Amendment_7_RFC's_for__1630J1-18-N-00001.pdf

ST. LOUIS JOB CORPS CENTER

SOLICITATION NUMBER 1630J1-18-N-00001

1. A Request for Clarification document was submitted on February 28, 2018 superseding previously submitted clarification requests, however the recently issued clarifications did not have answers to questions asked in our February 28, 2018 document. Please answer the following questions that were not part of the Government response:

a. Page 33, G.12: Please confirm that the Government will provide a grace period without penalty to allow the successful bidder to recruit and fill current vacancies that exist at of the start of the contract performance period.

Response: As stated in the RFP G.12 Damages will not be assessed at the value specified for the vacant positions within the first 30 days of the vacancy. Damages will be assessed at the rate of 50 percent of the value specified for the vacant position from days 31 through 60. The grace period consist of 30 days after the contract award date.

b. Page 91: “The allowable cost for Phase-Out will be limited to earned but unpaid leave, and any other costs determined to be reasonable, allowable and allocable by the Contracting Officer. “ Please provide guidance what “other costs” are determined to be reasonable, allowable and allocable by the Contracting Officer.

Response: "Other Cost" refers to cost that may be considered reasonable, allowable and allocable during Phase Out. These cost will be determined by the Contracting Officer as state din the RFP.

c. The Government has established estimated arrival goals, but is requesting a firm fixed price unit cost proposal based on actual arrivals. Please confirm that offerors should price based on anticipated actual arrivals.

Response: Based on the Quantity of confirmed arrivals, the offeror will be paid a percentage of a Unit Price for each arrival. As stated in the RFP, there are “Annual Arrivals by Month” which also illustrates the total number of contract arrivals for the contract year. In this example, contractors will bill a Quantity at a percentage of the Unit Price, for Each Confirmed Arrival. Offerors should propose prices based on anticipated actual arrivals.”

d. The Government is requesting a firm fixed price unit cost proposal for CTS and has provided CTS component pools (580 graduates, 145 Former Enrollees) which do not reflect historic actuals. Based on Job Corps’ Placement Outcomes Measurement System, over the past 3 years the St. Louise CTS contract serviced 320 graduates and 112 Former Enrollees a year. This firm fixed price activity is designed to recover contractor costs based upon a unit cost for actual placements not estimated pools. Please confirm that offerors should establish a unit price based on historical placement actuals versus CTS component pools.

Response: “Offerors should propose prices based on the CTS component pools stated in the RFP.”

2. Contractors must have adequate cash flow to perform Job Corps contracts, to include a minimum billable fee to cover the cost of doing business. Please confirm that the Government in accordance with G.3.2 of the RFP will allow the successful bidder to consistently bill the average cost incentive fee of 2% each month, which is a different fee than the technical incentive fee calculated at the end of each performance year, set by the Government for the duration of the contract in accordance with FAR 16.405-1 “Cost plus incentive fee contracts”.

Response: According to the FAR description reference below for each designated contract type, Final Price is determined at the end of performance or after performance. This is in agreement with the RFP which states: “Upon completion of the contract year, the Contracting Officer will utilize the Job Corps’ Outcome Measurement System (OMS) data to evaluate the contractor’s overall technical performance, based on achievement of Program Years’ goals, and will determine the level of technical performance incentive fee earned by the contractor.”

16.403-1 Fixed-price incentive (firm target) contracts.

(a) Description. A fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract specifies a target cost, a target profit, a price ceiling (but not a profit ceiling or floor), and a profit adjustment formula. These elements are all negotiated at the outset.

The price ceiling is the maximum that may be paid to the contractor, except for any adjustment under other contract clauses. When the contractor completes performance, the parties negotiate the final cost, and the final price is established by applying the formula.

16.405-1 Cost-plus-incentive-fee contracts.

(a) Description. The cost-plus-incentive-fee contract is a cost-reimbursement contract that provides for the initially negotiated fee to be adjusted later by a formula based on the relationship of total allowable costs to total target costs.

This contract type specifies a target cost, a target fee, minimum and maximum fees, and a fee adjustment formula. After contract performance, the fee payable to the contractor is determined in accordance with the formula.

3. The government has clarified that residential advisors staff performing duties as a Senior Residential Counselors and/or a Residential Counselor must be identified as Senior Residential Counselors or Residential Counselors. Please provide the Government determined duty description for Senior Residential Counselors and Residential Counselors and how it differs from other residentially assigned dorm staff.

In response to position descriptions. Position descriptions are provided by the offeror up on request by the government and as requested within the RFP.

