MODIFICATION
A -- Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC)
- Notice Date
- 12/29/2011
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541620
— Environmental Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- SRRPODUS Environmental Protection AgencyAriel Rios Building1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W.Mail Code: 3805RWashingtonDC20460USA
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- SOL-HQ-12-00004
- Point of Contact
- Nicole Pratt
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- PurposeThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to conduct market research and gather information from industry on technical assistance to community members to facilitate their involvement in the environmental decisions affecting their community. The purpose of this contract is to be able to provide supplemental, non-advocacy technical assistance services at no cost to communities to empower them to substantively participate in addressing environmental issues and actions which impact their community.This RFI is solely for informational, planning and market research purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposals (RFP), Invitation for Bids (IFB), Request for Quotations (RFQ) or an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire services. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract nor do they affect a potential offeror?s ability to respond to any future synopsis/solicitation. The U.S. Government reserves the right to determine how it should proceed as a result of this notice. Furthermore, those who respond to this RFI should not anticipate feedback with regards to this process. All data gathered shall remain the property of EPA. All cost associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the responding party?s expense.BackgroundFor the last twenty-five years, the Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI, more commonly known as Superfund) has supported independent, non-advocacy, technical assistance programs that augment the technical assistance provided to communities by EPA staff. Such assistance has been provided through Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs), the Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) contract and, formerly, the Technical Outreach Services for Communities (TOSC) program that was administered through the Hazardous Substance Research Centers. TAGs, while statutorily mandated, are limited to communities affected by National Priorities List (NPL) sites. Therefore, TASC and its predecessor, TOSC, were developed to provide similar assistance to communities near hazardous waste sites ineligible for TAGs. While support under the TAG program remains narrowly confined to the communities at NPL sites, the TASC program has expanded to encompass NPL and non-NPL sites under the Superfund program, and other EPA offices and programs, such as Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO), Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) (which manages the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) program), Office of Water (OW), Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ), and the Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program. The areas of technical assistance potentially sought under this requirement are as follows. (Please refer to the attached draft Statement of Work for a detailed description of the requirements for each task area.) ?Technical Assistance Needs Assessment?Community Advisory Group/Panel Formation?Meeting Facilitation?Technical Document Review and Interpretation?Presentations?Training?Workshop Organizing and Delivery?Community Educational Materials?Communication Materials, and Program Analysis and Support?Project Reports?Community-Based Environmental Job-Training ProgramsQuestions for IndustryAs part of our market research and acquisition planning efforts, EPA requests firms with expertise and experience related to the requirements outlined in the Statement of Work (SOW) provide feedback pertaining to the following questions: 1. Please indicate your small business socioeconomic classification if you are a small business firm. 2. As written, are the requirements outlined in the attached draft SOW clear and understandable? If not, what specific areas require additional clarity and in what way?3. Please provide any information that needs to be considered from an acquisition planning perspective, to include actual or potential challenges/limitations associated with procuring these types of services (i.e. legal prohibitions, conflict of interest concerns, etc.)?4. What labor categories and qualification requirements are most commonly associated with performing the task areas identified in the draft SOW? The Government is seeking feedback related to what firms practicing in this industry would view to be both the key and non-key labor positions and the minimum qualifications (i.e. education, years of experience, special certifications, etc.) for doing this type of work. 5. Please discuss standard industry practices, and highlight any best practices associated with performing this type of work. 6. Please discuss any issues the Contracting Officer should consider when developing the solicitation for this requirement (i.e. contract clauses, small business consideration, proposal preparation costs, etc.). Highlight any factors that would make competing for this contract desirable or undesirable for your firm. 7. Please discuss the potential benefits and drawbacks associated with a single award and/or a multiple award contract for these types of technical assistance services. What do you consider the more desirable option and why? 8. Based on your firm?s experience, what procurement strategy represents the most effective approach when considering the cost, time, and resources required to manage a contact for these types of services efficiently.9. What is the ideal contract type for procuring the type services supported under this requirement? Please discuss alternate contracting mechanisms to include Agency-specific contracts, Federal Supply Schedules, etc. 10. Please discuss any additional comments or concerns. How to RespondPlease provide all/any responses to the Request for Information (RFI) no later than December 30, 2011 by 3:00p.m. EST in electronic or hardcopy format to Ms. Wanda Carrier and Nicole Pratt at:carrier.wanda@epa.gov and pratt.nicole@epa.govorMs. Wanda CarrierUS EPAOffice of Acquisition ManagementMC-3805R1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20460.
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