The Department of State is conducting market research to determine the degree of interest and capability by small businesses only in providing local guard services at the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown, Barbados.
The Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security plays an essential role in ensuring that foreign policy missions are accomplished in a safe and secure environment. The primary mission of the local guard service is to provide protection for United States personnel, facilities, and equipment from damage or loss due to violent attack and theft. The local guard services shall prevent unauthorized access; protect life; maintain order; deter criminal and terrorist attacks against employees, dependents, and property; and prevent damage to all U.S. assets. The NAICS code for these services is 561612.
Responses must clearly demonstrate capabilities through examples of previous and/or current guard security contracts or experience closely related thereto.
Vendors must specifically address the following capabilities:
- Current licenses, work authorizations in compliance with host country law required for the execution of work, including firearms permits and licenses. Licenses must be in the name of the U.S. small business.
- Knowledge of and compliance with host country labor law which may require bonuses, specific minimum wage levels, premium pay for holidays, payments for social security, pensions, severance pay, sick or health benefits, childcare or any other benefit
- Knowledge of and compliance with host country tax law
- Ability to provide all types of insurance coverage required by host country in performance of services, such as automobile liability, comprehensive general liability, worker's compensation, employer's liability, etc.
- Furnishing, operating, and maintaining a radio network, including acquiring all licenses and permits that may be required for frequencies and the operation of all communications equipment
- Familiarity or experience with associated security equipment such as Guard Electronic Monitoring System (GEMS), Central Alarm Monitoring systems (CAMS), closed-circuit television systems, x-ray and explosive detection equipment
- Furnishing guard force equipment such as uniforms, vehicles, and weapons
- Ability to overcome language barriers
- Capability of instructing, providing, and qualifying personnel in the use of firearms, as well as x-ray equipment and radio equipment, including obtaining the access to a firearm training facility
- Ability to maintain a guard staff on a 24-hour 7 day a week basis with the ability to immediately backfill vacant positions due to resignations, rotations and illnesses due to a variety of reasons such as flu and food poisoning
- Capability of dealing with organized actions by direct labor personnel such as strikes (anticipated and unanticipated) and labor unrest (work slowdowns and/or organized failure of employees to report for shift changes)
- Ability to hire and train, including English language training and weapons training, if required, a guard staff consisting of host country nationals
- Ability to provide trained equipment technicians for all vehicles, radios and weapons required in the performance of the contract
- Ability to train a sizeable workforce to adapt quickly to unfamiliar laws and customs as well as the ability of company officials to gain quickly information regarding the laws and customs needed to maintain and equip such a workforce
- Experience or capability of getting contractor-furnished equipment and goods through customs and/or similar governmental agencies of the host country
- Understanding import and export regulations
- Understanding and familiarity of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) and the capability of complying with both by the performance date of any contract awarded requiring the execution of this Statute (22 U.S.C. 2778-2780)
- Managing smooth contract transition efforts.
- Ability to safely keep and track Government-Furnished Property
- Ability to screen personnel to meet suitability requirements for guard force positions
- Strong skill in instant, situational decision-making, e.g., response to threats
- Organized billing and invoicing procedures
It is requested that all interested parties submit their complete and detailed statement of capabilities by e-mail to Andr McIntosh at mcintoshas@state.gov or Yenny Adams at Adamsyr@state.gov addressing each of the above requirements by 13:00 EST, July 20, 2022. Interested parties shall also complete the attached Contractor Information Sheet.
At this time, the U.S. Department of State does not guarantee that any future contracts may be awarded covering the aforementioned duties and responses to this Sources Sought notice do not bind the U.S. Department of State to any agreement with the responder, be it explicit or implied.
Background
The Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security is conducting market research to determine the degree of interest and capability by small businesses in providing local guard services at the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown, Barbados. The primary mission of the local guard service is to provide protection for United States personnel, facilities, and equipment from damage or loss due to violent attack and theft.
Work Details
The local guard services shall prevent unauthorized access; protect life; maintain order; deter criminal and terrorist attacks against employees, dependents, and property; and prevent damage to all U.S. assets. Vendors must demonstrate capabilities through examples of previous and/or current guard security contracts or experience closely related thereto. Specific capabilities required include current licenses, compliance with host country law, knowledge of host country labor law and tax law, ability to provide insurance coverage, familiarity with security equipment, ability to overcome language barriers, firearms training capability, ability to maintain a guard staff on a 24-hour 7 day a week basis, dealing with organized actions by direct labor personnel such as strikes and labor unrest, hiring and training a guard staff consisting of host country nationals, providing trained equipment technicians for all vehicles, radios and weapons required in the performance of the contract, understanding import and export regulations, familiarity with the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), managing smooth contract transition efforts, safely keeping and tracking Government-Furnished Property, screening personnel to meet suitability requirements for guard force positions, strong skill in instant situational decision-making, organized billing and invoicing procedures.
Place of Performance
The contract will be performed at the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown, Barbados.
