Questions_and_Answers_on_RFQ_3rd_Party_FFI.pdf

Questions to Department of Interior/AQD Solicitation No. 140D0419Q0255

1. Will DOI provide any GFE (e.g., video/audio recorders) or will the contract company need to provide their own? No, DOI will not provide GFE. The Investigator Guide in Section 2 states ”The investigator should arrange for a court reporter or digitally record with an approved digital recording device any witness interviews that are significant to the investigation.”

2. Will the contractor be expected to maintain information collected through the fact-finding in a manner similar to criminal evidence (e.g., documented chain of custody, system of records)? Answer listed in the Investigator Guide in Section 5.

3. Are contract investigators required to testify in any court or legal proceeding? Yes, investigators could be called to testify in a court or legal proceeding before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or their reviewing courts, or as part of an arbitration proceeding.

4. Are the audio recordings required to be retained at the contractor location? If yes, for how long? Listed in the solicitation under FAR 52.212-5 (d) (2).

5. Are the video recordings to be retained at the contractor location? If yes, for how long?

Listed in the solicitation under FAR 52.212-5 (d) (2).

6. Are interview notes, video recordings, and audio recordings to be treated as evidence, e.g., chain of custody documents? Listed in the Investigator Guide in Section 5.

7. Are any potential interviewers subject to providing sworn testimony? If yes, will the government provide an additional CLIN with a separate rate structure for those called to provide testimony? This question is a bit unclear. Any investigator could be called to testify in a court or legal proceeding. Outside of those contexts, DOI does not foresee the investigator having to provide sworn testimony and will not be providing an additional CLIN for this. If the question is about whether investigators will have to solicit sworn testimony from interviewees, the answer is listed in the Investigator Guide in Section 2.F: “In instances when the interviews are recorded by a court reporter, the court reporter should ensure that the witness is sworn in under oath before the interview commences. When the interview is recorded by someone other than a court reporter, the investigator should ensure that each witness whose interview is recorded signs and dates the Employee Testimony Rights and Obligations form in Appendix D at the beginning of the interview.”

8. Under what authority will the contract interviewers be operating and will the investigators be required to have any type of credential when conducting the interviews?

Addressed in the Investigator Guide in Section 2.D.

9. Please expand on the definition of ‘fraud’ for purposes of this contract. There appears that

“fraud” may quickly have the potential to escalate to a criminal investigation. Per the Investigator Guide, Section 3.B., the DOI attorney advising management on each case must be consulted if the matter under investigation starts to seem like a potentially criminal matter as the investigation proceeds. If it is determined that potential criminal activity is involved, the investigation will likely be referred elsewhere and the contract investigator’s services will no longer be required.

Questions to Department of Interior/AQD Solicitation No. 140D0419Q0255

10. Will DoI provide a definitive guidance defining and limiting the number of personnel to be interviewed? As listed in the Investigator Guide, Section 2.A., the investigative plan for each case must be approved by the DOI point of contact before the investigator begins interviews.

The Investigative Plan includes the list of witnesses who will be interviewed. As the investigation proceeds, the investigator must consult with the DOI POC regarding additional witnesses that need to be added.

11. Will DoI personnel be in/at the room/location when the interview is conducted? Generally,

no. Interviews will normally only involve the investigator and the witness. DOI staff will assist with finding a location for interviews, but will not generally be present. Sometimes an HR employee appointed to assist the investigator will accompany the investigator during interviews, if deemed necessary. See Investigator Guide, Section 3.C.

12. Does DoI have audio and video recording file formats? No. File formats accessible to the

DOI point of contact should be agreed to on a case-by-case basis. All files must be 508-compliant.

13. Please elaborate on DoI’s desired transfer method of documents from the contractor back to DoI. Electronic transmission, submission of hard drives, paper transmission? Is there a preferred encryption format if required? Transfer methods will be case dependent and should be agreed to on a case-by-case basis with the DOI point of contact.

14. How frequently will contract personnel be required to provide OCONUS support? On an as needed basis, but anticipated to be very rare.

15. Is OCONUS work limited to US territories, no foreign nations? Correct per the Solicitation section 1.7 Volume I: Technical Approach Item 2. (Staffing Plan).