Request for Information for Federal High-Performance Contractor Support Services for GSA OGP (MG)

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United States

Request for Information for Federal High-Performance Contractor Support Services for GSA OGP (MG)

Agency:
General Services Administration

Official Address:
18th & F Streets, N.W.

Washington DC 20405

Zip Code:
20405

Contact:
Lorna Finn, Contract Specialist, Email lorna.finn@gsa.gov – Nina Malakouti-Zamir, Contrracting Officer, Email nina.malakouti@gsa.gov

Link:

Date Posted:
13/03/2017

Classification:
R

Contract Description:
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
General Services Administration
Office of Government-wide Policy (OGP)
Federal High-Performance Contractor Support Services

GENERAL INFORMATION:
THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE FOR THE PURPOSE OF MARKET RESEARCH ONLY – NO AWARD WILL BE MADE NOR WILL FEEDBACK BE PROVIDED AS A RESULT OF THIS NOTICE OR INFORMATION PRESENTED

This sources sought is not a Request for Proposal/Quote/Bid. This is a Request for Information (RFI) to gain knowledge of potential, qualified sources having the capability of providing professional support services as described in the objectives, scope of work, and tasks sections provided below. Currently, the government is seeking sources from any potential Offerors, both GSA Schedule contract holders and non-Schedule Contractors. The government seeks sources having the capability of adequately meeting the requirements below, and having established assertions under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services), 541620 (Environmental Consulting Services), 561210 (Facilities Support Services), 334512 (Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use), and/or 541690 (Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services). Should the government determine that there is a need to release a solicitation in the future, specific details relative to an award will be provided for which Offerors offer submissions will be evaluated and awarded. The government anticipates the resulting award from any future solicitation will be done so under the terms of a firm-fixed-price (FFP), labor hour (LH), or hybrid of both FFP and LH contract type(s), having a performance period of a base period and four subsequent option periods for 12 months each. Pricing is not required at this time, however, if provided, will only be used for the purpose of market research.
Points of Contact:
Contract Specialist: Lorna Finn, email: lorna.finn@gsa.gov
Contracting Officer: Nina Malakouti, email: nina.malakouti@gsa.gov
COR: Patrick Dale, email: patrick.dale@gsa.gov

1.0 BACKGROUND:
In December 2007, Congress authorized the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings under the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA 2007) to enable and enhance Federal leadership in the field of real property portfolio management and operations. As per section 436 of the Energy Independence and Security Act the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings works to promote, coordinate and stimulate high-performance building practices and related technologies across the entire Federal government – which includes over 400,000 owned or leased buildings containing over 3 billion square feet of space.
The Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings in accordance with EISA 2007 and it’s continually evolving mission to promote coordinate and stimulate high-performance building practices and related technologies has been focused on the priorities
● Effective space use
○ Space Savings Performance Contracts
● Health in buildings, noting the effect of buildings on human health and work performance
○ Well Built for Well Being & Circadian Light research and studies
○ Health in Buildings Consortium
● Real estate risk management
○ Climate- related and extreme weather events
○ Hydrology research
● Sustainability within GSA
○ Management and performance tracking
● Supply chain management
● Tools and resources
○ Sustainable Facilities (SF) Tool, Green Building Certification Systems review, Integrated Project Delivery, Facility Management (FM) Institute/Accelerate FM, high performance buildings and energy usage dashboards.
● Expertise (deep retrofits and standards)
○ Deep Energy Retrofit, Standards Development, Interagency Sustainability Working Group, Green Building Advisory Committee.

2.0 OBJECTIVE
The General Services Administration (GSA), Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings (OFHPGB) is seeking sources potentially capable of supporting the office with a broad range of knowledge and expertise in the areas of high-performance building and high-performance buildings related technology in both government and commercial settings, as well as the experience in energy efficiency and improvements, building sustainability and durability, and life-cycle green building maintenance, repairs, and operations for maximizing building performance. The Contractor shall be capable of conveying and elaborating on informational details related to past, current, and pending legislation rulings and actions relevant to high-performance building. In addition, the Contractor shall be able to provide extensive knowledge of high-performance buildings codes and practices.

