Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL -- Rome Research Site, AFRL/Information Directorate, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY, 13441-4514

U -- EDUCATION AND TRAINING SERVICES FOR COMMERCIAL OFF-THE-SHELF SOFTWARE COURSES SOL F30602-00-R-0002 DUE 120299 POC Virginia Brady, Contract Specialist, Phone (315) 330-3856, Fax (315) 330-8104, Email bradyv@rl.af.mil WEB: Visit this URL for the latest information about this, http://www.eps.gov/cgi-bin/WebObjects/EPS?ACode=P&;ProjID=F30602-00-R-0 002&LocID=1142. E-MAIL: Virginia Brady, bradyv@rl.af.mil. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this Notice. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; PROPOSALS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. The entire solicitation will be released on the Electronic Posting System (EPS), www.eps.gov (select "EPS for Vendors", at Agency, USAF, click on "Offices", at Office, "Air Force Materiel Command", click on "Locations", at Location, "AFRL, Rome Research Site, Rome NY", click on "Posted Dates"). In addition, the entire solicitation will also be released on the AFRL Information Directorate's Rome Research Site Business Opportunities Homepage (RRSBOH) at URL http://www.if.afrl.af.mil/div/IFK/afbop/00R0002/00R0002.html (PAPER COPIES WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE). Any prospective offerors interested in submitting a proposal for this solicitation must register in order to be placed on the Offerors List. Include your company name, address, telephone number and point of contact, fax number, and e-mail address. This list will be provided to facilitate subcontracting opportunities only. Offerors registering their name on the Offerors List should not conclude that they would receive a paper copy of the solicitation in the mail, as a paper copy will not be available. All prospective offerors are responsible to visit the EPS and the RRSBOH frequently and obtain any amendments or other information pertaining to this solicitation. The solicitation will only be available by downloading the documents from the EPS or the RRSBOH. Synopsis/Solicitation F30602-00-R0002 is being issued as a Request for Proposal (RFP), for an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with a basic 1 year period and four one year option periods, incorporating provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-14 and DFARS Change Notice 19991021. Additional information may be obtained at the EPS, AFRL Information Directorate's RRSBOH see Local Business Opportunities and FAR, DFAR, AFFAR and AFMCFARSUP on-line, at http://farsite.hill.af.mil, the latter for access to full text of all provisions and clauses. The SIC code is 8299 for this unrestricted acquisition with a small business size standard of $5M. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome Research Site, Information Directorate has a requirement for a contractor to provide on-site training for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software courses using Government-owned/provided/maintained Personal Computers (PCs). Courses shall include but not be limited to: Outlook 98, MS Project 98, MS Office 97 (includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access), MS Office 2000 (includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access), MS NT 4.0, Netscape, Jetform/Formflow, Creating HTML Pages, and Transition from Macintosh to Personal Computers. The contractor shall conduct an estimated maximum of 720 hours (90 days) of training during each contract period. The Government will determine what form the training, for each course, will take; i.e., classroom style, auditorium style or at a user's office. The contractor shall provide all training manuals, professionally prepared and bound, for each class. These manuals will be given to each student attending each class. Students must be able to keep the manuals for future reference. See the EPS or RRSBOH for the Performance Work Statement, dated 01 Nov 1999, and the Schedule of Offer. Alert: Vendors are STRONGLY encouraged to use the Standard Form 1449 as the first page of their offer. If you choose not to use the Standard Form 1449, you are cautioned to complete and provide with your proposal all the data requested by FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items. Failure to do so may eliminate you from consideration for award. The clause at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items is applicable. Paragraph (c) is amended to read as follows: The offeror agrees to hold the prices in its offer firm for 60 calendar days from the date specified for receipt of offers. Paragraph (d) is amended to add the following: Contractors are required to submit, with their proposal, one sample of a training manual which is indicative of the quality of the manuals that will be provided under this contract. FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Items is applicable. The second sentence of Paragraph (a) is amended as follows: "The factors identified below, the first two being of equal importance, with price being significantly less important than the first two, will be considered during proposal evaluation. (i) Factor 1: MISSION CAPABILITY. The mission capability factor will be evaluated on the basis of the following subfactors, listed in descending order of importance: (1) Subfactor 1: Qualifications of the instructors being identified to teach the IT courses (see Section 4, Paragraph 4.3 of the Performance Work Statement For IT Training Services, at the EPS or RRSBOH). (2) Subfactor 2: Types and frequency of training provided to the instructors being identified to teach at RRS. Contractor must demonstrate evidence of continuing training which refreshes the knowledge of the instructors who will be training at RRS. (3) Subfactor 3: Training manuals. Manuals must be professionally prepared and bound. ALERT: Offerors must submit one sample of a training manual which is indicative of the quality of the manuals that will be provided under this contract. (ii) FACTOR 2: PAST PERFORMANCE. The extent to which the offeror's past performance met customer requirements, including the offeror's history of forecasting and controlling costs, adhering to schedules (including the administrative aspects of performance), reasonable and cooperative behavior and commitment to customer satisfaction, and generally the contractor's business-like concern for the interests of the customer. In addition, the degree to which the offeror complies with FAR 52.219-8, "Utililization of Small Business Concerns". Offerors shall provide at least three references for Government and non-Government workcontracts within the past five (5) years for similar work performed with complete references, contract titles and points of contact and dollar values. The past performance information should indicate relevant satisfactory past performance in compliance with the terms of the contract. ALERT: Offerors are strongly encouraged to use the Experience Questionnaire. See the EPS or RRSBOH. If you choose not to use the Experience Questionnaire, you are cautioned to complete and provide with your proposal all the data requested in the Questionnaire. The Contracting Officer shall seek relevant performance information based on (1) the references provided by the offeror and (2) data independently obtained from other Government and commercial sources. The purpose of the past performance evaluation is to allow the Government to assess the offeror's ability to perform the effort described in this RFP, based on the offeror's demonstrated present and past performance. The assessment process will result in an overall risk rating of exceptional, very good, satisfactory, none, marginal, or unsatisfactory. Offerors with no relevant past or present performance history shall receive the rating "none", meaning the rating is treated neither favorably nor unfavorably. (iii) FACTOR 3: PRICE. Price will be evaluated for fairness, and reasonableness as it relates to the service offered. (1) Fairness and reasonableness -- the degree to which the proposed price compares to the price a reasonable and prudent person would expect to incur for the same or similar goods or services. Award will be made based on the best value to the Government. Mission Capability and past performance, when combined, are significantly more important than price." See the EPS or RRSBOH for additional evaluation information. Include a completed copy of FAR 52.212-3 and DFAR 252.212-7000, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, with your offer. See the EPS or RRSBOH. FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, is applicable. The following sentences are added to the existing paragraph (a) in FAR 52.212-4: "If any of the services do not conform with contract requirements, the Government may require the Contractor to perform the services again in conformity with contract requirements, at no increase in contract amount. When the defects in services cannot be corrected by reperformance, the Government may (i) require the Contractor to take necessary action to ensure that future performance conforms to contract requirements and (ii) reduce the contract price to reflect the reduced value of the services performed. If the Contractor fails to promptly perform the services again or to take the necessary action to ensure future performance in conformity with contract requirements, the Government may (i) by contract or otherwise, perform the services and charge to the contractor any cost incurred by the Government that is directly related to the performance of such service or (ii) terminate the contract for cause." The clause FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. Additional FAR clauses cited in the clause applicable to this acquisition are: 52.203-6, 52.219-4, 52.219-8, 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.232-33, 52.222-41 (Wage Determination 