- Description
- 1. BACKGROUND The Federal Technology Service (FTS) acquires and manages the network services contracts and programs that serve the needs of customer agencies across the Federal Government. FTS currently provides a series of comprehensive and diverse contracts, including FTS2001, the Metropolitan Area Acquisitions and various niche contracts; that provide long distance, local telecommunications, data services and other telecommunications services to Federal Agency Clients. As these contracts begin to expire, new contracts must be in place to maintain continuity of current service and provide new service offerings as required by government customers. The FTS Assistant Commissioner for Service Development is currently developing the FTS Next Generation Network Services (NGNS) program called ?FTS Networx? that will accomplish this objective. 2. OBJECTIVE The objective of this procurement is to obtain expertise in acquisition planning and Request for Proposal development. This expertise will assist the Assistant Commissioner of Service Development in identifying the appropriate strategy, requirements, and customer delivery mechanisms, in order that the acquisition program will accurately address the needs of government agencies and maximally leverage the capabilities of the telecommunications industry. Special Notice: To avoid conflict of interests, any contractor participating in development of the NGNS statement of work, evaluation criteria, or other activities defined in FAR Subpart 9.5 leading to an organizational conflict of interest will be prohibited from submitting a proposal for any NGNS contracts for which the contractor has participated. Additionally, the contractor is prohibited from contracting or subcontracting services to any company that pertains to any phase of NGNS bid proposal development. (See Section 15 of this RFP for complete details.) 3. REQUIREMENTS ? Statement of Work (SOW) Task 1: Acquisition Strategy The contractor shall assist the Assistant Commissioner for Service Development in developing and coordinating the Networx Strategy within government and with industry. This support shall include analysis of the current telecommunications industry, analysis of agency requirements and priorities, and assistance in preparing documents and briefs for key government decision makers that reflect the optimum Networx acquisition approach. The contractor will also assist in gathering and analyzing information received from industry in response to FTS provided briefings and solicitations. The contractor will also propose enhancements to the strategy that consider the industry response. Activities to be included in this phase are: ? Assisting with preparations for, and delivery of, a Networx public forum to discuss and obtain comment on the Networx strategy. ? Developing and facilitating implementation of an overall outreach plan to involve stakeholders of the FTS Acquisition Strategy. ? Developing and facilitating implementation of a campaign to support outreach to stakeholders regarding the FTS Acquisition Strategy and the Acquisition Plan for the Next Generation of FTS Network Services. Task 2: Networx Program The contractor shall assist the Networx Program Manager in coordinating programmatic activities leading to development of an RFP, fully ready for delivery to industry. Activities in this task area include: ? Assisting in developing, monitoring and updating the Program schedule. ? Assisting FTS in maintaining the program schedule and monitoring work accomplished. ? Reviewing program documents for structure, content, accuracy, readability and providing comments. ? Assisting in the development and review of the Acquisition Plan. ? Assisting with preparations for and delivery of a Networx public forum to discuss and obtain comment on the Networx strategy. ? Ongoing assessment and evaluation of customer and industry response to the program strategy and initiatives. ? Conducting expert reviews of FTS Acquisition planning and providing recommendations concerning planning documents and supporting analyses. ? Assisting in compiling requirements and assembling, reviewing and revising the Draft RFP. ? Conducting expert reviews of the telecommunications technology, standards, and price structures of the Draft RFP while also assessing its adherence to regulatory practices and the feasibility of industry compliance. ? The contractor shall propose innovative and streamlined acquisition processes and methodologies, consistent with performance based contracting and Federal Policy and Regulations that will enable FTS to:  Reduce the time for developing and issuing a final solicitation  Reduce the burden on vendors in responding to the solicitation  Reduce the burden on the Government for evaluating offers  Reduce the burden on both Government and industry for contract administration  Ensure the acquisition and contract administration procedures are maximally crafted to facilitate the ability of the customer agencies to utilize the resulting contracts to acquire and manage the network services needed to satisfy their mission requirements. ? Assisting in the development and review of all documentation and correspondence as assigned. ? Providing all other discretionary program management, technical or administrative support that may be requested to include:  Meeting support  Preparation of draft documents  General administrative support and assistance ? Provide proposal evaluation support as directed. Task 3: Business Case Analysis The contractor shall compile, research, and analyze Networx program data that will be the basis for a viable Networx business case that meets OMB requirements. The contractor shall assist FTS to organize, format, and present the business case in compliance with OMB A-11, Exhibit 300 guidelines. The contractor shall support FTS in communicating how the Networx acquisition will align with and contribute to customer agency mission requirements. Further, the contractor shall assist FTS in defining the value of FTS technology services that will allow customer agencies to meet the goals of the Presidents Management Agenda (PMA). 