Posted: 3:33 am ET
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It’s called the Diplomatic Platform Support Services (DiPSS).  On January 10, the State Department’s Office of Acquisition Management (AQM) published a notice for the combined synopsis and solicitation for Diplomatic Platform Support Services. The special focus is on the Middle East and South Central Asia regions but the contract also aims to provide “flexibility to support DoS posts and other U.S. Government activities operating throughout the world.”

The contract requires the Contractor to “support DoS activities and programs that may require DiPSS services in locations outside of the physical boundaries of Embassies and Consulates.”  The types of projects under this contract may include, but are not limited to: “food service, maintenance/repair of facilities, full spectrum operations of man camps, sewage and plumbing operations of facilities, leasing properties, refurbishing properties to include upgrading to meet high security requirements, laboratories, dining facilities and related structures, travel services for personnel, to include medical, limited security as deemed necessary by DoS, and insurance.”

Note that the State Department has already done this to our missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.  But it looks like DiPSS could be anywhere in the world as the requirement is for operation & maintenance services at various government installations located “in any country where the U.S. Department of State has a presence.”

• Iraq Got BLISS, Now US Mission Afghanistan Gets ALiSS or Afghanistan Life Support Services
• US Mission Iraq: Get ready for BLISS… no, not perfect happiness — just Baghdad Life Support Services

On April 23, the State Department extended the date for submission of offers from May 5, 2017 to June 15, 2017.

Below is the announcement:

The solicitation may result in multiple awards of an Indefinite Delivery-Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) type contract in the third quarter of fiscal year 2017. Task orders will be awarded as any type of cost arrangement authorized under FAR Part 16 as appropriate.

The scope of work requires the Contractor to provide Program Management, Procurement of Critical Items, Life Support Services, Logistics Services, Operation and Maintenance Services, Construction and Renovation Projects to U.S. Department of State facilities, and other U.S. Government facilities overseas. The work to be acquired under this solicitation is for logistical service, life & mission support services, and all other operation & maintenance services at various government installations located in any country where the U.S. Department of State has a presence, with a focus on high threat contingency environments. Types of projects may include, but are not limited to: food service, maintenance/repair of facilities, full spectrum operations of man camps, sewage and plumbing operations of facilities, leasing properties, refurbishing properties to include upgrading to meet high security requirements, laboratories, dining facilities and related structures, travel services for personnel, to include insurance.

This acquisition is set aside for small business. The NAICS number applicable to this solicitation is 561210. The Small Business Administration small business size standard is $38.5 million.

The basic contract period of performance will be for 12 months. Each contract contains nine (9) 12-month options for a maximum period of performance of ten years for each contract. The estimated maximum dollar value for all contracts combined, including the base year and all options, is $5,000,000,000. The estimated maximum value may be divided up among contract awardees. The minimum guarantee for a contract is $10,000, which will be paid during the performance period of the contract. Contractors are not guaranteed work in excess of the minimum guarantee.

The Contracting Officer or his properly authorized representative, who will issue written task orders to the contractors, will determine the actual amount of work to be performed and the time of such performance. The only work authorized under the contract is work ordered by the Government through issuance of a task order. The Government makes no representation as to the number of task orders or actual amount of work to be ordered. Each task order issued under an IDIQ contract may have a performance period of up to five years. Task orders will range between $5,000,000 dollars and $50,000,000 dollars on average with the ability to be awarded for as low as $25,000 Task orders may fall below or above this limit; however, contractors are not obligated to accept such task orders under the general terms of the contract.

Overview:

The U.S. Department of State (“DoS,” “State,” or “the Department”) require Diplomatic Platform Support Services (DiPSS) to provide a full range of services for Life Support Services, Logistics Services (LSS&L), and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) services to DoS and other U.S. Government agencies under Chief of Mission Authority and, under special circumstances, non-Chief of Mission activities across the globe. DoS anticipate a large portion of the contract work will focus on locations in the Middle East and South Central Asia contingency environments; however, DiPSS will be available to other Bureaus, Posts, Missions, and potentially agencies operating in other areas.

