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SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS

Fort Leavenworth Corrections Command

Full Food Service

This is a Sources Sought Synopsis (SSS) ONLY. The U.S. Government desires to procure non-traditional food services in support of the Fort Leavenworth Military Correctional Complex (MCC) on a small business set-aside basis provided two or more qualified small businesses respond to this SSS with information sufficient to support a set-aside. The requirement differs from a traditional Army full food service requirement in that there will be an element of training inmates on how to plan, prepare and serve meals within applicable regulatory and Department of Labor Standards. Additionally, the Contractor shall clean and sanitize food contact surfaces and equipment in designated serving and self service locations; not in the dining area.

Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. We encourage all small business concerns in all socioeconomic categories (i.e. Small Disadvantage Business (SDB), 8(a), Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), and Women-Owned Small Business concerns (WOSB)), to identify their capabilities in meeting the requirement at a fair market price.

This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes – it does not constitute a Request for Quotation (RFQ), Invitation for Bid (IFB), or Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFQ, IFB or RFP in the future. This notice does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service. Further, the U.S. Government is not seeking quotes, bids or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals in response to this sources sought synopsis. The U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice. Submittals will not be returned to the responder. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future RFQ, IFB, or RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Government wide Point of Entry (GPE). It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the GPE for additional information pertaining to this requirement. The GPE is located at sam.gov.

BACKGROUND: This is a new requirement. There is currently no contract in place to perform the required services. Services are currently being performed by active military personnel. Attached are the draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) and Performance Requirements Summary (PRS).

The NAICS code assigned to this acquisition is 722310, Food Service Contractors, with a corresponding size standard of $47M. In your opinion, does this NAICS code fit this requirement? If not, which NAICS Code would you suggest and why? The Contractor shall provide all supervision, labor, personnel, equipment, materials, and supplies, with the exception of Government Furnished Property (GFP), to perform the activities delineated in the PWS.

PURPOSE OF THIS SOURCES SOUGHT: To request information on capabilities of potential offerors to provide the services described herein to determine if this will be set-aside. Please note, Food Service requirements are subject to both the priority established by the Randolph-Sheppard Act (RSA) and the preferences set out in FAR Part 19.

While not a firm cutoff, providing responses to this announcement no later than 1:00pm Central Daylight Time (CDT) on 31 May 2023 will facilitate planning and ensure your capability receives maximum consideration. Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Interested business concerns should provide a brief capabilities statement package (submissions are limited to no more than 15 pages in length, single spaced, and 12 font minimum) demonstrating its capabilities in reference to this requirement. A generic capability statement is not acceptable. No particular format is mandated. The Government prefers that your firm submits its response in Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, or a combination of both and the document must be searchable. The capability package shall be sent by email to the following: Andrew Graham - Contract Specialist at email: andrew.s.graham6.civ@army.mil and Miranda Caban – Contracting Officer at email: miranda.a.caban.civ@army.mil.

Your email subject line should reflect: Firm’s Name, Response to the Sources Sought Synopsis for Food Service at Fort Leavenworth, KS Corrections Command W5168W-23-R-0017. Note: the location(s) and corresponding solicitation number that you are responding to must be identified on the subject line. The size limit of each email, with all attachments, cannot exceed 9 megabytes (MB) due to the Government’s email system restrictions. DO NOT SEND ZIPPED files as the Government’s network will remove all zipped files.

In response to this sources sought, please provide:

1. A company profile to include name of your firm, point of contact, phone number, email address, number of employees, annual revenue history, CAGE code, and Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number. Respondents must also indicate whether they qualify as a Small Business, SDB, 8(a), EDWOSB, WOSB, HUBZone, or SDVOSB.

2. What you believe are the key tasks that need to be accomplished in a non-traditional food service operation that includes an element of training inmates on how to plan, prepare and serve meals within applicable regulatory and Department of Labor Standards. In essence, what key tasks should be used for determining minimum capability to provide these services?

3. Whether your firm is interested in competing for this requirement as a prime contractor. If you are subcontracting any of the services out, contemplating a Joint Venture, and/or creating a teaming arrangement, please provide the name of these companies and what work they will be performing, if available. Please provide your company’s specific experience in operating a dining facility and providing comparable services. Ensure the information is in sufficient detail regarding previous experience in managing full food service operations (indicate whether the experience has been as a prime contractor or subcontractor) on similar requirements (include the services provided (food prep, facility attendants, custodial, etc.), the number of meals typically served, the number of facilities involved, and any other relevant information you deem applicable). If applicable, please provide the same experience information from any subcontracts, Joint Venture, and/or teaming partners you may propose with. In additional to providing managerial experience, please provide any experience regarding training personnel to perform food services requirements.

4. What percentage of work will be performed by the small business prime contractor and all similarly situated entity subcontractors? Note: In accordance with FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting (CLASS DEVIATION 2021-O0008).

“Similarly situated entity” means a first-tier subcontractor, including an independent contractor, that has the same small business program status as that which qualified the prime contractor for the award and that is considered small for the NAICS code the prime contractor assigned to the subcontract the subcontractor will perform. An example of a similarly situated entity is a first-tier subcontractor that is a HUBZone small business concern for a HUBZone set-aside. In addition, the Contractor agrees in performance of a contract for services, it will not pay more than 50 percent of the amount paid by the Government for contract performance to subcontractors that are not similarly situated entities.

5. Type(s)/certifications(s) of proposed subcontractors (such as SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, and WOSB).

6. Information on the financial capacity of your business to meet financial obligations (i.e. payroll, payment of subcontractors, etc.).

7. How the Army can best structure these contract requirements to facilitate competition by and among small business concerns.

8. Identify any condition or action that may have the effect of unnecessarily restricting competition with respect to this acquisition. Please contact the Mission Installation Contracting Command (MICC) Advocate for Competition, Scott Kukes at email: scott.d.kukes.civ@army.mil or 210-466-3015, if you believe that this action is unreasonably restricting competition. Include the subject of the acquisition, this announcement, and the MICC POC information from the notice on sam.gov. Provide the specific aspects that unreasonably restrict competition and the rationale for such conclusion.

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