SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Career Counseling Services
- Notice Date
- 10/17/2005
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 561499
— All Other Business Support Services
- Contracting Office
- Library of Congress, Contracts Services, Contracts Section, 101 Independence Ave SE LA-325, Washington, DC, 20540-9411
- ZIP Code
- 20540-9411
- Solicitation Number
- CRS20060007
- Response Due
- 10/21/2005
- Archive Date
- 11/4/2005
- Description
- Background The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is part of the legislative branch of the federal government. CRS, which is a department of the Library of Congress, works exclusively as a nonpartisan analytical, research, and reference arm for U.S. Congress. The CRS mission is to provide information and analytic support leading to an informed national legislature. CRS provides the Congress, throughout the legislative process, comprehensive and reliable legislative research, analysis and information services that are timely, non-partisan, and confidential, thereby contributing to an informed national legislature. The vision of CRS is that the Congress turns to CRS first when it is in need of legislative, research analysis or information in addressing the issues of the Nation. As an organization, CRS has adopted the values of client service, uncompromising integrity, total quality, mutual respect and diversity. To ensure that its resources are used most effectively in support of its mission, CRS is making significant staffing adjustments in response to technology-driven changes in the way it performs work for the Congress. These staffing adjustments will result in the elimination of 59 administrative/product preparation, technical support assistant, and audio/visual support positions. The affected staff will be offered separation options through Voluntary Early Retirement Authority and a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (i.e. buy-out). Many are eligible for voluntary regular retirement and some are eligible for early retirement. Most of the technical support assistants, however, are not eligible for early retirement. All 59 staff face major decisions to: 1) retire or separate by January 3, 2006; 2) remain with CRS and hope to be selected into new jobs being created; or 3) seek employment elsewhere. Those who remain in the eliminated positions will be subject to a reduction-in-force on September 30, 2006. CRS will be creating and competitively filling new and different administrative, product preparation, and technology support positions that reflect the functions that are currently needed to support its research and analytical work. The Service is confident that fewer staff will be required, and some functions may be performed at a lower grade level or contracted out. CRS intends to provide each individual whose position is being eliminated with the tools, including retirement and career counseling, to make the best possible decision with the least amount of personal and organizational disruption. Scope of Work CRS requires expert on-site career counseling/career transition services for up to 59 employees whose positions are being eliminated. These services will include one-on-one career counseling and monthly group workshops on various career transition topics. General Requirements Services must be provided by a career counselor with education, training, and experience in career development, such as a Master Career Counselor or National Certified Career Counselor. The career counselor providing services must follow the ethical guidelines of organizations such as the National Career Development Association, the National Board for Certified Counselors, the American Counseling Association, or the American Psychological Association. The contractor must have experience with career counseling for technical support personnel and experience with counseling federal government employees. Specific Requirements The contractor will provide on-site career counseling services to the CRS staff whose positions are being eliminated. Services will be provided for one working day each week, during normal business hours on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of each week. These services will include, but not be limited to, the following (the contractor may propose additional services to be provided within the one day per week timeframe): 1) personal counseling sessions to clarify career goals; 2) assistance with identification of interests, skills, and career options; 3) assistance in developing and improving resumes; 4) assistance in developing job hunting strategies and skills; 5) practice in interviewing skills; and 6) monthly workshops, open to the 59 employees, on career transition topics such as networking, negotiating salaries and benefits, finding hidden employment opportunities, and marketing yourself to employers. The workshops will be offered for part of the regularly scheduled day, leaving the remainder of the day available for one-on-one sessions. Workshops will be rotated so that popular topics are offered more than once. One-on-one sessions will be scheduled directly with the counselor by the employee. CRS will provide private office space and normal office equipment for individual counseling sessions. Monthly workshops will coordinated with and scheduled by the COTR. Topics for the monthly workshops will be approved in advance by the COTR. CRS will provide for the reproduction of any materials and handouts for the workshops. CRS will also provide a classroom. Participants in the workshops will sign up in advance, with the contractor. Period of Performance The period of performance shall be one working day per week, during normal business hours on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of each week through September 30, 2006. Place of Performance Work shall be performed at the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave., SE, Washington, D.C., 20540. Payment Payment will be made monthly upon submission of the contractor?s invoice and a report listing counseling days and workshops provided. Payment may be expected within thirty days of receipt of certification by the COTR that all scheduled work has been completed in accordance with the terms and obligations of the statement of work. Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) Kathy Deese CRS Room LM 208 Library of Congress 101 Independence Avenue, SE, Mail Stop 7500 Washington, DC 20540-7240 tel: 202-707-4670 fax: 202-707-4094 email: kdeese@crs.loc.gov Travel Local travel will not be reimbursed by CRS. Background Checks for Onsite Contractor Personnel Personnel provided under this contract shall not be under pending charges, shall have not been convicted of any felony within the last 10years, or any misdemeanor within the last 5 years, excepting minor motor vehicle infractions for which the individual paid a fine or posted collateral in the amount of $300 or less. Note that the term "convicted" would include a disposition of "probation" or "probation before judgment." Should any person employed by the contractor to perform work under this contract be convicted of any of the aforesaid offenses, the contractor agrees to remove the individual from the contract performance and return all Library building and stack passes issued to the individual. The contractor also agrees to remove from the contract performance any individual under pending charges for any felony or misdemeanor with the exceptions noted above until such time that the final disposition is known. Upon request of the Library, the contractor shall identify personnel to be assigned to work under the contract and submit a FD-258 (contractor 5 fingerprint chart) and any other necessary administrative forms provided by the Library so that a background check may be conducted. The parties agree that the Library has final authority to determine the suitability of contractor personnel who perform work under this contract. Nevertheless, the fact that the Library may conduct background checks on assigned contractor personnel does not relieve the contractor of the responsibility to provide qualified, reliable personnel of sound character and conduct. Confidentiality of Information The Contractor shall not release, publish or otherwise disseminate any information received from CRS relating to or materials or products developed for CRS under this agreement without written authorization of the Director. The requests received by the Congressional Research Service from congressional offices and materials received in response to such requests are confidential and are not to be disseminated without prior authorization of the Director either during or after the period covered by this contract. Use of Congressional Research Service (CRS) Name or Contractual Relationships in Advertising The Contractor agrees not to refer to awards from or contracts with the Congressional Research Service (CRS) in commercial advertising in such a manner as to state or infer that the product or service provided is endorsed or preferred by CRS or is superior to other products or services. The Contractor also agrees not to distribute or release any information that states or infers that CRS endorses, uses or distributes the Contractor's product or service. Evaluation Factors for Award Award will be made to that offeror whose combination of factors represent the best value to the Government and is most advantageous, and which is within the available Library of Congress resources. The technical factors in order of importance are: 1. Qualifications, credentials, and experience of contractor personnel proposed for the project: 2. Technical Approach ? understanding/responsiveness to the specific requirements: 3. Experience providing the full array of career counseling services with a federal agency/organization, with references: 4. Cost: Separate cost proposals will be submitted. All contractor expenses should be reflected in the cost proposal.
- Place of Performance
- Address: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE, 101 INDEPENDENCE AVENUE, SE, WASHINGTON, DC 20540-7240
- Zip Code: 20540-7240
- Country: USA
- Zip Code: 20540-7240
- Record
- SN00916864-W 20051019/051017212009 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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