DESK STUDY REVIEW (DSR): FOR GEORGIA - COAL BED METHANE/COAL MINE METHANE FEASIBILITY STUDY FINAL

REQUEST FOR QUOTE: Solicitation Number: RFQ-PO201411135, Desk Study Review(DSR) for Georgia - Coal Bed Methane/Coal Mine Methane Feasibility Study Final is being issued as a RFQ.

This request for commercial item prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6 and procedures in Subpart 13.1 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only RFQ; offers are being requested and written solicitation will not be issued.

This solicitation is being issued IAW FAR Subpart 13.104. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the offeror who is deemed responsible and is determined, based on the evaluation factors and sub factors, to represent the best value to the Government.

OFFEROR'S PROPOSAL MUST BE PREPARED, SUBMITTED, AND WILL BE EVALUATED AS DESCRIBED BELOW:

1. QUOTE DUE DATE: Your quote must be received no later than 12:00pm local Arlington, VA time on Friday, March 21, 2014. Late proposals will be processed in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation guidance.

2. OFFER SUBMISSION: Send you offer by email to contractproposals@ustda.gov  which is due no later than 12:00pm, local Arlington,, VA time on Friday, March 21, 2014. Proposals submitted by facsimile or to alternate email addresses will NOT be accepted.

3. QUESTIONS RELATING TO THIS SOLICITATION: Questions regarding this RFP must be submitted by 4:00 p.m., local Arlington, VA time on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 to contractproposals@ustda.gov  . Telephone calls are not acceptable. Written questions will be answered in writing and provided to all offerors via a posting to FedBizOpps.

4. NOTICE REGARDING SUSPENSION/DEBARMENT/INELIGIBILITY: Any contract awarded to a contractor who, at the time of award was suspended, debarred, and ineligible for receipt of contract with Government Agencies or in receipt of a notice of proposed debarment from any Government Agency, is voidable at the option of the Government.

5. SAM DATABASE: All Contractors must be registered in the Systems for Award Management (SAM) database via https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ in order to be eligible for contract award. Lack of registration in SAM will make an offeror ineligible for award as described in FAR 52.204-7. Do NOT delay submission of your offer pending receipt of a CAGE code..

6. SET-ASIDE: This procurement is a small business set-aside with a small business size standard of less than $14M annual sales under NAICS code 541611. Award is limited to U.S. Firms or U.S. individuals. Contractor and U.S. subcontractor employees used shall be either U.S. citizens on non-U.S. citizens lawfully admitted for permanent residence I the United States. Contractor use of subcontractors is limited to less than fifty percent of the proposed price. International transportation and insurance must have their nationality, source and origin I the U.S. local lodging; food and transportation in the host country are not subject to this restriction.

7. HISTORICAL PRICING: The historical pricing for procurements of similar size and scope is at or about $5,000.00. The Government contemplates award of a firm fixed-price contract.

8. DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK: Please see Attachment 1 to this RFQ. Vendors are reminded that failure to properly enroll in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) system, On-Line Representation and Certification (ORCA) System, and provide accurate Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Tax Identification Number (TIN) information shall be excluded from award.

9. PROPOSED PRICE(S): Please submit proposed price(s) on the provided "Competitive Desk Study Cost Quotation Sheet" provide. Please see Attachment 2 to the RFQ.

10. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE: All services are subject to the COR's final approval. All work will be inspected and accepted at USTDA's Office, Arlington, VA.

11. DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE: The performance of this contract shall start immediately after the effective date of award. The Contractor shall submit all deliverables under this Contract to the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) on or about April 30, 2014. The Period of Performance for this Contract shall be one year from the date of the Contracting Officer's signature on the Contract. Performance of this contract shall be at USTDA's Office, Arlington, VA, at other locations in the U.S., and/or the designated host country.

12. SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS: This solicitation includes the following additional contract requirements and terms and conditions:

• CONTRACTOR FOLLOW-ON (INELIGIBILITY). The Contractor and its subcontractors shall be ineligible to compete for, as a prime or subcontractor or otherwise, USTDA funded activities that result from this contract. USTDA reserves the right to grant a waiver, based upon FAR 9.503, if preclusion of the contractor or its subcontractors from the follow-on activity would not be in the Government's interest. This restriction shall remain in effect for three years from the completion of this contract. The contractor agrees to include this provision in all subcontracts to this contract. Contractor Insurance.

13. CONTRACT CLAUSES: The clauses at 52.214-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items and 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, apply to this acquisition.

14. INSTRUTIONS/CONDITIONS AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS OR RESPONDENTS: The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions of Offerors-Commerical, applies to this acquisition with the following addition:

• Technical Proposal, not exceeding 5 pages, that documents their Technical/Financial Expertise and Desk Study Strategy/Approach (as outlined below in the evaluation factors for award), resumes for proposed key employees (not included in 5 page count), and reference information for at least one but not more than three clients for similar work in the last three years (not included in 5 page count).

• In addition, the contractor shall provide completed Contractor Employee Biographical Data Sheets (See Attachment 3) and/or resume for proposed key personnel.

15. EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD: FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation, Commercial Items (available at www.acquisition.gov under FAR), is being used. The following factors, in descending order of importance, will be used to evaluate all offers. All evaluation factors, other than cost or price, when combined, are significantly more important that cost or price.

(1) TECHNICAL: The following sub-factors are listed in descending order of importance.

Sub-factor 1: Relevant technical, professional and educational experience on similar projects in sector;

Sub-factor 2: Relevant technical, professional and educational experience on similar projects in region; and

Sub-factor 3: Quality of proposal

(2) PAST PERFORMANCE
(3) PRICE

All evaluation factors, other than cost or price, when combined are significantly more important than cost or price.

The Government will evaluate price to determine the following:

• Completeness: All information required by the solicitation has been submitted and is accurate.

16. BASIS FOR CONTRACT AWARD: The Government will use Best Value Source Selection Procedures to evaluate offers and determine the best value. The Government will award a contract resulting from this RFQ to the offeror who is deemed responsible in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation, as supplemented, who's proposal conforms to the RFQ requirements (to include all stated terms, conditions, representations, certifications, and all other information required by this solicitation) and is determined, based on the evaluation factors to represent the best value to the Government. The Government seeks to award to the offeror who gives USTDA the greatest confidence that it will best meet or exceed the requirement affordably. This may result in an award to a higher rated, higher priced offeror, where the decision is consistent with the evaluation factors and the Contracting Officer reasonably determines that the technical approach of the higher priced offeror outweighs the cost difference. Offers will be evaluated in accordance with Attachment 4, Technical Ratings.

 Contracting Office Address: