Amendment 003 - Vendor Questions and Answers.pdf

AMENDMENT 003: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

# Reference RFP Text Question Action/Response

1 RFP, F.3 Period of Performance

The RFP states, “The base period of performance of this contract is from February 1, 2022 through January 31, 2023,” but NOAA recently extended the incumbent contract through the end of February 2022.

Will the Government clarify the start date of the new contract? If the contract is awarded to other than the incumbent, the Government's intent is to award well before the current contract ends to allow for transition activities between the outgoing and incoming contractor. The contract start date stated in the solicitation may vary if the contract is awarded to the incumbent or a new contractor.

2 PWS VIII.11.1 The RFP states, “The Contractor shall provide transition startup services for 1 month within the first 60 days after Contract start date…”

Will the Government confirm that Transition Start will begin 30 days prior to Contract start date?

If the contract is awarded to other than the incumbent, the Government's intent is for the new contractor to provide 30 days of Transition Startup services within the first 60 days after contract award.

3 PWS VIII.11.5 Should Section 11.5 (Deficiency List Completion and Witholding of Final Payment) be listed as a sub-bullet or subsection as Section 11.4 (Phase-out Transition Period)?

Section 11.5 is not necessarily related to or restricted to the Phase-out Transition Period.

4 In order for offerors to correctly calculate Paid Time Off and applicable work hours, will the government please provide a seniority listing of CBA employees Labor categories that includes current PTO accrual/years of service? Without this information, the incumbent has a significant advantage over other offerors in terms of pricing this effort.

The Government does not have that information. Suggest contacting the Teamsters Local 959 and Fairbanks Joint Craft Council unions directly. FJCC represents multiple unions (Laborers, Operating Engineers, Electricians, etc.)

5 06.+Attachment+5.

+Fairbanks+Joint+Craft+ Council+ (FJCC) +CBA+effective+August+ 31,+2019

The current Attachment 5, FJCC CBA shows a total wage and benefits rate for all labor categories, but no breakdown showing the base wage rate, the H&W, pension, and training benefit requirements. Without this information, an offeror will be unable to compete with the incumbent in terms of price.

Will the government please provide the current CBA base wage and benefit rates for each labor category identified in Attachment 5?

The rates specified in the agreement are the minimum rates that either the incumbent or a new company has to pay the employees until the CBAs are renegotiated again. All vendors are subject to the same minimum wage and benefit rates.

6 01.

+1332KP21RNEEB0003+

SF1449+Solicitation;

(2) VOLUME II - MANAGEMENT APPROACH

(i) Each offeror’s Management Approach shall provide a narrative and supporting documentation that demonstrates, describes or provides the following:

(A) Documentation demonstrating that the offeror holds an active Facility Clearance (FCL) at the Secret or higher level.

Offerors are required to hold this active FCL at the Secret level by the closing date of this solicitation. If a subcontractor will be performing any of the tasks which require a security clearance in accordance with the PWS, the subcontractor will also be required to provide proof of an active Facility Clearance at the Secret or higher level.

The facility security letter supporting documentation required by L.10 (2) VOLUME II - MANAGEMENT APPROACH, part (A), when embedded into the proposal, takes up one full page for the Prime, and one full page per subcontractor performing this type of work. Will the Government please remove this supporting documentation requirement from the page count and allow it to be provided in an uncounted Appendix?

No - the offeror is welcome to provide other forms or documents as proof that they or their prime hold the appropriate clearances.

7 01.

+1332KP21RNEEB0003+

SF1449+Solicitation;

(D) Ability to successfully manage in an environment requiring subcontracted labor subject to collective bargaining and labor union involvement.

This requirement is confusing in that subcontracting does not appear to be a requirement, but utilization of union labor is a requirement. Will the Government please clarify whether this phrase, “requiring subcontracted labor subject to collective bargaining and labor union involvement” is intended to pertain to “subcontracted” labor, or should this be understood as “environment requiring labor subject to collective bargaining and labor union involvement,” without the word “subcontracted?”

