Scientific Services Program
Welcome to the Scientific Services Program
U.S. Army Research Office
ATTN: CCAP-SCR
P.O. Box 12211
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211
Scientific Services Program (SSP)
Bulletin Alert
- ***NOTICE: THE CUT OFF DATE FOR ALL SUBMISSIONS UNDER SSP FOR THIS YEAR IS:
THURSDAY, 30 JUNE 2016. - The SSP ordering period has been extended through 30 September 2016.
- New SSP fee as of 1 October 2014: Refer to fee description below.
- Maximum ceiling is $1M.
- Maximum period of performance is 18 months for tasks with an award value ≤ $750K and 24 months for tasks with an award value > $750K.
Points of Contact
Ms. Melony Wicker, Procurement Assistant
Commercial: 919-549-4344, DSN: 832-4344
Fax: 919-549-4388, Email: melony.p.wicker.ctr@mail.mil
Tahissha Holman, Contracting Officer
Commercial: : 919-549-4280, DSN: 832-4280
Fax: 919-549-4388, Email: tahissha.j.holman.civ@mail.mil
Mr. Christopher Justice, Contracting Officer
Commercial: 919-549-4287, DSN: 832-4287
Fax: 919-549-4388, Email: christopher.d.justice4.civ@mail.mil
The Scientific Services Program (SSP) is an accelerated contract mechanism that enables all federal government organizations to obtain specialized scientific/technical services in order to accomplish organizational goals and mission objectives specifically related to research and development.
Through the SSP, non-government scientists, engineers, analysts, consultants and subject matter experts can be quickly subcontracted to perform short-term, well-defined efforts when the expertise required is not available at the requesting government organization. Battelle Memorial Institute administers the SSP for ARO and is the prime contractor. Subcontracts are competitively issued to SSP task performers. Self-employed consultants, faculty, colleges & universities, small and large businesses may perform SSP tasks.
SSP Scope
SSP tasks can be performed for a federal government agency in almost any science and technology area. For example, SSP tasks are currently being performed in these areas:
- Chemical Sciences
- Life Sciences
- Material Sciences
- Physics
- Medical & Health Sciences
- Electronics & Computer Sciences
- Environmental Sciences
- Engineering Sciences
- Mathematics
- Network Sciences
- Modeling & Simulation
- Psychology
- Social Science
- Operations Research
Work of a scientific and technical nature for the solution of specific problems related to research and development that can be described as a study, analysis, evaluation, assessment or interpretation may be conducted through the SSP. The scientific/technical problem to be solved should be clearly explained in the PWS and pertain to one of the science or technology areas identified above.
For example: The services of scientists or engineers, with technical support, are required to evaluate specific problems relating to the development of a sensor based redundancy resolution method for mobile manipulators. The operation of mobile manipulators in military applications offers significant opportunities for solving important battlefield, search and rescue, demining, and many other problems. Redundancy resolution is one of the most challenging problems in planning and control of mobile manipulators. Sensor based redundancy resolutions provide important task flexibilities for the operations of mobile manipulators, which can significantly improve the task efficiency, reliability and operation safety, thus enhancing the capability of the mobile manipulation to cope with both task and environment uncertainties.
Tasks may include analysis panels and workshops where the successful completion of these tasks are focused on solving specific problems involving research, development, or on-going scientific actions requiring studies, analyses, evaluations, assessments and interpretations. The completion of SSP tasks may include some administrative project support which is integral to the completion of scientific and technical analysis; however, these activities must be limited to a small percentage of the overall effort.
PLEASE NOTE: The SSP is not designed to provide advisory and assistance services (e.g., program management activities, open ended advisory functions, market/business analytical activities, evaluation of agency operations, on-going support to internal operations, etc.). Nor is the program designed to fill agency staffing shortfalls or to circumvent personnel ceilings and competitive employment procedures. The same individual cannot be selected to perform repetitively on identical tasks. This will preclude the SSP task orders from becoming personal services contracts which are not authorized under the SSP.
SSP Task Funding
SSP tasks are funded entirely by the requesting Government organization. The cost to the government sponsor is the total of task performer costs plus ARO fee to cover the cost of contract administration. The SSP task ceiling, exclusive of the ARO fee, is $750Kfor tasks with a PoP ≤ 18 months and $1M for tasks with a PoP > 18 months. Advisory & Assistance (A&AS) or American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds will not be accepted. Funding must be submitted via the SSP Portal with each new task or modification request.
SSP Task Administration Fees
Task administration fees to utilize the Scientific Services Program (SSP) will be incurred for new task orders and may be incurred for subsequent modifications (those including funding) that are described below. Administration fees must be identified on a separate MIPR (Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request) DD Form 448 or Interagency Agreement from the total contract research amount. Therefore, two funding documents should be submitted for task initiation and modifications where SSP fee is incurred: one funding document for the applicable task administration fees and one funding document for the total dollar amount to be placed on the task order at that time.
