SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- Request for Information Supporting Acquisition Strategy Development for Specialized Research, Scientific, and Engineering Professional Services
- Notice Date
- 4/22/2021 10:00:49 AM
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541715
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- NASA LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER HAMPTON VA 23681 USA
- ZIP Code
- 23681
- Response Due
- 5/7/2021 3:00:00 PM
- Archive Date
- 06/30/2021
- Point of Contact
- Kimberly Wilson, Tim Cannella
- E-Mail Address
-
kimberly.c.wilson@nasa.gov, timothy.p.cannella@nasa.gov
(kimberly.c.wilson@nasa.gov, timothy.p.cannella@nasa.gov)
- Description
- This notice is issued by NASA Langley Research (LaRC) to solicit information from interested�parties. The notice is for information and planning purposes, to request feedback, and to promote�competition. This notice is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the�Government pay for the information submitted in response. NASA may not respond to�questions/concerns submitted; however, NASA will consider information provided when�determining its strategy. NASA is currently undergoing a major initiative pursuant to Procurement�s Transformation�Initiative to transform how it will strategically procure research, science, and engineering services�to meet the Agency�s evolving mission needs in the decades to come. Critical elements of the�initiative are to: (1) establish clearly defined enterprise requirements/deliverables; (2) streamline acquisition practices and business processes; (3) reduce redundant and duplicative contracts and�other instruments across the Agency. Additionally, in support of the Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for�Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, NASA is also looking to advance equity or remove barriers for members of underserved communities to access procurement�opportunities. Underserved Communities include Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native�American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members�of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual,�Transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons;�persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons� otherwise adversely�affected by persistent poverty or inequality. NASA intends to issue multiple notices to industry as the strategic approach to procuring�research, science, and engineering services within and across the Centers evolves. Hence, while�the instant notice focuses on Langley pursuant to their ongoing initiative as discussed below,�NASA will issue additional notices to address engineering services needs more broadly across the NASA enterprise. The purpose of this notice it to: (1) provide an update on LaRC�s activities,�(2) invite industry and academia to join our bidders list and attend a forum on May 5, 2021, and�(3) seek input to the market research questions included herein. Starting in 2019, LaRC established a center-wide consolidated Procurement Development Team�(PDT) to perform a grass roots assessment of these major on-site contracts to find synergies of�the requirements across its major on-site research contracts. A number of LaRC's long-term onsite�engineering, science, and research services contracts are coming to completion in 2021 and 2022, which presents an opportunity for change, with an aim to eliminate duplicative work among�Source Evaluation Boards, eliminate overlapping contract vehicles, and ensure that we have the�optimal strategy for future acquisitions. The PDT completed a detailed assessment of existing and changing missions and mission�requirements across the enterprise, and developed recommendations to transform how LaRC�partners with industry and academia and how it will procure these vital services and deliver on the�agency�s plan for Moon to Mars; along with its other vital Science, Aeronautics and Exploration efforts for 2021 and beyond. In late 2020, LaRC established a follow-on Acquisition Strategy Team (AST) to expand on the�PDT assessment and create a definitive acquisition strategy considering previous�recommendations and new findings. The scope of the assessment involves, but is not limited to,�requirements associated with the following contracts and agreements: the Technology,�Engineering and Aerospace Mission Support (TEAMS) contract (80LARC17C0003); the National�Institute of Aerospace (NIA) 20-year Cooperative Agreement (NCC-1-02043/ NNL09AA00A/80LARC17C0004 � same agreement with different contract writing system numbers); the NIA�Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract (NNL13AA08B); and the Science,�Technology and Research Services (STARSS) contract (NNL16AA05C). The AST is also assessing portions of the Langley IT Enhanced Services (LITES) contract�(NNL15AA03B) that are not slated to be strategically sourced on other Agency contracts. LITES�related requirements included in the assessment include but are not limited to; research related�software development and research software and related support for the Air Traffic Operation Lab�(ATOL) and Airspace and Traffic Operations Simulation (ATOS) system located at LaRC. To�assist in your review, attached to the notice you will find Statements of Work for the contracts, a�listing of job categories, and a technical services skill taxonomy generated by the PDT and AST�that will apply to future procurements. The AST is conducting its assessment in two phases. Phase I focuses on how LaRC procures�engineering, science, and research services provided under the contracts mentioned above and�is scheduled for completion this summer. The AST will present its complete assessment and�strategy recommendations to the LaRC Office of Director and appropriate stakeholders at LaRC and the Agency. As strategy decisions are made, LaRC will notify industry of key decisions via an�FBO notice; and Requirements Development Team(s), Source Evaluation Board(s) or other�procurement activity will commence aligned with the Strategy. Phase II will focus on optimizing�how LaRC collaborates with industry and academia, utilizing other than FAR based acquisitions (e.g. Space Act Agreements). Phase II is scheduled for completion in 2022.