Martin Schneider
GHG Monitor
4/25/2014
The Department of Energy this week released the long-awaited draft Request for Proposals for the Mission Execution and Strategic Analysis (MESA) contract at the National Energy Technology Laboratory, which combines three previously separate support contracts into a single small business set-aside contract. The draft RFP envisions a three-year contract with a two-year option, with a small business size standard of $35.5 million. Comments and questions on the draft RFP are due by May 9 but DOE said in a notice accompanying the draft RFP that “NETL will not respond to comments and/or questions. However, all comments/questions relating to the draft RFP will be taken into consideration in development of the final RFP.”
The draft RFP divides the work into two area—mission execution and strategic analysis. The mission execution services will include “technology, regulatory, and policy information research; energy and cost data review; technical writing; graphics development; meeting planning and facilitation; technical proposal review; peer review planning and logistical support; road mapping; project, portfolio, and program assessments; data management and process improvement; international activities support; and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) support.” The strategic analysis work will require “expertise in the application of scientific, engineering, business, economic, energy market, and policy-related disciplines that result in highly credible study results. The required technical expertise encompasses high level scientific and engineering disciplines appropriate to address the changing U.S. energy outlook, as well as technology and system-specific engineering and market expertise required for expert analysis of alternatives. Expertise to assess issues across and among diverse areas of national interest and to factor in broader energy-related initiatives across Department of Energy programs, the private sector, and other government programs is an imperative of the work.”
‘A Heavy Lift’ for Small Businesses
At least four teams are believed to have formed to pursue the MESA work, including teams led by incumbents LTI (teamed with Booz Allen) and KeyLogic (teamed with URS). A joint venture of Red Horse and SRA has also formed to pursue the contract as well as another small business joint venture, the details of which remain unclear. Several potential bidders this week told GHG Monitor they were surprised by breadth of the requirements in the draft RFP. “For a small business with a size standard of $35.5 million it’s just really difficult to expect that they will have all the things that this RFP requires,” one company executive said this week. “A purchasing system, a property management system, integrated safety management system, earned value management system—these are requirements you normally see in much larger contracts.” Added another potential bidder: “This will be a heavy, heavy lift for a small business. At 328 pages, there’s just a lot in there and a lot of it seems unnecessarily burdensome.”
Key personnel are required to sign a letter of commitment to the contract for at least 12 months. “The letters of commitment shall also specify the percentage of time each of the key personnel will dedicate to the contract,” the draft RFP states. “For those individuals who are not already employees of the proposing organization, the letter of commitment shall demonstrate their availability, willingness to accept the position proposed and remain committed to the contract for a minimum of twelve months. “
However, the draft also notes that “Notwithstanding approval by the Contracting Officer, anytime the Program Manager (the initial Program Manager or any substitution approved by the Contracting Officer) is changed for any reason after being placed in the position, the total Available Award Fee Pool (sum of all individual CLIN award fee pools), may be reduced, for the fee period in which the change occurs, by $200,000 for each and every occurrence of a change to the Program Manager.” For any key personnel other than the program manager, the fee could be reduced by $50,000.
