SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- Airline Consultant Services - conduct audits of aviation safety and issues related to air space and capacity demand
- Notice Date
- 12/5/2003
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- Department of Transportation, Office of the Secretary of Tranportation (OST) Procurement Operations, OST Acquisition Services Division, 400 7th Street SW, Room 5106, Washington, DC, 20590
- ZIP Code
- 20590
- Solicitation Number
- DTOS59-04-R-00005
- Response Due
- 12/11/2003
- Archive Date
- 12/26/2003
- Point of Contact
- Theresta Lanier, Contract Specialist, Phone 202-493-0130, Fax 202-366-9848, - Theresta Lanier, Contract Specialist, Phone 202-493-0130, Fax 202-366-9848,
- E-Mail Address
-
theresta.lanier@ost.dot.gov, theresta.lanier@ost.dot.gov
- Description
- THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS OPEN TO GSA SCHEDULE HOLDERS ONLY SOURCES SOUGHT AIRLINE CONSULTANT SERVICES The Department of Transportation (DOT), Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) plans to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to conduct audits of aviation safety and issues related to air space and capacity demand. This procurement will support the Office of Inspector General (OIG) efforts by providing independent expertise to supply analyses of issues related to the Federal Aviation Administration?s (FAA) certification of aircraft and aircraft parts. Sources will provide independent assessments and technical assistance to the OIG in conjunction with its review of the certification, design and manufacture of aircraft and aircraft parts. This work will require comprehensive knowledge of FAA, Federal Aviation Regulations pertaining to aircraft design and engineering, aircraft manufacturing, commercial aviation organizations, and emerging issues that may significantly impact manufacturing organizations, such as foreign aircraft certifications. Contractor must have proven expertise in conducting quick response and comprehensive assessments in areas such as aircraft certification, design and manufacturing. They must have access to industry experts, aircraft manufacturing market data and commercial aviation safety records. A Statement of Work (SOW) is attached to this synopsis detailing the complete task. Award of a firm-fixed-priced contract is anticipated. You must be a GSA contract holder with a current GSA schedule in effect. A combined synopsis/solicitation will be issued at a later date. The solicitation will ultimately be distributed electronically via the Government?s electronic posting Web site at http://www.eps.gov under the Department of Transportation, OST, Acquisition Services under solicitation number DTOS59-04-R-00005. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only. It is not a notice of a solicitation, and does not constitute a Government agreement to contract. Interested sources must submit the firms name, address, phone number, contact name, business entity, GSA schedule number (under NAICS: 541611, 541613, 541614, 541690, 541910, 54172 or 54191) and a brief description, not to exceed 3 pages, explaining how you meet the requirements of this synopsis. Large business, small and disadvantaged businesses are encouraged to team in support of one DOT contract. Responses are required by 3:00 pm on Thursday, December 11, 2003 and should be submitted via electronic mail to theresta.lanier@ost.dot.gov. NOTE: hand-carried responses will not be accepted but faxed responses can be faxed to 202-366-9848. Contract for Technical Assistance Office of Inspector General (OIG) Office of Aviation Audits STATEMENT OF WORK 1. PURPOSE The Office of Inspector General (OIG), Office of Aviation, conducts audits of aviation safety and issues related to air space and capacity demand. This procurement will support the OIG?s efforts by providing independent expertise to supply analyses of issues related to the Federal Aviation Administration?s (FAA) certification of aircraft and aircraft parts. II. OBJECTIVE The objective of this procurement is to obtain contractual support to provide independent assessments and technical assistance to the OIG in conjunction with its review of the certification, design and manufacture of aircraft and aircraft parts. This work will require comprehensive knowledge of FAA, Federal Aviation Regulations pertaining to aircraft design and engineering, aircraft manufacturing, commercial aviation organizations, and emerging issues that may significantly impact manufacturing organizations, such as foreign aircraft certification. The contractor will need to have proven expertise in conducting quick response and comprehensive assessments in areas such as aircraft certification, design, and manufacturing. In addition, the contractor will need to have ready access to industry experts, aircraft manufacturing market data and commercial aviation safety records. III. SCOPE The contractor will provide analyses and information to support a review of aviation manufacturers? certification data. Contractor findings will be summarized in reports to the OIG based on pre-established timetables. The specific requirements, format, and timing of the reports will be determined on a task-by-task basis. Payment for services will be contingent on the OIG?s approval and acceptance of the contractor?s finished products. Any travel required to perform contract tasks will be approved in advance by OIG. Travel costs will be billed at established government travel rates. Work tasks will be initiated and accepted by designated representatives from the OIG Office of Aviation. IV. TASK STATEMENT IV The contractor will provide systems analysis, engineering support and technical expertise in review of aircraft and aircraft parts certification. Areas for which contractor support may be requested include, but are not limited to: - Systems analyses of FAA?s certification and validation process for domestic and