Q A_-_Wrap_Around_00531.pdf

Questions and Answers

15-233-SOL-00531

October 16, 2015

1. Question: Do you anticipate a delay in award decision due to the continuing resolution expiring on December 11, 2015?

Answer: No.

2. Question: Will there be shared office space needed for all 80 computers? What we're seeking to find is whether we will need to prepare to have multiple installations of network/LAN drops in several office spaces or if there will be one large office space?

Answer: The asset deployment place of performance has not been identified hence ORR cannot predict if the 80 portable computers will all be located in one shared office space. Most probably the 80 portable computers or any specific number of supplies and equipment, as stated on the Solicitation, will be distributed amongst the administrative offices and/or temporary federally-owned or leased sites hence the need for multiple installations of network/LAN drops may be needed. However, this will be determined at task order level once the asset deployment place of performance has been identified.

3. Question: Will this include the other onsite contractor's staffs as well?

Answer: We do not completely understand the question. As stated on the Solicitation, the Wrap Around Service Contractor shall lead and coordinate efforts with the related temporary shelter contractors to ensure that the deployment place of performance runs as a unified shelter. For more details see the Logistics’ sub-section, page 10-11, of the statement of work.

4. Question: Will the vehicles be required or is this potential overlap with the transportation contract?

Answer: Language regarding the transportation of UC and staff will be removed from the Services and Commodities Table on page 5.

5. Question: Are the education requirements fixed for the Cadre Staff positions other than the Program Coordinator in the Statement of Work or is experience substitutable for the education?

Answer: The Contractor is responsible for obtaining the resources and a cadre of trained qualified personnel that includes, but is not limited to a Program Coordinator, Contract Administrator, Recruitment Coordinator, a Procurement Specialist and two IT Specialists.

Except for the Program Coordinator, in all other cadre positions, related education and experience may be interchangeable on a year for year basis.

6. Question: Under the Existing Showers section on page 11, will my company be required to provide staffing for the showers or will these people be the responsibility of the Shelter Staffing contractor?

Answer: The Youth Care Worker-to-children shower ratio will be provided by the Staffing Service Area Contractor.

7. Question: Should my company plan to provide identification badges for all staff on the facility regardless of employer or only my company’s staff and the UCs? If we will need to provide IDs for all of the different contractor’s employees, is there a ballpark number for the other companies that we can plan for?

Answer: No, the Wrap Around Services Contractor will only provide staff identification badges for personnel mobilized under the Wrap Around Services Contract.

8. Question: Should my company plan to provide snacks for all staff on the facility regardless of employer or only my company’s staff and the UCs? If we will need to provide snacks for all of the different contractor’s employees, is there a ballpark number for the other companies that we can plan for?

Answer: Language regarding providing snacks to staff will be amended. Feeding operations, snacks and beverages shall only be provided to UC.

9. Question: Will the portable restrooms need to be ADA compliant?

Answer: Per the Solicitation (page 11- Attachment J.1), “The Contractor shall provide portable restrooms near office spaces and dining facilities, as needed and as directed by the COR. A mixture of regular and ADA-compliant units shall be provided based on the needs of the population.”

10. Question: Will any of the vans need to be ADA compliant/accessible?

Answer: Please see answer to question 4.

11. Question: Will protection against inclement weather between buildings and portable restrooms be necessary? Will snow removal or mist apparatus for hot regions be appropriate?

Answer: No.

12. Question: Are bunk beds an allowable option or is the government’s preference to have standalone beds?

Answer: The type of beds will depend on the space and resources available at the asset deployment place of performance. More information regarding this matter will available at task order level. However, bunk beds may be an option.

13. Question: Will the Shelter Staffing contractor provide CPR and First Aid training for all staff on the facility or should we provide this training for all resident staff?

Answer: The Training and Technical Assistance Contractor will provide the CPR and First Aid Training as well as other related ORR trainings. The solicitation will be amended to state that any specific position-related training such as Food Service Sanitation Training for personnel in charge of feeding support, must be provided by the Wrap Around Service Contractor.

14. Question: Are AED devices an appropriate inclusion as part of first aid supplies for the facility?

Answer: No, the Medical and Clinical Staffing and Equipment Service Area Contractor will provide the AED devices, if needed.

15. Question: On Page 6 it indicates the following: “The Contractor shall have scalability in response to the changing occupancy. The contractor shall provide a plan to scale –up the staffing services to meet the staffing requirements for up to 2,500 children”. Does the scalability up to 2,500 people include all 3 regions or only one region?

Answer: It includes all regions.

16. Question: On page 8 it indicates: “The Contractor may also be required to report daily shelter population information using a standard reporting system or tool provided by the Government.” What would the standard reporting tool be?

