THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is performing market search for large and small businesses in preparation for a future procurement. Small businesses are particularly encouraged to participate in this Sources Sought process. Information submitted in response to this notice is merely used for internal market research purposes, and no feedback will be offered to interested parties that submit capability statements.
EPA's Region 4 requires contractor assistance to provide nationally consistent technical assistance services to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) and other federal officials implementing EPA's responsibilities under the national response system for the Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) class of contracts. These services primarily support Region 4 states (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, and TN) and 6 Tribes (Catawba Indian Nation, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and Seminole Tribe of Florida). The interested party shall be prepared to provide scientific/technical support and align its activities with EPA activities to further the Agency's primary mission: The protection of human health and the environment.
Time Critical Response Work
1. Are you able to respond in the requested response timeframes in Appendix H of the SOW?
a. If so, please support your capabilities (i.e. address of facilities, quantity of response personnel at each facility, equipment staged at each facility, etc.).
b. If not, what are your limitations?
c. Are you able to respond to multiple sites simultaneously within the requested response timeframes? If so, please describe your capabilities, including limitations such as maximum number of sites and/or complexity of site response.
2. Are you able to ramp up staffing to meet site needs? How many personnel can you mobilize onto a site within three (3) days? Please include if you are dependent upon external resources.
3. Describe your experience with working urgent/emergency remediation of contaminants/hazards such as: radiation, asbestos, mercury, lead, polychlorinated biphenyls, vapor intrusion, abandoned drums, etc.
4. In addition to CERCLA, the removal program responds through the Oil Pollution Act (SOW Section II.A.3). Describe your experience with the assessment and remediation of sites contaminated by oil and its derivatives?
5. What kind of health and safety training do you require of your staff (SOW Appendix D)?
Site Assessment
1. Describe your experience in pre-remedial investigations, either with or without sampling (SOW Sections II.C.3 Preliminary Assessment, II.C.4 Site Inspection, II.C.6 Expanded Site Inspections)?
2. Describe your experience generating a Hazard Ranking Score for a site (SOW Section II.C.9 Preliminary Site Scoring)?
3. Describe your experience preparing a Hazard Ranking Score documentation record (SOW Section II.C.10 Hazard Ranking System/National Priorities List Packages)?
Equipment
1. Describe your expertise to utilize, maintain, and calibrate the variety of equipment necessary for the SOW (see SOW Appendix J)?
2. Do you own/lease equipment listed in the SOW? If not, how will you obtain it?
3. Describe your experience combining real time monitoring equipment, GPS, and data management tools to get data onto a map (SOW Appendix I)?
4. Describe your experience with utilizing SCRIBE, EQuIS, and ESRI GIS products (SOW Appendix I)?
The successful contractor shall provide all necessary labor, materials, and services in support of the efforts delineated above, and those further detailed in the attached DRAFT Statement of Work (SOW). It is anticipated that the resulting contract will be an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) type contract, with individual Task Orders (TOs) issued on either a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) or Cost-Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) basis. The contract start date is anticipated to be early 2025, and will contain a single, five-year ordering period, along with a unilateral Agency option to extend contract services for an additional six months of performance.
The NAICS code associated with this sources sought is 541620, Environmental Consulting Services, with a size standard of $19 Million.
All interested vendors are encouraged to respond with the following:
1. A one-page cover letter noting company name(s), address(es), Unique Entity ID (UEI), contact information, and a statement indicating whether the submission is from an other than small business, small business, small disadvantaged business (SDB), woman-owned small business (WOSB), economically disadvantaged women-owned small business (EDWOSB), 8(a)-certified business, service- disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB), veteran-owned small business (VOSB), or Historically Underutilized Business Zone small business (HUBZone). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this action is 541620. All interested vendors must register in the System for Award Management (SAM) database; ensure NAICS 541620 is represented.
2. Two pages of project descriptions representing urgent environmental investigations of uncontrolled hazardous material spills. Projects should have been initiated within the previous five years and be representative of your abilities to: mobilize staff and equipment; characterize environmental conditions; and report findings.
3. A twenty (20)-page, single spaced, no less than 12-font capabilities statement addressing all questions detailed above (Time Critical Response Work, Site Assessment and Equipment).
4. A one-page chart of teaming arrangements or partnerships if the submission represents experience shared between multiple entities.
As a reminder, small businesses are required to perform at least 50 percent of the costs of contract performance with their own personnel or through subcontracts with similarly situated entities as defined at FAR 52.219-14. The EPA reserves the right to set this action aside for small businesses.
Questions will not be addressed at this time. Post submittal one-on-one information sessions with respondents will not be held.
All submissions shall be submitted electronically in PDF format using US EPA's acquisition portal, FedConnect. Access FedConnect at: https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Default.htm. The total package will not exceed 23 pages when compiled.
Background
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is conducting market research for potential contractors to provide technical assistance services to EPA On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) and federal officials under the Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) contracts. The focus is on supporting Region 4 states and six Tribes, with an emphasis on protecting human health and the environment.
This Sources Sought Notice is aimed at gathering information from both large and small businesses, particularly encouraging small businesses to participate.
Work Details
The contractor will be responsible for a range of tasks including:
1. **Time Critical Response Work**: Responding to emergencies within specified timeframes, ramping up staffing as needed, and providing support for urgent remediation of hazardous materials.
2. **Site Assessment**: Conducting pre-remedial investigations, generating Hazard Ranking Scores, preparing documentation for Hazard Ranking System/National Priorities List Packages, and performing site inspections.
3. **Equipment Management**: Utilizing, maintaining, and calibrating necessary equipment; owning or leasing required equipment; and integrating real-time monitoring tools with data management systems.
4. **Technical Support Activities**: Providing multi-media surveys, treatability studies, engineering evaluations, public participation support, human health/ecological risk assessments, and administrative records support.
5. **Preparedness and Prevention Activities**: Supporting contingency planning, counter-terrorism efforts, chemical emergency preparedness, and oil spill prevention activities.
Period of Performance
The anticipated contract start date is early 2025 with a single five-year ordering period and an option for an additional six months of performance.
Place of Performance
The primary geographic locations for performance include Region 4 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee; as well as six Tribes.
