Questions_and_Answers_for_13-250-SOL-00005_4_4_13.pdf

Solicitation Number 13-250-SOL-00005 Questions and Answers

Transmitted herein is a copy of all questions received in response to the above numbered solicitation and government responses.

1. Question: Is this a new or follow on requirement? If it is a follow on, please let us know the current contract number and contract value?

Answer: Please see attached spreadsheet for the list of current Evaluation IDIQ contract holders and total dollar amount for all task orders awarded under each IDIQ. This procurement has been re-drafted to meet the agency’s current need (Attachment 1)

2. Question: Who is the incumbent? Is it still eligible to bid as a prime for this contract?

Answer: See Question #1. Yes

3. Question: What would be the place of performance to perform the services?

Answer: Contractor’s Site

4. Question: In the draft RFP for the above cited solicitation it stated that “Your proposal shall be received by the Contracting Officer as soon as possible, but no later than sixty

(60) days after release of the final RFP . . .” However, we noticed that the final solicitation, which came out today, says that the proposal is due on March 27, 2013. We believe it will take the full 60 days to complete a thorough proposal. Would HRSA please consider extending the proposal due date to the original response date of April 23, 2013?

Answer: Extended to April 30, 2013 at 10:00 am EST. No exceptions.

5. Question: Is the reference section (i.e., list of articles cited in the proposal) part of the

75-page limit?

Answer: No.

6. Question: Can appendices (other than abbreviated CVs) be included to expand on certain components of the proposal or these would not be read?

Answer: Yes

7. Question: Any example on how to fill out the GPAT form since this is the first time we are using this?

Answer: The GPAT is not required for the IDIQ. However, based on the need it may be required at the task order level.

8. Regarding what needs to be submitted under item B of the Personnel section, as written below:

B. Resumes and commitment letters for all personnel shall be submitted and shall include the labor categories/positions of which persons within the organization will occupy for this project along with their key functions.

The question is: if the co-investigators are from the same organization as the principal investigator (project director), do they still need to submit commitment letters? In the past, it seems we only submit commit letters from outside consultants or sub-contracted institutions. Your clarification on this is much appreciated.

Answer: Commitment letters are required for persons who are not current employees of the organization when the proposals are submitted in response to the RFP.

9. Question: The Draft RFP transmittal letter states: “Your proposal shall be received by the Contracting Officer as soon as possible, but no later than sixty (60) days after release of final RFP…” The Solicitation as currently posted states “Response Date: April 23, 2013, 10:00am Eastern”. Please confirm the current proposal due date/time.

Answer: See Question #4

10. Question: On page 133 of the Draft RFP, Attachment H—Past Performance

Questionnaire Letter, it states that “….complete this questionnaire and return it to the

HRSA Contract Specialist…no later than February 20, 2013….”. Please confirm that the due date/time would coincide with the proposal due date/time.

Answer: The Past Performance Questionnaire Surveys are extended and due on April 26, 2013 at 10:00 am EST. No Exceptions.

11. Question: The Period of Performance is base period of twelve (12) months with four (4) twelve (12) month option periods.” For proposal preparation purposes, when does HRSA anticipate making the IDIQ awards (effective date of the contract-EDOC)?

Answer: 4 th quarter

12. Question: In reviewing the draft RFP issued for the HRSA Evaluation Studies IDIQ contract. For Domain Three, it lists 521512 as the NAICS code. I was wondering if this was intended to be 541512?

Answer: The correct NAICS code is 541512.

13. SECTION M - EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD (M.1 General) reads:

“Prior to technical review, each task order proposal’s GPAT will be reviewed on a pass/fail* basis to determine if it sufficiently addresses the Government’s needs as specified in the GPAT (see Attachment A). Any proposal which does not include a

GPAT, or which contains a GPAT that is determined to be inadequate, cannot pass, and therefore will not be submitted for technical review.”

Question: How does HRSA decides what is “determined to be inadequate”? Do you use a scoring system to determine what is inadequate? What OBJECTIVE criteria or metrics are used to determine Pass/Fail? Does HRSA have any obligation to share the result of its

Fail decision with the contractor prior to selecting the winning contractors? Is there any appeal process in case of a contractor receive a Fail? What is the appeal process, if any?

Answer: See Revised Section G.

14. Question: You are requiring a lot of copies of the proposals at a time when most of our submissions are being done electronically. As a reviewer for other agency proposals, I find that reviewing a large volume is easier to evaluate using the tools available to me in

MS Word, and I only print out the pages that I need along the way.

Could you consider reducing this requirement? It is a lot of paper, and a burden for your office to receive so many bids, and accompanying copies.

Answer: See Revised Section L.

15. Question: We note that the Draft RFP issued by HRSA on February 6, 2013 indicated that proposals would be due 60 days after the issuance of the Final RFP. However, the

Final RFP issued by HRSA on February 11 requires proposals to be submitted by March

27, a 45-day turnaround period. Would HRSA consider extending the due date for proposals until April 11, 2013, which represents a 60-day turnaround?

Answer: See Question #4

16. Question: Sections I.8, I.9, I.10 and I.11 address EVMS requirements. Are bidders required to have an EVMS in place to submit a proposal? If bidders are not required to have an EVMS in place at the time the proposal is submitted, are bidders required to develop/implement an EVMS after award? (We respectfully note that, in our experience, EVMS is rarely required in HHS contracts.)

Answer: No. However, based on the services required under each task order there may be a need.

17. Question: RFP section L.5.1 states, in part, that “…Proposals in response to this RFP therefore MUST include the GPAT demonstrating how the proposal meets the accessibility requirements contained therein.” We surmise that HRSA requires contractors to submit completed GPAT forms with their proposals. However, are contractors required to submit 508-compliant proposals (actual proposal documents), as well?

Answer: See Revised Section G.

18. Question: Are contractors required to submit completed GPATs with their IDIQ proposal responses, or only with subsequent Task Order proposals? Did HRSA intend that contractors’ specific GPAT responses contain general IDIQ responses, versus specific SOW-oriented responses? Please clarify.

Answer: No

19. Question: Would HRSA consider accepting a lesser number of printed proposals?

(Currently at one original and 14 printed copies per proposal.)

20. Question: For budgeting purposes, could HRSA provide the period of performance to use for each of the hypothetical projects?

Answer: Twelve (12) months

21. Question: Domains I and II evaluation criteria for Past Performance require that

“Offerors and proposed major subcontractors shall submit…a list of up to three (3) contracts completed during the last three years and all contracts currently in process …”

Could HRSA please clarify whether a current, ongoing project(s) can be included as one of the three contracts for which we must submit Past Performance Questionnaire?

22. Question: Domains I and II evaluation criteria for Past Performance require that

“Offerors and proposed major subcontractors shall submit…a list of up to three (3) contracts completed during the last three years and all contracts currently in process …”

Can HRSA please clarify whether a total of three completed contracts should be submitted by the bidding team, or should three completed contracts be submitted by the prime offeror, as well as by each major subcontractor?

Answer: Prime Offeror

23. Question: On page 64, Section L.6.2, f.2, regarding the requirement to submit the most recently audited financial statements, for Domain 3, small businesses; a) is it acceptable for small businesses to submit statements that went through a financial review, rather than a financial audit? If not, is it acceptable to submit 2010 audited financial statements and 2011 statements that underwent a financial review (we have not yet closed books on

2012)?

24. Question: For Domain 3: Is the place of performance the contractor’s site? The RFP states that we are to provide all equipment and facilities.

Answer: Contractor’s site

25. Question: Will there be one awardee for Domain 3, or multiple awards?

Answer: The Government has the right to make one award, multiple awards, or none.

26. Question: Regarding instructions in L.6.2, page 63: it appears that some of the items in the list are applicable for the Technical Volume and some for the Business

Volume. Please confirm that items 1 and 6 are to be included in Volume II and the other items (2 through 5 and 7) are to be included in Volume I.

Answer: Include items 1-7 in the Business Proposal (Volume II)

27. Question: May we use 10 pt. Arial for the tables, figures, and graphics?

28. Question: Should the “subcontractor rate agreement” be included in the Business

Volume, rather than the Technical Volume, since this will contain pricing information (p.

92, under Management and Staffing Plan, 4.D, it states that we are to include this, however in Section L.1.3, it states that the Technical Volume “must not contain references to cost”)?

29. Question: On p. 72, Section 3.A., it states: “If subcontractors are being proposed, provide information to support the qualifications of the subcontractors such as resumes, vita, signed letters of commitment, etc. “Please confirm that this applies only if proposed key personnel positions are being filled by subcontractors.

Answer: That is correct.

30. Question: On p. 72, Section 3.B., it states: “Resumes and commitment letters for all personnel shall be submitted and shall include the labor categories/positions of which persons within the organization will occupy for this project along with their key functions.” Please confirm that this applies only to proposed key personnel that are proposed.

Answer: All personnel

31. Question: On p. 72, Section 3.B., it states: “Resumes shall be included as an appendix, and individual resumes shall not exceed 3 pages.” Please confirm that letters of commitment should also be included in the appendix along with the resumes and that they will not be included in the page count limitations.

32. Question: For Domain 3: if work is to be performed at a contractor site:

a. Will we be required to provide the production environment and host solutions that we develop and/or maintain at a contractor-provided site?

b. Will we be required to set up and maintain development, testing/staging environments at a contractor site?

c. Will we have access to and be handling government data?

Answer: a. provide proposal with your solution; b. see a.; c. yes

33. Question: For Domain 3: Are the security deliverables listed on pages 48 to 49 to be completed at the Task Order level? For example, on what systems would the FIPS 199

Assessment (categorization of risk level) be completed?

Answer: Yes; these requirements are required; however, some of the requirements “may” be handled by our internal network if the systems will be hosted here (like the FDCC).

HRSA environment must follow FDCC/USGCD settings.

34. Question: Please confirm that the cover letter excluded from the page count limits?

35. Question: For Domain 3: Are we required to purchase FIPS 201-compliant card readers for our equipment, as stated in I.11, 5.f, page 47?

Answer: You should have FIPS 201 complaint equipment.

36. Question: Do we need to submit one copy of the Past Performance Questionnaire for each domain even if they are coming from the same project officers (i.e. do we have them send two copies of the same document)?

Answer: Yes; 3 Past Performance Questionnaire are required for each Domain.