4. JOB CATEGORY DESCRIPTIONS a) Senior Consultant: The contractor shall be a recognized leader in telecommunications and information technology industry outreach and media relations management. The contractor should have authored published material in these subject areas. The contractor must have extensive experience in program management, acquisition planning, RFP preparation, and telecommunications industry experience. The contractor must have extensive experience working industry proposals and must have an in-depth understanding of industry technical issues. Contractor must have expert and extensive knowledge of telecommunications technology (e.g., voice, data, wireless, and satellite services), industry practices, and the regulatory environment. Contractor with graduate level education is preferred. b) Industry Expert: Extensive experience in developing and managing industry proposals in response to Government telecommunications solicitations. The contractor must have experience in working closely with industry to understand industry trends and offerings. The contractor must have expert knowledge of industry technical issues as it relates to telecommunications procurements. The contractor must have expert and extensive knowledge of telecommunications technology, industry practices, and the regulatory environment. Contractor with at least undergraduate level education is preferred. c) Technical Expert: Personnel to provide technical review and quality assurance for the technical documents, RFP, and proposal evaluation support. The contractor must have extensive experience with industry proposals, practices, and regulatory environment. Must have in-depth current knowledge of telecommunications technologies including voice, data, and video transmission; systems, protocols, signaling, and features; network and customer premises equipment; analog/digital and wired/wireless communications techniques; connection requirements for network elements; and communications security. Knowledge and familiarity with Government standards, regulations, policies, and procedures related to telecommunications. Contractor with at least undergraduate level education is preferred. d) Program Management Support: Extensive experience in program management, acquisition planning, RFP preparation, and telecommunications industry experience. Must have the ability to respond to and redirect focus on emergent program needs across a broad spectrum of program activities. Contractor with at least undergraduate level education is preferred. e) Business Case Analyst: Expert knowledge and extensive experience of developing effective business cases for very large organizations; especially government organizations. The contractor must have knowledge of government financial processes, accounting, and reporting guidelines. The contractor shall have experience at interviewing and coordinating with clients and support contractors for the purposes of gathering and processing the necessary information for the business case. Additionally, shall have excellent ability to write and present persuasive, meaningful, and coherent business cases. Contractor with at least undergraduate level education is preferred. 5. LEVEL OF EFFORT For the purposes of evaluation, the offeror shall use the labor categories, hours, and contract length specified in the table below. Please use actual GSA schedule job descriptions and rates that will most closely meet requirements of job categories. Submit resumes of people that have required expertise and experience. Note: All labor costs in proposals shall be ?fully loaded? (e.g., include management and administrative overhead). 16-month Base Period Category Task Months Hours Industry Expert 1 16 667 Technical Expert 2 16 4153 Senior Consultant 1 16 509 Business Case Analyst 3 16 250 Program Management Support 2 16 1564 First 6-month Option Category Task Months Hours Technical Expert 2 6 1410 Senior Consultant 1 6 188 Program Management Support 2 6 282 Second 6-month Option Category Task Months Hours Technical Expert 2 6 1410 Senior Consultant 1 6 188 Program Management Support 2 6 282 6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE The base period of performance is estimated to be from the Date of Award up through September 30, 2004. Additionally, there will be two 6-month option periods to be exercised at the Government?s discretion. The Government reserves the right to modify the tasks identified based on the contractor?s performance and the requirements of the acquisition process. (Note: Scope of the contract cannot be modified.) 7. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE 10304 Eaton Place, Fairfax, Virginia 22030. 8. CONTRACT TYPE Time and Materials. 9. OTHER DIRECT COSTS Other Direct Costs (ODCs) including material necessary for performance of this contract shall be specified in individual Delivery Orders. Maximum allowable amounts will be established for individual delivery orders. The cost of general purpose items required for the conduct of the Contractor?s normal business operations will normally not be considered an allowable ODC in the performance of this contract. General purpose items include, but are not limited to, telephones and telephone charges, typewriters, reproduction machines, word processing equipment, personal computers, and other office equipment and office supplies. The contractor will be required to provide a list and cost of materials necessary to perform the tasks. Travel will be authorized as required, but there shall be no reimbursement for local travel. 