Effective 1 October 2014, a new fee structure is in place for the SSP program.
For all orders under $150K there will be a basic 5% fee collected at the initial start of a task based on the total amount of the task. An additional 4% fee if funds are Direct Cite or a 5% fee if the funds are reimbursable will be collected and will be calculated on the amount of funds being transferred (not the total task amount).
For all orders over $150K there will be a basic 3% fee collected at the initial start of a task based on the total amount of the task. An additional 3% fee if funds are Direct Cite or a 4% fee if the funds are reimbursable will be collected and will be calculated on the amount of funds being transferred (not the total task amount).
The same structure is to be followed for "Level of Effort Increase" modifications to existing orders.
Subsequent funding for those tasks not fully funded at the start will be subjected to a 4% or 5% fee on tasks less than $150K and a 3% or 4% on tasks over $150K that is calculated on the funds being supplied.
All ongoing tasks started prior to Oct 1 2014 that have additional funds provided on tasks less than $150K will be subject to a fee of either 4% if funds are Direct Cite or will be 5% if the funds are reimbursable and if the task is over $150K a fee of either 3% if funds are Direct Cite or will be 4% if the funds are reimbursable will be applied.
Additional SSP task administration fees will be incurred for period of performance (PoP) extensions beyond the maximum 18 or 24 month limit for SSP tasks, depending on the task award value. Administration fees for PoP extensions are tabulated below:
| Days beyond 18 or 24 mo POP | Additional SSP Fee ($) |
|---|---|
| 0-30 | $0 |
| 31-60 | $500 |
| 61-90 | $1,000 |
| 91-120 | $1,500 |
| 121-150 | $2,000 |
| 151-180 | $2,500 |
| >180 | $5,256 |
PLEASE NOTE: The Contracting Office will not be able to process your order until the full task administration fee is received and identified in a separate funding document. In addition to the fees referenced in the table, the administration fees discussed above shall also be provided on a separate MIPR and are to be based on the corresponding POP extension amount.
In the description section of the MIPR (Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request) DD Form 448 or Interagency Agreement document, specify the total contract research amount or the assessed SSP administration fee, Task Control Number (TCN) if known, and the requesting organization's physical location DODAAC or ALC. The paying office will be HQ0337, DFAS Northern Entitlement, for all Department of Defense (DoD) Agencies. However, the Army Corps of Engineers and all civilian agencies will need to specify the paying office DODAAC codes on the MIPR or funding documents. Define any special billing instructions on the MIPR for the total contract research. Otherwise, CORs are responsible for making internal distribution to comply with agency or department requirements for tracking obligations and disbursements. Please note that the prime contractor invoices for DoD task orders are uploaded into Wide Area Workflow (WAWF). CORs will have read only access and must establish an account to view invoices.
For example, identify the amounts to show
Task Order Funding $XXX,XXX
Assessed Fee (based on the fee structure described above)
DODAAC: (Your Physical Location)
Paying Office: (DFAS that Pays Your Invoices)
Billing Instructions: Send invoices to the Paying Office and to the COR
Please contact Ms. Melony Wicker at 919-549-4344 for any questions regarding MIPRs or funding documents.
SSP Flexibility
The sponsoring Government organization is represented on each SSP task by a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) who monitors the technical progress of the task performer toward completion of a PWS. Each PWS is prepared by the COR at the requesting organization and defines the specific objectives and tasks in accordance with their organizational requirements. The Government task requestor specifies:
- Level of effort: The number of scientists or engineers is unlimited, and the number of working hours per scientist or engineer is unlimited. The use of technicians, graduate students, research assistants, clerical assistants, etc., is also unlimited.
- Location of effort: Work can take place in the task performer's facilities, a Government laboratory, etc.
- Travel: Travel to conferences and/or other locations for the purpose of obtaining data or presenting research results is permitted to the extent it is described in the PWS.
- Period of performance: Up to 18 months for tasks with an award value ≤ $750K, or 24 months for tasks with an award value > $750K. Final report preparation must be completed within the period of performance. Time-only (no-cost) extension are subject to additional fee.
- Security Classification: Unclassified through Top Secret.
- Deliverables: At a minimum, monthly/interim reports and a final report are required upon the completion of every SSP task. Other deliverables such as a prototype or hardware item may be identified in addition to the required reports.
Recommended Source: SSP task sponsors may recommend a task performer by name having the required skill set to complete the PWS. Alternatively, the SSP can identify a performer from our database containing over 4,500 resumes with a wide range of scientific & engineering expertise. In either case, source selection is the sole responsibility of the prime contractor (Battelle) who is contractually required to obtain competition in the source selection process.