SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- INDEPENDENT PROGRAM ASSESSMENT
- Notice Date
- 7/13/2010
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541611
— Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters Acquisition Branch, Code210.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771
- ZIP Code
- 20771
- Solicitation Number
- 4200343429
- Response Due
- 7/21/2010
- Archive Date
- 7/13/2011
- Point of Contact
- Candis J Edwards-Duncan, Contract Specialist, Phone 301-286-4095, Fax 301-286-0357, Email Candis.J.Edwards-Duncan@nasa.gov - Amanda J Heslep, Contract Specialist, Phone 301-286-5091, Fax 301-286-0357, Email Amanda.J.Heslep@nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Candis J Edwards-Duncan
(Candis.J.Edwards-Duncan@nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Competitive 8(a)
- Description
- NASA/HQ is hereby soliciting information about potential 8(a) sources forIndependent Program Assessment Office (IPAO) Schedule Analysis & Estimating Support. Anorganization that is not considered a certified 8(a) business under the applicable NAICScode should not submit a response to this notice.No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If asolicitation is released it will be synopsized in FedBizOpps and on the NASA AcquisitionInternet Service. It is the potential offerors responsibility to monitor these sitesfor the release of any solicitation or synopsis.Vendors having the capabilities necessary to meet or exceed the stated requirements areinvited to submit appropriate documentation, literature, brochures, and references. Vendors interested in this RFI must also provide examples of the following along withtheir capabilities statements:1. Please provide examples of prior or current projects of similar nature.2. Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) is a growing concern for NASA/IPAO. Howwould you address this issue and how do you monitor this growing problem to ensure youand your employees remain conflict free and unbiased?3. Can you provide at least three, highly skilled and capable Work Year Equivalent(WYEs), onsite at our IPAO Office, Langley Research Center?4. WYEs must process a strong working knowledge of Permaster Risk Analysis and at RiskDemonstrate that WYEs possess a strong understanding of these tools by providing us witha copy of their resumes.5. Please address your current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work.Please advise if the requirement is considered to be a commercial or commercial-typeproduct. A commercial item is defined in FAR 2.101.This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as acommitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. Respondents deemedfully qualified will be considered in any resultant solicitation for the requirement. The Government reserves the right to consider a 8(a) set-aside based on responses hereto. All responses shall be submitted to Candis Edwards-Duncan via email atCandis.J.Edwards-Duncan@nasa.gov no later than 4:00 EST July 21, 2010. Please reference4200343429 in any response. Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLslinked below. Below is a draft version of the Statement of Work for this RFI:1. Purpose, Objective, and Background of Work to be Performed:The Independent Program Assessment Office (IPAO), within the Office of IndependentProgram and Cost Evaluation (IPCE), has the responsibility for enabling the independentreview (an unbiased, objective review of the maturity, health and status) of the Agency'sprograms and projects at life cycle milestones to ensure the highest probability ofmission success. The IPAO ensures the objectivity, quality, integrity and consistency ofthe independent review process required by the NASA Space Flight Program and ProjectManagement Requirements, NPR 7120.5, and NASA Systems Engineering Processes andRequirements, NPR 7123.1. This independent program and project review process is acollaborative effort between IPCE, the Mission Directorates, the Office of the ChiefEngineer, Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, Chief Health and Medical Office (asneeded), and the independent technical authority community at the NASA Centers and theNESC support of the Agency's Program Management Councils. The IPAO will ensure the reviewneeds of each of these communities are met while maintaining the integrity andindependence of the review process consistent with the Agency's governance model asdocumented in the NASA Strategic Management and Governance Handbook, NPD 1000.0. Specifically within the realm of schedule assessments and schedule risk analysis, theIPAO develops independent schedule assessments/schedule risk analysis and Joint(cost/schedule) Confidence Level (JCL) products for projects (particularly thoserequiring Congressional reporting) and for all programs as part of the independentreviews, particularly at the preliminary approval (e.g. pre-non-advocate review) andapproval (e.g. non-advocate review) key decision points. Furthermore, IPAO isresponsible for developing an independent schedule assessments/risk analysis and JCL foreach designated review and facilitating the integration of the cost estimate and scheduleassessment/risk analysis into the overall program/project assessment. The objective of this statement of work is for the contractor to provide in situ (onsite) senior level schedule analysts, 3, to the IPAO to support the execution of IPAOresponsibilities. Contractors will be located in situ (in place) within the IPAO officesat LaRC.2. Description of the Work to be Performed: The Contractor shall perform the followingtask requirements:2.1 Kick-Off Briefing/Meeting. Within 7 days of award, the contractor shall scheduleand host a kick-off briefing/meeting. At this time specific direction will be given tothe contractor as to program/project(s) to be analyzed.2.2 Task Plan. Within 15 days of this award, the contractor shall deliver a task planfor completing the efforts within this task.2.3 Deliverables.The primary task will be to develop comprehensive schedule assessments/risk analysis andJCL of the life cycle schedule for the NASA programs/projects.The contractor shallprovide in situ schedule assessments and risk analysis, technical assessment, and systemsengineering support to the IPAO as directed. The contractor shall support meetings, whichmay take place in different locations including NASA centers or contractor facilities,related to program and project reviews. The assessments will include development,production, and operations assessments. Working with the lead civil service IPAO scheduleanalyst and in full coordination with IPAO assigned cost estimators, Standing ReviewBoards and/or other IPAO sanctioned review teams, the contractor shall conductindependent schedule assessments/risk analysis, analogy estimates, and Joint(cost/schedule) Confidence Level (JCL) assessments. To be able to perform the JCLassessments schedule analysts are expected to have an in-depth knowledge of Pertmasterand a working knowledge of additional probabilistic tools such as @Risk Professional forProject or Risk+. Schedule trades and sensitivity analyses shall be done as required. Thecontractor shall also support: research to improve the IPAO schedule assessmentprocess; identification and benchmarking of tools; recommendation of products;development of schedule estimating relationships (SER); and consultation and training onschedule risk analysis as required.Schedule assessments are performed to determine if the schedule submitted by theprogram/project has been developed using standard best practices. The schedule logic,activity durations and availability of resources will be assessed to determine if thepotential impact on schedule uncertainty. Program/project schedule management policiesand practices will also be assessed to determine if they are using current analyticaltools and will provide adequate reports and information that can be used by managers tomake informed decisions. The schedule risk analysis will be performed to determine theimpact of technical or programmatic risks and uncertainties that are uncovered during theschedule assessment on the ability of the program/project to execute the schedule asplanned. The combined uncertainty and risk analysis will be used to supportrecommendations for the amount of funded schedule reserve the program/project should becarrying and as input to the Joint Confidence Level assessment.For each schedule assessment, as directed by IPAO, the contractor shall:-Develop an SRB independent schedule assessment and schedule risk analysis using aprobabilistic analysis to evaluate the discrete risks. The schedule analyst will also usea copy of the analytical model provided by the program/project, apply the discrete risksidentified by the SRB and compare the results with the SRB analytical results. -Provide comments to facilitate the development of the Schedule Analysis DataRequirements as part of the Cost Analysis Data Requirements (CADRe).-Provide the project's Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) ensuring all elements of schedulehave been captured and annotate those elements outside of the scope of this effort andthe accompanying rationale.-Provide a list of areas of uncertainty affecting the schedule estimate and include themin the schedule risk analysis-Provide the ground rules and assumptions affecting the schedule estimate.-Provide a data collection plan.-Provide rationale for selecting a particular set of estimating methodologies and therationale for not selecting other sets of estimating methodologies.-Provide a list of primary and cross-check methodologies for major schedule elements and,if applicable, provide rationale for significant difference (over 20%) between the SRBand program/project methodologies.-Provide, if applicable, estimate ranges, i.e., risk assessment and analyses, probabilitydistribution, and/or Monte Carlo simulation.-Provide assistance, as requested, in preparation for management presentations.-Attend, as required, IPAO staff meetings to receive and disseminate schedule reviewinformation to IPAO management. Depending upon the schedule estimate expectations, the deliverable will be tailored andflexibility will be maintained. This guideline provides the minimum expectation. Thecontractor shall deliver 1) Presentation (briefing charts) consisting of scope ofschedule assessment/risk analysis, ground rules & assumptions, methodology breakoutchart, S-Curve, and JCL charts and supporting data. There are no limits to backupcharts. Documentation is due in accordance with the developed schedule plan for thereview. The contractor shall work closely with other IPAO estimators and members of theStanding Review Board or other IPAO review teams assigned to the projects being estimatedto assure buy-in by peer estimators and review team members regarding approach, methods,ground rules and assumptions and the final schedule estimating products.Potential NASA programs/projects requiring schedule analysis and estimating supportinclude, but not limited to: Space Shuttle Program, Earth Sun Research Program,International Space Station Program, New Millennium Program, Constellation Program andall its projects, Living With A Star Program, Planetary Science Research Program,Navigator Program, Mars Exploration Program and all its projects, James Webb SpaceTelescope Program, Explorers Program, New Frontiers Program, Discovery Program, Juno, andother NASA programs/projects requiring independent reviews.2.4 Use of Computer Hardware and Software. The contractor shall use computer resourcesand software those computer resources to complete the tasks described in this taskstatement. Format of the electronic file deliverables shall be to the current Governmentstandard software (Microsoft Office). It is NASA/IPAOs intent to supply all relevantcomputer hardware, software (operating systems, COTS tools, etc.) and hardware/softwaremaintenance and support as well as telecommunications equipment relevant to this task. Contractor will be co-located in the IPAO office space at LaRC.2.5 Interface Meetings/Progress Reviews. As appropriate to maintain management of thecontract, there will be contract review meetings. The time span for the estimatingactivity will cover several months. Periodic tag ups with the HQ staff and other NASAcenters will occur to receive additional technical data, discuss progress and feedbackwhile the schedule estimate and analyses are being developed.2.6 Contract Status Reporting. The contractor shall provide quarterly Contract StatusReports to the government, with the first being due 90 days after the task plan issubmitted. The last status report will include end of contract report of all technicalassistance accomplished during the period of performance. End of Contract Report shallbe in narrative form and brief (no more than 5-pages). -A quantitative description of work performed during the period.-An indication of any problems that may have impeded the performance. -A discussion of potential work in the future.2.7 Travel. The contractor shall anticipate multiple travels to several NASA centers and contractors,such as: 6 (2-day) trips to JSC, 3 (2-day) trips to GSFC, 3 (5-day) trips to KSC, and 4(3-day) trips to HQ. This task will require travel to NASA centers associated with NASAprojects/programs and possibly other facilities for attendance at technical meetings fordiscussion and data collection. These meetings provide the opportunity to reviewschedule data for completeness, discuss schedule and schedule risk areas, identifyschedule drivers, evaluate heritage from previous programs and gain insights aboutprogram maturity
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/NASA/HQ/OPHQDC/4200343429/listing.html)
- Record
- SN02203926-W 20100715/100713234942-2b128f3c7c23bc18a457b6d50d1fa118 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |