19AQMM24R0101 QA Final 07-05-2024.xlsx
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- Togo FAT Training
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- 19AQMM24R0101
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This document is a solicitation for a federal contract opportunity titled "Togo FAT Training" with solicitation number 19AQMM24R0101. The Department of State Office of Acquisition Management is the issuing agency.
The solicitation requires the contractor to provide training and mentoring support to the FAT (Forces Armées Togolaises) of Togo for their peacekeeping operations. The key tasks include developing and delivering 45 days of Peacekeeping Instructor Development training for up to 50 FAT trainer cadre members, mentoring and advising the FAT trainers as they plan, design, and conduct 60 days of training for a FAT Standby Force battalion, and providing training equipment and supplies. The period of performance is expected to begin in mid-September 2024. This is a 100% small business set-aside requirement. Pricing is to be submitted on a firm-fixed-price basis, with the exception of airfare/travel costs and DBA insurance which will be cost-reimbursable.
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19AQMM24R0101 Final
| Nmbr | Question | Answer |
| 1 | Pg 25 of the solicitation indicates this requirement is not funded. Can you please explain how/when/if funds are expected for this requirement and how this solicitation relates to or hinges upon the acquisition strategy and timing for the Global Advisory or GLOBALCAP contracts? | FAR 52.232-18 was included in the contract because funding is not presently available for this requirement. The Government is currently working to secure funding for this requirement, but funding was not available when this solicitation was issued. This requirement is a standalone requirement and it is not affected by any specific acquisition strategy or timing of any other contract, GLOBALCAP, Global Advisory, or otherwise. |
| 2 | Related, what is the expected timing and likeliness of making an award? | If funding is provided an award decision has been made within 60 days from the due date of proposals an award is expected to be made. This would put the anticipated potential award of this requirement in the mid to late September 2024 timeframe. |
| 3 | Will the government confirm that this is a 100% total small business set aside contract, with no particular preference for socio-economic type, 8(a), or other status? (Pg 35 (section L 005) makes reference to "the competition pool," but can you confirm this does not apply since there is only one pool and this solicitation is expected to result in a single award? | This is a total (100%) mall business set aside. There appears to be some issues with FAR 52.219 clauses being listed or printing properly in the solicitation. FAR Clause 52.219-6 which does not currently show up in the solicitation will indicate that this requirement is 100% set aside for U.S. Small Businesses. Amendment 003 of the solicitation will address issues noted with FAR Clauses 52.219-6, 52.219-8, 52.219-14. |
| 4 | Will the government consider an 8(a) sole source contract to meet this requirement? | No, the contracting officer will not entertain changes in the acquisition methodology at this point. Please note that FAR 19.203(a) states the following: (a) General. There is no order of precedence among the 8(a) Program (subpart 19.8), HUBZone Program (subpart 19.13), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Program (subpart 19.14), or the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program (subpart 19.15). Even if the contracting officer thought it reasonable and wanted to pursue an 8(a) set aside at this point, it could not reasonably comply with FAR 19.804-2(a)(9) to do so since this solicitation was already issued. While statutory authority may have allowed sole sourcing this work to a variety of ways, via an 8(a) sole source, WOSB sole source or SDVOSB sole source, a decision was made to promote full and open competition among all U.S Small Businesses. |
| 5 | On pg. 9 of the SOW it says "The Contractor shall develop and deliver forty-five (25) days of Peacekeeping Instructor Development training for up to fifty (50) ANT trainer cadre members preparing to train a UN or AU peacekeeping contingent." |
Question: a - Will the government please clarify if it is 25 or 45 days?
b - Will the government please define the acronym "ANT"? Amendment 001 updated the SOW to address this noted concern as follows:
Section 4.2.1. of the SOW has been updated to state: "The Contractor shall develop and deliver forty-five (45) days of Peacekeeping Instructor Development training for up to fifty (50) FAT trainer cadre members preparing to train a UN or AU peacekeeping contingent." The Acronym "ANT" has been corrected to "FAT".
6 Pg 17 of the SOW refers to "Program Office Responsibilities."
Question: a - Can you clarify who/where exactly the program office is?
b - If the program office is a US government body/staff, can you clarify the role of the contractor in country clearance requests with the Embassy versus the Program Office role? a. Section 1.1 of the Statement of Work identifies the program office as PM/GPI/POCB. The program office is primarily located in the Washington, DC metro area although it has staff in various locations.
b. The contractor will provide the program office with contractor information so the program office can submit country clearance requests. The contractor is not expected to have a State department email address or access to the internal system to submit these requests themselves which is why the program office will perform these actions.
7 Pg 38, section L 016, says "the contractor shall provide ballistic and blast certifications from a certified and reputable U.S. source for all armored equipment (e.g. personal protective equipment) and vehicles (e.g. mine resistant armored personnel carriers), if applicable."
| Question: Can the government clarify if this is applicable and in what format this should be provided at time of proposal submission? | For this submission, this should not be applicable. Amendment A003 of the solicitation will update L-016 to remove text. | |
| 8 | Pg 39, Factor 2, states that "Relevant Proof of Military Duty. The Offeror shall include all civilian certifications and a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214)" is required for key personnel. |
Question: What if proposed personnel are transitioning service members who have not yet been fully discharged, but are expected to be within the next, say, 30-90 days? Per the SOW for key and COR-approved personnel, the Offeror shall include all civilian certifications and a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214).
While Public Law 112-56 (VOW to Hire Heroes Act) identifies a provision in 5 CFR § 211.102(h) to account for active-duty service members not yet discharged or released from active duty in the federal government hiring process, this practice does not extend to government contracts.
