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COMBINED SYNOPSIS AND SOLICITATION

41311424Q0001MSP

MSPB FY 2024 LEGAL SYMPOSIUM

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.

The solicitation for commercial services is being conducted under FAR Part 12 in conjunction with FAR Part 13.5. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation 41311424Q0001MSP is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2023-06. The NAICS Code is 721110, Hotels (Not Casino) and Motels, and small business size standard is $40M.

The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) has a requirement to obtain meeting space and hotel guest room accommodations for a Legal Symposium in July or September 2024.

The entity selected to receive an offer from MSPB is required to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and to maintain active registration during the life of the purchase order. SAM can be accessed at https://www.sam.gov. Quoters shall include their SAM Unique Entity ID (UEI) number in their quote. The quoter selected for an offer from MSPB will need to provide Offeror Representations and Certifications prior to any award.

All interested, responsible sources may submit a quote directly to the Merit Systems Protection Board. Any quote from a source other than the hotel or lodging venue itself must include written evidence that the quoter is currently authorized to submit binding quotes on behalf of the venue whose accommodations and/or facility are being offered. Evidence shall include a signed agreement between the vendor and the quoter. Quotes that fail to provide such evidence shall be deemed technically unacceptable and will not be considered for award.

SCOPE: This Legal Symposium serves as a forum for the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) to provide training to MSPB attorneys, Administrative Judges, and other employees. This event also constitutes an opportunity to share relevant mission-related information. Many sessions at this event will be available to barred attorneys for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit. In addition, this Legal Symposium will be used to coordinate, facilitate, and implement current best-practices and policies of the MSPB.

The intent of this acquisition is to obtain services consistent with holding a successful Legal Symposium for up to 140 attendees with a 5-day (Sunday-Thursday) Period of Performance (POP) during one of the three weeks in the July 8-26, 2024 timeframe, or one of the three weeks in the September 9 -27, 2024 timeframe. Services required include lodging blocks for individual travelers to schedule, use of conference meeting spaces with appropriate audio/visual (A/V) equipment, beverage service, and specific meals for the entire timeframe of the conference.

AREA OF CONSIDERATION:

Conference and lodging facility within 50 miles of Washington, DC.

Conference and lodging facility located in Richmond, VA.

REQUIREMENTS: Requirements include lodging blocks for individual travelers to schedule, use of conference meeting spaces with AV equipment, beverage service, and specific meals for the entire duration of the conference. Wireless internet must be available and provided free of charge.

LODGING:

Richmond Area: The vendor shall set aside a block of 5 guest lodging rooms for four (4) nights (Sunday-Wednesday), and 135 guest lodging rooms for three (3) nights (Monday-Wednesday) during the POP with check-in on Sunday for the 4-night guests, and a Monday check-in for the 3-night guests. All conference attendees will check-out on Thursday.

Washington DC Area: The vendor shall set aside a block of 5 guest lodging rooms for four (4) nights (Sunday-Wednesday), and 75 guest lodging rooms for three (3) nights (Monday-Wednesday) during the POP with check-in on Sunday for the 4-night guests, and a Monday check-in for the 3-night guests. All conference attendees will check-out on Thursday.

The block of rooms shall be set aside and made available for reservations centrally by MSPB 30 days prior to the conference start date. The rooms will remain blocked until at least 10 days prior to the first date of the POP.

Parking must be available on-site for all attendees.

MEETING SPACES AND NECESSARY ANCILLARY FACILITIES: (conference room and storage space) must be provided by the vendor for the POP. The large meeting rooms, and the smaller breakout rooms must be available from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) during the POP. The storage space and conference room must be available starting from 8:30 AM ET on the first full day (Monday) of the POP, and from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM ET for the remainder of the POP. The registration desk must be available from 12:00 PM ET on the first day (Sunday) of the POP, and from 7:00 AM until 5:00 PM ET on the final day (Thursday) of the POP.

• One (1) Large meeting room with seating for no less than 150 people for the second, third, and fourth (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) days of the POP. The vendor will provide round tables and chairs configured so that all seats face the stage with tables with chairs only on one side of each table, all facing the front of the room. This room must be available from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) on the days specified.


• One (1) smaller meeting room (e.g., a breakout room) with seating for no less than 20 people for the first full day (Monday) of the POP. The vendor will provide tables and chairs set up with chairs all facing the front of the room. This room must be available from 8:30 AM until 7:00 PM Eastern Time ET on the day specified.


• Six (6) smaller meeting rooms (e.g., breakout rooms) each with seating for no less than 75 people for the second, third, and fourth (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) days of the POP. The vendor will provide tables and chairs set up with chairs all facing the front of the room. These rooms must be available from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM ET on the days specified.


• The vendor is responsible for all setup, take down, cleaning, and waste removal in the room. Waste removal will be completed at the end of each day. The vendor will provide all items needed to facilitate this requirement.


• Registration desk. Provide two (2) tables with power, positioned outside of the main conference room, available by 12:00 PM ET on the first (Sunday) day of the POP, and from 7:00AM until 5:00 PM ET on the POP’s first full (Monday) day.


