The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to accomplish market research pursuant to FAR Part 10, and to identify qualified and experienced small businesses capable of and interested in providing the services described in this notice and attached Draft Requirements Document. The Department of State welcomes the participation of qualified Joint Ventures and also encourages teaming to ensure an effective solution. Additionally, this notice seeks to determine if the services can be acquired using existing Federal Supply Schedules (FSS) or other Multiple Award Schedules.

This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a(n) Invitation for Bid (IFB), Request for Quotation (RFQ), or Request for Proposal (RFP). Additionally, there is no obligation or commitment on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services described within this notice now or in the future. The Government does not intend to award a contract(s) based solely on the responses to this notice. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for information submitted in response to this notice, nor will it compensate respondents for any costs incurred in the development/furnishing of a response. The Government will not entertain telephone calls or questions for this notice. Please note that a decision not to submit a response to this notice will not preclude a vendor from participating in any future solicitation.

1.0 Background

Mission of the U.S. Department of State: The U.S. Department of State is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy and the Secretary of State is the President’s principal foreign policy advisor. The Department of State’s mission is to advance U.S. national security interests, fight terrorism, protect U.S. interests abroad, and implement foreign policy initiatives that build a freer, prosperous and secure world.

Mission of the Bureau of Medical Services (MED): MED’s global mission to provide preventive, primary, and emergency medical care to Chief of Mission (COM) personnel is accomplished through global programs and echelons of care, from health unit medical providers and regional medical centers, to resources in the United States. The Washington-based MED team works closely with overseas counterparts to ensure the safety of America’s diplomatic community of 75,000 people including employees, interagency partners, and family members assigned to U.S. missions abroad. Further, MED provides initial occupational health services to the diplomatic community and the locally employed staff population of over 150,000. MED’s combined Civil and Foreign Service, domestic, overseas, and contractor workforce provides the professionalism, expertise, and agility to meet the Department’s medical needs.

Mission of the Operational Medicine Program (OpMED): The essential functions of the OpMED Program are planning, developing, resourcing, and executing medical contingency plans to enhance the security of COM personnel engaged in high-risk environments worldwide, providing senior decision-makers with flexible response options to identify and mitigate emerging medical risks and employing professionals trained, experienced, and equipped to operate in high-risk environments. Activities of the OpMED Program complement the Department’s medical program abroad by supporting mission medical health unit staff and assisting missions in emergency medical preparedness in all environments.

2.0 General Scope

This non-personal services contract is designed to support MED’s and OpMED’s global missions through the provision of a broad range of medical services and equipment supply support including but not limited to those services listed in Section C of the contract. This Global Medical Support Services (GMSS) contract provides a full range of medical services, equipment and supplies to the U.S. Department of State and other U.S. Government agencies under Chief of Mission Authority and, under special circumstances, non-Chief of Mission activities around the globe. There are no geographic limitations to where work may be performed in support of efforts undertaken through this contract vehicle.

3.0 Objectives of the Global Medical Support Services Program 

a. This Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract aims to establish a streamlined approach to successfully meeting the Government’s acquisition requirements, while maintaining the public’s trust and fulfilling public policy objectives.

b. The GMSS contract will create opportunities for DOS to augment U.S. Government staff in the continental United States and in regions overseas where demand for services exceeds U.S. Mission capacity to support, as well as capture significant savings; achieve economies of scale and promote efficiencies in back-office operations.

c. Acquire medical support services and supplies under a broad global contract to support diplomatic platforms and provide flexibility to support the Department and its missions around the world.

d. Remove duplicative and unnecessary variations in U.S. Government requirements and inefficient processes to realize cost savings. This includes reduced costs for contracts that would otherwise have to provide such services to U.S. missions through a disparate framework of support efforts.

e. Develop a highly reliable medical service and supply support contracting mechanism capable of supporting current and future needs of the Department and U.S. Government agencies and offices in the United States and overseas.

f. Provide for increased safety and improved health for COM personnel and others as designated by the Secretary of State. This includes the reduced likelihood of serious injury, impairment or death resulting from inadequate, incomplete or non-immediate care and treatment.

g. Provide for advancements in the field of medicine through innovative performance and information technology approaches to the provision of support services.

h. Provide cost-effective solutions and the opportunity to propose innovative alternatives for meeting the objectives of each task or delivery order.