9 Pg 41, section L-019.3, says "The Offeror shall submit one copy of audited financial statements conducted in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America, or Review of financial statements conducted in accordance with Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services issued by the Accounting and Review Services Committee of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants."
Question: a - If the contractor is a small business concern exempt from performing audits, can we submit compiled financials and the other financial documents listed in this section instead?
b - If the proposing firm is exempt/does not provide audited financials, how will we be evaluated in the pass/fail structure for Volume III? a. Yes, this section already outlines that either audited or reviewed financials are acceptable.
b. If the proposing firm believes it is exempt from providing financials outlined in L-019, it will likely be considered non-responsible as outlined in M-003 of the solicitation. The contractor will be evaluated on the submitted complied financials and other financial documents.
| 10 | What is the page limit (if any) for Volume III (business volume)? | There is no page limit for this volume. A003 will revise L-019 to clearly identify that there are no page limits for this volume. |
| 11 | Can the govt please clarify: In Appendix 3 (pg 25 of the SOW), is the COR-approved "Sr. Technical Trainer" position envisioned to be 1 person with qualifications in all the subordinate technical domains, or is this intended to be 5 different people, 1 per technical domain listed in section 3.4? | The contractor shall provide Sr. Technical Trainers as required in Tasks A, B, and C. |
It is not expected to be one person with all skill sets listed, but rather they will have the required domain experience listed to achieve the performance on that particular task or subtask.
| 12 | Related to above Q and given the ambiguity of the positions and timeline for proposal submission, will the govt consider waiving the requirement to submit CVs and qualification crosswalks for the non-key personnel positions and allow these people to be nominated and approved by COR post-award? Alternatively, will the govt allow brief biosketches of actual or illustrative candidates to be proposed for the sr. technical trainer position(s), and modify the instructions/evaluation accordingly? | Per the SOW and RFP, resumes shall be submitted for all key personnel and COR-approved personnel proposed on this contract. Resumes for all other required personnel are subject to COR review upon request. |
| 13 | The instructions in section L108 say not to modify the pricing template, but the template is missing 1 of the key personnel positions (project manager) and has other position titles that do not match the SOW (e.g., Sr. Technical Trainers in 5 different technical areas). Can the govt please re-issue a correct pricing template? | The project manager, while considered key personnel is considered an overhead position and shall not be directly billable. The government was intentional in not listing every unique specialty in each labor category. The government is not tracking any changes in the pricing template need made in response to this question. |
| 14 | Regarding the staffing/schedule template, can you clarify, should we add rows to the template by task (defined in SOW) and subtask (we define)? If the latter, can you provide some examples of the level of detail for subtasks you're seeing? The example tab doesn't seem to have any content on the 1st column on what you're looking for. | Yes. The primary purpose of Appendix 5 is for the Offeror to demonstrate how they will accomplish all tasks and subtasks during the contract's period of performance and in a way the demonstrates a complete understanding of contract requirements -- including an understanding of how to effectively mobilize and sequence their personnel, training, and equipment deliveries to achieve all performance objectives on this contract. Though Offerors must include all sub-tasks defined by the SOW in the template, they may also choose to include/define additional subcomponent details of task performance which align to their proposed technical approach and which they assess to be significant to include as additional "subtasks" in their completed template. |
| 15 | Section - SOW Page 9 Para 4.2.1 |
| Question - If existing course materials do exist, could the contractor obtain a copy to assess the effort required for updates or rewrites, which would impact labor pricing? | No, the existing material will be provided after contract award, including an updated list of publicly available UN training materials. The quantity of the material will be extensive: approximately 3-4 gigabites of PowerPoint presentations (PPTs) material. The government is confident that this existing material will be useful, broad in scope, substantive, and tremendously useful-- that the winning contractor will be able to draw on it heavily to refine their training materials. The government also recognizes that much of the training material it provides after contract award will still need to be updated or even developed from scratch. The government also assumes that offerors bidding on this contract are likely to already possess some of their own, in-house materials or have done their market research to catalogue those materials that may be easily and efficiently available to them already. Offerors should note which performance objectives are "mentor only" and should note the planning hours authorized on each task in the SOW -- recognizing also that Offerors may choose to propose additional planning hours for POI development in their technical proposal. Offerors are reminded that in Section M of the RFP, their Technical Approach (Factor 1) will be evaluated on, among other things, their "skill at developing and adapting high-quality and engaging programs of instruction (POI) and training materials, often on short notice, particularly in the context of a field training environment" and their Schedule and Work Plan (Factor 4) will be evaluated on, among other things, how clearly their work plan depicts or explains "how programs of instruction (POIs) and training modules will be developed, reviewed, and organized for delivery on each task." The government recognizes that the contractor's development of topnotch training materials for delivery in Togo is a critical part of contract performance, and looks forward to evaluating technical proposals reflecting this understanding -- but also assumes that offerors with strong proposals will have the right blend of personnel, resources, and technical expertise to efficiently refine, develop and deliver training in Togo before this contract becomes a POI development "jobs program." Finally, the government wants to strongly convey to all Offerors that surveillance of contracted POI development (and pricing) after contract award will be a program office priority, particularly if that winning contractor has proposed additional planning hours for POI development in their technical proposal. In such a scenario, that winning contractor should expect frequent, formal, and rigorous oversight of there POI development work plan and invoicing from both the COR and CO. | |
| 16 | Section - SOW Page 9 Para 4.2.1 |
| Question - Does the USG mean 45? | See the answer to Question 5 above. | |
| 17 | Section - SOW Page 9 Para 4.2.1 |
| Question - Does the USG mean FAT? | See the answer to Question 5 above. | |
| 18 | Section - SOW Page18 Para 7.5.1 |
| Question - Given the unclear status of existing POIs with either the FAT or the GPOI office, could the USG provide an estimate of the hours needed to develop the POIs so that the contractor can appropriately allocate time and costs in their proposal? | See the answer to Question 15 above. | |
| 19 | Section - SOW Page 24 Appendix 2 |
| Question - Can the contractor provide alternative materials that are similar in type and specification to the brand names specified by the USG? | Yes, alternatives are acceptable. The brands listed are for comparison only. | |
| 20 | Section - SOW Page 28 Para 3.7 |
| Question - Should Technical Trainer resumes be submitted with the proposal or prior to deployment? | This is already covered in the solicitation; please refer to Solicitation Section L-016, paragraph 4. | |
| 21 | Section - SOW Page 34 Para 8.1 |
| Question - Can the USG confirm whether there are any existing POIs from previous GPOI training conducted under the IDIQ with the FAT? If so, what is the timeline from award to deployment for developing complete POIs and instructional materials? | See the answer to Question 15 above. | |
| 22 | Section - Sol Pg 41 Para L-019.1 |
Question - Q1. Does the USG have a minimum revenue threshold for considering SB prime bidders? Q2. Will the USG have a favorable opinion of SB prime bidders if they have large business teammates? Revenue Thresholds specifically? No, because this depends on pricing actually proposed.
