3. AMNT 0002 - RFP Attachment 2 - Question and Answer.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 44 KB Posted
- Attached to
- DOL BLS Data Collection Center (DCC) Operations - Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) Program
- Solicitation number
- 1605C5-25-R-00004
About this file
This document is a Questions and Answers (Q&A) spreadsheet for a Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) Data Collection Center (DCC) Operations contract. The solicitation is for a hybrid firm-fixed-price and labor-hour contract with an anticipated base period from January 26, 2026 to January 25, 2027, with option years to follow. The contract requires data collection services primarily involving telephone interviews with businesses to collect monthly labor market data, with an emphasis on small business subcontracting goals and specific performance requirements.
Key details include a requirement for interviewers across multiple data collection centers, with specific staffing levels (83.3% Interviewer 1, 12.5% Interviewer 2, and 4.2% Interviewer 3), comprehensive training programs, and strict confidentiality provisions. The government will provide necessary systems like CATI, telephony, and ticketing systems, and requires a telework plan and phase-in plan. The contract involves Service Contract Act wage determinations, with labor categories mapped to specific occupation titles. Proposals are to be submitted with detailed technical, management, and small business subcontracting plans, with specific page limit requirements and exclusions for certain appendices.
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| Attachment 4 - JOLTS - DCC Question and Answer Spreadsheet Solicitation Number - 1605C5-25-R-00004 | ||||
| Question Title | RFP Section Number/Page Number | Vendor Questions | GOVERNMENT RESPONSE | |
| Clarification of Task Areas | Part 5 – Specific Tasks, p.g. 21-43 | The task summary table under Section 5 combines Training and Quality Control under Task 4, but the PWS Section 5.4 covers only Training and Section 5.5 separately covers Quality Management. Should we treat these as one task, as shown in the table, or as two separate tasks? | The table in Section 5 has been updated. These are separate tasks. | |
| Small Business Plan | Volume IV, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, pg. 123-124 | The small business subcontracting requirements noted on page 136 indicate that BLS is looking for a Prime contractor (other than a small business contractor) to deliver only 40% of the project scope. Please confirm. | Subcontracting goals are set forth by the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization within the Department of Labor. Subcontracting plans are negotiable. Offerors are encouraged to document any market research, rationale, or justification for their proposed small business participation levels within their submitted subcontracting plan. | |
| Small Business Plan | Volume IV, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, pg. 123-124 | To achieve superior performance and consistent delivery for BLS, it is important that contractor delivery teams are cohesive and aligned to the same objectives and principles with regard to staffing and management for SLA achievement. Is it BLS' intent that 60% of the work for this project be assigned to a Small Business, regardless of type -or- that, as part of the 60% small business goal, there needs to be a HUBZone SB to deliver 3% of the work; a separate WOSB to deliver 7% of the work, an SDVOSB to deliver 5% of the work. another VOSB to deliver 5% of the work and an SDB to deliver 11% of the work (potentially 5 subcontractor firms with small work scope)? | Subcontracting goals are set forth by the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization within the Department of Labor. Subcontracting plans are negotiable. Offerors are encouraged to document any market research, rationale, or justification for their proposed small business participation levels within their submitted subcontracting plan. | |
| Small Business Plan | Volume IV, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, pg. 123-124 | Please clarify if the 60% small business subcontracting plan means 60% of project revenue, 60% of project staff. or 60% of total subcontracted dollars? | Subcontracting goals are set forth by the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization within the Department of Labor. Subcontracting plans are negotiable. Offerors are encouraged to document any market research, rationale, or justification for their proposed small business participation levels within their submitted subcontracting plan. | |
| General | Box 8, SF 1449 | We respectfully request a two week extension the response due date in order to allow vendors sufficient time to properly vet and bring on necessary suppliers to meet BLS' substantial small business objective, and so that all offerors have the opportunity to develop informed, high-quality proposals. | Extension provided via Amendment 00001 | |
| GFP | RFP Section C Part 3 | Please provide a list of the type and an estimate of the amounts of GFP intended to be provided. | The government will issue one laptop per contractor staff. Current laptops are Dell Latitude 5550 valued at $1,881.26 per unit. Headsets will also be issued, but their costs vary. | |
| GFP | Section I | Does the Government intend to include FAR 52.245-1? | Yes, FAR 52.245-1, Government Property, will be included in the solicitation. This clause is being added because Government-furnished property may be provided to the Contractor during performance and must be properly managed, accounted for, and safeguarded in accordance with the clause requirements. | |
| GFP | RFP, Section C Part 4. | Please confirm that the Government is not requesting title to any "contractor furnished items". | The government is not requesting title to any contractor furnished items in terms of any additional equipment the contractor may choose to use to perform the work (provided it is permissible given BLS security requirements). However, please note the data rights section of the contract (1.7.11). | |
| Ambiguous language | RFP, page 11. | What does the asterisk in "Operating hours*" meant to provide? | The PWS has been updated to reflect that operating hours are subject to change. The government further clarifies that the hours of operation are merely the times that the facilities are available for contractors to perform the work. There is no requirement that the center be staffed for the entire duration of the hours of operation. | |