37. Question: You indicate you want a searchable copy of the business proposal in Excel format. Many of these forms (e.g. labor rates / labor category information) are conducive to Excel format but other documents (certifications and assurances, payroll forms, F&A rate agreement, etc.) are in PDF format. Is this acceptable?

38. Question: In the Administrative and Management section of the business proposal we should include, among other elements, capability to meet performance schedules, record of past performance, possession of organizational experience, possession of required facilities and equipment. These are all sections already in the technical proposal – should they be in both the business and the technical proposals? Can you provide some clarification of what exactly you want in this section of the business proposal?

Answer: Please provide the information requested under Section L, Administrative and

Management Data, on the business proposal and as required under the technical proposal.

The Government should be able to cross-reference between the two.

39. Question: Do you want commitment letters from all the people listed on proposal, even if they are currently employed by the applicant organization?

Answer: Not needed for employees currently employed by organization.

40. Question: There is no listed page limit for the business proposal in the RFP – is this correct?

41. Question: On page 35, I.7 item number (b)(4), it states the following, which indicates that a small business will not be considered for Domain 3 unless it has bid on Domains 1 and 2:

(4) The contractor(s) for the set-aside portion will be selected from among the small business concerns that submitted responsive offers on the non-set-aside portion.

Negotiations will be conducted with the concern that submitted the lowest responsive offer on the non-set-aside portion. If the negotiations are not successful or if only part of the set-aside portion is awarded to that concern, negotiations will be conducted with the concern that submitted the second-lowest responsive offer on the non-set-aside portion.

This process will continue until a contract or contracts are awarded for the entire set-aside portion.

Please clarify whether a small business MUST bid on all 3 domains in order to be considered for Domain 3, or whether a small business can only bid on Domain 3.

Answer: Small Businesses may propose on all Domains, or just Domain 3 (see Revised

Section L).

42. Question: On page 35, I.7 item number (b) (3), it states the following:

(3) The set-aside portion will be awarded at the highest unit price(s) in the contract(s) for the non-set-aside portion, adjusted to reflect transportation and other costs appropriate for the selected contractor(s).

Please clarify how the pricing in the non-set-aside portion will affect the pricing of the set-aside (Domain 3) contract(s).

Answer: See Revised Section L

43. Question: If a Contractor is selected for the base period, how is the agreement renewed for the four twelve month option periods?

Answer: If the contractor’s past performance for the prior year is rated as satisfactory, there is a good change that the future Option Period will be exercised. However, the

Government reserves its unilateral right not to exercise an Option.

44. Question: How many Contractors does HRSA expect to award contracts to?

Answer: To be determined.

45. Question: Will we be able to review the final scorecard of our response to the RFP?

Answer: The Offeror may request a debriefing on its proposal

46. Question: If proposing for both Domains 1 &2, can the business proposals (Volume II) be the same?

Answer: No, must submit Vol. II for each domain separately

47. Question: Our policy center is located within a large University and is experienced in the evaluation of programs and policy issues. If we are awarded a contract, we may, when bidding on task orders, want to include colleagues across campus with relevant expertise as consultants. Would including their CVs and letters of commitment in our response to the RFP be enough detail?

48. Question: Each contract awarded under the contract shall include one or more of the labor categories in Section B.3. The compensation tables and labor category descriptions identify a limited number of experience criteria. Can we add additional categories and rates?

Answer: Offeror’s may propose additional labor categories. Any additional labor categories proposed shall include the same descriptive components included in revised

Attachment D – Labor Categories.

49. Question: The Contractor shall use an Earned Value Management System (EVMS) that is compliant with the schedule-related guidelines in ANSI/EIA Standard-748 (current version at the time of award) to manage this contract. Is a contractor required to have in place an EVMS?

Answer: Each Task Order will identify the specific EVMS required.

50. Question: The Offeror should use Standard Form LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying

Activities”, which can be downloaded from the following link: (see Section J, Attachment D). We believe this refers to Attachment F, rather than Attachment D. Is this correct?

Answer: Yes, Attachment F is correct.

51. Question: Submit the one (1) original and fourteen (14) copies of Volume I – Technical

Proposal and Volume II. You are requiring a lot of copies of the technical and business proposals at a time when most of our submissions are being done electronically. Would you consider reducing this requirement and have submissions on a CD-ROM in MS

Word and Excel formats?

Answer: See Question #14

52. Question: Requirements for hypothetical projects. With respect to the Hypotheticals, the RFP indicates Offerors are not required to submit a fully developed proposal, but rather a discussion of how we would approach the task. Yet HRSA requires a complete cost breakdown inclusive of material costs, subcontracting, travel, and a labor matrix.

Please advise.

Answer: See Revised Section M.

53. Question: If the proposal is over $650,000 and subcontracting opportunities exist, then a completed subcontracting plan must be submitted along with your proposal. Please complete the HHS Small Business Subcontracting Plan and submit it as part of your business proposal.

All subcontracting plans shall project percentages of total work to be performed by each subcontractor under the total task orders awarded during the life of the contract. Since the IDIQ proposal does not have a dollar amount, can we assume that the $650,000 refers to each Task Order?

And, if so, how can the plan be for the life of the IDIQ contract?

