Sol_140P5426Q0028_Amend__0002_Attach__0005-_Q_A_0002.pdf

SOLICITATION 140P5426Q0028 | QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Solicitation No. 140P5426Q0028

Amendment 0002 | Attachment 0005

Government responses below reflect the requirements incorporated by Amendment 0002, including the Updated Combined Synopsis/Solicitation and Updated Statement of Work. Where a question references superseded solicitation language, dates, or attachment numbering, the documents incorporated by Amendment 0002 control.

Quotation Format, Staffing, and Contract Duration Question 1. Will the Government confirm whether the cover page, table of contents, list of abbreviations, and any graphics/tables count toward the 15-page Technical Volume limit?

Government Response: No.

Question 2. Is there an incumbent company or incumbent personnel filling the roles described in the SOW at this time?

Government Response: No.

Question 3. Does the Government anticipate performance by a single full-time individual (the Key Personnel Marine Biologist), or does it anticipate additional contractor personnel in support labor categories?

Government Response: The Government anticipates that the Key Personnel Marine Biologist will serve as the primary individual performing the requirement. However, performance is not limited to a single individual. The Contractor is responsible for determining and providing any additional qualified personnel necessary to perform all Statement of Work requirements safely, timely, and in compliance with applicable requirements. The Government does not prescribe specific additional support labor categories or staffing levels. Offerors shall describe their proposed staffing approach and include all necessary staffing costs in their firm-fixed price. Any additional personnel must meet the qualifications, certifications, security, and access requirements applicable to the work they will perform.

Question 4. If additional personnel are anticipated, will the Government identify the anticipated labor categories, estimated level of effort, or estimated total annual hours, so that offerors may price the requirement on a common basis?

Government Response: The Government has not established separate support labor categories, estimated levels of effort, or estimated annual labor hours. This is a task-oriented requirement based on successful completion of the services, tasks, and deliverables identified in the Statement of Work rather than a specified level of effort. Offerors are responsible for determining the labor categories, number of personnel, and hours necessary to satisfy all Statement of Work requirements within the required timeframes.

Proposed prices shall include all personnel and associated costs necessary to complete the requirement.

Question 5. Does the approximately forty (40) hours per week on-site expectation in Section 5.f apply to the Key Personnel Marine Biologist individually, or to contractor staffing in the aggregate?

Government Response: The approximately forty (40) hours per week language describes the anticipated level of on-site availability associated with performance. It does not establish a Government-prescribed work schedule or a guaranteed minimum number of hours for either the Key Personnel Marine Biologist individually or contractor staffing in the aggregate. The Marine Biologist must remain actively involved and available on-site as necessary, and the Contractor is responsible for determining the appropriate allocation of personnel and hours required to meet all contract requirements.

Question 6. For diving operations under Task Area 3, will the Government provide NPS divers to serve as dive buddies and surface support, or is the Contractor responsible for furnishing all personnel necessary to constitute a compliant dive team?

Government Response: Yes. The Government will provide NPS divers to serve as dive buddies and surface support for authorized scientific diving operations.

Question 7. Will the Government confirm the number of option periods for this requirement?

Government Response: The Government intends one (1) 12-month base period and two (2) 12-month option periods. Option periods are subject to availability of funds and Government exercise.

Question 8. If four option periods are intended, will the Government issue an amendment adding the corresponding CLINs to the Price Schedule and revising Section X to reflect the resulting total contract duration?

Government Response: No. The Government intends one 12-month base period and two 12-month option periods. The Price Schedule includes the corresponding CLINs. Funding will be obligated for the base period at award. The inclusion of option CLINs does not obligate the Government to exercise those options.

Question 9. If two option periods are intended, will the Government issue an amendment correcting SOW Section 8?

Government Response: Yes. Amendment 0002 incorporates Attachment 0004 - Updated Statement of Work, which reflects the 12-month base period and two 12-month option periods.

