The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) is contemplating conducting an acquisition for the manufacture and F.O.B. Destination delivery of approximately 50,000 double depth concrete lawn crypts per year for delivery to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemeteries throughout the Continental United States (CONUS). The resulting contract(s) will be for a base period with two (2) one-year option periods to extend the term of the contract(s). The magnitude of this acquisition is between $20 million and $50 million and is subject to the availability of funds. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 327390 and a small business size standard of 500 employees are applicable to this acquisition. Successful offerors will be required to provide up to 300 double depth concrete lawn crypts each week to each Memorial Services Network (MSN) for which they receive a contract award(s). There are five (5) MSNs and NCA contemplates a single award for each MSN, but may award more than one MSN's requirements to a single offeror if, in the contracting officer's determination, such action is in the Government's best interests. Technical information and specifications may be found at the end of this sources sought notice. This sources sought notice is an important component of the contracting officer's market research efforts to gauge the interests and capabilities of small business concerns to develop an acquisition strategy to acquire double depth concrete lawn crypts that provides maximum practicable opportunities to small businesses, consistent with the policy of the United States Government. The resulting market research will be used to determine whether any type of total or partial small business set-asides may be employed in the conduct of the acquisition. In the event the acquisition is conducted using full and open competition, the Government contemplates including non-price related evaluation factors that will provide additional scoring for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) offerors, Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), and for other firms that propose to use eligible SDVOSBs and VOSBs in performance of the contract. Public Law (P.L.) 109-461, the Veterans Benefits, Healthcare and Information Technology Act of 2006, establishes a statutory hierarchy within VA acquisitions that places SDVOSBs and VOSBs, first and second, respectively, as highest priority sources and provides VA with extraordinary authorities to conduct set-asides for both types of business and under certain circumstances make sole source awards to these firms. In order to be eligible for awards under P.L. 109-461, firms must be registered in the Vendor Information (VIP) Database and verified as eligible by VA. Firms may register in the VIP Database at www.VetBiz.Gov. In addition, large businesses may only take subcontracting credit under P.L. 109-461 for SDVOSBs and VOSBs if they are registered in VIP and verified by VA as eligible. Interested firms with the requisite capabilities and resources to provide these items must notify the contracting officer by January 4, 2008 by 4:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. Interested firms should respond to the following: (1) Has your firm, as a prime contractor, whether individually or through a formal joint venture or teaming agreement, or under subcontract to a prime contractor, provided double depth concrete lawn crypts for projects of similar size and scope (Government or commercial) within the last three years as described in the brief description of project above? If yes, please provide the following information on your three most recent projects: (a) Contracting Agency Address & contracting officer's name and telephone number. (b) Contract Number, date and amount of award, date of completion (c) Description of Items/Services provided under the contract. (d) Number double depth concrete lawn crypts your company can manufacture per week? (e) Number double depth concrete lawn crypts your company store on contractor's site? (f) If any bonding was provided, what was the amount of bonding? (g) If performance was as a subcontractor, please provide the name, address and telephone number of the point of contact at the prime contractor. (h) State whether or not there were any performance issues under the contract which resulted in the issuance of a Cure Notice or Show Cause Notice by the contracting officer. (2) Contractors capable of performing the contract requirement and that award can be made at a reasonable, fair market price. To that end, please provide your firm's individual and aggregate contract bonding capacity. (3) Has your firm ever been terminated for cause or default from a contractual arrangement, whether Federal or private sector, as a result of failure to perform, poor quality and workmanship provided, etc.? If so, please provide the specifics. (4) Has your firm, or any firm that you would potentially joint venture or team with for a large acquisition of construction services or for any acquisition, ever bid on a Federal acquisition and been determined non-responsible by the contracting officer and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) failed to issue a Certificate of Competency (COC) to your firm or teaming partners when the matter was referred to SBA for review and consideration? (5) What is the socioeconomic status of your firm? (Please check all that are applicable): ______ Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business* ______ Veteran-Owned Small Business* ______ Section 8(a) Certified Small Disadvantaged Business ______ Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Certified Small Business ______ Woman-Owned Small Business ______ Small Disadvantaged Business** ______ Other Small Business *SDVOSBs and VOSBs must be registered in the Vendor Information Pages (VIP) Database and determined eligible by VA to receive awards for acquisitions under P.L. 109-461. Firms may register at www.VetBiz.Gov. **Section 8(a), HUBZone and Small Disadvantaged Businesses must be certified by SBA. (6) Please include any additional information in your response that will assist the contracting officer in determining that your firm is capable of performing the resulting contract in the quantities and timeframes indicated. Please e-mail your responses and any relevant information regarding specific performance or other qualifications, no later than January 4, 2008 by 4:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, to Gregory Hanks, Contracting Officer, at
[email protected]. Do not send hard copy advertising or promotional materials. Please ensure that all responses are comprehensive and provide a name and point-of-contact for your firm for follow-up by this office or the procuring contracting officer. If you have responded to any previous e-mail messages or had other communications with our office regarding preliminary market research for this project, please be advised that it will be necessary for you to respond to this notice and the questions contained herein. Technical and Other Information: Concrete Pre-caster required off-loading crypts from trucks, providing and installing wooden crypt supports, and place crypts on said cribbing at designated National Cemeteries located with the Continental United States. The double depth concrete lawn crypts must meet all requirements and conform to specification 03410, which includes crypt testing, Self Consolidated Concrete (SCC) with fiber, and National Pre-cast Concrete Association (NPCA) affiliation for quality assurance. Specification 03410 is posted for ease of reference with this sources sought notice. Performance period: Contractor must have the capability of manufacturing 300 double depth concrete lawn crypts per week per MSN for which the contractor receives award, once a task order is issued. Contractors must also have the capability of storing up to 2,000 double depth concrete lawn crypts at their facility, for each MSN for which they receive awards. This is not a solicitation and should not be construed as such. All information is to be provided on a voluntary basis at no charge to the Government. There is no entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs related to or arising out of responding to this request for information/sources sought notice. All information provided becomes property of the Government. There is no guarantee, expressed or implicit, that the market research for this acquisition will result in a guarantee of award or a specific acquisition strategy. Thank you for your time in responding to this request.