Questions_and_Answers_09_06_18.pdf

19AQMM18R0336 – Questions & Answers

# REFERENCE QUESTION GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

My firm is a member of a Joint Venture that currently holds a TS facility clearance and I’d like to know if we bid under the JV will the security clearance be acceptable for the RFP?

Yes, per Section 10.7.1.1, "In order to be considered for award of this contract, interested offerors, including all entities which comprise a joint venture, and the joint venture itself, must possess a Defense Security Service (DSS) Final Secret, Interim Top Secret, or Final Top Secret facility security clearance (FCL), issued in accordance with the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), DoD 5220.22-M."

Solicitation 2.5.1 Right of First Refusal

Previously, this was a single award contract.

Now, it will be a multi-award IDIQ. Since there is no immediate transition to a single new contractor, please explain how current contractor employees could potentially roll over to multiple new contractors.

Should a new task order include positions that are provided under the current single award contract, the Contractor awarded that task order would provide right of first refusal to those specific individuals.

Attachment_13,_Sample_Pricing,_A002

What is the sample Period of Performance? It appears that each sample task order is for 6 months. Please confirm.

See Amendment 3, attachment 13. The hours have been revised to represent one-year periods, three periods in total.

General

How many total IDIQ positions are likely to be fulfilled in a year?

See #8 from Questions & Answers, posted 08/20/2018.

5 F-003 Place of Performance states, “The primary place of performance will be in Arlington, Virginia (Bldg SA-06) but with some worldwide positions.”

Annually, how many people from this IDIQ will be working in Arlington? This will be defined at the task order level.

F-003 Place of Performance states, “The primary place of performance will be in Arlington, Virginia (Bldg SA-06) but with some worldwide positions.”

What are the most likely worldwide places of performance? What is the duration of a worldwide assignment? Annually, how many people from this IDIQ will be working in a worldwide position? Are worldwide positions accompanied or unaccompanied?

The duration of the assignments, and number of personnel will be defined at the task order level. At this time, likely performance locations include Bangui and Banjul. See #9 from Questions & Answers, posted 08/20/2018 for question on accompanied/unaccompanied.

7 L-001.3.1 states, “The Offeror shall include in the technical proposal contingency plans to deal with disruption of operations such as building closures due to inclement weather and/or power and/or water outages.”

Given that the section’s name is “Personnel Action Prevention,” is this sentence asking about contingency plans in the correct section? Should it be addressed elsewhere? See amendment 2.

8 L-001.4 states, “Minimum of 1 to maximum of 5 reference(s) are needed for prime (or each partner in the joint venture) has held over the past three (3) years for the same or similar work.”

This sentence is not clear. Is the Government stating that the JV members must produce 1- 5 prime contract references in total for all members combined? See amendment 2.

9 M-001, Technical Factor 1: Facility Clearance states, “At least two contracts will be awarded to firms possessing Interim or Final Top Secret FCLs, and one or more firms with Final Secret FCLs may be selected for additional awards.”

How many overall awards does the Government anticipate? Please give a range.

See #1 from Questions & Answers, posted 08/20/2018.

10 SOW C.5.6.6 Security states, “All personnel performing under this contract shall be U.S. Citizens with a security clearance at the SECRET or TOP SECRET level.”

Given that people cleared at the TS level can be substantially more expensive that those with a SECRET clearance, will the government revise the proposal pricing to include both types of clearances by labor category? See amendment 2.

SOW C.5.6.6 Security states, “All personnel performing under this contract shall be U.S. Citizens with a security clearance at the SECRET or TOP SECRET level.”

What percentage of personnel are anticipated to require a SECRET clearance versus a TOP SECRET clearance? Also, will certain labor categories only require a SECRET clearance and, if so, which ones? Or, will all labor categories require personnel at the TOP SECRET level?

This will be defined at the task order level.

There are no labor categories in which it is known that only Secret, or only TS, will be needed.

12 “Facility Clearance (FCL)” of the solicitation states, “In order to be considered for award of this contract, interested offerors, including all entities which comprise a joint venture, and the joint venture itself, must possess a Defense Security Service (DSS) Final Secret, Interim Top Secret or Final Top Secret facility clearance (FCL), issued in accordance with the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), DoD 5220.22-M.”

Further, “Question_and_Answers,_Aug_20_2018,” Question 3 asks, “Will the government consider award to a joint venture who’s entities possess TS FCLs but who’s joint venture does not possess an FCL?” The Government’s response was simply, “No.”

However, on August 1, 2018, DODMANUAL 5220.22, VOLUME 2 was issued and it specifically addresses contractors in a procurement environment. Section 6.2 “Procedures,” Subsection B “Determine Clearance Status of Prospective Contractors,” states, “(3) The lack of an existing FCL is not sufficient justification to exclude a contractor from competing or being awarded a classified contract provided the contractor is willing and eligible to be processed for an FCL and take all required actions associated with such processing on a timely basis.”

In light of this new update to the NISPOM, will the Government amend the solicitation to align the solicitation with the updated NISPOM and avoid potential protests to the solicitation or any subsequent award?

Government response to be provided shortly.

10.7.1.4, Amendment 2

“Experience and Past Performance information for proposed subcontractors not acceptable.” However, the government is allowing all partners in a joint venture to submit experience and past performance. We believe this affords an unfair competitive advantage to JV entities, especially given the fact that the original RFP allowed for subcontractor experience and past performance to be included in offeror proposals and would be evaluated by the government. We request the government allow subcontractor experience and past performance to be included in offeror proposals and be evaluated by the government to ensure fair competition amongst offerors. See Amendment 3, section 10.7.1.4.

10.7.2.2, Sample Task Order – Attachment 13

The Offeror shall provide sample pricing for two task orders in Attachment 13. Pricing is required for the base period and all option periods. As other direct costs shall be reimbursable, they shall not be addressed below or evaluated as part of this proposal submission. Is escalation allowable between Option Year 4 and the Task Order Options or will the rates need to remain the same in the Task Order Options as they are in Option Year 4? It is allowed.

Question 34, Q&A File

The answer to question 34 of the Q&As provided with Amendment 2 states “The contractor can burden premium pay with overhead and G&A…”. Please confirm that fringe costs (e.g. statutory taxes) is allowable and can be applied to premium pay given that Yes, this is allowable.

premium pay is considered additional employee compensation and is subject to fringe costs in the same way that regular pay is.