foreign transport category aircraft and aircraft parts to determine compliance with regulations, and to identify safety issues and any weaknesses in the process; - Analyses of aircraft accident and incident data, Service Difficulty Reports, and Airworthiness Directives to identify trends with aircraft models or components on aircraft models that could be linked to aircraft certification or design issues. For any trends identified, contractor will select a sample of the trends and trace the issues through the aircraft design and certification process to determine if similar problems were identified during the certification process and how those problems were addressed (sample quantity will be discussed with and approved by OIG); and, - Engineering analyses of six certifications of U.S. and foreign manufactured aircraft (including derivative aircraft) and aircraft parts, including both existing and in-process certifications, to determine safety concerns and compliance with regulations. ? For both completed and in process certification projects, obtain and review, at a minimum, the following documentation (if available) to identify safety issues and noncompliance with regulations: a. The Certification Program Plan, b. The Compliance Checklist, c. Issue Papers or Certificate Review Items, d. The Certification Summary Report, e. The Type Inspection Report, f. The Special Certification Review, g. Any relevant correspondence between the manufacturer and FAA, h. Any correspondence or documentation from Chief Scientists and Technical Advisors, and i. Any correspondence or documentation from the Aircraft Evaluations Group. ? In addition, for completed certification projects: (1) determine the validity of the assumptions made for testing the product, (2) determine if the appropriate Chief Scientists and Technical Advisors were involved in the process and the input they provided, and (3) determine the percentage of the certification process that FAA personnel completed and the percentage that FAA?s designated representatives. The contractor will meet with assigned OIG representatives to clarify review and reporting requirements prior to beginning work on assigned tasks. After this meeting, the contractor will provide OIG with a written summary of their understanding of the work requirements, the products to be provided, the anticipated timetable, and any projected changes to the estimated cost for completing the assigned work. The contractor will submit a draft report to the OIG for review and acceptance and will make changes to this draft as determined necessary by the OIG. The contractor will provide a final report to OIG 30 days after receipt of OIG?s comments on the draft report, and make available to the OIG any and all documents and data sources used to compile the reports. The contractor will provide monthly progress reports to the designated OIG representative. VI. PERIOD OF PERFORMATNCE The contract period of performance will be from the date of the award of the contract up to September 30, 2004. In addition, the OIG reserves the right to exercise an option for an additional year of performance, from October 1, 2004 to September 30, 2005. VII. SAFEGUARDING OF INFORMATION The Contractor and its employees shall not communicate to any person any information known to them by reason of their performance of services under this contract which has not been made public, except in the necessary performance of their duties or upon written authorization of the Contracting Officer. All documents and records (including photographs) generated during the performance of work under this contract shall be for the sole use of and become the exclusive property of the U.S. Government. Furthermore, no article, book, pamphlet, recording, broadcast, speech, television appearance, film or photograph concerning any aspect of work performed under this contract shall be published or disseminated through any media without the prior written authorization of the Contracting Officer. These obligations do not cease upon the expiration or termination of this contract. The Contractor shall include the substance of this provision in all contracts of employment and in all subcontracts hereunder. RESTRICTIONS AGAINST DISCLOSURE a. The Contractor understands and acknowledges that, in performing this task, it likely will involve confidential business information, such as trade secrets and financial and commercial information of a proprietary nature, that is protected under 18 U.S.C. 1905. Each person involved in the performance of this contract shall sign a certificate of non-disclosure indicating that they have read and understand this section and Title 18 U.S.C 1905, and further understand that any public release of such information could subject them to criminal or civil liability. The certificates of non-disclosure shall be made available upon request of the OIG or any entity whose records and information are being sought for review. Subject to the provisions of paragraph (c) below, the contractor agrees, in the performance of this contract, to keep all information which is obtained or otherwise unavailable to the general public, in the strictest of confidence. The Contractor acquires neither possessor nor proprietary interests in such information. The Contractor agrees not to publish, reproduce, or otherwise divulge such information in whole or in part, in any manner or form, at any time, during or following contract performance, nor authorize or permit others to do so. The Contractor agrees to take such reasonable measures as are necessary to restrict access to such information to those employees needing such information to perform the work provided herein, i.e., on a ?need to know basis.? The Contractor agrees to immediately notify the Contracting Officer?s Representative, in the event that he or she determines or had reason to suspect a breach of any of these requirements or restrictions, and to