| Data rights | RFP C.1.7.11. | The second and third sentences of this provision (i.e. "All documents and materials, to include the source codes of any software, produced under this contract shall be government owned and are the property of the government with all rights and privileges of ownership/copyright belonging exclusively to the government. All materials supplied to the government will be the sole property of the government and may not be used for any other purpose.") contradicts the license framework included within FAR 52.227-14(b), which is included within Section I. | ||
| Please strike these two sentences within this paragraph and replace with "FAR 52.227-14 and the other data rights clauses govern the Government's level of rights under this contract." | RFP, Section C.1.7.11 has not been updated. | |||
| Data rights | I.21, paragraph 10. | Since 52.227-14 is included, please strike this paragraph, though the final sentence seems appropriate. | This paragraph will not be removed as it is a part of the clause. | |
| Data rights | RFP, paragraph C.3.2. | Since 52.227-14 is included, please strike "All materials developed | ||
| by the contractor under this contract shall become the property of the U.S. Department of Labor". | RFP, Paragraph C.3.2 has not be removed. | |||
| Data rights | Clause I.6 | To avoid any inconsistencies with FAR 52.227-14, please consider striking this clause or putting in the appropriate subparagraph headers. | Clause I.6 has not been removed. | |
| Data rights | Clause I.8 | To avoid any inconsistencies with FAR 52.227-17, please consider (a) including that clause, whether in full text or IBR, and (b) strike I.8. | Clause I.8 has not been removed. | |
| Training | RFP para C.5.4 | Please confirm the Government intends to utilize existing and approved training materials. | Yes, the government intends to utilize existing government-provided or government-approved training materials. | |
| Attachment 5 | QASP, paragraph 5 | Please confirm the "incentives" and "disincentives" relate to CPAR ratings and not any kind of financial impact. | The contract does not have financial incentives or disincentives. CPARS evaluations will reflect performance. | |
| OCI | Clause I.10 | If awarded this contract, which current DOL contracts would the awardee be prohibited from participating in the re-compete? | None. | |
| OCI | n/a | For OCI due diligence purposes, what companies provided or are providing any support to the agency in developing the source selection plan, evaluation criteria, the RFP, and any other advisory or technical support related to this procurement? | The government conducts all of these activities. | |
| OCI | n/a | For OCI due diligence purposes, what companies are barred by a confidentiality agreement or other agency restriction from participating as a bidder, team member, prime contractor, subcontractor, or consultant in connection with this procurement? | No companies are barred by a confidentiality agreement or other agency restriction from participating in this procurement as a bidder, team member, prime contractor, subcontractor, or consultant. | |
| CLINs | ODCs | Will the Government consider adding an ODC CLIN for any materials required during performance of the contract? See I.12 (FAR 52.232-7) | The government expects that labor hours be fully burdened. Travel for project managers can be identified as a separate line item. | |
| Staffing | 1.7.10 Security Requirements, p.13 | What is the average time required to complete a new employee clearance and onboarding process? | The average time it takes for the Division of Personnel Suitability and Security to perform a check based on the subset of the last 50 candidates who have been cleared to onboard is 11 calendar days from the date they are sponsored, with a median of 10 calendar days. The minimum was zero days (for candidates who have worked on other federal jobs or contracts to whom reciprocity was applied) and the maximum was 42 days. Delays are usually caused by candidates not responding to DPSS requests in a timely manner, or lacking required documentation to schedule US Access enrollment appointments with GSA (recently due to REAL ID requirements). Once cleared by DPSS, they have to be given an enter on duty date based on the contractor's training schedule. The government attempts to onboard staff as quickly as possible, but requests five business days for network accounts and equipment to be prepared for new hires. | |
| Staffing | 1.7.10 Security Requirements, p.13 | If a current CES project employee has already completed the security and clearance requirements, would they have to complete the requirements again if they have been hired by another company? | The Division of Personnel Suitability and Security is able to apply reciprocity to candidates who have been previously cleared to work on federal projects as employees or contractors, even for other agencies. That said, the government is currently operating under a continuous vetting system, so all government employees and contractors are subject to additional clearance requirements at all times to ensure they continue to meet clearance requirements. | |
| Technology | 5.2 Multi-Modal Collection, p.24 | Please confirm, BLS will provide all systems, such as CATI, telephony, ticketing, etc. | The government will provide all systems such as the CATI, telephony and ticketing system. | |
| Training | 5.4 Training, p.30 | How long is the training period for new hires? | New hires receive two weeks of full-time classroom instruction covering all training components. Certification interviews are completed within 60 days of the start date. | |
| General | N/A | What are the major challenges or pain points BLS has experienced in prior survey waves? | JOLTS has experienced similar challenges that many federal surveys face such as the voluntary nature of the survey, respondent survey fatigue, the prevalence in caller ID and/or skepticism of unknown calls or calls labelled survey. | |
| Staffing | N/A | What percentage of employees are bilingual? | BLS does not have that information nor require it from vendors. | |
| Staffing | 5.7 Personnel Qualifications and Duties, p.39 | What percentage of employees are interviewer 1s, interviewer 2s or interviewer 3s? | Of the interviewer employees, 83.3% are Interviewer 1, 12.5% are Interviewer 2, and 4.2% are Interviewer 3. There are four supervisory staff that were excluded from these calculations. | |
| Pricing | Attachment 3 - Pricing Sheet | Please confirm that the firm fixed price is paid monthly as 1/12 of the annual price? | That is correct. The annual price is paid in twelve equal monthly instalments. | |
| Factor 1: Technical Approach | L.1 Instructions to Offerors, p.121 | The requirement states: "There are four subfactors within Volume I-Factor IT Technical Approach (to include Experience), Management Plan, Quality Control Plan, and Subcontracting Plan.". However, only three subfactors are listed: Subfactor 1 - Experience |
