Questions_and_Answers_RFP_2014-N-15780_Policy_IDIQ.docx

Questions and Answers RFP No. 2014-N-15780 Achieving Public Heath Impact Through Policy: Analysis, Engagement and Dissemination December 21, 2013

1. The announcement yesterday states that a solicitation is expected December 18th, 2013. Yet, the RFP is attached. Should we treat this as the solicitation or do you expect to make a future release?

Answer: The Announcement has been corrected to remove this statement. The current RFP is the soliciation and should be treated as such.

2. In Section L.9 Technical Proposal Instructions, page 81, the first paragraph states ” All proposals will be evaluated for full and open competition and qualified proposers will also be secondarily evaluated for the small business set-aside award categories.” Please clarify whether this means large businesses can submit proposals in domains 1, 2 and 3?

Answer: See amendment 0001 to the RFP.

3. We are in the process of reviewing Potential RFPS’. I noticed the response date for this RFP has been modified a few times. Is this RFP open for proposals is it my understanding that the response date for the RFP is scheduled for Jan 22, 2014 at 2:00.

Answer: See amendment 0001 to the RFP.

4. Question 1. Please consider changing the size standard for the solicitation from NAICS Code 541720 ($19 million) to NAICS Code 541712 (500 employees) or in the alternative make small business awards available to companies that meet either size standard.

Answer: The NAICS code will not be changed for this requirement.

5. Consortia Development and Support – Establish and/or support consortia of specific types of organizations such as national experts, business leaders, healthcare leaders, or voluntary sector leaders to share evidence on the effectiveness of emerging health promotion and prevention policies, provide assistance to those considering and/or implementing such policies, and encourage consideration and adoption of such policies. These stakeholders should represent a diverse mix from public, private, nonprofit, public health, healthcare, academic, and business communities. As a small business, could you please tell us if it is more advantageous for us to include our partners and collaborators as advisors on our team (creating numerous teaming agreements) or just list them when we describe the “Consortia Development and Support”?

Answer: The technical proposal should highlight experience and ability to perform the requirements of this area. Vendors should propose in a manner which is most advantageous to the Government.

6. Is there a page limit for proposal responses? If so is there a page limit or allowance per domain included in the response?

Answer: Page limits are outlined in the table in Section L.9. The technical proposal, including domain-specific sample task order, is limited to 75 pages.

7. Is electronic submission of proposals acceptable? If so, are there specific formats required?

Answer: See Section L.8 General Proposal Instructions. The proposal must be signed by an official authorized to bind your organization. You must submit one (1) original and four (4) CD-ROM discs of your proposal. Offerors must also submit one electronic version of all proposal documents (must be in MS Office Word, Excel, or PDF) via email to policyidiq@cdc.gov by the proposal due date.

8. Is it acceptable to provide a response for only one domain?

Answer: Yes, offerors may submit a proposal for only one domain.

9. May entities other than small businesses submit proposals for consideration under domains 2 & 3?

Answer: No, only small businesses may submit proposals under domains 2 and 3.

10. Please clarify the page limit for the technical proposals for each individual domain. Is it 75 pages excluding the sample task order response (per the note on page 81 in the proposal table) or 75 pages including the sample task order response per the table on page 81 row, tab H?

Answer: The 75-page limit includes a 20-page limit for the domain-specific sample task order.

11. We have reviewed the new CDC IDIQ RFP and we have compared it to the previous CDC IDIQ RFP. We notice that, aside from the designation of Domains 2 and 3 as small business set asides, the language in the current RFP is, in almost all cases, the same as the language in the previous RFP. We therefore ask if the questions and answers that applied to the previous RFP still apply to the current RFP.

Answer: Offerors should rely on the current questions and answers for information. The CDC makes no representations as to the applicability of previous questions and answers for similar requirements. While the language is similar, the vendor audience may not be the same, so only information under this RFP is applicable to this award.

12. Reference page 84 of the RFP regarding key personnel denoted in the solicitation. Can staff from teaming partners (subcontractors) be included as part of the prime bidder’s key personnel?

Answer: Yes, however, see Technical Evaluation Criteria Section, Criterion 4, subsection (e).

13. Reference page 82, section L9 Sub Section 2. The solicitation defines the technical evaluation criteria and requires contractors to meet minimum qualifications. Can a prime contractor utilize sub-contractors publications to meet these minimum qualifications requirements defined for each domain?

Answer: Yes, see section L.9, sub section 2 which states, in part, “Contractor shall describe projects they have conducted using each of these types of analyses over the past five years and any publications that have resulted from these analyses. If the Contractor submitting the proposal does not have experience and expertise currently on staff to conduct each of these types of analyses, the contractor may subcontract or retain a consultant to ensure that the Contractor is able to allow CDC access to this full menu of analyses. The Contractor shall submit documentation indicating the experience and expertise of any subcontractor/consultant in these areas and their agreement to participate in any task order that may require any of the analyses listed above”.

14. Reference page 84 of the RFP regarding key personnel denoted in the solicitation. The solicitation defines elements of staffing/key personnel and expertise as part of the Technical Evaluation Criteria. In section 4e, the solicitation states “If these people are not currently employed by your firm, indicate where they are actually working at the time of proposal submission. In the event that proposed personnel are not currently employed by the offeror, the technical evaluation score may be adjusted”. Based on this statement:

a. Can a prime contractor designate key personnel positions employed by a sub-contractor, at the time of submission?

Answer: Yes,see section L.9, sub section 4 which states, in part, “Offers shall include two-page resumes for Key Personnel as part of the response on each sample task order. The resumes shall specify training, education, experience, and key publications with dates for each. (Do not include individuals in your proposal with whom you have no work agreements but whom you have listed simply as examples of the types of individuals you would seek out. If these people are not currently employed by your firm, indicate where they are actually working at the time of proposal submission. In the event that proposed personnel are not currently employed by the offeror, the technical evaluation score may be adjusted. The adjustment will vary based upon the degree of confidence the offeror gives regarding the timely availability of the proposed personnel. The offeror may include employment acceptance letters contingent (or not) on contract award for personnel not currently employed by the offeror. Such letters should not be more than 90 days old from time of proposal submission; and the letters will not be counted in the page limit.)

b. Will the government adjust the technical evaluation scoring if the key personnel are not employed by the prime but an employee of a sub-contractor?

Answer: See section L.9 sub section 4, which states, “In the event that proposed personnel are not currently employed by the offeror, the technical evaluation score may be adjusted. The adjustment will vary based upon the degree of confidence the offeror gives regarding the timely availability of the proposed personnel. The offeror may include employment acceptance letters contingent (or not) on contract award for personnel not currently employed by the offeror. Such letters should not be more than 90 days old from time of proposal submission; and the letters will not be counted in the page limit.)”

15. For estimating purposes, can the Government please provide an estimated number of task orders being released on the Achieving Public Health through Policy IDIQ?

Answer: The potential number of task orders is unknown at this time.

16. Will the required 2-page resumes for key personnel in the sample task be counted against the 20-page limit for the sample task?

Answer: The 2-page resumes for key personnel do not count toward the 20-page limit for sample task orders.

17. On page 82 under Section 2a, qualification 3 the solicitation requires bidders to meet the requirements “Development and publishing of at least one health-in-all policies publication in the last five years. “Can the government please define the term “health-in-all policies”?

Answer: Health in All Policies is an approach that recognizes that many aspects of health protection and improvement are determined by factors outside the influence of the healthcare system and in many cases individual choice. Health in All Policies integrates health considerations into societal policy making across sectors, and at all levels, to improve our nation’s overall population health. In the past, policies have focused on the delivery and payment of clinical medical services. In the 21st century, having an integrated, national approach that fosters health in all policies, that is embraced across the federal sector and not just by “health” agencies, and that stresses prevention of disease and disability earlier in the life course, offers a better way to empower people to make healthy personal lifestyle choices. Health in All Policies can potentially extend to include both direct and indirect effects on health. Evidence-based policy that attempts to positively affect the determinants of health across sectors and at national, state, and local levels falls in this category. Examples of such policy include improving school lunch nutrition programs, funding the construction of bike paths and parks, and ensuring we have safe air and water. The Health in All Policies approach may also be effective in identifying gaps in evidence and achieving health equity.

18. Is a Small Business Subcontracting Plan required with the proposal response for Domain 1? If so, where should offerors include the Plan and will it count towards any potential page count?

Answer: Yes, a Small Business Subcontracting Plan is required for other than small businesses. The plan should be included in Volume II, Tab B, Contract Documents and Associated Information. No, the plan will not count towards any potential page count. Guidance on small business plans can be found online at http://www.hhs.gov/about/smallbusiness/

19. The RFP is silent with regards to lower tier subcontracting. Will small business subcontracting plans be required for Large subcontractors to Small business primes (Domains 2 and 3) ? If so, are Large Business offerors required to include a Small Business Subcontracting Plan and will it count towards any potential page count?

Answer: Small business subcontracting plans are not required for the small business set-asides under Domains 2 and 3 at any tier level.

20. For submission purposes, should bidders submit sample task order responses bound together with the general domain proposal?

Answer: Sample task orders may be bound with the general domain proposal as part of the technical proposal however, they must be clearly marked as such.

21. For pricing purposes, can the government provide an estimated period of performance for the sample task orders and an estimated start date for the IDIQ?

Answer: The period of performance for the sample task orders is indicated in the deliverables summary table for each sample task order. The estimated start date for the IDIQ is May 1, 2014.

22. Is the Office of the Associate Director for Policy (OADP), Policy Research, Analysis and Development Office (PRADO) working with a contractor to support policy analysis, development or dissemination? If so, who is the contractor?

Answer: No, PRADO is not working with a contractor to support policy analysis, development or dissemination.

23. For clarification, is the Person Loading chart mentioned on page 85 separate from the Staff Matrix described on p. 86? If so, may these graphics be consolidated?