Answer: If needed, and if related to child specific information, the Contractor may be requested to use the ORR-UC Portal, a government database to input child specific information. Access to this database will be provided at the time of award for specific Service Areas.

17. Question: On page 8 under Supplies and Equipment, are contractors required to provide phones for PREA lines?

Answer: Yes, per the Solicitation (page 8), this would be one of the additional supplies and equipment not specified in the work statement that may be added as directed by the COR, if the asset deployment place of performance does not have the phones availability. Under ORR Policies and Procedures, Section 4.5.1 Access to Community Service Providers and Resources, “Care provider facilities must… provide access to pre-programmed telephones at the care provider facility to provide direct access to service providers without the assistance of staff at the care provider facility”.

18. Question: On page 14 under Travel, it indicates that “The Contractor shall make every effort to replace staff on travel status with local hires within 3 weeks of the beginning of the period of performance. The Contractor shall provide logistical support for staff on travel status.” Do contractors have to provide travel arrangements for ALL emergency shelter contractor staff or just for wraparound staff?

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/resource/children-entering-the-united-states-unaccompanied-section-4

Answer: No, the Wrap Around Service Contractor will only be required to provide the logistical support, travel arrangements and maintenance requirements described under Section 4.0, for personnel mobilized under Wrap around Services Contract.

19. Question: On page 14 under Background Checks, are contractors required to provide background checks for wraparound staff only? Or are contractors also required to provide background checks for multiple tiered subcontractors. For example, would a contractor be required to conduct a background check on subcontractors installing equipment or portable bathrooms?

Answer: The Wrap Around Services Contractor will only be required to provide background checks for personnel mobilized under Wrap Around Services Contract.

20. Question: In the previous RFP, attachment J.4 included categories for Travel, Other Direct, Subcontract, and Direct Materials. In this RFP, the Other Direct category is omitted. Why was this category omitted from the attachment?

Answer: The pricing assumptions have been amended to include the categories identified in the definition of materials found in FAR 52.212-4;Alt I(e). Attachment J.4 now includes an assumption amount for Other Direct Costs. Travel falls into the Other Direct Cost category;

however, it is listed separately because some companies may have a different indirect rate that they apply to travel.

21. Question: Section H, item (1)(a) states, “The contractor will be provided with a Statement of Work, Schedule of Deliverables, and other additional instructions as needed for each individual task order to be issued under this contract.” Item (1)(c), regarding Emergency Response task orders, states, “… the contractor will have 2 weeks… to submit a Price Proposal that will consist of labor categories, labor hours, labor rates, material costs, and material indirect costs.” It is implied by these and by the format of attachment J.4 that many of the costs of the task orders are currently unknown. These unknown costs may not meet a strict definition of Direct Materials but also may not be contemplated in the loaded labor rates or indirect cost rate. Will such costs be allowable as Direct Materials?

Answer: Materials, as defined in FAR 52.212-4;Alt I(e), is inclusive of more than just direct materials. The pricing assumptions have been amended to include the categories identified in the definition of materials found in FAR 52.212-4;Alt I(e). When placing orders, if a material does not fall into one of the categories in the definition, then it is not an allowable cost under a time and materials contract.

52.212-4; Alt.I (e)(iii) Materials means—

(A) Direct materials, including supplies transferred between divisions, subsidiaries, or affiliates of the contractor under a common control;

(B) Subcontracts for supplies and incidental services for which there is not a labor category specified in the contract;

(C) Other direct costs (e.g., incidental services for which there is not a labor category specified in the contract, travel, computer usage charges, etc.);

(D) The following subcontracts for services which are specifically excluded from the hourly rate:

[Insert any subcontracts for services to be excluded from the hourly rates prescribed in the schedule.]; and

(E) Indirect costs specifically provided for in this clause.

22. Question: What is a loaded labor rate?

Answer: See section B.2 of the solicitation. A loaded labor rate is inclusive of wages, indirect costs such as fringe, overhead, general and administrative expenses, any other indirect costs for labor, and profit for each labor category.

23. Question: Can I invoice the government for holidays, vacation or other types of time off under a time and material contract?

Answer: No, Contractors may only invoice the government for hours worked in performance of the contract. A contractor may not invoice the government for an employee’s paid time off.

This should be considered when establishing a loaded labor rate for each labor category.

24. Question: Could you please elaborate or define in more detail what is included in “general and administrative expenses” within B.2?

Answer: It depends on your company’s accounting system and how your company accounts for indirect costs.

A basic explanation of G&A is:

Expenditures related to the day-to-day operations of a business. General and administrative expenses pertain to operation expenses rather that to expenses that can be directly related to the production of any goods or services. General and administrative expenses include rent, utilities, insurance and managerial salaries.