GCSC Task Order - Section L Proposal Instructions 6.13.22.docx

Global Canine Services Center Task Order

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Instructions, Conditions, & Notices to Offerors Section L – Instructions, Conditions, & Notices to Offerors Version: 6/13/2022 Table of Contents

A. See Section L of the IDIQ solicitation.

See Section L of the IDIQ solicitation.

L.6 Technical Response The following sections describe the minimum information to be provided in the narrative in response to the Global Canine Services Center Task Order. See Section L of the IDIQ solicitation for additional instructions. This response shall be organized into the following sections and address the topics stated herein.

The Offeror shall plan for mobilization, initial operating capability (IOC), and full operating capability (FOC) as transition phases of the TO. As identified by the U.S. Government, the specific duration for both the mobilization and transition phases combined will be no less than 90 days. The Contractor shall address the following components in its mobilization and transition plan.

A. Plan for achieving 100 percent compliance with a timeline, schedule, and milestones, for the following phases:

1. Mobilization, covering activities starting at the time specified in the task order award to begin the period of performance to initial operating capability.

2. Initial Operating Capability (IOC) to Full Operating Capability (FOC) within the time frame established within the TO; and

3. Including details on sustaining FOC post-transition.

B. A risk assessment for each element of Mobilization, IOC, and FOC. If applicable, a plan identifying specific actions to ensure all requirements are met with no delays, interruptions or reductions in service, to include working with the outgoing incumbent, and planned start and end-dates.

C. A detailed timeline interrelating all transition activities. The planned completion and timeline dates may be expressed as a calendar date or as a number of days after the occurrence of another identified event.

D. Prioritization of the selection, training, and clearance of personnel filling all TO labor categories.

E. Strategy for obtaining/transferring clearances, international travel and work documents and public trust certifications.

L.6.1.1.1 Mobilization The Offeror shall explain how the mobilization team will use the defined mobilization phase to identify the stakeholders, mobilization risks/issues, operating environment, resources, and time. The mobilization phase will be no less than 45 days. At a minimum, the mobilization phase of the Contractor’s mobilization and transition plan shall encompass goals, methods, controls, activities, risks and contingencies, and periodic Contractor-established performance metrics with internal inspection times for all TO-required tasks in the following areas:

A. Identify all dedicated mobilization team members by name, roles, responsibilities, and tasks, covering both the mobilization phase from the beginning of the period of performance as specified at the task order award to IOC, and the transition phase from IOC to FOC.

B. The Contractor shall identify processes and timelines with milestones. These processes tasks will cross into the transition phase as incumbent and new personnel are transitioned to the new Awardee and begin to execute mobilization and transition tasks. At a minimum, the Contractor shall identify the following processes:

1. Assessment of incumbent personnel for consideration for transition

2. Incumbent interview, recruitment, and training planning

3. Review and make-ready of bios for incumbents and new personnel

4. Review and make-ready for the transfer or initiation of clearances/Public Trust determinations

5. Work licensing, entry document and visa processing and/or make-ready

6. Letter of authorization/acceptability (LOA) processing and/or make-ready

7. Review and drafting of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) (e.g., canine imprint training, canine team pairing and certification, etc.); and

8. Government-furnished equipment (GFE) and real property inventory, gap analysis, and procurement/maintenance schedule.

9. Deployment and departure process for the mobilization team (i.e., travel arrangements, lodging during transition, etc.).

L.6.1.1.2 Initial Operating Capability to Full Operating Capability The Offeror’s transition plan shall explain how the mobilization team will interact with the GCS personnel, task order key personnel, incumbents, and newly deployed personnel during the defined transition phase to become fully contract compliant by FOC.

A. The transition plan must address, at a minimum, the following execution tasks:

1. Completeness assurance and submission of bios

2. LOA processing and transfer

3. Transfer and/or initiation of clearances/Public Trust determinations

4. Work license, entry document and visa processing

5. New hire deployment and training execution

6. Submission of SOPs (e.g., canine imprint training, canine team pairing and certification, etc.); and

7. GFE and real property assessment, maintenance/repair turnover and procurement.

L.6.1.1.3 Demobilization Plan The Offeror shall develop a general plan for demobilizing TO personnel upon task order completion. The Contractor shall revise this plan to address any changes to such circumstances as identified by DS/OPO/WPS/GCS after award.