Answer: The staffing matrix shows the depth of staffing resources available to the Contractor and indicates an ability to adequately staff a task order in the event staff originally assigned are suddenly unavailable to complete work. The person loading chart is separate and identifies the proposed labor categories and number of person-hours.

24. For all domains, can a prime contractor use a subcontractor’s client to complete a Past Performance Questionnaire as one of their three questionnaires and be deemed compliant?

Answer: See section L.9, Criterion 6. The offeror shall submit only references for which they have performed services within the last five (5) years. The government will not consider references for work completed before the 5-year period. If references are not available, the Government will consider predecessor companies, key personnel who have relevant experience, or subcontractors / Team Members that will perform major or critical aspects of the requirement when such information is relevant to the acquisition. Accordingly, in such cases, the offeror shall submit similar information for each subcontractor or Team Member for evaluation purposes.

25. Are the sample task orders for each policy domain intended to be awarded?

Answer: The sample task orders will be used to evaluate offerors’ proposals and there is no plan to award them at this time.

26. G.14 – Off-ramping Contractors (page 35 of 90) – The government states that awarded contractors will be evaluated during the end of each period to determine if they will be off-ramped from the contract. Will there be an opportunity for contractors not awarded the contract to be able to compete to be on-ramped after each contract period as well?

Answer: At this time, there is no plan to “on-ramp” contractors at the end of the each contract period.

27. H.41 – Key Personnel - The Contractor shall designate specific senior level professional, technical and managerial personnel as key personnel who are essential to the successful performance of work under awarded Task Orders. Key personnel shall be identified in task order proposals and shall be available for full-time assignment as necessary to efficiently manage and perform the work of the contract and shall be available on the effective date of task order award. Do the vendors have to provide key personnel for the IDIQ response. If yes, how many?

Answer: Yes, as described in L9, Technical Evaluation Criteria, #4e.

28. L.6 – Contract Structure - It is anticipated that multiple contracts will be awarded with a relatively small number of awards made in each domain identified in the Performance Work Statement in accordance with the Office of Federal Procurement Policy’s best practices guidance on multiple award contracts. How does the government define “relatively small number of awards made in each domain”? Less than 5 awardees per policy domain? More than 5 awardees per policy domain?

Answer: There is no target number. The number of awards in each domain will depend upon an assessment of the proposals received.

29. Attachment #7 – Past Performance Questionnaire is to be completed and submitted to the Government for reference evaluation. What is Attachment #8 – Contractor Performance Report to be used for? Is this required for Proposal submittal? Is it a part of Attachment # 7?

Answer: Attachment 7 should be sent to potential references. See L.9 criterion 6, which states, in part, “Offerors shall complete the reference information table in the attached “Past Performance Questionnaire” form identifying the name and other pertinent information for at least two (2) selected business references. Send the questionnaire to each of the references with a cover letter that: (a) authorizes the selected references to discuss the offeror’s performance under the applicable contract with the contracting officer; (b) requests the reference complete the questionnaire; (c) instructs the reference return the completed questionnaire to the contract specialist by email”. Attachment 8 is the questionnaire completed by the CDC personnel regarding performance under this contract and it is provided for informational purposes.

30. Is the Offeror allowed to propose additional labor categories over and above what CDC has specified, if they feel those are necessary? If not at this time, will the Offeror be allowed to propose additional labor categories with the Task Order Proposal – if necessary?

Answer: Offerors may not at this time propose labor categories in addition to those listed in the solicitation. After IDIQ award the Government will evaluate the requirement and make a decision regarding additional labor categories.

31. Section L.9 Technical Proposal Instructions – pg. 82, a. Domain 1 – Policy and Economic Analysis CDC has specified minimum requirements in points 1-7. Can the minimum requirements be a combination of the prime contractor and selected subcontractors? This question is also applicable to minimum requirements listed for Domain 2 and Domain 3.

Answer: Yes, a combination of experience is acceptable. However, domains 2 and 3 are small business set-asides. Under a small business set-aside, the small business is required to complete 51% of the work.

32. Page 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. The Not to Exceed/Extended Price column for the travel line item reads “Not to Exceed: _______”. Is there a travel ceiling that shall not be exceeded?

Answer: There is no travel ceiling for the overall IDIQ. Travel shall be in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations and specific task order requirements.

33. Page 11 – B.1 General. The first paragraph states, “The primary focus of this contract is domestic policy, although certain task orders may be applicable to CDC’s global health work.” Is it possible that international travel will be required?

Answer: At this time, international travel is not anticipated. The sample task orders do not require international travel. It is unknown whether future task orders under this IDIQ will require international travel.

34. Page 15 – II. Project Identification and Purpose. The second paragraph states, “An organization may submit a proposal both as a prime contractor one domain and as a subcontractor on another proposal.” As point of clarification, does this mean an organization can be part of two separate proposals for the same domain (i.e., within the same domain, can the organization be a prime in one proposal and a subcontractor in another proposal)?

Answer: Yes, an organization may submit a proposal both as a prime contractor for a particular domain and a sub-contractor on a proposal for the same domain.

