SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- INTERMITTENT CONTRACTORS/SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
- Notice Date
- 11/16/2005
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- DHS - Border and Transportation Security, Customs and Border Protection, Office of Procurement, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Room 1310 NP, Washington, DC, 20229
- ZIP Code
- 20229
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-IC-2006-01
- Response Due
- 11/15/2006
- Archive Date
- 11/30/2006
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- INTERMITTENT CONTRACTOR/SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERT (SME). Background: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operates numerous international training and assistance programs in various countries throughout the world which address the entire range of customs and border control operations. To effectively implement these programs, there is a need for the utilization of contractors on an intermittent (short-term) basis. Short-term or intermittent is defined as a single assignment for 180 days or less. Intermittent Contractors (ICs) will be required to perform various tasks such as those associated with training, utilizing specialized equipment, or to provide professional and technical assistance in specific topical areas. The following is a delineation of the types of general services that ICs are expected to provide under their contracts, as required. A more specific description of services or tasks shall be identified and provided to the ICs upon selection and award of a specific contract. TRAINING: The IC shall serve as a subject matter expert and/or presenter. He/she may be required to present customs or border control training based on an existing CBP curriculum. Instruction may include, but is not limited to, the areas of narcotics interdiction, port security, customs investigative techniques, money laundering, intellectual property rights, control of weapons of mass destruction, commercial import/export operations, or customs valuation. In general, the topic and contents of the course will be established, in advance, with course material normally provided by CBP. The selected candidate(s) is expected to have the appropriate experience and training to serve as an instructor in general and in specific areas of instruction. COURSE DEVELOPER: The IC shall develop a set of course materials on a given topic for later presentation by either CBP personnel or in-country advisors. Courses to be developed could be in any customs or border control-related areas such as those described for "Training" above. The selected candidate(s) is expected to have the appropriate experience and training in course development for one or more related areas. ASSESSMENTS: The IC may conduct on-site assessments of customs administrations and other border control agencies located in foreign countries. Assessments may be general in scope or geared to specific areas (e.g., control of weapons of mass destruction or intellectual property rights, etc.). Tasks could include such actions as physical border surveys, and broader surveys of the entire governmental enforcement system. The selected candidate(s) is expected to have the necessary experience and skills to complete an authoritative and professional review of the specific agencies or programs, and to prepare trip reports, summaries, analyses and recommendations. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: The IC may provide technical assistance in highly specialized areas such as legal reform, inspectional technology (high and low tech), port security, or specialized field operations. For example, in the area of legal reform, tasks may include the review of customs laws and regulations of a country, making recommendations for improvements, and/or providing technical assistance in the preparation of new laws and regulations that meet the needs of a specific country. The selected candidate(s) is expected to possess specialized knowledge, experience, and background related to specific areas of expertise. AUGMENTATION and REPLACEMENT: The IC may augment a technical team or temporarily replace a technical team member. As an additional team member, the IC will undertake general or specific tasks associated with various projects such as the development of an interagency taskforce or the review of personnel policies. As a replacement or ?fill-in?, the IC may replace and assume the tasks of a technical team member who may be away from post for an extended period of time. The selected candidate(s) is expected to possess the necessary knowledge, experience, and skills to serve as an additional team member, or replacement member. TERMS and CONDITIONS: Most IC assignments will be less than 30 days, with adequate advance notice prior to deployment. Some IC assignments may last up to 180 calendar days. It is not envisioned that an IC would be on duty more than 180 days in a calendar year. If an IC declines more than two assignments, he or she may be excluded from further consideration at CBP?s discretion. POSSIBLE DUTY LOCATIONS: ICs must be willing and able to work in any country in which CBP conducts operations. CBP training and assistance projects are currently ongoing in all regions of the world. COMPENSATION and OTHER REIMBURSEMENTS: 1) ICs will be compensated for their performance on a fixed-priced basis at the rate of $2,400 per week for all ICs or prorating thereof (i.e., $480.00/day, $60.00/hour), for the period of time estimated by CBP for completion of the assignment, excluding travel days. 2) The IC contract will include reimbursement for the IC?s medical evacuation covera, not to exceed $500, and medical examination costs up to $500. 