How GDI Consulting Can Help You Win the Base Operations and Maintenance Services Contract for Fort Huachuca Arizona

Fort Huachuca is a U.S. Army installation located in Cochise County, Arizona, near the city of Sierra Vista. It is home to the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command, and several other units and agencies. The fort covers an area of about 73,000 acres and hosts over 18,000 military personnel and civilians.

The U.S. Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG) has issued a pre-solicitation notice for a contract to provide base operations and maintenance services for Fort Huachuca. The solicitation number is W9124A23R0005 and the estimated value is $89 million. The contract will have a base period of 11 months, plus four 12-month option periods and a one-month phase-in period. The contract is set aside for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs).

The base operations and maintenance services include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Facility management
• Facility investment
• Custodial services
• Pest control services
• Grounds maintenance and landscaping services
• Pavement clearance services
• Waste management services
• Environmental services
• Fire and emergency services
• Base support vehicles and equipment maintenance
• Electrical distribution system maintenance
• Water and wastewater system maintenance
• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system maintenance
• Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system maintenance
• Energy management control system (EMCS) maintenance
• Elevator maintenance
• Miscellaneous minor construction projects

The ACC-APG plans to issue the request for proposal (RFP) in November 2023 and award the contract in January 2024. The RFP will be posted on the System for Award Management (SAM) website at 6.

If you are a SDVOSB that is interested in pursuing this opportunity, you need a reliable and experienced partner that can help you with capture management, proposal development, and proposal support services. That partner is GDI Consulting.

Historical Background

This is not the first time that the ACC-APG has solicited for base operations and maintenance services for Fort Huachuca. In fact, there have been several previous RFPs that preceded this one. Here are some examples of the past contracts that were awarded for this requirement:

• In 2010, the ACC-APG awarded a five-year contract worth $138 million to EMCOR Government Services, Inc., a subsidiary of EMCOR Group, Inc., to provide base operations and maintenance services for Fort Huachuca. The contract had a one-year base period and four one-year option periods.
• In 2015, the ACC-APG awarded a five-year contract worth $158 million to EMCOR Government Services, Inc., to continue providing base operations and maintenance services for Fort Huachuca. The contract had a one-year base period and four one-year option periods.
• In 2020, the ACC-APG awarded a five-year contract worth $196 million to EMCOR Government Services, Inc., to again provide base operations and maintenance services for Fort Huachuca. The contract had a one-year base period and four one-year option periods.

As you can see, EMCOR Government Services, Inc., has been the incumbent contractor for this requirement for over a decade. However, this does not mean that they have an unbeatable advantage over other potential offerors. In fact, there are several factors that make this opportunity more competitive and attractive for SDVOSBs like you:

• The current contract with EMCOR Government Services, Inc., will expire in September 2024, which means that there will be no bridge contract or extension that could delay or prevent the award of the new contract.
• The new contract is set aside for SDVOSBs, which means that only eligible small businesses that are owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans can compete for this opportunity. This reduces the pool of competitors and increases your chances of winning.
• The new contract has a shorter base period of 11 months instead of one year, which means that the government will have more flexibility to evaluate the performance of the contractor and make adjustments if needed.
• The new contract has a lower estimated value of $89 million instead of $196 million, which means that the government is looking for more cost-effective and efficient solutions to meet its requirements.

These factors indicate that the government is seeking a fresh and innovative approach to provide base operations and maintenance services for Fort Huachuca. This is where GDI Consulting can help you stand out from the crowd and win this contract.

RFP Description

The RFP for the base operations and maintenance services contract for Fort Huachuca will be issued by the ACC-APG in November 2023. The RFP will contain the following sections:

