16 Responses to Industry Questions_HS002122BIFW0114_Final.xlsx
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- DCSA Background Investigation Fieldwork Services Federal contract opportunity
- Solicitation number
- HS0021-22-R-0003
About this file
This is a solicitation for background investigation fieldwork services. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency seeks proposals to award two single-award IDIQ contracts to provide background investigation services across the United States. Offerors must comply with instructions in Attachments 1-6, which specify proposal requirements, evaluation criteria, applicable provisions and clauses. The Performance Work Statement in Attachment 4 outlines requirements including conducting interviews, record retrieval, and report completion. Pricing terms are included in the Price Schedule in Attachment 3. Proposals are due by the date indicated in the solicitation posting.
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| NOTE: This information is provided to clarify aspects of the solicitation and future contract. However, this information is not contractually binding and does not supersede language stated in the solicitation. In the event of conflicting information between this document and the solicitation, Contractors should request additional clarification or defer to the solicitation. | ||||
| Document | Page # | Section | Question/Comment | Government Response |
| Attachment 14 (Prov/Clauses) | 52.219-9 Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Nov 2021) | Based on the language of FAR clause 52.219-9; “Credit cannot be taken for awards made to lower tier subcontractors, unless the Contractor or subcontractor has been designated to receive a small business or small disadvantaged business credit from an ANC or Indian tribe,” if a lower tier SubK brought with them a small business partner who is considered an ANC or Indian tribe, could the prime contractor claim this SubK in their small business reporting? | The SBA has provided the following response: |
Where one or more subcontractors are in the subcontract tier between the prime Contractor and the ANC or Indian tribe, the ANC or Indian tribe shall designate the appropriate Contractor(s) to count the subcontract towards its small business and small disadvantaged business subcontracting goals.
(A) In most cases, the appropriate Contractor is the Contractor that awarded the subcontract to the ANC or Indian tribe.
(B) If the ANC or Indian tribe designates more than one Contractor to count the subcontract toward its goals, the ANC or Indian tribe shall designate only a portion of the total subcontract award to each Contractor. The sum of the amounts designated to various Contractors cannot exceed the total value of the subcontract.
(C) The ANC or Indian tribe shall give a copy of the written designation to the Contracting Officer, the prime Contractor, and the subcontractors in between the prime Contractor and the ANC or Indian tribe within 30 days of the date of the subcontract award.
(D) If the Contracting Officer does not receive a copy of the ANC’s or the Indian tribe’s written designation within 30 days of the subcontract award, the Contractor that awarded the subcontract to the ANC or Indian tribe will be considered the designated Contractor.
| Attachment 14 (Prov/Clauses) | 27 | 52.223-13 Acquisition of EPEAT® Registered Imaging Equipment (JUN 2014) | Given that this will be a services-only contract under the scope of the draft RFP, can the government please clarify how this clause [FAR 52.223-13 Acquisition of EPEAT® Registered Imaging Equipment (JUN 2014)] is applicable? | This clause has been removed from the solicitation. |
| Attachment 14 (Prov/Clauses) | 27 | 52.223-14, Acquisition of EPEAT® Registered Televisions (JUN 2014) | Given that this will be a services-only contract under the scope of the draft RFP, can the government please clarify how this clause [FAR 52.223-14, Acquisition of EPEAT® Registered Televisions (JUN 2014)] is applicable? | This clause has been removed from the solicitation. |
| Attachment 14 (Prov/Clauses) | 27 | 52.223-15 Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products (MAY 2020) | Given that this will be a services-only contract under the scope of the draft RFP, can the government please clarify how this clause [FAR 52.223-15 Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products (MAY 2020)] is applicable? | BI Fieldwork Services Contractors are expected to provide/purchase laptop computers to perform investigative duties, in part, in Federal facilities. As prescribed by FAR 23.206, the clause at 52.223-15, Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products, must be included in solicitations and contracts when energy-consuming products listed in the ENERGY STAR® Program or FEMP (such as desktop and integrated desktop computers, workstations, notebook computers, slates/tablets, portable all-in-one computers, thin-client, and small-scale servers marketed for non-data-center use) are required. |
| Attachment 14 (Prov/Clauses) | 27 | 52.223-16, Acquisition of EPEAT®-Registered Personal Computer Products | Given that this will be a services-only contract under the scope of the draft RFP, can the government please clarify how this clause [FAR 52.223-16, Acquisition of EPEAT® Registered Personal Computer Products] is applicable? | Contractors are expected to provide/purchase laptop computers to perform investigative duties, in part, in Federal facilities. As prescribed by FAR 23.705(d(1)(ii),the clause at 52.223-16, Acquisition of EPEAT®-Registered Personal Computer Products, must be included in all solicitations and contracts when personal computer products will be acquired by the contractor for use in performing services at a Federally controlled facility. |
| Evaluation | 3 | I. | Due to the criticality and nature of the DCSA Fieldwork Services contract, we suggest adding additional scope for maintaining high contract adherence and data security. | Contractors must comply with numerous standards (see PWS 1.20.2.) to receive authorization to operate under this contract. The Government believes that this will protect its interests better than evaluating Contractor assertions within a proposal. |