3.0 SCOPE OF WORK
GSA OGP’s OFHPGB seeks information from Contractors with the capability, qualifications, and demonstrable past experience in the following functional task areas:

3.1 OFHPGB TASKS
The following description outlines several expected tasks to be provided under the resulting TO(s) of this requirement, including, but not limited to:

3.1.1 OFHPGB Activity Consulting Services
The Contractor shall provide expert advice, assistance, guidance or counseling to assist OFHPGB staff in planning, initiating and executing OFHPGB priority projects. Project deliverables may include:
● Evaluation and preparation of digests based on high performance buildings research or studies
● Provide legislative reviews report/comments based on any new developments or findings.
● Prepare and provide scheduling details and coordination, meeting minutes, and agenda lists for OFHPGB staff and customers
● Maintain current records of correspondences, final deliverables, office memorandum, reports, and presentations, in an on-line OFHPGB records management system
● Document and record information in written and/or electronic form
● Maintain the current office-wide tracking log and tickler system for the work of OFHPGB priority projects and activities.
● Research and process OFHPGB related information as assigned, to include compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, analyzing, auditing, or verifying information or data
● Provide logistical support for groups convened around specific outcomes, including scheduling, managing invitations and RSVPs for OFHPGB related convenings, and prepare summaries or reports from those convenings

3.1.2 OFHPGB Research and Standards Project Support Deliverables
The Contractor shall provide expert advice, assistance, guidance or counseling to assist OFHPGB staff in executing OFHPGB demonstration projects. Project tasks may include:

● Development of outreach strategies for OFHPGB demonstration projects and activities including: identifying outlets and strategic partners,
● Identify metrics for building performances, e.g., reviewing current GSA building performance data

3.1.3 High-Performance Building and Standards Certification System Review

● Provide expertise in building standards to manage and review of applicable certification standards for use in the Federal government.
● Support meetings including planning, logistics, promotion and delivery; specifically in support of the Green Buildings Certifications Systems and Standards Reviews.
● Support preparation of demonstration project report summary of research and lessons learned

3.1.4 OFHPGB Risk Management Project/Program Support Deliverables
The Contractor shall provide expert advice, assistance, guidance and/or counseling to assist staff execute the following

● Update current screening methods, documentation, templates and tracking using applied climate science and risk communication for screening capital investments and supply chain for climate-related risks.
● During screening efforts, notate and conduct weather/climate normalization for energy modeling, energy and water surety and analysis of specific supply chain Contractors/Companies in coordination with GSA’s Federal Acquisition Services’ (FAS) staff
● Repeat and expand prior regional climate-related risk pilots into a minimum of 5 targeted analysis studies, including the Federal Triangle, focused on extreme heat, the top five geographic clusters of capital assets and agency wide flooding risks from sea level change, riverine, pluvial and fluvial in integration with GSA’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for
Facility Management. Each succinct study will be formatted for each use in PBS’s Asset Business plans and/or Building Evaluation Report
● Promulgate the completed agency and service-level vulnerability assessments based on the Third National Climate Assessment and support Enterprise Risk Management efforts
● Track financial sector’s response and tools regarding climate risk disclosure including actuarial sector
● Update the agency Climate Change Risk Management Plan and Strategic Plan as required under the current and future Administrations
● Update the coding of the U.S. Department of Transportation’ (DOT) Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) Tool (MS Excel) to incorporate ease of use of the LOCA statistical downscaling climate projection information
Update the coding of the DOT CMIP Tool (MS Excel) to output template documents to report to the PM

3.1.5 OFHPGB Sub-metering Research, Analysis and Guidance Development
● Provide support for building performance analysis and consolidation from sub-metering research; technical support in developing energy or GHG emission calculation methodologies; and technical writing support for development of guidance of submetering at various scales and systems within a variety of building types
● Document the procedure to identify and initiate ENABLE-Energy Savings Performance Contract-Utility Energy Service Contract projects that include project management roles and responsibilities, standard project cycle times for on-time completion, paths to ultimate project approval and issue resolution escalation, resource availability and key project development milestones
● Update the Project Selection worksheet to include FY2016 energy data and any other relevant data that could be utilized to make Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC), ESPC ENABLE and Utility Energy Service Contract (UESC) project selections
● Perform analysis based upon the project selection worksheet, renewable-options analysis report (potential renewable locations) for best location for future ESPC, UESC, or ESPC ENABLE. Identify a minimum of 10 bundled ENABLE projects and other deep retrofit ESPC or UESC projects

