RFP 12SAD120R0016 RD App Sus O_M- Amendment 0007.pdf

RFP 12SAD120R0016 RD Application Sustainment Operations & Maintenance - Amendment

Amendment 0007 is to provide responses for Vendor questions.

Question 35 Tab A - General Information. Will the Government allow an Executive Summary to be included in Tab A - General Information?

USDA Response: Yes.

Question 36 Tab D - Technical Qualifications. Will the Government consider expanding the Technical Approach Tab to 10 pages while removing the need for the Technical Qualifications Tab as it is repetitive to the Past Performance tab?

USDA Response: The Technical Approach Tab is expanded to 10-pages Maximum. However, please try to be concise and only include relevant substantive information. Do not interpret the maximum page limit to mean that Offeror must submit that maximum page count.

However, Factor 4: Technical Qualifications and Experience (5-page max) will remain in.

Past performance is different than experience, even though an Offeror may use the some of the same information in each. That is why there are separate tabs. See earlier USDA Reponses to note difference.

Question 37 Tab G - Past Performance. Can the vendor use a single-award IDIQ as a past performance reference?

USDA Response: Yes.

Question 38 Tabs A-G. The Government indicates tabs for each section of proposal. Can we combine those tabs into one document with page breaks for each tab, or should each tab be a separate document with a cover page?

USDA Response: Yes, after the cover sheet, combine those tabs into one document with page breaks for each tab.

Question 39 We request the Government consider a CyberSecurity tab of 5 pages be added to the evaluation of the technical capabilities. The importance of cybersecurity for application operations such as in this RFP seems to be missing.

USDA Response: Cybersecurity is supported under a different contract, however the Government expects the awarded vendor to work with our Cybersecurity team to ensure the security of our applications and operations accomplished through sustainment activities and continuous improvement efforts of processes, applications, services, and other tasks. The vendor will be required to support accreditation activities (ATO) by providing system information and input. If an issue is found, the security team will identify the issue and work with the vendor to address and/or schedule time to address any corrective actions.

Question 40 Would you provide “today’s breakout” of this work? By task area?

St. Louis DC Contractor Site Task Area 1 ----- ____ _____ Task Area 2 ----- ____ _____ Task Area 3 ----- ____ _____ Task Area 4 ----- ____ _____

USDA Response: There is no breakout of the Task areas per locations. The listed locations are locations in which any and all tasks may be performed. Tasks can be completed at any location and as stated in the PWS. They may be completed remotely at vendor proposed location.

Currently all tasks are being supported remote/virtually in support of efforts to combat CoVid 19.

USDA expects to have a mixed (virtual/in person) workforce, but largely does not expect the bulk of the contractors onsite at government locations unless requested to attend in-person meeting, which would be infrequent. The government has limited space available to house Vendor’s workforce, for this acquisition efforts, in its new DC or STL locations.

Question 41 Core Skill Set. What is considered a core skill set?

USDA Response: The above Vendor’s question refers to the use of the wording ‘core skillset’ on page 34 of the RFP.

“The following is an example of what may be addressed in the Contractor’s Technical Quote/Proposal:

Example: Focus Area 3 Team:

31Members

Firm-Fixed Price (1-month):

$00

Team Member

Core Skillset 1 (Minimum Years of Experience Proposed)

Core Skill Set 2 (Minimum Years of Experience Proposed)

Additional Skill Set(s)

1 (Example) Software Developer (>8 years of development experience and >1 year of experience mentoring junior developers)

2 (Example) Software Tester (with >2 years of experience in software testing).

3n That chart is just an example. A vendor could exchange the verbiage with something like, “Skillsets associated with FA 1”, for instance, and include a list of team members for FA 1. A chart is not required, but if one is included to demonstrate your planned team for each FA, something like the above is easy to follow.

Question 42 Period of Performance. What is the period of performance end date that a Task Order and go past when the IDIQ POP ends?

USDA Response: This would depend on the Task Order. A Task Order must be awarded before the POP of (Period or Performance) the base or option year ends. A Task Order could be issued for the time length of a year. Therefore, it is possible that a Task Order could go 364 days past the end date of an IDIQ POP.

Question 43 QOUTE/PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL AND AWARD INFORMATION. The RFP states that “one page is defined as one electronic page which is no larger than 8.5” x 11”.” Will the government allow 11x17 foldout pages?

USDA Response: No. Please be creative and stick to the 8.5” x 11” sizing.

Question 44 QOUTE/PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL AND AWARD INFORMATION. The RFP states that “Font shall be either Times New Roman or Arial and the font size shall be no smaller than 11.” Will the government allow size 9 font for tables and graphics?

USDA Response: This question was previous asked and answered in Amendment 0002. Also, updated PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL AND AWARD INFORMATION Instructions were posted to Beta.Sam.gov in Amendment 0005. Added instructions state, “However, for tables and graphics, font size no smaller than 6 may be used.”

Question 45 QOUTE/PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL AND AWARD INFORMATION. The RFP states that “Font shall be either Times New Roman or Arial and the font size shall be no smaller than 11.” Will the government allow size 9 font for headers and footers?

USDA Response: Yes, font size of 9 may be used for headers and footers. For headers and footers, do not use font size smaller than 8.

Question 46 QOUTE/PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL AND AWARD INFORMATION. Will the Government send out updated instructions and RFP to reflect all the changes made from the Q&A?

USDA Response: Please see updated PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND EVALUATION INFORMATION document posted as part of RFP 12SAD120R0016 RD Application Sustainment Operations & Maintenance - Amendment 0005. The only changes made to the PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND EVALUATION INFORMATION instructions since update in Amendment 0005, are within this amendment (Amendment 0007). Therefore, at this time no further conformed PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND EVALUATION INFORMATION instructions will be posted.

If there are several more changes to the PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND EVALUATION INFORMATION instructions, then a conformed update will be posted as part of an amendment.