Subfactor 2 – Management Plan Subfactor 3 – Quality Control Plan
| Please clarify. | There are only three subfactors for the Technical Approach. The Subcontracting Plan is a distinct factor. | |||
| L1. Instructions | L.1 Instructions to Offerors, p.120 | Page count for Volume I states "Excluding covers, title pages, executive summaries, charts and table of contents". Please confirm that tables fall within the category of charts. | Yes, confirmed. For the purposes of the page count exclusions in Volume I, tables are considered to fall within the category of “charts” and are therefore excluded from the 30-page limit, provided they are used to support the technical approach and are not used to circumvent the narrative content limit. | |
| Section J | Section J – Contract Documents, Exhibits, Special Contract | |||
| Requirements And Other Attachments, p.119 | Please clarify if the 2 documents below are not to be submitted with proposals. If so, are they apart of Volume I? |
RFP Attachment 2 - BLS Confidentiality and Security
| RFP Attachment 5 - QASP | The BLS Confidentiality and Security Attachment is for reference purposes only, and contains CIPSEA as well as copies of the BLS Agent Agreement and Data Integrity Document that all contractors must sign to perform on the requirement. The Draft QASP is also for reference purposes. | |||
| Page Limits and Exclusions | L.1 Instructions to Offerors, p.121 | The RFP asks for lengthy documents to be submitted with the proposal, such as the draft Quality Control plan (QCP). Given the 30-page limit for Volume I, would the government allow the QCP and any other requested attachments, including resumes, to be excluded from the page count constraint? | The Management Plan and Contractor Quality Control Plan may be submitted as an appendix and will not count toward the page limit for Volume I – Technical Approach. Solicitation amendment issued. | |
| Submission Extension | Instructions to Offerors, Page no. 132 | Will the Department of Labor consider granting offerors an extension for the proposal submission deadline from August 11, 2025, to August 18, 2025? | An Amendment was issued | |
| Deadline | General | Can BLS extend the submission deadline to August 18, 2025, to allow for additional time securing past performance questionnaires from clients? | An Amendment was issued / New deadline is listed in the amendment. | |
| Small Business Subcontracting Plan | Volume IV Small Business Subcontracting Plan/page 120-121 | Does BLS desire a narrative response for the Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Volume IV) or does completion of Small Business Subcontracting Plan template in RFP Attachment 6 constitute Volume IV? If a narrative in addition to Attachment 6 is required, what is the guidance for this volume and page limit? | Yes, offerors are required to submit a written Small Business Subcontracting Plan in accordance with FAR 52.219-9, which includes addressing all 15 required elements. Please disregard the reference to FAR 52.219-19, as that clause is currently reserved. The written plan must be submitted in addition to completing Attachment 6. | |
| Quality Control Plan | SubFactor 1.C: Quality Control Plan/page 127 | Can BLS provide written description of what shall be included in the Quality Control Plan to be evaluated as Factor 1.C. in the Technical Approach? This was left blank in the RFP. | An amendment will address the Quality Control Plan as follows: The contractor shall develop, maintain and comply with an effective quality control program to ensure services are performed in accordance with this PWS. The contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The quality control program is the means by which the contractor assures that the work complies with the requirement of the contract. The Quality Control Plan is to be delivered with the proposal. After acceptance of the quality control plan, the contractor will receive the Contracting Officer’s acceptance in writing of any proposed changes. | |
| Request for NAICS Reclassification | SF 1449 - Pages 1-2 | Would the government consider re-classifying this work under NAICS code 518210 – Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services? |
| The contractor’s primary responsibility is executing operational data processing tasks which aligns directly with NAICS 518210’s focus on data handling and processing functions, where efficiency, accuracy, and scale are critical. NAICS 518210 may also include innovative solutions, such as the potential use of AI, machine learning, and automation to enhance performance within the government’s established framework. Reclassifying the requirement would attract highly capable providers with modern data-processing capabilities, ensuring the government receives both cost-effective and forward-looking support. | The contract is for data collection services, primarily performed by interviewers calling businesses to secure their participation for the monthly collection of data. Therefore, the government believes the current NAICS code classification is appropriate. The data processing, hosting, and other computing infrastructure related to this requirement are maintained by the government and not the contractor. | ||
| Verify Period of Performance for the Base Year | SF 1449 - Page 2 | Within Bock 20 of the SF 1449, the initial period of performance is listed as "01/26/2026 to 01/25/2026." |
| Please confirm that the initial period of performance should be 01/26/2026 to 01/25/2027. | The initial period of performance should be 01/26/2026 - 01/25/2027. | |
| Telework Plan | C-1.7.8 - Page 12 |
Technical Exhibit 2 - Page 49 Per sections 1.78, Telework, and Technical Exhibit 2, offerors are required to submit a Telework Plan with their proposal.
1. Please clarify where in the proposal this should be included.
| 2. Please confirm that the Telework Plan will not count against the cited page limits for the volume in which it is included. | The Telework Plan may be included as appendices to the Technical Volume and will be excluded from the 30-page limit. Offerors should clearly label each appendix and ensure the main Technical Volume remains within the page limit. | |
| Period of Performance/Phase In | C-1.7.19 - Page 16 |
C-5.6.1 - Pages 35-36 Section 1.7.19, Phase In/Phase Out Period, on page 16 states that contractor shall have personnel on board during the 45 day phase in/phase out periods. "During the phase in period, the contractor shall become familiar with performance requirements in order to commence full performance of services on the contract action start date."
Section 5.6.1, Phase-In of Work, on pages 35-36 states "During the phase-in period, the contractor shall become familiar with performance requirements in order to commence fully successful performance of services on the contract start date."
