Local Guard Services: US Mission Helsinki   2

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:
Provide 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
Furnishing guard force equipment such as uniforms, vehicles, and radios.
Ability to overcome language barriers
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)
Describe experience hiring and training, including English language training, a guard staff consisting of host country nationals
Describe capabilities having provided trained equipment technicians for all vehicles, and 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
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 capabilities by e-mail to Michael Waidelich at waidelichmp@state.gov addressing each of the above requirements by the date set on the announcement. Interested parties shall also complete the Contractor Information Sheet which is attached.

If you have any questions or comments, please reference this Sources Sought Notice when emailing.

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.