New_England_OA_CTS_Amendment_00001_Questions_and_Answers.pdf

Request for Proposals No. 1630J1-17-R-00003 New England Outreach/Admissions and Career Transition Services

Amendment 00001

May 17, 2017

Questions and Responses:

1) Question: Type of Contract: in light of the implications of a Firm-Fixed-Unit Price Contract and the payment protocols noted in the solicitation, has/will the government consider awarding a cost plus fixed-fee contract?

1) Response: The government has considered a cost type solicitation structure and has determined it will not solicit the subject requirement as a cost plus fixed-fee contract.

2) Question: Deliverables: Given that Job Corps Centers are responsible for assignment, (i.e., arrivals), of applicants to centers in accordance with Regional Office procedures, (Chapter 1, R7, Job Corps Policy and Requirements Handbook), what assurances will the successful offeror have that the Job Corps Centers in the solicitation (pages 11-12) will assign a sufficient number of applicants to enable achieving the minimum annual arrival goals mandated in the contract?

2) Response: There are no assurances provided by the government relative to assignment of applicants.

3) Question: Advertising/Marketing: What is the level of marketing support that the Region or National Office will provide for the New England OACTS contract or should the offeror factor in media and marketing with the proposed cost?

3) Response: There is no guarantee to any offeror relative to receiving marketing support from either the region or the national office. All offerors must use their independent business decision relative to proposed price and adhere to all sections of the solicitation.

4) Question: Service Contract Act Exemptions: In the contract clauses and provisions section, the solicitation list FAR 52.222-51 and FAR 52.222-53, both of which deal with exemptions for application of the Service Contract Act Labor Standards. Please clarify with regard to employment practices and salary/wage determinations for the forthcoming contract award. For example, is the offeror able to treat field and/or professional staff as consultants or classified as “sales” staff for commission-based remuneration?

4) Response: All offerors must adhere to ALL clauses and provisions in the solicitation and amendments. Relative to business decisions each offeror must make their own independent business decisions.

5) Question: Regional Plans: Are the current Boston Regional Career Development Service System (CDSS) Plan and the Geographic Assignment Plan (GAP) available for use in this solicitation?

5) Response: The Region does not have a CDSS plan. The National Office stopped the use of Regional plans two years ago. The GAP plan uses actual contractual information and is subject to change when new contracts are awarded. Offerors relying on the current plan do so at their own risk. The GAP plan will change once this contract is awarded incorporating the changes described in this RFP. The current plan can be found attached to this amendment.

6) Question: Property: Is a list of government-owned/contract property available and will this property transfer to the successful offeror upon contract award?

6) Response: A list is available and is attached. The property will transfer to the successful offeror during transition.

7) Question: Are background checks for candidates to be included as a fixed price item in the proposal or are they direct billed using the national contract?

7) Response: Costs relative to background checks are covered by the National contract.

8) Question: Of the 100 CTS, can the government provide a list of trades and states these students will be coming from?

8) Response: The government is not able to provide a list of trades and/or states relative to the 100 CTS students.

9) Question: Part 2: Past Performance, section L (page 69) – “The government shall use the PPIRS-RC system to retrieve qualitative assessments for the price offeror, partners in the case of a formal teaming arrangement, or subcontractors.” However, in section M (page 75) it says, “Only that Offeror’s performance as a prime contractor or as a principal of the prime contractor will be considered.” As indicated in section L, will the “teams’ (subcontractor, partners, etc.)” past performance be considered?

9) Response: The words “or subcontractors” in section L page 69 are hereby removed.

10) Question: Does the government intend to assess the refundable cost as liquidated damages? If so, where does the $750 figure come from? The damages for ineligible enrollment are excessive at $750 per day. Since the clause refers to refundable cost, one would presume the penalty should be based on the student year cost at the relevant center adjusted for the variable cost; which on cost reimbursement contracts is 15% of the daily student year cost, all other costs being fixed costs. If the student year cost is $30,000, the daily cost is $82.19 and 15% of that is $12.36. The $750 amount is not consistent with the liquidated damages clause for center contracts with OA/CTS for the same issue. Please clarify.

10) Response: The Liquidated Damages clause has been revised. Please see Revision 1 of the Request for Proposal.

11) Question: The RFP refers to each day, “a student is improperly enrolled in the program.” Can you provide a clarification as to the complete definition of “improperly enrolled”?

11) Response: The PRH Exhibit 1-1 explains a “Fraudulent Enrollment: Where courts refuse to disclose juvenile history and applicant denies any court involvement, the AC should emphasize that concealing a criminal history is grounds for immediate discharge from Job Corps for fraudulent enrollment.”

12) Question: Does the government require additional submission of the representations and certifications or is the SAM registration sufficient? If additional submission is required what section should it be included?

12) Response: If applicable, any additional information relative to an offeror’s SAM registration shall be submitted with Part 3 the Business Management Proposal.

13) Question: Both Relevant Experience and Past Performance sections have a requirement stating “Problems encountered and corrective actions taken on contracts within the past three (3) years”.

Please confirm that the same information is to be presented in both the Relevant Experience proposal section and, separately, the Past performance proposal section.

13) Response: The requested information is correct relative to Relevant Experience and Past Performance. It is the offeror’s independent business decision as to what information to submit.

14) Question: Could you provide copies of any lease agreements currently in place for OA operations?

14) Response: Any lease agreements in the government’s possession would be considered proprietary information and not releasable.

15) Question: Must the hard copy and the electronic submission both meet the 5/17/2017 3:00 p.m.

time frame or as long as the electronic submission meet the 3:00 p.m. deadline.

15) Response: All Offerors must follow the instructions both electronic/compact discs, (CD’s) and hard copy must be received by the established date and time which is hereby extended to June 7, 2017 by 3:00 p.m./1500 EDT.