Schedule, Commencement, and Credentialing Background: The solicitation was issued July 30, 2026, with questions due August 6, 2026, quotations due August 18, 2026, and an anticipated award date of August 24, 2026. The SF 18 identifies the base period of performance as August 24, 2026 through August 23, 2027, establishing award and commencement of performance on the same date. The result is a nineteen-day quotation preparation period and no interval between award and required performance. For the quotation preparation, Section VII requires four separate volumes: a Technical Volume addressing technical approach, project management approach, Quality Control Plan, safety approach, staffing plan, schedule, and understanding of the Statement of Work; a Key Personnel Volume including resume, certifications, scientific diving qualifications, AAUS qualifications, dive log summary, vessel operation experience, and relevant project experience; a Past Performance Volume requiring references with contract numbers, dollar values, periods of performance, and current customer contact information; and a Price Volume requiring monthly cost breakdowns for each service in each of three contract periods. Obtaining current point-of-contact information and consent from past performance references, and preparing a defensible three-year price structure for a technically specialized marine services requirement, cannot reliably be accomplished within nineteen calendar days. Likewise, Key Personnel recruitment, described in Section 5.a, requires a Marine Biologist holding a master's degree in marine biology or a closely related biological science, with professional experience in marine debris removal in sensitive habitats, coral reef and seagrass ecology and restoration, ecological report preparation with geospatial mapping, small vessel operation, and AAUS-consistent scientific diving certification with a minimum of 100 logged scientific dives. The population of candidates meeting all of these criteria simultaneously is limited nationally. Offerors cannot extend a binding employment offer prior to award, and following award a qualified candidate would require time to accept, provide customary notice to a current employer, and in many cases relocate to the Homestead, Florida area. Furthermore, the background investigation per Section 14 requires that contractor personnel pass a background investigation accomplished by NPS and receive PIV cards and DOI network access before accessing Government IT systems, including the NPS Dive Management System and NPS GIS systems necessary to produce the deliverables required by Section 6. This process cannot begin until an individual has been hired and, in the Government's experience, requires substantially longer than the interval the current schedule provides.

Taken together, the sequence of hiring, notice, relocation, onboarding, background investigation, adjudication, and PIV issuance cannot be completed by August 24, 2026 by any offeror proposing personnel not already employed and already credentialed. Accordingly:

Question 10. Will the Government extend the quotation due date to allow adequate time for preparation of the four required volumes, including collection of past performance reference information and development of a three-year price structure?

Government Response: Yes. Amendment 0002 extends the quotation due date to Friday, September 4, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET.

Question 11. Will the Government correspondingly extend the anticipated award date?

Government Response: Yes. The anticipated award date has been revised to September 14, 2026. This date is an estimate and may change.

Question 12. Will the Government establish a date for commencement of performance separated from the date of award, by issuing the Notice to Proceed contemplated in RFQ Section V at a date sufficiently after award to permit the successful offeror to complete hiring, onboarding, relocation, background investigation, and PIV credentialing of the Key Personnel Marine Biologist?

Government Response: The Government may establish commencement of performance after award once applicable pre-performance requirements have been completed and the Contractor is ready to perform. The successful Contractor shall communicate in writing with the Contracting Officer and COR regarding hiring, onboarding, relocation, background investigation, PIV credentialing, and readiness to perform. The Contractor shall not begin performance until written authorization is issued by the Contracting Officer. The base period remains 12 months from the date of award unless adjusted through a written bilateral modification.

Question 13. What is the Government's estimated processing time, from submission of a complete package to PIV card issuance, based on recent experience at Biscayne National Park or the South Florida Collection Management Center?

Government Response: The Government cannot provide a fixed estimated processing time for PIV card issuance. Processing time varies based on the completeness and accuracy of the submitted package, the individual candidate's background, fingerprint results, whether additional information is required, and appointment availability. The successful Contractor shall submit all required documentation promptly and coordinate with the COR throughout the credentialing process.

Question 14. Will the Government permit contractor personnel to begin performance of work not requiring Government IT access or unescorted facility access, including field operations, diving, and vessel operations, subject to MOCC certification, pending favorable adjudication of Government background screening?

Government Response: The Government may permit contractor personnel to begin work that does not require Government IT access or unescorted access to controlled facilities while background screening is pending. This may include authorized field, diving, and vessel operations, provided all other applicable contract requirements have been satisfied. Any early commencement of work must be specifically authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer. Contractor personnel may not access Government systems or enter controlled facilities unescorted until the required screening and credentialing have been completed.

