MACPAC IDIQ Q and A 06242020.pdf

MACPAC INDEFINITE DELIVERY INDEFINITE QUANTITY (IDIQ)

CONTRACT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, NOTICE ID 202001

Responses to Questions (posted June 24, 2020)

Question # Bidder Question MACPAC Response

Can you kindly send me the MACPAC standard terms and conditions that would apply to a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization?

Terms and conditions will be posted on beta.sam.gov by June 24, 2020.

In response to your RFP for short and long term studies and analyses on topics relating to Medicaid and CHIP, the RFP states NAICS 541690 Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services, but open to all sources. Can you confirm that you will accept proposals from other NAICS such as 541611 Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services?

Yes, MACPAC will accept proposals from all sources.

In reviewing the RFP attached and in the subject header, we are requesting a copy of the Terms and Conditions from MACPAC associated with this RFP.

Terms and conditions will be posted on beta.sam.gov by June 24, 2020.

The first paragraph on p. 21 of the Request for Proposals requires that the business proposal contain “the general proposed cost for completing the hypothetical project discussed in Section 5 of the offeror's technical proposal.” Section 5 of the RFP does not discuss a hypothetical project.

Similarly, the section on evaluation factors for award listed in Appendix B makes no mention of the hypothetical project. Would MACPAC please clarify whether submissions should include a hypothetical project, and, if so, please provide the requirements for that project?

Submissions should not include a hypothetical project. On June 8, 2020 we posted a revised version of the IDIQ Request for Proposals to remove references to a hypothetical project.

Section 1, 1.3.1 states that the offeror shall propose fully-loaded hourly rates for all personnel potentially assigned to tasks under this contract and that the offeror may use sample labor categories provided. Please confirm that the offeror does not need to propose rates for all sample labor categories.

Correct. The offeror does not need to propose rates for all sample labor categories.

Question # Bidder Question MACPAC Response

Section 2, Attachment A, 3.b.3.ix calls for a summary of qualifications for the project manager. Please confirm that a summary of the project director is needed here, as well.

In the RFP language, we make a distinction between an IDIQ project manager who oversees all tasks under the IDIQ and a project director on a specific project. In the section you referenced in 3.b.3.ix, we are referring to the IDIQ project manager.

As described in Section 2, Attachment A, 3.b.4 & 5, the offeror must submit separate qualifications for each project type of interest. It is possible that key personnel and past performance qualifications span project types. Would it be acceptable to MACPAC to repeat personnel and past performance qualifications across project type responses, where appropriate? Also, where is MACPAC expecting to see the offeror’s general organization description?

Yes, it is acceptable to repeat personnel and past performance, but a separate response for each project type being proposed must be submitted.

Offerors can include general background on their organization in Section 2, Attachment A, 3.b.5.i.

Section 2, Attachment A, 4.a & c references a hypothetical project and the need for cost estimates. Is a description of the hypothetical project available?

Submissions should not include a hypothetical project. On June 8, 2020, we posted a revised version of the IDIQ Request for Proposals to remove references to a hypothetical project.

Hello! I am new to federal contracting and wonder if you can please advise me how to obtain a list of the incumbents and copies of their contracts, with pricing, for the last MACPAC IDIQ ?

MACPAC is able to share the list of incumbent vendors but cannot share copies of their contracts.

Here is the list of current IDIQ vendors:

Acumen (Medric)

ARC

Bailit Health Purchasing, LLC Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.

Burns and Associates Dobson Davanzo George Washington University Georgia Health Policy Center, Georgia State University Research Foundation Health Management Associates IMPAQ International LLC John Snow, Inc.

Mathematica Policy Research Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine Myers and Stauffer LC

NASHP

NORC

RTI

SHADAC

SSS

IBM Watson/Truven Health Analytics Inc.

Urban Institute

10 Do we need to be registered with SAM?

Yes, prospective contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database at www.beta.sam.gov prior to award of a contract or agreement, as stated in our press release on May 27, 2020.

The RFP states that each response to each of the 6 project types in “4.

Proposed personnel qualifications” and “5. Organizational qualifications and past performance” sections should be no more than five and seven pages, respectively, and that a separate response should be submitted for each of the project types that the offeror is choosing to bid on. Would it be acceptable to include a general introduction (applicable to all project types the offeror is choosing to bid on) at the start of sections 4 and 5? If so, would the introduction count against the page limit for the length of each response per project type?

