ANIMALSERVICES-QUESTIONS.doc

QUESTIONS – RFP 2008-N-09689 – ANIMAL SERVICES

1. A.2 states: “…maximum services that can be purchased are sixty months…” implying one base year and four option years. A.3 states the format of the contract shall be one Base Year and 5 1-yr Options, which would be a total of 72 months. Please clarify. (See also our Section I question)

CDC answer: The contract will have a base year and four (4) one (1) year options. If those options are exercised a contractor could receive task order(s) that include 60 months of animal care services.

2. We believe the small business size standard of 5.0 Million as stated in the RFP is incorrect. The most recent SBA table http://www.sba.gov/idc/groups/public/documents/sba_homepage/serv_sstd_tablepdf.pdf indicates it is $6.5 million. Please clarify.

CDC answer: The correct size standard is $6.5 Million for NAICS code 541940 – an amendment will be executed to make this change.

3. A.5 states that “...Some requirements included in this Solicitation…” are subject to possible A-76 competition, so it is very likely these requirements will not be included in any TOs.

Question: Can the Contracting Officer indicate which requirements are potentially subject to A-76 competition, and what impact this may have on developing our proposal or implementing the contract?

CDC answer: The only CDC facilities effected by possible A-76 competition are CDC’s Roybal and Chamblee facilities – no impact on Contractor’s proposal

4. Reference: RFP Section C, Work Statement and Section L, Instructions. The RFP requires a proposal to cover comprehensive animal husbandry and research support services at four separate facilities with locations in two states.

The RFP also requests that the proposer provide resumes for 27+ key and essential persons for these four separate locations. The RFP’s current due date is 26 February, which provides a very short response window. This proposal will be a major effort for any bidder except the incumbent; respondents must prepare and submit four discrete comprehensive proposals within one document. In addition, with such a short response time, the personnel recruiting effort that is required to find and sign up qualified designated Key and Essential personnel presents a significant recruiting challenge for all bidders other than the incumbent.

Question: To make this competitive solicitation equally competitive for bidders other than the incumbent, will the Government consider extending the proposal response date by an additional two weeks? If this is not a feasible solution, will the Government consider reducing the number of Key and Essential personnel resumes to a more achievable number (e.g., only the Project Manager, Assistant Project Manager and Lead Technician at each location)?

CDC answer: CDC will take this request under consideration and make a decision by 2-21-08.

5. C.4.2 “Hours of Operation” “It is estimated the facilities require a minimum of two individuals for safety purposes to support weekend and holiday work.”

Question: Please confirm how many individuals work at each site on the weekends and holidays.

CDC answer: This is a performance based contract. It is the responsibility of each Contractor to develop and put forward their own approach to meeting the requirements of the solicitation. The USG cannot provide information as to how the current contractor is performing. The contractor will need to determine how many employees each facility should have for weekend and holiday work.

Question: Are two animal checks performed, one in the AM and one in the PM for weekend and holiday work schedules at all of the four sites? Please clarify for each site.

CDC answer: Yes, two (2) animal health checks must be performed on the weekends and holidays, one (1) in the AM and one (1) in the PM for all sites.

Question: Is the present contractor supporting the weekend work within a four hour or eight hour window of time at each site? Please clarify for each site.

CDC answer: The USG cannot provide information as to how the current contractor is performing at each site – see the USG’s response to question #5 above.

6. C.4.4 “Specific Tasks”

(d) Sanitation and Cleaning

Question: Does the Government provide the consumable cleaning materials for this activity?

CDC answer: Yes, per the RFP

(f) Equipment Maintenance

Question: Does the government provide the tools to maintain equipment for all sites? Please clarify for each site.

CDC answer: Yes, per the RFP

7. C.4.9 “Specific tasks” (Fort Collins)

(a) Ordering Animals Question: Please specify genus and species of birds and exotics used (at all sites if used.)

CDC answer: Please see RFP (C.4.9). It is not possible to include the genus and species of all animals that may be utilized. The table, “Statistical Data on Average Animal Usage” provided for each site is the most up-to-date animal census information available. Animals utilized are research driven and may change according to the needs of the mission. On the FC campus, the SP is expected to order traditional laboratory animal species (mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, ferrets, and rabbits) in the form of SPF animals purchased from internationally-recognized, reputable vendors who provide QA data assuring SPF-status; agricultural species used on the FC campus (currently domestic chickens only, but potentially swine, quail, sheep or goats) are to be purchased from internationally-recognized, reputable vendors OR from licensed local vendors/sources who are able to provide healthy animals in sufficient quantities as needed. Exotic animals –or more correctly “non-traditional laboratory species”- used on the FC campus are typically wild-caught rather than purchased from a vendor, thus the SP is not involved with “ordering” these animals; such species include mice not of the genus Mus (e.g., deer mice or grasshopper mice), sparrows, rock squirrels, etc.