3.1.6 OFHPGB Guiding Principles Support Deliverables
● Provide technical and guiding principles management support services to include real property, building management, energy, environmental, and sustainability policy analysis and guidance updates
● Provide program strategy development, analysis, and planning as it relates to guiding principles management services; virtual and in-person meeting facilitation and logistics; and communications materials, including website/page development
● Plan, coordinate, perform, manage, and execute quality control reviews of building guiding principles management compliance and portfolio performance tracking
● Analyze alternatives, develop/refine, update, manage, and provide technical support for GSA’s Guiding Principles and Sustainable Building system(s) of record
● Provide/Develop PBS High-Performance Building metrics and building analytics, including program strategic planning, process change and program and/or project business case and analyses of alternatives (e.g., financial, life-cycle cost, determine sustainability metrics, and risk-based data sources)
● Perform up to 75 quality control reviews of building Guiding Principles compliance

3.2 OFHPGB TASKS’ DELIVERABLES
The following descriptions outlines several expected deliverables to be provided under the resulting TO(s) of this requirement, including, but not limited to:

3.2.1 OFHPGB Activity Consulting Services Deliverables
In association with the tasks described in 3.1.1, the following deliverables apply:

● Development of high performance green buildings research, studies, analyses, white papers, guidance or policy documents, case studies, training materials, related communication plans or strategies, presentations, or reports
● Development of a business case for return on return on investment for high-performance buildings.
● Review of pending legislation for matters that may affect the execution of high-performance green buildings programs of the Federal government, development of legislative analyses (e.g., how the proposed legislation affects existing legislation), and preparation of comments based on direction from OFHPGB staff
● Extract and provide substantial metrics related to OFHPGB projects and activities per the guidance of OFHPGB staff
● Provide services as necessary to support the operational office needs of the OFHPGB office, including meeting scheduling and logistics management (e.g.,assist in planning, preparing, arranging, and conducting meetings, official functions, and activities; preparing meeting notes and summaries), organize/manage electronic records, and other OFHPGB office related support
● Prepare correspondences and extensive informational responses initiated by internal and external inquiries, based on existing documents in the OFHPGB set of records, e.g., Circadian Rhythm (lighting) Research, Indoor Environment Quality research, Collaborative Practices Guidance, Integrated Project Delivery guidance
● Provide a final report based on assigned OFHPGB related assignments for research and processing (i.e., information compiled, coded, categorized, calculated, analyzed, audited, and verified)

3.2.2 OFHPGB Research and Standards Project Support Deliverables
In association with the tasks described in 3.1.2, the following deliverables apply:

● Track outreach effort, and measuring outreach effectiveness
● Prepare of high-level summaries and lessons learned from high-performance buildings research
● Establish methods and metrics for evaluating the economic and environmental impact of OFHPGB guidance and best practices derived from demonstration projects and other related research
● Identification and summaries of best practices for transforming the existing federal building stock to high performance

3.2.3 High-Performance Building and Standards Certification System Review Deliverables
In association with the tasks described in 3.1.3, the following deliverables apply:

● Prepare and develop materials and notes, specifically in support of the Green Buildings Certifications Systems and Standards Reviews
● Capture and organize comments, tracking responses from peer reviewers, re-formatting, organizing and structuring the report; editing all text and graphics; confirming citations and resources; adapting it to a “web” format, embedding internal and external hot-links, tying to GSA’s website, Whole Building Design Guide and the Federal Energy Management Program high performance buildings database, developing a communications plan, and ensuring 508 compliance.
● Draft high-level comment summary for various discussion groups and final recommendations based upon public comments and prior findings

3.2.4 OFHPGB Risk Management Project/Program Support Deliverables
In association with the tasks described in 3.1.4, the following deliverables apply:

● Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to operationalize adaptation
● Develop tools, draft materials, conduct research and provide assistance for other climate-related activities initiated by GSA to better understand and manage climate risk to the agency and its customers.
● Develop parameters for energy and water surety and develop an alternate climate analysis template and vendor specific supply chain analysis
● Develop targeted email messages and tracking methods for issue coordination to promulgate the agency wide vulnerability assessment
● Establish a minimum of 5 targeted climate risk analysis studies per parameters outlined in task 3.1.4 above
● Develop SOP for PBS Portfolio/Client Solutions, Office of Design and Construction; and FAS Office of Policy and Compliance and Portfolios
● Develop a Climate Change Risk Management Plan
● Develop content material, research documents, and/or other written deliverables in response to climate-related activities initiated by GSA to better understand and manage climate risk to the agency and its customers.