provide written notification as soon as possible. b. The Contractor agrees to include the above clause or equivalent language in any agreement or subcontract hereunder. c. The Contractor agrees not to disclose any information concerning the work under this contract to any persons or entities unless prior written approval is obtained from the Contracting Officer. CONTRACTOR GENERATED MATERIAL All material generated by the Contractor under this contract, including printouts and analytical reports in whatever form (e.g., computer tapes, audio, video) is the property of the Government. An inventory list of all such material shall be provided to the Government not less than sixty (60) days prior to the end of the contract. The material shall be delivered to the Office of Inspector General upon completion of the contract except for any items of material for which the Office of Inspector General has elected in writing not to take delivery. No Contractor generated material shall be made available or sold to any requesting Government or private entity without the prior written approval of the Contracting Officer. ?Material? for purposes of this clause shall not be deemed to include Contractor?s business and financial records, such as time sheets, payroll records, and internal memoranda that does not contain classified, proprietary or otherwise sensitive information obtained during contract performance. In addition, no mailing lists are to be made by the Contractor using this contract?s material for any reason or purpose unless specifically authorized or required elsewhere in the contract. VIII. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT (a) GENERAL PROVISION. For proper performance of Office of Inspector General business and to maintain the objectivity and independence of the Office, prior to the issuance of a task order, the Contracting Officer must determine that the Contractor has no organizational conflict of interest in the particular proposed activity or site specific project, and is otherwise available in terms of projected workload capacity. Contractors shall certify that they are not aware of any organizational conflict of interest situations at the time the contract is awarded and agree not to enter into any contract that will create or appear to create a conflict of interest for the Inspector General. For the purposes of this contract, the term ?organizational conflict of interest? means a situation where a contractor has interest, either due to its activities or its relationships with other organizations, which place it in a position that may be unsatisfactory or unfavorable (1) from the Government?s standpoint in being able to secure impartial, technically sound, objective assistance and advice from the contractor, or in securing the advantages of adequate competition in its procurement; or (2) from industry?s standpoint in that unfair competitive advantage may accrue to the contractor in question. (b) REQUIREMENTS. The Contractor must comply with the following requirements. i. Sign a Declaration of Independence and Organizational Conflict of Interest Statement that no conflicts of interest exist for the Contractor, its affiliates, or subcontractors that would preclude performance of the required services. ii. Notify and provide in writing to the Office of Inspector General, a list of any contracts the contractor has had with the Federal Aviation Administration, airlines and aviation manufacturers during the past 5 years, as well as those currently under contract, and the general scope of work performed for each. iii. Notify and provide in writing to the Office of Inspector General a list of any potential new contracts or work involving either the Federal Aviation Administration or others in the field of aviation, including airlines and manufacturers, that might pose a conflict of interest. iv. The Office of Inspector General will evaluate the list of contracts in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards to determine if there are any real or apparent conflicts of interest that could impair the objectivity and independence of the work product. If it is determined that there is such a conflict of interest, the government will notify the contractor that the proposal will not be considered under this task order. If there is a potential conflict of interest, the OIG may, in its sole discretion, seek to determine whether actions are available to alleviate or mitigate the potential conflicts of interest that allow the performance of the proposed order to be accomplished in an impartial and objective manner. In the event a conflict of interest is discovered after the award of this task order, the OIG may terminate the task order at no cost to the Government. (c) EXAMPLES. The following examples illustrate, but are not inclusive of, situations in which questions concerning conflict of interest may arise. i. Employing a former employee of the Office of Inspector General or the entity to be audited who has information that enables the Contractor to gain an unfair competitive advantage. ii. Auditing a system that was developed or designed by the Contractor or an employee of the Contractor. (d) PENALTIES. If the Contractor fails to comply with the above requirements, it may be considered a material breach of the contract subject to monetary penalty and termination for default or other legal action, such as debarment from future Federal contracts. (e) CERTIFICATION. I certify that I have read and fully understand the above information and what is required under the contract concerning organizational conflict of interest. Signature:_________________________________ Date:______________________
- Place of Performance
- Address: 400 7th Street S.W., Washington, DC
- Zip Code: 20590
- Zip Code: 20590
- Record
- SN00481896-W 20031207/031205211843 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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