Limitations on subcontracting? Yes FAR 19.505(b)(1) states the following: (i)For a contract or order assigned a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for services (except construction), the concern will not pay more than 50 percent of the amount paid by the Government for contract performance to subcontractors that are not similarly situated entities. Any work that a similarly situated entity further subcontracts will count towards the concern's 50 percent subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. When a contract includes both services and supplies, the 50 percent limitation shall apply only to the service portion of the contract.
Results of market research indicated that there were multiple U.S. small businesses deemed capable and interested in performing this requirement and the government reasonably believes a US small business can do the work. With any contractor team arrangement, large business or otherwise, the prime needs to clearly convey how the formation of the team arrangement is beneficial to all parties.
23 Section - SOW 4.2.1 / Reference - The Contractor shall develop and deliver forty-five (25) days of Peacekeeping Instructor Development training for up to fifty (50) ANT trainer cadre members preparing to train a UN or AU peacekeeping contingent.
| Question - Please confirm the number of training days is 45 days. | See the answer to Question 5 above. | |
| 24 | Section - SOW 4.3.7.4 / Reference - Additional trainers shall have the skills and experience necessary to achieve the task’s performance objectives. |
Question - No performance objectives are listed for Task C, will the government please provide a list of performance objectives similar as provides for Tasks A and B. No, a table of performance objectives will not be provided in SOW 4.3.7.4.
Amendment 001 of the solicitation made the following SOW Changes:
Section 4.3.1. of the SOW has been revised to state: "4.3.1. The Contractor shall mentor and advise the FAT trainers as the trainers plan, design, and conduct sixty (60) days of training for a FAT Standby Force battalion (consisting of approximately 650 officers, NCOs, and soldiers preparing for a possible peacekeeping mission).
Section 4.3.7.4. of the SOW has been updated to state: "4.3.7.4. Additional trainers shall have the skills and experience necessary to mentor and advise FAT trainers as the trainers plan, design, and conduct the training."
25 Section - SOW 4.4.2 / Reference - Appendix 1 training equipment and supplies shall primarily support all performance objectives required in Task D Standby Force Training
Question - Please confirm there are training objectives associated with Task D, and if so, will the government provide the performance objectives for Task D? Amendment A001 of the solicitation made the following SOW Changes:
Section 4.4.2. of the SOW has been updated to state: "4.4.2. Appendix 1 Training Equipment and Supplies. Appendix 1 training equipment shall primarily support all Task C Standby Force Training. Appendix 1 supplies shall support all training in this SOW."
Section 4.4.2.1. of the SOW has been updated to state: 4.4.2.1. 4.4.2.1. The Contractor shall furnish adequate supervision, labor, materials, supplies, and equipment necessary to perform all the services required to deliver Appendix 1 Training Equipment and Supplies under this contract to the POTC."
Section 4.4.3.1. of the SOW has been updated to state: 4.4.3.1. Appendix 2 POTC and trainer cadre equipment shall support all performance objectives required at the POTC Lomé training location in Tasks A through C.
26 Section - SOW Table 2.7, #4 / Reference - 4. Designate a single point of contact or contacts such as the Program Manager or Deputy Program Manager to ensure streamlined and efficient communications between the CO and COR and all other appropriate members of the Contractor’s management and support team (e.g., contract managers or logistics managers).
Question - Can the USG clarify this requirement. It is assumed that the Project Manager is the single point of contact for the USG. The use of a Program Manager or DPM seems to be a hold over from the GPOI IDIQ Amendment A001 of the solicitation made the following SOW Changes:
Section 2.7 Table Line #4 has been revised to: "4. Designate a single point of contact or contacts to ensure streamlined and efficient communications between the CO and COR and all other appropriate members of the Contractor’s management and support team."
27 Section - SOW 4.2.1 / Reference - The Contractor shall develop and deliver forty-five (25) days of Peacekeeping Instructor Development training for up to fifty (50) ANT trainer cadre members preparing to train a UN or AU peacekeeping contingent.