4.0 Period of Performance

It is anticipated that the period of performance will include a one-year base period and four (4) one-year option periods.

5.0 Place of Performance

It is anticipated that work will be performed worldwide including in high-threat, high-risk environments. It is anticipated that the first requirement will be for the establishment and provision of all personnel and supplies to operate a Role 2E medical support facility in Kabul, Afghanistan.  

6.0 Instructions

6.1 Responses

Responses should be limited to ten (10) pages or less and be submitted as a Microsoft Word Document (.doc or .docx) or Portable Document Format (.pdf) to the Contracting Officer at [email protected] and Contract Specialist at [email protected]. To the maximum extent possible, submit Non-Proprietary Information. All information received in response to this notice that is appropriately marked "Proprietary" will be handled accordingly. Submissions should include responses to the following categories: Company Profile, Recent/Relevant Experience, and Questions for Industry.

6.1.1 Company Profile

a. Please provide the following information:

i. Company Name:

ii. Company Point of Contact:

iii. Email:

iv. Phone:

v. Prime Contractor Address:

vi. DUNS Number:

vii. CAGE Code, if applicable:

viii. Socioeconomic Status under primary NAICS Code 622110: Example: Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business; HUBZone; Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned; Service Disabled Veteran Owned; 8(a)

ix. Applicable GSA Schedule Contracts or other GWAC:

x. Facility Clearance Level: Example: None, Secret, Top Secret

b. Indicate whether the company intends to bid alone or arrange a team. If knowledge, skills, or other expertise is obtained from a teaming arrangement, vendors shall describe the goals and efficiencies gained through teaming.  If a Joint Venture or teaming arrangement already exists, please identify the name, point of contact, and DUNS number for each team member.

c. Please do not provide generic capability statements as they will add no value to this Sources Sought. The Government is seeking specific information in conjunction with the attached PWS.          

6.1.2 Recent/Relevant Experience

A viable interested party shall demonstrate, in any capability statement submitted, the company’s capabilities to meet the requirements identified in the draft Requirements Document attached as part of this RFI/SS. Examples of previous work or solution implementations provided in response to the subject areas below shall describe how they are relevant and applicable to the GMSS requirement. Specific focus must be on providing medical service support in high-threat, high-risk locations. Specific attention should be paid to performing services in Afghanistan and Iraq.

1. Please describe your ability to provide a comprehensive array of medical support services, at a minimum, to support the specialty areas described sections C.4 (Overarching Requirements) and C.5 (Description of Services).
2. Please describe your ability to provide such medical support services on a global basis including in hostile and remote areas of the world.
3. Please describe your experience in providing a comprehensive list of medical support services and the types of services you company/team have provided.
4. Please describe the countries in which your company/team has provided comprehensive medical support services worldwide.
5. Please indicate the countries in which your company/team is currently operating to provide medical support services and the types of services being provided.
6. Please briefly describe your capability to rapidly deploy and/or resource qualified medical professionals capable of providing the broad array of medical support services needed for this requirement.
7. Please indicate which, if any, of the medical support services listed in this document and the draft PWS that your company/team would not be able to provide.
8. Please describe the ability of your company/team to provide medical supplies and equipment to support MED’s mission worldwide.

7.0 Questions for Industry (Optional)

In order to foster the maximum amount of competition, the Government would like to solicit industry feedback on how to better develop its requirements as well as any specific feedback on the Performance Work Statement. To do so, the Government welcomes responses to the following questions (responses to this optional section can be outside the 10-page limit. Response should be limited to three (3) pages or less):

1. What additional information would your company find most helpful in order to develop and submit a technical and price proposal for this requirement for a best value tradeoff award?
2. What types of performance standards and acceptable quality levels would potentially be appropriate for this type of requirement?
3. Any other questions or concerns that might help the Government refine the PWS or RFP.

Companies are welcome to provide any brief concluding remarks, as deemed appropriate.

At this time, the Government will not entertain telephone calls or questions regarding this notice. The Government may choose to reach out directly to vendors after reviewing and evaluating the submissions.

ATTACHMENT 1 – DRAFT REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENT