SOLICITATION NOTICE
99 -- Provide Support Services to the Financial Analysis & Process Reengineering Team for the Air Traffic Organization
- Notice Date
- 10/18/2006
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, AMQ-320 Aeronautical Center (AMQ)
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- DTFAAC-07-R-00004
- Response Due
- 10/18/2007
- Archive Date
- 11/16/2007
- Description
- The FAA intends to issue a contract to provide technical support services to the Financial Analysis & Process Reengineering Team (AJF4) located in Washington, DC. The Financial Analysis & Process Reengineering Team assists the Senior Vice President of Finance for the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) in establishing policies, planning, and providing analysis on a variety of programs; i.e., human resource management, labor/management relations, and air traffic work force staffing. They provide technical expertise in the development, revision, revalidation, and application of engineered staffing standards and staffing guidelines for the Enroute and Terminal Service Units within ATO. Staffing standards are planning tools consisting of mathematical models that are used to compute the number of persons required to perform a job or set of tasks. They are developed using industrial engineering techniques, statistics, and operations research analysis. FAA standards include appropriate allowances for leave, training, travel, etc. needed to accomplish a function. Periodic updates to the formulas are necessary to ensure the standards reflect current activities and resources. At present, the work measurement formulas used in the current air traffic control staffing standards, were last updated in the early 1990's. The resultant contract will be a follow-on to an existing contract currently awarded to a small business. This announcement is a Market Survey/Request for Information The purpose of this market survey is to solicit statements of interest and capabilities from SBA Certified 8(a) and Small Business concerns. The FAA is seeking interested sources that are capable of furnishing all personnel, materials, equipment and services necessary to provide technical support services to the Financial Analysis & Process Reengineering Team by analyzing staffing standards, guidelines, and work environments within the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) to update existing work measurement formulas to reflect current and future staffing requirements. ATO facilities may include Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC), Tower Cabs, or Terminal Radar Approach Control Centers (TRACON). Work associated with this effort will involve gathering new or existing data, analyzing the data, producing all required reports, and updating appropriate software applications. The contractor will develop new models and formulas and/or revise old ones using data collected at a sample of facilities and formulate the data into a software application. At this time the nature of the competition has not been determined. This market survey is being conducted in order to obtain the information necessary to aid the FAA in its determination as to whether adequate competition exists to set-aside the competition among eligible socially and economically disadvantaged businesses (SEDB) that are certified by the SBA for participation in the SBA's 8(a) Program, or whether it is more appropriate to conduct this procurement using other Small Business competitive procurement procedures. The principal North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 541611, with a size standard of $6.0 Million. Interested firms are required to submit the attached Business Declaration form and a copy of their SBA SEDB 8(a) Certification letter (if applicable). The failure to obtain adequate and appropriate SBA SEDB 8(a) or other small business participation in this market survey MAY result in a determination to conduct this procurement under other competitive procedures. Tasks and services that must be provided include the following: Task Area 1: Develop staffing standards, guidelines, models, and formulas specifically engineered for FAA's air traffic controller workforce. Typical tasks will include and not be limited to some or all of the following: 1.1 Orientation -The contractor shall meet with AJF4, the program office, and the proper line of business representative to receive an overview of activities covered by the staffing standard models, to establish which components of the workforce will be analyzed. If requested by the COTR, the contractor shall attend a one-day orientation at local FAA facilities to receive an overview of the program activities for the facilities type to be analyzed. The contractor shall familiarize itself with all studies, reports or other documents relating to the existing staffing standards, guidelines, or models for these facilities. All information gathered will be used to define the project's scope and direction. The contractor will develop and document an understanding of each organization, and its personnel requirement needed to support the organization's mission. 1.2 Review Existing Historical Files, Reports, and Standards - The contractor will review historical files, reports, models, and existing staffing standards to gain an understanding of the work to be accomplished. All available workload data will be identified, including existing staffing standards or models, to examine how they were developed and maintained. 