A. The plan will assume that the TO option will not be renewed due to the Contractor being told by the U.S. Government to shut down all operations and remove all TO personnel and equipment from the TO place of performance within 60 days.

B. This plan shall further reflect the assumption that the Contractor will be responsible for all shutdown operations and transport of TO personnel and equipment. The plan shall include the following:

1. How the Offeror will stagger the removal of personnel to allow for the continued care of canines until no longer needed.

2. How the Offeror will transport all personnel out of the TO place of performance; this must include all personnel, their personal effects, and any GFE.

3. How Offeror would inventory all CAP and GFE, including transport contingencies (i.e., air, land, and sea).

L.6.1.2 Subfactor 2 – Staffing Plan The Offeror shall address the components outlined below in its staffing plan to ensure it always maintains 100 percent staffing, at all times for both CONUS and OCONUS.

Moreover, the Offeror shall outline a reasonable deployment schedule for all OCONUS positions to ensure rest and recuperations (R&R) are properly accounted for and provided.

L.6.1.2.1 Requirements Analysis The Offeror shall provide a narrative describing the methodology for meeting TO staffing requirements, to include:

A. Number of applicants that need to be recruited to fill each position (i.e., throughput) B. Under normal circumstances, how the Offeror will ensure staffing requirements are continually met, taking into account recruitment, screening, training, planned and unplanned absences/loss of personnel (attrition), and retention C. Risk assessments and contingency plans for filling TO-critical Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs).

L.6.1.2.3 Screening The Offeror shall provide its proposed procedures for performing all screening and pre-selection activities including obtaining ensuring all bio review packages submitted to the U.S. Government are complete and meet the requirements for acceptability, satisfying candidate fitness for duty requirements and drug testing in accordance with GCS IDIQ, SOW Section C.10.2, Contractor Recruitment and Suitability Screening and Certification Requirements. The Offeror shall describe how it will verify all candidates meet labor category requirements, to include:

A. Offeror vetting of all personnel to obtain the appropriate security clearance/Public Trust certification.

B. Verification of documentation for required experience, education, training, and language skills.

C. Name of person (or position) responsible for measures of screening operations to self-assess bio package completeness procedures and acceptability rates.

L.6.1.2.4 Retention The Offeror shall describe its retention strategy utilizing the following:

A. Incentives, monetary and non-monetary.

B. Other benefits (e.g., various types of counseling, retirement investment, health insurance, tuition incentives, etc.).

C. Name of the person (or position) responsible for measuring self-assessment.

D. Retention and evaluation of incentives for meeting retention targets.

L.6.1.2.5 Attrition The Offeror shall measure its attrition utilizing the following:

A. Measure/track attrition rates by labor category.

B. Establish attrition assessment questions during the out-briefing of personnel at contractual termination or end of routine deployment.

L.6.1.2.6 Staffing Quality Assurance Plan The Offeror shall describe its staffing quality assurance plan while leveraging the corporate adopted project management methodologies and its defined quality control plan in order to identify risks to meeting staffing requirement before they become unmanageable. At a minimum, the Contractor’s staffing quality assurance plan shall encompass goals, methods, controls, and Contractor-established performance metrics for the following areas of their staffing plan, whether self-performed or subcontracted, relating to staffing positions with U.S. citizens as required by the TO: Recruitment; Screening; Bio Package Acceptance Rate; Training Graduation Rate; Retention; Attrition.

L.6.1.2.7 Training Management Plan The Offeror shall address the following components in its training management plan:

A. Identification of all required training prior to performance, in-service, and recertification.

B. Plan for training and delivering Offeror personnel to a qualified training facility.

C. Identification of successful pass rates of all training course types and plan for achieving established successful pass rates.

D. The types and frequency of courses and students needed to sustain FOC, updated on a quarterly basis.

L.6.1.2.7.1 Training Quality Assurance Plan The Contractor shall describe its training quality assurance plan while leveraging the corporate adopted project management methodologies and its defined quality control in order to identify risks or deficiencies before they become unmanageable. At a minimum, the Contractor’s staffing quality assurance plan shall encompass responsibilities, goals, methods, controls, and Contractor-established performance metrics for all required training in the following areas:

A. Contractor Provided Training (CPT).

B. Management person, or position, responsible for training coordination, activity, cost measures for meeting contractual training requirements.