1: Can DOL please confirm that the phase in period begins on 1/26/26, as shown on page 3?
| 2: Can DOL please clarify the difference between the "contract action start date" and the "contract start date", as typically the "contract start date" is the first date of the Period of Performance, but this language implies it would be 45 days after 1/26/26? | Question 1: The phase-in period begins 45 days before the contract start date of January 26, 2026. Question 2: The PWS has been revised to clarify this. The term "contract action start date" has been removed entirely, and "contract start date" has been defined as January 26, 2026. | ||
| Government Equipment Plan | C-3.2 - Page 18 | Section 3.2, Equipment, on page 18 states that the contractor shall provide a plan on how to reimburse the government for equipment lost or damaged by contractor staff. |
1. Can DOL please clarify if this is a post-award submission?
| 2. If required in the proposal, please clarify where in the proposal it should be included and confirm that it will not count against the cited page limits for the volume in which it is included. | No, the awardee may provide after award | |||
| Project Manager Location | C-3.2 - Page 18 | Section 3.2, Equipment, on page 18 states that the government will not provide office space for a project management office, but will provide a laptop to the PM. Please confirm that the full-time Project Manager will be fully remote/telework. | No staff are authorized to work remotely. All staff are eligible to telework within the terms of the telework plan approved by BLS. | |
| Part 5 - Page 21-43 | To help model staffing and QA performance, would the government consider releasing historical data such as response rates, enrollment performance, refusal conversion rates, average call volumes, etc.? | Response, collection, and initiation rates are available on the BLS Office of Survey Methods Research public website page. https://www.bls.gov/osmr/response-rates/ | ||
| Address Refinement and Enrollment Call Volumes | C-5.1 - Pages 21-23 | On average, how long does a new enrollment call take in order to verify the business's physical address and email address, and to solicit survey participation? | On average, the call takes 8-10 minutes. | |
| Address Refinement and Enrollment Call Length | C-5.1 - Pages 21-23 | On average, how long does a call take for new enrollment processes including verifying a businesses address and email, and to solicit survey participation? | On average, the call takes 8-10 minutes. | |
| Multi-Modal Call Volumes | C-5.2 - Pages 24-29 | How many calls/contacts, on average, does it take to successfully convert a POC to a JOLTS respondent? | Enrolling a respondent can often be completed in one call, but sometimes takes two. Occasionally, it may take additional calls to successfully reach a potential respondent. | |
| Time Required to Train Respondents to Move to Web Reporting | C-5.2 - Page 24 | The solicitation states that "[t]he contractor shall use this three-month period to effectively train the respondent on providing accurate and timely data in preparation for moving the respondent to web reporting." How many hours are typically spent training a respondent during this 3-month period? | Training takes places during monthly data collection calls. It typically takes approximately 18 minutes over the 3-month period per respondent. | |
| Length of Initial CATI Collection Period | C-5.2 - Pages 24-29 |
C-5.5.2 - Page 34
| C-5.7 - Pages 42 and 43 | Section 5, Multi-Modal Collection, on pages 24-29 describes an "initial three-month CATI collection period," while Sections 5.5.2 and 5.7 each reference an "initial five-month CATI collection period" on pages 34, 42, and 43. Can DOL please clarify whether the initial CATI collection period is three or five months, and update the solicitation accordingly? | The initial collection period prior to Web enrollment is three months. The PWS has been revised. | ||
| Time Required to Collect All Data Elements for CATI Collection | C-5.2.1 - Page 25 | How long, on average, does a call take to collect all data elements for the current month and any missing data for previous months? | On average, the call takes three minutes. | |
| Time Required to Address Errors Flagged | C-5.2.1 - Page 25 | |||
| C-5.2.4 - Page 27 | How long, on average, does a call take to address and edit any flagged errors? | On average, the call takes five minutes. | ||
| Average Number of Respondents with Flagged Errors | C-5.2.1 - Page 25 | On average, how many respondents are flagged with errors? | Approximately 12-15% of the responses are flagged with errors, depending on the length of the collection period. | |
| Volume of NPR Calls | C-5.2.2 - Page 26 | How many Non-Response Prompt (NRP) telephone calls are placed annually, on average? | On average, 16,800 NRP calls are placed annually. | |
| Time Required for Calls to Correct Microdata | C-5.3 - Page 29 | For calls to respondents who had microdata fail edits or screening test, how long do they take on average? | On average, the call takes five minutes. | |
| AQL Missing from PRS - Multi-Modal Collection, Item Response Rate, Job Opening's (1st Closing) | C-5.2.5(b) - Page 28 |
| Technical Exhibit 1 - Page 46 | The AQL table for Multi-Modal Collection presented in Section 5.2.5 includes an AQL for Item Response Rates for Job Openings (1st Closing), but this is not included in the Performance Requirements Summary within Technical Exhibit 1. Please clarify. | The AQL for Job Openings (1st Closing) has been added to the Performance Requirements Summary. |
| AQL Discrepancy - Multi-Modal Collection, Item Response (1st Closing) | C-5.2.5(b) - Page 28 |
| Technical Exhibit 1 - Page 46 | The AQL for the Multi-Modal Collections Task Area, specifically the Item Response Rate (1st Closing) differs in the Task Area write-up (90% - Section 5.2.5) from the Performance Requirements Summary (98% - Technical Exhibit 1). Please clarify. | The item response rates were revised in the table under section 5.2.5 and the Performance Requirements Summary. The item response rates for Job Openings is 90%, for Hires is 98%, and for Quits is 93%. | ||
| Re-interview Volume | C-5.5.2 - Page 34 | On average, how many re-interviews are required annually? | There is no annual requirement. The contractor is only required to perform re-interviews on cases where data falsification is suspected. | |
| Required to Propose Estimated Hours | Technical Exhibit 3 - Page 50 | The solicitation provides a table with estimated hours for the labor hour portion of the contract. Please confirm that these are just estimates and that Offerors may propose the hours they deem necessary to complete the tasks? | The estimated hours are expected to be the same for all options. The pricing sheet has been updated with the estimated hours. There is also a typo that has been revised on page 50 of the PWS. The estimated hours for Interviewer 1 and Interviewer 3 were inverted. While the contractor may change the spreadsheet at their discretion, care must be taken so that price proposals can be evaluated appropriately. | |
| Phase-In Plan | Technical Exhibit 2 - Page 49 | Technical Exhibit 2, Deliverables Schedule JOLTS, requires that offerors must submit a draft phase-in plan with the proposal. |
