Attachment J5 - Q_A - 030ADV26R0004 - 09032025 - pp. 5.pdf

Question No.

Solicitation Section Page No. Offeror Question Library Response

L.4.3 Volume Three - Past Performance

Given the procurement schedule, will the government consider CPARS reports in lieu of Past Performance Questionnaires?

Sections L and M of the solicitation describe the use of both CPARs records and Past Performance Questionnaires. Please review sections L and M.

2 C.3

Will the contractor have access to NLS data about their population of users such as demographics, population size, geographic distribution, and customer experience data? Yes. NLS will provide this data.

3 Section F Please confirm the the place of performance is at Contractor site.

The place of performance is the Contractor's place of business, and, on site at the Library of Congress for the Final Presentation.

Section C.3.3 – Management Review Plan 7

The SOW requires a Management Review Plan that also “informs Congress” of resources needed. Will the contractor be expected to prepare materials in congressional report format, or only provide data for LOC to compile?

No. The contractor will only need to provide data for LOC to compile.

Section C.3.4 – Business Model Analysis 8

Contractor must evaluate “budget and capacity status of each of the 90+ Network Libraries.” Will LOC provide access to state library budget and capacity data, or must the contractor independently collect it?

LOC/NLS will provide the most recent 2025 data collected. The contractor may need to follow up in a rare case.

Section C.3.5 – Product/Service Analysis 8–9

The SOW requires cost comparison of NLS services with “commercial competitors” like Audible, Bookshare, Libby. Does the Library expect internal cost/price data from these private companies, which may not be publicly available, or feature/functionality comparisons?

LOC expects both cost/price data and feature/functionality comparisons.

Section C.3.5 – TTS Requirement 9

The SOW directs contractor to “compile requirements to include a TTS engine in the next generation digital talking-book machine.” Is the contractor responsible for producing actual technical specifications, or a high-level requirements document?

The contractor is responsible for a high-level requirements document.

Section C.4 – Schedule of Deliverables 11–12

The Implementation Plan (3.7) is due “within 45 days after completion of 3.5” (Product/Service Analysis), while the Design Plan (3.6) is also due within 45 days after 3.5. Are these intended to be concurrent deliverables?

Yes. These are concurrent deliverables. The schedule of deliverables has been updated to make this clear.

Section H.7 – Information Security 19–20

Requirements reference NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4.

Should contractors comply with Rev 4 specifically, or the most current version (Rev 5, issued in 2020)? The current version is acceptable.

Section L.4.3 – Past Performance 51

Past Performance requires references from the last three years, while Corporate Experience (L.4.1) allows up to five years. Should Corporate Experience examples older than three years be excluded from Past Performance?

Solicitation section L.4.1 has been amended to require references within the last three (3) years.

Section M.4.2.1(b) – Evaluation of Staffing 55

The evaluation notes “proposals that rely on subcontracting minimally…will be evaluated more favorably.” Does this constitute an evaluation factor, and how should subcontracting be treated in scoring?

This is not an evaluation factor. This is an aspect of the Management and Staffing Plan that the Library will evaluate. The evaluation will be conducted per solicitation section M.

Section C.1 Overview/Background 5 – 6

The SOW references “students, veterans, and people with dyslexia” as potential new populations to serve. Does LOC expect the contractor to include these populations in research and engagement activities, or is this illustrative context only? Illustrative context only.

Attachment J5 - Q&A - 030ADV26R0004 - 09/03/2025 - pp. 5

Section C.1 Overview/Background 6

NLS intends to “plan and recommend a transformational business model…from visioning and process road-mapping to multi-year phased implementation.” Should the contractor’s recommendations include detailed implementation costs and schedules, or just high-level guidance?

The contractor's recommendations should be high-level guidance.

14 Section C.2 - Scope 6

Requirement calls for “five-year projections regarding what will be commercially available.” Is the contractor expected to provide quantitative market forecasts, or qualitative trend analysis?

The contractor is expected to provide qualitative trend analysis.

Section C.3.1 Project Work Plan 6

Deliverable must include governance and communications plan. Should this address coordination only with LOC, or also with ~90 network libraries and external partners?

This deliverable addresses coordination only with

LOC.

Section C.3.3 Management Review Plan 7

The SOW requires a SWOT analysis of current environment and five-year projections. Will LOC provide access to prior SWOTs or market assessments to build upon, or is the contractor expected to develop these from scratch?

LOC will provide prior documents for the contractor to build upon.

Section C.3.3 Management Review Plan 7

The SOW requires “potential scenarios to outsource work” – are there any statutory or policy limitations on outsourcing functions currently performed by LOC staff?

The Library will not solicit or award contracts for services for contractors to perform inherently governmental functions as described in FAR subpart

7.503. Please see the list of examples in FAR 7.503(c)

of activities that are inherently government functions. FAR 7.503(d) contains examples of activities that are not inherently governmental functions but could approach being in that category depending on the circumstances.

Section C.3.4 Business Model Analysis 8

Deliverable requires analysis of FMFB (Free Matter for the Blind) appropriation reduction/elimination.

Should contractor model multiple scenarios (e.g., 25%, 50%, 100% reduction)?

Yes. The contractor should model multiple scenarios as proposed.

Section C.3.6 Design Plan 9–10

Plan must “codify new policy and governance standards.” Does LOC expect contractor to draft actual policy language, or outline policy areas for LOC to later develop?

LOC expects the contractor to outline policy areas for LOC to later develop.

Section C.3.7 Implementation Plan 10

Contractor must provide “detailed three-year program budget projections.” What assumptions should be used for baseline funding (flat funding, inflation adjustments, anticipated increases)?

The contractor should assume all three of those scenarios along with potential budget reductions.

Section C.3.7 Implementation Plan 10

The Implementation Plan requires “service-level agreement(s).” Is the contractor expected to draft SLA language enforceable with network libraries, or propose high-level performance targets?

The contractor is expected to propose high-level performance targets.

Section C.3.8 Summary Presentation 10

Executive-level presentation is capped at one hour.

Does LOC expect this to be virtual only, or potentially in-person at LOC headquarters?

LOC prefers for the presentation to be performed onsite.

Section C.6 / Travel Policy 12

Section states “Library will not reimburse travel.” Yet requirements include engagement with ~90 network libraries across U.S. Is all travel explicitly unallowable, or may contractors propose travel if within fixed price?

It will not be necessary for the contractor to travel to the network libraries.

Section C.3.5 Product/Service Analysis Study 8–9

Should the post-award, “high-level” analysis of current AI-tools primer be treated as authoritative (adopt/expand) or advisory (independently validate), and can you define “high-level” (scope, depth, inclusions/exclusions)?

The high-level analysis of current AI tools should be treated as advisory to answer these questions: Given the NLS service model, what AI tools could enhance the patron experience? What AI tools could potentially replace the current NLS products and services?

Section C.3.5 Product/Service Analysis Study 8–9

To analyze patron needs/goals for digital delivery, does LOC/NLS already maintain shareable artifacts (e.g., surveys, interviews, listening tests, CX/help-desk, usage/telemetry for BARD/DA2/eReaders/Alexa), or should the contractor plan new primary research? If new, please indicate allowed methods (surveys, interviews, usability tests).

LOC/NLS does maintain shareable artifacts and will share with the contractor. But there will be some new primary research required that may be conducted via surveys and interviews.

Section C.4 – Schedule of Deliverables 11

The Deliverable due dates for the Management Review Plan and Business Model Analysis Studies may not be feasible with over 90 network libraries to engage and analyze. The ability to schedule these engagements with network libraries will also depend on availability of these many disparate library staffs.

This is especially true given the start date of the project, when many library staff will have extended out of office plans. Would the Government consider extending the due date for the Management Review Plan and Business Model Analysis Studies (and the period of performance) by 4 months, or clarify the expected level and type of engagement with network library staffs?

LOC cannot extend the POP or due date of the deliverables. However, LOC/NLS will have already engaged the network libraries and will provide the data. The contractor will engage with a small group of network library staff for additional questions and follow-ups. There is no need to contact all 90+ network libraries.

27 L.4.4 51

In addition to an Excel pricing workbook, may Quoters provide a Word document Price Narrative to relay standard pricing information inclusive of remittance information and pricing assumptions?

Yes. However, offeror shall not propose terms and conditions that conflict with the solicitation terms and conditions.

C.4 - Schedule of Events/ Deliverables 11

Can the Library confirm that the days are business days, not calendar days, throughout the deliverable table?

The schedule of deliverables uses calendar days.

The schedule of deliverables has been revised to make this clear.

29 L.4.1 50

To give vendors a greater ability to address solicitation requirements, would the Library consider excluding cover pages, table of contents, and transmission letter from the page limit?

Yes, those can be excluded from the six (6) page response limit.

30 L.3 48 Assuming submission in Word, can the Library confirm the required font size for tables and figures?

The font size shall be the same font size used in the rest of the solicitation which is 12 point font.

31 C.5 12

Can the Library clarify the number of people on the NLS project team that would be responsible for reviewing and providing feedback on engagement deliverables, as well as the number of rounds of reviews?

The Library anticipates three (3) primary reviewers and two (2) rounds of reviews.

32 N/A N/A

Does the Library have a proposed budget for this requirement? If so, can the Library share the proposed budget?

The Library can provide a target range of between $1.2 - $1.8M.

33 C.4 11 Please confirm that the Library intends 45 calendar days, not business days. Calendar days

34 B.1 / C.1 Not provided

Can the Government confirm whether the period of performance (Dec 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) is a single base period only, or if option years are anticipated?