Answer: Yes, Subcontracting Plan shall be submitted for each task order at the

$650,000 threshold for the life of the contract. The subcontracting plan shall be submitted with the IDIQ proposal and should only include percentage goals since there is no dollar value for the IDIQ.

54. Question: M.5.2. a. DOMAIN ONE (Full and Open) 3. Personnel: “…accomplishments of all key personnel related to the project…” Section G.6 Key Personnel indicates that only the Project Director is designated as Key Personnel. Is your intent with the evaluation factor for bidders to identify people that would be important to the submission, but not necessarily “Key” as defined in section?

Answer: The intent is for bidders to provide the Key Personnel that will monitor the project

55. Question: The technical proposal should NOT exceed 75 single-spaced pages, excluding resumes and other required appendices for Domain One. Does the 75 pages for Domain

One include (1) Cover page, (2) Any Transmittal Letters, (3) Table of Contents, (4)

GPAT?

Answer: No

56. Question: M.5.2. a. DOMAIN ONE (Full and Open) 4. Management and Staffing Plan.

The Offeror shall classify all subcontractor personnel in accordance with the labor categories specified in Attachment F. Should this refer to Attachment D rather than

Attachment F?

Answer: Yes

57. Question: M.5.2. a. DOMAIN ONE (Full and Open) 5. Organizational Experience.

Three examples of briefing materials shall be included specific to the Domain being addressed in an individual technical proposal. Are we correct to assume that these materials are to be attachments and not included in the page limit?

Answer: Yes

58. Question: M.5.2. a. DOMAIN ONE (Full and Open) 7. Past Performance: The following specific information shall be provided for each contract:

a. Government or commercial contracting activity, address, and phone number

Contracting Officer's name and telephone number;

e. Describe any and all contracts that have been terminated in whole or in part, for default during the past 5 years, to include those currently in the process of such termination as well as those contracts not similar to the proposed effort;

f. New corporate entities may submit data on prior contracts involving its officers and employees.

Are items e and f intended to be a separate question, and not in the list of what is provided for each contract?

Answer: Yes

59. Question: M.5.2.b Evaluation Criteria Domain 2. What is the page limit for Domain 2

(excluding resumes and other required appendices for Domain 2)?

Answer: 75 pages

60. Question: Can you advise on the ceiling rates for personnel wage, fringe and overhead costs for the attached RFP?

Answer: It is up to each Offeror to propose

61. Question: We’re working on issuing a request for information to our team of potential subcontractors for the IDIQ. If the subs provide sealed packages (which may contain proprietary rate info or NICRAs etc.), how many copies of the information would you require?

Answer: An original and one (1) copy and a CD in PDF searchable format.

62. Question: FAR clause 52.219-7 in RFP, Section I.7 would appear to conflict with the implication in Section L.2 that small business bidders can just bid Domain 3 alone. Can the government confirm that small business offerors bidding on Domain 3 do not need to bid Domains 1 & 2 as well.

Answer: Yes. Small Businesses do not need to bid on Domains 1 and 2.

63. Question: Pg. 5 - B.3.b. No ceiling rates are provided in the given charts. Should those be provided?

Answer: Yes-please provide the proposed ceiling rates

64. Question: Are two (2) Project Directors allowed?

Answer: It is up to the bidder to propose its Key Personnel.

65. Question: Is a GPAT required if there is no Electronic Information Technology (EIT) delivered?

Answer: See Question #7

66. Question: L.13 Subcontracting Plan – Is a subcontracting plan necessary for proposals over $650,000 direct or total costs?

Answer: Yes, it is required for proposals that total $650,000 and above.

67. Question: Is the GPAT required for the submission of the IDIQ proposal or only for specific task order bids? Some of the information needed for the form seems specific to a task, not an overall IDIQ bid—please advise on what columns need to be filled out by the applicant for this submission.

68. Question: Will the GPAT be graded pass/fail for this IDIQ application or only for specific tasks?

Answer: See Revised Section G

69. Question: On Page 9 of the RFP, it states a fixed fee shall be negotiated per individual task order. Does this apply to both fixed price and cost reimbursement task orders?

Answer: Yes.

70. Question: Is there a page limit to the Business Proposal?

71. Question: What is the page limit for the Technical Proposal for each domain? Is the page limit the same for each?

Answer: 85 pages for Domain1; 75 pages for Domain 2; 85 pages for Domain 3

72. Question: Is there a page limit to the Appendices included with the Technical Proposal?

73. Question: Where should 3-page resumes be placed—in the business proposal? In appendices? Are staff paragraphs (not resumes) sufficient for the Technical Proposal?

Answer: Technical; no

74. Question: May offerors add key personnel or subcontractors when specific task orders come out? If so, is any special permission needed prior to submission of a bid for a task order?

Answer: The Key Personnel should remain the same as in the Parent IDIQ as well as all task orders. If that individual named as the Key Personnel in the Parent IDIQ leaves, retires, etc., the awardee should notify the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and/or Contracting Officer (CO) in writing and submit a copy of their resume for review and acceptance.

75. Question: Is the hypothetical the only section with costing, and is this what will provide information about value? How will value be calculated and considered overall for the

IDIQ?

