Workshop for National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP) to Improve Community Resilience and Lifeline Infrastructure from Windstorms in the United States

The Purpose of this Amendment is to add a Secondary Point of Contact (POC). All respondents to this notice are to submit responses to the primary POC and the Secondary POC. The Secondary POC being added is Ms. Lauren Roller who may be contacted at the email address, [email protected], as indicated in the Contact Information section below. -END- SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE NAICS: 541690 – Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services PSC: R499: Support—Professional: Other Notice ID Number: AMDTCSSN2502193 Title: Workshop for National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP) to Improve Community Resilience and Lifeline Infrastructure from Windstorms in the United States INTRODUCTION This Notice is for planning purposes only and is not a Request for Proposal, Request for Quotation, or an obligation on the part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for conducting a follow-on acquisition. NIST does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this Notice or otherwise pay for the information requested. No entitlement or payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by NIST will arise as a result of submission of responses to this Notice and NIST use of such information. NIST is seeking to identify business concern sources capable of providing services for the Workshop for National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP) to Improve Community Resilience and Lifeline Infrastructure from Windstorms in the United States, for an anticipated firm-fixed price type purchase order as described further in this notice. The small business size standard associated with the NAICS code for this effort, 541690 – Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services, is $19.0 Million. Interested parties shall include their business size classification and socio-economic status in response to this notice. Background: The National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP), in the Engineering Laboratory (EL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), conducts research on windstorm impacts on the built environment and communities. NWIRPs mission is to advance windstorm impact resiliency and design and construction practices for new and existing buildings and lifeline infrastructure in the US. This includes hurricanes, tornadoes, derechos, severe weather and wind-driven wildfires impacting the built environment in support of the Program’s Mission of achieving major measurable reductions in the losses of life and property from windstorms through a coordinated Federal effort, in cooperation with other levels of government, academia, and the private sector. To date, high wind building provisions mainly focus on coastal areas even though high wind damage to communities can be experienced in non-coastal regions frequently. To achieve a more accurate measure of resilience for the built environment, a comprehensive evaluation and review of current design and construction practices, and environmental knowledge within meteorology and oceanography fields, is required to best inform future construction practices and community resiliency. In this context, resilience addresses preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery actions. Additionally, community resilience is in stages, where bringing the area back to functionality is the first stage, followed with longer term solutions for rebuilding and longer-term resilience measures in the built environment after windstorms have impacted them. Scope of Requirement: The purpose of this requirement is to obtain contractor services to develop and host a theme-focused workshop to develop a report that identifies topics which detail needed research and associated outcomes. The workshop’s analysis shall be on a community resiliency and recovery timeline from windstorms – including a return to functional analysis, longer-term community needs to return rebuilding and a more permanent return of social and economic systems and finally a longer-term hazard mitigation and resiliency analysis. The final report shall be based on workshop feedback and shall provide a gaps analysis of knowledge in critical areas in the style of a roadmap for NWIRP. Critical areas shall be determined by the contractor and through an analysis of the workshop feedback. Additionally, the workshop and contractor shall develop an outline of a systematic process with balanced, applicable topics that NIST can conduct in the future within an NWIRP Action Plan to address the roadmap. The Contractor shall convene a group of experts experienced in windstorms and wind performance of buildings, communities, and infrastructure design and construction in the US to develop a succinct list of needed research topics. The workshop shall consider (a) actions that can be taken in the near-term to resume building, community, and infrastructure functionality after impacts from windstorms (b) actions to be taken in the rebuild and return of the communities’ social and economic systems and (c) longer-term actions that can be taken to prepare for and mitigate communities against future windstorms to improve resilience. The Contractor shall develop and host a workshop and develop a final report that identifies these research topics based on the discussions at the workshop. An outline of the tasks and actions to address the gaps shall be divided into what can be performed in 2 years or less and what can be performed in 2–5-year time frame, and how long it will take to perform each action or task f. Workshop discussions shall detail the anticipated engineering principles, basic and applied research, and implementation activities required to advance windstorm design and construction practices for new and existing buildings and lifeline infrastructure. The impact of the efforts associated with this report is to improve the performance of the built environment before, during, and after windstorms to minimize their impact. An outline for the NWIRP Action Plan shall address the identified gaps is required for the Project Technical Committee (PTC) in Task 2 to create appropriate tasks and potential actions to move those items into practice. Tentative critical areas for the workshop may include the following: • Policies and practices for the design and construction of new buildings and lifeline infrastructure. • Policies and practices for the evaluation and retrofit of existing buildings and lifeline infrastructure. o Identification of vulnerable typologies of the built environment and retrofit solutions • Analysis of windstorm measurement, hazards and impacts, including their temporal, consequential, and spatial occurrences. • Societal needs to enhance resilience; and • Recommendations for prioritizing topics. Key Requirement Tasks: The required work includes the following key task areas. Task 1. Kickoff Meeting with NIST The Contractor