SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- BLM SocioEconomic Services
- Notice Date
- 7/12/2011
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541620
— Environmental Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- BLM OC NOC INFRASTR SEC (OC662)DENVER FEDERAL CENTERBLDG. 50POB 25047DENVERCO80225US
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- L11PS00868
- Response Due
- 8/8/2011
- Archive Date
- 9/7/2011
- Point of Contact
- William A. Paterson
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a Request for Information (RFI) ONLY, and does not constitute a solicitation. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e) responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot form a binding Contractor commitment by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), or the United States Government to take procurement action in this matter. The purpose of this RFI is to obtain market information on capable sources of supply, industry practices, and input specific to the information and questions provided below. The Government is not responsible for any cost incurred by industry in furnishing this information. A response to this RFI is necessary in order to assist BLM in determining the potential levels of interest, adequate competition, and technical capability within the large and small business communities to provide the required services. However, notwithstanding contract vehicle selection or a Contractors standing, firms not responding to the RFI are not precluded from participating in any future solicitation. Respondents to this RFI should provide capability statements based on their experience as qualified prospective vendors capable of providing services that support the objectives identified in this RFI. Secondly, the Government seeks to determine the capability of large and small businesses alike for this RFI to include: certified 8(a), small businesses, women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, veteran-owned small businesses and HUBZONE firms.The BLMs National Operations Center (NOC), the Requesting Agency, seeks qualified Technical Assistance Contractors (TACs) with expertise in performing social and economic analyses including analyses related to environmental justice. The Requesting Agency provides technical support and contract management service to other administrative arms of the BLM including BLMs Washington Office (WO) and all of BLMs State Offices (SO), District Offices (DO), and Field Offices (FO). Currently, the demand for social and economic expertise within BLM cannot be met by existing resources. The Requesting Agency intends to use this contract to fill the unmet needs of the BLM with regards to social and economic expertise support. The social and economic analytical support sought by BLM revolves primarily around National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance regarding both project-specific actions as well as broad land management planning efforts. In addition to NEPA compliance, BLMs land management planning process is also guided by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and through the development of Resource Management Plans (RMPs). BLM seeks social and economic technical expertise familiar with both NEPA compliance and the development of RMPs. This section presents a general Statement of Work (SOW) for scientific and technical services to support the land management efforts of the BLM. Reference to a particular type of study, report, or investigation also refers to any portion of such a study, report or investigation. Services requested under this contract will be related to agency social and economic responsibilities. While not all inclusive, the BLM anticipates that the majority of work will occur primarily in the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming.The Requesting Agency seeks qualified TACs to assist in the service areas described below. Service Area 1: Land Management Planning The TAC will be qualified in conducting the social and economic analyses required and guided by NEPA and FLPMA. Projects requiring technical expertise primarily include: Project-specific Environmental Assessments (EA);Project-specific and programmatic Environmental Impact Statements (EIS); andBLM planning efforts Resource Management Plans/Environmental Impact Statements (RMP/EIS) and Resource Management Plan Amendments/Environmental Impact Statements (RMP Amendment/EIS). Land management planning may require social and economic support for one or more specific components of the NEPA process. These components generally include: Participate in project kick-off and planning;Participate in public scoping;Prepare draft social, economic, and environmental justice affected environment (also referred to as existing conditions, baseline assessment, and analysis of management situation) sections;Respond and revise following administrative review of draft affected environment sections;Prepare draft social, economic, and environmental justice environmental consequences (impacts) sections including analysis of each alternative and cumulative effects and development of mitigation measures;Respond and revise following administrative review of draft environmental consequences sections;Respond and revise following public review of draft EA or EIS or RMP/EIS; andAttend and participate in inter-agency and/or public meetings as needed. Qualified TACs must demonstrate