8. C.4.21 “Transportation for Chamblee, Lawrenceville and Roybal”

Question: Please clarify whether two or three vans are required. Without any substantive data, only the incumbent and the government would know what is required. The cost difference between two and three vehicles can be substantive and will have an impact on our pricing.

CDC answer: Two (2) animal cargo vans, one (1) cargo van, and two (2) 2 1/2 ton trucks is required (Chamblee, Lawrenceville, Roybal, Ft. Collins). Ft. Collins also uses a Government vehicle.

Question: Due to the current and projected future fuel prices and their impact on our pricing, we request that the Government provide either actual or estimated average miles driven between sites by all vehicles on a monthly or yearly basis.

CDC answer: The USG cannot provide either actual or estimated average miles driven between sites by all vehicles on a monthly or yearly basis. This information varies based on the needs of each CDC animal care facility.

9. C.4.22 Transportation (Ft Collins)

Question: Does and will the government provide fuel for the government owned van? If the government does not provide gasoline for this government vehicle, what is the average mileage per month used to support the contract? What is the average mileage anticipated to be used by the 2 ½ ton truck?

CDC answer: Yes - USG provides all fuel, maintenance, and insurance for the Government owned van. Current usage for the 2 1/2 is less than ten (10) miles per month.

10. C.6.4 Key Personnel Question: Please list the current number of employees by position working at all four sites.

CDC answer: The USG cannot provide information as to how the current contractor is performing, e.g., number of employees by position working at all four sites – see the USG’s response to question #5. This is a performance based requirement/contract. The contractor will need to determine how many employees each facility should have to support the requirements set forth in the contract.

(Specific to Ft Collins)

Question: The other sites list what positions will serve as dedicated drivers. What positions at the Ft. Collins site will serve as the drivers?

CDC answer: All personnel are authorized to drive. First choice driver is the cage wash attendant and the second choice driver is the Project Manager. Use of all vehicles is almost entirely always on the CDC foothills campus.

11. C.6.6 “Uniforms”

(Questions apply to all sites)

Question: How many sets of scrubs per worker are required?

CDC answer: This is the Contractor’s decision. The Contractor is required to provide a sufficient number of clean surgical scrubs to perform daily duties. The Contractor is responsible for purchasing and maintenance of uniforms, outerwear, and shoes/boots.

Question: How many jackets per worker? (We assume not everyone goes outside) CDC answer: This is dependent on the needs for husbandry duties at each facility. See above Question: How many rain gear jackets are required for all employees? (Example: Cagewash personnel at Ft. Collins may not go outside whereas Cagewash personnel at Chamblee may drive vehicles.)

CDC answer: This is dependent on the needs for husbandry duties at each facility. See above

12. Section C.5 Subparagraph (b) states that: “The [QA] Plan should have three separate sections, one for Chamblee and one for Lawrenceville and one for Roybal…”

Question: A request for a QA Plan for Ft. Collins does not appear to be included in this paragraph. We believe this is an oversight and that a QA Plan for the Ft. Collins Facility should be included in the proposal. Please clarify.

CDC answer: A QA plan is required to be submitted by the Contractor for each site (all CDC animal care facilities).

13. Section C.4.16, “Description of the Roybal Animal Care Operation” states that Chimpanzees are one of the species of animals at this facility. Part (b), Description of Research, states that “this work statement excludes any [Support Provider] animal work with chimpanzees....”

Question: Does this statement mean that the Support Provider will not provide any animal husbandry services (cage cleaning, feeding, etc.) for chimpanzees? Please clarify.

CDC answer: The chimp caging is stationary and pressured washed in the animal room. However, the contractor may be required, upon occasion, to send feed cans and other accessories through cage washer or rack washers.

14. Question: H.4 Will CDC recognize and accept online ORCA Representations and Certifications?

CDC answer: Yes

15. Question: H.16 “Laboratory Licensure Requirements”:is this a requirement for on-site (Government Site) work?

CDC answer: No

16. Section I.2 (b)(1) and (2) both mention 60 month limits to orders, which appears to contradict the 72 month period mentioned previously in our section A comments. Please clarify.