Yes - that interpretation is accurate.

8 Due to the impact of pricing clarification questions, and to allow potential subcontractors to update and return pricing impacted by these questions, we respectfully request the Government extend the proposal due date by at least one week.

After careful consideration, the Government believes at this time that sufficient time remains for offerors to submit by the current solicitation closing date.

9 L.10.b.4.i The referenced section states, “No narrative submissions are required for this evaluation factor.”

Past Performance Requirements in the 2016 Final FCDAS RFP stated, “Offerors may provide the past performance of a parent or affiliated company to an offeror where the proposal demonstrates that the resources of the parent or affiliate will affect the performance of the offeror. The Offeror shall demonstrate that the resources of the parent or affiliated company (its workforce, management, facilities or other resources) shall be provided or relied upon for contract performance such that the parent or affiliate will have meaningful involvement in contract performance.” Will the Government consider including this reference into Section L and allowing a 3-page response to demonstrate meaningful involvement?

The offeror may demonstrate the involvement of a parent or affiliated company in addressing any of the factors under technical or management approach as they are stated right now in the solicitation. Offeror's are also welcome to provide additional details on the parent or affiliate's previous experience for providing resources to the offeror within the context of the offeror's technical or management approach.

10 Attachment 2 Price Proposal V3 FCDAS OM 081321 does not have any pre-set formulas.

Please confirm that the government expects to see the total in columns I, L, O, R, U, X, AA, AD, and AG to be the sum of (column E plus column F) times column H?

On the base period, OP_1, OP_II, OP_III, and OP_IV tab, columns E (Rate) + F (Fringe), should be multiplied by each respective Hours column (H, K, N, Q, T, W, Z, AC, and AF) and be displayed in the respective Total column (I, L, O, R, U, X, AA, AD, and AG). The sum of the Total column should be in AJ.

The sum of the Hours column should be in AI.

For example: (E + F) x H = I

If the labor category is governed by a CBA where Fringe is included in the rate (i.e. FJCC covered labor categories), the Fringe column (F) should be left blank.

11 The pay rate for all of the FAIRBANKS JOINT CRAFTS COUNCIL include a major portion of the Fringe Rate. In addition, the Teamster pay rate is much more accurate if major portions of the fringe is added to the pay rates prior to calculating the fringe.

Is it non-compliant or does the government object to listing the hourly rate in column E in Attachment 2 Price Proposal V3 FCDAS OM 081321 with most if not all the Union cost elements included in the rate?

If the labor category is governed by a CBA where Fringe is included in the rate (i.e. FJCC covered labor categories), the Fringe column (F) should be left blank.

12 It is not clear if the government expects to see a fringe percentage or a total hourly fringe dollar value in the fringe column (F) in the Attachment 2 Price Proposal V3 FCDAS OM 081321.

Does the government expect to see an hourly fringe dollar value?

If the labor category is governed by a CBA where Fringe is included in the rate (i.e. FJCC covered labor categories), the Fringe column (F) should be left blank. However, the Government expects to see the hourly fringe dollar value for SCA and Teamsters covered employees.

13 It is not clear what the government expects to see in the fringe type column

(C) in Attachment 2 Price Proposal V3 FCDAS OM 081321.

Can the government please clarify what is expected to be entered in the fringe type column (C) in the Attachment 2 Price Proposal V3 FCDAS OM 081321?

The Government expects to see "Teamsters", "FJCC", or "SCA" in Column C.

14 The Attachment 2 Price Proposal V3 FCDAS OM 081321 does not have a means to capture or calculate the cost for materials, vehicle parts, equipment and supplies not otherwise provided by the Government, or any other non-labor costs that the contractor must provide in accordance with the PWS.

How are the costs for non-labor items to be included in the total price?

These costs should already be included in the Government-provided not to exceed amounts for T&M CLINs. However, offerors are welcome to add additional tabs to Attachment 2, and rows and columns in the "Section B" tab for any costs they believe is not accounted for in the current pricing structure.

