Description
This is a request for information for market research purposes. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS OR A REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is the national measurement institute for the United States. Engaging in scientific collaboration with partners around the world is part of the NIST mission. NIST, on average, hosts over one thousand Foreign National Associates (FNA) each year to collaborate with NIST scientists in their research. FNAs include any Foreign National (non-U.S. Citizen), lawful permanent resident, and protected persons, who are not NIST employees. NIST’s engagement with scientists and engineers from around the world fulfills the following statutory requirements set forth in the ‘Technology Administration Act of 1998[1]’: §272. (10) to cooperate with other departments and agencies of the Federal Government, with industry, with State and local governments, with the governments of other nations and international organizations , and with private organizations in establishing standard practices, codes, specifications, and voluntary consensus standards Pub. L. 114–329, title I, §107, Jan. 6, 2017, 130 Stat. 2987, provided that: (a) In General—The Director of NIST [National Institute of Standards and Technology], acting through the Associate Director for Laboratory Programs, shall develop and implement a comprehensive strategic plan for laboratory programs that expands (1) interactions with academia, international researchers , and industry; NIST’s Foreign National Associates’ Programs are used as a mechanism to support scientific research collaboration in NIST laboratories as well as a vehicle to influence scientific approaches to metrology and standards development on around the globe. The International and Academic Affairs Office of NIST, which operates the Foreign National Associates program, is seeking to evaluate the program in achieving its research and international influence objectives. The International and Academic Affairs Office anticipates a requirement for a Contractor to perform an evaluation of the NIST Foreign National Associates Program. The Government anticipates that the Contractor will evaluate the program at NIST’s facilities across the United States (primary locations are Gaithersburg, MD and Boulder, CO). The evaluation should occur over the course of one year from the start of the contract and should examine the technical impact of foreign researchers on all of NIST’s laboratory units: Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL), Engineering Laboratory (EL), Information Technology Laboratory (ITL), Material Measurement Laboratory (MML), Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML), and the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR). Required Information for Submission NIST is seeking responses from responsible sources. Responses are being sought from all business sizes. Small businesses are strongly encouraged to respond. Small businesses are defined under the associated NAICS code for this effort, 541690 Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services, as those domestic sources having annual revenues of $16.5M or less. 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 qualified small business are identified during market research, then a competitive procurement would be conducted via a small business set-aside. If a small business set-aside results, a Limitation Subcontracting clause will be applicable to the anticipated procurement action. Businesses meeting the classification of the set-aside would be required to perform 50% of the labor for the required work with qualified in-house personnel and/or a similarly situated small business subcontractor. Responses to this sources sought shall not exceed ten pages in length and shall demonstrate the respondent’s capabilities as indicated below. The response must provide detail well beyond a written capability statement. Documentation submitted shall include all of the following: -Organization Name -Unique Entity Identifier for the Company’s active SAM.Gov Registration -Organization Website -Contact Name -Contact Telephone -Contact E-mail address -Established track record of success providing program assessment services to government laboratories and research entities, including programs that involve international scientific cooperation. -Staff with management and technical experience in the science and engineering fields. -Experience in developing evaluation, assessment, research, and data collection methodologies that conform with current federal data security and privacy policies. -Experience collecting programmatic information from non-federal participants. -Price Information It is requested that labor rates or other price categories be provided. Estimates will be utilized for budgeting purposes. Therefore, it is preferred that prices and/or price ranges be within 10-15% of the actual price. This estimate is non-committal and will be held by NIST as confidential. The above information and any other information considered pertinent to this notification must be submitted to Carol A. Wood, Contracting Officer, not later than July 12, 2022. Email submission is required.