Answer: Yes, the cost will be analyzed to determine that the cost proposed is fair and reasonable.

76. Question: Is a Small Business Plan required as part of the proposal? If so, should offerors prepare the Small Business Plan on the basis of the proposed hypothetical example cost data?

Answer: Yes; Small Business Plan based on the minimum/maximum of the IDIQ.

77. Question: In order for an offeror to receive evaluation points for subcontracting with an

8(a) company, must the 8(a) company qualify for the NAICS code of the relevant domain?

78. Question: Please clarify whether statements about 508-compliance refer to the application (Technical and Business Proposals) or the work done under task orders.

Answer: Work done under the task orders.

79. Question: Should both Technical and Business Proposals contain Letters of

Commitment from subcontractors and consultants? Where should these be placed?

Answer: Technical Proposal. Business proposal must cross reference by indicating the specific location in the Technical proposal.

80. Question: May Past Performance Information include Grants and Cooperative

Agreements in addition to Contracts?

Answer: No. We are requiring Past Performance in reference to contracts not grants/cooperative agreements.

81. Question: On Page 78 of the RFP, the due date referenced for completion of Past

Performance Questionnaires is the due date of the proposal (3/27/13); however, the template found in attachment H references 3/12/13 as the due date. Which date governs?

82. Question: May subcontractors submit sealed packages for proprietary information? For example, labor rates and indirect cost rate agreement.

Answer: Yes; One (1) original and one (1) copy and one (1) CD in PDF searchable format.

83. Question: The RFP does not specifically reference required documents from subcontractors. Please clarify which of the following is needed for each subcontractor (in the absence of specific task order bid):

Cover Page

NICRA

Labor Rates

Key Personnel

ORCA

180 Days Firm Statement

Resumes

Hypothetical Cost Data

Cost Data Certification

Letter of Commitment

Answer: The documents required of subcontractors are strictly between the prime offeror and subcontractor. The Government has no privy to the subcontractor.

84. Question: Do the EVM requirements in 52.234-2, 52.234-3, and 52.234-4 apply from the beginning of the contract or only when the total value of task orders exceeds $25 million?

Answer: Dependent upon task orders.

85. Question: If EVM is required for the 3/27/13 submission, does the requirement flow down to subawards?

Answer: EVM may be required at the Task Order level.

86. Question: Will the Government Issue maximum unloaded rates?

Answer: No. The Government during negotiations will negotiate the maximum unloaded rates.

87. Question: Page 21 (Section G.11 (h)) – Task Order Procedures – The section states that:

“Task orders may be awarded on a unilateral basis. If a task order is issued unilaterally, the contractor must begin work immediately, adhering to the dollar limit and period of performance stated on the face page of the task order.” Will the Contractor be given any opportunity to negotiate the terms in these Task Orders?

88. Question: Page 25 (Section H.3) – Clearance/Production of Information

Products/Services ‐ If a Contractor brings a pre‐existing product or service to this engagement and provides it “as is” to HHS, will the HHS logo and language still have to be placed on that product? If so, can language be added limiting the placement of the logo and language to just those products and services created/distributed under this

Agreement?

Answer: If a product is obtained/purchased/acquired during the contract, it becomes the property of the Government; therefore it must follow HHS Logo and language required.

89. Question: Page 27 (Section H.8) – Confidentiality Agreement Requirement – Is it sufficient to have an authorized representative of a Contractor organization execute the confidentiality document on behalf of the other Contractors and its organization? If not, does this requirement extend to ancillary and support personnel working on this engagement, or to just key personnel?

Answer: All individuals working on this requirement.

90. Question: Page 46, (Section 5) as well as other sections related to 508 compliance –

Will the Contractor be required to make its pre‐existing web services, products and services 508 compliant or just newly created works?

Answer: All work created/developed under the contract must be 508 complaint.

91. Question: Page 65 (Section L.9) – Award Without Discussion. If an award without discussion is made, with the Contractor be barred from asking for any changes/clarifications?

92. Question: A general question, if the Contractor provides pre‐existing IP, copyrighted or proprietary materials as part of the services in the Task Orders, will HHS agree that

Contractor retains its ownership in and to these proprietary materials, if a license is granted consistent with the RFP, a resultant Contract and Task Order(s)?

Answer: In general, all materials developed under the contract are the property of the

Government. Unlike a grant, if we pay for the use or purchase the material it becomes the property of the Government.

93. Question: Under Past Performance requirements (e.g. 7B on page 96), it says “Offerors and proposed major subcontractors shall submit the following information as a part of their Past Performance information:

1. List of Previous Contracts. A list of up to three (3) contracts completed during the last three years and all contracts currently in process under which the Offeror has performed tasks that are most similar to the work required under this solicitation and that are representative of the Offeror's capability to perform the services described herein(…)”

Does that mean that the prime submits three completed contracts and all in-process contracts and any major subcontractors also submit three completed contracts and all in-process contracts? Or does it mean that any of the three completed or unlimited current contracts may come from either the prime offeror or subcontractors?

This matter is also extended to Past Performance requirements forms: Should only the prime offeror send out past performance forms to their references, or should major subcontractors also send out past performance forms?

Answer: See Revised Section M.

94. Question: Do key personnel need to be identified in this IDIQ or does the clause on page 18 refer to task order requirements?