• Section A: Solicitation/Contract Form. This section will provide the basic information about the solicitation, such as the solicitation number, the type of contract, the period of performance, the place of performance, and the instructions for submitting proposals.
• Section B: Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs. This section will provide the description of the supplies or services that are required by the government, as well as the pricing structure and the evaluation criteria for price proposals.
• Section C: Description/Specifications/Statement of Work. This section will provide the detailed description of the scope of work, the performance standards, the deliverables, and the quality assurance plan for the contract.
• Section D: Packaging and Marking. This section will provide the instructions for packaging and marking the supplies or services that are delivered under the contract.
• Section E: Inspection and Acceptance. This section will provide the terms and conditions for inspecting and accepting the supplies or services that are delivered under the contract.
• Section F: Deliveries or Performance. This section will provide the schedule and location for delivering or performing the supplies or services under the contract.
• Section G: Contract Administration Data. This section will provide the information about the contract administration, such as the contracting officer, the contracting officer’s representative, the invoicing and payment procedures, and the reporting requirements.
• Section H: Special Contract Requirements. This section will provide any special contract requirements that are not covered in other sections, such as security clearances, personnel qualifications, subcontracting limitations, and key personnel.
• Section I: Contract Clauses. This section will provide the contract clauses that are applicable to the contract, such as the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses and any agency-specific clauses.
• Section J: List of Attachments. This section will provide a list of attachments that are part of the solicitation, such as drawings, maps, forms, and templates.
• Section K: Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements of Offerors. This section will provide a list of representations, certifications, and other statements that offerors must complete and submit with their proposals, such as small business status, past performance information, and organizational conflicts of interest.
• Section L: Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors. This section will provide the instructions, conditions, and notices to offerors regarding how to prepare and submit their proposals, such as proposal format, proposal content, proposal submission method, proposal due date, proposal evaluation process, proposal discussions, and proposal award.
• Section M: Evaluation Factors for Award. This section will provide

the evaluation factors for award that will be used by the government to evaluate and compare offerors’ proposals, such as technical approach, management approach, past performance, price, and other factors.

The RFP will also include several attachments that offerors must review and use to prepare their proposals. Some of these attachments are:

• Attachment 1: Performance Work Statement (PWS). This attachment will provide a detailed description of the tasks and subtasks that are required under each service area of the contract.
• Attachment 2: Performance Requirements Summary (PRS). This attachment will provide a summary of the performance requirements for each service area of the contract, such as performance objectives, performance standards, performance indicators, incentives, disincentives, and surveillance methods.
• Attachment 3: Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). This attachment will provide a plan for monitoring and evaluating contractor performance under each service area of the contract.
• Attachment 4: Pricing Schedule. This attachment will provide a template for offerors to fill in their proposed prices for each service area of the contract.
• Attachment 5: Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ). This attachment will provide a questionnaire for offerors to send to their past or present customers who can verify their relevant experience and performance under similar contracts.

Challenges

The base operations and maintenance services contract for Fort Huachuca is not an easy one to win or execute. There are several challenges that you need to overcome, such as:

• The incumbent contractor, EMCOR Government Services, Inc., has a strong track record of performance and customer satisfaction at Fort Huachuca. They have been providing these services for over 10 years and have established a solid relationship with the government and the end users. They also have a deep understanding of the requirements, the facilities, and the environment. You need to demonstrate how you can offer a better value proposition than the incumbent and how you can ensure a smooth transition without disrupting the operations.
• The contract is set aside for SDVOSBs, which means that you need to meet the eligibility criteria and the certification requirements of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). You need to prove that you are a small business that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans, and that your daily business operations are managed by one or more service-disabled veterans. You also need to register in the VA’s Vendor Information Pages (VIP) database and obtain verification from the VA’s Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE).
• The contract has a complex and demanding scope of work that covers a wide range of services and disciplines. You need to show that you have the technical expertise, the management capability, the quality assurance system, and the resources to perform all the tasks and subtasks under each service area of the contract. You also need to show that you have relevant past performance and experience in providing similar services to government facilities of comparable size, scope, and complexity.
• The contract has a tight schedule and budget that require high efficiency and cost-effectiveness. You need to propose a realistic and competitive price that reflects your understanding of the requirements, the market conditions, and your cost structure. You also need to propose a feasible and flexible delivery schedule that meets or exceeds the government’s expectations and minimizes any risks or delays.

These challenges are not insurmountable, but they require careful planning, preparation, and execution. This is where GDI Consulting can help you with our proven capture management and proposal development services.

Conclusion

The base operations and maintenance services contract for Fort Huachuca is a lucrative opportunity for SDVOSBs who want to expand their business in the federal market. However, it is also a highly competitive and challenging opportunity that requires a strategic approach and a professional partner.

GDI Consulting is your ideal partner for this opportunity. If you are interested in partnering with GDI Consulting for this opportunity, please contact us today at www.gdicwins.com. We would love to hear from you and discuss how we can help you achieve your business goals.