This is a notice of intent to sole source a procurement under FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures and FAR 6.302-1 Other Than Full and Open Competition - one responsible source. The applicable NAICS Code is 813311. The USMC Regional Contracting Office - National Capital Region (RCO-NCR) at Quantico Marine Corps Base, VA intends to award a sole source contract to the Fair Labor Association of 1111 19 th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-4217 for a social compliance contract with respect to Marine Corps trademarks. The Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps (HQMC) Trademark Licensing Office, located at the Pentagon in Washington DC, has a requirement for labor and social compliance monitoring and analysis effort in support of Marine Corps trademarks. Established in July 2009, the Marine Corps Trademark Licensing Office (TMLO) registers trademarks, licenses commercial companies, conducts enforcement and educates trademark users worldwide to protect and enhance the Marine Corps brand in the commercial marketplace. Government insignia are protected by a variety of statutes and regulations and are also afforded protections by trademark law. In the case of the Marine Corps, 10 USC 7881 offers specific protection to the Marine Corps seal, emblem, name, and initials "USMC," and requires written permission prior to the use of these brands on commercial products. Recognizing the value of armed services brands, Congress authorized DoD agencies to license their trademarks for use on products, allowing that licensing royalties be used to cover program costs, as well as for morale, welfare and recreation activities for Marines. The need for increased supply chain transparency and accountability of over 400 licensees has expanded beyond the monitoring capabilities of the TMLO. TMLO launched a series of comprehensive social compliance standards aimed at mitigating the risk of supply chain social compliance violations by USMC licensees. TMLO desires to enter into a contract with an independent organization specializing in social compliance and supply chain risk mitigation. The contract would reflect participation of the United States Marine Corps as a brand affiliate. This contract would apply to "Non-Made in USA" licensees. Outlined below are the terms and services that are required by the social compliance contract. Labor Compliance Guidance - - Up-to-date information and analysis on labor issues from around the world - Access to stakeholder forums, meetings, events and peer discussions with experts from around the world to discuss current labor issues and the impact of purchasing decisions on labor standards - Opportunities to compare and exchange ideas with other brand owners on best practices in compliance programs - Outreach to stakeholders through site visits and open forums - Guidance on execution of a successful labor compliance program through online and in-person training sessions, resources and tools - Regular updates and reports through the contractor's website on factory assessment results and corrective action plans to resolve compliance issues related to USMC Licensees - Opportunities to attend domestic and international meetings and networking events with representatives from universities, brands, suppliers, and civil society organizations Support for USMC Licensees - - Information necessary to conduct due diligence and actively engage licensees - Training sessions on how to read company assessments and analyze assessment results - Regular updates on Third Party Complaints involving licensee factories Objective Social Compliance Support - - Access to contractor leadership on issues of importance to TMLO - Periodic conference calls with contractor leadership to provide information to TMLO on current issues and contractor strategic priorities and plans - Dedicated staff available to respond to day-to-day questions and requests for information by TMLO - Rapid response and tools-such as talking points and data-regarding urgent concerns or developing labor compliance issues - Meetings with various government audiences, including members of licensing advisory committees and working groups - Presentations or speaking engagements related to labor and corporate social responsibility issues Licensee Due Diligence Monitoring - - Monitor the social compliance of USMC licensees to ensure the ethical production of items bearing USMC marks or logos. - Independent External Assessments (IEA) and Independent External Verification (IEV) assessments of TMLO licensees that are also participating members of the same organization as the contractor - Annual self-assessments by licensees to assess progress. Contractor shall share these results with TMLO representatives, who may then use the information to help inform sourcing decisions Licensee Education and Training - - Outreach to TMLO licensees about the importance of labor compliance and how to establish a social compliance program. - Training and capacity building to improve compliance programs and enact long-term, systemic change at facilities producing USMC branded products Period of Performance : Base year and two option years starting approximately 15 April 2015 This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotes; however firms may provide a capability statement to the Contracting Officer. Capability statements, if received timely, will be considered; however, a determination by the Government not to compete the requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Responses shall be emailed to Mr. John Martin, Contracting Officer, at
[email protected] so that they are received no later than 31 March 2015, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Late responses will not be considered.