1. Please clarify where in the proposal this should be included.
| 2. Please confirm that the Phase-In Plan will not count against the cited page limits for the volume in which it is included. | The draft Phase-in Plan and Telework Plan should be included in Factor 1 - Technical Approach. The Phase-In Plan may be included as appendices to the Technical Volume, and will be excluded from the 30-page limit. Offerors should clearly label each appendix and ensure the main Technical Volume remains within the page limit. | ||
| Outdated FAR Clause Revisions | Section I.1 - Page 77 | Several of the revision dates listed for the FAR clauses in the table on page 77 under Section I.1, 52.252-2, are out of date and do not align with the current revisions found on acqusition.gov. Additionally, the revision dates are inconsistent within the solicitation when the same clause is cited in later sections, specifically in Section I.3, 52.212-5 Contract Terms And Conditions Required To Implement Statutes Or Executive Orders—Commercial Products And Commercial Services (JAN 2025)), beginning on page 78. |
| To ensure consistency within the solicitation and resulting contract and that the most current revisions of the FAR are included, can DOL please update the table on page 77 to include the current revision dates? | The clauses in the table of clauses incorporated by reference under 52.252-2 have been updated to include the current revision dates. | |||
| Missing Table for Equivalent Rates (52.222-42) | I.3(c)-52.222-42 - Page 85 | As FAR clause 52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires, was checked, would you include a table to indicate the equivalent federal wage grade, classification, and monetary rates for the labor categories being solicited? This would provide a benchmark for fair compensation, avoid underbidding SCA-covered roles, and Ensure proposed labor categories align with government expectations. | There is no equivalent rates data available for this clause. | |
| Wage Determinations | I.3 52.212-5(c) - Page 85 | In section I.3 on page 85, the solicitation has marked FAR Clause 52.222-41 (Service Contract Labor Standards AUG 2018) as being included. Can DOL please provide and incorporate the current Wage Determinations (WDs) numbers, location, revision and date of revision that we should reference when developing pricing for this solicitation? | Wage determinations will be provided. | |
| Add Mentioned Clauses | I.18 DOL 2014-04 - Pages 112-114 | Clause DOL 2014-04 in Section I.18 on pages 112-114 identifies two separate clauses that are not included within the solicitation, to include the clause entitled “Termination for Convenience of the Government” and the clause entitled “Default.” For clarification, please provide these clauses. | Added clause 52.252-2 TERMINATION FOR CONVENIENCE OF THE GOVERNMENT (FIXED-PRICE) (APR 2012) and 52.249-8 DEFAULT (FIXED-PRICE SUPPLY AND SERVICE) (APR 1984) | |
| Volume IV Page Count | L.1 - Page 120-121 | Volume IV, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, is not included in the table for page count restrictions. Please confirm that Volume IV does not have any page restrictions. | The table under Section J shows the number of pages of each attachments within the solicitation, and is not referring to the page restrictions for the Proposal. | |
| Attachment 5 QASP Contract Description | Attachment 5 QASP, Contract Description - Page 1 | In Attachment 5, the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP), the "Contract Description" on page 1 includes locations and services not mentioned in the solicitation, specifically operating a Data Collection Center in Fort Walton Beach, FL and a Help Desk in Suitland, MD. Can DOL kindly provide an updated Attachment 5 which aligns with the solicitation PWS for review? | The draft QASP has been updated to reflect these changes. | |
| Attachment 5 QASP Performance Standards | Attachment 5 QASP, Section 4, Performance Standards - Pages 3-5 | In Attachment 5, QASP, the Technical Exhibit 1 under Section 4, Performance Standards, contains the same inconsistencies as Technical Exhibit 1, Performance Requirements Summary - JOLTS, on page 46 of the solicitation. (Please see previous question regarding this exhibit.) Can DOL kindly update and replace this table with the updated Technical Exhibit 1 to ensure consistency throughout the solicitation? | The draft QASP has been updated to reflect these changes. | |
| Attachment 5 QASP Appendix B - Performance Report | Attachment 5 QASP, Appendix B - Performance Report - Pages 11-13 | In Attachment 5, QASP, the Technical Exhibit 1 under Appendix B, Performance Report, contains the same inconsistencies as Technical Exhibit 1, Performance Requirements Summary - JOLTS, on page 46 of the solicitation. (Please see previous question regarding this exhibit.) Can DOL kindly update and replace this table with the updated Technical Exhibit 1 to ensure consistency throughout the solicitation? | The draft QASP has been updated to reflect these changes. | |
| Attachment 5 QASP Appendix B - Performance Report | Attachment 5 QASP, Appendix B - Performance Report - Page 14 | In Attachment 5, QASP, the Technical Exhibit 1 under Appendix B, Performance Report, the table on page 14 does not align with any performance or Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) metrics elsewhere in the solicitation. Can DOL please clarify this table, or remove if not relevant? | The extraneous table has been deleted from the draft QASP. | |
| Final Proposal Format | n/a | Please confirm that Offerors may submit Volume I, II, and IV in pdf file format. | Yes, PDF file formatting is permitted for Volumes I, II, and IV. | |
| Email Size Limitations | n/a | What is the maximum email size limitation for SSA to receive emails from outside organizations? | The maximum size for sending and receiving external emails with Microsoft's Exchange Online (part of Microsoft 365) is 150 MB. This includes both the email message content and any attachments. | |
| Pricing on SF 1449 | n/a | Should Offerors include pricing on the SF 1449 by completing blocks 21, 22, 23 and 24; or is pricing only to be submitted within Attachment 3, Excel Pricing Sheet? | Yes, include the pricing on the SF 1449 | |
| Volume for SF 1449 | n/a | The pricing file is in Excel format and no pricing information is to be included within the Technical volume. Please confirm which Volume Offeror's should include their completed and signed SF 1449? | The signed SF 1449 should be submitted as a separate attachment and does not need to be included within any specific proposal volume. Please ensure it is clearly labeled and submitted with the complete proposal package. | |
| PPQ due date | Section J, Attachment 1, PPQ | The provided PPQ template does not list a specific date for when the PPQ should be returned to Michael DeAngelis, Rachael Vargas, and Shayla Battle. Would DOL please confirm that the deadline for PPQs is the same as the proposal due date? | Yes, the deadline to submit the PPQs is the same as the proposal due date. Please note that the PPQ should be submitted by the reference directly to the Government. | |
| Proposal Submission Files | Section L.1, Instructions to Offerors, p. 120 | Would DOL please confirm that other than for Attachment 3 - Pricing Sheet, offerors may submit their proposals as PDF files? | Yes, PDF file formatting is permitted for Volumes I, II, and IV. | |
| Submission due date | Section L.1, Instructions to Offerors, p. 120 | Would DOL please extend the submission deadline by 1 week to allow Offerors sufficient time to review answers to questions and prepare comprehensive proposals? | An extension was granted through Amendment 0001 | |
| Contractor Quality Control Plan, Phase-In Plan, and Telework Plan excluded from page count | Section C, Part 7, Technical Exhibit 2 - Deliverables Schedule, p. 49 | Would DOL allow the Contractor Quality Control Plan, Phase-In Plan, and Telework Plan to be included as appendices to the Technical Volume and excluded from the 30-page limit? | Yes, the Contractor Quality Control Plan, Phase-In Plan, and Telework Plan may be included as appendices to the Technical Volume and will be excluded from the 30-page limit. Offerors should clearly label each appendix and ensure the main Technical Volume remains within the page limit. | |
| Missing Evaluation Factor Text for Subfactor 1.C: Quality Control Plan | Section M.2, Technical Evaluation Factors, p. 127 | Page 127 includes a heading for Subfactor 1.C: Quality Control Plan, but no text is included. Would DOL please provide text that defines this evaluation factor? | The text has been added to the PWS. | |
| No page limit for Volume 4 | Section L.1, Intructions to Offers, p. 121 | The page count table on page 121 does not include a row for Volume 4. Would DOL please confirm that there is no page limit for volume 4? | The page count requirement is found under Section L, INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO BIDDERS. The section referred to in this question is from Section J, and the page count identified in Section J states the number of pages of each attachment in the current RFQ. Do not use this restriction on your proposal. Use the Page Limits specified in Section L. The Solicitation has been amended in Section L to reflect no page limit for Volume IV, Subcontractor Plan. | |
| Clarifying Instructions for Charts, Graphics, and Tables | Section L.1, Instructions to Offerors, pp. 120-121 | The RFP indicates that charts are excluded from the 30-page limit for the Technical Approach. Would DOL please confirm that when it refers to "charts" it is referring to large tables and graphics within the technical approach? How will DOL determine whether a proposal is within the page limit? | Yes, when the RFP states that charts are excluded from the 30-page limit for the Technical Approach, this includes large tables and graphics that support the narrative content. However, Offerors should ensure that such materials are clearly distinguishable as charts, tables, or graphics and not used to circumvent the page limitation. |
Page counts will be determined based on the narrative content of the Technical Volume, excluding clearly labeled and separated charts, tables, and graphics. Any pages that contain substantial narrative content outside of designated charts or graphics may be counted toward the 30-page limit.