4. OA and CTS activities are firm fixed price, unit cost reimbursable activities.

Offers should be allowed to structure compensation to achieve the requirements of the FFP contract. The incentive limit is applicable to a cost reimbursable, not firm fixed price contracts. Commissions are part of the potential basic wages paid to an employee for services rendered whereas incentives are bonuses paid to employees above their basic wages in recognition of performance or other criteria. Please verify that the Government is not directing the way Contractor’s structure their employees’ basic compensation, thus allowing Contractors to negotiate their employee agreements for OA and CTS employees using commissions as part of employee wages.

Response: Your understanding is correct. The government is not is not directing the way contractors structure their employees basic compensation.

5. Historically, in the Technical Proposal no tabs were required for each individual Element. Tabbing each Element cuts off responses short of a complete page and results in a drastic reduction to the number of pages (from 85 to approximately

65) leaving offerors unable to adequately address the Government’s questions.

Please verify that it is acceptable for Elements to be grouped together in each Subfactor, as long as the page numbers of Elements are included in a Table of Contents and clearly identified within the text?

Response: As stated in the RFP on page 80, Section I Organization of Proposal: Offerors must tab each specific [1] factor, [2] subfactors, and [3] elements.

6. The Government has clarified that the purpose of G.12 is to allow the Government to recoup funding that was originally obligated in order to support the full value of proposed FTEs. However, if the Government reduces PVs by the vacancy damages calculation without a contract modification, it will eliminate the payment and recovery of legitimate and allowable direct contract costs. Please verify that the Government will use contract modifications to reduce contract value and thus recoup funding in place of the unilateral reductions to PVs described in G.12 to allow the proper accounting of Public funds in accordance with the FAR and public law.

Response: Damages will be assessed according to policy and as stated in the RFP which states: Damages will be assessed and subtracted from a subsequent voucher.

7. The Government has partially clarified how base damages will be calculated for G.12, but has not clarified if damages will be calculated on an hourly, daily, bi- weekly, or monthly basis. Please verify that damages will be calculated on a daily basis so that if a vacancy is open for 31 days, then only 1 day of damages (as calculated in accordance with G.12) will be assessed.

Response: Damages will be assessed at the rate of 50 percent of the value specified for the vacant position from days 31 through 60. Damages will be assessed at the full value specified for the vacant positions after 60 days.

8. The Government has clarified that indirect cost and fee be separated out of the OA and CTS firm fixed price. Currently, it is not possible to do this without modifying the J-1. Please verify that offerors should bid firm fixed price as one inclusive of any pricing factors in accordance with the current J- 1 issued by the Government.

Response: Yes, you statement is correct. Please refer to the instructions and guidelines in the RFP.

9. There are discrepancies between the pricing schedule provided on the last page of Amendment #6:

Response: Chart has been adjusted.

10. Arrival goals in the GAP plan and deliverable chart state 780 students in Amendment #6. The revised pricing schedule states 580. Please clarify the planned arrivals whether the goals are 580 or 780.

Response: Arrival goals are 780. This response also addresses all aspects of the RFP where stated.

11. The Pricing Schedule in amendment #6 state a quantity of 520 CTS graduate students. The RFP state a quantity of 580 graduate students.

Please clarify whether the graduate placement goals for CTS is 520 or 580.

Response: Career Transition Services goals are 580. This response also addresses all aspects of the RFP where stated.

12. CLIN item number 0014 for “Career Transition Services/Former Enrollee (40% of total price), 6 months” appears to have been deleted from the revised pricing schedule in Amendment #6. Please provide an updated pricing schedule.

Response: Chart has been adjusted. This response also addresses all aspects of the RFP where “Quantity” for Outreach and admissions and Career Transitions Services is referenced to the chart below.

The Quantity, Unit, Unit Price and Amount titles in the chart below, will replicate on the base years and following option years within the RFP FFP OA/CTS CLIN structure.

FIRM, FIXED-PRICE

Line Item

(CLIN)

Description Quantity Unit Unit Price Amount

0009 Outreach & Admissions (60% of total price), Initial Arrival 780

EA

0010 Outreach & Admissions (40% of total price), 90 days EA

Career Transition Services/ Graduates (60% of total price), Initial placement 580

EA

Career Transition Services/ Graduates (40% of total price), 6 months

EA

Career Transition Services/ Former Enrollee (60% of total price), Initial placement 145

EA

Career Transition Services/ Former Enrollee (40% of total price), 6 months

EA

ST. LOUIS JOB CORPS CENTER