R -- PRIVACY-RELATED RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS & INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Notice Date

April 19, 2001

Contracting Office

U.S. General Accounting Office, Acquisition Management, 441 G. Street N.W., Room 6851, Washington, DC 20548

ZIP Code

20548

Solicitation Number

OAM-2001-N-0018

Response Due

May 15, 2001

Point of Contact

Harold Miles (Contract Specialist) (202) 512-3607

Description

AMENDMENT NO ONE (1)- OAM-2001-N-0018 This Amends the synopsis posted in CBDNet on April 19, 2001 (Submission No. 50J6U3)to complete the CBD Description beginning after the last complete Section (VIII)transimtted. -- IX. Source Selection Evaluation Factors: The U.S. Government will make award to the responsible firm whose offer conforms to the solicitation requirements and is most advantageous to the Government cost and price and other factors considered. For this solicitation, technical quality is more important than cost or price. As proposals become more equal in their technical merit, the evaluation of cost or price becomes more important. Technical proposals will be evaluated by applying the following factors. The relative weights to be given to these factors are shown (in parentheses and bold). (1) Qualifications of Proposed Staff: For key staff, describe the qualifications relevant to the Task described in Section II (Scope) of the solicitation, as demonstrated by employment history, educational attainment, and specific accomplishments on similar projects. Key staff should possess sufficient technical knowledge and expertise to provide expert advice on matters related to protecting personnel privacy in government entities and on whether the privacy principles embodied in federal laws affecting privacy need revision. Key staff should be able to demonstrate a working understanding of (1) the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552), the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), and other federal laws affecting privacy, (2) major implementing executive branch guidance, plans, and reports relating to the protection of personal privacy, (3) the background of such laws, including the record of congressional oversight, and (4) other significant background material, such as significant academic articles on the laws and related issues. (30 POINTS) (2) Demonstrated Ability of the Contractor to Perform the Work: Demonstrate the relevance and adequacy of corporate (organizational) experience as related to the Task and sub-tasks to be performed. Offerors should address their experience in providing the privacy-related research and analysis services described in Section II of the solicitation. Offerors should also address their ability to meet time frames and recent successful experience in completing similar work. References (names; telephone numbers; and, if available, e-mail addresses of contacts) must be provided for at least three clients with similar research/analytical service needs to the applicable task. (Note: In response to this source selection evaluation factor and the fourth source selection factor, combined, offerors should cite a minimum total of six references). For each client listed, Offerors should describe the services provided (30 POINTS). (3) Work Plan: Submit a Work Plan, setting forth the specific approach, methods/ techniques, and general work steps proposed to fulfill the purposes and requirements of the task order, as described in Section II of the solicitation. The Work Plan must include sufficient information to demonstrate the Offeror's understanding of the task and responsibilities of the task. The Work Plan, among other things, provides Offerors an opportunity to demonstrate how their knowledge and experience will allow them to achieve the applicable requirements (Section II of the solicitation) most effectively and efficiently. Offerors shall include in the proposed Work Plan their plans for assuring the quality of the work performed and all deliverables (20 POINTS). (4) Demonstrated Ability of the Offeror, and Qualifications of Experts, to Perform the Optional Information Management Tasks: Demonstrate the relevance and adequacy of corporate (organizational) experience, as related to the three information management tasks described in Section IV (Possible Optional Task Requirements). Also, describe the relevant qualifications of the expert(s) that would participate in accomplishing each of those three information management tasks, as demonstrated by each expert's employment history, educational attainment, and specific accomplishments on similar projects. Regarding demonstrated corporate (organizational) experience, Offerors should address their recent experience in providing research and analysis services similar to those discussed in Section IV and in successfully completing, and meeting clients' time frames for, such work. References (names; telephone numbers; and, if available, e-mail addresses of contacts) must be provided for at least three clients with similar research/analytical service needs to the tasks described