| Evaluation | 1 | I. | The government has outlined evaluation criteria including "Government may select for award Offeror that does not offer the lowest price if that Offeror proposes an approach that the Government deems Contractor technically superior to, or believes represents a lower risk" and also, "Government may select an Offeror that does not offer the best technical solution or represent lower risk if the Government believes that a lower-priced proposal represents a better value." Can the Government be more specific as to evaluation criteria? | DCSA will select awardees based upon which Offerors submit the most advantageous proposals in relation to the evaluation criteria as described, with non-price factors being significantly more important than price. Full details as to the evaluation criteria are provided in the Evaluation Process. |
| Evaluation | 4 | III.3.A. | Will there be any guidance given to obtain timely authorization to operate its own case-management system (Technical Exhibit A, 2.1)? | DCSA RMF guidance and processes for identifying, implementing, assessing and authorizing the operation of the Contractor’s information system can be found in DoDI 8510.01 and DCSA Assessment and Authorization Process Manual (DAAPM) (see Technical Exhibit A, subsection 2.2.). DCSA will provide postaward guidance and support to Contractors throughout phase-in activities to include achieving authorization to operate; however, Contractors are ultimately responsible for managing the RMF process. |
| Evaluation | 4 | II.3. | Would the Government please provide a set of metrics for monitoring the quality of each criteria? | Information about how quality will be measured against contract performance standards in relation to each of the bulleted requirements is provided in PWS sections 5 and 6, as well as Technical Exhibit J - Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. |
| Evaluation | 5 | III.3.C. | Section states "the Government will favor proposals that exhibit the following: • Greater length of experience in years. • A higher quantity of referenced projects". This evaluation criteria seems to favor a limited number of Prime Contractors who have been providing services for an extended period of time and greatly restricts newer companies in the field and/or subcontractors with less length of service. |
| Evaluation factors should be adjusted to maximize competition and create a level playing field. For example, Corporate Experience demonstrating a contractors ability to provide services should be equal and incumbents should not be provided a preference just because they have been providing services for an extended period of time. | The Government will seek to make award to Contractors in which it has high confidence. To this end, the Government believes the amount of experience a Contractor has doing the same type of work correlates strongly to the likelihood of future success, regardless of which agency the experience was with. Moreover, by considering experience performed as a subcontractor, and experience from proposed subcontractors, the Government is giving ample opportunity to non-incumbent Contractors to share their experience. | |||
| Evaluation | 5 | II.3.C. | This section of the Corporate Experience Evaluation Criteria states that "the Government will evaluate the degree to which the Offeror and its major subcontractors have had experience performing similar projects," and further states that the Government will favor proposals exhibiting "A higher quantity of referenced projects." The same comment is stated with a limit of up to three projects in Section II, Para 4. |
Can more than 3 projects be cited in 3.C? There is no limit on the number of projects an Offeror may reference in the Corporate Experience portion of its oral technical proposal, provided the experience occurred within 10 years of the solicitation closing date. The three-project limit referenced in subsection II.4. of the Evaluation Process is with regard to Past Performance.
Instructions 8 III.5.B. "Commitment to Small Business. For each project referenced under section III.4. of this document, address the following elements (as applicable)" Recommend that the government request this information at the corporate level rather than for each past performance reference. Company-wide performance is a better indicator of small business commitment.
| Recommend that the government request this information at the corporate level rather than for each past performance reference. Company-wide performance is a better indicator of small business commitment. | To ensure the efficient management of the source selection process, the Government prefers to review a company's commitment to small business in relation to a limited number of specific projects. | |||
| Instructions | 5 | III.3. | A number of documents, exhibits, and additional documentation will be available in the "reading room." |
| Will the government provide further guidance regarding specific details to be presented in the orals presentation from information that may be incorporated in exhibits or other documentation in the reading room? | The Government strongly advises potential Offerors to review the reading room materials as a step in their proposal preparation; however, the Government will not provide Offerors with additional guidance as to how reading-room materials should be utilized. | ||||
| Instructions | 2 | II. | Are there any page limits for the proposal volumes listed? | Page limitations are provided in the table in section II of the Instructions to Offerors. | |
| Instructions | 2 | II. | C. | Security Plan. |
The plan must demonstrate how the Offeror will protect sensitive information during the conduct of this work. At a minimum, it must contain:
| i. | A description of the current security posture and culture, inclusive of organizational management’s commitment to compliance with the National Industrial Security Program (NISP); and |
| ii. | A statement indicating the results of the two (2) most recent Security Vulnerability Assessments conducted by DCSA. |
| 5 pages is minimal length to address NISP requirements. Are there specific areas of the NISP that should be addressed in the 5 pages? | The Government seeks an overview of the Offeror's security program. Offerors should consult the NISPOM for guidance. | |||
| Instructions | 9 | 6 | Can the Government provide the current version of the Wage Determination referenced? Is a new Wage Determination expected for the final solicitation? |
The Price Volume instructions state that "Offerors are advised that wages and fringe benefits must be in accordance with the attached wage determination." No WD was attached.