Question - Develop infers there are no current Instructor Development Course(s) materials in place. As Togo has been receiving continuous GPOI support for over 5 years, Q1. Is the contractor to assume all previous course material is no longer valid and therefore should develop an entirely new POI from scratch? Q2. If it does exist, can a copy be made available to the contractor to understand the level of effort required to update/rewrite it as it has a direct impact on pricing the amount of additional labor required to develop it. Q3. Does the FAT have any role or responsibility in developing POIs? See the answer to Question 15 above.
Q1. POI will be made available and must be updated.
Q2. The POI material will be made available after contract award.
Q3. Yes, the FAT has been working with GPOI and conducting their own training for the past 4 years.
28 Section - SOW 4.2.1 / Reference - The Contractor shall develop and deliver forty-five (25) days of Peacekeeping Instructor Development training for up to fifty (50) ANT trainer cadre members preparing to train a UN or AU peacekeeping contingent.
Question - Please confirm the USG means FAT instead of ANT. Yes, "FAT" not "ANT".
See the answer to Question 5.
29 Section - SOW 6.3 / Reference - Travel Outside Place of Performance. The Contractor may be required to travel outside of Togo to perform work in support of contract objectives. Such requirements shall be considered Travel Outside Place of Performance.
| Question - There is no specificity provided in travel outside place of performance, will the USG authorize and reimburse the contractor on a case by case basis as a "modification" since it cannot be priced in the proposal. | SOW Paragraph 6.3 refers to potential travel outside of place of performance as requested in writing from the COR. Amendment 003 of the solicitation will be issued to expand the language of B-007.2 to also include "Travel outside of the place of performance" on a cost reimbursable basis as indicated in SOW paragraph 6.3.6. | |
| 30 | Section - SOW 7.4 / Reference - Partner Nation Responsibilities. The U.S. Government assumes the partner nation will be responsible for providing the following personnel and resources to support of this contract. |
| Question - Please confirm the FAT is responsible for providing ALL life support requirements for their troops including housing, meals, laundry, snacks, water, tea/coffee, incidentals etc. | Yes, the FAT is responsible for all life support requirements for their troops. | |
| 31 | Section - SOW 7.5.1 / Reference - Planning Hours. Planning hours are intended for the personnel performing on the contract to adequately prepare for each task. Planning hours should be used review training references, review/revise training materials (including POI development), conduct research, conduct training team-level workshops and rehearsals, coordinate with other training providers and organizations, engage with the Program Office, complete administrative and logistical requirements, and conduct other planning activities in advance of each task. |
| Question - It is unclear in the SOW the status of existing POIs (either with the FAT or the GPOI office), can the USG provide an estimated number of hours required to develop POIs in order to ensure contractor provides sufficient time/costs in their proposal to adequately perform this task? | See the answer to Question 15 above. | |
| 32 | Section - SOW 7.5.3 / Reference - Support to Other Trainees and Visitors. The Contractor shall provide logistics coordination assistance such as lodging and transportation reservations to other entities affiliated with the contract and the Program Office such as U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), U.S. military mentors, or foreign military partners. |
| Question - Logistics coordination assistance assumes making reservations or providing information. Can the USG confirm that other entities will provide their own transportation to/from the worksite, airport etc.? | Yes. | |
| 33 | Section - SOW Appendix 2 / Reference - EQUIPMENT LIST FOR POTC and TRAINER CADRE |
Question - The USG provided specific brand names for materials. Can the contractor provide alternative but like/type materials as long as they meet the same specifications? Yes.
See answer to Question 19 above.
34 Section - SOW Appendix 3 / Reference - As noted in Section 3 of the SOW, resumes shall be submitted for all key personnel and COR-approved personnel using the template provided in Appendix 4.2.
Question - Please confirm that the contractor must provide 7 resumes in their proposal for the following :
1. Contract Project Manager
2. In Country Team Lead
3. Sr. Technical Trainer Logistics
4. Sr. Technical Trainer MPKI
5. Sr. Technical Trainer Operations
6. Sr. Technical Trainer CIMIC
7. Sr. Technical Trainer Unit Tactics OR is the SR Technical Trainer one person that must have one of the above skill sets? The contractor shall provide Sr. Technical Trainers as required in Tasks A, B, and C.
It is not expected to be one person with all skill sets.
35 Section - SOW Appendix 3, 3.7 / Reference -
| Question - Are Technical Trainer resumes to be submitted with the proposal or prior to deployment? | See answer to Question 20 above | |
| 36 | Section - SOW Appendix 8.1 / Reference - The Contractor shall develop all training materials required to achieve the performance objectives and trainee learning outcomes in this SOW. |
| Question - This assumes there are no current POIs in place which seems to contradict previous references to existing POIs. The requirement to develop extensive POIs from scratch assumes a significant level of effort, time and cost. Q1. Can the USG confirm there are no POIs in place from previous GPOI training conducted on the IDIQ with the FAT? Q2. Can the USG provide some insight into the timeline from award to deployment that the contractor has to develop complete POIs and instructional materials? | See the answer to Question 15 above. | |
| 37 | Section - SOW Appendix 8.5 / Reference - Given variances in partner institutional capacity and mission requirements, the Contractor is not required to complete a comprehensive, standalone “Program of Instruction” for each task. Instead, they shall be expected to develop a series of high-quality training materials or “training modules” that will enable them to achieve all task performance objectives. Upon contract award, the COR shall provide the contractor with a training module template that shall be used to organize and deliver all training materials. |
| Question - There is no indication of the level of effort to achieve this SOW requirement as well as no way to determine what is in place or not. Can the USG provide any planning guidance to provide for pricing this task? | See the answer to Question 15 above. | |
| 38 | Section - SOW, 4.2.11.3 |
Question - Element indicates manning for weeks 2 - 5 but references the Battalion Tactical Mission Tasks, which are show in the table 4.2.3 as weeks 6 - 9. Which one is correct? Amendment A001 of the solicitation made the following SOW Change:
Section 4.2.11.3. has been revised to: "4.2.11.3. For Weeks 6 through 9, Infantry Battalion Tactical Mission Tasks, conduct training with a minimum of six (6) trainers."
