QA_Outreach_Session_Final.pdf

World Trade Center Health Program – Outreach and Education Contracts - Question and Answer Session

May 5, 2016 – 10:00 AM EST until 12:00 Noon EST

Question 1: The Sources Sought Notice was modified. Will there be an RFP posted?

Answer 1: The RFP was posted on April 26, 2016.

Question 2: Is there a cap for indirect cost rates?

Answer 2: No, there is no cap for indirect cost rates; however, the government will not accept unreasonable indirect cost rates. If your organization has approved final or provisional rates from its cognizant agency, please include them with your response.

Question 3: When is the start date of the contracts?

Answer 3: The anticipated start date is September 15, 2016.

Question 4: Is there anything different in this RFP compared to the last RFP?

Answer 4: The major differences from this RFP compared to the last RFP that was posted in 2014 are the requirements of key personnel with associated labor rates, added specificity in the technical proposal, the work is limited to the NYC area, and there are three solicitations as opposed to one solicitation.

Question 5: In the sources sought notice, offerors were instructed not to include proprietary information. What should offerors do with proprietary information in the proposals?

Answer 5: The government requests that proprietary information not be included in your response as the PWS will incorporated into a resulting award. If your organization chooses to include proprietary information, you do so at your risk.

Question 6: What are the Reporting Requirements?

Answer 6: The reporting requirements will be finalized in the subsequent contract; however, it is anticipated that bi-annual reports will be required.

Question 7: If a proposal is submitted with activities that the [WTCHP] does not particularly like, can the government pick and choose?

Answer 7: It is anticipated that negotiations will take place.

Question 8: What if there is overlap in outreach efforts? Will contractors collaborate?

Answer 8: Each awardee will have specific requirements and parameters to follow. Collaborations with other awardees can voluntarily occur after contract award if awardees so choose, provided contractors continue to perform according to specific contractual requirements.

Question 9: Is the $750,000 for both years or each year? Is it $250,000 for each solicitation?

Answer 9: Per the Zadroga Act, there is $750,000 available each year for Outreach and Education efforts. This year, the WTCHP has posted three (3) solicitations for Outreach and Education efforts with the possibility of multiple awards on each solicitation. There could be as few as 3 contracts or as many as 7 contracts.

Question 10: Is there a metric for enrollment [into the WTCHP]?

Answer 10: No.

Question 11: Why are the solicitations split into these groups?

Answer 11: In past years, the non-English speaking responder and survivor populations were not being adequately reached. These three (3) requirements have been developed in an effort to more effectively reach all populations.

Question 12: Has a formal program evaluation on Outreach and Education been done?

Answer 12: No. Information is and has been collected with various metrics such as the number of survivors and responders who have enrolled and if they had contact or assistance from an organization with enrolling. However, no formal evaluation has been conducted.

Question 13: For the non-English solicitation, is there focus on one particular area/community?

Answer 13: The offeror shall propose an effective solution with provides a focus on a target area needing outreach and education. Proposals should clarify a proven relationship to reach those communities. Per the SOO, “Proposals shall demonstrate proven relationships with affected non-English speaking populations, such as but not limited to the Spanish, Polish, and Chinese speaking populations in the NYC area.”

Question 14: Are there any other programmatic changes, such as amendments to enrollment appeals?

Answer 14: No, there are no changes or amendments to enrollment appeals.

Question 15: How will these contracts be affected by outreach performed by the Clinical Centers of Excellence

(CCEs)?

Answer 15: The WTCHP will evaluate and monitor to ensure no duplication of effort.

Question 16: What are “Response Assumptions”?

Answer 16: Response Assumptions are any assumptions that the offeror makes when drafting and submitting their proposals. For example, an offeror may submit a proposal for Outreach and Education to Non-English

Responder and Survivor Populations and assume that there are a certain number of Spanish-speaking organizations in a particular community that they plan on reaching. Offeror’s shall provide a basis for their assumptions.

Question 17: Are the labor rates fully loaded?

Answer 17: The offeror shall indicate if they are including unburdened or loaded labor rates.

Question 18: Is there a template for the PWS?

Answer 18: No.

Question 19: How are the proposals evaluated?

Answer 19: The proposals will be evaluated pursuant to the solicitation section FAR 52.212-2, EVALUATION –

COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

Question 20: Will the WTCHP continue to create outreach materials that are available to contractors?

Answer 20: Yes; however, contractors are responsible for printing costs.

Question 21: Is there a minimum number of labor hours required for staff assigned to the project?

