Job Opening Title:
Contract Reference Support Services
Name of Employer:
Smithsonian Institution, National Anthropological Archives
Job Site Location :
Suitland, MD
Application Deadline:
January 22, 2023
Minimum Degree Requirement:
Years of experience required:
Salary Range:
Job Description (if URL to posting not available). Include instructions for how to apply.:
Contract Reference Archivist, National Anthropological Archives
Statement of Work for 1400 hours of reference services.
Statement of Work
The Contractor is based in the NAA offices and provides reference support. This includes maintaining the research room schedule, providing on-site reference services to researchers, providing remote reference assistance through email and by telephone, routing telephone and email inquiries to appropriate staff members, assisting with reproduction requests, assisting with tour groups, and helping to maintain reference statistics.
Specific Tasks
Reference work includes interviewing archives patrons to determine research interests and requirements; scheduling visiting researchers using the online appointment request database, assisting with searches in catalogs, guides, and finding aids; locating appropriate collections in storage; serving materials to patrons and supervising their use in the reading room, and re-shelving materials. In addition to on-site reference, the Contractor:
• Provides remote reference assistance by responding to written inquiries and telephone inquiries, and routing emails to other staff as needed.
• Manages scheduling of the research room including all patron visits to the archives and tour groups.
• Maintains visitor forms and patron correspondence/email files and keeps reference statistics.
The contractor will be required to navigate a variety of legacy descriptive tools and systems and conduct research into complicated provenance and custodial histories. The contractor will also be required to communicate frequently with NAA staff and other members of the anthropology department.
Deliverables
The Contractor will submit a monthly written log on reference activity and statistics.
Payment Schedule
Period of performance will begin in February 2023 and continue until the 1400 hours have been expended. Hours and days will be determined in consultation with the contractor but will be a minimum of 24 hours per week, Tuesday-Friday. The Contractor will submit an invoice for payment either monthly or every two weeks.
There should be an option to extend contract.
For instruction on applying, please see below or email Gina Rappaport (rappaportg@si.edu) to receive full application packet.
Smithsonian Institution
OCon 105
Request for Quote (RFQ)
Technical or Professional, Non-personal Services
This Request for Quote (RFQ) is issued by the National Anthropological Archives (NAA), Smithsonian Institution (SI), for technical professional, non-personal services to archival reference services in accordance with the Statement of Work (SOW).
I. SUBMITTING YOUR QUOTE
Price quotes may be submitted by email to Gina Rappaport at rappaportg@si.edu. Please include the date of the quote and send the document as a PDF with your last name in the file name. Quotes are due by 11:59 pm, on Thursday, January 22, 2023.
II. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIRED SERVICES
The National Anthropological Archives (NAA) has a need to procure 1400 hours of
professional archival technical services from a contractor to assist with reference services. A Firm Fixed Price, Requirements type award is contemplated. Work will be completed at the Smithsonian’s Museum Support Center facility in Suitland, Maryland.
III. EVALUATION
The National Anthropological Archives, SI plans to award based on best value to the SI considering the following factors. The SI plans to award without discussions, however, does reserve the right to conduct discussions if later determined by the Contracting Officer to be necessary.
All of the following factors are of equal importance. Evaluation factors are:
A. Relevant Experience/Past Performance
1. Relevant experience is that obtained within the past 5 years providing or performing
professional archival reference services of similar scope to the work required as cited in the statement of work. Experience should be indicated by a list of a minimum of three (3) projects, time frames/performance dates, locations of performance, and a brief concise description of the complexity and scope of the work performed. The information provided should facilitate determination of capabilities to perform the work required as cited in the Statement of Work. Also provide a list of current or previous points of contact and their current telephone numbers who can answer specific questions on quality, workmanship and scheduling.
2. Résumé demonstrating relevant experience.
B. Qualifications/Technical Competence
1. Technical Information – Technical information should include a narrative discussion addressing the technical competence, the contractor’s capabilities, qualifications, and approach to satisfy the requirements of the SOW.
C. Price
1. Provide an hourly rate and firm fixed price for 1400 hours of technical archival
services as outlined in the attached Statement of Work. The quoted hourly rate
should be fully burdened, i.e. after the award of the contract no direct
expenses such as phone calls or messenger service, or any indirect or overhead
expenses will be approved.
D. Availability
1. Hours are not to exceed 40 hours per week, between the hours of 8:00am-5:00pm,
Tuesday-Friday, and are expected to average 24-40 hours per week and not to
exceed 1400 hours total. Confirmation of availability must be included in the
information to be submitted with quote.
IV. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
Prospective contractors are required to have General Liability Insurance. The SI must be
listed as additional insured for the General Liability insurance. Proof of insurance or a
statement of planned enrollment in the Commercial General Liability Policy for Smithsonian
Contractors must be submitted with quotes. The Smithsonian Institution offers liability
coverage for independent contractors at minimal cost.
V. SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM) REGISTRATION
It is a requirement that current and prospective recipients of contracts and purchase orders awarded by the SI must complete registration in SAM and maintain an active record in SAM throughout the period the SI award is in effect. The SAM requires a one-time business registration, with annual updates, and allows vendors to control the accuracy of the business information they enter. The financial data you enter, which includes the electronic funds transfer (EFT) data collected by SAM, will assist the SI with correctly directing payments on your invoices and complying with the Federal Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996.