35. Page 37 – H.2 Telework. The first paragraph states, “Contractors are required to use Government Furnished Equipment (GFE)…the government’s inability to provide IT GFE for telework will preclude the use of telework.” Is access to the CDC network through CITGO on a contractors laptop sufficient to allow for telework and/or remote access?

Answer: Yes, see amendment 0001 to the RFP.

36. Page 62 – H.42 Contractor Substitution of Key Personnel. With regard to contractor substitution of key personnel, can you confirm the contractor may use the same approval process outlined in section H.42 for the substitution of key personnel at the IDIQ level as on subsequent task awards? If the process should differ, please provide the IDIQ substitution process.

Answer: Substitution of key personnel at the IDIQ level will follow the same process.

37. Page 82 – 2. Criterion 2: Expertise in Domain Specific Areas. If we partner with another firm, can we include their capabilities and/or past performance to satisfy the minimum qualifications set out in this section?

Answer: See answer to question 31 above.

38. Page 84 – 2. Criterion 4: Criterion 4: Staffing/Key Personnel/Expertise. The RFP states "Do not include individuals in your proposal with whom you have no work agreements but whom you have listed simply as examples of the types of individuals you would seek out. If these people are not currently employed by your firm, indicate where they are actually working at the time of proposal submission. In the event that proposed personnel are not currently employed by the offeror, the technical evaluation score may be adjusted." Regarding key personnel, can staff from teaming partners (subcontractors) be included as part of the prime bidder’s key personnel?

Answer: See answer to question 12 above.

39. Page 80. Page 80 of the IDIQ provides submission requirements. It states: "Offerors must also submit one electronic version of all proposal documents (must be in MS Office Word, Excel, or PDF) via email to policyidiq@cdc.gov by the proposal due date. " Should the hard copy of the proposal (binder) and CD-ROMs be delivered to PGO by the proposal due date?

Answer: Yes, electronic, CD-ROM and hard copies are due by the proposal due date.

40. Page 86 - Criterion 6: Past Performance. The RFQ states "...References can be included from subcontractors and key personnel, however ,the source of past performance information must be clearly identified if it is from a subcontractor or predecessor company. Accordingly, in such cases, the offeror shall submit similar information for each subcontractor or Team Member for evaluation purposes. " If an offeror selects to include a reference from one team member, would they be required to also include references from all the other team members?

Answer: A total of two business references per proposal is required.

41. Page 86 - L.10 Business Proposal Instructions. May offerors propose labor categories in addition to those suggested in the solicitation? Allowing additional categories will allow offerors to propose rates that align closer to an offerors labor mix, which will reduce the price of individual categories and provide the most cost-efficient solutions for the Government.

Answer: See answer to queston 30.

42. Sample Task Orders. Will/could CDC award task orders based upon the sample task order proposals?

Answer: See answer to question 25.

43. Sample Task Order 3, task 4, bullet 1. There is a requirement to identify “local health departments which have already implemented reimbursement policies and practices from health insurance companies…” In this context, how is local defined (e.g., county/city run health departments based in the contactor’s place of performance, or can the contractor chose the “locality”)?

Answer: Local is defined as county and city health departments nationwide.

44. General: How many awards does CDC anticipate awarding in each IDIQ domain?

Answer: See answer to question 28.

45. General: Will contractors be allowed to add subcontractors at a later date or are prime contractors limited to only bidding with the subcontractors with which they were awarded?

Answer: Yes, after award subcontractors not identified in the initital proposal may be added at a later date for purposes of individual task orders. However, initial proposals will be reviewed based upon information provided at the time of submission. Offerors will not be allowed to amend their proposals after the due date to include additional subcontractors.

46. P. 81 of PWS Section L.9 paragraph 3: Do the tabs/subtabs count in the 75 page limit?

Answer: Tabs/subtabs do not count toward the 75-page limit.

47. P. 85 of PWS Section L.9: Should the Sample Task Orders include tabs and are they counted as part of the 20 page limit?

Answer: Sample task orders should not include tabs.

48. Does the Technical Proposal Cross-Walk Table count towards the page limit?

Answer: The cross-walk table does not count toward the 75-page limit.

49. When are the past performance questionnaires due to the government?

Answer: Questionnaires should be received by the due date for proposals.

50. Attachment 2, labor category break out based on task areas identifies 26 labor categories for Domain 1. Number 15 is ”Senior Analyst”. Attachment 1 provides a description for each labor category. There is no description for “Senior Analyst”. Please verify if this is a relevant labor category for Domain 1, and if so, please provide a description. Delete “Senior Analyst” from Domain 1 and 2 on Attachment 2 and Attachment 3.

Answer: See amendment 0001 to the RFP. The Senior Analyst position has been deleted.