39 Section - SOW, 4.2.10
| Question - Element indicates a minimum of 40 hours of prep work prior to executing Task B. Is this to be performed in-country of at home station prior to deployment? | Planning hours billable for performance on the contract. There is not a required place where planning hours may used, though the government assumes that some amount of planning hours will indeed be used for "prep work" in Togo. | |
| 40 | Section - SOW, 4.2.1 |
| Question - Element shows both a 45-day requirement and a 25-day requirement. The table indicated 9 weeks. Is IDC a 9-week event? | Yes. IDC is a 9-week event. | |
| 41 | Section - Scope of Work |
| Question - Are the FAT POIs for the 9-week IDC already built and available for our review or are we required to build them? | See the answer to Question 15 above. | |
| 42 | Section - SOW, 4.3.3 |
| Question - Element indicates that the contractor will provide consumables and fuel to support the 60-day training. Will GPOI provide a figure in liters or gallons to use (Page 23 Line 2) for calculating the execution of this Task to prevent the wide variance between competitive bids? | Amendment A001 of the solicitation made the following SOW Changes: |
| Section 4.3.3. has been changed to: "4.3.3 | Contractor shall provide all consumable training supplies and up to 5,000 liters of fuel necessary to conduct training." |
Section 2.6.2. has been changed to: "2.6.2 The Contractor shall provide all oil and up to 5,000 liters of fuel necessary for the actual conduct of training, but not for partner country transportation between training sites and home station."
Appendix 1 Supplies Line 2 has been changed to: "Provide all oil and up to 5,000 liters of fuel necessary for the actual conduct of all training, but not for partner country transportation between training sites and home station."
43 Section - SOW, 4.2.4
Question - Table is titled: TASK C. FAT IDC PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES. Confirm this should be titled TASK B. FAT IDC PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES Yes, it should: Amendment A001 of the solicitation made the following SOW Change:
Section 4.2.4. Table has been revised to: "TASK B. FAT IDC PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES " 44 Section - SOW, 4.3.7
Question - Element mentions Task D, but it should be Task C. Please confirm. Amendment A001 of the solicitation made the following SOW Change:
Section 4.3.7. has been revised to: "4.3.7. Required Personnel. Conduct the Task C Cadre Mentorship with a minimum of three (3) trainers."
45 Section - SOW, 2.6.2.
| Question - This SOW element states; "The Contractor shall provide all fuel and oil necessary for the actual conduct of training, but not for partner country transportation between training sites and home station." We assume the fuel and oil primarily pertains to vehicles for contractor personnel, but can the govenrment provide more detail on what other fuel requirements exist? Is the contractor expected to provide fuel for generators, etc.? | See the answer to Question 42. | |
| 46 | Section - SOW, 6.3 |
Question - Travel Outside of Place of Performance mentions costs must be preapproved and are reimburseable. Is there a standard fee that should be applied to these costs or should the contractor propose a fee in their response? No, it will be handled as a Cost No Fee (CNF) CLIN.
See the answer to Question 29 above.
47 Section - SOW, Training
| Question - Are we permitted to use interpreters to meet the bilingual requirement during training? | Yes. | |
| 48 | Section - SOW, 4.3.3 |
| Question - What specific tasks are we required to provide fuel to support? | Tasks A, B, and C. | |
| 49 | Section - SOW, 3.2.2., 3.4 |
| Question - Senior Technical Trainer. This position requires COR-Approval. In providing Resumes for this submission, does this mean we can defer to TBD? | See answer to Question 20 above | |
| 50 | Section - SOW, 4.4.1. |
Question - "The Contractor shall locally procure and deliver TASK D Training Equipment and Supplies (including fuel) according to the quantities and specifications outlined in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 of this SOW."
Does locally mean in-country, regional, or local to the contractor and subsequently shipped to the Embassy or work site? Amendment A001 to the solicitation made the following SOW Change:
Section 4.4.1. has been revised to: "4.4.1. The Contractor shall procure and deliver TASK D Training Equipment and Supplies (including fuel) according to the quantities and specifications outlined in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 of this SOW."
51 Section - SOW: Item 5 of the Appendix 2 - found in the SOW specifies that the Drones "Shall not be Chinese made equipment.
Question - The drone listed on the RFP is Chinese made. Is there an exemption for this item or is an alternate vendor /model available? Amendment A001 of the solicitation made the following SOW Change:
Appendix 2: EQUIPMENT LIST FOR POTC and TRAINER CADRE. Line numbers have been corrected. The description for Line 9 Drones has been revised to: "Micro UAV (Multirotor) with the following requirements: Vertical take-off; 2-2.5 pounds; 6000m maximum ceiling, day/night/thermal high resolution still-shot and video with remote live viewing capability; durable to operate weather conditions of -10 -120 degrees Fahrenheit; minimum 10 GB of storage.
Note: Similar or equivalent to the Autel EVO II Series UAV Thermal Drone but shall not be Chinese-made equipment."