The Offeror shall address the following components in its logistics and property management and accountability plan.

A. During mobilization and transition phases, the identification and analysis of all facilities, workspaces, vehicles, equipment and materials needed to support the TO CONUS and OCONUS.

B. Quantitative analysis of maintenance and lifecycle replacement requirements for all logistics assets required to support the TO, to include:

1. Status description of each item

2. Person (or position) responsible for the operational condition of the item

3. Description of required maintenance

4. Frequency of maintenance

5. Identification and acquisition of applicable maintenance manuals

6. Area of responsibility for each maintenance facility

7. Test equipment

8. Spare parts (on-hand) and replacement parts requirements

9. Reorder thresholds, to include forecasting of expiration dates.

C. Identify any special equipment and supply requirements (i.e., critical items, long lead-time items, items requiring a special license or permit, etc.) must be addressed).

D. Acquisition plan for all required logistics assets, to include reorder thresholds, transportation requirements, and a timeline with milestones through the lifetime of the contract.

E. Maintenance, repair, and lifecycle replacement plan and schedule for all Contractor-Acquired Property (CAP), Contractor-Furnished Equipment (CFE), and GFE.

F. Records management plan, to include integrating information generated CONUS and OCONUS and ensuring availability to stakeholders.

G. Plan to provide communications and IT services (e.g., manage, install, harsh environment maintenance, repair, and remove Contractor systems and U.S. Government systems, where applicable).

H. Materials management and inventory control plan, including a description of Contractor’s materials management and inventory tracking system for tracking and reporting on all GFE and CAP.

I. Plan for medical supply chain management, control, and diversion prevention for Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) scheduled medications.

J. Plan for acquiring and managing all required canines, to include purchase, training, transportation, in-country management, and retirement.

K. Plan and schedule for demobilizing assets [e.g., turnover of CAP/GFE, removal of Contractor assets, handling of sensitive inventory/information, disposition of International Trafficking in Arms Regulation (ITAR) regulated items, etc.].

L.6.1.3.2 Logistics and Property Management Quality Assurance Plan The Offeror shall describe its logistics and property management quality assurance plan while leveraging the corporate adopted project management methodologies and its defined quality control plan in order to identify risks or deficiencies before they become unmanageable. At a minimum, the Contractor’s logistics and property management quality assurance plan shall address the following:

A. Identifying program measures, reporting thresholds and contingency plans for unusual, long lead time and critical items.

B. Procurement activity measures, cost containment and awareness of accounting constraints and obligation ceilings, purchase order justification policy, alerts for programmed replacement items, and alternative sources when primary is not able to meet demand.

C. Shipping activity measures, supplier performance against contracted requirements, damage/lost items tracking and claims, reporting thresholds and alternative suppliers during contingency events (natural or man-made disasters, civil unrest etc.).

D. Initial accountability, operational status assessment, person (or position) responsible for the item(s) and record-keeping.

L.6.4.1 Subfactor 4: Management Approach The Offeror shall address their proposed management approach in their response to include, at a minimum:

A. Corporate Philosophy – Affirm that corporate policies and procedures do not violate the Anti-Pinkerton Act and abide by the requirements set forth in the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers.

B. Subcontract Management – Outline all specific portions of the task order to be subcontracted, to include small business utilization and how the prime will ensure performance.

C. Identify all required licenses, permits, and insurance, and develop a plan and schedule to acquire such not currently in the Contractor’s possession, to include any assumptions the Contractor is making regarding U.S. Government assistance in acquiring any licenses and permits.

1. Including but not limited to all required permits or licensure to operate within the United States and Iraq;

i. insurance,

ii. import/export compliance requirements,

iii. or other documentation required by the host Government.

2. Including but not limited to all U.S. Government-required permits, licensure, insurance, import/export compliance requirements, or other documentation needed.