51. Under Performance Work Statement, page 15, II. Project Identification and Purpose it is stated: “The contractor shall not apply for nor hold copyright to materials, products, or any other elements developed under any task order issued under this contract. The contractor shall assign property and intellectual property rights to the CDC for all materials, products, and package documents produced under any task order issued under this contract. The contractor shall not reproduce or distribute these materials beyond the terms of this contract or after the completion of the contract’s term.” QUESTION: Traditionally, the government does not limit copyright as it is able to obtain all the rights necessary with an unlimited license as granted by the FAR. Please clarify the purpose of this clause in the Statement of Work so that Offerors may better understand the government objectives?

Answer: See amendment 0001 to the RFP. Prior CDC approval will be required.

52. Reference RFP section H.26, Organizational Conflicts of Interest – Special Clause. Question: Would the government please clarify what it seeks to identify by collection of the items noted, especially the Financial Statements?

Answer: The primary purpose of this clause is to aid in ensuring that the contractors (1) are not biased because of its past, present, or currently planned interests (financial, contractual, organizational, or otherwise) which relate to the work under this contract, and (2) does not obtain any unfair competitive advantage over other parties by virtue of its performance of this contract.

53. Reference RFP, page 82, criterion 2 for Domain 1: the Government states, “At least one publication each year over the past five years is required. If other than a calendar year, the Offeror shall indicate the precise time period of the publication. These publications do not have to be peer-reviewed and do not have to be associated with the Offeror’s organization; however, they must be authored by a staff member of the Offeror’s organization.” Question: Will the government consider this criterion met if the publication is authored by a staff member of the Offeror’s organization, but the staff member was not employed by the organization at the time of publication?

Answer: Yes, if the publications show direct work performed and are available for review by CDC.

54. Reference RFP, page 86, criterion 6: the Government states, “Offerors shall complete the reference information table in the attached “Past Performance Questionnaire” form identifying the name and other pertinent information for at least two (2) selected business references.”

Question: Is there a timeframe for when these references will be accepted to be used in the evaluation of proposals?

Answer: References are due by the closing date of the RFP.

55. Reference RFP, F.2, Page 27; H.2, Page 37; Page 47. The sections state: “F.2 Place(s) of Performance (Jul 1999) The Contractor shall perform all work under this contract at: to be specified in each task order.”

“H.2 Telework. Contractors are required to use Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE) that has been properly configured for security controls by CDC’s Information Technology Services Office (ITSO). The Government's inability to provide IT GFE for telework will preclude the use of telework, and shall not constitute an excusable delay. The Government shall provide maintenance and technical support for IT GFE used by Teleworkers.”

“H.18 352.239-70 Standard for Security Configurations (January 2010)

a. (a) The Contractor shall configure its computers that contain HHS data with the applicable Federal Desktop Core Configuration (FDCC) (see http://nvd.nist.gov/fdcc/index.cfm) and ensure that its computers have and maintain the latest operating system patch level and anti-virus software level. (Note: FDCC is applicable to all computing systems using Windows XP™ and Windows Vista™, including desktops and laptops—regardless of function—but not including servers.)” However, the SOW for Sample Task Order 1 states no GFE will be issued:

“a. Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract will be performed at the Contractor’s facility.

b. Government Furnished Property, Equipment, and Services: None” Question: Would the government please clarify whether or not IT Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE) will be provided?

Answer: For estimation purposes, offerors should assume no Government furnished IT equipment will not be provided for the sample task order. After award, for individual task orders, Government Furnished Property may or may not be provided depending upon the specific requirement. If Government Furnished Property will be provided on a given task order, it will be clearly indicated on the task order proposal request.

56. Reference RFP, page 86, L.10, Business Proposal Instructions, 1st sentence: the Government states, “A separate business proposal shall be provided for each domain (as applicable) and shall be comprised of the following:” Will the Government confirm that the submitted response will contain one (1) Business Volume per domain, pricing against the SOW in the Sample Task Order(s)?

Answer: Offerors must provide pricing information as requested in section L.10 (for example a loaded labor rate table for all labor categories) and a pricing proposal for the sample task order for the corresponding domain.

57. Reference RFP, page 86, L.9.6) Criterion 6 – Past Performance, 1st sentence, the Government states, “Offerors shall complete the reference information table in the attached “Past Performance Questionnaire” form identifying the name and other pertinent information for at least three (3) selected business references.” Will the Government confirm that neither a Past Performance section nor attachment is a requirement of the submitted response, and only completed questionnaires?

Answer: A separate past performance section is not required.

58. Reference RFP page 85, L.9: Technical Proposal Instructions; Technical Evaluation Criteria; Criterion 5: Sample Task Orders – In the Evaluation Criteria for Sample RFTOP(s), under Section 2, Project Management and Operations, a portion of the requirement states, “This includes the detailed description of specific tasks to be performed, methods and resources to be used…”. Is the Government looking for a description of the tasks, methods and resources that the contractor will perform / employ to address the Tasks described in the Scope of Work within the Sample RFTOP State of Work? If yes, this seems duplicative to the requirements for the Technical Plan and Approach. Could you please clarify the difference between the two sections? If no, could you please clarify what is required?

Answer: The technical plan and approach is the overall approach to accomplishing the work. The project management and operation is a detailed description of how the work will be performed, including specific tasks and staffing.

