Contracting

The following provides contracting information on the Nebraska National Forest.

RFQs – Request for Quotations

This process is used for procurements estimated to be less than $100,000.00. The Simplified Acquisition Procedures found in FAR Part 13 are used. Award may be based on price alone, or price and other factors.

IFBs – Invitation for Bids

This process is used for procurements estimated to exceed $100,000.00 and award is made to the lowest-priced, responsive, responsible bidder. The sealed bidding procedures are found in FAR Part 14.

RFPs – Request for Proposals

This process is used for procurements estimated to exceed $100,000.00 and award will be based on price and other factors. Other factors may include experience, past performance, key personnel, work methods, or other factors which will ensure the best value. The procedures for contracting by negotiation are found in FAR Part 15.

The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) may be found at www.arnet.gov/far and the Agriculture Acquisition Regulation (AGAR) may be found at www.usda.gov/procurement/policy/index.html.

Set-Asides

Effective October 1, 2000 we will classify all acquisitions using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) rather than the previously used Standard Industrial Classification System (SIC). You can compare NAICS codes to SIC codes at
www.census.gov/epcd/ec97brdg.

Small Business set-asides: Most service contracts on the Nebraska National Forest are set-aside for small business.

Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program: This program is tied to designated industry groups and targeted industry groups. See Federal Acquisition Regulations Subpart 19.10. On the Nebraska, this primarily affects construction contracts and contracts for Architect-Engineer services. These projects are set-aside for emerging small businesses. An emerging small business is defined as a small business concern whose size is no greater than 50% of the numerical size standard applicable to the NAICS code assigned to a contracting opportunity.

HUBZone set-asides: The Federal Government will be limiting competition on some of its contracts to those contractors that are certified under the new HUBZONE Program. Those contractors interested in continuing business with the Federal Government, including the Forest Service, would benefit from determining their status as a HUBZONE contractor.

The program has been enacted into law to promote economic development and employment growth in distressed areas by providing Federal Contracting opportunities to those firms who are HUBZONE certified by the Small Business Administration. This requirement does not eliminate the SBA goals for conducting business with small, small disadvantaged, and woman owned businesses for the Forests, but rather adds another important element.

HUBZONES are specific areas of the state that are designated by SBA to be qualified for this program, allowing competition to be restricted to qualifying contractors. In the simplest definition, to qualify, a firm must be a small business, owned and controlled by US citizens, whose principal office must be in the HUBZONE, and at least 35% of the employees of which must reside in the HUBZONE. Set-asides for HUBZONES are required when the acquisition is estimated to be greater than $100,000.00 and at the Contracting Officer’s discretion when the acquisition is estimated between $2,500.00 and $100,000.00. When the acquisition is made using full and open competition, a HUBZONE certified Contractor has a 10% price evaluation factor when competing with another offeror who is not a small business concern.

The Small Business Administration administers the HUBZONE program, they determine the eligibility of contractors in these zones. In order to bid on contracts which are set aside for the HUBZONE, contractors must be HUBZONE certified by SBA. This can be accomplished by contacting SBA directly at their web site below. The site will also provide you with how to apply and maps of the areas that are affected in Oregon and nationwide.

For additional information on HUBZones see FAR Subpart 19.13 or visit the Small Business Administration website at: www.sba.gov/hubzone.

We strongly urge contractors to take the initiative to complete this requirement for certification as soon as possible. Once the program is in place this agency cannot accept offers on HUBZONE contracts from contractors who are not certified.

Get On The List

While visiting the Small Business Administration’s website, be sure to get your name on the PRO-NET list. Although most projects over $25,000.00 are advertised in the Commerce Business Daily, we use PRO-NET to obtain our list of prospective offerors including HUBZONE small business concerns, woman-owned concerns, and small disadvantaged business concerns. Businesses registered with PRO-NET should update their PRO-NET profile every 18 months to ensure they will appear when we do a search.

Certifications

Every contract awarded at $25,000.00 or more requires that the Contractor certify that he/she has submitted the required VETS-100 report. We strongly urge that you get your report filed prior to submitting an offer on our solicitations. You can obtain information and file electronically at the Department of Labor’s website at http://vets.dol.gov/vets100/.

Contract Types Used

Typically, we use a firm-fixed-price contract type with a definite quantity of work specified. In some circumstances, we may use hourly rate contracts with a maximum price, not to be exceeded.

Indefinite-quantity contracts are used when we are uncertain of the amount of supplies needed or services to be performed. The contract specifies a minimum quantity that the Government is required to order, an estimated quantity that is the amount the Government believes it will order and uses for evaluation of offers, and a maximum quantity that cannot be exceeded. A fixed contract period is designated.

A requirements contract has no minimum quantity, just an estimated quantity and a maximum quantity. The consideration received in exchange for no minimum quantity is that the Contractor receives all orders for the supply or service under the contract.

When using indefinite-quantity or requirements contracts, the Government writes a task or delivery order to identify the specific work to be performed.

Performance-Based Service Contracting (PBSC) is most appropriate for services that can be defined in terms of objective and measurable performance outcomes (end-result), and services that represent a continuing requirement.

Contractor is paid based on attainment of predetermined contractual goals. The work requirement is described in terms of what is to be accomplished, the quality standards the contractor must meet, how the Government will measure the quality standards, and how contractor’s performance will be monitored. This allows contractors to determine how to meet the performance objectives, ensures quality levels are achieved, and payment is only made for services that meet the performance quality levels.

FedBizOpps - Federal-wide entry point to business opportunities:

As you may be aware, the Federal Government has been working to improve its ability to conduct business using electronic commerce and the Internet. Therefore, in an effort to provide for the electronic interchange of information regarding federal procurements, FedBizOpps has been established. This system allows universal user access through a single, Government-wide point of entry on the Internet. This site is in addition to individual Forest web sites.

Beginning October 1, 2001, all federal agencies must post procurements over $25,000 at this site and where practicable, post the actual solicitation package. Procurements between $10,000 and $25,000 may be posted at this site to satisfy the public posting requirements of the Federal Acquisition Regulations, however this requirement may also be met by posting notices in public places such as bulletin boards or on individual Forest websites. In addition to posting notices, upon request by small businesses, contracting offices will still provide a copy of the solicitation and specifications. When electronic commerce is used, these packages may be furnished directly to the electronic address of the small business concern.

With the implementation of FedBizOpps , the presolicitation and award notices currently published in the Commerce Business Daily (CBD) will be discontinued effective January 1, 2002. Between October 1 and January 1, notices will be published in both the CBD and FedBizOpps. An exception to this would be for service procurements between $25,000 and $100,000 where the Department of Agriculture waiver is applicable (AGAR Advisory Number 37).

FedBizOpps can be accessed through http://fedbizopps.gov or via the link provided on the Blue Mountain PPM ZAP web site and is fairly easy to maneuver through and search for contracting opportunities with all agencies. Contractor’s may register to receive emails notifying them of notices for a particular solicitation number, notices from selected agencies and product service classifications, or of all procurement notices. A user guide is available at this site to assist Contractors in its use.

Forest Service opportunities can be located by clicking on “FBO for Vendors”, clicking on “Offices” under USDA Department of Agriculture, then clicking on “Locations” under Forest Service. This will display a listing of offices nationwide. From here, contractors can review available information, by Forest, by the date the notice was posted and by classification code, as well as information on projects that have been awarded.

This system will provide better access for Contractors regarding procurement opportunities with the Forest Service. During the transition period, your local contracting office can provide assistance in accessing this application. It is important that we ensure Contractors are informed, as they are critical to the successful accomplishment of our work.