Offerors shall take every step to maintain the current pricing structure when adding additional information. Any additional information added shall be clearly identified and explicit narratives provided which, at a minimum, makes specific references to sections in the PWS and why the offeror believes those costs are not already included in the pricing information already being requested or provided.

15 Do the facilities personnel working at the powerhouse also provide support at other facilities or are they only assigned to work the powerhouse?

Yes

16 Does the government expect to see escalation for the CBA pay rates to be priced beyond the CBA end date or should the pay rate for the last year of the CBA be priced in the out years to be dealt with as a request for equitable adjustment after future CBA negotiations?

The Government expects offerors to escalate the CBA pay rates beyond the end date of the current CBAs. Offerors may escalate rates using any methodology such as using Department of Labor prescribed escalations or using the current escalations specified in each CBA. Offerors shall fully describe and justify their escalation methodology.

17 Do the current incumbent laborers provide custodial services for the site? Yes - this is a current requirement in the current contract and is also required in the new contract as stated in PWS Section 5.15.

18 RFP, (5) VOLUME IV –

PRICE PROPOSAL & 03.

+Attachment+2.

+Price+Proposal+V3_FC DAS+OM+081321.xlsx

“(vii) The Government expects that this contract will be awarded based upon adequate price competition. However, in order to determine that offered prices are fair and reasonable, the Government reserves the right to request that the offeror provide cost breakdowns to support proposed prices. Information to support unit prices should include, but not be limited to, the following:

(A) Salary/wage information with associated payroll expenses, for personnel to be used in performance of the contract;

(B) Cost for equipment, supplies, and consumable materials;

(C) A breakout of related support costs, such as equipment maintenance, rental, transportation, etc.;

(D) Overhead costs;

(E) General Administrative expenses; and

(F) Profit.

Per the Government’s expectation of adequate price competition and this being an FFP proposal, is it the Government’s intent for the Offeror to breakdown Indirect Costs as listed in Attachment 2? Recommend removing rows 37-39 from Base_Period, OP_I, OP_II, OP_III, and OP_IV tabs.

No - the Government requires this level granularity to facilitate any price evaluation in accordance with FAR Subpart 15.4, as stated in the solicitation.

19 RFP, (5) VOLUME IV –

PRICE PROPOSAL & 03.

+Attachment+2.

+Price+Proposal+V3_FC DAS+OM+081321.xlsx

“(vi) Subcontractors are authorized to submit any proprietary information directly to the Contract Specialist, Samantha Dublin, with a copy to the Contracting Officer, Gion Lalican, in accordance with the same submittal instructions provided herein.”

Per the Government’s language in Section 5, vi, in figuring this is an FFP proposal, is it the Government’s intent to receive Subcontractor’s cost submitted separately/independently from the Prime? As typically with an FFP proposal, the Prime is the only required submission. Recommend removing this section from the RFP.

No - subcontractor proprietary information is not just limited to subcontractor costs. All confidential information will be safeguarded from untinentional release and will only be shared, if appropriate, with the express, written consent of the owner of the classified information.

20 03.+Attachment+2.

+Price+Proposal+V3_FC DAS+OM+081321.xlsx

Base_Period, OP_I, OP_II, OP_III, and OP_IV list Indirects costs in rows 37-39

Per the required breakout of indirects on each tab, is it the Government’s intent to award a CPFF contract? If it is not the Government’s intent, recommend removing these lines per the typical requirement on an FFP type contract is FBLR only.

No - the Government requires this level granularity to facilitate any price evaluation in accordance with FAR Subpart 15.4, as stated in the solicitation.

21 PWS Paragraph 11.1 "The Contractor shall provide transition startup services for 1 month (“Transition Phase Startup”) within the first 60 days after Contract start date to assist transitioning between Contractors"

Does this mean that the cost for transitioning between contractors should be included in the cost proposed in the Base Year?

Yes - offerors should include costs for transitioning in addition to the regular requirements for this contract. The transition costs will need to be fully defined and justified.