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U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Services

Sources Sought #70RFPW23RFISC0001

Protective Security Officer (PSO) Services

ISSUE DATE: 02/16/2023

The U.S. Department Homeland Security, Federal Protective Services (FPS), is conducting market research to identify small business contractors capable of providing Protective Security Officer (PSO) Services at various locations throughout the South Carolina service area. PSO Services are defined in two categories: PSO Basic Services and Temporary Additional Services (TAS). PSO Basic Services are the permanent ongoing services pre-scheduled with monthly fluctuating schedules or any other services added up to any established maximums identified in the contract, and Temporary Additional Services (TAS) are services beyond the basic service requirements. TAS are the short term, non-recurring needs for service.

The Federal Protective Service protects Federal facilities and those who occupy them by conducting law enforcement and protective security services and leveraging access to the intelligence and information resources of our network of Federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners. The FPS mission is to prevent, protect, respond to and recover from terrorism, criminal acts, and other hazards threatening the U.S. Government’s critical infrastructure, services, and the people who provide or receive them.

FPS is seeking information from small business contractors who have performed armed PSO efforts in the last three years that were approximately 180,000 hours per year, either individually on one contract or in the aggregate on several contracts. Contractors must be fully licensed in the state of South Carolina to perform this type of service.

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY.

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. This Sources Sought Notice is released pursuant to FAR Part 10 Market Research and is issued for the purpose of identifying available sources (interested entities) capable of performing the requirement. This is not a solicitation announcement for proposals and NO CONTRACT will be awarded from this announcement. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement or any follow-up information requests. The information gathered from this source sought notice will be utilized in the Government’s determination on contract and business type utilized in the solicitation.

The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this effort is 561612, Security Guards and Patrol Services, with a small business size standard of $29M. The NAICS Code and corresponding size standard is provided to determine the appropriate business size in response to this sources sought notice. For further information on business size definitions please refer to the Small Business Administration's web site: https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-size-standards.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to solicit input and gauge interest among those parties experienced in security support services for the Department of Homeland Security, FPS. The anticipated magnitude of this effort is estimated to be 180,000 hours or more per year for the required services. Interested entities would be required to provide armed Protective Security Officers, as defined in the statement of work and contract exhibits, at federally owned, leased, or occupied facilities protected by the Federal Protective Service at various locations located in the state of South Carolina service area. Geographically, South Carolina is an area that covers a geographic area of approximately 32,020 square miles. The contract supports 70-80 posts in 34 facilities across the state. In furnishing these services, interested entities shall provide all necessary management, supervision, personnel, materials, supplies and equipment except as otherwise indicated, and shall plan, schedule, coordinate, and ensure effective performance of, and conformance to all aspects of the statement of work.

OBJECTIVES:

This requirement includes providing physical security services (armed PSOs) for all areas identified. A successful entity would be required to provide trained armed security personnel to fulfill the functions of the Statement of Work (SOW).

The primary functions required for an effort of this nature will include, but is not limited to the following:

• Armed PSOs; patrols and response access control; badging; screening operations; control center operations; traffic control; keys and access control; and visitors processing. This will include approximately 67 full time PSO employees manning approximately 70-80 posts at 34 facilities.


• Providing competent, trained, uniformed security officers who meet the standards for providing guard services in the applicable localities.


• Contract management, supervision, manpower (technically trained personnel to provide routine and emergency site security services protection and support services), training, screening, equipment, supplies, licenses, permits, certifications, insurance, preemployment screenings, reports, files, and any other resources necessary to satisfactorily perform the requirements of this effort. All work performed must satisfy the requirements of all laws, regulations, FPS orders, directives, and guidelines.


• Provide security services twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week, and 365 days per year (24/7/365). The level of effort will be determined by the specific security condition level at any time as well as response to short-term events such as other unforeseen non-emergency or emergency situations.


• Responsible for conducting adequate background checks to ensure that personnel hired can obtain and maintain the applicable security clearance.

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST/CAPABILITY STATEMENT:

In addition to completing and returning Attachment 1 (Contractor/Vendor Information Sheet), interested contractors are requested to provide a capability statement (brief discussion), with specific emphasis placed on the area of support described above, that does not exceed 5 pages in total with sufficient details to provide responses to the following information:

1. Has your organization performed armed guard services, under the NAICS code 561612-Security Guards and Patrol Services? Yes or No
   
   


2. Does your organization currently possess active licenses and/or permits to perform armed guard services in the state of South Carolina? Yes or No
   
   


3. If the answer to question two (2) is NO, please explain your understanding of the licensing and permitting process in the state of South Carolina for this requirement.
   
   


4. Identify at least 3 customers/projects from the past 3-years and a brief description of the work performed for each customer. Responses should clearly describe previous work that would articulate those protective services (armed) were performed on a similar scale to what is described above. Provide the contract number, point of contact, telephone number and email address for each referenced contract. If an assessment report is resident in the CPARS System for any of the customers/projects referenced, you only need to provide the contract number and the Government will pull the report.
   
   


5. If your organization has not performed projects of the estimated magnitude (180K/year), either individually or in the aggregate, please identify the largest portion (estimated annual hours) that your organization can perform.
   
   


6. Describe your organization’s ability to manage a contract of this size, as well as work with staff covered by a mixture of Collective Bargaining Agreement and the Service Contract Act. Include experience working with Unions and CBA’s.
   
   


7. Describe your organization’s ability to assume the financial responsibilities associated with receiving a contract of this size and ability to transition/start up and sustain operations for at least 150 days after award before payment will be received. Specifically, discuss the assurance that resources are available to meet payroll, subcontracting, and operational obligations at this magnitude. Please do not provide financial statements as part of your response.
   
   


8. If subcontracting/teaming is anticipated, describe your organization’s experience in successfully managing subcontracts/teaming partners. Include a detailed description of how your organization guarantees the performance and participation of the potential subcontractor/teaming partner, including a description of the type and expected levels of subcontracting/teaming (magnitude), as well as the type of work that a subcontractor/teaming partner may perform for your organization. Include any existing partnerships or mentor-protégé agreements you currently have with a large business partner that may facilitate your ability to coordinate performance on a contract larger in size than your past performance projects.

DISCLAIMERS AND INFORMATION:

DHS, FPS reserves the right to use all information submitted by, or obtained from, an interested party in any manner DHS, FPS determines appropriate, including, but not limited to, the creation of a competitive solicitation. An interested party should avoid including any classified, business confidential, and/or proprietary information in its response.

All interested parties responding to this sources sought notice must submit their responses no later than March 6, 2023 at 0900 PST via email to Alyssa McQueen at Alyssa.M.McQueen@fps.dhs.gov and Rachel Kalac at Rachel.D.Kalac@fps.dhs.gov. Responses are to be no more than 5 pages in length, not including Attachment 1 (Contractor/Vendor Information Sheet).

You are strongly encouraged to submit your responses to this Sources Sought Notice at least 3 hours before the specified due date in order to have time to resolve any transmission problems.

As previously indicated, this is NOT a solicitation, therefore, no cost or pricing information should be provided. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. This is a market survey to identify potential sources capable of performing the effort required. Responses should be limited to the entity’s expression of interest and capabilities statement (as identified above) along with their respective business size based upon the list provided. It is not mandatory for an offeror to respond to this sources sought notice in order to respond to a subsequent solicitation when/if issued.

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