3.2.5 OFHPGB Sub-metering Research, Analysis and Guidance Development
In association with the tasks described in 3.1.5, the following deliverables apply:
● Provide workflow, SOP, or reference guide for documenting the ENABLE-Energy Savings Performance Contract-Utility Energy Service Contract projects
● Provide an analytics report on project selection worksheet and renewable-options analysis to identifying best potential locations

3.2.6 OFHPGB Guiding Principles Support Deliverables
In association with the tasks described in 3.1.6, the following deliverables apply:

● Prepare OFHPGB content materials for the PM as assigned, and provide logistical/technical support details for monthly GP National Team Meetings
● Prepare OFHPGB content materials for the PM, and provide logistical/technical support details for weekly Central Office GP team Meetings
● Develop quarterly Guiding Principles portfolio performance report
● Prepare an annual analysis of alternatives and upgrade requirements report for GSA’s Guiding Principles and Sustainable Building system(s) of record
● Develop / update up to 20 GSA’s Guiding Principles approach documents
● Update GSA’s web-based Guiding Principles and Sustainable Building system(s) of record
● Prepare up to five program strategic planning; business case; analyses of alternatives reports (with supplemental communications materials)
● Prepare an annual building performance data, metric, and decision-support requirement research, analyses, and recommendation report
● Prepare OFHPGB content materials for the PM, and and provide logistical/technical support details for up to four in-person and virtual training for PBS personnel

4.0 GENERAL RFI RESPONSE DETAILS
Contractors having the capability of satisfying this requirement are encouraged to submit a response that addresses each of the tasks outlined above via the format presented in the QUESTIONNAIRE section below, demonstrating a complete understanding of the tasks, previous work perform similar in scope, sub-tasks/activities completed associated with these type tasks, deliverables/products/outputs resulting from the tasks, tools used in performing the work, and duration taken to complete each task, with consideration to customary 12-month timeline for assigned tasks/project completion period, often worked either as a waterfall or in tandem. Responses are to be in a typed document (MS Word or PDF), with a font no less than 12 point, Arial or Times New Roman, single (or 1.15) spacing within no more than 15 pages.

For each response, note below the request for including descriptions of: a) client, b) task(s)/ project(s), c) deliverables, d) tools, e), duration, and f) outcome(s)/lesson(s) learned

5.0 QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Describe a task similar in scope for which your company developed and provided high performance green buildings research, studies, analyses, white papers, guidance and/or policy documents, case studies, training materials, related communication plans or strategies, presentations, and/or other visual aids across varying government or commercial stakeholders.
● Describe the client(s), scope of the task, and reports/documents produced
● Describe the sub-tasks/activities completed associated with the parent task
● Describe the deliverables/products/outputs resulting from the tasks
● Describe the tools used in performing the work
● Describe the total duration taken to complete this task or project, including any sub-tasks/associated activities
● Describe the outcome/issues/corrective action(s), and high-level lessons learned

2. Describe a task similar in scope for which your company conducted research, developed project standards, and established the methods and metrics for evaluating the economic and environmental impact of OFHPGB guidance and best practices derived from demonstration projects and other related research across varying government or commercial stakeholders.
● Describe the client(s), scope of the task, and reports/documents produced
● Describe the sub-tasks/activities completed associated with the parent task
● Describe the deliverables/products/outputs resulting from the tasks
● Describe the tools used in performing the work
● Describe the duration taken to complete this task, including any sub-tasks/associated activities
● Describe the outcome/issues/corrective action(s), and high-level lessons learned

3. Describe a task similar in scope for which your company provided expertise in the area of building standards to manage and review applicable certification standards for use across varying government or commercial customers.
● Describe the client(s), scope of the task, and reports/documents produced
● Describe the sub-tasks/activities completed associated with the parent task
● Describe the deliverables/products/outputs resulting from the tasks
● Describe the tools used in performing the work
● Describe the duration taken to complete this task, including any sub-tasks/associated activities
● Describe the outcome/issues/corrective action(s), and high-level lessons learned

4. Describe a task similar in scope for which your company established and supported implementation procedures for mitigating risks and ensuring control methods related to climate change and normalizing energy models across varying government or commercial stakeholders/customer.
● Describe the client(s), scope of the task, and reports/documents produced
● Describe the sub-tasks/activities completed associated with the parent task
● Describe the deliverables/products/outputs resulting from the tasks
● Describe the tools used in performing the work
● Describe the duration taken to complete this task, including any sub-tasks/associated activities
● Describe the outcome/issues/corrective action(s), and high-level lessons learned