10. DELIVERABLES Monthly Report: The contractor shall produce a monthly report that delineates and specifies work activities executed during the previous month. This report shall include a delineation of all of the associated charges to the Government. Task 1 Deliverables: Contractor shall provide analyses, comments, recommendations, assessments, and briefings on FTS Networx Acquisition Strategy; delivery as required. Contractor shall provide analyses, comments, recommendations, assessments, and briefings on FTS Networx Acquisition Strategy Outreach Plan and Media Outreach Program; delivery as required. Task 2 Deliverables: Contractor shall provide analyses, comments, recommendations, assessments, and briefings leading to the development of an FTS Networx RFP; delivery as required. Task 3 Deliverables: Contractor shall provide analyses, statistics, financials, and status reports in support of a robust Networx business case. Provide a business case compliant with OMB A-11, Exhibit 300 and PMA that can also be used by agencies as a template for justifying Networx subscription. 11. PROPOSAL FORMAT Offerors are to submit proposals electronically, in a format that is compatible with Windows XP Office Suite. The total number of pages in the proposal submission is to be limited to 10, not including resumes and past performance. A. Management Approach ? The contractor shall describe the proposed approach to meeting requirements specified in the tasks. B. Technical Approach ? The contractor shall describe the proposed approach to developing a telecommunications acquisition including strategy, requirements, RFP and associated documentation with emphasis on ensuring best value for standard voice and data services as well as integrated and managed telecommunications services. C. Past Performance ? The contractor shall describe three similar awards and the results of the support provided under those awards. D. Resumes E. Cost Proposal ? Base on the Level of Effort listed in section 5. F. List of current clients for conflict of interest assessments. 12. PAST PERFORMANCE The contractor shall describe three similar awards and the results of the support provided under those awards. 13. EVALUATION AND AWARD CRITERIA The Government will award a contract(s) resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror(s) whose offer(s) conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. Personnel, technical and past performance, when combined, are more important than price. Awards will be evaluated on the following criteria, which are listed in descending order of importance: 1. Personnel 2. Technical Approach 3. Past Performance 4. Price Each task shall be independently evaluated. Offerors may provide proposals for one or more tasks. The Government has a preference for multiple awards. These procedures are used instead of FAR 52.212-2 ? Evaluation ? Commercial Items. Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). 14. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS An oral presentation may be required. Resumes are required on all personnel bid. The on-site persons submitted must participate in the oral presentation (if requested) and the person bid to provide industry expertise must report to FTS to begin work on site within one week following contract award. 15. RESTRICTIONS The contractor must execute a Non-Disclosure Agreement for the Next Generation Network Services program. Should the contractor require access to any other government or industry partner?s proprietary data, the contractor will be required to sign nondisclosure forms for that information, which is subject to the government and/or industry partner approval. The contractor will be required to submit a list of telecommunications industry clients with whom they have provided professional services over the past 10 years. Should the contractor obtain any government furnished information, other than information available from other sources without restriction or furnished without limitations on its use, the contractor shall not use the information for any other purpose other than that for which it was furnished. Furthermore, the contractor shall not use the information for any competitive advantage. Certain tasks in this Statement of Work may lead to an organizational conflict of interest (see FAR Subpart 9.5). To avoid conflict of interests, the contractor will be prohibited from submitting a proposal for any Next Generation Network Services (NGNS) (or Networx) contract for which the contractor has participated in development of the statement of work, or evaluation criteria, or other activities defined in FAR Subpart 9.5 leading to an organizational conflict of interest. Additionally, the contractor is prohibited from contracting or subcontracting services to any company that pertains to any phase of NGNS bid proposal development. 16. FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS (FAR) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation with not be issued. This solicitation, number TQN3-PLB-03-0003, is issued as a Request for Proposals (RFP). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 14 effective 5/22/03. The applicable NAICS code is 541611 ? Professional Services. This solicitation carries the following clauses by reference: 52.212-1 ? Instructions to Offerors; 52.212-3 ? Offeror Representations and Certifications ? Commercial Items; and 52.212-4 ? Contract Terms and Conditions ? Commercial Items. Offers are to be received in the above-identified office by close of business on June 24, 2003. There are no numbered notes.*****
- Place of Performance
- Address: GSA/FTS, 10304 Eaton Place, Fairfax, VA
- Zip Code: 22030
- Country: United States
- Zip Code: 22030
- Record
- SN00344061-W 20030612/030611070010 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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