59. Reference RFP page 85, L.9: Technical Proposal Instructions; Technical Evaluation Criteria; Criterion 5: Sample Task Orders – In the Evaluation Criteria for Sample RFTOP(s), under Section 2, Project Management and Operations, a portion of the requirement states, “Offerors shall adequately describe the resources they propose to complete the work described in the PWS and a rationale for their proposed approach.” Is the Government referring to Proposed Staffing when using the term “resources”?

Answer: Resources refers to proposed staffing, facilities, equipment, hardware, software, communication methods, etc. the offeror will use to accomplish the work necessary to provide the deliverables.

60. Is there a ceiling on the available funding per year?

Answer: The ceiling for this requirement is $90 million dollars over 10 years.

61. Is there a ceiling on the award amount per domain per year?

Answer: There is no yearly per domain ceiling.

62. For the policy dissemination domain, does the responsibility for production of materials and materials dissemination rest with the contractor?

Answer: The contractor is may be responsible for production of materials and dissemination as outlined in specific task orders. If necessary, the contractor must comply with HHS and CDC requirements for obtaining appropriate printing clearances, if necessary.

63. Given the CDC-provided LCATs, can CDC align the LCATs to the sample task orders?

Answer: The offeror shall propose appropriate LCATs for the sample task orders. For informational purposes only, Attachment 2 shows the LCATs that CDC envisions for work in each domain. Offerors should propose the labor category distribution which will best meet the Government’s requirement.

64. Domain 1 and Domain 2 both have activities or tasks focused on “Policy Analysis and Policy Environment Assessments.” Can you please clarify how these are different, if at all?

Answer: Under Domain 1, the analyses and assessments are more rigorous and designed to identify the best policy options. Under Domain 2, the analyses and assessments are performed to identify how the Government can best work with stakeholders to promote and further policy options.

65. Reference RFP page 16, Domain 1: Complex Systems Analyses that (1) specify a system and its parts in order to identify and describe the interactions among the parts and how the behavior of the system emerges from the interactions among the parts or (2) consider a class of systems and use statistical analyses to understand the behaviors and properties of the systems. These analyses will most often focus on the U.S. health system, including the health care delivery system and the public health system.

Question: Can the government please define what is meant by Complex Systems Analyses?

Answer: The health care system is a complex interconnected network of organizations, people and actions that influence each other, often in a nonlinear fashion, with the primary goal to promote, restore, or maintain health. A complex systems analysis framework is needed to integrate demographic, surveillance, epidemiology and cost data to support decision-making when resources are scarce. This complex system framework should be modular, scalable and adaptable, thus avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach to designing health policies.

66. May offerors propose labor categories in addition to those suggested in the solicitation? Allowing additional categories will allow offerors to propose rates that align closer to an offerors labor mix, which will reduce the price of individual categories and provide the most cost-efficient solutions for the Government.

Answer: See answer to question 30.

67. Will the CDC award task orders based upon the sample task order proposals?

Answer: See answer to question 25.

68. Should offerors provide LOE and cost estimates on a task by task basis within each sample task?

Answer: Yes, offerors shall provide a level of effort and cost estimate on a task by task basis within each sample task.

69. If we are submitting proposals for more than one domain and would like to use the same reference for past performance on more than one domain, what is the best way to denote this to both the evaluator and to the CDC?

Yes, references may cross multiple domains if they are relevant to multiple domains. Indicate the domain(s) for which the reference applies on the first page of the questionnaire under the offeror’s name.

70. For the sample task orders, will the resumes count against the 20 page limit or can they be put in the appendix of the Sample Task Proposal?

Answer: The 2-page resumes for key personnel do not count towards the 20 page limit for sample task orders and should only be included for staff necessary to complete the work.

71. What is the expected size, range (maximum, minimum), and period of performance of anticipated future Task Orders for each Domain?

Answer: There is no expected size, range and period of performance for future task orders. Size, range, and period of performance will be determined by specific task order.

72. May we propose alternate labor categories?

Answer: See answer to question 30.

73. May we map our current MOBIS labor categories to the labor category descriptions in the RFP?

Answer: If the purpose of mapping the MOBIS labor categories to the labor category descriptions in the RFP are merely to price the labor category stated in the RFP description, it would be at the discretion of the Offeror. This is not a MOBIS or even GSA-based FAR Part 8 RFQ. This is a FAR Part 15 RFP so any “internal” mapping an Offeror might do against a GSA Schedule will not be recognized for purposes of this contract for future rate increasesn unless they are negotiated at the time of the IDIQ contract award.

74. Which past performance questionnaire format should we use, as two different versions were presented in the RFP?

Answer: See answer to question 29.

75. Under Section I.1. of the RFP, we request deletion of 52.232.22 “Limitation of Funds (Apr. 1984)” as it only applies to cost reimbursement awards.

Answer: See amendment 0001 to the RFP. 52.232.22 has been removed.