Will the government please provide the required Service Contract Act wage determination now or soonest in advance of the final solicitation release?
| Is the SCA applied as a local area wage determination or a national one? | A wage determination is included with the formal solicitation. | ||||
| Instructions | 2 | I.3. | If there are performance issues or increased risks with the reduction to only 2 vendors, how will the government award additional contracts? Will it be a new procurement or based on the proposals submitted in this cycle? | Additional contracts, if pursued, would be awarded under separate, unique solicitations. | |
| Instructions | 3 | II. | In the Proposal Formatting Requirements table, the Government states the Project List is not to exceed 1 (one) page. Is this one page per project? |
In the Proposal Formatting Requirements table, the Government states the Project List is not to exceed 1 (one) page. If this refers to one page for all projects, will the Government consider increasing page count for the Project List to allow offerors to adequately describe each project's scope of work?
"A. Project List. PDF document, not to exceed one (1) page with 11-point or higher TNR or Calibri font (not including any title page).
Offerors shall submit a project list with up to three (3) recent and relevant projects performed by the Offeror (not by subcontractors), plus evaluations (as available).
| Is the project list 1 page limit overall (1 page total for up to 3 references) or is the page limit per reference (up to 3 pages)?" | This has been updated. Project lists may not exceed one (1) page per project (three (3) pages maximum). (See Instructions to Offerors, section II.6.A.) | |||
| Instructions | 8 | III.5.A. | In this section, the government has established a small business utilization goal of 30% of total contract value (TCV). This is a very aggressive target in view of the fact that the current small business requirement is addressed as a percentage of subcontracted dollars, and our delivery process is built around meeting that requirement and the absolute need to satisfy the historically unpredictable and volatile workload. Overall, prime vendor staffing ramp-up/ramp-down flexibility would be reduced, professional staffing retention would suffer from the lack of stability, quality of investigative products would likely diminish, and the cost of investigative services support to DCSA (and then to DCSA customers) would increase. |
| In light of all these adverse outcomes for a FFP contract, would the government consider reestablishing goals based on vendor-defined subcontracted dollars rather than TCV? | At this time, the target will remain at 30% of TCV. | ||||
| Instructions | 5 | III.2.C. | Instructions state "The plan must demonstrate how the Offeror will protect sensitive information during the conduct of this work. At a minimum, it must contain:...A statement indicating the results of the two (2) most recent Security Vulnerability Assessments conducted by DCSA". QUESTION - Is this referring to the general annual security review or something specific to DCSA that no one else will have unless they have worked this contract for DCSA? | This refers to the general annual security review. | |
| Instructions | 3 | II. | Is there a standard font and/or size required for the PowerPoint deck? | PowerPoint slide decks must use 20-point or higher TNR or Calibri font. (See Instructions to Offerors, II.3.B.) | |
| Instructions | 8 | III.5.A. | Meeting the standard 3% subcontracting goal for HUB Zone businesses for this program has been historically difficult. Given the inclusion of 52.219-16, Liquidated Damages—Subcontracting Plan (SEP 2021) and the potential associated financial penalties for not meeting small business goals, would the government consider reducing the HUB Zone goal to a more realistic 1%? | ||
| HUBZone goals are established by the U.S. Small Business Administration and will remain at 3%. The inclusion of the clause at FAR 52.219-16 is required; however, liquidated damages typically apply, at the Contracting Officer's discretion, when a Contractor fails to make a good-faith effort to comply with a subcontracting plan. |
Instructions 4 III.3.A.v. This paragraph addresses the government asking clarifying questions following the offeror's oral presentation.
| Will "clarifying questions" apply to any proposal volume/content or only to what was presented in the offeror's Volume 3/Orals Presentation? | The Government no longer intends to ask clarifying questions during oral presentations. | |||
| Instructions | 2 | I.4. | This paragraph addresses the government's intent to hold discussions prior to making the 2 single ID/IQ contract awards. |
| How will "the competitive range" for each solicitation be determined? | In accordance with DoD Source Selection Procedures and FAR 15.306(c), the Contracting Officer shall establish a competitive range--based on the ratings of each proposal against all evaluation criteria--comprised of all of the most highly rated proposals, unless the range is further reduced for purposes of efficiency. | |||
| Instructions | 1 | I.3. | This paragraph addresses the government's intent to release two solicitations and award two single-award ID/IQ contracts to satisfy the BI Field Work Services requirement and encourages offerors to submit proposals (identical or otherwise) for both. |
| If an offeror submits a proposal in response to both solicitations, will oral presentations be required for each? | An Offeror that requests for a single written proposal to be considered under both solicitations will also deliver a single oral presentation, which the Government will consider under both solicitations. Alternatively, an Offeror that submits distinct written proposals in response to each solicitation will also be required to deliver distinct oral presentations. (See Instructions to Offerors, I.2.) | |||
| Instructions | 1 | I.3. | This section addresses parallel requirements and the government's intent to release two solicitations and award two single-award ID/IQ contracts to satisfy the BI Field Work Services requirement. It encourages offerors to submit proposals (identical or otherwise) for both. |
Will the government indicate the differences between the two solicitations?
Please provide more detail regarding the two solicitations - "The Government will release two, nearly identical solicitations concurrently, against which it anticipates awarding two single-award, IDIQ contracts." What are the differences in the solicitations?
Please confirm that the 2 solicitations will be identical.
Will the second DCSA solicitation mentioned in the PWS be released at the same time?
How will the two solicitation process work? The Government has released two, substantively identical, solicitations concurrently. Both are now accessible through the SAM website.