shall host a Kickoff meeting with NIST to discuss all aspects and understandings of the salient requirements of this Statement of Work (SOW). The Kickoff meeting shall be held virtually at a time mutually agreed upon between the contractor and the NIST Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). The Kickoff meeting shall not exceed four (4) hours in length. The Contractor is permitted to host a shared document space on a secure web-based or cloud-based platform for maintaining all project-related data. Task 2. Project Technical Committee (PTC) Development The Contractor shall develop, with NIST, a Project Technical Committee (PTC) of 5 members. The 5 members recommended for the PTC shall be eminently qualified academic and practicing experts in windstorm impact reduction. At least half of the committee shall be licensed engineers, and at least half of the committee shall be meteorologists or those professionally involved in damage assessment from windstorms. The PTC shall be submitted to NIST for review and approval. The Contractor shall host a project meeting with the PTC and NIST after receiving approval by NIST of the individuals selected for the PTC. Task 3 – Project workplan (PWP) The Contractor shall develop a project workplan that fully meets the essential elements described in each task and addresses the following: • Outlines the overall project scope and performance strategy. • Provides details of all milestones required for project completion. • Ensures the PWP is fully compliant and consistent with contract needs. • Provides the names of all members of the PTC identified in Task 2. • Identifies a timeline for deliverables and anticipated virtual meetings. • Draft logistics of the workshop, which will be continually updated through Task 6. The Contractor shall submit a draft PWP to the NIST COR for approval. Total NIST review and approval time shall be no more than 15 business days from date of submission. The Contractor shall revise the PWP based on COR feedback as required. • The Contractor shall submit, for approval by the NIST COR, a written description of the project workplan, including a flowchart(s) indicating interaction between all groups. The COR shall notify the contractor in writing within 5 business days of approval or disapproval. If any part of the plan is not approved, the contractor shall have 2 business days to respond and shall submit a new or revised PWP for the COR to review and approve. The PWP will be a “living document” and the contractor may be required to edit or revise the PWP throughout the contract term depending on government review discussed below. Task 4. Develop Draft List of Topics to be Included in Workshop The Contractor shall develop and submit a draft list of recommended primary research topics that fully meet the essential requirements described in this Statement of Work.. The COR shall review within 5 business days and provide the contractor with 2 business days to respond and submit any new or revised draft lists of research topics for the COR to review and approve. Task 5. Develop Workshop Format The Contractor, through the PTC, shall develop a workshop format using the draft list of topics approved under Task 4. • The Contractor shall update and resubmit the PWP from Task 3 with the workshop format. The COR will review and respond to the contractor with any comments, questions or requests for additional information within 5 business days. The contractor shall have 2 days to respond to the COR with a revised PWP. Task 6. Identify Workshop Participants The Contractor through the PTC shall identify recommended key stakeholders to participate in the Workshop. The Stakeholders that are identified shall have affiliation in the following domains,: • NWIRP identified partner agencies • SME’s on windstorms and their impacts and measurements • Standards development organizations (SDO.. • Building department officials; • Practitioners knowledgeable about buildings and lifeline infrastructure (e.g., water, • power, communications, transportation). • Natural hazards (e.g., windstorms including hurricanes, tornadoes, derechos, severe weather, wind driven wildfires). • Regional construction types and practices; and • Individuals engaged in related community resilience work (e.g., social scientists, urban • planners). NIST reserves the right to identify additional participants to attend the workshop. The Contractor shall identify key participants and document the reason for such recommendation. The contractor may send no more than 3 employees in addition to the 5 PTC to perform workshop logistics. The total number of participants traveling to the workshop with Government support shall not exceed 8 individuals. Task 7. Develop White Papers for Workshop Sessions The Contractor, through the PTC, shall develop white papers to provide technical context to the draft outline of topics for the workshop format determined in Task 5. White papers shall be succinct (not exceeding 4 pages), exclusive of any figure or tables, and describe the importance of the issues identified in Task 4. White papers may be used as the introduction to each outline section in the final report. • The Contractor shall submit all white papers that will be included in the workshop and the workshop structure. The COR will review and respond to the contractor with any comments, questions or requests for additional information within 5 business days. The contractor shall have 2 days to respond to the COR. After approval, the identified workshop participants shall each receive the white papers for preparation of the workshop. Task 8. Host Workshop The Contractor through the PTC shall organize, facilitate, and manage a workshop to discuss the draft research topics identified in Task 5 with key participants and workshop attendees identified in Task 6. This task includes Contractor provision of all logistical support and documenting the discussions at the workshop relative to the draft report outline. In totality, the workshop shall not exceed 16 hours or 2 working days. The workshop will be held during local time working hours. The workshop shall be in-person and in a location that will be determined during contract performance, with NIST Approval to maximize participant involvement. The Contractor shall be responsible for securing a venue and all on-site logistics. The Contractor shall be responsible for all travel arrangements for those identified in Task 2, and key participants identified for travel support in Task 6. All travel support requests must be approved in advance by the COR and submitted in accordance with GSA Federal Travel Regulations. The Contractor through the PTC (and any facilitator(s)) shall synthesize all session discussions identified in Task 5 and develop summaries identifying important conclusions from the workshop session in sufficient detail to fully describe the session results and conclusions. • The Contractor shall submit the discussion summaries for review and approval. The COR shall review the summaries within 5 business days and provide the