D. Outline the specific management approach the Offeror leverages to ensure Task Order success, at a minimum, address the following items:

1. Stakeholder identification – Government, Offeror (TO Level), and Offeror’s Corporate stakeholders

2. Task Order lifecycle and schedule – Show the entire lifecycle and schedule of the Task Order and how it will be managed.

3. Corporate resources – Define how the Offeror will leverage its corporate structure to assist in Task Order success, at no extra cost.

4. Change management philosophy – The Government reserves the right to modify requirements as needed. Define how the Offeror adjust and changes to meet new standards while ensuring compliance and customer satisfaction.

5. Process improvement – Define how the Offeror will identify issues, shortcomings, and areas for improvement.

The Offeror shall identify the standards and guidelines required to effectively plan, manage, staff, control, and deliver all contract-required services, materials, and deliverables.

A. Quantify a standardized methodology for measuring quality.

B. Outline all defined performance standards to be met, including standards identified by both the U.S. Government and the Contractor.

C. Identify responsible parties, including supervisors and alternate responsible parties.

D. Establish controls to ensure integrity and ethical values are maintained and demonstrated by management and staff.

L.6.5.2.2 QCP Goals, Methods, and Performance Objectives The Offeror shall identify specific goals, methods, and performance objectives for each project phase (i.e., award to mobilization, mobilization to transition start, transition start to full operating capability, steady-state operations, and demobilization), including but not necessarily limited to the following:

A. Objectives to be attained (e.g., characteristics or specifications, uniformity, effectiveness, sequence, time, cost control, etc.)

B. Steps in the processes that constitute the operating practice or procedure, to include process maps.

C. Allocation of responsibilities, authority, and resources during the different phases of the process or requirement.

D. Specific documented standards, practices, procedures, and instructions to be applied.

E. Suitable testing, inspection, examination, plan and operational revision and audit programs at appropriate stages.

F. A documented procedure for changes and modifications of operations or quality plan as a process is improved.

G. A method for measuring activities and self-assessing achievement of the quality objectives.

H. Document retention guidelines.

L.6.5.2.3 Risk Management Plan The Offeror shall provide a Risk Management Plan including the following elements:

A. An assessment of presumed risks to the specific task order location elements.

B. An assessment of the vulnerability of critical assets, such as vehicles, and facilities.

C. A risk mitigation and avoidance plan addressing at a minimum terrorist attacks, labor actions, civil unrests, unexpected departures, suspension of task order operations, natural disasters, and host country relations, such as the issuance of visas and customs clearances.

D. A Continuity of Operations Plan to include specific risk mitigation strategies to address unforeseen staffing shortfalls, facility and infrastructure limitations.

L.6.5.2.4 Reporting and Information Plan The Offeror shall develop a matrix identifying information reporting activities (i.e., who, what, when, where, and how). This shall include contractual reporting timeframes, person (or position) responsible for each of the reports identified as deliverables in the Performance Work Statement, and if applicable, incident timeframes and all involved actions planned or taken.

L.7 Factor 4 - GCSC Task Order - Pricing The following sections describe the minimum information to be provided in the narrative for Volume III.

L.7.1 General Pricing Instructions A. This volume shall consist of all information, including all direct cost, indirect cost and profit required to support all proposed prices. All proposed rates, costs, and prices shall be in United States currency. Certified cost and pricing data is not currently required; however, the Government reserves the right to request such data prior to award.

B. The information submitted in this volume shall comply with FAR 15.4, the solicitation Pricing Tables (1-2), and the requirements set forth below. Offerors shall propose its prices by completing the attached Price Tables – Summary and Fixed Price pricing tables with supporting detail worksheets added to provide pricing detail associated with each CLIN and sub-CLIN. There are no page limitations associated with Excel spreadsheets.

C. A price proposal narrative is required and must provide a thorough explanation and rationale on prices and support (match) the pricing table. The price narrative must fully explain every zero-dollar entry for any CLIN/sub-CLIN. The pricing narrative is limited to 75 pages.

D. The Government-provided formulas calculate automatically the Subtotal, Total, and Grand Total prices. However, Offerors shall verify the arithmetic accuracy and make any necessary corrections. Note: Subtotal, Total, and Grand Total prices shall be rounded to whole numbers and shall not carry decimals into sums. For purposes of award, the Department shall perform a compliance assessment with requirements outlined in this Exhibit.