1.3 Accomplishment Plan - The contractor will develop a plan to assess the air traffic control work environment(s) and collect work measurement and workload (traffic activity) data from each facility type being studied. This plan will address on-site data collection guidelines and instructions for data collection personnel. A plan of action will be prepared by the contractor, and submitted for each facility or cluster of facility type scheduled to be analyzed. The plan shall outline the steps required to complete each task and include the estimated number of labor hours, by category, used to complete each step. 1.4 Utilize Current Business Practices - When necessary, the contractor shall at their own expense, obtain advice and information from subject matter experts to enable them to remain current on the latest business practices, methodologies, and etc. being used to develop staffing standards and models. The contractor shall research literature to identify techniques, methodologies, best practices, models, and etc. that may be available to establish the staffing model requirements. 1.5 Analyze Information - The contractor shall analyze information from the previous paragraphs to develop a framework for the staffing standards, guidelines, or models. The framework will detail how standards or models should be developed to fulfill the organization's requirements. 1.6 Develop Data Collection Plan - The contractor will develop a plan for collecting data. The plan will include how data will be collected, onsite data collection guidelines, and provide instructions for data collection personnel. In addition, the contractor shall: - Collect data using surveys, interview techniques, time study, work sampling and/or other industrial engineering or operations research analysis techniques. - Discuss with FAA representatives, relevant functions, tasks, methods to measure or estimate time, and task frequency. - Develop/modify task lists and identify data required to develop and/or validate time and frequency. - Determine the potential workload drivers necessary to develop mathematical equations, formulas, etc., for each task being measured. - Provide suggestions of possible site selections to ensure facility variations are addressed. The primary requirement for sites selected for data collection is that they are a true representation of the population to which the staffing standards or models will be applied. - Design a statistical sampling plan to obtain desired accuracy of staffing standards formulas. Other factors determining site locations may also be established by AJF4 and the program office. - Meet with the FAA to determine if modifications to the data collection plan should be made, before data collection begins. 1.7 Perform Data Collection - Using the information and methods developed above, the contractor shall arrange travel to various regions, field offices and other FAA facilities in order to collect data as specified in the approved data collection plan. Data will be collected by examining existing office records and interviewing appropriate FAA headquarter, region and field personnel. Methods for data collection shall include but not be limited to using time study, work measurement, work sampling, other industrial engineering or operation research analysis techniques. Additional data used for the formulas shall be statistically significant and feasible to collect. Data will be collected from some or all of the facilities identified in Attachment 1. The collection will be conducted over a suitable period of time coordinated with the COTR, and based on the sample size appropriate for the number of experienced employees and active positions at each location. Data collection will include the days of the week which typically have the highest activity level and may cover all active functions at each site. Detailed workload data and other relevant information will also be collected. The collection will include information from previous studies and any information deemed pertinent by the FAA. A FAA representative will accompany the contractor to each site to facilitate data collection and act as a liaison between the contractor and Government personnel on site. The contractor will investigate workload data from existing records and computer systems, and obtain sample data for the time period covered by the data collection. Information needed to determine improvements or changes to the staffing standards will be collected as appropriate. 1.8 Analyze Data - The contractor shall compile and analyze the information and data collected, and provide statistical expertise as needed. The data will be analyzed to examine, but not be limited to, regression formulas, scheduling models, and the following determinations: - trends, patterns, correlations, etc. existing between observed work and workload measurements. - identify appropriate staffing models or factors relating staffing to workload indicators, such as traffic activity. - whether facilities may be "clustered" to obtain better statistical results. - significant differences with previously collected data. Data collected data will be combined into a database for analysis. The analysis shall include computation of all staffing standards and work time formulas. Data used for the formulas shall be statistically significant and feasible to collect. Additionally, the contractor shall recommend work models or further analysis to be conducted and obtain FAA review and approval for each step of data analysis. 