The Government describes the parallel requirements in the Instructions to Offerors, I.2.
Instructions 4 III.A.vii & III.B. This section requires that the cover letter include the full names and (as required by the performance work statement (PWS)) summaries of qualifications of candidates proposed to occupy the six (6) key positions listed at section 1.12. of the PWS. Paragraph B requires the submission of 2 resumes: for the Program Manager and 1 other Key Person.
| To better convey the breadth and depth of offeror key personnel, will the government please consider requiring the submission of resumes for all 6 key personnel? | For purposes of efficiency, the Government will continue to only require submission of the stated two resumes. | ||||
| Instructions | 2 | II. | Will the Government allow the use of Cover Sheets to distinguish each volume required for submission? | Offerors may include cover pages for each volume but are not required to do so. Cover pages will not count against any page limits. (See Instructions to Offerors, section II.) | |
| Instructions | 1 | I.1. | Will the Government provide a list of solicitation instructions that offerors must comply with to qualify for the proposal evaluation? | No, the Government declines to provide an additional checklist. Proposal compliance is one of the evaluation factors, and it is the responsibility of Offerors to ensure they read the instructions carefully and meet proposal requirements. | |
| Instructions | 7 | III.4. | Would the Government specify how many past performance references will be allowed? And how recent the references will need to be (for example within the last five years?) | This information is provided in the Instructions to Offerors (see section III.4.) and the Evaluation Process (see section II.4.) | |
| Instructions | 1 | I.3. | Reducing the number of potential awarded Contractors seems to place the Government at risk of returning to a single Contractor model, in the event of unforeseen performance or security issues for one of the awardees. It also reduces the Government's ability to ensure high quality and timeliness performance through competition as a result of decreased options to assign workload. Finally, this structure will also potentially drive such significant decreases to price that the eventual performance on the contract will be impacted as margins will be so reduced that contractors will be unable to both successfully perform and meet contract margin expectations. |
Given the stated workload fluctuations, cyber vulnerabilities, and anticipated major implementations of technical and operational initiatives over the life of the contract(s), would the Government be increasing risk in an already volatile environment by limiting the award to two vendors?
Is the Government better positioned for sustained, superior performance by limiting the award to two vendors or does it marginalize the existing competitive environment? For example, due to the construct on the current Fieldwork Services Contract, the Government has seen unprecedented performance and enjoyed competitive rates from the multiple Contractors. By reducing the number of vendors, flexibility of resources, industry capacity, and small business opportunities may be negatively impacted.
Section states "Due to the historical workload volatility associated with this requirement and its impact on national security, the Government has a critical need to maintain two Contractors at relative workload parity throughout the lives of these contracts...". By restricting awards to two (2) contractors the Government is limiting companies that can compete in this marketplace for near and long-term contracts.
Recommend the Government modify this section and add two (2) additional awards for small business companies that can meet solicitation requirements. By allowing small business participation the Government will create a stronger ecosystem of companies available in the marketplace to meet Government requirements in the short and long term. Following substantial market research and risk analysis, the Government has determined that award of two prime contracts--with the technical expertise and breadth of resources necessary to fulfill DCSA's continuing need for nationwide capacity-- is in the Government's best interest and should help to ensure an adequate volume of work for the Contractors.
To ensure that small businesses have reasonable opportunities to participate in this work, the Government will evaluate Offerors' (excluding small-business Offerors) approach and commitment to meeting the small-business goals for this requirement. (See Instructions to Offerors, subsection III.5.)
Instructions 1 I.3. This section states that the apparent awardee for one solicitation will be excluded from the second solicitation.
| If a vendor is not selected for the first award, can they change their offer package to compensate for any shortfalls identified during discussions? | No, Offerors may not change their proposals in this situation. Instructions to Offerors, I.3., has been updated with the following language: "If an Offeror submits a single proposal in response to both this solicitation [HS002122R0002] and HS002122R0003, and the Offeror is deemed to be within the competitive range for both solicitations, the Offeror may choose to respond to the Government with a single response on behalf of both proposals, or with unique responses for each unique proposal. The Government will not announce an award decision or provide debriefings under either solicitation until discussions have concluded under both solicitations. Offerors will not have an opportunity to renegotiate under one solicitation based on the outcome of the other." | |||
| Instructions | 1 | I.3. | This section states "that once the minimum-guarantee amount is ordered, the government may thereafter utilize one contract more than the other, award additional contracts, and/or cease using one contract altogether..." |
| On what basis would an awarded contractor be removed from service? | The Government declines to speculate as to the specific reasons it may decide to stop using one contract. As the Government has a strong interest in Contractor parity, one can imagine this would likely only occur for a highly compelling reason, although legally the Government always has the ability to terminate any contract for its sole convenience. | ||||
| Instructions | 4 | III.1.A.v. & III.3.B. | Would the Government consider expanding the number of Orals participants to five? | In order to better test the understanding and expertise of the presenters (especially the Program Manager), the number of presenters will remain limited to three. | |