Minimum and maximum quantities:

The Government, through issuance of Task Order(s) or otherwise, shall pay a one-time minimum of $10,000.00 (inclusive of all direct costs, indirect costs, and profit/fee) within the contract’s period of performance (base period of one year plus nine option periods consisting of one year each).

The combined maximum quantity for the all contracts’ over the potential ten year period of performance (base period of one year plus nine option periods consisting of one year each) shall be any quantity or combination of supplies and services not exceeding $5,000,000,000.00 (inclusive of all direct costs, indirect costs, and profit/fee).

Background:

The DoS operates approximately 250 posts worldwide at any given time; this number changes as global situations dictate. […] Some posts are located in areas that are considered to have a high threat level; including areas with Department of Defense designated contingency operations.

Over the last five years, the AQM awarded 29 acquisition instruments (contracts, purchase orders, blanket purchase agreements, etc.) for Life Support Services & Logistics (LSS&L) and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) services in Middle East and South Central Asia. Several of the acquisition instruments have been relatively narrowly scoped, country or post-specific contracts.
[…]
The DiPSS contract will create opportunities for DoS to augment U.S. Government staff in situations 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.

The objectives for the DiPSS contract include:

1. Acquire LSS&L and O&M service and performance outcomes under broad global contracts supporting diplomatic platforms, with a special focus on the Middle East and South Central Asia regions but provide flexibility to support DoS posts and other U.S. Government activities operating throughout the world.
2. Remove duplicative and unnecessary variations in U.S. Government requirements and inefficient processes to realize cost savings.
3. Develop a group of highly reliable LSS&L and O&M Contractors, capable of supporting current and future needs of DoS and U.S. Government agencies and offices overseas.

Scope:

The Contractor shall provide the services identified in section C.2 for DoS and/or other U. S. Government agencies operating from diplomatic platforms falling under Chief of Mission (COM) authority or other U.S. Government facilities, as authorized by the DoS. The Contractor must support DoS activities and programs that may require DiPSS services in locations outside of the physical boundaries of Embassies and Consulates.

The Contractor must provide all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supplies, transportation, supervision, and other services necessary to accomplish the requirements of this IDIQ contract and requirements of Task Orders awarded under this contract.

The work to be acquired under this DIPSS contract is for logistical service, life & mission support services, and all other operation & maintenance services at various government installations located in any country where the U.S. Department of State has a presence, with a focus on high threat contingency environments. Types of projects may include, but are not limited to: food service, maintenance/repair of facilities, full spectrum operations of man camps, sewage and plumbing operations of facilities, leasing properties, refurbishing properties to include upgrading to meet high security requirements, laboratories, dining facilities and related structures, travel services for personnel, to include medical, limited security as deemed necessary by DoS, and insurance.

Here is an item on Safeguarding Information:

The Contractor and its employees shall exercise the utmost discretion in regard to all matters relating to their duties and functions. They shall not communicate to any person any information known to them by reason of their performance of services under this contract which has not been made public, except in the necessary performance of their duties or upon written authorization of the Contracting Officer. All documents and records (including photographs) generated during the performance of work under this contract shall be for the sole use of and become the exclusive property of the U.S. Government. Furthermore, no article, book, pamphlet, recording, broadcast, speech, television appearance, film or photograph concerning any aspect of work performed un- der this contract shall be published or disseminated through any media without the prior written authorization of the Contracting Officer. These obligations do not cease upon the expiration or termination of this contract. The Contractor shall include the substance of this provision in all contracts of employment and in all subcontracts hereunder.

On Recruitment of Third Country Nationals:

On contracts exceeding $150,000 where performance will require the recruitment of non-professional third country nationals, the offeror is required to submit a Recruitment Plan as part of the proposal.

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