5. Describe a task similar in scope for which your company updated a project selection worksheets to include a fiscal year energy data and/or any other relevant data reporting tool that utilized to make ESPC and ESPC ENABLE and UESC project selections across varying government or commercial stakeholders/customers.
● Describe the client(s), scope of the task, and reports/documents produced
● Describe the sub-tasks/activities completed associated with the parent task
● Describe the deliverables/products/outputs resulting from the tasks
● Describe the tools used in performing the work
● Describe the duration taken to complete this task, including any sub-tasks/associated activities
● Describe the outcome/issues/corrective action(s), and high-level lessons learned

6. Describe a task similar in scope for which your company provided services for public buildings’ standards for technical and program management support, including real property, building management, energy, environmental, and sustainability policy analysis and guidance update. In addition, be sure to provide details supporting program strategy development, reviews, planning, supporting facilitation and logistics meetings across varying government or commercial stakeholders/customers.
● Describe the client(s), scope of the task, and reports/documents produced
● Describe the sub-tasks/activities completed associated with the parent task
● Describe the deliverables/products/outputs resulting from the tasks
● Describe the tools used in performing the work
● Describe the duration taken to complete this task, including any sub-tasks/associated activities
● Describe the outcome/issues/corrective action(s), and high-level lessons learned

7. Describe the labor categories and functional responsibility of key personnel that performed work similar in scope to providing OFHPGB and PBS, or other related support services across varying government or commercial stakeholders/customers.
● Describe the client(s), scope of the task, and reports/documents produced
● Describe the sub-tasks/activities performed by the key personnel
● Describe the the total number of hours or months for completion of the task(s)/project(s)
● Describe the skillset of the key personnel (e.g., education, years of experience)
● Describe the total duration taken to complete this task, including any sub-tasks/associated activities

6.0 CONTRACTOR’S INFORMATION SUBMISSION DETAILS
RFI responses shall include the Contractor’s/company’s name, physical address, contact information of the company’s representative (including legal name, phone number, and email address), GSA Schedule-holder contract number and/or Special Item Number (SIN) (if applicable), NAICS, and/or company size status (including socioeconomic status, if applicable).

6.1 ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS (ONLY)
When submitting responses to this RFI, Contractors will be allowed to do so using electronic submission ONLY. Contractors interested in responding to this RFI shall include the title of this RFI in the subject line: “RFI RESPONSE-CAPABILITY INFORMATION FOR OFHPGB SUPPORT”in a typed document, MS Word or PDF preferred, (with a font no less than 12 point, Arial or Times New Roman), within no more than 15 pages. General questions regarding this RFI may also be submitted under the title: “RFI QUESTIONS-CAPABILITY INFORMATION FOR OFHPGB SUPPORT”, in a typed document, MS Word or PDF preferred, (with a font no less than 12 point, Arial or Times New Roman), within no more than two (2) pages. Questions may or may not be answered prior to the sources sought close date. Both response types should be identified in the subject line of the email correspondences.

Contractors shall submit responses to the RFI via email ONLY, no later than 12:00 PM ET, March 20, 2017. All responses shall be submitted to Lorna Finn at lorna.finn@gsa.gov, with a copy to Nina Malakouti at nina.malakouti@gsa.gov.

7.0 GOVERNMENT’S LEGAL DISCLOSURE

7.1 PUBLIC RECORDS AND REQUESTS FOR CONFIDENTIALITY
Any document submitted that contains confidential information must be watermarked as containing confidential information, and each page upon which confidential information appears must be marked as containing confidential information. The confidential information must be clearly identifiable to the reader wherever it appears.

7.2 COPYRIGHTS
By submitting a response, the Contractor agrees that the government may copy the response for purposes of facilitation of review or to respond to requests for public records. The Contractor certifies that such copying will not violate any copyrights in the materials submitted.

7.3 CONTENT OF RESPONSES
Responses should be based on the information contained in this RFI and any other relevant information the Contractor considers as appropriate. Respondents will not be notified of the results of this source sought notice, and no responses presented will be returned.

7.5 COSTS TO CONTRACTOR(S)
Participation in this RFI is strictly voluntary with no cost or obligation to be incurred by the Government. The Government is not obligated to and will not pay for information received as a result of this.

7.6 NO OBLIGATION TO ISSUE REQUEST FOR QUOTE/PROPOSAL/BID
The issuance of this RFI does not obligate the government in any way to solicit for this requirement or will result in an award of a contract.

Response Date:
032017

Sol Number:
GSH1416MG031317