94-2383, Rev 11 dated 06/01/1999), and 52.222-42 (Employee Class #29160, Monetary Wage $22.15, NOTE: This statement is for informational purposes only, it is not a Wage Determination). DFARS 252.212-7001, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Applicable to Defense Acquisitions of Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. Additional DFARS clauses cited in the clause applicable to this acquisition are: 252.225-7001, 252.225-7012, 252.227-7015, 252.227-7037, 252.243-7002 and 252.247-7024. The following additional clauses apply: FAR 52.216-18, Ordering ((a) insert in the first blank "for the basic period -- effective date of the contract, for each option period -- each option exercise date"; insert in the second blank "for the basic period -"30 Sep 2000", for each option period thereafter -- 30 Sep 2001, 30 Sep 2002, 30 Sep 2003 & 30 Sep 2004"); FAR 52.216-19 Order Limitations (in the blank of para (a) insert "$100.00"; in the blank of para (b)(1) insert "$100,000.00"; in the blank of para (b)(2) insert "$100,000.00"; in the blank of para (b)(3) insert "30"; in the blank of para (d) insert "10"); FAR 52.216-22 Indefinite Quantity (in the blank of para (d) insert "30 days of the expiration date of the effective ordering period"; FAR 52.217-8, Option To Extend Services; 52.217-9, Option To Extend The Term Of The Contract: (a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by notifying the contractor, in writing, before the contract expires. (b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option provision. (c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed 5 years. FAR 52.228-5, Insurance -- Work On A Government Installation; FAR 52.232-18, Availability Of Funds; FAR 52.237-2, Protection of Government Buildings, Equipment, and Vegetation; DFARS 252.204-7004, Required Central Contractor Registration; DFARS 252.225-7017, Prohibition on Award To Companies Owned By The People's Republic Of China; AFMCFARS 5352.228-9001, Insurance Clause Implementation; and AFMCFARS 5352.245-9004, Base Support (in the blank of para (e) insert "Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome Research Site, Information Directorate", in the blank of para (f) insert "17 ea Gateway PC's, 1 ea Fester printer, and 2 ea LCD Panels. Two rooms have been established for training in Bldg 106. The contractor will also be provided a desk and chair. This support will be available during normal duty hours, Monday through Friday, 0600 through 1800 hours.". The DPAS rating for this requirement is DO-S10. To be eligible to receive a contract award from a Department of Defense (DoD) activity after 1 Jun 98, contractors must be registered in the DoD Central Contractor Registration (CCR) Database. To register, access the CCR Home Page at http://www.ccr2000.com/. Direct any questions regarding this DoD requirement to 1-888-227-2423. All other questions regarding this COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION must be directed IN WRITING to the buyer, Ginny Brady, no later than one week before the proposal due date. Proposals are due at 2:30 pm on Thursday, 2 December 1999. SUBMIT COMPLETE PACKAGE, BY MAIL TO: AFRL/IFKO, ATTN: Ginny Brady F30602-00-R0002, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome NY 13441-4514 OR FACSIMILE TO: 315/330-2555. It is the Offeror's responsibility to monitor this site for the release of amendments (if any), and for downloading their own copy of this combined synopsis/solicitation and amendments (if any) from the CBD, as well as the blank SF 1449, Performance Work Statement For IT Training Services, Schedule of Offers, Wage Determination and Representations and Certifications from the EPS or RRSBOH. If unable to access the EPS or RRSBOH, hard copies of information will be mailed upon written request. An Ombudsman has been appointed. An Ombudsman has been appointed to hear significant concerns from offerors or potential offerors during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. Routine questions, such as clarifications of the Statement of Work or the terms and conditions, are not considered to be "significant concerns" and should be communicated directly to the Contracting Officer, E.J. Rena, 315-330-7518. The purpose of the Ombudsman is not to diminish the authority of the contracting officer or program manager, but to communicate contractor concerns, issues, disagreements and recommendations to the appropriate Government personnel. The Ombudsman for this acquisition is Vincent Palmiero, Deputy Chief, at 315-330-7746. When requested, the Ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals or in the source selection process. The Ombudsman should only be contacted with issues or problems that have been previously brought to the attention of the Contract Specialist/Contracting Officer and could not be satisfactorily resolved at that level. Posted 11/10/99 (D-SN399927). (0314)

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