SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Sources Sought announcement for Utility Rate Analysis, Litigation Support, and Various other related tasks
- Notice Date
- 10/9/2012
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541618
— Other Management Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- USACE HNC, Huntsville, P. O. Box 1600, Huntsville, AL 35807-4301
- ZIP Code
- 35807-4301
- Solicitation Number
- W912DY12URIL
- Response Due
- 11/12/2012
- Archive Date
- 1/11/2013
- Point of Contact
- chaquandra, 256-895-1261
- E-Mail Address
-
USACE HNC, Huntsville
(chaquandra.k.wilson@usace.army.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- 1.The US Army Engineering and Support Center in Huntsville (CEHNC), Alabama has a requirement related utility rate analysis, litigation support, and various other related tasks. The United States Department of the Army (DA) purchases utility services (electricity, natural or manufactured gas, water, sewerage, and thermal energy [chilled water, hot water, high temperature hot water, steam] in excess of one billion dollars annually. The objective of this contract will be to provide: a.all service, material, plant, labor, transportation, equipment, studies and superintendence required to provide professional utility rate analytical technical assistance to the DA when conducting rate interventions before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) or State utility regulatory bodies regarding requests for rate increases or other regulatory matters which affect the DA and other Federal Agencies. b.assistance in evaluating the availability of competition for various installations, determining the availability of competition for each installation, recommending the best method of purchasing utility services; assisting with the development of contracts for competing for utility services; and providing technical assistance in evaluating associated proposals.. c.rate application analysis of the application utility companies file with the Commission. d. in and out briefing to high-level installation and Director of Public Works (DPW) officials (when required) 2.The issues or aspects of the case to be analyzed may include, but not limited to the following : (1). Rate design and class cost of service allocation study and class revenue responsibility. (2). Rate Base and Overall Cost of Service. (3). Operation Revenues (actual, forecasted, and adjusted). (4). Operating and Maintenance Expenses (actual, forecasted, and adjusted). (5). Depreciation Expenses. (6). Utility Plant in Service. (7). Amortization of Utility Plant Acquisitions, Losses, Cancellations or Conversion Expenses. (8). Taxes: Federal Income Taxes, Other Income Taxes, Accumulating Deferred Taxes, Investment Tax Credits. (9). Gains or Losses from disposition of utility plant. (10). Allowance for funds used during construction. (11). Interest Charge. (12). Extraordinary Items. (13). Land and Plant held for future use. (14). Construction Work in Progress (CWIP). (15). Contributions in Aid of Construction. (16). Cash Working Capital Allowance (If any), allowance for material, supplies and prepayments. (17). Pollution Control Equipment. 3.Required Key Personnel a Project Manager : A company official who can make decisions and commit company resources to serve as a full-time Project Manager for all work under this contract. The Project Manager has to be employed full time by the prime contractor's (firm) and cannot be an employee of any proposed subcontractor/team member. The Project Manager shall have at least 3 years of experience in utility rate making issues and regulations; commission functions and administrative processing; utility litigation process; report writing; case administration and management; development of testimony strategies; briefing high-level military commanders; and development of feasible engineering and economic approaches in developing testimony. Education required is a Bachelor's degree in engineering. b Utility Rate Analysts. Professional utility rate experts who are fully qualified in utility engineering, legal accounting, finance, or economics. The utility rate experts should have previous experience in presenting testimony in at least 5 cases within the last three years, which has been subject to cross-examination before regulatory commissions. The utility rate experts shall have the knowledge and experience to prepare special studies that center on the solution of planning, engineering, and economic problems, which affect the acquisition and management of utility services. The utility rate experts shall have the ability to negotiate in accordance with FAR 41 utility service contracts and rates. Education required is a Bachelor's in engineering, economics, or a related field, or in the project's functional area. c Economist. Economist should be fully qualified in legal accounting, finance, or economics. The economist shall have at least one year of experience in analyzing cost of service, return on equity and or factors used when determining fair and reasonable rate design structures and performed a minimum of five studies within the last three years. This person shall have the knowledge and experience to prepare special studies that center on the solution of planning, engineering, and economic problems, which affect the acquisition and management of utility services. Education is a Bachelor's in economics, or a related field. NOTE: For this purpose of this requirement, any individual or individuals not directly employed by the prime contractor as an employee (either on a permanent or temporary basis) is considered a subcontractor. 4.The Government is performing market research primarily in order to determine if there are firms that possess the capability to execute the requirements of this anticipated request for proposal (RFP). This synopsis is for market research purposes only and IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS nor does it restrict the Government as to an ultimate acquisition approach. Therefore, we further invite all business concerns to provide a capability statement in response to this requirement. Prospective contractors shall be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to award of a contract. Contractors are encouraged to obtain further information on SAM registration at the following website: https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. This announcement does not obligate the Government to award a contract nor does it obligate the Government to pay for any bid/proposal preparation costs. 5.If your firm would be interested in such work, you are required to submit a capability statement that addresses as a minimum, the questions presented within this announcement. The Government does not intend to rank submittals or provide any reply to interested firms. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 541618 is applicable to this acquisition. It is expected that the performance period will not begin until spring or summer of 2013. The type of vehicle to be utilized to execute this requirement has not yet been finalized. However it is estimated that the capacity ceiling will not exceed $6.5M. NOTE: Registration as an interested vendor for this synopsis does not in any way exempt your firm from submitting the required capability questionnaire. Your firm will only be considered an interested source for this requirement if a formal response to this capability questionnaire is submitted in accordance with this announcement. 6.THIS IS NOT A FORMAL SOLICITATION. Contractors who feel they can provide the U.S. Army Engineering & Support Center, Huntsville, AL, with the above services are invited to submit in writing an affirmative response which includes as a minimum the following information: a.What is the name of your business? b.What is your business address? c.Is your firm a large business, small business, a certified 8(a) small business, certified HUBZone business, Alaskan Native, Native American, Tribal, and/or Service Disabled veteran owned concern according to NAICS code 541618? (Specify all that apply.) d.Would your firm propose on this project as a prime contractor, prime contractor with subcontractor(s), prime contractor with team member subcontractor(s), or a joint venture? (If you have proposed a joint venture, identify to the extent possible, your team members. Identify the business size of your team members or joint venture firms. If a teaming arrangement is planned, give details to the extent practicable on how the team likely will be composed. See FAR subpart 9.6 for Government policy on teaming arrangements and 8(a) Program regulations described in 13 CFR 124.513 e.Describe your experience in the following areas: (1) Preparing/proving in writing, all requests for data, documents, and information (discovery) requests to be served. ability to integrate responses to discovery requests in developing testimony and brief preparation. (2)Preparing direct testimony, exhibits, and schedules, and, when necessary, rebuttal testimony and surrebuttal testimony in support of the Government's positions and issues. (3)Supporting testimony using the appropriate accounting, financial, economic, and/ or engineering theories, analyses, and reasoning; professional standards, guidelines, and principles; legal precedents; and regulations and laws which are applicable in the ratemaking and regulation processes. (4)Preparing/providing written cross-examination questions and alternative follow-up questions to support or refute issues as well as anticipated answers (5)Reviewing transcripts and preparing a proposed written brief for all issues (regardless of how or by whom they were raised). Specifically briefs entailing statement of objectives, contested issues, conflicting or concurring testimony and/or evidence, necessary rebuttal to arguments and criticisms of positions, and/or simultaneous briefs submitted by adversarial parties. (6)Ascertaining other commissions' or courts' authority in granting the same or comparable approaches, where applicable. (7)Assisting in reaching settlement agreements and submitting an addendum to the performance work statement that reflects any such settlements (8)Preparing a Letter Report which summarizes that final results of the litigation case. Specifically, identifies all issues that were decided in favor of or against the client; identifies each issue your firm presented on behalf of the client, contrasts the treatment of these issues in the final order, lists the calculated dollar impact of each issue separately for each client (if the impact could not be calculated, estimate the dollar impact citing the assumptions utilized); shows the total cost avoidance and/or savings for each client, rate analysts cost, indicates the resulting cost/benefit ratio., makes recommendations for usage changes, and where appropriate suggests new approaches, if any, for subsequent actions. (9)Gathering data and conducting special studies covering all facets of utility services with emphasis on solution of planning, engineering, and economic problems, which affect the acquisition, and management of utility services and prepare a written report. Special studies can involve the evaluation of options and methods for reducing utility cost and for making effective, efficient use of the utility service; conducting engineering