Within thirty (30) calendar days after your SAM registration is activated you must mail a notarized letter to SAM. You will receive guidance on this procedure throughout the SAM registration process and again after your SAM registration is activated. Federal agencies, including SI, has been assured that once an entity’s SAM registration is activated, agencies may engage that entity. Notarized letters from registered entities will need to contain specific language. OCon&PPM has provided the preferred language for letters with our form memo OCon 120 – Mandatory Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) that accompanies this RFQ.
If yours is the acceptable price quote and you are selected for award, your organization’s active registration with SAM must be verifiable by SI staff managing this procurement prior to contract or purchase order award being executed, and at the time any modifications or amendments to awards might be required.
You may complete or update your SAM registration information anytime online at http://sam.gov. Questions regarding the process may be directed to the Federal Service Desk online at www.fsd.gov or via toll free call to 1-888-606-8220. There is no charge for registering in SAM.
VI. UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER (UEI) NUMBER
A UEI number is a unique twelve-digit alpha-numeric identifier that will be assigned to you when your SAM registration is completed. A UEI is available for each physical location of your business (see Section V. of this RFQ). You will need to maintain your assigned UEI(s) in a safe location where they may be easily accessed. Your UEI will be required whenever you need to annually update your SAM registration or make changes to your SAM registration information at any time.
VII. LEGISLATIVE AND/OR ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS
A. Service Contract Act of 1965, as amended
If services to be performed are covered by the Service Contract Act (SCA), as amended, the SCA shall apply to all work performed under the contract, purchase order, or GSA schedule task order to be issued. Individuals and companies submitting quotes are encouraged to verify the wages and fringe benefits determined by the U.S. Department of Labor to be payable for the Labor Category and in within the location that work performance will occur as cited in the Statement of Work. The SCA wages and fringe benefits payable shall be part of the order award.
Individuals and companies awarded a contract, purchase order or GSA schedule contract task order for SCA covered services are responsible, and required by law, to deliver to its employee(s) or post a notice of the required compensation in a prominent place at the worksite. The SCA provides authority to contracting agencies to withhold contract funds to reimburse underpaid employees, terminate the contract, hold the contractor liable for associated costs to the government, and debar from future government contracts for a period of three (3) years any persons or firms who have violated the SCA. The contracting officer awarding this order, or the Smithsonian Inspector General, may periodically require contractors to provide information that verifies compliance with the SCA for services provided under the awarded contracts, purchase orders or GSA schedule contract task orders.
B. E-Verify
If at award, or anytime during contract performance, the dollar amount of the contract award exceeds $150,000 or $5,000,000 under GSA Schedule, with a period of performance over 120 days, the successful bidder is required to register in the E-Verify System and verify that all individuals to be hired under the contract award are eligible for employment within the U.S. This requirement is not applicable to work that will be performed outside the U.S. or for Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) items.
E-Verify is an Internet-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It allows employers to verify the employment eligibility of their employees, regardless of citizenship. For more information on e-verify and when, why and how to register and use the system please go to the USCIS site on the World Wide Web at:
E-Verify.gov.
Executive Order 13465 and Homeland Security Policy Directive 12 (HSPD-12)
C. Background Investigations
If a contractor employee assigned to the SI under this contract will have an association with SI that will be greater than thirty (30) days, determined either at time of contract award or anytime during contract performance, and will need access to staff-only areas of SI controlled facilities and leased spaces, the employee shall be required to receive an SI Credential. Contractor employees who require an SI Credential shall be required to undergo and pass an appropriate background investigation and complete security awareness training before an SI Credential is issued. Employees whose associations with the SI will be less than 30 days shall not receive a background investigation or SI Credential, however, they must be escorted by Credentialed personnel at all times when in staff-only areas of SI facilities. If relevant to this RFQ, a form OCon 520, Background Investigations and Credentials for Contractors’ Personnel, is included. The following actions shall be required to be completed by the SI Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) and successful vendor:
1. The COTR shall provide an OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment form, for each of the Contractor’s employees who will be assigned to the SI for 30 days or longer. The OF-306 forms must be completed by each person and returned by the Contractor to the COTR, or other designated SI employee, within ten (10) workdays from receipt of the forms by the Contractor.
2. For contractors to SI organizations outside the Washington DC and New York City areas, forms SF-87, Fingerprint Cards, shall be provided to the Contractor by the COTR or other designated SI employee. Each form SF-87 must be returned to the COTR, or other designated SI employee, within ten (10) workdays from receipt of the forms by the Contractor When necessary, the forms SF-87 shall be submitted by the Contractor with the OF-306.
Homeland Security Policy Directive 12 (HSPD-12)
VIII. INFORMATION TO BE SUBMITTED WITH QUOTES
Quotes submitted must include the following information to be deemed responsive to this Request for Quote and accepted by the SI:
A. Project Title and date
B. Name, address, telephone number, and UEI number
C. Description of prior relevant experience (Past Performance information should include
the contract number, contact person with telephone number and other relevant
information for at least 2 recent relevant employment/contracts for the same or similar
services.)
D. Qualifications/Technical Competence narrative.
E. Résumé
F. Pricing. Firm Fixed Price and hourly rate for work to be completed during 2022-2023.
G. Confirmation of availability for proposed contract.
H. Cite the date through which pricing submitted is valid. ATTACHMENT(S):
• Statement of Work for Professional Level Archival Reference Services 1/2023
• Form SI 147A, Smithsonian Institution Purchase Order Terms and Conditions
• OCon 120, Mandatory Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM)
Archives Gig 