1.9 Validate the Proposed Standards - The contractor shall devise a comprehensive method to validate both existing and proposed staffing standards formulas. This should include, but not be limited to comparing the staffing standards results with existing staffing levels. 1.10 Develop Computerized Scheduling Models - The contractor should become familiar with current computer scheduling models used by the FAA and make changes or adjustments to the models as needed. 1.11 Develop Staffing Standards, Models, and Guidelines - To obtain accurate results, the contractor will either develop new staffing standards, models, and update existing guidelines, or revise and replace the current staffing standards and models. Changes to all parameters and allowances shall be made so the final staffing standards, models, or guidelines reflect the work performed, and ensure none of the work is "double counted." 1.12 Staffing Standards Software System - When necessary, developments or modifications to the staffing standards application system shall be made to incorporate all new and revised equations or allowances for usage on a FAA designated computer. All new and updated data must interface with the existing software. Revised software systems shall be furnished on CD for easy installation and the contractor shall install the revised system on a FAA computer as directed by the COTR. 1.13 Apply Staffing Standards, Models, Guidelines -The contractor shall update all staffing standards, input variables, and apply the resultant staffing standards using the new formulas and data for evaluation. When required, a reproducible and audible sensitivity analysis must accommodate the staffing standards. Any requirement generated by the staffing standards or models must be reproducible, thoroughly documented, and acceptable to the FAA. 1.14 Staffing Standards, Models, or Guidelines Validation and Discussion - The contractor will determine a reasonable method to validate staffing standards, models, or guidelines, to conduct the required validation analyses. Developed staffing standards, models, guidelines and their implementation shall be discussed with the FAA. Based on these discussions, the contractor may be required to make revisions prior to being accepted by the FAA. This process may be repeated as necessary. 1.15 Prepare Documentation - The contractor shall prepare and submit a complete and thorough technical report by hard copy and electronic medium. All user manuals and documentation for all software provided, shall be submitted in the same manner. The report should include a complete and thorough documentation of the processes used to develop the staffing standards, from orientation to the data collection process, through data analysis. The results shall be presented with formulas requiring only current available data or formulas requiring additional information should the data be found significant. The formulas impact on staffing figures shall be discussed with the FAA. Based upon these discussions, the contractor may be required to modify or refine their analysis to reapply the standards before the results are acceptable. Upon completion, the FAA will be allowed ample time to thoroughly review the report prior to it being finalized for distribution. 1.16 Briefings - When required, the contractor shall present the standards, models, or guidelines to FAA management. Task Area 2: This task includes analyzing FAA's workforce by contrasting work and workloads, examining workforce scheduling models and database systems used to apply staffing standards, and analyzing staffing issues such as overtime usage, alternate work schedules, facility consolidation, and the impact of proposed changes in equipment and procedures. 2.1 Orientation -The contractor shall meet with AJF4 representatives to clarify the project requirement. AJF4 representatives will review the problem(s) to be analyzed and define the contractor's role. The contractor's role will consist of either conducting the entire analysis, or assisting with a specific portion of it. If requested by the COTR, the contractor shall attend a one-day orientation at local FAA facilities for an overview on the programmed activities for the facilities scheduled to be analyzed. 2.2 Data Collection - Data will be collected from some or all of the facilities to be identified. The collection will include information from previous studies and any information deemed pertinent by the FAA. 2.3 Data Analysis - All collected data should be combined into a database and analyzed. The analysis shall include computation of all staffing standards work time formulas. Data used for the formulas shall be statistically significant and feasible to collect. Once data to be analyzed has been determined, the contractor shall analyze the data using the levels below: Input or Raw Data Level: This data could be time study data or data collected from several regions. An example of this type of analysis would be determining the impact of a 30% decrease in staff on work accomplished by instituting a new work procedure or changing the way a work element is completed. Sensitivity Level: An example of sensitivity analyses may include the following: - Air traffic staffing standards currently provide staffing to cover the 90th percentile of the busiest day of the year. An analysis project would look at staffing for the 50th, 80th, or 95th percentile of the busiest day of the year. - Air traffic terminal staffing standards use an availability factor of 1.76 that covers leave, training, and off position activities. How much does staffing change if the availability factor is increased or decreased? - An analysis to determine how much time controllers spend processing flight strips in TRACON facilities. - An analysis to determine the impact of staffing if TMC and/or supervisory and overhead staffing guidelines are changed. - An analysis to determine the impact to staffing if 2 controllers are required to work the midnight shift. Scheduling Level: An example of a scheduling level analysis would be to change the number of shifts, length of shifts, periods per lunch break, scheduling of lunches or breaks, and alternate work schedules. 