and economic analysis and making recommendations for utilities related facilities and service issues such as high voltage discounts and ownership of facilities; and evaluation of trends in terms of cost and availability of utilities to support determination of long-range planning parameters for client. (10)Reviewing and negotiating utility service contracts and modifications to existing utility service contracts and provide appropriate comments ( related to rates, facilities charges, termination liabilities, connection charges, contracts terms/conditions; review and analysis of cost-of-service studies for electric, gas, water and sewage services from municipal or other unregulated suppliers, and development of negotiation strategies with consideration given to potential alternate suppliers that are accessible through wheeling/transportation agreements or regulatory changes, and incentive packages. (11)Reviewing and analyzing all relevant documents affecting the rates, charges, general terms and conditions of service applicable to the installation including the utility supplier's cost to serve the installation; the existing or proposed installation utility service contract including modifications and related correspondence to determine if benefits could be derived by incorporating special clauses or rates contained in such contracts in the installation contract. In addition, to prepare a letter containing recommended negotiation strategies. When appropriate, recommending changes to the method of delivery and delivery points, including comments on any potential for the Army to obtain the service from alternative supplier(s). (12)Ability to explain how any problem(s) was/were solved, the results of the negotiations, the cost avoidance and/or savings that were achieved and, when appropriate, make recommendations or suggest new approaches for any subsequent negotiations. Ability to prepare a written report containing a description of the efforts accomplished at the negotiation session, describe each issue addressed in the negotiation session, and list any open action item to be resolved by any party. The report also will include positive and/or negative impact of the negotiations, comparative calculations of the installation's utility cost and usage computed as the differentials between the old rate and charges and the new rate and charges as a result of the negotiations, and the cost avoidance and/or savings that are stated, implied, or imputed from the results of the negotiations. All reports shall identify estimated savings separate from estimated cost avoidance and show how the amount was calculated. 7.Other items to address (1)Has any proposed employee or team member advocated, within the last five years, allocating class costs of service (or class revenues responsibility) or rate design in a manner which is not recognized in the ELECTRIC COST ALLOCATION MANUAL published by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), or advocated a goal of rate design inconsistent with unitized class rates of return.? (2)Has any proposed employee or proposed team member advocated, within the last five years, allocating class costs of service (or class revenue responsibility) or rate design in a manner which is not recognized in the manual entitled GAS RATE DESIGN published by the National Association of Regulatory Commissioners (NARUC), or advocated a goal of rate design inconsistent with unitized class rates of return. (3)Ability of your firm to comply with the requirements of Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 52.219-14 (b)(1), limitations on subcontracting (4)Ability of proposed employees/team members to a security clearance of SECRET (or higher).If employees/team members already have a secret clearance (or higher) provide date granted. (5)Ability to support up to two utility interventions with simultaneous oral hearings scheduled in different locations and to provide assistance for the installations in competing (completing?) for at least two utility systems evaluations within 24 hours after execution of the task order. 8.All responsible sources are encouraged to submit a capability statement response to this announcement. All such responses will be considered by the agency. Responses can be submitted electronically using the following address: Chaquandra.K.wilson@usace.army.mil and Earl.W.Johnson@usace.army.mil OR submitted in hard copy format using the following address: The United States Army Engineering and Support Center ATTN: CEHNC-CT-B (Chaquandra Wilson) 4820 University Square Huntsville, AL 35816-1822 9. All responses shall be received by 12:00 PM central time on 12 November 2012. Responses shall be no more than 10 pages (single spaced, front and back, no smaller than Times New Roman, font size 12 or equivalent). Extraneous materials (brochures, manuals, etc.) will not be considered. Questions concerning this announcement shall be submitting in writing via email to both Contract Specialist Chaquandra Wilson (email address noted above) and Contracting Officer Earl Johnson (email address noted above). The Government does not intend to rank submittals or provide any reply to firms as it relates to the Government's review of the data submitted in response to this announcement.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USA/COE/DACA87/W912DY12URIL/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: USACE HNC, Huntsville P. O. Box 1600, Huntsville AL
- Zip Code: 35807-4301
- Zip Code: 35807-4301
- Record
- SN02910342-W 20121011/121009233859-10bc95639bddb40593a522e27b1b7d9a (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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