MODIFICATION
A -- SSC NOLA - University R&D Contract
- Notice Date
- 2/20/2008
- Notice Type
- Modification
- NAICS
- 541720
— Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
- Contracting Office
- 2251 Lakeshore Dr., New Orleans LA 70145-0001
- ZIP Code
- 70145-0001
- Solicitation Number
- N69250-08-R-0302
- Response Due
- 3/17/2008
- Archive Date
- 4/16/2008
- Point of Contact
- Point of Contact - Sharon B Roberson, Contract Specialist, 504-697-1308; Edward V Wallace, Contracting Officer, 504-697-5594
- E-Mail Address
-
Email your questions to Contract Specialist
(sharon.roberson@navy.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a modification to FEDBIZOPS solicitation number N69250-08-R-0302 dated 02 October 2008. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center New Orleans (SPAWARSYSCENNOLA) intends to issue a solicitation limited to educational institutions within 12 miles of the SPAWARSYSCENNOLA Facility, with graduate degree programs related to disciplines described below pursuant to the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302(a)(2)(iii) for advanced research and development projects. SPAWARSYSCENNOLA intends making a single award. The purpose of this contract is to obtain analytical and technical support services from undergraduate and graduate students and faculty at a geographically local educational institution in support of Advanced Research and Development projects on behalf of multiple customers in the Southeastern Louisiana region. The solicitation will result in an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with provisions for issuing firm fixed priced task orders. On behalf of multiple customers in the Southeastern Louisiana and South Mississippi region, the winning contractor shall provide analytical and technical support services in the following disciplines: ??? Electronic, computer engineering, mathematics, physics, and statistics ??? Computer Science and information systems ??? Mechanical engineering and fluid mechanics ??? Geospatial characterization ??? Data fusion ??? Acoustical communications ??? Industrial/organizational psychology ??? Modeling and Simulation Customers include, but are not limited to: SPAWARSYSCENNOLA; Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education Command; Naval Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration; Department of Navy Chief Information Office; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and the National Finance Center. The contract will have a base year and four one year options. The total estimated value of this contract, if all options are exercised, is estimated to be $48,500,000 using Navy Research and Development funds. FAR 6.302-3(a)(2)(ii) states that full and open competition need not be provided for when it is necessary to award the contract to a particular source or sources in order to establish or maintain essential engineering, research or development capabilities by an educational institution. SPAWARSYSCENNOLA has determined that such criteria have been satisfied in this acquisition. As the Navy's center for personnel, pay and manpower systems, research, development, test and evaluation, SPAWARSYSCENNOLA has a need to establish and maintain a pool (civilian employment and otherwise) of scientists and engineers interested and capable of maintaining systems critical to the Navy and other military customers. In order to assist in maintaining this pool of capable scientists and engineers, it is essential that future scientists and engineers receive hands-on training and exposure to Navy RDT&E conducted at SPAWARSYSCENNOLA in the disciplines identified above. It is essential to the Navy, and particularly the activities receiving these services, to maintain a pool of interested and trained engineers and scientists. SPAWARSYSCENNOLA engineers and scientists attest to the impact predecessor contracts have had on the realization of this goal. Many students exposed to these activities via predecessor contracts returned to support these projects or related work either as contractor employees or directly via the SPAWARSYSCENNOLA' New Professional Program. Employing students specifically from academic institutions will address the essential need for innovation in current RDT&E projects at SPAWARSYSCENNOLA and with its customers. The SPAWARSYSCENNOLA recognizes the importance of scientific investigation through the strategic theme of Innovation. Educational institutions are uniquely positioned to assist SPAWARSYSCENNOLA by providing a source of new and innovative ideas borne of scientific investigation in a rigorous, unbiased academic environment. This procurement will assist in maintaining and providing an essential impartiality and currency in science and engineering services that can only be obtained from educational institutions. Theoretical analysis, exploratory studies and experimentation conducted by students of a relatively