expertise and past experience for each of these components. Specific skills identified as central to completing these components include: Experience conducting public scoping efforts (experience conducting Economic Strategies Workshops for RMPs is a plus see Appendix D of BLM Land Use Planning Handbook H-1601-1).Ability to prepare a baseline assessment of social conditions using both quantitative and qualitative data (including demographic trends; regional history, social values, sense of place, and social organization; and housing and public services) of a study area. Ability to prepare a baseline assessment of the economic conditions and trends of a study area, (including an analysis of key economic sectors and government tax revenues and royalties).Ability to prepare a baseline assessment of environmental justice issues by identifying populations of potential concern (in compliance with Executive Order 12898).Ability to prepare an analysis of the potential social impacts of a plan or project (including, for example, impacts to social values and organization, population, housing (displacement, availability, and value) and public services).Ability to estimate and interpret sector-level economic impacts of a plan or project using IMPLAN or another recognized economic impact model.Ability to estimate tax revenue impacts of a plan or project.Ability to address non-market economic values applicable to areas potentially impacted by a plan or project (at a minimum through qualitative discussion and potentially through quantitative analysis). Ability to develop and describe measures to mitigate adverse social and economic impacts of a plan or project.Ability to conduct an environmental justice analysis by identifying whether potential impacts of a plan or project disproportionately affect identified minority populations and low-income populations. Ability to identify, analyze, and discuss cumulative effects to the study area. Demonstrated expertise using geographical information systems (GIS) software to enhance reports and/or analyses is a plus. The TAC shall provide all labor, tools (including software and data), materials, equipment, and any other items and services necessary to effectively and efficiently complete any of these tasks. Service Area 2: General Project Support Qualified TACs, as described in Service Area 1, may be tasked with providing general project support in the form of: a)Writing or reviewing the technical sections of Statements of Work (SOWs) for, but not limited to, conducting the social, economic, and environmental justice analyses for NEPA compliance and BLM planning. b)Reviewing work by others including, but not limited to, the review of the social, economic and environmental justice technical portions of work completed by the BLM, another contractor, or another agency and recommending revisions and improvements. c)General social and economic expertise to BLM by providing technical advice and guidance to BLM SOs and FOs at various stages in the land planning/NEPA process, as needed. These tasks will require the TAC to become familiar with applicable background materials related to the specific project. In addition, the TAC shall be knowledgeable in the areas of federal, state, tribal and local regulations and laws pertinent to the specific project. Service Area 3: Technical Evaluations and Expert Witnesses The TAC may serve in the capacity of an expert witness in matters connected to the project, as requested. This may include, but not limited to, reviewing and/or preparing timely oral and written technical evaluations of, and recommendations concerning, data used in social, economic, and environmental justice analyses; interim, draft and final reports; proposals; change orders; and amendments pertinent to the project. Service Area 4: Other Activities. The TAC shall conduct various studies or tasks not included in the above-listed tasks and/or not triggered by NEPA and FLPMA, as requested. The subject areas that may require analyses include climate change, recreation, grazing, minerals, renewable energy, and benefit-cost analysis, among others. Some of these studies, tasks, and services may result from changes in statutes, regulations, guidance, or policy. In addition, requests from regulatory agencies or BLM management for information may require work not addressed above. The TAC may be requested to complete various types of studies, reports, oral/written presentations, training materials, classes and other activities, as requested. Any questions or concerns regarding any aspect of this RFI shall be forwarded to the Contracting Officer, William Paterson via e-mail at william_paterson@blm.gov no later than July 26, 2011, so that they can be addressed prior to submission of your RFI package. Please include the following information specific to your company within your response: Company NamePrimary Contact (Name, Title, Phone, Email)Business Classification Responses should be submitted no later than August 8, 2011 12:00 p.m. All responses should be limited to fifteen (15) pages + three (3) additional pages for Small Businesses Eighteen (18). Document should be in Microsoft with one-inch margins, using single-spaced, Arial font, and size 10. Please submit to: William Paterson, Contracting OfficerWilliam_paterson@blm.govBureau of Land Management DFCP.O. Box 25047, Bldg. 50Denver, CO 80225-0047
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