Answer: Key Personnel needs to be identified in the proposal.

95. Question: Is the Offeror required to submit a subcontracting plan for this IDIQ or just for individual task orders of greater than $650,000 (Attachment 1)

Answer: It is required for the IDIQ. See Question #53

96. Question: Concerning the cost breakdown of the hypothetical projects (p.67), please confirm that these breakdowns should not be submitted within the 75 pages of the technical proposal.

Answer: That is correct; the cost breakdown is not part of the page limitation.

97. Question: Please confirm where hypothetical project cost breakdowns (p.67) should be included - within the overall business proposal or as an attachment to the business proposal?

Answer: Within the overall business proposal.

98. Question: Are commitment letters (p.72) required for all personnel or just subcontractors?

Answer: See Question #8

99. Question: Does the past performance section (p.77) need to be included in the 75-page maximum for the technical proposal?

Answer: See Revised Section M

100. Question: Under Organizational Experience, reference is made to “an annotated list of pertinent papers, projects, and reports.” Does this list need to be part of the 75-page max?

Answer: No if it is an appendix.

101. Question: Can the 5 “past projects” (referred to in Organizational Experience) include current or ongoing projects?

102. Question: Beginning on page 36 of the Solicitation, there are several pages describing

EVMS requirements. According the solicitation, a successful bidder will have to demonstrate that it has a Cognizant Federal Agency (CFA) approved EVMS that complies with ANSI/EIA Standard – 748, or provide a plan that can be offered for approval. Based on that:

d. Is a successful bidder required to submit an EVM for approval for each Task

Order bid? Answer: Maybe. It will depend on the requested services stated in each task order.

e. Are bidders required to submit an EVM as part of their proposal to this solicitation? Answer: No.

f. If bidders are required to submit an EVM plan as part of this solicitation, should it be included in Technical Proposal Volume or the Business Proposal Volume?

Answer: See response above.

g. Is CFA approval of a bidder’s EVMS a pre-requisite to a Task Order award in the event a bidder is award the IDIQ? Answer: It will depend on the Task Order request.

h. Is there a dollar threshold that triggers the EVM requirement for each Task Order, or is an EVM required for all Task Orders awarded under the IDIQ? Answer:

EVM will depend on the services requested in the task order.

i. Are all, some, or none of bidding partners, subcontractors, and consultants subject to the EVM requirement? Answer: All will be subjected if required at the Task

Order level.

103. Question: What is the page limit for the Domain 2 proposal?

Answer: 75 pages

104. Question: When are past performance questionnaires due: on sample letter it states

March 12; However, on page 78 of RFP it says: NOTE: Offerors shall issue the Past

Performance Questionnaire to at least three (3) separate references with instructions for completion and return by email to the Contract Specialist, Diane Coger, at dcoger@hrsa.gov, on or before the due date for proposals.

mailto:dcoger@hrsa.gov

105. Question: Is there an estimated budget or level of effort for the Hypothetical Projects?

Answer: It is up to the bidder to price out the services.

106. Question: Do we need to submit a budget along with the Hypothetical Projects?

Answer: Yes. However, the budget for the hypothetical shall be attached to the business proposal.

107. Question: For domain one, is it a requirement to respond to both hypothetical projects or only one of them?

Answer: Offeror’s submitting a proposal for Domain One is required to respond to both hypothetical projects.

108. Question: The labor category for the Project Director/Contract Manager appears to expect that the project director/contract manager has an academic appointment (e.g. asks for extramural grant history, scientific journals, academic administrative appointment, scientific working groups). Is it also acceptable for a project director to meet the education and experience requirements and have a documented track record within a program evaluation firm?

Answer:

See Revised Attachment D – Labor Categories

109. Question: Within a given domain, can a small business organization respond to the solicitation as a prime contractor and also serve as subcontractor to meet the small business thresholds for another firm’s proposal?

Answer: No, Small Business shall bid as prime

110. Question: On page 67 of the RFP, HRSA states that the Offeror shall provide a complete cost breakdown for the hypothetical projects. Yet the description of the two hypothetical projects under domain one on pages 75-77 suggests that HRSA is looking for a discussion of the Offeror’s general approach for conducting each component of the two types of projects, rather than a specific statement of work. Does HRSA want the

Offeror to provide a formal budget for each hypothetical project? If so, can HRSA provide more guidance on the level of detail the Offeror should provide in its budgets?

Answer: Cost proposal is required for each hypothetical project. See Revised Section

M.

111. Question: On page 60 of the RFP, HRSA states that the Offeror shall provide a searchable copy of the technical and business proposals. It is acceptable to submit them electronically via e-mail?

Answer: See Question 14

112. Question: On page 74 of the RFP, HRSA states that the Offeror shall provide an annotated list of papers, projects, and reports. Can HRSA explain what it means by

“annotated?”

Answer: The term annotated refers to sub items 4 and 5 in the Organizational Experience section on this page.

113. Question: On page 74 of the RFP, HRSA states that the Offeror shall provide three examples of briefing materials, three examples of high-level policy memos and papers, and five synopses of past projects. May the Offeror include these materials in an appendix?

