Attachment_A1_-_Questions_and_Answers_Continued-140G0222R0003-Responses_to_Questions_0002.pdf

Attachment A1

Questions and Answers-Continued

Solicitation 140G0222R0003 Amendment 2

Science and Technical Support Services (STSSC) For Core Science Systems (CSS) and

Rocky Mountain Region (RMR)

Question and Answers-Continued

4. Question #4:

“Would the government please lower the evaluation number of PPQs to 3 or allow the prime offer to submit 3 PPQs and applicable major subcontractors to submit 2 PPQs.”

USGS’s Response:

For Factor E – Past Performance, the number of PPQ’s remains at a maximum of five (5) similar contracts. There is no minimum number of PPQ requirement. As stated on page 102, offerors shall complete items 1 and 2 of the PPQ’s for a maximum of five (5) similar contracts (in terms of contract size, period of performance, as well as the variety and level of complexity of services performed) in which it has participated during the past three (3) years and furnish each PPQ to reference clients.

The Government will not consider PPQ's on any other vendors other than the offeror. As stated on page 102, paragraph two (2) states “Past Performance

Questionnaires reference information is limited to the offeror’s past project performance; thus, the Government will not consider PPQ’s on any other vendor(s) other than the offeror.

5. Question #5:

“Based on the government’s evaluation criteria we recommend requiring ISO 9001, ISO

20000, ISO 27001 all of which are applicable to ensuring applicable outcomes the government requires.”

USGS has internal systems that addresses Quality Management, IT Service

Management, and Information Security. We do not need to require the ISO standards as recommended in the above question.

6. Question #6:

“The PM key personnel LCAT is not in the pricing template. Can the government please clarify the requirement?”

The Program Manager is part of the overhead costs and not a direct cost;

therefore, the offerors should provide proposal pricing accordingly.

7. Question #7:

“Would the government consider CPARS instead of PPQs if they are considered final?”

PPQ’s are part of Factor E – Past Performance, which needs to be addressed by the offeror, and submitted by the offeror’s client as reference. The Government reserves the right to review CPARS as stated on page 94-95, paragraph eight (8) under past performance “The Government reserves the right to use past performance information obtained from sources other than those identified by the offeror, including but not limited to past performance information located in the

Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS).”

8. Question #8:

Within Section 3.9 (p. 16) under Technical Project Management, the PWS states, “Project

Management Professional certification and excellent communication skills are required.”

Given the nature of the tasks in this section (working with product owners, planning sprints, grooming product backlog, tracking tasks, etc), we believe Scrum Master certification is also appropriate. Will the Government please consider changing the requirement to state, “Project Management Professional or Scrum Master certification, and excellent communication skills are required.”?

Many of our products have a scrum master we need a Project Manager with a certification. If the Project Manager has a scrum certification, it will be rated favorably.

9. Question #9:

Within Proposal Instructions, Factor A Bullet 3 (p. 100), the RFP states to provide information including, “Your proposed staffing plan that includes experience in […]”.

However, within the Evaluation Criteria, Factor A Bullet 3 (p. 93), the RFP states proposals will be evaluated based on “staff experience in […]”. Please confirm that offerors are only required to provide staff experience to address this specific criteria and are not required to provide a staffing plan.

Use staff experience to address these specific criteria as part of your staffing plan.

10. Question #10:

Proposal Instructions – Page 100

Page 100 of the RFP states: “A font size shall be a minimum of 12 point with normal spacing.”

Will the Government consider allowing smaller font for tables and graphics?

If no, will the Government consider increasing the page limit to 35 pages?

The Government will allow a smaller font for tables and graphics only, and it must be legible. All narratives shall remain at 12-point font; thus, the page limit remains at 30 pages.

11. Question #11:

Submission of Offer – Proposal Organization and Format – Page 98-99

Pages 98-99 include a column titled “File Name” in the proposal organization charts.

Will the Government please confirm this is the requirement component name and not a requirement to submit separate files for each row listed in the charts (e.g., Volume I

Cover Page and Factors should be submitted in one 30-page PDF file, not six separate files)?