in Section IV. (Note: In response to this source selection evaluation factor and the second source selection factor, combined, Offerors should cite a minimum total of six references.) For each client listed, Offerors should describe the services provided. Also, regarding the qualifications of experts: for (OPTIONAL) tasks #1 and 2 in Section IV, the experts should possess sufficient technical knowledge and expertise to provide expert advice on matters related to information resources management (IRM) in government entities and on whether the IRM principles embodied in the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 need revision. The experts should be able to demonstrate a working understanding of (1) the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520) and related federal laws affecting the management of information resources, (2) major implementing executive branch guidance, plans, and reports, (3) the background of such laws, including the report of the Federal Paperwork Commission, and the record of congressional oversight, and (4) other significant background material, such as significant academic articles on the laws and related issues. For (OPTIONAL) task #3 in Section IV, the experts should possess sufficient technical knowledge and expertise on matters relating to IRM and strategic planning for government entities to (1) conduct the required evaluations effectively and efficiently and (2) provide expert advice on whether IRM policies or practices and relevant provisions in the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 need revision. The experts should be able to demonstrate a working understanding of (1) the relevant statutory provisions, including 44 U.S.C. 3506(b), a Paperwork Reduction Act provision, (2) 40 U.S.C. 1411-1413 and 1421-1427, Clinger-Cohen Act provisions, (3) relevant provisions of GPRA (Public Law 103-62), (4) major implementing executive branch guidance issued pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3506(b), 40 U.S.C. 1411-1427, and GPRA, and related reports, and (5) other significant background material, including guidance for preparing and reviewing strategic IRM plans (20 POINTS). X. APPLICABILITY OF FAR PROVISIONS: The following Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) provisions and clauses apply to this solicitation and are incorporated by reference. FAR 52.212-1 -- Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial Items. Addendum paragraph (h) Multiple Awards -- delete in its entirety, the government plans to award a single contract resulting from this requirement. Offerors must include a completed copy of FAR provision 52.212-3 -- Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items with their offer (a copy of FAR 52.212-3 in full text is available at www.arnet.gov/far). FAR 52.212-5 -- Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statues or Executive Orders-Commercial Items. FAR 52-212-4 -- Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, Conditions. Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with FAR Provisions 52.212-2, Evaluation of Commercial Items, price and other technical factors considered. FAR 52-249-2 -- Termination for Convenience of the Government (Fixed-Price). XI. FORMAT OF PROPOSALS: Proposals must contain: (1) the name, address, and telephone number of the offeror; (2) Representations and Certifications at FAR 52.212-3; (3) technical proposal addressing all of GAO's technical requirements enumerated in Section II (Scope), above; (4) cost proposal; (5) any product brochures, descriptions, or informative catalogs detailing the products being proposed; and (6) identification of at least 6 references (that is at least 3 references of privacy research and analysis related experience for Evaluation Factor 2 and at least 3 additional reference of information resources management related experience for Evaluation Factor 4), preferably references that include other government entities, professional services organizations, and/or commercial enterprises having similar complexity, and reporting requirements, Offerors must preface their proposals by an Executive Summary that ties in or correlates their technical proposal with the specific solicitation criteria contained within this solicitation. The proposal must be signed by an official authorized to bind the offeror. Offerors that fail to furnish required representation and certifications, or reject the terms and conditions of the solicitation, may be excluded from consideration. XII. SUBMISSION OF OFFERS: Proposal shall be submitted in two (2) physically separate and detachable parts; Part 1 -- Technical Proposals and Part 2 -- Cost proposal. All information shall be confined to the appropriate volume to facilitate independent evaluation. An original and 5 copies of both the technical and cost proposals must be submitted on or before 12:00p.m. (EST) May 15, 2001. To: IF MAILED (USPS) -- U.S. General Accounting Office, Acquisition Management, 441 G Street N.W., Room 6B46, Washington D.C., 20548 Attn: Harold Miles (Contract Specialist). or IF HANDCARRIED (COMPANY REP./MESSENGER/COURIER/OTHER USPS) -- U.S. General Accounting Office, Acquisition Management, c/o OGC Correspondence Control Team, 441 G Street, N.W., Room 1139 (Window to right of the Reception Desk). Washington D.C., Attn: Harold Miles (Contract Specialist). Offers must arrive at the designated location and by the time specified. All offers shall be clearly marked with the RFP number, offeror's name, address, point of contact and phone number. FACSIMILE OFFERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. XIII. COST PROPOSAL: (a) For EVALUATION PURPOSES the Government has identified four general labor categories and estimated labor hours for each. The level of effort projected for the four general labor categories are as follows: (1) subject matter experts (254 estimated labor hours); (2) staff -- (914 estimated labor hours); (3) supervising senior -- (304 labor hours); and (4) partner, research center or equivalent individual -- (24 estimated labor hours). The offeror must propose similarly identifiable labor categories including the level of effort to complete the required task (see Section II Scope). In addition, the offeror must propose similarly identifiable labor categories for the three optional tasks (see Section IV Possible Optional Task Requirements). (b) For the Required Task, the offeror must propose the number of hours anticipated to complete the task, broken down by level of personnel, for the specific task identified. The cost of performing the scope of these services should include travel and other out-of-pocket expenses but should not include the cost of possible additional services GAO may require. GAO will reimburse the Contractor for travel and other out-of-pocket expenses as noted in Section VIII, above. (c) The Government shall pay a total firm-fixed-price for the required task in the base year of the contract and will order optional task at its discretion for the base year and each of the four option years, by providing the contractor with a specific requirement, requesting a cost and technical proposal and awarding a task based on the fixed-hourly-rates and the number of hours per labor category in the contract. (d) Offerors are requested to provide fully-loaded fixed hourly rates for each labor category proposed which is inclusive of all expenses, including report preparation, salaries, overhead, general and administrative expenses, and profit. Labor categories and fully-loaded fixed hourly rates must be provided for each period of the proposed contract (one-base year and four option years). The offeror must provide a cost matrix that: (1) identifies for the base year (FY-2001) those labor categories (expert staff), number of labor hours per labor category and fully-loaded fixed hourly rates per labor category to complete the required task described in II (Scope) with proposed travel cost and other out-of-pocket expenses to be detailed separately for a total firm-fixed- price to perform the required task; and (2) identifies for the base year (FY-2001) and four option years (FY-2002, FY-2003, FY-2004 and FY-2005) those labor categories (expert staff) and fully-loaded fixed hourly rates to perform the tasks to meet ALL solicitation requirements described in II (Scope) and IV (Possible Optional Task Requirements). The Contract fiscal periods are identified as follows: Base Period -- date of contract award through September 30, 2001; Option year one -- October 1, 2001 -- September 30, 2002; Option year two -- October 1, 2002 -- September 30, 2003; Option year three -- October 1, 2003 -- September 30, 2004; and Option year four -- October 1, 2004 -- September 30, 2005 and (d) The Government will order services under the contract by providing the Contractor with a Statement of Work. The Contractor shall state its methodology to perform the work, and the labor mix to complete the task and provide resumes of the personnel proposed to perform the effort, the hours for each labor category, and a cost proposal, which shall include the labor mix, the hours proposed times the contract fixed hourly rates for those categories for the current period, and a total firm fixed price to perform each task. XIV. TECHNICAL QUESTIONS: Offerors must submit all technical questions concerning this CBD requirement in writing to the Contract Specialist (Harold Miles). GAO must receive the questions no later than 5 calendar days after the notice is published in the CBD. GAO will respond to questions in an amendment to the CBD which may affect offerors' proposals. XV. BUILDING ENTRY FOR HANDCARRIED PROPOSALS: Offerors should be aware that couriers delivering packages (offers) to the GAO building may encounter delays due to security checks being enforced. XVI. POINT OF CONTACT: Harold Miles (Contract Specialist), U.S. General Accounting Office, Acquisition Management, Room 6B46, 441 G Street N.W., Washington D.C. 20548. Telephone numbers: Office -- (202) 512-3607, FAX -- (202) 512-2658. E-mail: milesh@gao.gov *****

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010423/RSOL014.HTM (W-109 SN50J7C8)