• Storage space within 25 feet of the registration desk that can be secured. The space should be about 25 square feet. The space will need to be lockable and used to store some signage, the standard registration supplies, plus the notebooks and pens that are being provided to each participant. Many things that can be stacked.

AV EQUIPMENT. The vendor must provide AV equipment in each room as follows:

• Large meeting room A/V equipment for the second, third, and fourth (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) days of the POP. The large meeting room must be set up with:
  
  
  
  
  • A 10’x10’ screen, LCD projector, presenter remote, extension cord, power strip, safety taping, audio mixer with laptop audio/visual connection, HDMI 1 x 4 Distribution Amplifier and patch to house sound. A monitor that is visible to the presenter and tied to the presenting laptop (aka a “confidence monitor”) and an external audio source.
  
  
  • Stage. Stage shaped in a rectangular configuration, with pipe and draping behind the stage and skirting around the stage.
  
  
  • Podium. A podium will be placed on the stage.
  
  
  • Room Configuration: “Class-room style”
  
  
  • Microphones. Eight (8) wireless microphones will be provided in the large room as follows:
    
    
    
    • Four (4) wireless lavalier microphones (lapel microphones).
    
    
    • Four (4) wireless hand-held microphones.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • On-site technician to set-up the equipment, train the government staff on basic functions, and available to trouble-shoot and provide technical assistance.
  
  
  • Eight (8) easels with easel pads.
  
  
  
  


• Six (6) smaller meeting rooms AV equipment for the second, third, and fourth (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) days of the POP. Each smaller meeting room must be setup with:
  
  
  
  • An 8’x8’ screen, LCD projector, presenter remote, extension cord, power strip, and patch to house sound.
  
  
  • Podium. A podium must be placed at the front of the room.
  
  
  • Speakers’ Table. A rectangular table must be placed in each meeting room to seat 3-4 people who will face audiences for “panel” presentations.
  
  
  • Microphones. Two (2) wireless microphones must be provided in every smaller room as follows:
    
    
    
    • One (1) wireless lavalier microphone (lapel microphone),
    
    
    • One (1) wireless hand-held microphone.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

FOOD AND BEVERAGES: The vendor must provide stations with unlimited coffee, tea, and water available to attendees for the first full, second, third, and fourth days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) of the POP from 7:00 AM until 4:30 PM ET in or near the meeting rooms.

The vendor must provide a light, “continental style” breakfast for each full (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) day of the POP. This breakfast should consist of items such as fruit, yogurt, juice, water, tea, and coffee. The vendor must provide a “sit down,” “banquet style” lunch for all Legal Symposium attendees on the third day (Wednesday) of the POP. All meal selections will be finalized with the vendor no later than seven (7) days prior to the contract start date. If the government fails to make the selections timely, the vendor will choose the selections to ensure meals are available at the conference. The government will provide the vendor will mealtimes no later than seven (7) days prior to the event start date.

The vendor will provide reasonable accommodation for attendees who have religious or medical food restrictions by providing comparable meals that are suitable for those attendees’ needs. A headcount of attendees who need accommodation and the nature of each accommodation will be provided to the vendor no less than seven (7) days prior to the contract start date. The vendor will provide the government with instructions for the accommodated attendees on how to obtain their meals no later than two (2) days prior to the event start date.

QUOTE INSTRUCTIONS:

Responses shall include a technical quote describing the meeting space, guest room accommodations, and food and beverage options as well as a separate cost/price quote. Quotes shall include:

Technical Quote – the quote shall include the following:

• Sleeping accommodations offered, room block pattern, cut-off date and reservation methods available.


• Proposed meeting space, including names of the exact meeting rooms being offered. In addition, include descriptions, floorplans, capacities, set-up options, etc. and time of availability each day for each of the proposed rooms. Links to meeting space specs on hotel’s website are acceptable as long as exact meeting rooms being offered are identified in the quote. MSPB desires meeting spaces in close proximity to each other.


• Confirm room block and space will be held, or MSPB given the first right of refusal for a minimum of 15 days after quote submission date.


• Food & beverage menus.


• A/V services available from in-house A/V provider, including any discounts being offered as well as any additional fees for using other than the hotel’s in-house A/V provider.


• Wi-Fi, internet offerings including bandwidth, capacities, etc.


• Information/offerings on all other MSPB requirements such as shipping/receiving, parking, etc.


• Any and all special accommodations and concessions being offered.


• A Cancellation Clause or cancellation terms that include a sliding scale that reduces damages for earlier Cancellations and includes a commitment that the hotel will attempt to lessen its harm by reselling MSPB’s space and functions and credits any revenues received from the resale against the liquidated damages in the amount not to exceed the full amount of such damages.


• Include at least two references (name, organization, phone number) from a group for which the hotel provided services similar in scope in the last two calendar years.


• Provide UEI Number and Confirmation of active SAM.GOV Registration.