76. Please confirm if 52.219.14 “Limitations on Subcontracting” is applicable to Domains 2 and 3.

Answer: Yes, see amendment 0001 to the RFP, 52.219.14 is applicable to Domains 2 and 3.

77. SF 33: Please consider extending the due date to January 28, 2014.

Answer: See amendment 0001 to the RFP.

78. Section H. 4, Minimum Required Insurance, page 38: Please confirm that proof of insurance will be required on a task order basis instead of at the IDIQ level.

Answer: Proof of insurance, if applicable, will be required at the task order level.

79. Section I.1: Is the small business limitation in effect on this contract?

a. If so, is it applicable for the entire term of the contract, including all option years?

b. Or is it in effect for each task order?

Answer: Yes, the small business limitation is in effect for Domains 2 and 3 which are set aside for small business. This limitation is in effect for all task orders under Domains 2 and 3, which are set aside for small business, for the entire term of the contract.

80. Section J, Attachment J.1: Are other labor categories allowed?

Answer: See answer to question 30.

81. Section L.6, Contract Structure, page 75: Does CDC have in mind a number of small business awards that will be made for Domains 2 and 3?

Answer: See answer to question 28.

82. Section L.9, Technical Proposal Instructions, page 81, Second paragraph, last sentence, re: all proposals being evaluated for full and open competition: Please clarify what this means related to Domains 2 and 3 which are indicated as small business set aside.

Answer: See amendment 0001 to the RFP.

83. Section L.9, Technical Proposal Instructions, page 82-84, Technical Evaluation Criteria, Criterion 2: Expertise in Domain Specific Areas:

a. Does CDC expect for primes (or offerors) to meet all of the minimum qualifications?

Answer: An offeror’s entire proposal will be evaluated including qualifications of subcontractors.

b. Can the experience of an offeror’ s consultants count toward the offerors minimum qualifications?

Answer: Yes, a combination of experience is acceptable.

c. Does subcontractor experience count toward the offeror’ s minimum qualifications?

Answer: Yes, a combination of experience is acceptable.

d. Given that this is an IDIQ and that no award is being made with the IDIQ, is CDC expecting that offerors have all qualifications covered at the time of award?

Answer: Yes, offerors are expected to have all qualifications at the time of IDIQ award.

84. Section L.9, Technical Proposal Instructions, Technical Evaluation Criteria, Criterion 4, Staffing/Key Personnel/Expertise, e., page 84:

a. Is there a page limit for the 5 resumes of the most senior proposed experts/key personnel?

Answer: Limit these resumes to 10 pages or less each.

b. Is there a limit to the number of resumes that may be submitted with sample task orders?

Answer: No, however, 2-page resumes should only be included for staff necessary to complete the work.

85. Section L.9, Past Performance, page 86: Are offerors AND subcontractors required to submit at least 2 business references each or at least a total of 2 references?

Answer: A total of 2 references is required.

86. Sample Task Order for Domain 2. Is the period of performance 18 months?

Answer: See answer to question 21.

87. Sample Task for Domain 3

a. Similar to the CDC evaluation framework, are there CDC health communication guidelines that offerors should use in preparing our responses?

Answer: Offeror’s response should include their best approach and communication methods to effectively fulfill the requirements of the sample task order.

b. Please provide specific requirements for Tasks 5 and 6.

Answer: Tasks 5 and 6 for sample task order 3 refer to the marketing and capacity building plans developed as part of task 4 of sample task order 3.

88. Please specify what information needs to be included in the sample task in terms of cost.

Answer: Costs should reflect what the offeror believes represent the best approach to fulfilling the Government’s requirement. See section L.10, sub section K for additional requirements.

89. Are the proposal cover, title page, and required contact pages included in the total page count?

Answer: Page limits are outlined in the table on page 81. The cover, title page, and contact pages do not count toward the total page count.

90. Is there a limitation on the number of resumes for key personnel that can be provided for the sample task?

Answer: See answer to question 84b.

91. Please clarify whether the 20-page limitation for the sample task is included in the overall limit of 75 pages

Answer: See answer to question 10.

92. Which, if any, of the sample tasks are expected to be live?

Answer: See answer to question 25.

93. Do the answers to questions in the previously-released solicitations apply to this as well?

Answer: See answer to question 11.

94. What is the anticipated start date?

Answer: The estimated start date for the IDIQ is May 1, 2014.

95. Please confirm if the Standard Form 33 (SF33) is required to be completed and included in the IDIQ price proposal. Please also confirm if the SF33 is required for the three sample task order price proposals.

Answer: An SF33 is required for the IDIQ. An additional SF33 is not required for the sample task orders.

96. Please confirm that it is not CDC’s intention to issue any resulting contract under a GSA FSS such as MOBIS.

Answer: Correct, the CDC does not intend to issue resulting contracts under a GSA vehicle.

97. The RFP includes sections G.1 (Subcontracting Program Reports), G.9 (Electronic Submission Reporting System (eSRS) and clause 52.219-16 (Small Business Subcontracting Plan). Please confirm whether a small business subcontracting plan is required to be included with the price proposal.