| Instructions | 1 | I.3. | The document states workload will be evenly allocated but also indicates it will be based on estimated level of effort. How will vendor capacity at an organization or duty station level be determined for workload distribution purposes? | DCSA will schedule work in locations as necessary, taking Contractor capacity into consideration. | |
| Instructions/ Evaluation | 4 | III.A.vii. & III.B. | These sections require the submission of 6 key personnel names and 2 key personnel resumes. These key personnel will clearly significantly and positively impact the performance potential of the offeror. |
| Will key personnel be evaluated and, if so, in which section or sections of the proposal response/oral presentation? | Under Factor 1, the Government will evaluate whether the proposal conforms to requirements stated in subsections II.1. and III.1. of the Instructions to Offeror, to include provision of two resumes, one for the proposed program manager, and the other for the proposed information technology manager. Both proposed candidates must meet the minimum qualifications as stated at PWS 1.11. | ||||
| Misc | Will the Contractor require an ISA to perform case data exchange? | Response pending. This cell will be updated via solicitation amendment. | |||
| Misc | Can DCSA provide data showing the number of investigations, types of investigations and number of BI providers monthly for the most recent three years? | Historical information of this nature is available for review in the reading room. See section I.5. of the Instructions to Offerors. | |||
| Misc | Can you define what a case is? Is it a record check? Is it a full interview? | The Investigator Handbook, part of the Investigator's Policies and Procedures (see PWS, 7.1.1.), will define the requirements of each case type. This information will be available in the reading room. See section I.5. of the Instructions to Offerors. | |||
| Misc | How does the credentialing process work? | The Badge and Credential Policy will be available in the reading room. See section I.5. of the Instructions to Offerors. | |||
| Misc | What is the likelihood of DCSA sending [contractors] classified information? | Only unclassified work will be performed under the BI Fieldwork Services contracts. | |||
| Misc | Is telework approved? Is a SCIF required for data access? | Contractors will not be required to perform onsite at DCSA facilities. A sensitive compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) is not required for access to unclassified data. | |||
| Misc | What is the methodology/system used to send and receive case data? | The Background Investigative Enterprise Systems (BIES) are used to send and receive case data. | |||
| Misc | Does this contract provide the bare minimum of needed personnel? Can this be broken down to administrative and investigative? | No, the Government will not establish a "bare minimum" of personnel. The Contractor is expected to staff appropriately, in accordance with the Government's workload needs throughout the life of the contract. Contractor flexibility is essential to successful performance. | |||
| Price Workbook | 1 | Price Workbook | At what point in the contract would DCSA know the volume of CV Flag Alerts for case types for the contract? | The timeline for potential implementation of CV Flag Alerts is unknown at this time. | |
| Price Workbook | 1 | Price Workbook | Is the volume detailed in the Price Workbook the volume expected to be allocated to the awarded vendors or does the volume represent the total program volume inclusive of what DCSA will complete as well? | The case volume provided in the price workbook represents the estimated workload for one contractor (or half the total anticipated contractor workload). | |
| Price Workbook | 1 | Price Workbook | What percentage of the work is done by DCSA and what percentage is split among the contractors? | The Government estimates that approximately 35% of the total BI caseload will be allocated to the Federal workforce, with the remaining 65% allocated relatively evenly between two Contractors. | |
| PWS | 26 | 5.7.4 | Can daily case updates be provided from BIES to the contractor through an .xml file download or other formatted file type? This allows a way to efficiently update the contractor's Case Management System? | DCSA is currently looking into this capability. | |
| PWS | 18 | 4.1. | Does DCSA have a records payment limit to receive a record? Is there an amount that is too expensive for the investigation? Are their some fees reimbursable? | The Investigator Handbook and Investigator Procedures provide fee requirements for record checks, which Offerors may use to help price the work. The Government will not reimburse Offerors for costs. Access the Reading Room for additional information. See section I.5. of the Instructions to Offerors. | |
| PWS | 1 | 1.3. | "Accommodate limitations in the Government’s ability to predict future BI requests (e.g., case volume, type, timing, location, and complexity)" - is there a list of known list of such limitations from the past? | Aside from the examples provided in the question and throughout the PWS, there is no official list of such limitations. | |
| PWS | 5 | 1.11.1. | An alternate is required to be identified to the Program Manager. |
| Can the alternate for the Program Manager also be one of the named key personnel? | Yes, a person named in another key personnel position may serve as the Program Manager's alternate. | ||||
| PWS | 3 | 1.5.2. | Can completed work be transmitted to DCSA 24/7/365? | Yes, cases may be transmitted to DCSA on non-work days. | |
| PWS | 30 | 6.4. | Can DCSA provide clarification on what "inaccurate issue coding" and "reporting errors" are? Please provide a list of issue codes that are required to use. | Investigative policies and procedures available in the reading room provide additional information about inaccurate issue coding and reporting errors. See section I.5. of the Instructions to Offerors. | |
| PWS | 11 | 2.1. | Can DCSA provide information on what trusted workforce (TW) 2.0 is? To include what the policy framework and security clearance process is? | Trusted Workforce 2.0 is the new policy initiative to update the security framework for the security clearance policy procedures and products. The new policy details have not been released at this time. | |
