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FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF JANUARY 10, 2015 FBO #4795
SOURCES SOUGHT

R -- LIHEAL Clearinghouse

Notice Date
1/8/2015
 
Notice Type
Sources Sought
 
NAICS
541611 — Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
 
Contracting Office
Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center, Division of Acquisition Management, 12501 Ardennes Avenue, Suite 400, Rockville, Maryland, 20857, United States
 
ZIP Code
20857
 
Solicitation Number
ACF147226
 
Archive Date
1/31/2015
 
Point of Contact
Arielle Douglas, Phone: 3014439453
 
E-Mail Address
arielle.douglas@psc.hhs.gov
(arielle.douglas@psc.hhs.gov)
 
Small Business Set-Aside
N/A
 
Description
Description This is a Small Business Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. Background The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a block grant program authorized by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, as amended, and is administered within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In HHS, LIHEAP is administered by the Office of Community Services (OCS) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The purpose of LIHEAP is to provide grants to states, territories, Indian tribes and tribal organizations to assist low income households in meeting the costs of residential energy. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act of l981 (Title XXVI of Public Law 97-35, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 8621) in section 2609A (a) authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to set aside up to $300,000 each fiscal year to make grants, interagency agreements, contracts and jointly financed cooperative arrangements with states, public agencies, and private nonprofit organizations to provide training and technical assistance relating to LIHEAP. The Continuing Appropriation Act of 2015 amended this to allow up to nearly $3 million for grants and contracts for technical assistance, training, and monitoring of program activities for compliance with internal controls, policies and procedures, and eliminated the restriction of making contracts to only states, public agencies and private non-profit organizations. LIHEAP allows states, tribes and territories to develop energy assistance and, at their option weatherization assistance, that best meet the needs of their low income populations. Consequently, LIHEAP varies greatly in program design and implementation strategies. It is important for federal LIHEAP grantees to share their unique programs and innovative ideas so new and different policies and practices can be replicated to enhance programs. It is also important for grantees to have access to evaluations and research to help them administer effective programs. Purpose The purpose of this contract is to provide a LIHEAP Clearinghouse which will be responsible to collect, develop, organize and disseminate information on LIHEAP at the grantee and subgrantee levels, current energy issues and trends, other low income energy assistance programs, other programs that affect LIHEAP-eligible clients and other relevant information of interest to OCS and LIHEAP grantees. This information shall primarily be shared via the LIHEAP Clearinghouse web site which the contractor will maintain. The Clearinghouse will provide technical assistance and information through a dedicated toll-free telephone number, an OCS hosted web site, an email address, a mailing address, electronic newsletters and other written correspondence as directed by OCS. Clearinghouse information will be available to OCS, LIHEAP grantees, their sub-contractors and sub-grantees, including other OCS grantees such as Community Actions Agencies, the public and other interested parties. The Clearinghouse will also provide a National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) Service that refers those in the general public who are interested in applying for LIHEAP to the proper LIHEAP intake office and other assistance agencies. Project Requirements The LIHEAP Clearinghouse awardee shall: • Collect, develop and disseminate information regarding the LIHEAP program, other energy-related information including the ongoing national trend towards utility restructuring, information affecting OCS/LIHEAP clients, and other information as deemed necessary by the OCS Contracting Officer's Representative (COR); • Provide a dedicated telephone number and an E-mail address so that OCS and LIHEAP grantees may contact the Clearinghouse with questions and requests for information; • Provide a National Energy Assistance Referral Service • Provide a quarterly electronic bulletin with research findings • Develop and update online interactive training modules for self-paced education by LIHEAP grantees about LIHEAP and LIHEAP- related topics. • Maintain an OCS hosted Internet Website with research findings, trends, NEAR service access, and other information relevant to LIHEAP. • Represent the Clearinghouse at home energy-related conferences and meetings and present information about the Clearinghouse, LIHEAP and LIHEAP-related issues. • Provide technical assistance to grantees on the LIHEAP program. LIHEAP Grantees include State, Tribal, and Territory governments as well as Tribal Organizations. Technical assistance includes responding to questions by email, telephone and through LIHEAP training events about federal requirements, examples of grantee program variations, and other related issues. Period of Performance The anticipated Period of Performance (POP) is March 15, 2015 - March 14, 2016 with one (1) base