� With this notice, LaRC is also inviting industry and academia to participate in a virtual AST forum�scheduled for May 5, 2021. The forum will include an update on AST activities, overview of�identified opportunities, challenges and risks, and Q&A session. If you have questions you would�like answered at the forum, please send them to LaRC-AST@mail.nasa.gov no later than May 3, 2021. LaRC intends to utilize Microsoft Teams to conduct the forum and at this time are scheduling the forum from 11:00 am - 1:30 pm EST.�If you would like to�participate, please email each attendee name, title, company, and email address to LaRCAST@mail.nasa.gov by May 3, 2021. Please limit attendance to 4 people per company to ensure�adequate bandwidth for the forum. In addition, LaRC is requesting industry feedback in the areas below. Contractors are encouraged�to answer as many questions as you can: 1. If you interested in being placed on a Bidders List to be published on the AST beta.sam site, please provide POC information including name, title, company, and email. There is�no requirement to be on the bidders list to participate in the future. 2. Considering the cumulative scope of the requirements in the contracts the AST is�assessing, what Small Business challenges and opportunities should be considered?�Are there limits to the scope of work a small business can accommodate? For reference, previous procurement have been competed under The North American Industry�Classification System (NAICS) 541712, �Research and Development in the Physical,�Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)� with a NAICS of 1,000�Employees. 3. Are there specific requirements and associated skills more effectively procured�separately from remaining requirements (e.g. stand-alone contract, GSA, other Strategy�Sourcing opportunity)? 4. Due to the research-oriented nature of the services, and changing mission needs, the�contracts within the AST assessment have historically been cost-plus contract types. Are�other contract types feasible considering the nature of these services? 5. AST objectives and the Agency Transformational Initiatives are to streamline acquisition�practices and reduce redundant and duplicative contracts. What opportunities and/or�challenges exist with respect to meeting these objectives (Refer to AST�s scope and the�updated technical service classifications)? 6. What other novel contract strategies should the AST consider streamlining with preaward/SEB or post award activities or requirements? 7. LaRC has required on-site contract support to accomplish most of the requirements in the�contracts the AST is assessing. The COVID pandemic has demonstrated that offsite or�remote work can be as productive in many cases. Considering the requirements, what�barriers and opportunities exist to transition work off-site? What are the pros and cons to�moving work offsite? Are there specific requirements and associated skills that are more�suitable to being off-site? What Federal and NASA IT and data protection requirements�should be considered when moving work off-site? 8. To support cutting-edge research in aeronautics, space exploration, science, and related�areas, what barriers or opportunities exist to engage subject matter experts from industry�and academia and how can those barriers be overcome? How can HBCUs and MSIs be�leveraged? 9. What other recommendations to enhance diversity and inclusion should be considered to�encourage full participation, belonging, and contribution of organizations and individuals�(e.g. outreach efforts, innovative partnerships, etc)? 10. Based on your experience describe ideal cultural changes NASA should embrace to�enable doing business in the future with all businesses including the diverse populations�stated in EO 13985. 11. What other activities do you recommend that NASA explore to advance equity or remove�barriers for members of underserved communities to access procurement opportunities? 12. What additional risks should the AST consider during each phase of strategy�implementation and execution (e.g., pre- and post-award)? 13. The AST welcomes other feedback on the technical service classifications/taxonomy that�LaRC intends to use in the future. Please limit responses to 8-pages and provide responses not later than May 7, 2021 by email to�LaRC-AST@mail.nasa.gov. If additional information is released it will be available on www.beta.sam.gov. It is the offeror's�responsibility to monitor this website for the release of information. Potential offerors will be�responsible for downloading their own copy of all information.
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://beta.sam.gov/opp/417301ccb89e4d3e8a4f84713a1c3f59/view)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Hampton, VA 23666, USA
- Zip Code: 23666
- Country: USA
- Zip Code: 23666
- Record
- SN05980044-F 20210424/210422230111 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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