| PWS | 3 | 1.6. | Can international fieldwork be conducted via video conferencing and/or DOD Safe? | International investigations will not be a requirement at notice to proceed. Contract terms will be updated via bilateral modification when/if this changes. | |
| PWS | 5 | 1.11. | Can one employee hold two key personnel positions? | Except for the alternate Program Manager, employees cannot hold two key personnel positions as each position requires a great deal of time and commitment. | |
| PWS | 25 | 5.7. | Can the government clarify the difference between the Quality Control Program as it relates to the Quality Control Plan? |
| Does the Quality Control Plan cover all aspects of the Quality Control Program or vice versa? | The Quality Control Plan describes the quality control program. | ||||
| PWS | 15 | 3.1.3. | Can the Government clarify what information in "section 5 (Specific Tasks)" is needed to complete and submit the Non-Cooperative Law Enforcement Agency Form? | This will be evident once Offerors are able to see the full attachment in the reading room. See section I.5. of the Instructions to Offerors. | |
| PWS | 15 | 3.1.2. | Can the Government clarify what is meant by, "upon request from DCSA the Contractor will provide access protocols for identified repositories?" | DCSA may request details from the Contractor on how they accessed specific law enforcement records and reports. | |
| PWS | 1 | 1.3. | Considering the current DCSA inventory steady state (post backlog reduction case loads) what have been the case volume highs and lows? | Historical workload data will be available in the reading room. See section I.5. of the Instructions to Offerors. | |
| PWS | 3 | 1.6. | Does this requirement include OCONUS travel? |
| Will DCSA provide an historical list or potential list of OCONUS locations? | During the life of the contract, there may be a need for fieldwork to be conducted internationally; however, this will not be a requirement at notice to proceed (see PWS subsection 1.6.). | ||||
| PWS | 7 | 1.20.1. | During the ramp up will DCSA send cases or will DCSA only send cases after the 6 month ramp up period? | Case assignment will commence with the phase-in period, following completion of the ramp-up period and issuance of notice to proceed. (See PWS, 1.20.) | |
| PWS | 8 | 1.20.3. | From contract award to NTP the Contractor has up to six months before receiving cases. The information in the Introduction notes DCSA wants parity between the vendors. Is the vendor to be at Full Operational Capability at 6 months? | Awardees must be at full performance level within 1 year of award (up to 6 months for the ramp-up period + 6 months for the phase-in period). Upon commencement of the phase-in period, DCSA will begin assigning cases to the Contractor. Case types and volume of work will be closely monitored and adjusted during the phase-in period as the Contractor demonstrates its ability to meet the performance standards as defined in PWS, section 5. (See PWS, 1.20.3.) | |
| PWS | 15 | 3.1.4. | From whom does the contractor seek approval to use a database not listed on the current approved list? | The Web Validation form has this information and it will be available in the reading room. See section I.5. of the Instructions to Offerors. | |
| PWS | 32 | 6.6. | Historically in the BI marketplace, Prime Contractors have taken measures to limit small business participation with little to no consequences. This has resulted in a limited number of small businesses operating within the ecosystem with the ability to Prime BI type contracts. Recommend the Government place a discentive of 10% for Companies not meeting their overall small business goals on a quarterly basis. | Prime Contractors unable to demonstrate they have made a good-faith effort to meet small-business subcontracting goals may be subject to liquidated damages as described in the clause at FAR 52.219-16, Liquidated Damages—Subcontracting Plan (SEP 2021). | |
| PWS | 32 | 6.6. | Historically in the BI marketplace, Prime Contractors have utilized 1099 contractors to support field work. Although they are counted toward the Prime's SB goals, most of theses "companies" are individuals with no objective or plans to grow their business. This has resulted in a limited number of true small businesses operating within the ecosystem as the prime contractors give priority to 1099 employees before true small businesses. |
| Suggest the government require Prime contractors to identify what percentage of the small business participation is achieved by "individual 1099 companies" and what percentage of the work is performed by true small businesses. Provide incentives to those prime contractors that utilize traditional small businesses by awarding a greater percentage of work. | The DCSA Office of Small Business Programs knows of no strict prohibition on 1099 contractors, provided they otherwise meet SBA small business requirements. | ||||
| PWS | 1 | 1.2. | How large is the Federal Fieldwork staff that needs to be supported to achieve BI goals? | This is internal Government information that will not be provided to potential Offerors or Contractors. | |
| PWS | 3 | 1.6. | If DCSA requires OCONUS fieldwork, outside U.S. Territories, will these cases be set aside for separate pricing at that time or does the Price Workbook need to account for this potential cost? | If fieldwork is required outside the contiguous United States (OCONUS) in the future, pricing will be negotiated at that time. | |
| PWS | 3 | 1.5. | If it is a Government holiday and the contractor personnel are working, is the contractor still able to deliver cases through BIES? | Yes, cases may be transmitted on non-work days. | |
| PWS | 1 | 1 | In past solicitations, proposals were incorporated as an attachment to the contract, so that initiatives and efforts to improve performance required contract modifications. |
| Does the government intend to continue this practice? | The Government does not intend to incorporate entire proposals into the resultant contracts; however, the Government may, at its discretion, incorporate any aspects of the successful Offeror’s proposal into the resultant contract. (See Evaluation Process, section I.) | |||
| PWS | 25 | 5.7. | In the description of the Quality Control Manager, this position is defined as having oversight of the quality of the case product and oversight of the integrity of investigations. In many instances, oversight of these areas is separate, reporting up to the highest levels of oversight. |
Is there a preference as to whether this person has greater focus on the quality of investigations or the integrity of investigations?