Question 15. Does the Government intend the current period of performance dates to be fixed, or will the base period be adjusted to run twelve months from the actual Notice to Proceed date?

Government Response: The base period is 12 months from the date of award. If commencement is delayed because required pre-performance activities have not been completed, the Contracting Officer may adjust the period of performance through a written bilateral modification when appropriate. Any adjustment is not automatic.

Vessel Operator Qualifications Background: SOW Section 5.d states that Key Personnel "will be required to safely operate vessels up to 30 feet in coastal waters," that "vessel operations conducted under this contract shall meet DOI and U.S. Coast Guard requirements," that "Government vessels will be utilized," and that personnel "must be capable of obtaining Department of the Interior Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC) qualification prior to operating Government vessels," with MOCC training provided by the Government. SOW Section 2, Task Area 3 similarly requires vessel operations in accordance with "U.S. Coast Guard regulations," and SOW Section 16 establishes a 100% compliance Acceptable Quality Level for vessel operations complying with "U.S. Coast Guard requirements." The minimum qualifications for Key Personnel in Section 5.a require "professional experience safely operating small vessels in coastal environments" but do not identify any Coast Guard-issued credential. The Statement of Work does not state whether a Merchant Mariner Credential is required, and the two provisions read together could be interpreted as requiring MOCC qualification alone or as requiring some additional Coast Guard credential. Because vessel operator credentialing materially affects the qualifications offerors must propose, the labor rates offerors must quote, and the time required to place qualified personnel, we request clarification:

Question 16. Will the Government confirm that MOCC qualification, together with the professional small vessel operating experience described in SOW Section 5.a, constitutes the complete operator qualification required to operate Government vessels under this contract?

Government Response: Yes. MOCC qualification, together with the professional small-vessel operating experience described in SOW Section 5.a, constitutes the complete operator qualification required to operate Government vessels under this contract.

Question 17. Will the Government confirm that a Merchant Mariner Credential, including but not limited to a Master (Inland, Near Coastal, or OUPV) endorsement, is not required of contractor personnel operating Government-owned vessels under this contract?

Government Response: Yes. A Merchant Mariner Credential, including a Master (Inland, Near Coastal, or OUPV) endorsement, is not required of contractor personnel operating Government-owned vessels under this contract.

Question 18. Will the Government identify, or specify in the Statement of Work by amendment, which U.S. Coast Guard requirements it intends to apply to performance under this contract? For example, the Navigation Rules at 33 CFR Subchapter E, equipment carriage requirements, or marine casualty reporting, thus allowing offerors to accurately assess the compliance obligations underlying the 100% Acceptable Quality Level in SOW Section 16?

Government Response: Yes. Attachment 0004 - Updated Statement of Work clarifies the U.S. Coast Guard requirements applicable to contractor performance. Contractor personnel operating Government-furnished NPS vessels shall comply with applicable Federal navigation and vessel-operation requirements, including the Inland Navigation Rules in 33 CFR Subchapter E, as applicable to the vessel and operation, together with applicable DOI and NPS boating and vessel-safety requirements. The Government is responsible for Government responsibilities associated with vessel ownership, inspection, registration, and required onboard equipment. Contractor personnel are responsible for safe vessel operation, compliance with applicable navigation rules and approved operating procedures, maintenance of required vessel logs, and prompt reporting of accidents, incidents, injuries, equipment failures, or other safety events to NPS. The SOW does not impose U.S. Coast Guard requirements that are not applicable to the specific Government vessel or operation being performed.

Question 19. Will the Government confirm whether a TWIC is required for contractor personnel operating Government vessels or accessing any regulated facility in connection with performance?

Government Response: No. A Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) is not required.