Answer: Yes

114. Question: On page 78 of the RFP, HRSA states that the Offeror shall provide up to three separate references. As part of its references, may the Offeror include projects with sufficient experience to assess its performance but that are not yet complete?

Answer: Yes

115. Question: Can HRSA clarify when the past performance questionnaires are due? On page 78, HRSA states that they must be returned to HRSA on or before the due date for the proposal, while the cover letter for the questionnaire (page 133) states that they are due March 12.

Answer: See Revised Section L

116. Question: On page 60 of the RFP, the description of the Business Proposal includes

“proposed contractual documents”. Does this mean a proposed contract upon award of the IDIQ? Or does this mean a proposed fixed fee contract and a cost reimbursement contract for a task orders?

Answer: This is referencing the business data that is required to make a decision for the initial IDIQ.

117. Question: The GPAT seems to refer to accessibility for specific projects / deliverables, which are not currently defined under this RFP. Should we answer for general circumstances? Or is the GPAT NOT required for the IDIQ application but WILL be required when bidding on specific tasks awarded through this vehicle?

Answer: GPAT not required for the IDIQ; but may be required for the individual task orders awarded under this IDIQ.

118. Question: Is a large business permitted to submit proposals under Domains I and II as a large business Prime and also submit as a subcontractor to a small business Prime under

Domains I and/or II?

Answer: Domain 1 and 2 is open to any organization to submit. Domain 3 is 100% small business and may submit bid for Domain 1, 2, 3 and shall perform 50% of the work.

119. Question: Section B lays out how Cost Reimbursement/CPFF orders should be priced, but does not address how Fixed Price orders are to be priced. Can you please elaborate?

Answer: Procedures for Task Orders will be provided when the Request for Task Order is issued.

120. Question: Does HRSA require that the labels affixed to the proposal submission packages be marked in accordance with the information specified and enumerated under

RFP section D.2, on page 11? (Or, do these marking requirements apply to the marking of packages submitted in relation to subsequent task order work/deliverables?)

Answer: These marking requirements apply to the task order deliverables.

121. Question: What is the expected date of award?

Answer: See Question #11

122. Question: Section F.4 requires monthly reports to include a breakout of labor hours used. Can this be deleted for fixed price orders?

Answer: Each Task Order will provide its specific deliverables for the type of award and services.

123. Question: Section G.16, Contract Task Orders, noted that “…for those Domains with

Large and Small Business areas, the decision will be made depending on the project to issue the Task Order under the Large Business area, or issue the Task Order under the

Small Business area or issue the Task Order under both the Large and Small Business

Area.” For Domains I and II, will some Task Orders be issued as small business set-asides, or will all Task Orders be issued as full and open?

Answer: All task orders will be competed among all offeror’s awarded within each

Domain.

124. Question: Because no bidder can estimate the dollar value of awards under this IDIQ, is it acceptable for the Subcontracting Plan to include percentage goals only?

Answer: Yes, but may be required to submit a Subcontracting Plan at the task order level if $650,000 or greater.

125. Question: Section H.5, Rights in Data, prohibits the Contractor from copyrighting, publishing or disseminating information resulting from work performed under this contract, and/or, using data produced or obtained under this contract, and/or any other information or products provided by the Government, or which the Contractor develops, for any purpose other than performance under this contract without prior written approval from the Contracting Officer. This appears to conflict with the Section I.11 FAR Clause

52.227-14 Alt. IV, as Alternative IV states that the Contractor may assert copyright in any data first produced in the performance of this contract without the Contracting

Officer’s approval. Does HRSA intend to remove Section H.5?

Answer: See Revised Section I.

126. Question: Under A. Disclosure Clauses, item no. 4 states that “All contractors providing evaluation services under this solicitation are prohibited from submitting offers as prime, team members, or subcontractors.” We respectfully request clarification, understanding that the solicitation solicits Evaluation Studies services.

Answer: In accordance with FAR 9.5 only if there is an actual or potential OCI the offeror would be required to submit a mitigation plan with its technical proposal.

127. Question: Section I.11 includes FAR Clause 52.222-41, Service Contract Act, but no

Wage Determination is included. Does HRSA intend to identify a Wage Determination?

Because the preponderance of work under this IDIQ will be conducted by professional employees, is it necessary to include the Service Contract Act in the contract at all?

Answer: Wage Determination No.: 2005-2103, Revision No. 12, Date of Revision:

06/13/2012. See Attachment J.

128. Question: HRSA states that proposals shall be submitted in 12-point font. May bidders use 10-pt. font in tables, exhibits, graphics, etc.?

Answer: Yes

129. Question: HRSA states that proposals shall be submitted with “… a searchable copy of the technical proposal (MS Word version 2003 or later) and business proposal (MS Excel

Version 2003 or later).” In what format/media do you require the searchable copies?

CDs? Sent as email attachments? If CD, will one copy per proposal suffice?

129. Question: HRSA states that “The Offeror may include 11 x 17 inch foldouts only to display graphics, flow charts, organizational charts, or drawings.” Will a foldout count as only one page?

130. Question: Does HRSA require that a bidder submit a Project Plan not only for each

Domain, but for Domain subsets, e.g. a Project Plan for Domain I.a and Domain I.b?