| The Government expects the Quality Control Manager to ensure the highest level of both quality and integrity at all times. | ||||
| PWS | 23 | 5.5.3. | Meeting the standard 3% subcontracting goal for HUB Zone businesses for this program has been historically difficult. Given the inclusion of 52.219-16, Liquidated Damages—Subcontracting Plan (SEP 2021) and the potential associated financial penalties for | The Investigative Policies and Procedures addresses this question. There are specific limitations on what can be shared via Zoom. |
| PWS | 9 | 1.21.3. | Is BIES where we receive and submit work? How does the contractor access BIES ? | Yes. Additional information is available at PWS, 5.2.3 and in Technical Exhibit A. |
| PWS | 25 | 5.6.6. | Is DCSA considering adding a staffing plan measurement for discussion during quarterly performance management reviews to evaluate a Contractor's ability to retain and meet planned full time and part time fiscal quarter staffing levels? | The Government is not considering this at this time. |
| PWS | 25 | 5.7. | Is the QASP part of the QCP? | The relationship between the quality assurance surveillance plan (QASP) and the quality control plan (QCP) is addressed in subsection 1.3. of Technical Exhibit J. |
| PWS | 28 | 6.2. | On Table 1, what percentage of the cases initiated to contractors are historically Priority case types? | Historical data will be available in the reading room and will include information on priority case types. See section I.5. of the Instructions to Offerors. |
| PWS | 8 | 1.20.2. | PIV and CAC - what are these accounts used for? Is for access to DOD safe? Will all approved investigators receive a CAC and/or PIV ? Will DCSA provide a help desk for issues with CAC/PIV? Will [contractor] IT need to support the PIV/CAC systems? if so, Can DCSA provide an outline of the IT security system? | Personal identification verification (PIV) cards and common access cards (CACs) will be used to access the Background Investigation Enterprise Systems (BIES). The helpdesk will be available for connectivity issues. (See Technical Exhibit A.) |
| PWS | 31 | 6.5. | Please clarify when the contract is eligible for incentives after start-up. | Contractors will be eligible for incentives upon conclusion of the phase-in period. |
| PWS | 31 | 6.5.1. | Please clarify whether the Inspections Incentive is calculated as part of the 1.5% Performance Incentive or is a separate incentive worth 1% of the task order. | Each inspection must be rated Very Good or above cumulatively by category. If at the end of the contract year, each of the inspection categories is rated Very Good or above, the Contractor will be awarded a 0.5% incentive based on the total combined validated invoice amount. |
| PWS | 15 | 3.1.1. | The PWS states that the Government-Furnished IT Helpdesk support for applications will assist with issues related to connectivity to DCSA systems. |
| A number of DCSA software products installed will require DCSA help desk support. How will support for these applications be provided by DCSA? Is this IT assistance help with connection to BIES and NBIS? | Contractors will have access to the DCSA IT Helpdesk (see PWS, subsection 3.1.), which can assist with connection to the Background Investigation Enterprise Systems (BIES) and, in the future, the National Background Investigation Services (NBIS) system. | ||||
| PWS | 11 | 2.1. | The UOW definition provides the estimated level of effort required across all case types, but it does not translate into level of effort in terms of hours. Can DCSA provide an average level of effort by case type that translates to work units? | UOW, or unit of work, refers to the estimated level of effort required across all available case types. The averages are intended to represent the varying levels of effort involved in the different case types/items. | |
| PWS | 22 | 5.5.2.2. | This section addresses expectations for an observation program. The eligible workload may not permit observation of all components of the investigative process at a given time. | ||
| Evaluates in part or in total primary components of the investigator role. Observation will include at a minimum two of the components and up to all components as available/applicable. The components consist of the following: conduct interviews, retrieve records, take investigative notes, handle personally identifiable information (PII), use and maintain government furnished information (GFI), and complete reports of investigations. | The Contractor is required to conduct one observation of each investigator annually. (See PWS, 5.5.2.2.) | ||||
| PWS | 21 | 5.4.7.2. | This section refers to the completion of falsification work and the potential for DCSA to conduct all or part of the work itself. |
| How will DCSA determine the costs associated with the completion of falsification work? | The costs include, but are not limited to, associated Government labor and travel. | ||||
| PWS | 8 | 1.20.3. | What is the average time it takes for an approved person to receive a CAC or PIV card? | This is dependent on appointment availability, environmental considerations (e.g., COVID-19), and individual circumstances during the application process. Historically, this takes an average of 30 - 90 days, but this could take longer under certain circumstances. | |
| PWS | 8 | 1.20.5. | What is the average time it takes for approved personnel to have their account created and to receive IT access? | The average time varies dependent upon completion of proper documentation and training, as well as IT processing capacity. Historically, this takes an average of 30 - 45 days from CAC issuance and/or clearance verification, but this could take longer under certain circumstances. | |
| PWS | 8 | 1.20.2. | What is the average time it takes for contractor personnel to complete the required DCSA training referenced in the next to the last bullet that states, "Complete all training referenced in the PWS and described in the requirements (see Technical Exhibits A, B, C, and E). | Training information will be available in the reading room. See section I.5. of the Instructions to Offerors. | |
| PWS | 8 | 1.20.2. | What is the average time it takes to receive an ATO under the DoD process? | The average time varies dependent upon completion of proper documentation and processing capacity. Historically, this takes an average of 3 - 6 months. | |