3) All travel will be under U.S. Government travel orders (separate and apart from the contract) and in accordance with applicable U.S. Government travel regulations. NOTE: ICs will be reimbursed for all official travel upon completion of a travel voucher in accordance with an approved travel authorization. The IC will be responsible for purchasing airline or other common carrier tickets subsequent to approval of travel. ICs are authorized to receive an advance for expenses for lodging, meals and/or travel incidentals. OTHER REQUIREMENTS: 1) Prospective ICs may be required to undergo updated background investigations to obtain a ?secret? security clearance from CBP. If for some reason a clearance cannot be granted, the prospective IC may be excluded from consideration from any assignments calling for such clearances. 2) For some specific assignments, foreign language ability may be a requirement for selection. 3) All materials provided to or developed by the IC under a contract are the property of CBP, may not be released to any other party without express permission from CBP, and are subject to return to CBP upon conclusion of the contract or otherwise upon receipt of a request from CBP. CONSIDERATION of APPLICANTS: Interested individuals are to submit their qualifications in resume format, to be accompanied by a completed relating 2-page questionnaire which is also available at www.fbo.gov. In order to ensure that full consideration is given, applicants are encouraged to review the information covered/requested of government job applicants in the form OF-612 (viewable at http://www.opm.gov/Forms/pdf_fill/of612.pdf) and to ensure that the resume submitted to CBP for consideration contains the same data elements that appear in that form. Resume packages (i.e., resume & completed questionnaire) will be accepted by e-mail only - Submit to CBP.IC@dhs.gov. No acknowledgement will be made by CBP upon receipt of the resume. Please, no phone calls. NOTE: Applicants who applied previously are to submit new application packages in accordance with the guidance and requirements herein, to include a completed questionnaire. METHOD of SELECTION/OPERATION: CBP?s Office of International Affairs will evaluate the resume and questionnaire packages received for technical ability. CBP may exclude any applicant from consideration if it is unable to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of that applicant?s qualifications from the documents submitted. Qualified and otherwise acceptable candidates will then be added to a ?qualified bidders list? from which ICs are selected and awarded a contract for one or more assignments in the future. ?Prospective? ICs must be physically fit, able to perform the duties of an assignment and may be required to obtain a physical examination and certification that they are fit for travel anywhere in the world for assignments up to 180 calendar days. If selected for a contract award and CBP elects to require that the prospective IC obtain a physical, CBP will reimburse the IC for reasonable ?actual? costs (not to exceed $500) by including this item on the contract, as described above. ICs may be required to obtain emergency evacuation insurance coverage. If so, the contract document will provide for reimbursement of reasonable ?actual? costs for this coverage (not to exceed $500). CONTRACT DOCUMENT: As indicated above, once CBP identifies a requirement and selects a prospective IC, a CBP Contracting Officer will prepare a suitable contract document in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR ? viewable at http://www.acqnet.gov/far/). The contract document will contain the detailed statement of work for the specific assignment, including services required, estimated time required, country/destination, travel dates, materials and topics to be addressed, and any required materials. Prospective ICs must be registered in the government?s Central Contractor Registration system at www.ccr.gov prior to issuance of a contract and are not to commence performance or initiate travel until they receive and accept the contract in writing. The duration of contract performance shown on the contract document and resulting dollar amount constitutes a ceiling, beyond which the IC performs at his/her own risk. If needs arise which call for the IC to provide services for an additional period of time, the Contracting Officer will issue a modification which provides authorization for continued performance within specified limits. CONTRACT INVOICING and PAYMENTS: Payments are processed by CBP in arrears, in accordance with the Prompt Payment Act as implemented by FAR clause 52.232-25. ICs are to submit an invoice for services rendered under their contract no more frequently than once per month (in arrears), unless otherwise specifically authorized in the contract document. It is suggested that ICs submit their monthly invoice during the first week of each calendar month for services performed during the previous calendar month. IC monthly invoices must comply with the requirements of FAR 32.905. Travel-related reimbursements are handled separately in accordance with applicable travel regulations as indicated in the text above. TAX CONSIDERATIONS: All taxes (federal, state and/or local) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) income reporting requirements are the responsibility of the IC as a ?1099? vendor. NOTE: This announcement is not an offer of employment. This Notice is being published on an annual basis and supersedes previous notices for CBP?s intermittent contractors. This Notice remains in affect until canceled or superseded. Applicants must realize that CBP?s requirements for the services described above occur on a sporadic basis and there is no assurance or guarantee that they will receive a contract for the services described herein. The Contracting Office for this requirement is located at: US Customs & Border Protection 7701 N. Stemmons Freeway (CBPCAP) Dallas, TX 75247 USA
- Place of Performance
- Address: Various locations, worldwide
- Record
- SN00932597-W 20051118/051116211514 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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