• Subcontract Management Plan (Required ONLY if the quoter is teaming or otherwise subcontracting with a hotel for meeting space and sleeping rooms; NOT required if the quoter is the hotel being proposed for majority of the meeting space and sleeping rooms) – close coordination between MSPB’s in-house event planners and the hotel is required, especially during the event. The quote shall provide details on how the offeror will coordinate and communicate with MSPB, the hotel, and any other identified subcontractors, such as an AV provider. If the quoter is not a hotel, the quoter shall provide a summary description of the management control system that will be used to plan, schedule, budget, manage, and report the accomplishments of this requirement. The plan should include procedures for effective management of project resources, procedures for controlling the quality of services delivered, and procedures for early identification of potential problems in carrying out delivery of services.

Cost/Price Quote - the hotel shall quote firm-fixed unit prices (FFP) for the following:

• Guest sleeping rooms and meeting space pricing


• Food and beverage pricing, including Service Charge and any other costs, and any Food and Beverage Minimum to obtain concessions


• Wi-Fi and internet - for meeting space, guest rooms, etc.


• A/V pricing, including service charge, fees, and charges for using other than the in-house A/V provider, and any discount offered on published prices


• Storage/handling/porterage


• Parking


• Cancellation Fee / Deposit to hold space

FFP quotes shall account for labor as well as other direct costs, including equipment use and set-up requirements, service charges, etc. The price quote shall include a statement recognizing that as a federal entity, the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board is tax exempt, and therefore the hotel understands that State/Local taxes will not be included as part of the overall price. If any specific documentation is required by the hotel to grant tax exemption, this information must be included in the quote. The quote and/or contract price shall address any Federal, State, and local taxes and duties that would not be exempt.

CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS:

Submit all clarification questions concerning this solicitation in writing via E-Mail to Ms. T. Jae Torres at thelma.torres@mspb.gov. MSPB will accept clarification questions until 2:00 pm ET, Friday, January 12, 2024. After this date MSPB does not guarantee that a response will be given.

QUOTE DUE DATE:

Quotes are due by 10:00 am EST, January 26, 2024, to Ms. T. Jae Torres, Contracting Officer, at thelma.torres@mspb.gov. MSPB will make an award decision as soon as possible after the quote due date so that a room block, space, etc. can be locked in.

CONTRACT CLAUSES:

The following clauses shall apply to any resulting contract. The quoter should review the full text of the clauses below and ensure that no terms and conditions are proposed that conflict with these provisions and clauses. For example, the clauses below cover changes, disputes, payments, cancellation, etc.

52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference. (FEB 1998)

This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es): www.acquisition.gov

(End of clause)

52.209-2 Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations-Representation. (NOV 2015)

52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Products and Commercial Services. (NOV 2023)

52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Products and Commercial Services. (DEC 2023)

Under 52.212-5, the Contracting Officer has indicated the following clauses as being incorporated in this contract by reference to implement provisions of law or Executive orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial items:

[x ] (1) 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (JUN 2020), with Alternate I (NOV 2021)

[x ] (2) 52.203-13, Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct (NOV 2021)

[x ](4) 52.203-17, Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights (NOV 2023)

[x ] (5) 52.204-10, Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (JUN 2020)

[x ] (9) 52.204-27, Prohibition on a ByteDance Covered Application (JUN 2023)

[x ] (12) 52.209-6, Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment. (NOV 2021)

[x ] (13) 52.209-9, Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters (OCT 2018)

[x ] (16) 52.219-4, Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns (OCT 2022)

[x ] (20) 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns (SEP 2023)

[x ] (26)(i) 52.219-28, Post-Award Small Business Program Rerepresentation (SEP 2023)

[x ] (31) 52.222-3, Convict Labor (JUN 2003)

[x ] (33) 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (APR 2015).

[x ] (34)(i) 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (SEPT 2016)

[x ] (36)(i) 52.222-36, Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities (JUN 2020)

[x ] (39)(i) 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons (NOV 2021)

[x ] (48) 52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (JUN 2020)

[x ] (52)(i) 52.225-1, Buy American-Supplies (OCT 2022)

[x ] (55) 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (FEB 2021)

[x ] (62) 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-System for Award Management (OCT 2018)

52.224-1 Privacy Act Notification. (APR 1984)

52.224-2 Privacy Act. (APR 1984)

52.233-1 Disputes. (MAY 2014)

52.233-3 Protest After Award. (AUG 1996)

52.233-4 Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim. (OCT 2004)

52.252-1 Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference. (FEB 1998)

This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es): www.acquisition.gov

(End of provision)

52.209-10 Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations. (NOV 2015)

52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Products and Commercial Services. (SEP 2023)

52.212-2 Evaluation - Commercial Products and Commercial Services. (NOV 2021)

(a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers:

1) technical capability and quality of the items offered to meet the Government requirement,

2) price, and

3) past performance.

Technical and past performance, when combined, are more important than cost or price.

(b) Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

(c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

(End of provision)

52.225-25 Prohibition on Contracting with Entities Engaging in Certain Activities or Transactions Relating to Iran-Representation and Certifications. (JUN 2020

52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services. (NOV 2023)

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