Questions and Answers 01.pdf

Questions and Answers #01 – 08/21/2023

Question 1:

Alignment of deliverables in the SOW with the Pricing Sheet document:

E. Deliverables

1. Planning the focus groups with the Project team, including agenda development. (virtual)

a. Due January 1, 2024 (CLIN 0001)

2. Planning the summits with the Project team incorporating focus group results. Includes agenda development and other relevant pre‐work. (virtual)

a. Due December 13, 2024 (CLIN 1001)

3. Facilitation of three 4‐hour summits in collaboration with the Project Team. Notetaking by the Project Team with coordination by vendor. (travel required for in‐person facilitation)

a. Due March 31, 2025 (CLIN 2001)

4. Guide and support the synthesis of scientists’ results/research from the focus groups and summits.

(virtual)

a. Due May 30, 2025 (CLIN 2001)

Question 2:

Is the contractor acting as the project manager during the duration of the work? This would include responsibility for scheduling and leading project team meetings, tracking project progress to ensure deadlines are met, etc. Or will the ARS assign an internal project manager who will have the responsibilities?

ARS will assign an internal project manager to track overall progress to ensure deadlines are met.

Question 3:

Of the following task is the contractor acting as the primary lead or in a support role for each task?

• Participating in regular project planning meetings to guide event planning and agenda design. (virtual) Contractor will support.

• Collaborating with the Project Team to identify focus group and summit participants.

(virtual) Contractor will support.

• Guiding the project’s logistics team that manages outreach, communications, venue setup, and other related needs. (virtual) Contractor will lead.

• Leading the co‐development and design of agendas, invitations, and handouts.

(virtual) Contractor will support some aspects and lead some aspects.

Question 4:

To support the design and implementation of the focus groups is it your expectation that the contractor will be conducting the focus groups or will those be led and executed by the project team/ARS?

The focus groups will be led and executed by the project team/ARS. ARS asks that the supports planning the focus groups to help contractor understand the role of, and participants in, the focus groups in the summits.

Question 5:

If the contractor is involved in the execution of the focus groups? What CLIN should that work fall under?

N/A

Question 6:

Instructions state to fill in all yellow blocks of the spreadsheet. However, lines 16 & 18 are highlighted they have no description. How would you like us to use these lines? This was a formatting error; ignore those lines.

Question 7:

Do you have a time and dates for the three 4-hour summits? We are aiming for January and February 2025; the specific time and date are not yet set. The summits will engage focus group participants and we will work around their schedules.

Question 8:

Are travel costs in accordance with Federal Joint Travel Regulations (JTR)? Or should the contractor incorporate travel costs into the proposal? The contractor is responsible for travel costs to the summits and you must incorporate the costs into the proposal.