unbiased educational institution are potentially superior to that of a for-profit corporation, due to the educational institution's interest and dedication to pure research. For-profit corporations focus on direct economic profit-oriented goals, return on investments, and bottom-line profits as opposed to pure unbiased discovery research. The goals of educational institutions include scientific investigation for its own sake, with broad charters focused on learning and discovery of knowledge within a given area. Educational institutions can focus on investigation and learning for knowledge alone, regardless of any return on investment or practical use of the knowledge acquired. This focus, in turn, fosters innovation. It has been the experience of SPAWARSYSCENNOLA that educational institutions are able to support research and development projects at SPAWARSYSCENNOLA with a continuing infusion of the very latest academic concepts and ideas at a relatively low cost. Because the cost of employing students is relatively low in comparison to scientific staff from for-profit corporations, many budget constrained projects at SPAWARSYSCENNOLA would benefit with the participation of students. In many cases, the use of students is not just a cost effective means of stretching project dollars; rather, it is an essential means of accomplishing the mission because project budgets cannot accommodate more expensive labor costs. It should be noted that as SPAWARSYSCENNOLA projects directly benefit from the infusion of innovation and knowledge from an educational institution, there are other essential benefits from the relationship. In February 2006, the National Academy of Science, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies released a joint report entitled "Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future." The report identified alarming trends in the state of American higher education in science and technology; for example: ??? In South Korea, 38% of all undergraduates receive their degrees in natural science or engineering. In France, the figure is 47%; in China, 50%; in Singapore, 67%. In the United States, the corresponding figure is 15%. ??? There has been a 20% decline in science and engineering doctorates awarded to US citizens or permanent residents between 1995 and 2004. ??? Estimates of the number of engineers, computer scientists, and information technology students who obtain 2-, 3-, or 4-year degrees vary. One estimate is that in 2004, China graduated about 350,000 engineers, computer scientists, and information technologists with 4-year degrees, while the United States graduated about 140,000. China graduated about 290,000 with 3-year degrees in those same fields, while the United States graduated about 85,000 with 2- to 3-year degrees. Over the past 3 years alone, both China and India have doubled their production of 4-year degrees in engineering while the United States production of engineers is stagnant. Moreover, SPAWARSYSCENNOLA has found that the New Orleans area currently has a shortage of experienced scientific and engineering personnel. This contract action is a counterweight to such trends. SPAWARSYSCENNOLA materially participates in multiple projects spanning a wide variety of scientific and technical disciplines on behalf of numerous civilian and military agencies of the United States government and private industry concerns. Much of the work conducted at SPAWARSYSCENNOLA is exclusive to SPAWARSYSCENNOLA. The unique challenges and opportunities associated with scientific investigation at SPAWARSYSCENNOLA are a significant inducement for students to continue their education in science and technology. As an intention consequence, SPAWARSYSCENNOLA seeks to stimulates and maintain the availability of a critical workforce essential to its mission as a Navy's pre-eminent manpower, personnel and pay information technology support center. In sum, the SPAWARSYSCEN NOLA has a strong interest in establishing and maintaining essential basic engineering and research and development capabilities relevant to Navy applications and interests; therefore, competition shall be restricted to educational institutions within 12 miles of the SPAWARSYSCENNOLA facility. The distance restriction is due to the need to closely oversee faculty and student activities, limit costs of contract oversight for travel and provide hands-on mentoring for the students in order to maintain the essential engineering, research and development capabilities vital to the accomplishment of SPAWARSYSCENNOLA missions
- Web Link
-
Click on this link to access the SPAWAR Solicitation Page
(https://e-commerce.spawar.navy.mil/Command/02/ACQ/navhome.nsf/homepage?readform&db=navbusopor.nsf&whichdoc=9C6A6407F5CF3D4888257368004C5586&editflag=0)
- Record
- SN01513032-W 20080222/080220225944 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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