QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS__19RP3825Q0092.pdf

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

RFQ NO. 19RP3825Q0092

CONSULTANCY, ADMINISTRATIVE AND RELATED SERVICES

FOR THE FSN SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT PLANT

Q1: We would like to know if this is a brand new contract OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services. If not brand new, could you please provide the current / previous contract number?

A1: E.M. Zalamea Actuarial Services, Inc. - 19RP3823P0031

Q2: I wanted to kindly inquire if the work for the R431 Support – Human Resources position will be performed on-site in the Philippines or remotely?

A2: Onsite work at U.S. Embassy Manila is not a requirement. It is the contractor’s responsibility to determine the location of the assigned personnel to satisfactorily perform the services required in the solicitation and the resultant contract.

Q3: Could you please provide further details regarding the scope of work, specific requirements, and key deliverables?

A3: Refer to Continuation to SF-1449, Schedule of Supplies/Services, Block 20 on pages 6-7.

Q4: What are the anticipated timelines for the solicitation and submission process?

A4: Refer to the details on the solicitation as posted on SAM.gov.

Q5: Are there any pre-qualification or registration procedures we should complete to participate?

A5: Refer to Addendum to Solicitation Provisions, FAR Clause 52.204-7 on page 26. Also, refer to the Invitation Letter and the Minutes of the Pre-Quotation Conference.

Q6: (a) I am reaching out to learn more about this work I saw on SAM.gov, and is this work in the market research? If so, is it likely for this work to be solicited/awarded within Q4FY2025?

(b) Lastly, is this work a recompete or new requirement?

A6: (a) All updates to the solicitation shall be posted on SAM.gov

(b) See A1

Q7: I noticed the solicitation is anticipated to be released sometime this week (as of June 4, 2025), is that still the plan. If so, is it likely for it to be awarded within the same month as well?

A7: See A6(a).

Q8: Is it required that our representative be a U.S. citizen, or can she be a Filipino citizen?

A8: Refer to Continuation to SF-1449, Schedule of Supplies/Services, Block 20, Paragraph B, item (d) on page 6.

Q9: Who is the incumbent contractor?

A9: See A1

Q10: Could you share the estimated yearly salary previously paid for this role?

A10: It is the contractor’s responsibility to determine the appropriate salary of the assigned personnel to satisfactorily perform the services required in the solicitation and the resultant contract.

Q11: Why did the incumbent no longer service the contract?

A11: Expiration of the current contract.

Q12: Would it be possible for the new contractor to work from a different Philippine island, or is this role strictly in-person?

A12: See A2

Q13: Does the embassy offer on-site daycare services for staff and contractors?

A13: No.

Q14: In Section 3 - Solicitation Provision A.2.(3) (page 23), it states that if the offeror has not performed similar services in the Philippines, they must provide their international experience. If the offeror has relevant past performance detailed in the statement of work but lacks international experience, does that prevent them from submitting a quote?

A14: Refer to Section 3 – Solicitation Provisions, A.2(3) on page 23.

Q15: How many HR specialists does the government expect to require?

A15: It is the contractor’s responsibility to determine the number of qualified personnel necessary to satisfactorily perform the services required in the solicitation and the resultant contract.

Q16: Does the government anticipate personnel to be onsite at the US Embassy in Manila, Philippines or onsite at the contractor facilities in the U.S.?

A16: See A2

Q17: Is the program manager required to work onsite at the US Embassy in Manila, Philippines or onsite at the contractor facilities in the U.S.?

A17: See A2

Q18: Clauses to be Included – Kindly confirm if all clauses are required to be included in the proposal. If not, may we respectfully ask you to specify which clauses should be incorporated, including the corresponding page numbers and sections from the solicitation document for our reference.

A18: Refer to Section 3 – Solicitation Provisions, A.1(3) on page 23 and Section 5 –

Representations and Certifications on pages 30-53. Also, refer to the Minutes of the Pre- Quotation Conference.

Q19: Authorized Signatory – We would also appreciate it if you could provide the full name and official position/title of the authorized signatory for the contract.

