Federal Emergency Management Agcy, National Emergency Training Center, Procurement Branch, 16825 South Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, MD 21727

R -- FIRE ARSON TECHNICAL INVESTIGATION UNIT SUPPORT SERVICES DUE 042699 POC Contract Specialist Gregory S. Blair (301) 447-1455, Contracting Officer Bryan S. McCreary (301) 447-1058 E-MAIL: click here to contact the contract specialist via, greg.blair@fema.gov. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) currently has a requirement for, Technical Assistance services to Federal, State, regional, county, metropolitan, and / or task force style Fire & Arson Investigation Units (with or without police powers) for the purpose of promoting more efficient and effective unit operations . The Fire and Arson Investigation Units requesting the technical assistance provided through this effort are likely to have highly complex and/or unusually taxing organizational performance challenges, substantial fiscal and or human resource limitations, and are likely to routinely suffer serious fire and Arson loss. Jurisdictional specific conditions will dictate the type(s) of technical assistance required. The factors negatively affecting the unit performance will likely be interrelated and may be beyond the Unit management's direct operational control or may be related to problems for which no effective resolution strategies have been applied internally. The technical assistance required and to be provided through this effort must directly address and promote the effective and timely resolution of a wide variety of such issues. The Unit's challenges may include, but are not limited to; labor -- management relations, recruitment and retention, staffing and resource allocation, technical investigative support training, maters related to police powers, fire and criminal investigative information collection, communication systems, complex data analysis, automated intelligence systems, formal jurisdictional operations, the development and implementation of community based anti-arson partnerships, access to other public or private resources, and operational compliance with appropriate guidelines, Federal, State and local laws. The Offeror's knowledge of and ability to promote the resolution of a variety of such issues will be the basis of the required technical assistance /advisory services and will drive the recommendations offered in the formal report. Interested small businessentities wishing to compete for this contract must demonstrate the ability to provide the following services and specialized technical assistance to the target Fire -- Arson Investigation Unit recipients: 1) Timely national advertisement of the available technical assistance to fire and arson investigation units, within the U.S., soliciting assistance applications; 2) Produce and provide application forms which capture the information necessary to fully understand the requesting unit's: type, organizational configuration, staffing, operating budget, current fire/arson problems, real and perceived needs, performance data, and other such information as would support the applicant's need for the technical assistance services; 3) Design, develop, implement, and analyze Unit assessment instrument(s) used, to provide the Assistance Team an accurate and meaningful understanding of the operational, technical, political and situational challenges confronting the assistance recipient, prior to on-site activities; 4) Establish Assistance Team(s) to conduct at least ten (10) highly sensitive and confidential on-site investigation unit performance assessments, entrance and exit briefings, senior official and investigative staff interviews, in-depth program reviews, targeted information and data collection, and specialized resource identification. The Assistance Team(s) will identify and develop site specific community based organization links and promote data driven decisions, innovative / model fire loss reduction practices, emerging anti-arson and investigative technologies, involvement with other agencies or organizations involved with fire and arson loss reduction efforts, and offer appropriate fire and arson program intervention and mitigation related guidance; 5) Develop and document a comprehensive, objective, and accurate assessment(s) of the respective investigative unit's operations, structure, resources, current challenges and noteworthy accomplishments. The Assistance Team's subsequent report /recommendations to enhance unit operations will be "realistic" and "achievable" given the information available, and will be consistent with nationally accepted practices and standards; 6) Provide all the logistics, administrative support, research and data collection services, report production, professional and technical content contribution, necessary to accomplish the required quality of technical assistance. Interested firms must submit three (3) copies of their capability statement demonstrating that they possess the experience and resources to perform all the above services. You must also address the following criteria: 1) The number and type of personnel offered to support the requirement, who demonstrate their individual professional -- technical qualifications and experience providing fire investigation unit specific; technical, operational and management advisory services such as are necessary to satisfactorily perform the requirement. NOTE: Staff experience primarily based on conducting fire "origin and cause"determinations, subsequent criminal investigations, and providing expert witness testimony in criminal and/or civil litigation's, will NOT be considered sufficient to meet this criteria; 2) The Offeror should demonstrate corporate ability and experience in providing the type, scope, complexity and quality of technical assistance services required, in a timely and confidential manner; 3) The Offeror must demonstrate the ability to appropriately apply a wide array of Federal fire and anti-arson program information and operational support activities (including grants and services) promoted by such agencies as NIJ, FBI, BATF, NIST, USPS, and USFA, in the development of site specific program improvement recommendations, and the ability to appropriately apply a wide array of information, programs and services available from various national organizations such as NASFM, IAAI, NFIC, NFPA, UL, FM, in the furtherance of fire loss reduction and program improvement efforts; 4) The Offeror should provide a description ofthe general and specific facilities and capabilities they possess to conduct necessary preliminary research, on-site assessment(s), and subsequent publication of the technical assistance findings and recommendations. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes. The Government will NOT pay for or otherwise reimburse the respondents for any costs incurred in preparing information to be submitted in response to this synopsis. All responses to this synopsis must be received by close of business, on April 26, 1999. If the evaluation of responses submitted results in no small businesses being determined to be capable of providing the required services, the Government shall proceed with synopsizing and issuing a request for proposal on an unrestricted full and open competitive basis.***** Posted 04/08/99 (W-SN317709). (0098)

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