Answer: See answer to question 18.

98. REFERENCE: CRITERION 2—EXPERTISE IN DOMAIN SPECIFIC AREAS, p. 82-83. Question: Reference is made to the inclusion of subs/consultants as needed to cover all areas in Domains 1 and 3, but not Domain 2. Can we assume that subs are allowed in the bids for all 3 Domains?

Answer: Yes, subcontractors and/or consultants may be used in all three domains.

99. REFERENCE: CRITERION 6—PAST PERFORMANCE, P. 86. Question: If subcontractor or team member references are submitted, must two references be submitted for each, or may one reference be submitted for each subcontractor or team member if the prime offeror is also able to provide one reference?

Answer: Two total references are required. See L.9 criterion 6 which states, in part, “The offeror shall submit only references for which they have performed services within the last five (5) years. The government will not consider references for work completed before the 5-year period. If references are not available, the Government will consider predecessor companies, key personnel who have relevant experience, or subcontractors / Team Members that will perform major or critical aspects of the requirement when such information is relevant to the acquisition.”

100. Page 76, L.6 (Contract Structure) / Page 81, L.9 (Proposal Instructions): Page 76 of the solicitation indicates Domain 1 will be competed under full-and-open procedures, and Domains 2/3 as small business set-asides for which only businesses meeting the small business size standards for NAICS code 541720 may submit proposals. Later, on Page 81, the solicitation indicates “all proposals will be evaluated for full and open competition and qualified proposers will also be secondarily evaluated for the small business set-aside award categories”. Please confirm whether proposals submitted by small businesses in response to Domain 1 will be secondarily evaluated for a small business set-aside award category, given that the Domain has been identified as being subject to full-and-open competition procedures.

Answer: See amendment 0001 to the RFP. Only small businesses are eligible to submit proposals under Domains 2 and 3. Domain 1 is full and open competition. All proposals submitted for Domain 1 will be evaluated, there is no separate small business set aside for Domian 1.

101. If proposals submitted in response to Domains 2 and 3 (i.e., Domains set aside for small business competition) will first be evaluated for full and open competition, please describe the process.

Answer: See amendment 0001 to the RFP.

102. Page 81, L.9 (Proposal Instructions): The table provided on Page 81 indicates, “the cover letter, table of contents, technical proposal cross- walk table, sample task orders, resumes and references do not count toward the 75 page limit”, however the table also indicates the 20 page limit associated with the sample task order is “included in the 75-page limit”. Please advise.

Answer: See answer to question 10.

103. Page 85, L.9.5 (Proposal Instructions, Criterion 5) / Page 81, L.9 (Proposal Instructions): Please advise whether resumes provided to fulfill the Section 3/Staffing Plan evaluation criteria cited under Criterion 5 (i.e., Sample Task Orders) are included in the 20 page limit cited on Page 81 of the solicitation for the Domain-Specific Sample Task Order response.

Answer: See answer to question 16.

104. Page 82/87, L.9.2.a.7 (Proposal Instructions, Criterion 2, Domain 1, minimum qualification #7): The seventh minimum qualification identified on Page 82 of the solicitation indicates, the offeror should have “access to individuals who can work across subject areas as diverse as economics, epidemiology, public policy, risk management, health administration, systems thinking and modeling, and health policy research and analysis”. Would it be acceptable for the offeror to demonstrate this access by providing resumes of individuals representative of these subject areas as an Appendix? If yes, would the appendix (and the resumes it includes) count towards the 75 page limit for the Technical Proposal as identified on Page 81 of the solicitation?

Answer: Offeror shall only provide resumes requested in section L.9, Criterion 4 and Criterion 5 to satisfy requirements of the overall IDIQ and the sample task orders. “Access to individuals who can work across subject areas…” may be demonstrated by including appropriate references in the technical proposal narrative which would describe the offeror’s past experience in working across the diverse subject areas mentioned.

105. Page 81, L.9 (Proposal Instructions) / Page 86/87, L.9.6 ( Proposal Instructions, Criterion 6): The table on Page 81 of the solicitation indicates references do not count toward the 75 page limit for the Technical Proposal (Volume 1), however the solicitation not appear to instruct the offeror to include references in its Technical Proposal.

106. Should offeror identify the references to whom past performance questionnaires have been sent, either in Volume I (Technical) or Volume II (Contract Documentation and Price) of their proposal? If yes, please identify: a) The volume in which they should be included b) The tab/section under which they should be included (e.g., existing tab/section as identified on Page 81 of the solicitation or provided as a new, separate tab).

Answer: Offerors may identify the references to whom past performance questionnaires have been sent. This information should be included in the domain specific cover letter, Volume 1, Tab A.

107. May offerors use their GSA Schedule for Attachment 3?

Answer: No, GSA schedules are not applicable to this requirement.

108. Is there a page limit to the Business Proposal?

Answer: There is no page limit for the business proposal. However, only pertinent information should be included in the business proposal.

109. May offerors add key personnel or subcontractors when specific task orders come out?