The contract will be for the base period specified in section B. There are no options.

35 Section C.4 Not provided

Deliverables include multiple reports (Management Review Plan, Business Model Analysis, Product/Service Analysis, etc.). Should these be submitted as standalone deliverables per schedule of delivearbles, or compiled into a single consolidated report?

Each of these reports needs to stand on its own but could be several sections of a consolidated report.

36 Section C.4 Not provided

The payment schedule ties specific percentages of the Firm Fixed Price to deliverables. Can the Government confirm if invoices must be tied to COR approval of each deliverable or if partial progress billing will be allowed?

This is a firm fixed price contract. The contractor shall receive payment for completed deliverables only following the Library's review and acceptance of each deliverable. The Library does not make progress payments nor use any form of contract financing.

37 Section C.6 / H.6 Not provided

The RFP designates two key personnel (Senior Financial Analyst and Digital Accessibility Specialist).

Are resumes required at proposal submission?

Please review Section L. Section L contains specific instructions regarding this matter.

38 Section C.6 Not provided

For the Senior Financial Analyst, does the Government require experience with specific federal financial systems (e.g., Momentum, Oracle, SAP) or is general federal budget/appropriations expertise sufficient?

No experience with specific federal financial systems is required. General federal budget/appropriations expertise is sufficient.

39 Section H.6 Not provided

If substitution of key personnel becomes necessary post-award, what is the expected timeline for Government approval of replacements? Please review the Key Personnel clause in Section H.

40 Section L / Section M Not provided

Can the Government provide clarification on the relative weighting of Technical, Past Performance, and Price in the best-value tradeoff evaluation? Please review solicitation section M.

Section B.2 / Section C.4 Not provided

As the contract is Firm Fixed Price, should offerors provide a single total price or a detailed breakdown by deliverables/milestones as listed in Section C.4? Please review solicitation section L.

42 Section M Not provided

Will the Government use a point-based scoring system for evaluation, or only qualitative assessments?

Proposals will be evaluated as described in Section M.

43 Section K Not provided

Can the Government confirm whether offerors must submit an updated SAM.gov Reps & Certs or if completion in SAM is sufficient?

If offeror's SAM information is current, including the business address, phone numbers and points of contact, offeror need not submit an updated Reps & Certs. However, if the information is not current, offeror shall submit an updated Reps & Certs.

Offeror's SAM information shall be current in order to receive the award.

44 Section C.1 Not provided

Can the Government identify whether there are any incumbent contractors currently supporting NLS in modernization or transformation efforts, and if so, what their scope of work is?

The Library does not provide this type of information, nor does the Library provide information on incumbents and current contracts.

This type of information is sensitive. The Library will share information with the awardee, if it determines it is appropriate and only if it is necessary for the contractor to perform the contract.

45 Section C.1 Not provided

The RFP notes “significant results” from modernization initiatives since 2020. Can the Government provide detail on which initiatives have been completed, which are in progress, and which areas remain outstanding?

https://www.loc.gov/static/portals/about/reports-and-budgets/documents/budgets/fy2026.pdf pages 129-132

46 Section C.1 Not provided

The RFP states “organizational structures and processes may require significant adjustments.” Can the Government specify which organizational areas are under consideration (e.g., central NLS functions, state network libraries, advisory/outreach centers, partnerships)? Central NLS functions

47 Section C.1 Not provided

Can the Government provide a list of current strategic partnerships that NLS considers essential and any priority areas for new partnerships?

Consumer advocacy groups and professional organizations that serve and support the blind and print disabled communities (American Council of the Blind and National Federation of the Blind by way of example)

48 Section C.1 Not provided

For new target populations (students, veterans, people with dyslexia), is the contractor expected to conduct direct outreach/engagement with these groups or limit work to analysis and recommendations?

Contractor's work is expected to be limited to analysis and recommendations.

49 Section C.1 / C.3.5 Not provided

Regarding technology transformation, is the contractor expected to prototype/pilot AI or TTS technologies as part of this study, or strictly provide market analysis and recommendations? Provide market analysis and recommendations.

50 Section C.1 / C.2 Not provided

Can the Government clarify the degree of authority NLS has over state-run Network Libraries and whether contractor recommendations may include structural or funding changes at the state level?

The contractor's recommendations are not expected to include structural or funding changes at the state level.

51 Section L Attachment J

The Price Schedule (J4) contains only one page with categories, but no guidance on expected quantities/hours. Can the Government provide an estimate of hours by labor category?

It is the offeror's responsibility to determine how many hours shall be required to complete each deliverable in order to develop offeror's prices. The Library cannot tell offerors how much time to spend completing each deliverable nor how to price their proposal.

Attachment J5 - Q_A - 030ADV26R