Advisory MultiStep Presolicitation Amendment 2.pdf

Pre-Solicitation Notice RFP 15JPSS22R00000040

AFISS 2

Amendment 2: Questions and Answers

Amendment updates DOJ’s response to question 10 below.

1) QUESTION: Is there an estimated release date for the AFISS (2) RFP?

ANSWER: No, the estimated release date is not available at this time.

2) QUESTION: Would you consider setting aside a portion of the subsequent RFQ for non-small businesses?

ANSWER: The solicitation is a total small business set aside.

3) QUESTION: Will the current AFISS contract be extended?

ANSWER: DOJ has determined this question is not necessary to respond to the pre-solicitation notice.

4) QUESTION: If a response to the pre-solicitation is submitted by a non-small business, will it be evaluated?

ANSWER: No, the pre-solicitation notice is for a total small business set aside acquisition.

5) QUESTION: For the Pre-Solicitation Notice and the AFISS 2 acquisition, will the government exercise its authority under FAR 15.305(a)(2)(iii) to take into account the past performance information of an Alaska Native Corporation’s (ANC) subcontractors who are also part of the ANC that will perform major aspects of the requirement when such information is relevant to the AFISS 2 acquisition?

ANSWER: DOJ has determined a response is not necessary to respond to this pre-solicitation

6) QUESTION: Does the government intend that each individual Corporate Experience example must include work involving the 10 types of services listed on p. 2 of the Pre-Solicitation Notice?

ANSWER: No, however the provided examples must include work involving all 10 types of services listed on p.2 of the pre-solicitation notice.

7) QUESTION: Will companies who do not respond to the pre-solicitation be able to submit proposals in response to the subsequent RFQ?

ANSWER: Yes, the pre-solicitation notice does not restrict response to the RFP as stated.

8) QUESTION: Given that DOJ is using a FAR 15.202 Multi-step Process and reviewing preliminary information submitted by potential offerors that is largely based on three examples of past performance, will past performance be included as an evaluation criteria in the final RFP?

ANSWER: Please note the requested information is for corporate experience to determine the extent of SB capabilities in supporting all 10 types of services as listed on p.2 of the pre-solicitation notice. It will not be using the information provided to evaluate past performance records. The Government intent is to include past performance as an evaluation factor in the final RFP for award.

9) QUESTION: On Page 6, The Notice states, “The assessment under this Advisory Multi-Step Process will be conducted by an independent team and the firms participating in the process and their individual assessments will not be disclosed to the Source Selection Evaluation Board.”

Question: Does this mean that any finding or scoring of a potential offeror’s preliminary information will not be carried over to the evaluation of proposals in response to the final RFP, and any finding or scoring will have no impact on the evaluation of final proposals?

ANSWER: Yes, as stated in the pre-solicitation notice.

10) QUESTION: On page 5, the Notice states, “The prime offeror must provide three (3) directly relevant past or present references that demonstrate experience with projects of a similar scope and complexity to AFMS AFISS requirements.” Question: Can separate option periods for a project be treated as separate references? Will the same apply for the final RFP?

ANSWER: DOJ will allow offerors to provide 2 references from optional periods of performance for purposes of this pre-solicitation notice. References can include no more than 2 references from the same award document if the services were performed during different option periods.

11) QUESTION: On page 5, the Notice states, "The prime offeror must provide three (3) directly relevant past or present references that demonstrate experience with projects of a similar scope and complexity to AFMS AFISS requirements." Question: Many Small Businesses have fewer than 3 contracts. As this is a total Small Business set aside contract, would the government consider amending the language of section 2 (and subsequent language in the final solicitation) to require "up to 3" references"? Under those circumstances, would the Government could still evaluate past performance in accordance with FAR 15.305 (a)(2)(iv)?

12) QUESTION: On Page 5, the Notice states, “The prime offeror must provide three (3) directly relevant past or present references that demonstrate experience with projects of a similar scope and complexity to AFMS AFISS requirements.” Question: Given the requirement to provide three examples of relevant past performance, if potential offerors chose to enter into a Small Business Joint Venture to act as the prime contractor, would DOJ consider past performance of the small business member companies as examples of past performance of the Joint Venture acting as the prime?

ANSWER: A response is not necessary to respond to this pre-solicitation notice.

13) QUESTION: When does DOJ expect to issue determinations regarding whether a Prime Offeror is found to be a viable competitor?

ANSWER: DOJ will issue determinations prior to the RFP release date.

14) QUESTION: When does DOJ expect to issue a final RFP?

ANSWER: See question 1.

15) QUESTION: How many total RFI responses did DOJ receive from Industry for the RFI issued on Nov 23, 2021?

16) QUESTION: Considering that corporate experience is being evaluated to determine the competency of an Offeror, will corporate experience/past performance under the final RFP? Or no?

ANSWER: DOJ would like for interested offeror’s to provide the requested corporate experience information that is contained in the pre-solicitation notice. All available RFP acquisition strategy information has been provided in this notice.

17) QUESTION: Given the need for the use of subcontractors to satisfy the ten (10) types of services required under this IDIQ, we recommend for DOJ consideration allowing multiple subcontractors past performance in order to demonstrate viability, as opposed to the one (1) allowed per this Advisory Multistep Pre-solicitation.

notice..

18) QUESTION: Does a subcontractor to the prime require an FCL at the time of proposal submission?

ANSWER: Yes, the facility clearance level will be evaluated with the proposal to determine capability to meet DOJ’s requirements.

19) QUESTION: Will this vehicle be used to acquire crypto-currency technology or only services?

ANSWER: DOJ does not anticipate that crypto-currency technology will be a requirement of the

RFP.

20) QUESTION: Page 5 of 7, 2. Corporate Experience Information. The prime offeror must provide three (3) directly relevant past or present references that demonstrate experience with projects of a similar scope and complexity to AFMS AFISS requirements.

Many Small Businesses have fewer than 3 contracts. As this is a total Small Business set aside contract, would the government consider amending the language of section 2 (and subsequent language in the final solicitation) to require "up to 3" references"? Under those circumstances, we assume the Government could still evaluate past performance in accordance with FAR

15.305 (a)(2)(iv).