E. All prices shall include taxes in accordance with FAR 52.229-6 Taxes – Foreign Fixed Price Contracts.

1. Mobilization (CLIN X01):

a. This is a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) CLIN. The Offeror shall propose a price for all mobilization activities, including, but not limited to all direct labor, materials, travel, visas, training, taxes, insurance including DBA, permits, life support and other direct and indirect costs and profit required to mobilize and staff the requirement.

b. Other costs such as internet service, biometric costs, communication, information technology services, and medical services are to be priced in their respective CLINs/Sub-CLINs per the IDIQ.

c. The Contractor shall invoice under this CLIN on a monthly basis dividing the firm-fixed-price by the number of months in the transition period or until Full Operational Capacity (FOC) unless an alternative schedule is approved by the Contracting Officer.

2. Fully Burdened Labor (CLIN X02):

a. This is firm-fixed unit price (FFUP) that includes fully burdened hourly labor rates. The labor portion of the FFUP shall not exceed the Offeror’s current not-to-exceed (NTE) fully burdened IDIQ labor rate per labor category. The FFUP shall also include all costs associated with providing the positions, including but not limited to direct labor, uplifts/bonuses, training, travel, taxes, insurance (including DBA), other direct costs, indirect costs and profit.

b. Offerors shall submit a detailed build-up of each firm fixed unit price daily rate for all labor categories/positions. Calculation of hourly rate shall not exceed two decimal places.

c. Pricing of foreign income taxes on employees’ salaries and wages are unallowable. Foreign income taxes are a liability of the employee and not the contractor and shall not be included in the build-up of the firm fixed unit price hourly rate.

d. Contractor OCONUS personnel’s normal workweek shall consist of 12 hours per day, six (6) days per week. However, they shall be available 24 hours per day, seven (7) days per week. The fully loaded daily labor rate for Contractor personnel filling OCONUS positions shall be based on a seventy-two (72) hour workweek (12 hours per day x 6 days per week). Invoicing shall also be based on a 6-day workweek and the Government shall not pay beyond six days per week per required position per Sub-CLIN. Billing any hours worked beyond a 72-hour workweek or a 12-hour day shall be captured under Additional and Emergency (A&E) CLIN X05.

e. Contractor CONUS personnel’s normal workweek shall consist of 40 hours per work week. However, they shall be available 24 hours per day, seven (7) days per week. The fully loaded hourly labor rate for Contractor personnel filling CONUS positions shall be based on a forty (40) hour workweek. Invoicing shall also be based on a 40 hour workweek and the Government shall not pay beyond 40-hours per week per required position per Sub-CLIN. Billing any hours worked beyond a 40-hour workweek shall be captured under Additional and Emergency (A&E) CLIN X05.

f. The firm-fixed unit price (FFUP) for Veterinarian–OCONUS/Stateside (X030) and Veterinarian Technician-OCONUS/Stateside (X031) shall be at or below the FFUP of Veterinarian (CONUS) (X024) and Veterinarian Technician (CONUS) (X026).

3. General Requirements (CLIN X03):

a. This is a firm fixed price (FFP) CLIN. General Requirement includes all costs associated with supporting this Task Order which are not captured in the Mobilization, De-mobilization or FFUP CLINs. These costs include all direct costs, indirect costs, and profit.

b. General Requirements include, but are not limited to the following elements:

i. Defense Base Act Insurance (DBA)

ii. Travel

iii. NPSS Training

iv. Contractor Acquired Property (CAP)

v. Facility

vi. Licenses, Permits, and Taxes

vii. Utilities and Operations Maintenance

viii. Information Technology

ix. Biometric Time and Attendance System

x. Explosives

xi. Equipment/Supplies

xii. Rental Vehicles

c. Offerors shall submit a cost/price breakdown as follows: unit cost, quantities (when applicable), applicable indirect cost rate element(s), applicable indirect cost rate(s), applicable indirect cost amounts, profit percentage, proposed dollar profit amount and Subtotal cost. Calculations of unit costs, quantities, etc. shall not exceed two decimal places.

d. Offerors shall describe in a price proposal narrative pricing assumptions/rationale for the proposed general requirements for each category. A thorough explanation/rationale must be provided for these costs in the price narrative.

e. The Contractor shall bill the firm-fixed-price under a FFP Sub-CLIN on a monthly basis by dividing the firm-fixed-price by the number of months in the period of performance.

f. The price for the biometric time and attendance system and or GEMS system must capture costs that include but not limited to purchase and installation of a biometric time and attendance system and or GEMS system, applicable licenses, annual maintenance agreements, and life-cycle sustainment/replacement.