| Page Limit for Technical Proposal | Section L.1, Instructions to Offerors, pp. 120-121 | Would DOL please confirm that offerors may include a cover letter as part of its technical proposal that is not subject to the 30-page limit? | The Cover Letter should be submitted as a separate attachment and does not need to be included within any specific proposal volume. Please ensure it is clearly labeled and submitted with the complete proposal package. | |
| OCI and Limitation on Future Contracting | Section J, RFP Attachment 2, BLS Confidentiality and Security Requirements | A Contractor performing on this contract could become privy to sensitive and confidential information from a variety of businesses. Would DOL confirm that the strict confidentiality and security provisions in Attachment 2 – BLS Confidentiality and Security Requirements, including employee non-diversion obligations and established firewall protocols, fully mitigate any potential Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) and therefore obviate the need for a separate OCI mitigation plan? | DOL confirms that the confidentiality and security requirements outlined in Attachment 2 are sufficient to address potential OCI concerns, and a separate OCI mitigation plan is not required at this time. However, during the life of the contract, DOL reserves the right to reassess and will notify the contractor if additional measures are deemed necessary. | |
| Applicable Wage Determinations | Section I.3, Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Labor Standards Clauses, p. 85 | If FLSA is applicable to this solicitation, would DOL please incorporate applicable wage determinations for the expected performance locations? | Wage determinations will be provided. | |
| Availability of general telephone numbers in CES case registry | Section C, Part 5, Specific Tasks, 5.1.1 Address Refinement, p. 22 | Would DOL please clarify whether the JOLTS sample provided to the DCCs will include a general telephone number for each establishment (apart from any potential point of contact information)? Or is the contractor expected to perform general telephone number look-ups for each establishment as part of the address refinement process described in Task 5.1.1? | A small percentage of sampled establishments may not include a usable phone number when provided to the DCCs. A majority of establishments do include at least a general phone number. The search for a usable telephone number may be part of address refinement activities. | |
| Pricing Workbook modifications | Section J, RFP Attachment 3 - Pricing Sheet | The pricing tables do not have a column to include an extended price per each category. May the offeror add columns to the Excel workbook as necessary? Will the client provide an updated Attachment 3 - Pricing Sheet? | The pricing sheet has been updated with estimated hours for each labor category. The contractor may add columns as they see fit. | |
| Pricing Workbook modifications | Section J, RFP Attachment 3 - Pricing Sheet | There is not a place in the workbook to include a summary of the individual contract periods. May the offeror add additional tab worksheets to the Excel workbook as necessary? Will the client provide an updated Attachment 3 - Pricing Sheet? | The contractor may choose to incorporate a summary. | |
| Section K - Representations, Certifications, And Other Statements of Bidders | N/A | Section K - Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements of Bidders is missing from the RFP. Can the Government confirm if bidders should provide representations and certifications in accordance with FAR 52.204-8 Annual Represenations and Certifications (Jan 2025), and provide Section K? | Section K – Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements of Offerors should be submitted as a separate attachment and does not need to be included within any specific proposal volume. Please ensure it is clearly labeled and submitted with the complete proposal package. Solicitation has been amended to include Section K. | |
| Substitute for Personnel Education Qualifications | Section 5.7, p. 39 | Will the government permit relevant work experience to substitute for the level of education qualification, particularly in cases where the candidate demonstrates extensive experience in the other qualification areas, as outlined in the RFP? | Outside staff can be hired for Interviewer levels 2 and 3 if the contractor has high confidence that they can perform the duties; however, given the knowledge of the program and the training certifications required for interviewers to work independently, historically, most promotions have been filled with internal candidates. | |
| Past performance requirements | Section L.1 and Attachment 1 | Can the government please confirm that one or more of the required Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs) can be submitted by a proposed subcontractor on the contractor’s team? | Yes, it is acceptable to include past performance references from proposed subcontractor on the contractor's team. | |
| Timekeeping requirements | Section 5.6.2(a) | Given conflicting language in the RFP, can the government please clarify how often Excel spreadsheets must be provided (weekly vs. monthly) and confirm that such spreadsheets are required despite timekeeping already being required in BLS’ Contractor Timesheet System (CTS)? | Historically, the government has requested weekly spreadsheets with total hours per employee to facilitate oversight of hours. This can be negotiated with the COR following the award. The PWS has been revised. | |
| Resume requirement | There is no requirement to submit resumes but there are extensive personnel requirements that would be best showcased in a resume. Do resumes count towards the final page count? | No, but each resume should be limited to 5 pages. | ||
| Facility flexibility | If a contractor operationally maintains various panels with Inbound/Outbound calling to recruit, follow-up, and troubleshoot our systems, will there be flexibility to house such operations in Washington, DC? | The government will not provide facilities for any work besides that of interviewers and their mangers. The contractor may locate their support services at any location of their choosing within the United States, but associated expenses must be covered by the fully burdened labor hour rates. | ||
| Facility flexibility | Do the current DCC facilities have to be used, or can a contractor use other facilities besides those? | The contractor must use the current DCC facilities, unless individual staff are in a telework status conforming to the Telework Plan. | ||
| In order to ensure high-quality, responsive proposals that fully address the Department's needs, would the Department consider extending the proposal due date to at least 10 business days following the release of responses to questions? This would allow offerors sufficient time to incorporate any clarifications or changes into their submissions. | Solicitation response date amended. | |||
| Cost Proposal | Attachment 3 -- JOLTS Pricing Sheet | Can you confirm that 1912 is defined as 1 FTE? | Yes, 1912 is defined as 1 FTE. Here are the assumptions for our FTE calculations: 2,080 hours in a 52-week period, minus 88 hours for federal holidays, minus 80 hours for assumed leave, with a result of 1,912 hours. | |