Solicitation References and Certification Requirements Background: Several provisions of the solicitation appear to have been carried over from a different requirement and do not correspond to the marine ecological stewardship and conservation services described in the Statement of Work. RFQ Section VI requires quoters to submit "Copies of required licenses/certifications or a clear plan to provide licensed subcontractors, including EPA Section 608 certification, applicable Florida HVAC contractor license, and Florida elevator inspector/maintenance qualifications." Also, RFQ Section XII describes Attachment 0001 as "Statement of Work, Appendices, Maps, Floor Plans, Work Locations/Quantities, and HVAC Inventory." Also, RFQ Section VIII lists FAR 52.222-48, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Labor Standards to Contracts for Maintenance, Calibration, or Repair of Certain Equipment, qualified "only if applicable to separately identifiable equipment maintenance." Also, the page footers throughout the combined synopsis/solicitation read "140P5426Q0020 | Service/Maintenance Services – Everglades National Park." And, RFQ Section I identifies the applicable PSC as "F099 – Other Natural Resources Management." SF 18 Line Item 00010 identifies Product/Service Code F999, Other Environmental Services, while Line Items 00020 and 00030 identify F099.

Question 20. Will the Government confirm that EPA Section 608 certification, a Florida HVAC contractor license, and Florida elevator inspector/maintenance qualifications are not required for this requirement?

Government Response: Yes. EPA Section 608 certification, a Florida HVAC contractor license, and Florida elevator inspector/maintenance qualifications are not applicable to this requirement and are not required.

Question 21. Will the Government issue an amendment revising the Section VI checklist to identify the licenses and certifications actually required — for example, AAUS scientific diving certification, CPR, First Aid, Oxygen Administration, and Nitrox certifications, DOI MOCC qualification, and a valid driver's license?

Government Response: The updated solicitation checklist has been revised to align with Section VII - Evaluation and Basis for Award. Offerors shall submit the Key Personnel qualifications and certifications required by Section VII and the Updated SOW, including applicable scientific-diving certifications and supporting Key Personnel documentation. MOCC does not have to be held at quotation submission;

personnel who will operate Government vessels must be capable of obtaining MOCC and must complete it before operating Government vessels.

Question 22. Will the Government confirm that a quotation will not be found deficient or non-compliant for failing to include the licenses listed in Section VI as currently written?

Government Response: Yes. The prior references to HVAC, elevator, and EPA Section 608 credentials were an oversight and are not applicable. A quotation will not be found deficient for failing to submit those obsolete credentials. Offerors remain responsible for submitting the qualifications and certifications required by the Updated SOW and Section VII of the solicitation.

Question 23. Will the Government confirm that no floor plans, work location/quantity schedules, or HVAC inventory are applicable to this requirement, or, if such documents exist and are applicable, provide them by amendment?

Government Response: Yes. Floor plans, HVAC inventories, and HVAC work location/quantity schedules are not applicable to this requirement.

Question 24. Will the Government confirm that FAR 52.222-48 is not applicable to this requirement, and that no certification under that provision is required with the quotation?

Government Response: Yes. FAR 52.222-48 is not applicable to this requirement and has been removed.

Question 25. Will the Government confirm that the correct solicitation number is 140P5426Q0028 and that all quotations, questions, and correspondence should reference that number?

Government Response: Yes. The correct solicitation number is 140P5426Q0028, and all quotations and correspondence shall reference that number.

Question 26. Will the Government confirm that the requirement is for services at Biscayne National Park, and that the references to Everglades National Park and to "Service/Maintenance Services" in the page footers are in error?

Government Response: Yes. The requirement is for Marine Ecological Stewardship and Conservation Services at Biscayne National Park. Prior references to Everglades National Park and Service/Maintenance Services were erroneous and have been corrected in the updated solicitation.

Question 27. Will the Government confirm that no portion of the solicitation is intended to incorporate requirements from solicitation 140P5426Q0020, and that the terms governing this procurement are limited to those documents issued under solicitation 140P5426Q0028?

Government Response: Yes. No requirements from Solicitation 140P5426Q0020 are incorporated into this procurement. The documents issued under Solicitation 140P5426Q0028, as amended, control.

Question 28. Will the Government confirm the correct Product Service Code for the base period?

Government Response: The applicable Product Service Code (PSC) is F099 - Other Natural Resources Management.

Missing Attachments and Required Submission Formats Question 29. RFQ Section XII identifies five attachments to this solicitation. Only Attachment 0001, Statement of Work, and Attachment 0002, Wage Determination 2015-4543, Revision 35, were included with the documents posted. Attachment 0003, Price Schedule; Attachment 0004, Past Performance Questionnaire; and Attachment 0005, Applicable Forms and Submittal Requirements, were not provided. In addition, Attachment 0001 is described in Section XII as including appendices and maps, and the Statement of Work as posted contains neither. Will the Government post Attachment 0003, Price Schedule; Attachment 0004, Past Performance Questionnaire; and Attachment 0005, Applicable Forms and Submittal Requirements?

Government Response: Amendment 0002 provides the current solicitation documents. Attachment 0002 remains the applicable Service Contract Labor Standards Wage Determination; Attachment 0003 is the SF30 and Updated Combined Synopsis/Solicitation; Attachment 0004 is the Updated Statement of Work and supersedes the prior SOW; and Attachment 0005 is this Questions and Answers document. No separate Past Performance Questionnaire or Applicable Forms/Submittal Requirements attachment is required. Prior erroneous attachment descriptions are superseded by Amendment 0002.

Question 30. With respect to Attachment 0003, does the price schedule table embedded at RFQ Section III constitute the complete Price Schedule for this requirement, or is Attachment 0003 a separate document containing additional CLINs, pricing detail, or a required format? If the two differ, which controls?

Government Response: The Price Schedule in Section III of Attachment 0003 - Updated Combined Synopsis/Solicitation is the complete Price Schedule for this requirement and controls.

Question 31. In what format will Attachment 0003 be provided, and will the Government require offerors to submit pricing in that format, in a company-generated format, or both?

Government Response: Offerors shall complete the Price Schedule in Section III of Attachment 0003 and shall also provide a supporting company-generated price breakdown showing the monthly costs of each service for each contract period, as required by the solicitation.

Question 32. With respect to Attachment 0004, will the Government confirm whether the Past Performance Questionnaire is required for this procurement, given that Section XII qualifies it as "if used"? If required, will the Government identify whether questionnaires are to be completed by references and returned directly to the Contracting Officer or submitted by the offeror with its quotation, and will the Government establish a separate due date for reference submissions?

Government Response: No separate Past Performance Questionnaire is required. Offerors shall address Factor 3 - Past Performance and provide three (3) recent and relevant projects/references completed within the past five years, including the agency/client, contract number, dollar value, period of performance, description of work, and current customer contact information.

Question 33. With respect to Attachment 0005, will the Government identify the forms and submittal requirements contained in that attachment, and confirm whether any of them must be submitted with the quotation as a condition of responsiveness?

Government Response: Attachment 0005 is the Questions and Answers document incorporated by Amendment 0002. It does not contain a separate form or submittal that must be returned with the quotation.

Question 34. With respect to Attachment 0001, will the Government provide the appendices and maps referenced in Section XII, including any maps depicting park work areas, reef tracts, or habitat zones relevant to the fieldwork described in SOW Section 7?

Government Response: Maps depicting applicable BISC work areas, reef tracts, or habitat zones will be provided after award as needed for contract performance. No such maps are required with the quotation.

Travel and Off-Site Fieldwork Background: RFQ Section III requires that monthly prices include "transportation, travel, insurance, overhead, profit, and all other costs necessary to fulfil the requirements of the Statement of Work," and the Price Schedule provides no contract line item for travel, other direct costs, or materials. At the same time, RFQ Section V and SOW Section 7 state that "occasional fieldwork may also be required at other National Park Service units, such as Everglades National Park and Dry Tortugas National Park, as authorized by the Contracting Officer," without identifying the anticipated frequency, duration, or number of personnel involved. Dry Tortugas National Park is located approximately seventy nautical miles west of Key West and is accessible only by vessel or seaplane, and travel there would ordinarily require multi-day duty, lodging, per diem, and transportation costs materially greater than performance at Biscayne National Park. Absent a Government estimate of the anticipated level of off-site travel, offerors must either exclude these costs from their fixed price and seek equitable adjustment if such travel is later directed, or include a contingency amount that increases price without any assurance the effort will be required. Neither outcome serves the Government's interest in obtaining fair and reasonable, comparably priced quotations.

Question 35. Will the Government confirm that all travel, including any travel to Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, or other NPS units, is included in the firm-fixed monthly CLIN prices and is not separately reimbursable?

Government Response: No. The current awarded scope is limited to Biscayne National Park. Offerors shall not include costs associated with travel to or performance at Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, or other NPS units in their firm-fixed monthly CLIN prices. If the Government later requires similar work at another NPS unit, that work may proceed only after the Contracting Officer obtains and reviews a separate quotation and executes an appropriate written contract modification.

Question 36. Will the Government provide its estimate of the anticipated frequency, duration, number of personnel, and destinations for off-site fieldwork during each contract period, so that offerors may price on a common basis?

Government Response: No estimate will be provided because off-site fieldwork at other NPS units is not part of the current requirement. Offerors shall base their quotations solely on the work required at Biscayne National Park.

Question 37. If the Government cannot estimate off-site travel requirements, will the Government establish a separate cost-reimbursable or not-to-exceed CLIN for travel, reimbursable at the rates authorized by the Federal Travel Regulation and FAR 31.205-46 upon written authorization by the Contracting Officer Representative?

Government Response: No. The Government will not establish a separate travel CLIN because travel and performance at other NPS units are outside the current scope. Offerors shall not include off-site travel costs in their quotations.

Question 38. Will the Government confirm that travel to and from other NPS units require advance written authorization by the Contracting Officer Representative, and that the Contractor is not obligated to perform off-site travel absent such authorization?

Government Response: The Contractor is not required to perform work or travel at another NPS unit under the current scope. If the Government later requires such work, the Contractor is not obligated to perform it unless the Contracting Officer authorizes the additional work through an appropriate written contract modification. Authorization or coordination by the COR alone is not sufficient to add work outside the contract scope or change contract price, terms, or conditions.

Question 39. For travel to Dry Tortugas National Park, will the Government provide vessel or air transportation and lodging, or is the Contractor responsible for arranging and funding transportation and accommodation?

Government Response: Travel to and performance at Dry Tortugas National Park are not included in the current requirement. Offerors shall not include transportation, lodging, or other Dry Tortugas travel costs in their quotations.

Government-Furnished Property and Other Direct Costs Question 40. SOW Section 2, Task Area 1 requires "disposal" of recovered marine debris. Will the Government confirm which party bears the cost of transportation, landfill tipping fees, hazardous or special waste characterization and disposal, and any required manifesting, and whether the Government will provide dumpsters, roll-offs, or other disposal capacity at the park?

Government Response: The Government will provide or bear the cost of transportation, landfill tipping fees, hazardous or special-waste characterization and disposal, required manifesting, and dumpsters, roll-offs, or other disposal capacity for marine debris removed under the contract.

Question 41. Will the Government confirm which party is responsible for the cost of fuel, routine maintenance, and repair of the Government vessels identified in SOW Section 12?

Government Response: The Government is responsible for the cost of fuel, routine maintenance, and repair of Government-furnished vessels.

Question 42. Will the Government confirm which party is responsible for scuba cylinder visual inspections, hydrostatic testing, air and Nitrox fills, and routine service of the Government-furnished dive gear identified in SOW Section 12?

Government Response: The Government is responsible for scuba-cylinder visual inspections and hydrostatic testing, air and Nitrox fills, and routine servicing of Government-furnished dive gear.

Question 43. Will the Government confirm whether consumable materials associated with restoration activities, including coral outplanting materials, adhesives, mooring hardware, marking and tagging supplies, and similar items, are Government-furnished or Contractor-furnished, and if Contractor-furnished, provide an estimated quantity?

Government Response: Consumable materials associated with restoration activities, including coral outplanting materials, adhesives, mooring hardware, marking and tagging supplies, and similar restoration consumables, are Government-furnished.

Question 44. Will the Government confirm whether costs incurred in support of emergency response activities under SOW Section 5.e, including securing vessels and equipment during severe weather events, are included in the fixed monthly price, compensable under the overtime CLINs, or subject to equitable adjustment?