CDC answer: See CDC’s answer to question 1., Section A

17. L.8 requires original and 3 copies of the proposal; one “Technical Proposal” binder and a separate “Business Proposal” binder; in addition, we are required to submit a complete electronic, Microsoft Word copy of both the technical and business proposals to the email address stated in L.8 (d).

Questions: What version of MS Word is acceptable for the electronic copy of the proposal? Can we password protect the files so that they are Read Only to preclude any unexpected document errors?

CDC answer: MS Office Word 2003 – Contractor can password protect the files so that they are read only

18. L.10 .Business Volume Instructions, Section (c) “Required Financial Information” states that, “It is anticipated that the reasonableness of price for this procurement will be based on adequate price competition; therefore, offerors are not required to submit cost or pricing data….” Section (d) “Other Administrative Data”, item (1) states that “A separate itemized unit price breakdown shall be furnished for the Roybal Animal Care Facility, Chamblee Care Facility, Lawrenceville Animal Care Facility, and the Ft. Collins Animal Care Facility.”

Question: Are we correct that this breakdown is NOT Cost or Pricing Data as defined in FAR 15.408 or elsewhere?

CDC answer: Yes

19. Question: Has the Fort Collins facility already applied for AAALAC accreditation? Is there a AAALAC site visit date set?

CDC answer: No

20. Question: Can the business proposal be submitted as an Excel document?

CDC answer: Some requirements of the business proposal would be acceptable to be submitted in excel documents but not all.

21. Question: On page 99 of the past performance information, you refer to indicate that you want the name and telephone number of the Program Manager, would you like the name of the Project Officer as well, or are you using these terms interchangeably?

CDC answer: Please provide the name and telephone number of the Program Manager or the Project Officer. These titles are sometimes used interchangeably. Project Officer usually refers to officials working for the USG.

22. Question: On page 58 of 104 section H.8 Contractor Furnished Property(4), it refers to three vehicles referenced in section C. Section C page 35 of 104 (C.4.21) asks for the SP to provide two to three vans and one truck. Section C.4.22 asks for the SP to provide another truck. We calculate that to equal four to five vehicles, please clarify.

CDC answer: See CDC’s answer to question number eight (8)

23. Question: Page 65 of 104 section H.15 Blood Serum Samples and Inoculation, refers to inoculations that are required by all personnel and provided by the CDC Employee Health Clinic at no cost to the Contractor and additional required inoculations not provided by the CDC employee health clinic. Can you please clarify which inoculations belong in these categories?

CDC answer: The only vaccination that will be provided by CDC at no cost is Smallpox and Influenza. The following is a list of inoculations that are not provided by CDC Employee Health Clinic but required by all personnel – Hepatitis A and B, Tetanus, Rabies, MWR, Yellow Fever, and Japanese Encephalitis. Please keep in mind this list is not all inclusive. The need for vaccinations will be determined on a case by case basis according to individual occupational health and safety risk assessments.

24. Question: USDA Requirements – Is the Contractor responsible for a USDA license in order to procure animals. The RFP does not appear to provide a scope of work that would require such licensing.

CDC answer: No, Contractor is not responsible

25. Question: What concentration of KOH is used at Ft. Collins?

CDC answer: Release ®, a commercial KOH (<10%) glassware washing product sold by Pharmacal

26. Are there any hazard special pay for employees?

CDC answer: No. There is no special hazard pay required at this time.

27. A number of questions were submitted after amendment one (1) had been issue having to do with clarification number three (3) included on the amendment.

(1) Is the training on-site in a CDC facility?

CDC answer: It is off site

(2) Is training off-site where travel is necessary to include airline, hotel, etc?

CDC answer: Training is in Atlanta. Personnel at the Ft. Collins facility will require travel to include airline, hotel, etc.

(3) What is present cost for the 40 hour week course?

CDC answer: The present cost is 1200/person. The Contractor will be responsible for all fee related to the emergency response training. Pricing is submit to change.

(4) Is the refresher course on-site or off–site? (Same question #2)?

CDC answer: Same answer as #2.

(5) What is the current cost of the refresher cost?

CDC answer: The present cost of the refresher is 500/person. The Contractor will be responsible for all fees related to the emergency response training.

Pricing is subject to change.