A19: Refer to SF-1449, block 31b

Q20: Terms and Conditions – In terms of the contract’s content, we would be grateful if you could advise us on the specific information you would like us to incorporate under the following areas:

(a) Performance Period

(b) Reports and Deliverables

(c) Payment Terms

A20: (a) Refer to Section 1 – The Schedule, Paragraph I, Subparagraph A on page 3. Also, refer to the Minutes of the Pre-Quotation Conference.

(b) Refer to Continuation to SF-1449, Schedule of Supplies/Services, Block 20, Paragraph

B, item (a) on page 6.

(c) Refer to Section 2 – Contract Clauses, FAR 52.232-33 on page 33 and DOSAR 652.232-70 on page 21. Also, refer to the Minutes of the Pre-Quotation Conference.

Q21: Valuation Date – Please confirm if the valuation date is as of December 31, 2024, and whether this includes the reporting of Past Service Liability (PSL), Solvency Position of the Fund, and Vested Benefits (VB).

A21: Not part of this solicitation.

Q23: File Submission Guidelines – Lastly, kindly instruct us on your preferred format for file submissions. For instance, would you prefer that the files be numbered according to the sequence or total number of files to be submitted?

A23: The Contractor may use any format provided that all required items under Section 3 –

Solicitation Provisions, Paragraphs A.1 and A.2 on pages 23-25 are addressed and submitted. Also, refer to the Minutes of the Pre-Quotation Conference.

Q24: Is the FSN Supplementary Retirement Plan a Defined Contribution or Defined Benefit type of plan? (Company name redacted) has exited the business of Defined Contribution (DC) Plan administration service, hence, if the Supplementary Plan is a DC type of plan, we won’t be able to provide services for items a) to d).

A24: Refer to Amendment 001

Q25: If you confirm that your plan is a DC type of plan, will it be acceptable to you that we’ll still provide quotation for services for items e) to h) only?

A25: Not applicable to this solicitation.

Q26: For item e), we would like to clarify if the scope includes a comparative report among shortlisted investment managers and/or asset-liability management studies. What other studies are usually requested, so we can provide the correct fees for the scope?

A26: The request for special studies is situational and based on the needs of the SRP

Administrative Committee and/or the SRP Working Group.

Q27: Will you be amenable to any amendments to the contract clauses?

A27: The contract clauses incorporated by reference or full text forms part of the contract.

Q28: On Page 3 in Section 1.C Quality Assurance and Surveillance Plan (QASP), the

Performance Threshold column in the table mentions “no more than one (1) customer complaint”. Does the term “one customer” pertain to “one FSN employee” or does it pertain to “one USG agency”? Please clarify.

A28: The COR will notify the contractor if there is a valid customer complaint, per Section 1.C.3 PROCEDURES on page 4.

Q29: On Page 6 under Statement of Work, there is a reference to "LES/PSC/PSA

Supplemental Retirement Plan (SRP)" in lieu of "FSN Supplementary Retirement Plan” stated in Block 20 on the cover page. Does the term “LES/PSC/PSA” refer to employee classifications/categories under the general term "FSN”? Are these acronyms defined in the plan itself? Would there be differences in benefits depending on the employee category?

A29: Refer to Amendment 001

Q30: Exhibit A on page 8 shows a list of USG agencies and the number of personnel covered under the FSN SRP. Are all 1,015 FSN personnel on the list, located in the National Capital Region (Metro Manila) only, or are some stationed in other regions?

A30: Refer to Amendment 001

Q31: What is the average FSN turnover per month or per year at the US Embassy in Manila?

A31: Refer to Amendment 001

Q32: Per page 23 of the solicitation under Section 3, Addendum to 52.212-1, Paragraph A.2

(3), a list of clients over the past three years is required from offerors. Is there a particular form or format that is preferred by the Contracting Office for the list?

A32: The Contractor may use any format provided that all required information under Section

3 – Solicitation Provisions, Paragraph A.2(3) are addressed and submitted.

Q33: Are the supplementary retirement plan funds invested in the US, in the Philippines or other countries?

A33: The supplemental retirement plan funds are invested worldwide, mostly in the U.S. and the Philippines, and except for China.

Q34: Is there an incumbent contractor or is this a new contract?

A34: See A1