52 Section - RFP, L-016
| Question - Do Resume Crosswalk pages effect the page count if included in the general body text of Tech Vol. 1? | Please read carefully L-016. Resume crosswalk templates for all proposed personnel are exclusions from the page limitation. | |
| 53 | SOW - Section - 4.4.3.4 |
| Question - Can the government please confirm Task D's completion prior to Task B, simultaneously with Task A? | Per the SOW, the Contractor shall deliver all TASK D Appendix 2 POTC and trainer cadre equipment prior to the start of TASK B to the place of performance. | |
| 54 | SOW - Section - 3.4 |
| Question - 3.3. In-Country Team Lead. (Key Personnel), Attainment of military grade of CW-3, E9, or O4 and higher. Please confirm that the In-Country Team Lead can be a senior non-commissioned officer (NCO) | The only SNCO that meets the requirements of the SOW is an E-9. Per the SOW, the In-Country Team Lead shall have the following qualifications unless otherwise approved in advance by the CO and COR: Attainment of military grade of CW-3, E9, or O4 and higher. | |
| 55 | SOW - Section - Task A/B/C 4.2.1 |
Question - Can the government provide clarity on anticipated class sizes and any student-to-instructor ratios. The FAT are expected to provide approximately fifty (50) trainers to participate in Task B training.
The Task C Standby Force training conducted by the FAT trainer cadre will be for a battalion consisting of approximately 650 officers, NCOs, and soldiers. The class sizes will vary with the average being approximately 50 personnel each.
56 SOW - Section - TASK C, 3.7.4.3
Question - Maintenance Training: What make and model of weapons and type of vehicles can we expect to train for maintenance The FAT weapons maintenance training may include the AK-47 assault rifle, Ruchnoy Pulemyot Kalashnikova (RPK) light machinegun, Pulemyot Kalashnikova Modernizirovannyi (PKM) general purpose machinegun, 12.7mm heavy machine gun, 7.62mm RPD, the British 7.62mm FN MAG 58, 75mm recoilless rifle, 84mm Carl Gustav, and 60mm/82mm mortars.
Their vehicle maintenance may include the MAMBA APCs and Toyota 6-cylinder diesel pick-up trucks.
57 SOW - Section - 3.2.1, 3.2.4
| Question - Please confirm the government's policy on hiring Non-U.S. Personnel for the KP 3.2.1 and Other Personnel 3.2.4 | May be Non-U.S. personnel unless a U.S. citizen qualification is listed. Please keep in mind that one of the Project Manager qualifications listed in SOW Section 3.2 is a Secret Security Clearance. | |
| 58 | SOW - Section - 3.2 |
| Question - Minimum Qualifications: Will the government accept an associate's degree combined with significant PM experience, in lieu of a bachelor's degree for the Program Manager requirement. | No. | |
| 59 | SOW - Section - Task D |
| Question - Does the government require maintenance training above the Operator Level. | No. | |
| 60 | 19AQMM24R0101 - Section - Factor 3, Subfactor I |
Question - Based on the projected workload of the Program Manager, does the Government estimate the PM will be a part time FTE? That is for the Contractor to decide.
Being a full time or part time employee is not one of the Project Manager qualification requirements.
61 19AQMM24R0101 - Section - L-016
| Question - Are Program Management Office (PMO) hours authorized for billing – if so, how many hours per year? | No; these costs should be included in the overhead or G&A build up. | |
| 62 | 19AQMM24R0101 - Section - L-016 |
| Question - Is the cost for the equipment certified? (Meaning we would have to provide 3 bids per piece of equipment? | No, not with this competitively solicited requirement. | |
| 63 | Attachment 4 - Section - 1. Vehicle Procurement Restrictions |
| Question - Can spare parts for vehicles be procured from non-U.S. manufacturers? | There is no requirement for vehicle procurement or vehicle spare parts on this contract. | |
| 64 | Attachment 4 - Section - 1. Vehicle Procurement Restrictions |
| Question - Who has the authority to waive the vehicle procurement restriction? (**Even if the vehicle procurement restriction is waived, the general procurement restriction described below still applies.**) | The answer to this question is in Attachment 4, page 1, paragraph 3. Offerors should read Attachment 4 closely. PKO waivers, if required, must be properly proposed and justified in the offeror's technical proposal. Offerors who incorrectly submit PKO waiver requests and justifications may be disqualified from award consideration. | |
| 65 | Attachment 4 - Section - 3. Implementation Guidance for Offerors |
| Question - Can significant new manufacturing of major components take place in non-authorized countries following award of a procurement contract? While not every component of the vehicle or equipment item has to originate from the procurement location, significant new manufacturing of components comprising more than 20% of the vehicle’s value should not be taking place in non-authorized countries following award - this is known as the Vehicle and Equipment Procurement Standard. | No; Attachment 4, Section 3 already states this. | |
| 66 | Attachment 4 - Section - 1. Vehicle Procurement Restrictions |
| Question - How long is a long-term lease - since it's not defined in the statute? Pursuant to section 636(i) of the FAA, none of the funds made available to carry out the FAA (including, but not limited to, Economic Support Funds (ESF), Peacekeeping Operations (PKO), and Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs (NADR) funds) may be used to finance the purchase, sale, long-term lease,1 | A footnote which was included on page 1 of this document defined this term although that definition was a USAID implementing regulations (22 CFR Part 228), and not in statute. Considering the definition of this term varies by statute, for example 10 USC 3674(a)(1) or implementing regulations (22 CFR Part 228.18) please review Section 13, Special Guidance for Lease-Purchase Analysis, of OMB Circular A-94 Guidelines and Discount Rates for Benefit-Cost Analysis of Federal Programs and Appendix B, Budgetary Treatment of Lease-Purchase and Lease of Capital Assets, of OMB Circular A-11, Preparation, Submission, and Execution of the Budget for more clarifying information about the underlying intent of the subject, if you determine it necessary. | |
| 67 | 19AQMM24R0101 - Section - 37 of 45 |
Question - Is Times New Roman an acceptable alternative font for State's review board. No, Times New Roman is not acceptable alternative; The Secretary of State has required all offices worldwide to adopt Calibri and the standard font for all correspondence requested as of February 6, 2023.