The Government confirms that Volume I Cover Page and Factors should be submitted in one continuous PDF file, not six separate files. Volume I Factors A-

D shall not exceed the 30-page limit as instructed on page 98 and 100.

12. Question #12:

52.212-2 Evaluation; Proposal Instructions – Page 94 and 102

Factor E – Past Performance: Will the Government consider accepting CPARs in lieu of

PPQs?

See question #7 above.

13. Question #13:

Performance Work Statement – Page 8, 13-15

Pages 8-9 list 10 major requirements; #7 (Web and Database Applications) and #8

(Software Engineering) are combined in the description following on pages 13-15

(“Software Engineering: Web and Database Applications”).

Will the Government please confirm the proposal response should address requirements

1-9 as described in the PWS and not 1-10 listed on page 8-9?

Pages 8 – 9 listed 10 major requirements in error. It should be 9 major requirements as listed below:

1. Administrative

2. Research Assistance

3. Research Analysis

4. Data and Information Management

5. Computer Systems Administration, Operations, and Maintenance

6. Geospatial Applications, Modeling, and Associated Technologies

7. Software Engineering: Web and Database Applications

8. Scientific High-Performance Computing

9. Technical Project Management

Therefore, the offerors should address the requirements 1-9 as described in the

PWS.

14. Question #14:

Performance Work Statement – Page 20

Page 20 consists of headings #14 (Conservation of Utilities and Sustainability Practices) and #16 (Federal Information Security Management Requirements).

Will the Government please confirm #15 was inadvertently omitted?

Yes, #15 was omitted by accident.

15. Question #15:

GS1330 Key Personnel. (JUL 2001) / Proposal Instructions (Management) – Page

44-45; 100

Page 100 states: “Explain your processes and practices you will use for effective and efficient oversight of the contract and all task orders, including the proposed key personnel structure. The roles/responsibilities of key personnel and oversight and communication protocol concerning all proposed subcontractors. Describe your experience and successes in using these processes and practices, in managing similar contracts.”

Will the Government please clarify if the Key Personnel structure is at the Task Order level or the IDIQ level? If the IDIQ level, please confirm only key personnel is the

Program Manager.

Key Personnel (Program Manager) would be at the IDIQ level including all task orders.

16. Question #16:

Electronic Submission of Proposals – Page 104

Page 104 states: “Proposals are required to be received no later than 2:30 p.m. Mountain

Standard Time (MST) on March 7, 2022.”

Will the Government consider extending the proposal deadline to March 14, 2022?

The Government will not be extending the proposal deadline. The proposal due date remains as March 7, 2022, 2:30 p.m. MST.

17. Question #17:

Factor E – Past Performance – Page 102 of 105

In Factor E - Past Performance, Government stated that "Past Performance

Questionnaires reference information is limited to the offeror’s past project performance;

thus, the Government will not consider PPQ’s on any other vendor(s) other than the offeror."

However, in SBA regulation 13 C.F.R. 125.2(g), it states that "When an offer of a small business prime contractor includes a proposed team of small business subcontractors and specifically identifies the first-tier subcontractor(s) in the proposal, the head of the agency must consider the capabilities, past performance, and experience of each first tier subcontractor that is part of the team as the capabilities, past performance, and experience of the small business prime contractor if the capabilities, past performance, and experience of the small business prime does not independently demonstrate capabilities and past performance necessary for award.

Question: Can the Government clarify if past performances will be allowed from small business subcontractors?

Past Performance Questionnaires reference information is limited to the offeror’s past project performance; thus, the Government will not consider PPQ’s on any other vendor(s) other than the offeror; however, the Government is permitting partners to the Joint Venture to submit aggregate past performance PPQ’s as indicated within the Joint Venture entities in accordance with 13 CFR 125.8.

As indicated in the solicitation page 95, in the case of an offeror without a record of relevant, recent past performance or for whom information on the past performance is not available, the offeror will be evaluated neither favorably nor unfavorably on past performance.

If the capabilities, past performance, and experience of an 8(a) small business prime does not independently demonstrate capabilities and past performance necessary for an award, those of any proposed first-tier small business subcontractors will be considered as required by 13 CFR 125.2 (g).