4. Canines (FFUP) (CLIN X04):

a. This is a firm-fixed unit price (FFUP) CLIN

b. Offerors shall propose costs under this CLIN in accordance with the requirements stated in Attachment A – Performance Work Statement (PWS).

5. External Kenneling Fee (FFUP) (CLIN X05):

a. This is a firm-fixed unit price (FFUP) that includes fully burdened daily kenneling rates for off-site kenneling. The kenneling portion of the FFUP shall include all third party, off-site kenneling charges and fees, for both quarantine periods as well as holding periods for canines in inventory.

b. Offeror’s shall submit a detailed build-up of each firm fixed unit price daily rate for off-site kenneling. Calculation of daily rate shall not exceed two decimal places.

6. Additional & Emergency Labor (A&E) (CLIN X06):

a. This is firm-fixed fully burdened hourly labor rate based on approved labor categories/positions. Hourly labor rate of SLINs for labor categories/positions shall match or be less than the respective NTE daily rate labor categories/positions in Table 7 (A&E Rates) of the IDIQ.

b. Each proposed NTE fully loaded hourly A&E labor rate shall not consist of any other costs, including other compensation costs like post hardship differential pay and danger pay.

7. Demobilization (CLIN X07):

a. This is a firm fixed price (FFP) CLIN. Offeror shall capture all direct and indirect costs and profit associated with demobilization of the task order.

b. Offerors shall submit a cost/price breakdown as follows: unit cost, quantities (when applicable), applicable indirect cost rate element(s), applicable indirect cost rate(s), applicable indirect cost amounts, profit percentage, proposed dollar profit amount and Subtotal cost. Calculations of unit costs, quantities, etc. shall not exceed two decimal places.

c. A thorough explanation/rationale must be provided for these costs in the price narrative.

d. For pricing purposes, the Government requires this CLIN to be priced in Option Year four (4).

L.7.2. Use of Subcontractors A. Offerors, in accordance with FAR 15.404-3(b) (“Subcontract Pricing Considerations”), shall conduct appropriate cost or price analyses to establish the reasonableness of proposed subcontract prices, and shall include the results of these analyses in their price proposal narrative. Results shall be in the form of subcontractor offerors’ proposed/negotiated fully-loaded daily labor rates (for local nationals and third-country nationals only), subcontractor offerors’ proposed/negotiated non-labor/other direct cost (ODC) prices, and accompanying basis for the (prime) Offeror’s determination of fair and reasonable subcontractor offerors’ proposed/negotiated fully-loaded daily labor rates (for local nationals and third-country nationals only) and subcontractor offerors’ proposed/negotiated non-labor/ODC prices.

B. Offerors shall show on its detail spreadsheet(s) the proposed unit price, quantities, and total price of proposed subcontract non-labor/ODC prices, and the (prime) Offeror shall show on its build-up schedule any applicable indirect costs and profit/fee it applied to the subcontractor offerors’ proposed/negotiated non-labor/ODC prices to comprise the (prime) Offeror’s proposed non-labor/ODC prices/costs.

C. The Offeror’s proposal submission shall include all subcontract price proposals and pricing narratives, as an appendix to Volume III. This appendix shall not count against the Offeror’s maximum page count.

D. A thorough explanation/rationale must be provided for these costs in the price narrative.

L.7.3. Assumptions A. Offerors shall state, explain, and justify any deviations, exceptions, or conditional assumptions taken regarding any of the instructions or requirements of this task order in the appropriate volume of the offer.

B. The Offeror shall state all assumptions it has made about its pricing proposal as a separate section.

L.8 Solicitations, Offer, and Certification/Representations Documents See Section L of the IDIQ solicitation.