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AMENDMENT 1: Due date extended to 1/12/2023 at 3:30pm ET

AMENDMENT 2: See attached Questions & Answers

This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of all qualified sources to perform a potential requirement.

1. Background, Purpose, and Objectives:

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Office of Science Management and Operations (OSMO), Office of Workplace Solutions (OWS), Conference Services and Events Management Branch (CSEMB), NIAID Meet is responsible for operating and maintaining the 47 centrally managed conference and meeting rooms at 5601 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, along with providing support for virtual and hybrid meetings conducted by the divisions within NIAID. CSEMB has a requirement to provide professional conference management and service center services to address a high volume of virtual, hybrid, and in-person meetings and requests for OWS services. The NIAID contemplates a Time and Materials (T&M) contract with a potential three-year performance period.

2. Project requirements:

CSEMB is seeking a contractor with a minimum of 3 years’ experience operating a conference center or large meeting facility who can translate that experience into operating at its facility at Fishers Lane, along with occasional meetings at the NIH Rockledge II facility (within 15 miles of 5601 Fishers Lane) or on the NIH campus (within 10 miles of 5601 Fishers Lane) while providing excellent and efficient service. This will be a non-personal services contract to provide on-site meeting and virtual conference support for a full range of reservation, event coordination, room setup, conference center operations, and call center support. This includes industry experience and knowledge of conference center operations to guide the evolution of the facility and make recommendations based on industry practices and trends. Please see the attached Draft Summary of Requirements and Tasks.

CSEMB uses an electronic reservation management system to make reservations and collect metrics. The current system being used is the Events Management System (EMS), a subsidiary of Accruent. Potential sources shall possess or develop an in-depth level of knowledge and familiarity with the reservation system being used by NIAID Meet.

3. Anticipated Period of Performance:

The anticipated base period of performance is from May 27, 2023 – May 26, 2024. The government anticipates awarding a Time and Materials contract with a one-year base period and up to two, one-year option periods.

4. Other Important Considerations:

Often the reservations and logistics services we are seeking are confused with meeting planning. CSEMB is specifically looking for contractors with experience in managing meeting and event operations. The potential contractor will need to manage the conference center once it is fully operational, assist clients in preparing for their meetings, and facilitate the use of audiovisual equipment available to them in each meeting facility.

5. Capability Statement / Information Sought:

i. All capable vendors should respond with a capability statement of no more than six (6) pages by Wednesday, January 11, 2023 at 3:30pm ET. Capability statements must reference no more than two (2) recent and relevant contracts performed in the last three (3) years. Include name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address for each reference. Provide a brief description of the work performed, contract number, total contract value, and period of performance. Contracts must be the same or similar in size, type, and complexity as set forth in the draft SOW.

ii. If your organization has the potential capacity to support this requirement, please provide the following information: Organization name, address, point of contact, email address, website address, telephone number, UEI number, business size classification pursuant to the applicable NAICS code, and type of ownership for the organization.

iii. Information regarding: (a) staff expertise, including their availability, experience, and formal and other training; (b) current in-house capability and capacity to perform the work; (c) prior completed projects of similar nature; (d) corporate experience and management capability; and (e) examples of prior completed Government contracts, references, and other related information;

iv. If your company customarily provides these services through a contract type other than Time & Materials, please explain.

v. Provide the NAICS under which your company usually provides the requirements described in the draft SOW. Please provide rationale for your answer if different from 561920.

vi. Identification of any contract vehicles including Government Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC) (e.g., GSA Federal Supply Schedules) they may possess or be aware of that would support this possible requirement. If you organization does not provide these services under a GWAC, please identity availability as OPEN MARKET ONLY.

vii. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver these services, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements.

viii. Any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements.

ix. Opinions about the difficulty and/or feasibility of the potential requirement or proposed acquisition, possible solutions and approaches that may currently exist in the marketplace, and information regarding innovative ideas or concepts.

6. Government Points of Contact:

Contract Specialist: Seth Schaffer, 301-761-6205, seth.schaffer@nih.gov

Contracting Officer: Tamara McDermott, 406-375-7487, tamara.mcdermott@nih.gov

7. Disclaimer and Important Notes:

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

8. Confidentiality:

No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

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