Government Response: Emergency response activities within the existing SOW that require work outside normal working hours shall be performed only when specifically authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer. When the Contracting Officer expressly authorizes overtime, compensation will be made using the applicable overtime CLIN. Emergency work that is materially different from or outside the existing contract scope requires an appropriate written contract modification before performance. COR coordination alone does not authorize overtime or out-of-scope work.

Question 45. Will the Government identify the mechanism by which the Contractor may seek an equitable adjustment if directed to perform off-site travel, disposal, or other direct cost activity materially exceeding what a reasonable offeror could have anticipated from the solicitation?

Government Response: The current scope is limited to Biscayne National Park. The Government will provide or bear the marine-debris disposal and other Government-furnished costs specifically identified in the Updated SOW. All other Contractor-responsible costs reasonably necessary to perform the BISC requirements shall be included in the firm-fixed prices. The Contractor shall not perform additional or materially different work based solely on direction from the COR. Any work outside the existing contract requirements must be authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer through an appropriate contract modification before the Contractor incurs the associated costs. Any request for adjustment will be reviewed under the terms and conditions of the resulting contract and does not establish an automatic entitlement.

Service Contract Labor Standards and Wage Determination Background: Attachment 0002 provides Wage Determination 2015-4543, Revision 35, for Miami-Dade County, Florida, and RFQ Section IX includes FAR 52.222-41, Service Contract Labor Standards, together with FAR 52.222-42 and 52.222-43. SOW Section 3 identifies a single labor category: "The Contractor shall provide qualified personnel necessary to accomplish the requirements of this contract. The Contractor shall designate one Marine Biologist as Key Personnel." No other labor category, position, or classification is identified anywhere in the Statement of Work. The minimum qualifications for that position under SOW Section 5.a include a master's degree in marine biology or a closely related biological science field, professional experience in coral reef and seagrass ecology, restoration, and monitoring, and professional experience preparing ecological reports including scientific analysis and geospatial mapping. The duties in SOW Section 5.b require the individual to lead scientific diving operations, develop and implement dive and vessel operations plans, prepare scientifically rigorous technical reports, and provide technical recommendations regarding marine resource management. The Service Contract Labor Standards statute applies to contracts the principal purpose of which is to furnish services through the use of "service employees," a term that excludes any person employed in a professional capacity as defined in 29 C.F.R. Part

541. Wage Determination 2015-4543 contains no classification for a marine biologist, marine scientist, biologist, or comparable professional occupation. Because the applicability of the wage determination affects the wage and fringe benefit obligations offerors must price, whether a conformance action will be required, and whether offerors will have recourse to price adjustment in the option periods, please clarify the following:

Question 46. Does the Government consider the Marine Biologist position described in SOW Sections 3, 5.a, and 5.b to be a "service employee" position subject to Wage Determination 2015-4543, or a position exempt from the Service Contract Labor Standards under 29 C.F.R. Part 541 as a bona fide professional?

Government Response: The Marine Biologist position is anticipated to qualify as a bona fide professional position under 29 CFR part 541 because the required work involves advanced knowledge in the biological sciences customarily acquired through specialized academic instruction. However, job title alone does not determine exempt status; the Contractor remains responsible for ensuring that the employee's actual duties and compensation satisfy the applicable professional-exemption requirements. The Government does not anticipate providing an equivalent Federal classification, grade, and wage rate for the Marine Biologist under FAR 52.222-42. The Contractor may propose additional or supporting labor categories, and any proposed personnel who meet the definition of a service employee will be subject to the applicable Service Contract Labor Standards requirements, including conformance procedures when applicable.

Question 47. If the Government considers the position to be covered, which classification and wage rate on Wage Determination 2015-4543 does the Government believe applies?

Government Response: The Government does not consider the Marine Biologist position, as described in the SOW, to be a covered service-employee classification. Therefore, no classification or wage rate under Wage Determination 2015-4543 is identified for that position. The Contractor may propose other labor categories to perform supporting tasks. Personnel who qualify as service employees must be paid in accordance with the applicable wage determination, and an unlisted service-employee classification must be handled through the applicable conformance process.

Question 48. If no listed classification applies, does the Government anticipate that a conformance under 29 C.F.R. § 4.6(b)(2), submitted on Standard Form 1444, will be required for the Marine Biologist position, and if so, what is the Government's expectation regarding the timing of that action relative to commencement of performance?

Government Response: The Government does not currently anticipate that a conformance will be required for the Marine Biologist because the position, as described in the SOW, is anticipated to qualify as a bona fide professional position rather than a covered service-employee classification. If the Contractor proposes a nonexempt service employee to perform work in a class not listed in the applicable wage determination, the Contractor must identify the need for conformance and coordinate with the Contracting Officer in accordance with the applicable Service Contract Labor Standards requirements. A conformance for an unlisted labor category does not prevent other properly classified personnel from beginning authorized performance.

Question 49. Does the Government anticipate that this contract will be performed using any service employees, and if the anticipated workforce consists solely of exempt professional personnel, does the Government intend that Wage Determination 2015-4543 nonetheless be incorporated into the resulting contract?

Government Response: The Government cannot determine each offeror's proposed staffing mix. Although the Marine Biologist position is anticipated to be performed by an exempt professional, offerors may propose qualified supporting labor categories. Depending on the duties assigned and the qualifications of those employees, the workforce may include service employees. Accordingly, Wage Determination 2015- 4543 will remain incorporated to address any covered service employees who perform under the contract.

Its incorporation does not make employees who properly qualify as bona fide executive, administrative, or professional employees subject to the wage determination.

Question 50. If the Marine Biologist position is exempt, will the Government confirm that the health and welfare benefit, vacation, and holiday requirements set forth in Wage Determination 2015-4543 do not apply to that position?

Government Response: Yes. If the Marine Biologist is properly classified as a bona fide professional employee under 29 CFR part 541, the position is excluded from the definition of a service employee.

Accordingly, the health and welfare, vacation, and holiday benefits in Wage Determination 2015-4543 would not apply to that position. The Contractor remains responsible for determining and documenting the proper classification based on actual duties and compensation. The wage determination continues to apply to any covered nonexempt service employees.

Question 51. FAR 52.222-42 requires a statement of equivalent rates for federal hires. Will the Government provide the classification and equivalent federal grade and wage rate it considers applicable to the Marine Biologist position?

Government Response: No. The Government does not anticipate providing an equivalent Federal classification, grade, or wage rate for the Marine Biologist because the position, as described in the SOW, is anticipated to qualify as a bona fide professional position rather than a covered service-employee classification. If an offeror proposes nonexempt supporting labor categories, applicable Service Contract Labor Standards requirements will apply to those employees.

Question 52. Will the Government confirm which revision of Wage Determination 2015-4543 will be incorporated at award, and whether offerors should price to Revision 35 or to any later revision issued before the quotation due date?

Government Response: Offerors shall base their quotations on the wage determination incorporated into the solicitation at the time quotations are submitted. If a revised wage determination must be incorporated before award, the Government will do so through a solicitation amendment, if necessary. The wage determination applicable at award will be incorporated into the resulting contract.

Additional Quotation Submission Clarifications Question 53. Quotation Submission Requirements, Technical Volume, RFP page 10, lists Schedule as a topic. Appears to be silent on what Schedule means. Can the Government define what content is required for Schedule?

Government Response: Provide a brief implementation schedule describing the anticipated timeline for contract start-up, including hiring (if applicable), personnel availability, anticipated credentialing activities, the proposed on-site work schedule (days and hours), and how the offeror will ensure timely commencement of services. The Government has not established a fixed PIV processing timeframe;

credentialing time varies as addressed in Question 13.

Question 54. RFP Section VI. Quotation Submission Checklist, page 6, states “Staffing Plan and proposed subcontracting approach.” Where in the proposal should offerors provide a subcontracting approach?

Government Response: The updated quotation checklist aligns with the evaluation factors in Section VII - Evaluation and Basis for Award. If subcontractors are proposed, describe the subcontracting approach within the Technical Volume as part of the staffing/project management approach. A separate subcontracting volume is not required.