year and two (2) one year option periods. Capability statements: Interested, qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored capability statement for this requirement, not to exceed 20 pages (including all attachments, resumes, charts, etc.), presented in double-space format and using a 12 point font size minimum, that clearly details the ability to perform the aspects of the notice as addressed above in the "Program Requirements" section of this Sources Sought Notice. Statements should include information and documentation that clearly conveys the respondents experience and/or ability to perform the above identified program requirements, respondents MUST SUMBIT the following: 1. Provide documentation that demonstrates the ability to perform all elements addressed above in the "Program Requirements" section of this Sources Sought Notice. 2. Demonstrates past experience on at least three (3) similar projects consistent in scope, size and complexity and were performed within the last five years, including working with LIHEAP grantees. Also, indicate specific contract number reference information. 3. Furnish documentation that indicates staff expertise and experience around the program requirements as addressed above in the "Program Requirements" section of this Sources Sought Notice. Such documentation must specifically show the following types of significant experience by key personnel in providing technical assistance on low income home energy assistance issues for states, tribes, and territories, this would include: a. Conducting focus groups that gather responses from LIHEAP administrators on LIHEAP related issues such as, but not limited to, how states administer the intake process and feedback on grantee's internal controls for avoiding improper LIHEAP payments; b. Preparing LIHEAP technical assistance materials, such as LIHEAP primers that contain program history, legislative background, rules and regulations, additional low-income energy-related resources, and other information of relevance to new LIHEAP coordinators and others; issue briefs; and electronic bulletins that cover topics of contemporary LIHEAP interest; c. Developing web-based interactive training modules on LIHEAP-related topics, such as the administrative cost cap, categorical eligibility, and reporting requirements; and d. Soliciting feedback from states, tribes, and territories and the public on the services provided through a Clearinghouse or similar project. Each response should also include the following Business Information: 1. Company name, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone and FAX numbers, website address (if available), and the name, telephone number, and e-mail address of a point of contact having the authority and knowledge to clarify responses with Government representatives. This indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your capability statement. 2. Name, title, telephone number, and e-mail addresses of individuals who can verify the demonstrated capabilities identified in the responses. 3. Business size for NAICS 541611 (size standard $ or number of employees) and status, if qualified as an 8(a) firm (must be certified by SBA), Small Disadvantaged Business (must be certified by SBA), Woman-Owned Small Business, HUBZone firm (must be certified by SBA), and/or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. This indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your capability statement. 4. DUNS number, CAGE Code, Tax Identification Number, and company structure (Corporation, LLC, partnership, joint venture, etc.). This indication should be clearly marked on the first page of your capability statement. Companies also must be registered in the Systems for Award Management (SAM, at www.sam.gov) to be considered as potential sources. 5. Identification of the firm's GSA Schedule contract(s) by Schedule number and contract number and SINs that are applicable to this potential requirement are also requested. 6. Identification of the firm's GWAC contract(s) by contract number and applicable service item number that are applicable to this potential requirement is also requested. Information Submission Instructions: All capability statements sent in response to this SMALL BUSINESS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE must be submitted electronically (via email) to Arielle.Douglas@psc.hhs.gov in Microsoft Word (MS) OR Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), by Friday, January 16, 2015 at Noon, EST. Capability Statements will not be returned and all responses must be received by the specified due date and time to be considered. ANY RESPONSES RECEIVED AFTER THAT DATE AND TIME WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. NOTE: If capability statements exceed the 20 page limitation, all pages beyond the 20 page limit will be removed and will not be included in the review process. GENERAL INFORMATION As previously stated, the Government will not entertain questions regarding this Market Research; however, general questions may be forwarded to the following: Contract Specialist: Arielle Douglas Email Address: Arielle.Douglas@psc.hhs.gov Disclaimer and Important Notes. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. Confidentiality. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).
 
Web Link
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/PSC/DAM/ACF147226/listing.html)
 
Record
SN03611873-W 20150110/150108235132-38b4cd5f7190b675dfba044f19dfa835 (fbodaily.com)
 
Source
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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