A.10 12970224R0009 RFP AMD 05 Q_A.pdf

Solicitation Number: 12970224R0009 AMD 0005

SOLICITATION

12970224R0009

Remote Sensing & Geospatial Support ISSUED: March 29, 2024

4 April 2024 Amendment 0003

11 April 2024 16 April 2024

AMEDMENT 0005

Question 1: 12970224R0009 Final.pdf - Page 15 - FAR clause 452.237-78 Contracts with Consulting Firms for Services (FEB 1988) : Can the intent of this clause be clarified? There is an * at the end of the text yet a footnote or reference to the * was not able to be found.

Answer: This is not an advisory and assistance type of contract. This is a firm-fixed price service contract. So that clause has been removed. It does not apply to the solicitation.

Question 2: 12970224R0009 Final.pdf - Page 24 - Factor 3 Price Evaluation Method cites “This award will be for a firm-fixed-price commercial service contract.” Can this be clarified as to whether this refers to the task orders within the contract being FFP only or is this stating the contract with a total FFP price on award of the contract. If the latter, could further guidance be provided on how contractors can respond with information to support such an evaluation.

Answer: The award of this IDIQ and its task orders are Firm Fixed Price.

Question 3: Can the Government please clarify that this procurement is a 100% Small Business Set- Aside? The SF 1449 form indicates Full and Open. Page 18 of the RFP under 52.212-2 Evaluation – Commercial Products and Commercial Services (NOV 2021) indicates Small Business set-aside.

Answer: This procurement is a 100% Small Business Set-Aside. Review AMD01 that was posted to SAM.gov.

Question 4: The RFP states, "The offeror shall submit information for up to three (3) years from the date of issuance of this solicitation that best demonstrates the offeror’s experience on projects that are similar in size, scope, and complexity to this project, as described in the PWS. How many projects within the last three years does the Government require vendors to submit?

Answer: The number of projects that the offeror sees fit that is within the three (3) year time frame of this solicitation.

Question 5: Do the Key Personnel proposed have to be located in Salt Lake City for reporting to the GTAC or can they be remote based personnel?

Answer: Place of Performance for task orders issued under this contract may order performance at destination or at the origin. Origin of services will be at the GTAC facility in Salt Lake City, Utah or telework from an alternative location with the Government’s approval.

Question 6: For Past Performance submission - can at least one of the projects be provided by a subcontractor?

Answer: Yes, a past performance submission can be at least one of the projects provided by a subcontractor.

Question 7: Will past performance submitted by a first-tier subcontractor be evaluated equally to a past performance submitted by the prime offeror?

Answer: Yes.

Question 8: Does the Government intend to award the three sample Task Orders at contract award?

Answer: No. These are sample task orders in order for the offeror to provide a proposal on.

Question 9: The RFP states, "Offerors are specifically cautioned that any firm(s) receiving a contract award to provide the services described herein will be prohibited from competing for or receiving a follow-on contract to perform Geospatial Services." Can the Government clarify the specific contract(s) for "Geospatial Services" this clause refers to? Would an awardee for the National Geospatial Services solicitation # 12970223R0007 be ineligible for award for this Remote Sensing and Geospatial Services IDIQ contract?

Answer: Answer: This is not an advisory and assistance type of contract. This is a firm-fixed price service contract. So that clause has been removed. It does not apply to the solicitation.

Question 10: The RFP states, "To evaluate offers for award purposes, the Government will apply the offeror’s proposed fixed prices/rates to the estimated quantities included in the solicitation and will add other direct costs if applicable." Could the Government please clarify where in the solicitation the estimated quantities are identified and provide a revised Schedule+of+Items+and+Labor+Category+Rates+Attachment+B form?

Answer: Estimate quantities are not provided by the Government.

Question 11: Is there a total page limit for Past Performance and/or a limit on the number of projects we can include (each project being 2 pages max)?

Answer: The number of projects that the offeror sees fit that is within the three (3) year time frame of this solicitation.

Question 12: Is there supposed to be a table included with the number of anticipated hours by labor category or was that intentionally excluded?

Answer: No. The offeror will determine the anticipated number of hours by labor category based on the work outlined in the Performance Work Statement.

Question 13: We'd like to confirm that you are only requesting the fully burdened rate and that is all you need for the pricing proposal (without the rate build up)?

Answer: Yes.

Question 14: The solicitation states "Offerors are specifically cautioned that any firm(s) receiving a contract award to provide the services described herein will be prohibited from competing for or receiving a follow-on contract to perform Geospatial Services. *"

Questions: Does the prohibition from competing or receiving a “follow-on contract” specifically prohibit the awardee from competing for or receiving the likely replacement IDIQ contract to this RSGS Geospatial Services contract? That Geospatial Services contract will likely be advertised in a solicitation in late 2028 or early 2029 and likely include similar work to this RSGS contract. Is “follow-on contract” referring to an IDIQ solicitation designed to replace the multi-year RSGS or NGS contracts at GTAC, the GO, or the USFS? If not, what are some examples of “follow-on contracts” that are prohibited for the RSGS awardee?

Answer: This is not an advisory and assistance type of contract. This is a firm-fixed price service contract. So that clause has been removed. It does not apply to the solicitation.

Question 15: Is this a requirement whereby the solicitation is open solely to pre-awarded vendors on a previous USDA | USFS Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA), Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), or Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) or related Contract Vehicle?

Answer: No.

Question 16: Is this the first issue of this solicitation (is this a re-compete of an existing USDA | USFS requirement or a new requirement)?

Answer: This is a recompete.

Question 17: Has US Department Of Agriculture (USDA | USFS) held preliminary meetings with specific contractors interested in responding to this solicitation?

Answer: No.

Question 18: Is it estimated that full/total funding exists for this solicitation? If so, is there an intended Maximum/Minimum funding threshold?

Answer: See clause 452.216-73 Minimum and Maximum Contract Amounts (FEB 1988) for Minimum and Maximum for ordering.

Question 19: Can you advise on if there were/are incumbent provider(s) for these services? If Yes – Who is/are the incumbent(s), and can you provide a previous contract number?

Answer: 1284JC18D0005.

Question 20: If there is an incumbent, is there a reason the known incumbent may be precluded from bidding on this new or existing requirement?

Answer: The Government will accept proposals from all applicable small businesses.

Question 21: Would the anticipated Key Personnel Position(s) require relocating to the Washington, DC area, or does the PWS for this USDA | USFS requirement allow for a mix of working remotely and in the Washington, DC area combined with travel to USDA | USFS offices/worksites?

Answer: Place of Performance for task orders issued under this contract may order performance at destination or at the origin. Origin of services will be at the GTAC facility in Salt Lake City, Utah or telework from an alternative location with the Government’s approval.

Question 22: Does this requirement stipulate that the proposed bidder (Prime Contractor – ProSidian [CAGE: 5CAP1]) must hold an active Form DD254 (Top Secret) Facility Clearance "Before BEING AWARDED" this contract?

Answer: No.

Question 23: If an active Form DD-254 (Top Secret) Facility Clearance (or other agency specific Clearance) is required, will arrangements be made to assist and provide adequate time to process the required paperwork (i.e. Letter of Authorization), or are bidders without DD-254 (Top Secret) Facility Clearance not advised to participate?

Answer: Not Applicable to this requirement.

Question 24: For areas where strict requirements exist for an active Secret/Top-Secret Facility Clearance, would The Government accept a Contractor Teaming Agreement (CTA) under The GSA Construct that fulfills the Facility Clearance requirement?

Answer: Not Applicable to this requirement.

Question 25: Can this requirement be facilitated as a HUBZone Small Business Set Aside?

Answer: This requirement is set aside for small business.

Question 26: Can this requirement be facilitated on the GSA PSS (00CORP PSS) 874-1 SIN (541611) Schedule as a Small Business GRADUATED 8(a) Set-Aside? If so, will the USDA | USFS add this contract vehicle to allow small businesses an adequate opportunity to compete and support this requirement?

Answer: The Government will not be setting this aside on GSA.

Question 27: Can you guide the level of effort expected (Total Labor Hours, Labor Hours by Key Team Members, etc.) to complete the Performance Work Statement (PWS)?

Answer: Level of effort will be determined at the Task Order level.

Question 28: Does The US Department Of Agriculture (USDA | USFS) anticipate that required personnel (Key & Non-Key) supporting 12970224R0009 work remotely or on client site at USDA | USFS offices in Washington DC?

Answer: Place of Performance for task orders issued under this contract may order performance at destination or at the origin. Origin of services will be at the GTAC facility in Salt Lake City, Utah or telework from an alternative location with the Government’s approval.

Question 29: What are the Workers' Comp Codes and National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) Classifications for the positions required under? 12970224R0009? A Workers' Comp Codes and NCCI Classification Code is a three- or four-digit numerical code assigned by NCCI. Class codes are posted to differentiate between the various job duties (such as 8810 - Clerical or 8292 - Warehousing) or the scope of work performed by employees. The designation for specific workman’s comp code impacts costing for workman’s comp insurance.

Answer: USFS has not designated a workers’ Comp Code or NCCI Classification Code for the labor categories within this solicitation. Please see AGAR 452.228-71 Insurance Coverage, page 11 of the solicitation.

Question 30: In calculating annual work hours for this project (12970224R0009), does USDA | USFS use 2,080 (i.e., 40 hours/week * 52 weeks) for employees/contractors according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Federal Standard? If NO, Please advise on how many hours per year are established for a full time under this contract. Does the USDA | USFS calculate annual work hours based on 2,080, 1920, 1860, or “other” please state.

Answer: 2080. Total number of hours will be at the Task Order level and will vary based on level of effort of the task order and number of task orders to be awarded.

Question 31: Can USDA | USFS provide specific guidance on proposal formatting for each required volume (Technical, Past Performance, Price, etc.), including font size, graphics/tables font size, margins, and page limitations?

Answer: See RFP Submission Instructions.

Question 32: Should/Can Past Performance/Relevant Experience information be included in the Technical Proposal Volume, or should Offerors provide a separate Past Performance/Relevant Experience Volume for the response to 12970224R0009?

Answer: See Past Performance and Experience submission requirements in the solicitation.

Question 33: Are bidders required to provide a price estimate for Travel and ODC Costs related to The 12970224R0009 Contract? If not, Does the government require that bidders provide a separate "best estimate" of Travel and ODC to accompany the proposal? In such an instance, please provide guidance on which specific proposal volume to include: Travel and ODC Cost Estimates.

Answer: Travel if and when required will be handled at the Task Order level.

Question 34: Is this requirement part of a Multiple Award Schedule/Contract or a Single Award Schedule/Contract?

Answer: Single Award Task Order Contract.

Question 35: Is the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) Wage Determination in force with this RFQ? If so, can you advise a) What SCA/Wage numbers are applicable? And b) What City and State SCA Wage Determination takes precedence?

Answer: Please see Schedule of items. Location of work will be determined at the Task Order level.

Question 35: For areas where strict requirements exist for the number and types of past performance as a PRIME Vendor, would the government accept a Contractor Teaming Agreement (CTA) under The GSA Construct that fulfills Past Performance requirements?

Answer: Yes.

Question 36: Section 2 of Attachment F says "The number of hours requested by the Government, by labor category, for each task order activity are documented in Section 5." However, Section 5 does not provide the information. Can the Government please add this information to Section 5?

Answer: The above referenced sentence was removed. This applies to the Sample Task and should be determined by the offeror.

Question 37: Section 2 of Attachment F says "The number of hours requested by the Government, by labor category, for each task order activity are documented in Section 5." However, Section 5 does not provide the information. Can the Government please add this information to Section 5?

Answer: The above referenced sentence was removed. This applies to the Sample Task and should be determined by the offeror.

Question 38: Section 2 of Attachment F says "Labor estimates for the items in this section are summarized in Table 1." However, there is no Table 1 provided. Can the Government please provide this table?

Answer: The above referenced sentence was removed. This applies to the Sample Task and should be determined by the offeror.

Question 39: Offerors Experience Form Attachment D is not formatted to support a two-page narrative. Will it be acceptable to the Government for vendors to convert this attachment to Word for ease in populating the content, and then re-PDF for submission? Or would the Government provide a Word version for our usage?

Answer: Yes.

Question 40: I see that in Amendment 3, page 9, the ordering period start date was changed back from 2024 to 2025. Was that intentional? One of the earlier Amendments had changed it from 2025 to 2024.

Answer: The ordering dates were changed to reflect the base award date through 29 April 2029.

Ques on 41: Does the 50-page count maximum for nonprice factors include the cover page, the table of contents, and a page for acronyms?

Answer: The cover page, the table of contents, and the acronym pages are not required to be included in the 50-page count maximum.