19FS1A18Q5000_Amendment_0001_QA_final.pdf

19FS1A18Q5000: Data Literacy, Analysis & Visualization Workshops Amendment 1 Questions & Answers (19FS1A18Q5000 0001 Q&A)

These Q&A are incorporated as an attachment to the solicitation and will be incorporated as an attachment in any resultant award made from this solicitation.

References and questions are listed in black font below. The Government’s answers appear beneath each question in green.

1. Does the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation posted as solicitation number 19FS1A18Q5000 on FBO contain requirements similar to an existing contract or will this be a new requirement?

This is a new contract requirement.

2. Reference: L.1 (e) Quote specifications “(3) Print type. Text shall be 11 point or larger, double-spaced, using Times New Roman or Calibri font type. Headers and footers, spreadsheets, charts, tables, diagrams or design drawings, and graphs must be 10 point or larger using Times New Roman or Calibri font type.”

Can the Government change the font requirements to accept single-spaced text in all volumes and resumes?

Answer No, double-spaced is required. However, the page limitation for Volume II has been increased to 20 pages.

3. Reference: L-3.1-L-3.4 Factors 1-4 and M(a) (Factors 1-4)

Section L and Section M list Factors 1, 2, 3, and 4 differently. Can the Government please clarify Factors 1-4 in Sections L and M?

Section L has been revised to reflect the numbering of evaluation factors found in Section M.

4. Reference: Attachment 6A and 6B

Can the Government please provide editable forms for Attachments 6A and 6B?

Yes. MS Word versions of these documents have been provided.

5. Reference: Attachment 6B

May the Offeror submit Attachment 6B as a table within Volume II, rather than a separate attachment?

Yes. If submitted as either a separate attachment or included as a table within the Volume, it will count towards the 20 page limit for Volume II.

6. Reference: L-3.3 FACTOR 3 Past Performance

May the Offeror cite subcontractor past performance as one or more of the 3-5 examples in L-

3.3 Factor 3 Past Performance?

Yes

7. Reference: L-3.4 FACTOR 4 Relevant Corporate Experience

“Relevant Contracts: The Offeror shall provide experience information on up to three (3) contracts performed by the Offeror and up to three (3) contracts performed by each proposed subcontractor or other performing entity.

3) Contracts described in the Relevant Corporate Experience Section shall also be included in the Past Performance Section of the quote and described in the Past Performance Information Forms.”

The Past Performance section (L-3.3) requires 3 to 5 references from the offeror but does not mention subcontractor past performance. The Relevant Corporate Experience section (L-3.4) requires up to 3 contracts from the offeror and up to 3 from each subcontractor. In addition, these must be included in the Past Performance Section, Past Performance Information Forms.

Can the Government clarify the quantity of past performance references from the offeror and any subcontractors for both the Past Performance Section and the Relevant Corporate Experience Section?

The quantity of past performance references from the offeror and any subcontractors for both sections (past performance and experience) shall be no less than three references for the contractor and no less than three for any subcontractor proposed.

8. Reference: Pg. 4 Attachment 1

As per “Building on the existing “Data Analysis & Visualization” class SAIT already offers” requirement, does DOS intend to provide enough advanced time for the contractor to appropriately update their training content in order to reduce redundancy between the training materials prior to execution of contract (i.e. potentially moving the start date from Sept 1, 2018 to Oct 1, 2018 in order to facilitate effective execution of contract)?

DOS/FSI tentatively requires that the first workshop delivered under a resultant BPA award take place before the end of September 2018. The actual delivery dates are to be determined, but DOS/FSI anticipates that the workshop delivery would begin during the second half of September.

9. Reference: Pg. 4 Attachment 1 As per “Building on the existing “Data Analysis & Visualization” class SAIT already offers” requirement, does DOS intend to provide the contractor the DOS-specific datasets that the previous course is designed upon in order to maximize the ability of students to take the workflows they have learned at the DOS-provided introductory course, and conduct more advanced data analysis on the same datasets, thereby maximizing their previous trainings?

Alternatively, is it expected that the contractor bring their own datasets independently of the previous training?

Answer The offeror will provide their own data sets for class exercises independently of the previous training.

10. Reference: Volume I Requirements " Volume I - Offer and Other Documents, contains the offer to enter into a contract and other documents. The signed original(s) of all documents requiring signature by offerors shall be contained in the original Volume I."

Question 1: Are there any signed documents that should be included in this volume? The language is confusing. OR should this section just include what is listed- cover letter, administrative information, representation and certifications?

The section shall include what is listed and any other internal documents that the offeror elects to submit that constitute its offer to enter into a Blanket Purchase Agreement with the Dept. of State, Foreign Service Institute.

11. Reference: " If the offeror has completed the annual representations and certifications electronically via the System for Award Management website in accordance with the provision at FAR 52.204-8, Annual Representations and Certifications and those representations and certifications are current, accurate, complete, and applicable to this solicitation, the offeror does not need to resubmit such representations and certifications in response to this solicitation. However, if any of these annual representations and certifications requires a change, the offeror shall submit those changes in accordance with FAR 52.204-8."

What annual representations and certifications are being referred to here? I am currently registered in SAM and my records are updated. Please advise.

The references to provision FAR 52.204-8 have been corrected to reference FAR 52.212-3.

Review solicitation provision FAR 52.212-3 and complete a copy as required by the provision, as an inclusion within Volume I. Per this provision, an “Active” SAM entity registration with a “Purpose of Registration: All Awards” is a submission compliance requirement. Any representations and certifications amended from those currently available on SAM.gov shall be completed per FAR 52.212-3(b). If no amended representations or certifications are submitted, then the government assumes per FAR 52.212-3(b) that those representations and certifications available online via the SAM website are current, accurate, complete, and applicable to this solicitation (including the business size standard applicable to the NAICS code referenced for this solicitation), as of the date of this offer and are incorporated in this offer by reference.

12. Reference: Volume 2: Technical Quote format and content instructions:

Exceptions and Deviations. This component shall identify any exceptions or deviations taken, or conditional assumptions made, with respect to the technical requirements of the solicitation.

Any exceptions taken must contain sufficient justification to permit evaluation. All benefits to the Government shall be explained for each exception taken. Such exceptions will not, of themselves, automatically cause a quote to be termed unacceptable. However, a large number of exceptions or one or more significant exceptions not providing benefit to the Government may result in rejection of the quote(s) as unacceptable.

Should I still include a section on exceptions and deviations even though it will not apply to the proposal. SO maybe include a section and then state: N/A? Please advise Yes. A statement that your quote takes no exceptions or deviations with respect to the technical requirements of the solicitation is sufficient. If no such statement is provided and exceptions and deviations are not listed in accordance with the instructions, the Government will assume that no exceptions or deviations are taken.

13. Reference: Technical quote. L.3.2. Factor 2: Key Personnel "Each instructor included in the technical proposal shall have the following professional experience and skills: experience in performing Data Literacy, Analysis and Visualization work.

Demonstrated understanding of Foreign Affairs work. Experience teaching adult learners in this field. Experience teaching this field to the Federal workforce."

In this section, should we include a summary of each instructor's experience (based on the key criteria for professional skills listed above) + a 2 page CV OR ONLY a CV for each instructor?

I ask because these 4 skills highlighted in RED are also requested to be elaborated upon in the 'relevant corporate experience' section. Therefore it would seem redundant to provide that summary in this section, and then repeat it in the last section.

For this Evaluation Factor, only resumes will be evaluated.

14. Reference: Instructors

I have included myself as a secondary instructor on 2 workshops; this is to help provide instructional support behind the scenes mainly before the workshops (i.e. curriculum development, etc) and not necessarily deliver instruction during workshop. Is this OK to do? I did this because I have experience with federal government adult learner and will help with making the material relevant to the demography taking the workshops. Therefore my skills will be complimentary in that regard (to the other instructors)-- but on their own, they are outstanding teachers in their own right. So although they would benefit tremendously from my DoD/ policy data analysis knowledge, they don’t need a second instructor in-class during workshops. Please advise.

Secondary instructors to provide instructional support behind the scenes are acceptable.

15. If I have had past performance in the past 5 years from the same place-/ how do the 3 references work? Is this past performance for course delivery (workshops) only or for data analysis also? Because for the former, I’ve done it only one place in the last 5 years, but data analysis has been with a variety of clients.

Past performance for course delivery and experience performing data analysis can be referenced separately.

16. Attachment 1 (PWS), page 2 (Course Description) refers to an historical precedent of “…presentations delivered by colleagues who are members of the Department of State’s Data Community.” Is this intended to be part of the workshops an offeror would provide, and if so, what is the expected time expenditure for it?

No. The presentations by the “Data Community” referenced on page 2 are components of the existing introductory “Data Analysis and Visualization “course taught by Department of State in-house staff.