2.4 Determine the Impact of Data Analysis On Staffing Standards - After data has been analyzed, the contractor will modify the staffing standards as necessary to determine how the data will effect staffing requirements. The contractor will run new standards from the results of the data analysis, and compare the original staffing standards with the new scenario. A comprehensive method to validate both the existing and proposed staffing standards formulas shall also be developed by the contractor. 2.5 Staffing Standards Software System - When necessary, developments or modifications to the staffing standards application system shall be made to incorporate all revised and new equations or allowances for usage on a FAA designated computer. All new and updated data must interface with the existing software. Revised software systems shall be furnished on CD for easy installation and the contractor shall install the revised system on a FAA computer as directed by the COTR. 2.6 Prepare Documentation - The contractor shall prepare and submit a complete and thorough technical report by hard copy and electronic medium. The contractor will provide a written report on the results of the analysis and their potential impact if implemented. The report should include a complete and thorough documentation of the processes used during data collection, analyzing staffing issues and applying the staffing standards. The results shall be presented in formulas using the data currently available, or formulas requiring additional information should the data be found significant. The impact of the formulas on staffing figures shall be discussed with the FAA. Based upon these discussions, the contractor may be required to modify or refine their analysis to reapply the standards before the results are acceptable. Upon completion, the FAA will be allowed ample time to thoroughly review the report prior to it being finalized for distribution. The FAA intends to have any resultant contract in place by December 31, 2006. The anticipated period of performance is one 12-month base period, with up to four (4) 12-month options. All responses (one response per company) are to be provided on company letterhead and limited to a total of 15 type-written pages. No type font less than 12-point may be used. Interested sources are required to provide the following: - a capability summary describing the corporate approach to performing the work specified. - The vendor's access to additional resources, skills, subcontractors, subject matter experts, etc., if necessary, to successfully perform the proposed effort. - The vendor's program management support, data analysis, planning techniques, and other resources to be employed in rendering the services described in both of the major tasks specified above. - Relevant past performance in demonstrating ability to perform the proposed effort for a Government agency or private company. The FAA will not be liable for costs associated with the preparation and submittal of inquiries addressing this announcement. Brochures alone will not be considered sufficient documentation for demonstration of capabilities. Responses will not be returned. This is not a request for competitive proposals and will not result in a contract award. Since this is a sources sought announcement, no evaluation letters and/or results will be issued to the respondents. No collect calls or telephone inquiries will be accepted. Since this is a sources sought announcement, no solicitation exists; therefore do not request a copy of the solicitation. If and when a solicitation is issued, it will be synopsized on the FAA's contract opportunities web page. It is the potential offeror's responsibility to monitor this site for the release of any solicitation. All responses/submittals, including attachments, should be submitted electronically to the following email address: annette.harkless@faa.gov. (Reference DTFAAC-07-R-00004). All responses/submittals, including attachments, should be submitted in either Microsoft Word, or portable document format (pdf). Also please note that the FAA e-mail server restricts file size to 10MB per e-mail, therefore responses/submittals may have to be submitted in more than one e-mail in order to be received. If you cannot respond electronically, please send one (1) copy to: Federal Aviation Administration Attn: Annette Harkless, Contracting Officer, AMQ-320 P.O. Box 25082 (ZIP-73125) 6500 S. MacArthur Boulevard Oklahoma City, OK 73169 All interested sources must provide their responses/submittals no later than 4:00 PM, CT, November 3, 2006. Information packages received after this date will be determined late and will not be considered.
- Web Link
-
FAA Contract Opportunities
(http://www.asu.faa.gov/faaco/index.cfm?ref=5197)
- Record
- SN01167137-W 20061020/061018220243 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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