How to Win the Base Operations and Maintenance Support Contract at Fort Belvoir Virginia

Introduction

Fort Belvoir is a United States Army installation and a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. It was developed on the site of the former Belvoir plantation, seat of the prominent Fairfax family for whom Fairfax County was named. Fort Belvoir is home to a number of significant United States military organizations, such as the U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER), Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), and Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).

The U.S. Army Contracting Command – Rock Island (ACC-RI) has issued a solicitation for Base Operations and Maintenance Support (BASOPS) at Fort Belvoir Virginia. The solicitation number is W5168W22R0012 and the estimated value is $162 million. The duration of the term is five years, consisting of one base year and four option years. The purpose of this contract is to provide a full range of services to support the installation’s mission, facilities, infrastructure, and environment.

Historical Background

The current BASOPS contract at Fort Belvoir was awarded in 2018 to Akima Support Operations LLC, a subsidiary of Akima LLC, an Alaska Native Corporation. The contract had a ceiling value of $152 million and a period of performance of five years. The contract included services such as facility maintenance, grounds maintenance, pest control, refuse collection, snow removal, custodial services, and fire protection.

The previous BASOPS contract at Fort Belvoir was awarded in 2013 to EMCOR Government Services Inc., a subsidiary of EMCOR Group Inc., a Fortune 500 company. The contract had a value of $170 million and a period of performance of five years. The contract included services such as facility management, operations and maintenance, utility management, environmental management, and emergency management.

RFP Description

The solicitation for the new BASOPS contract at Fort Belvoir was released on October 12, 2021 and the proposal due date is November 15, 2021. The solicitation is issued as a competitive 8(a) set-aside under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 561210 – Facilities Support Services. The size standard for this NAICS code is $41.5 million in average annual receipts.

The solicitation consists of three volumes: Volume I – Technical Proposal, Volume II – Past Performance Questionnaire, and Volume III – Price Proposal. The evaluation factors for award are technical capability, past performance, and price. The technical capability factor is significantly more important than the past performance factor, and the past performance factor is significantly more important than the price factor. However, price is still an important factor and will be evaluated for reasonableness and realism.

The technical proposal must demonstrate the offeror’s understanding of the requirements, approach to performing the services, management plan, quality control plan, transition plan, and staffing plan. The technical proposal must not exceed 75 pages in length. The past performance questionnaire must provide information on at least three but not more than five contracts or subcontracts performed within the last five years that are relevant to the scope and complexity of the solicitation requirements. The past performance questionnaire must not exceed 10 pages in length per contract or subcontract. The price proposal must provide a detailed breakdown of the offeror’s proposed prices for each contract line item number (CLIN) and sub-CLIN in accordance with the instructions and format provided in the solicitation.

Who Should Participate

The BASOPS contract at Fort Belvoir is a lucrative opportunity for qualified 8(a) small businesses that have experience in providing facilities support services to large and complex military installations. The offerors should have a proven track record of delivering high-quality services that meet or exceed the customer’s expectations and standards. The offerors should also have a strong management team that can effectively oversee the contract performance, ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, and mitigate any risks or issues that may arise.

The offerors should also have a competitive pricing strategy that reflects their understanding of the market conditions, cost drivers, and profit margins. The offerors should be able to justify their proposed prices with sufficient data and analysis that demonstrate their reasonableness and realism. The offerors should also be able to leverage their existing resources, capabilities, and partnerships to optimize their cost efficiency and value proposition.

Challenges

The BASOPS contract at Fort Belvoir poses several challenges for potential offerors. Some of these challenges are:

• The scope of work is broad and diverse, requiring the offerors to have a comprehensive knowledge of the installation’s mission, facilities, infrastructure, and environment, as well as the technical skills and expertise to perform various services such as facility maintenance, grounds maintenance, pest control, refuse collection, snow removal, custodial services, and fire protection.
• The performance standards are high and demanding, requiring the offerors to have a robust quality control system that can monitor, measure, and improve the quality of the services delivered, as well as a responsive customer service system that can address any feedback, complaints, or requests from the customer.
• The competition is fierce and intense, requiring the offerors to have a compelling technical proposal that showcases their unique value proposition, differentiators, and innovations, as well as a credible past performance record that demonstrates their relevant experience, capabilities, and achievements.
• The price is sensitive and critical, requiring the offerors to have a realistic and reasonable pricing proposal that reflects their cost structure, risk assessment, and profit expectations, as well as a competitive pricing strategy that balances their price competitiveness and profitability.

Conclusion

The BASOPS contract at Fort Belvoir is a great opportunity for 8(a) small businesses that have the qualifications, experience, and resources to provide facilities support services to one of the most important military installations in the country. The contract offers a long-term and stable source of revenue for the successful offeror, as well as a chance to build a strong relationship with the customer and enhance their reputation in the industry. However, the contract also presents significant challenges that require the offerors to have a thorough understanding of the requirements, a solid approach to performing the services, a professional management plan, a rigorous quality control plan, a smooth transition plan, and a realistic staffing plan. The offerors must also have a convincing past performance record and a competitive pricing proposal that can demonstrate their value for money.

If you are interested in pursuing the BASOPS contract at Fort Belvoir or any other government contracting opportunity, please contact us today at www.gdicwins.com. We will be happy to discuss your needs and goals and provide you with a customized solution that suits your budget and timeline. With GDIC on your side, you can increase your chances of winning the contract and grow your business in the government market.