Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Procurement. The Forest Service intends to award a sole source contract for the implementation of an ISO 14001-based environmental management system with all supporting Internet tools, training & technical assistance, including on-line green purchasing program, environmental record keeping tools, environmental compliance self-auditing and audit findings management applications, and other facility-level environmental management benefits. The USDA Forest Service intends to award a contract to Management and Engineering Services, L.L.C. The proposed contractor is a member of the National Environmental Performance Track, and has developed and implemented this program through a government-private partnership with support from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a U.S. Department of Interior agency. Since this existing program was designed by Federal agencies with similar missions, this program meets the specific needs for EMS implementation within the Forest Service, and is believed to be the most cost efficient, lowest risk and most timely manner of implementing an environmental management system in conformance with ISO 14001, for the Forest Service. Note 22 applies. Sources believing themselves capable may submit a brief statement of capability to the Contracting Officer. The statement should be a brief, concise explanation of company and key personnel experience and qualifications that it believes establishes an ability to provide the needed services. Any statements of capability received will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining if the exception to competition stated in this announcement is valid. A Request for Proposal (RFP) document is not available and USDA Forest Service will not respond to any questions for an RFP. Capability statements must be submitted via e-mail to Kathryn Griffin, Contracting Officer, at
[email protected] no later than May 23, 2003.