| Cost Proposal | Attachment 3 -- JOLTS Pricing Sheet | As outlined in the RFP, the Project Manager is required to be in person in Suitland MD on a quarterly basis. Will the Department provide a plug number for travel? | The government is waiving the in-person requirement. Project manager meetings can be done virtually. | |
| Cost Proposal | Attachment 3 -- JOLTS Pricing Sheet | Please confirm if the Administrative Support cost should be included in the Fixed Price line item for Training/Management/Supervision/Reports | The Administrative Support personnel should be included in the Firm Fixed Price component or built into burdened labor hour rates. | |
| Cost Proposal | Attachment 3 -- JOLTS Pricing Sheet | Should we assume that the Estimated Hours (Based Period) on page 50 of the RFP, should be the same in all Option Years? | The estimated hours are expected to be the same for all options. The pricing sheet has been updated with the estimated hours. There is also a typo that has been revised on page 50 of the PWS. The estimated hours for Interviewer 1 and Interviewer 3 were inverted. This has been corrected. | |
| Incumbent | N/A | Is there a current incumbent for this requirement? | Yes, there is a current incumbent. | |
| Small Business Subcontracting Plan Page Count | Section L.1. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS: SUBMISSION/Page 121 | Will the Government please confirm whether an updated RFP will be issued to add the Page Count requirements for VOLUME IV – SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING PLAN? | The page count requirement is found under Section L, INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO BIDDERS. The section referred to in this question is from Section J, and the page count identified in Section J states the number of pages of each attachment in the current RFQ. Do not use this restriction on your proposal. Use the Page Limits specified in Section L. There is no page limit for Volume IV. | |
| Section K | N/A | Will the Government please confirm whether an updated RFP will be issued to add Section K? | Solicitation has been amended to include Section K. | |
| Performance Monitoring Dashboards | Section 1.4: Objectives/Page 8 | |||
| Section 5.5.2: Contractor Quality Control/Page 34 | Section 5.5.2 references the use of dashboards to monitor individual staff and center performance, and Section 1.4 indicates that the Government retains responsibility for JOLTS tools. Will the Government please clarify whether it will provide performance monitoring dashboards for this purpose, or if the contractor may develop and use internal dashboards for monitoring Interviewer and center performance? | The government is developing a comprehensive web-based dashboard. The government currently generates an Excel based dashboard that monitors performance. The contractor will be provided with Oracle Crystal Reports licenses to run queries and produce reports. The government runs daily jobs that output helpful resources to monitor important metrics such as missed calls, panel enrollment and collection progress. The contractor will not be allowed to use any software that is not approved for use on BLS networks. | ||
| Address Refinement and Enrollment AQL Calculations | Section 5.1.4 Address Refinement and Enrollment Performance Measures/Page 24 | |||
| Technical Exhibit 7 - JOLTS Performance Measure Calculations/Page 62 | In reference to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) table, will the Government please clarify whether cases that result in refusals or where valid contact information cannot be obtained are excluded from AQL calculations for Address Refinement and/or Enrollment? Technical Exhibit 7 specifies that only out-of-scope and out-of-business cases are excluded from the denominator. Given the 85%–100% AQL threshold for Enrollment and the 98%–100% threshold for Address Refinement, further clarification on the treatment of these non-convertible cases would be helpful, as it may not be feasible to refine or enroll 100% of assigned cases. | Refusals cannot be excluded from the denominator. Many of these formulas are derived from Office of Management and Budget Standards and Guidelines for Statistical Surveys and cannot be modified. Codes are available for invalid contact information and result in a report's exclusion from the denominator. | ||
| Clarification of AQL for Job Openings | Section 5.2.5 Multi-Modal Collection Performance Measures/Page 28 | |||
| Technical Exhibit 1 - Performance Requirements Summary - JOLTS/Page 46 | For the Item Response Rate: "Job Openings," on the table it has an AQL of 90% for both 1st and 2nd Closing; however, on Technical Exhibit 1, it only denotes 90% for 2nd Closing. Will the Government please clarify which is accurate? | The item response rates were revised in the table under section 5.2.5 and the Performance Requirements Summary. The item response rates for Job Openings is 90%, for Hires is 98%, and for Quits is 93%. | ||
| Clarification of AQL for Quits | Section 5.2.5 Multi-Modal Collection Performance Measures/Page 28 | |||
| Technical Exhibit 1 - Performance Requirements Summary - JOLTS/Page 46 | For the Item Response Rate: "Quits," on the table it has an AQL of 93% for both 1st and 2nd Closing; however, on Technical Exhibit 1, it denotes an AQL of 98% for 1st Close and 93% for 2nd Close. Will the Government please clarify if Technical Exhibit 1 should indicate a 1st Close AQL of 93%? | The item response rates were revised in the table under section 5.2.5 and the Performance Requirements Summary. The item response rates for Job Openings is 90%, for Hires is 98%, and for Quits is 93%. | ||
| Pricing Narrative | Section L.1. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS; VOLUME III: PRICE/Page 123 | Will the Government please confirm whether the contractor can provide pricing narrative in a Word document separate from Attachment 3, and, if so, please confirm the page count for that document? | Yes, the Government requires detailed pricing as outlined in Section L, Factor 3 – Price: “The Price Volume shall include detailed spreadsheet(s) and/or table(s) (e.g., in MS Excel or Word) identifying rates and other direct costs (ODCs).” |
There is no page limitation for the Price Volume.
| Small Business Subcontracting Plan Format | Section L.1. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS; VOLUME IV: SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING PLAN (Does not apply to Small Businesses)/Pages 123 - 124 | |||
| RFP+Attachment+6+-+SMALL+BUSINESS+SUBCONTRACTING+PLAN+TEMPLATE/First Tab | Will the Government please confirm that offerors are required to submit a written Small Business Subcontracting Plan addressing all 15 elements outlined in FAR 52.219-9 (rather than FAR 52.219-19, which is currently reserved) in addition to completing Attachment 6? | Yes, offerors are required to submit a written Small Business Subcontracting Plan in accordance with FAR 52.219-9, which includes addressing all 15 required elements. Please disregard the reference to FAR 52.219-19, as that clause is currently reserved. The written plan must be submitted in addition to completing Attachment 6. |
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