| PWS | 32 | 6.5.3. | When a case change is initiated from standard to priority service, how is the priority due date calculated if the case is already assigned and being worked in the field? | When a case change is initiated from standard to priority service, the priority due date will be calculated based on the date of service changes/upgrades. | |
| PWS | 15 | 3.1.4. | Which database and automated searches are done by DCSA for each case type? | The Centralized Databases attachment will be available in the reading room. DCSA will conduct initial law checks for states or regions with approved centralized databases. Technical Exhibit D provides additional information about the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS). | |
| PWS | 7 | 1.17. | While the Government envisions relative workload parity with both Awardees ideally having equal staffing levels, should the Government introduce some flexibility in the workshare balance whereby workload distribution is based more on each Contractor's capacity and ability to perform the work instead of a model designed for relatively equal share? | The Government's primary interest at this time is in maintaining parity, but there will be flexibility within the contracts to respond to other interests as they arise. This issue is addressed in PWS subsection 1.17. | |
| PWS | 17 | 3.3.4. | Will DCSA consider a reissue of credentials if needs change for investigators that are inactive for 90+ days? Will there be a waiver process for extenuating circumstances? | No, DCSA will not have a waiver process; however, DCSA will reissue credentials as needed. | |
| PWS | 2 | 1.4. | Will the contractor be responsible to provide various alerts as well as status of any specific BI related activity in progress as part of the scope for this contract? And if so, how? | Please see PWS, 5.7.4. for additional details. | |
| PWS | 6 | 1.14. | Will the government clarify what "Significant travel" means? For example, more than 50%? Or, more than 75%? | The Offeror should understand that varying degrees of travel may be required to perform under this contract depending on the location of casework and Contractor capacity. Thus, the amount of travel will be determined to a partial extent by each Contractor's staffing approach. | |
| PWS | 1 | 1.3. | Would the Government offer more information on the current case processing system and a timeline for the transition to new (NBIS) system? |
| Please provide information on NBIS system - do we still compile information and submit or will [contractors] have to work directly through this NBIS system? Are we able to continue to use our current in-house system? If NBIS begins after the contract award, how long will [contractors] have to pivot to the new system? How is NBIS accessed? What will access to the NBIS system involve? What does it look like? What will be our standard use Case? Will [contractors] complete all case work in the NBIS system? | The Government does not have additional information to share about the current case processing system or a timeline for transition to the National Background Investigation Services (NBIS) system at this time. | ||||
| PWS | 3 | 1.6. | Would the Government provide a list of potential languages spoken in various geographic areas or the contract must be prepared to support all languages possible? | The Offeror should understand that bilingual resources will be needed. Bilingual determinations should be based on geographic distribution of workload and associated demographics. | |
| PWS | 2 | 1.4. | Would the Government provide any further information on acceptable 'flexible approaches' for conducting investigation services? | Flexible approaches and developing technologies are emerging. (See PWS, subsection 1.4.) | |
| PWS | 31 | 6.4.3.1. | What is the average number of business days it takes to resolve a case that is entered into the rebuttal process? | Under normal circumstances, and depending on the volume of rebuttals, resolution generally takes 5-10 days. | |
| PWS | 28 | Table 1. & Page 77, TE-F | The level of effort documented in the Units of Work for the Items are significantly different in TE-F. Given there is no guarantee on the volumes of the items, will the government describe the methodology used to calculate the timelines for Items in Table 1? | Fieldwork is an integral part of the overall investigations process. Timeliness standards, as defined by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA), drive overall timeliness ratings. | |
| PWS | 8 | 1.20.4. | What is the average time it takes for approved investigative personnel to receive their credentials? | The initial set of DCSA credentials are provided upon the graduation of New Investigator Training. For experienced investigators changing Contractors, the period is about 2 - 3 weeks. | |
| PWS | 15 | 3.1.2. | How does a contractor know, by case type, the fieldwork the contractor does by case type vs the fieldwork DCSA does by case type (i.e. law checks or records checks)? | Work will be specifically assigned to the Contractor using special identifiers called ORGS (i.e., organizational structure). | |
| PWS | 15 | 3.1.2. | Is the Contractor responsible for any fees that are associated with obtaining records to provide a complete report of investigation? | Yes, Contractors are responsible for fees associated with obtaining records. | |
| PWS | 22 | 5.5.2.2. | If an investigator is working for multiple vendors for the DCSA contact will DCSA allow a single ride check to be conducted across multiple vendors? | No, Contractors are required to complete individual check-rides for investigative personnel assigned to their company regardless of whether they are working on multiple contracts. | |
| PWS | 1 | 1.2. | Is there a user story that presents a day in the life (work) of a Fieldwork staff performing BI? | No, the Government does not solicit or maintain such information. | |
| PWS | 25 | 5.6.6.2 | Is there a way/process to update PIPS staff files by importing files from the contractor's approved Case Management System to DCSA BIES? | No, it is not possible to import files from the Contractor's case-management system. |
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