68 Page 88, §L.4.1.1, M.4.1.1 - Volume 1 - Staffing Plan
| Question - “Offeror shall provide its Staffing Plan for the specific personnel listed below . . . C.3.3.5.1 (1)-(4).“ Please confirm it is not the Government’s intent to include the position listed under C.3.3.5.1 (5) in the Staffing Plan and related requirements of Section L.4.1.1. | There is no page 88, C.3.3.5.1, L.4.1.1, or M.4.1.1 in this solicitation. | |
| 69 | Page 38 L16 - Contractor Supplied Equipment |
| Question - Line 8 states, "The contractor shall provide ballistic and blast certifications from a certified and reputable U.S. source for all armored equipment (e.g. personal protective equipment) and vehicles (e.g. mine resistant armored personnel carriers), if applicable." Please identify the level of acceptable standards, protection requirements and certifying body. For example, "NIJ Certified" PPE is not the same as "NIJ Tested" PPE and results in a significant price discrepancy. | See the answer to Question 7 above. | |
| 70 | Page 32 Section J 01, PWS Appendix 2 - Contractor Supplied Equipment |
| Question - The contract incorporates FAR 52.204-24—Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (NOV 2021) as a compliance requirement. The PWS specifies procurement of the Autel EVO II Series UAV Thermal Drone, which is made by a company headquartered in Shenzen China. Please specify a non-Chinese owned Drone for comparison that would be acceptable. | See the answer to Question 51. | |
| 71 | PWS 4.2.1 - Task Duration |
| Question - Please confirm that Task B is 45 days and not 25 days. | See the answer to Question 5. | |
| 72 | Solicitation Page 37, Section L-016, 2 and 5 - Key and COR Approved personel |
| Question - Section 5 states " Offerors shall identify relevant degrees, professional certifications, and prior experience for key personnel and COR-approved personnel as part of their technical proposal." Section 2 states there is a 4 page limit on each resume. Are we correct in assuming that the government does not require proof of degrees and certifications (copies of the documents) to be submitted with the proposal? | That assumption is correct. | |
| 73 | Solicitation Page 37, Section L-016, 2 and 5 - Key and COR Approved personel |
| Question - If the government requires proof of degrees and/or certifications (copies of the documents) to be included with the resumes, we respectfully request an increase to the "4-page" page restriction on individual resumes. | See answer to question 72 above. | |
| 74 | SOW section 4.2 Task B Page 9 - Task Scheduling |
| Question - 4.2.1 states "The contractor shall develop and deliver forty-five (25) days of Peacekeeping Instructor Development training…" Please confirm that the number of training days is 45 and not 25. | See the answer to Question 5. | |
| 75 | SOW section 4.2.4 Page 9 - Task B |
| Question - Section 4.2 is identified as "Task B" however, in 4.2.4 the table is titled "Task C FAT IDC Objectives" - please confirm that the objectives and requirements detailed in the table are for Task B and not "Task C" as identified | See the answer to Question 43. | |
| 76 | SOW Section 4.2.11.3, Page 13 - Task Scheduling |
| Question - This section states "For weeks 2 though 5, Infantry Battalion Tactical Mission Tasks, conduct training with a minimum of six (6) trainers" However in the training sequence provided in Section 4.2.3 identifies this training being conducted in weeks 6-9. Please confirm that this training is to be conducted in weeks 6-9 as identified in the sequence graphic and not weeks 2-5. | See the answer to Question 38. | |
| 77 | SOW Section 4.3, page 14 - Task A and B |
| Question - In support of Tasks A and B the government provided performance objects. However, there are no performance objectives provided for Task C. Is this intentional? If not, could the government please provide the performance objectives for this task? | See the answer to question 24. | |
| 78 | SOW Section 4.3, page 14 - Training Content |
| Question - The Training Sequence provided in section 4.3.2 identifies a 2-week block of instruction titled "Radio Communication". Would the government please clarify if this block of instruction is a "maintenance" course or a course on how to conduct radio communications? | The FAT trainers primarily conduct a course on how to conduct radio communications. | |
| 79 | SOW Section 4.3, page 14 - Training Content |
Question - Would the government please provide the types (make and model) of radios we are to provide training in support of? The FAT uses several categories of radios.
1. HF long-range radios:
- BARRETT 2090 fixed station
- BARRETT 2090 vehicle-mounted
2. VHF medium-range:
- Motorola portable
- Motorola fixed station
- Motorola on vehicle 80 SOW Section 4.4, Page 15 - Drone Training Requirements
| Question - Task D requires contractors to procure and deliver 4 drones in support of this effort, however there currently are not any blocks of instruction for drone operatiors/operations in any of the tasks (other than "Use of Drones in mission" in Task B. Please confirm that the government DOES NOT intend for the awardee to conduct/provide any Operator or maintenance training for the drones. | That is correct. | |
| 81 | SOW Multiple sections - Task D Training Requirements |
Question - There seems to be some confusion around Task D. Per 4.4, Task D is to procure and deliver equipment but sections 4.2.5 and 4.3.7 identify training courses that are to be conducted in Task D. Please clarify what, if any, training is to be conducted, when, and by whom in support of Task D. Amendment A001 made the following SOW Changes:
Section 4.2.5. has been revised to: "4.2.5. FAT trainer cadre members shall be designated as primary and alternate instructors for each of the classes in Task C. FAT Standby Force Staff Training and Tactical Mission Tasks Leadership Training."