131. Question: Can bidders include the completed GPAT as an appendix, as opposed to proposal section 1/A? Does a completed GPAT “count” toward the 75-page proposal cap?

132. Question: Per RFP section M.1, paragraph 2, HRSA states that “The Government will evaluate the contractor’s task order technical and cost/price proposal in accordance with the technical instructions. The Government’s award decision will be based, at a minimum, on compliance with Section 508 requirements of the Rehabilitation Act as described in the GPAT of the individual task order, and selection factors which address past performance, including quality, timeliness and cost control."

Could HRSA please clarify whether a generic GPAT is required for each Domain proposal, or whether the GPAT included in each proposal should be specific to one of the hypotheticals included under each domain?

133. Question: Under Evaluation Criteria, Personnel, for Domain I (p. 72) and Domain II (p.

80), the draft RFP requires “Resumes and commitment letters for all personnel.” Could

HRSA please clarify whether commitment letters are required for all staff being proposed, including for those current employees of the bidding team being proposed?

Prime contractor team members vs. “only” subcontractor/consultant partners, at the organizational level?

Answer: See Question #8

134. Question: Does HRSA require that a bidder include the staff commitment letters as appendices within the Technical Proposal, as opposed to the Business Proposal?

135. Question: HRSA states that “The Offeror shall classify all subcontractor personnel in accordance with the labor categories specified in Attachment F and provide a copy of the subcontractor's current negotiated rate agreement.” Is HRSA referring to a subcontractor’s Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA)? Please clarify.

136. Question: Domains I and II evaluation criteria for Organizational Experience (4) request

“Three examples of briefing materials shall be included…” and (5) “Three examples of high level policy memos and papers shall be included…,” respectively. Should offerors include copies of these examples in an appendix, or will references to such examples suffice?

Answer: Copies of the examples should be included as appendices.

137. Question: Please state what criteria HRSA will apply to evaluate bidders’ various, respective Hypotheticals, to ensure uniform grading/evaluation across all hypotheticals submitted.

138. Question: The Evaluation Criteria applicable to the Domain I and II Organizational

Experience states that “the Offeror shall submit synopses of 5 past projects, at least one of which shall be funded by HRSA and/or reflect programs similar to those administered by HRSA. The 5 projects shall be specific to the Domain being addressed in an individual technical proposal and shall not exceed 800 words each.”

In addition, the Evaluation Criteria applicable to Past Performance states that Offerors and proposed major subcontractors shall submit the following information as a part of their Past Performance information:

“1. List of Previous Contracts. A list of up to three (3) contracts completed during the last three years and all contracts currently in process under which the Offeror has performed tasks that are most similar to the work required under this solicitation and that are representative of the Offeror's capability to perform the services described herein.”

Does HRSA imply that a prime contractor’s major subcontractors need only submit 3 contracts completed during the last three years (and all contracts currently in process), as part of proposal section 7.0 only, as opposed to via Past Performance Questionnaires?

Must the projects cited in the Past Performance Questionnaires also have been completed during the last three years; (like the requirement for the three projects cited under proposal sections 7.0, Past Performance)?

Answer: See Revised Section L and M.

139. Question: Domain II evaluation criteria for Management and Staffing notes that “Project management activities will include….Management of system testing.” We note that this management activity was not listed in the evaluation criteria for Domain I (see p.72).

Could HRSA please clarify what is meant by “management of system testing” in the context of Domain II? Can HRSA also confirm that “management of system testing” remains an evaluation criterion under Domain II?

140. Question: In Domain 2, Task 3 Technical Assistance and Training, what is the anticipated percentage for web-based training versus in-person training?

Answer: It is anticipated that the majority of training will be web-based.

141. Question: Attachment C, Billing Instructions, includes invoice instructions only for a

Cost-Reimbursement order. Do you have separate billing instructions for a fixed price task order?

Answer: If a task order is awarded as a fixed price the billing instructions will be in the award.

142. Question: According to section L.5.1 of the RFP, responses “MUST include the completed GPAT demonstrating how the proposal meets the accessibility requirements contained therein.” Can this GPAT be included as an appendix to the Technical Proposal, out of page count?

143. Question: According to section L.5.1 of the RFP, responses “MUST include the completed GPAT demonstrating how the proposal meets the accessibility requirements contained therein.” Should the GPAT be completed for the Hypothetical Project as presented in the RFP, or for the IDIQ as a whole? As there is no system or product under evaluation what does the Government expect from this GPAT?

144. Question: According to section L.5.3 of the RFP, “A detailed project plan must be submitted indicating how each aspect of the statement of work is to be accomplished.” As this proposal is in response to an IDIQ with no task orders yet associated, what details is the Government expecting to see in a project plan?

145. Question: In M.5.2. Domain 3, 7. Past Performance. B. 1. List of Previous Contracts, the

RFP requests “a list of up to three (3) contracts”. But below that in the note in section

M.5.2. Domain 3, 7. Past Performance E. Past Performance 1, the RFP specifies

“Offerors shall issue the Past Performance Questionnaire to at least three (3) separate references”.

a. Question: Does the Government want the questionnaire to be sent to three references per cited project? Answer: Three (3) past performances shall be sent to the projects/companies that you have completed or worked with.

b. Question: Is the Government requesting at least three past performances or up to three past…