contractor with 2 business days to respond and submit any new or revised summaries for the COR to review and approve. Task 9. Develop Report Outline and Revise Research Topics The Contractor through the PTC shall revise the proposed research topics identified in Task 5 based on the workshop discussion summaries from Task 8. • The Contractor shall submit the draft report outline for review and approval. The COR will review and respond to the contractor with any comments, questions or requests for additional information within 5 business days. The contractor shall have 2 days to respond to the COR with a draft report outline. • The Contractor shall submit the proposed research topics for review and approval. Task 10. Develop Final Report The Contractor through the PTC shall update the outline and produce the final report on the proposed research topics in Task 9. • The Contractor shall submit the draft of the final report. • The Contractor shall submit the draft of the outline for the NWIRP Action Plan. Review submittal shall be in Microsoft Word format and have line numbers clearly identified, with the first line of every page starting at unity (1). • The Contractor shall submit the final print-ready report to NIST in PDF format within 30 days after receipt of NIST review comments. Task 11: Reporting Requirements The Contractor shall be required to provide written progress reports on a quarterly basis (first quarter starts on date of award), in addition to the Deliverables cited above. The Contractor shall submit the progress report within fifteen business days after the quarter ends. The progress report shall cover all contract-related activity, including, but not limited to, accomplishments, problems encountered, problem resolution, and any unresolved problems during the reporting period. Progress reports shall be submitted electronically via Email to the COR, Subject Matter Expert (SME), and CO who will be identified at the time of contract award. Required Expertise: The tasks associated with this potential procurement require demonstrated experience working with individuals and groups associated with windstorm impact reduction programs, for work on similar requirements. The government anticipates that this work shall require at least one (1) contractor Key Personnel employee who will be the Project Manager (PM) of the contract. The Key Personnel employee(s) shall possess a minimum of ten (10) years of experience in project management experience. Additionally, NIST prefers the key personnel have experience hosting and facilitating workshops. However, this is not a requirement. Place of Performance: The primary Place of Performance shall be at the Contractor’s work site/place of business. All work supporting this purchase order, except the in-person workshop, shall be performed virtually and shall use online video conferencing tools as required. The workshop location shall be determined during this performance period at a venue approved by NIST. Period of Performance: The Period of Performance shall be 15 months from date of award, on or around 9/1/2025 through 11/31/2026. HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE In responding to this notice, please DO NOT PROVIDE PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. Please include only the following information, readable in either Microsoft Word 365, Microsoft Excel 365, or .pdf format, in the response: Submit the response by email to the Primary Point of Contact and, if specified, to the Secondary Point of Contact listed in this notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice. Please note that to be considered for award under any official solicitation, the entity must be registered and “active” in SAM at the time of solicitation response. • Provide the complete name of your company, address, name of contact for follow-up questions, their email, their phone number and, if your company has an active registration in https://sam.gov, your company’s Unique Entity ID (UEI). • Describe performance capabilities of your company to meet each of the Government’s requirements. If your company cannot meet all of the Government’s requirement, please identify the requirements/sections your company is able to meet. Additionally, if there are other capabilities that you believe would assist NIST in meeting its objectives described above, please discuss in your response. • Identify any aspects of the NIST market research notice, including instructions, and minimum specifications within the SOW that you cannot meet and state why. Please offer suggestions for how the market research notice and draft minimum specifications could be made more competitive. • For the NAICS code listed in this notice: o Indicate whether your company is (a) a small business or (b) other than small business. See the Table of Small Business Size Standards and the associated .pdf download file for small business size standards and additional information. o If you believe the NAICS code listed in this notice is not the best NAICS code for the type of product addressed in this notice, identify an alternative NAICS code that you believe would be more appropriate for the planned procurement. • If the recommended equipment and/or related services are available for purchase on any existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts against which NIST may be able to place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information. • Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for NIST to know as part of its market research for this requirement. • State if you require NIST to provide additional information to improve your understanding of the government’s requirement and/or would like to meet with NIST representatives to discuss the requirement and the capabilities of the identified equipment. Submission Instructions All information considered pertinent to the covered requirement must be sent electronically to Hunter Tjugum at [email protected]. Information submitted must be specific and address the aforementioned requirement. Submissions must be received not later than 3:00 pm Eastern Time (ET), August 11, 2025. Only e-mail submissions are acceptable. The response shall not exceed 15 pages including all attachments, charts, etc. IMPORTANT NOTES This notice is for market research purposes and should not be construed as a commitment by NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. There is no solicitation available at this time. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s capability. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a synopsis and solicitation may be published on GSA’s eBuy or SAM.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered an adequate response to any such solicitation(s). After the results of this market research are obtained and analyzed, NIST may conduct a competitive procurement and subsequently award a contract. If at least two acceptable small businesses are identified during this market research, then the resulting competitive procurement may be conducted as a small business set-aside.