No training is required to be performed for Task D.
82 SOW Section 4.1.6, Page 8 - Personnel Requirements
Question - The section states "Required Personnel. Conduct training with a minimum of three (3) trainers, including the Team Lead.
4.1.6.1. At least one trainer shall be a Senior Technical Trainer Staff.
4.1.6.2. At least one trainer shall be a Senior Technical Trainer Tactics" However, section 3.4 - Senior Technical Trainer (COR-Approved Personnel) does not include the minimum qualifications for the "Senior Technical Trainer Staff" or "Senior Technical Trainer Tactics" positions. Is the offeror correct in assuming that the two positions are "Senior Technical Trainer Logistics Staff" and "Senior Technical Trainer Unit Tactics"? If not, would the government please provide clarification and details for the minimum requirements for the positions identified in 4.1.6.1 and 4.1.6.2? Amendment A001 made the following SOW Changes:
Sections 4.1.6.1. and 4.1.6.2. have been revised to:
"4.1.6.1. At least one trainer shall be a Senior Technical Trainer Operations Staff.
4.1.6.2. At least one trainer shall be a Senior Technical Trainer Unit Tactics."
83 SOW Section 2.3 Training Sequence (page 2) and Section 4.1 Task A (page 7) - Training Sequence
Question - We are unable to read the Training Sequence for Task A in section 2.3 and the government did not provide a training sequence for Task A in Section 4.1 as they did for Tasks B and C. Would the government please provide a training sequence for Task A There is no exact sequence for Task A. Normally, it will take place before any training is conducted.
Amendment A001 made the following SOW Changes:
Section 4.1.1. has been revised to: "4.1.1. The Contractor shall conduct up to fifteen (15) days of in-country planning and engagement of FAT POTC staff, FAT trainer cadre, and other FAT leaders responsible managing Togo’s Standby Force training and deployment of its peacekeeping forces to prepare for and enable the successful execution of training and equipment tasks. The TPPE may be conducted in one or more trips (up to three trips) to ensure training is properly coordinated and performance objectives accomplished."
84 SOW Appendix 8, page 34 - Reference Materials
Question - Section 8.3 "References" directs us to "utilize reference materials in Appendix 10: Reference Doucments…" however, there is no Appendix 10 in the SOW or Solicitation. Would the government please provide the required reference material or the appendix? Amendment A001 made the following SOW Changes:
Section 8.3. References has been changed to remove the first sentence, "Training content shall utilize reference materials in Appendix 10: Reference Documents as the primary basis for development, supplemented by additional materials as appropriate."
85 SOW APPENDIX 1 // Line 1 - Contractor Supplied Equipment
| Question - Is there a color preference for the Aid Bag? | No, green or camouflage is always good. | |
| 86 | SOW APPENDIX 1 // Line 1 - Contractor Supplied Equipment |
Question - Do the Government need all contents to fit inside the bag? If so, should the bag to come fully stocked/packed or would the FAT pack the bag themselves? Amendment A001 made the following SOW Changes:
APPENDIX 1, Line 1 description has been revised to: "Field Medical Assistant Kit (FMAK) with contents per the UN COE Manual dated 31 August 2020, Chapter 3, annex C, appendix 3, page 82. The FMAKs should arrive fully stocked/packed except for the IV bags which may be shipped separately. The IV bags may be procured later, preferably from a local source."
87 SOW APPENDIX 1 // Line 1 - Contractor Supplied Equipment
Question - IV solutions are considered pharmaceuticals and will require signature by a doctor upon delivery. Is that possible? Would the Government prefer the contractor to ship the IV bags separately and not include them as part of the bags until necessary ie. predeployment? This would make inventory and storage much easier. Yes.
See answer to Question 86 above.
88 SOW APPENDIX 1 // Line 1 - Contractor Supplied Equipment
| Question - One of the contents in the bag (per the UN Manual) states "Adult face mask for use with pediatric bag valve mask." Please clarify if it is a pediatric or adult mask or bag as the two do not work interchangeably. | It should be an adult mask for use with an adult bag valve mask. | |
| 89 | SOW APPENDIX 2 //Line 9 - Contractor Supplied Equipment |
| Question - The Autel Drone is made in China. Our understanding is the US Government cannot purchase China made drones. Is there a US alternative that the offeror should pursue, or would the government prefer recommendations? | See the answer to Question 51 above. | |
| 90 | SOW APPENDIX 1 & 2 - Contractor Supplied Equipment |
| Question - There are some name brand items that are made in China (outside of the drone.) Are all China made items unacceptable? If yes, does that also include the consumables in the medical kit? | Yes. All brand name items are provided for equivalent but must conform to PKO Procurement Restrictions. Consumables procured locally in Togo are acceptable. | |
| 91 | SOW - Training Sequencing |
Question - The SOW indicates that the training tasks will be conducted sequentially and consecutively, will this always be the case or will the FAT have input to the schedule? This will be critical for pricing labor for travel days between Tasks. The FAT will have input to the schedule.
For example, if the contract award is very late, the FAT may desire to conduct the Task C Standby Force battalion training before conducting the Task B IDC.
92 SOW 2.6.2 - Fuel and Oil
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