Answer 21: No. Each offeror shall propose the amount of hours they anticipate it will take to complete the requirement.

Question 22: How does it affect the tax status of non-profit organizations who are 501(c) 3 and 501(c) 4 if they receive CDC grant money?

Answer 22: The Outreach and Education solicitations will not result in grants. Firm Fixed Price Contracts will result from these solicitations. It is the responsibility of offerors to determine any implication on tax status these awards may incur upon your organization.

Question 23: Does it affect how they declare their taxes with the federal government?

Answer 23: It is the responsibility of offerors to determine how to declare their organization’s tax position with respect to these awards.

Question 24: Regarding all three solicitations 2016-N-17765, 2016-N-17764, and 2016-N-17763, C.21.c does not appear to explicitly require the HHS Section 508 Product Assessment Template to be included with the offeror’s proposal. E.3.F exempts the template from page count, which suggests that it is required with the offeror’s proposal. Please clarify the requirement to provide the Template.

Answer 24: The 508 template is required to be submitted if an offeror’s PWS indicates that electronic and information technology, i.e. a website, will be used in the offeror’s Outreach and Education effort.

Question 25: Regarding all three solicitations 2016-N-17765, 2016-N-17764, and 2016-N-17763, E.3.F.6 exempts questionnaires from page count although the questionnaires do not seem to be required. Please clarify the requirement to provide questionnaires.

Answer 25: The government will amend the third paragraph in E.3F to state the following, “The Technical Proposal has a total page limit of 40 pages. Vendors are cautioned that any response exceeding the 40 page limit will only be reviewed up to page 40. Key Personnel resumes, past performance references and narratives, and Section 508 compliance template do to count against the page limit.”

Question 26: Regarding all three solicitations 2016-N-17765, 2016-N-17764, and 2016-N-17763, E.4.4, Technical Elements, states that the offeror must demonstrate the ability to successfully coordinate with other 9/11 related entities. Can the Government provide offerors a list of the other 9/11 related entities?

Answer 26: Other WTCHP entities include NIOSH, Clinical Centers of Excellence (CCEs), Data Centers (DCs), the Nationwide Provider Network (NPN), the NIOSH Support Contractor, and other contractors awarded contracts under the three (3) outreach solicitations.

Question 27: Regarding all three solicitations 2016-N-17765, 2016-N-17764, and 2016-N-17763, how does the

Government measure success on the current contracts? How does the Government intend to measure success on the new contracts?

Answer 27: Success will be measured by the contractor effectively completing all activities as outlined in the subsequent contract.

Question 28: Regarding all three solicitations 2016-N-17765, 2016-N-17764, and 2016-N-17763, the SOO states that the awardees are responsible for printing costs. Can the Government provide a reasonable estimate for the number of materials that will need to be printed and in what quantities?

Answer 28: No. It is at the offerors discretion based on activities proposed in response to these solicitations.

Question 29: Regarding all three solicitations 2016-N-17765, 2016-N-17764, and 2016-N-17763, can the

Government indicate how materials are to be distributed? Should the cost of sending materials via U.S. mail be included in our fixed price number?

Answer 29: Any program materials that an offeror requests from the WTCHP shall be distributed electronically.

Materials are currently located at: http://www.cdc.gov/wtc/outreach-materials.html.

Question 30: Regarding all three solicitations 2016-N-17765, 2016-N-17764, and 2016-N-17763, should the offeror include the development of a new public website in its proposal?

Answer 30: The offeror is not required to develop a website, but can include the development or use of a website in their proposal if they feel it appropriate.

Question 31: Regarding all three solicitations 2016-N-17765, 2016-N-17764, and 2016-N-17763, are offerors expected to develop new outreach materials? With regard to 2016-N-17763, does the Government expect the offeror to provide translation services for these materials?

Answer 31: The government has created general outreach and education materials that are available on the World

Trade Center website. (http://www.cdc.gov/wtc/outreach-materials.html). Organizations can co-brand these materials, within the branding guidelines provided by the Program. Organizations can also create new materials, however, before any new materials could be printed and disseminated they would have to be approved by the

WTC Health Program. Program created materials have been translated. Any new materials created by the contractor, and approved by the Program, should be translated by the contractor where appropriate.

http://www.cdc.gov/wtc/outreach-materials.html

Question 32: Regarding all three solicitations 2016-N-17765, 2016-N-17764, and 2016-N-17763, can the

Government provide examples of the required monthly and bi-annual reports?

Answer 32: There are no templates for these reports. Bi-Annual reports shall include a detailed update of all

Outreach and Education activities completed.