Opportunity: Notice of intent to award a sole source contract

The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office, intends to award a sole source contract, in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-5, to the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS). Authority to sole source to NIBS is provided for in 12 USC 1701j-2(g)(3). This contract will be awarded to assist in the development and implementation of a deployment strategy to promote the adoption and use of the National Guidelines for Commercial Advanced Energy Professionals across the public and private sectors. These guidelines were developed to improve the quality and consistency of commercial building workforce credentials by reducing the uncertainty around workforce credentialing; lower costs; and supporting better credentials, better professionals and better buildings. The guidelines set an industry-validated Job Task Analysis (JTA) for each job title, as well as certification schemes (blueprints) and learning objectives for training programs. The guidelines are intended to benefit training and certification programs; employers and building owners/managers; governments and utility programs; and professionals. In order to develop the guidelines, the Commercial Workforce Credentialing Council (CWCC) was established to lead the development. The CWCC has completed the JTAs and credentialing scheme and the next phase of the National Guidelines for Commercial Advanced Energy Professionals initiative will be to develop and implement a deployment strategy to promote adoption of the JTAs and credentialing and certificate schemes across the public and private sectors. In order to develop the deployment strategy, the Department of Energy will acquire contractor services to: • Operate the CWCC by convening and conducting meetings to advise outreach and certificate development and assisting the CWCC to transition to self-support after FY2016 • Outreach to Credentialing and Training Programs and Building Owner Organizations • Maintain and Update the CWCC Website as Needed • Develop a Building Operator Professional (BOP) and one other technician level certificate program The estimated duration of the work under this contract is for 9 months, with a program magnitude of between approximately $110,000 and $120,000. No RFQ will be issued publically for this requirement. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement, no later than January 7, 2016. However, a determination by the government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. Information or questions may be sent via email only to Krista Weiland at krista.weiland@ee.doe.gov.