MACPAC will consider only the response that is submitted for each of the project types that the offeror is choosing to bid on and that meets the page length requirements. We will not consider materials submitted outside of those requested in Attachment A 3.0 Technical Proposal Format.

I am reaching out in regards to the MACPAC Requests Proposals for IDIQ Task Order Contracts and was wondering whether the Contracting Office would be able to provide a list of current MACPAC contract holders? I conducted a search in FPDS but was unable to identify any current contract holders. I considered that this may be because MACPAC is a legislative agency and might not be required to publicly report spending data. See our response to question #9.

Will you please provide a copy of the MACPAC Standard Terms and Conditions applicable to the attached RFP? Will exceptions or minor modifications to the Standard Terms and Conditions be considered?

On June 24, we will post a copy of the terms and conditions. Exceptions or modifications will not be considered.

14 Will MACPAC accept approved GSA contracted rates?

The offeror may propose rates as it deems appropriate for MACPAC to consider.

If GSA approved rates are allowed, will MACPAC accept a combination of approved GSA rates along with a build up for some positions for which we currently do not have an approved GSA rate?

The offeror may propose rates as it deems appropriate for MACPAC to consider.

Regarding structure: Please confirm that the ‘proposed personnel qualifications’ sections and the ‘organizational qualifications and past performance’ sections should each standalone by project type—that is, any staff or projects that will be used for multiple project types must be described in full (as opposed to referenced) in each section.

Yes, this is correct. The offeror’s response to these two sections for each project type should be able to be reviewed as standalone documents.

17 Regarding submitting samples: What qualifies as a ‘set’ of samples?

If they choose to submit work samples, offerors should submit one set in an attachment labeled Attachment B, and include appropriate references to Attachment B in the narrative response. There does not need to be a separate Attachment B for each project type that an offeror is proposing.

Work samples are optional. (Similarly, as noted in the RFP, only one set of resumes needs to be submitted for all staff proposed across all project types.)

Section 5.ii of the RFP states: [Organizational qualifications and past performance] shall include a “summary of the project scope, period of performance, key staff, and the names, addresses and phone numbers of contract and technical supervision officers.” Would it be acceptable for this information to be presented in an appendix? Or does MACPAC expect for this information to be included in section 5 (counting towards the 7 pages permitted for each project type response)?

This information should be contained within the page limit for section 5. Offerors are encouraged to select the most recent and/or relevant examples for each project type that are proposing.

Attachment A, Section 4.0.c. Business proposal format and instructions, Volume Organization (page 22). Subsection 4.0.c.(1). calls for a Glossary of Abbreviations and Acronyms. If an Offeror uses minimal abbreviations and acronyms in the Business proposal (and most of those from the RFP itself), may it define abbreviations and acronyms next to their citations in the text rather than compiling a glossary?

Yes, the offeror may define abbreviations and acronyms next to their citations in the text instead of compiling a glossary.

Attachment A, Section 4.0.e. Business proposal format and instructions, Financial Responsibility (pages 23-24). Subsection 4.0.e.(i). asks for financial statements for the last three years, and year-to-date financial information through the last quarter available. However, subsection 4.0.e.(ii). includes a requirement for “Historical and year-to-date financial data…” What is meant by “financial data” in 4.0.e.(ii). that would not already be included in the financial statements and financial information required in 4.0.e.(i)?

No additional information is needed if historical financial statements and year-to-date financial information have been provided, demonstrating the offeror's ability to fund contract performance.

2.6.1.2 Human Resource Management, Personnel Qualifications (page 10);

2.7.7. General Information, Quality Control (page 15); and Attachment A, 3.b.3.ix Technical proposal format, management plan (page 19). The RFP currently references two IDIQ leadership position titles: “IDIQ project manager” and “IDIQ project director.” Question 6 in the Q&A released on 6/8/20 references an IDIQ project manager cited in Section 2, Attachment A, 3.b.3.ix of the RFP, and notes that an IDIQ project manager oversees all tasks under the IDIQ and that this is a distinct role from a project director on a specific project. Earlier in the RFP in Section 2.6.1.2, offerors are asked to propose an IDIQ project director who will be responsible for overseeing all task orders under this contract. The RFP also notes the IDIQ project director is also responsible for quality control (in section 2.7.7). Which IDIQ leadership position(s) would MACPAC prefer for offerors to propose? And, which position is responsible for overseeing all task orders on the IDIQ contract?

See our response to question #6. Offerors must propose an overall IDIQ project director, who is considered key personnel for purposes of the IDIQ response. Labor rate schedules should also include the role(s) of project director or project manager that would be used for individual task orders, and may use those titles or other staff with comparable seniority.

Attachment A, Section 3.b.5.iv (page 21) Technical proposal format, Organizational qualifications and past performance. In Attachment A, section 3.b.5.iv, the RFP asks that only one set of work samples may be submitted per proposal. How many work samples would MACPAC like to see from each Offeror in a set?

Submission of work samples is optional. Offerors may choose to include work samples to demonstrate specific qualifications that are described in the response(s) to section 5.

Are offerors expected to complete the burdened labor rate schedule and other direct costs pricing tables at the IDIQ stage? (page 3, section 1.3.2)

Yes, the offeror shall propose fully-loaded, fixed hourly rates for each labor category corresponding to the personnel potentially assigned to tasks under this contract. Offerors may use the sample labor categories included in section 1.3.1 or its own categories. For purposes of the business proposals, only labor costs needs to be provided and other rows in the pricing tables may be left blank. If future task orders include cost reimbursement for materials or travel, these sections of the pricing tables would be completed.

This criterion states, “Describe how subcontractors or consultants are managed and effectively integrated into projects.” If we are not proposing any subcontractors or consultants as part of our IDIQ response, how should we address potential involvement of subcontractors or consultants at a task order level? (page 19, Section 2, Attachment A, 3.0 b, 3, iv.)

Offerors should describe their general process for overseeing a subcontractor for the types of projects described in the IDIQ RFP. MACPAC is most interested in how prime contractors ensure the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of all work performed on a task order contract, including any work performed by subcontractors.

This paragraph refers to “the hypothetical project discussed in Section 5 of the offeror’s technical proposal.” However, there does not appear to be a requirement for a hypothetical project in the RFP. Can MACPAC please confirm that no hypothetical task is expected as part of the offeror’s technical response? (page 21, Section 2, Attachment A, 4.0 a.)

Correct. No hypothetical task is expected as part of the technical or business response and references to a hypothetical task should be ignored. We updated the RFP language on June 8, 2020 to remove references to a hypothetical task.

This paragraph refers to “the hypothetical project discussed in Section 5 of the offeror’s technical proposal.” However, there does not appear to be a requirement for a hypothetical project in the RFP. Can MACPAC please clarify what is required in the business proposal? (page 21, Section 2, Attachment A,

4.0 a.) See our response to question #25.

Item v. states that “Failure to propose labor rates for all labor categories will render an offeror’s proposal incomplete and the entire proposal will be subject to rejection.” Must offerors proposal a labor rate for labor categories not intended to be bid on Task Orders (e.g. Actuary)? (page 23, Section 4.0 d. v.)

No, offerors do not need to propose rates for labor categories they do not intend to bid on.

How should offerors consider MACPAC’s federal and D.C. sale tax exemption?

Will MACPAC offer documentation of this exemption to contractors to facilitate the exemption? Do sales and use taxes in states other than the District of Columbia apply to contractors conducting business for MACPAC? (page 23, Section 4.0 d. x.)

MACPAC's tax exemption only applies to MACPAC, not to organizations we contract with. Contractors will incur whatever local taxes are charged to them while doing business with us.

Can MACPAC further explain how scores will be determined for the IDIQ overall and for each project type? What is the maximum possible score? How will contractors be selected in relation to these scores? (page 25 and 26, Attachment B, 3.0 and 4.0)

MACPAC will score the Understanding and Management Plan sections, which are submitted once for each proposal, to obtain a base subtotal.

MACPAC will then score the Personnel Qualifications and Organizational Qualifications for each proposed project type and calculate a separate qualifications subtotal for each proposed project type. The two subtotals (base and qualifications) will be summed to calculate the technical score for each project type. Offerors can receive between one and six technical scores, depending on how many project types they submit.

Offerors must achieve a minimum technical score for at least one project type in order to included in the IDIQ contract. Once included in the IDIQ, offerors may be considered for future solicitations in each of the areas in which they achieved the minimum technical score, at MACPAC’s discretion.

There is no scoring advantage or disadvantage to submitting qualifications for more than one project type.

Does Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 apply to documents produced by contractors for MACPAC?

It depends on the specific project. MACPAC typically requests that the task of bringing documents into compliance with section 508 and associated costs be included in the firm fixed price quote the offeror includes in their response to a request for proposal as an optional task.

For the Actuary labor category, would it be acceptable to substitute an Associate of the Society of Actuaries with 10 years of experience (or more) providing actuarial services regarding Medicaid or CHIP with the required Fellow of the Society designation and five years of experience? Yes.

For the Supervising Programmer, Supervising Analyst, or Lead Investigator categories, is MACPAC looking for one burdened rate to encompass all three categories or can the offeror propose a separate burdened rate for each of those categories?

See our response to question #23. Offerors may use the sample labor categories included in section 1.3.1 or its own categories.

Similar to the question above, for the Senior Programmer, Senior Analyst or Senior Research Scientist, is MACPAC looking for one burdened rate to encompass all three categories or can the offeror propose a separate burdened rate for each of those categories?

See our response to question #23. Offerors may use the sample labor categories included in section 1.3.1 or its own categories.

Could MACPAC clarify whether the total maximum page allocation for this section is 30 pages (i.e. 5 per project type)? (page 20, Section 3.b.4.iv)

Yes, 5 pages maximum for each of the 6 project types for a total of up to 30 pages.

Could MACPAC clarify whether the total maximum page allocation for this section is 42 pages (i.e. 7 per project type)? (page 21, Section 3.b.5.iii)

Yes, 7 pages maximum for each of the 6 project types for a total of up to 42 pages.

Could MACPAC clarify if the project director, as identified in section 2.6.1.2, is the same as the project manager mentioned in 1.3, or if they are separate roles?

The response to question 6 in the Responses to Questions document suggests the project manager is responsible for overseeing all tasks under the IDIQ, while section 2.6.1.2 suggests the project director has that responsibility. Could MACPAC further clarify, if necessary, which positions are considered key personnel? (pages 2 and 10, Sections 1.3.1 and 2.6.1.2 and Attachment A, 3.3.ix)

See our responses to questions #6 and #21. Only the IDIQ project director is considered key personnel for purposes of this response.

Successful bidders will be asked to identify key personnel as part of specific task order proposals, relevant to those projects.

Can MACPAC confirm what data/data access will be provided to awarded vendors (assuming requisite data use agreements), such as MSIS?

MACPAC expects that offerors will have access to the necessary data or will be able to obtain it.

Are offerors permitted to send separate technical and business proposals in a single email? Yes.

Please describe the process for selecting vendors for a particular task order? Is this a competitive process? If so, how is the decision made?

The process is competitive. Typically, MACPAC sends out a request for an expression of interest to all IDIQ vendors, then sends an request for proposal to all vendors who expressed interest.

MACPAC may also select a group of vendors that have particularly relevant skills to request proposals from. See also our response to question #48.

Please provide an example of a task order. Alternatively, if the historical task orders are online, please direct us to the location.

Examples by topic:

telehealth -https://www.macpac.gov/publication/changes-in-medicaid-telehealth-policies-due-to-covid-19-catalog-overview-and-findings/ maternity care -https://www.macpac.gov/publication/inventory-of-state-level-medicaid-policies-programs-and-initiatives-to-improve-maternity-care-and-outcomes/ care coordination for dually eligible beneficiaries -https://www.macpac.gov/publication/care-coordination-in-integrated-care-programs-serving-dually-eligible-beneficiaries-health-plan-standards-challenges-and-evolving-approaches/

41 Please provide a list of current vendors in the pool by task area. See our response to question #9.

Does MACPAC plan to contact the contract supervisors listed under section 5, Organizational qualifications and past performance? No.

We just want to confirm that, in proposals for MACPAC, the HHS salary cap does not apply and that we should follow standard federal limits on indirect costs, F&A, etc. No, it does not apply.

The RFP requests that we submit resumes and loaded labor rates for all professional personnel we might bid, but indicates that an alternative is to show loaded labor rates by personnel categories, as described in Sec. 1.3.1. Because we have a large number of personnel and they will change over time, in the past we have presented information (resumes, skills and salary information for a representative set of current staff. Is that acceptable? Yes, that is acceptable.

Our very strong preference is to bid our personnel’s actual salaries on task order proposals. For the IDIQ business proposal, for loaded labor rates by personnel category, we will present projected rates for the highest cost staff person in each category over five years. Are we correct in interpreting that these projections do not establish a maximum rate for each category in future years?

(That is, we might hire more experienced, expensive staff in the future or give higher raises than anticipated and we can charge their actual rates in future RfTOPs).

As stated in section 4.0.d.viii. on page 21, successful offerors' fully burdened FFP labor rates, indirect costs, and profit rates will be incoporated into resulting basic contracts and will be used as maximum rates for pricing future competitive and non-competitive task orders.

On page 22, the RFP mentions “hypothetical cost estimates” but does not specify what these are supposed to be. Can MACPAC clarify this? See our response to question #4.

If an organization bids on more than one project type and is awarded an IDIQ contract, will the contract cover all projects types the organization bid on or is it possible that an organization would be awarded a contract for only some of the project types bid? See our response to question #29.

Does MACPAC expect to issue requests for task order proposals for a given project type to all organizations awarded the IDIQ contract for that project type or could MACPAC issue requests for task order proposals to selected organizations?

MACPAC will decide on a case-by-case basis whether to invite all IDIQ vendors to bid on a particular task order or to narrow to a smaller group of vendors.

Reference: 2.4 Objective, Section 2.4.5. The RFP states that the proposal should demonstrate the offerors’ substantive knowledge and technical expertise Medicaid or CHIP policy, including understanding of state programs and state operations, having experience at both the federal and state levels. This policy expertise may be applicable to several project types that the offeror bids on.

Can the proposal include a section on the offeror’s Medicaid and CHIP policy expertise or should this be incorporated in the personnel qualifications and organizational qualifications for each project type individually? See our responses to questions #11 and #29.

2.5.1.4. Can MACPAC confirm that conducting limited surveys could include beneficiary surveys? Yes.

Attachment A, 3.0 Technical Proposal format and instructions, 5. Organizational qualifications and past performance (page 20). Can MACPAC confirm that when a past project is relevant for multiple project types, the intent is that the summary of the project scope, period of performance, key staff, and the names, addresses and phone numbers of contract and technical supervision officers should be repeated for each project type in this section? Yes.

Attachment A, 3.0 Technical Proposal format and instructions, 7. Appendix B (Optional) (page 21). Would MACPAC prefer work samples in full, or hyperlinks to work samples that are available via the Internet?

Either is fine. If hyperlinks are provided, a brief summary of the relevance of the linked document should be included in the Appendix.

Reference: 4.0 Business Proposal format and instructions (a) and (c) . These sections contain requirements to provide a proposed cost for the hypothetical projects in Section 5. We are unable to locate the hypothetical project. Could MACPAC please provide the hypothetical project that is to be proposed or confirm that this was in error and is not required? See our response to question #4.

Reference: 4.0 Business Proposal format and instructions (d) v. The solicitation requires that labor rates are provided for all labor categories. Can MACPAC please confirm that offerors are only required to submit labor rates for labor categories that are relevant to the project types/areas that they are bidding? Confirmed.

Does each project type of interest have to be written to separately in the technical response? Yes.

Can we bid on task orders that span across project types of interest that were not written to in our technical response?

No. Some task orders may span across project types, which is why MACPAC will decide on a case-by-case basis whether to invite all IDIQ vendors to bid on a particular task order or to narrow to a smaller group of vendors.

Can consultants be included as part of the organization’s qualifications? May affiliated organizations be considered one organization for the purposes of determining qualifications/skills?

Individuals that work with an organization on an exclusive basis as consultants but not employees may be included in an organization's proposal, and should be identified in the most appropriate corresponding labor category. Only the qualifications of the bidding organization (not affiliates) will be considered in scoring.

58 How are consultants viewed as a part of the organizational structure?

See our response to question #57. Consultants should be identified in the most appropriate corresponding labor category.

59 Is there a list of Task Order winners by contract value? See our response to question #9.

Section 2. 6. 1.2 references an overall IDIQ project director. It also states the IDIQ project director does not need to be the project director on specific task orders. Can you please define the project director? Is the project manager (as shown in the sample labor categories) the same as the project director?

See our responses to questions #6 and #21. The overall IDIQ project director can be in any appropriate labor category with sufficient seniority.

Successful offerors may choose whether or how to include the overall IDIQ project director in individual task orders.

Related to the project director question, there does not appear to be a classification in the sample labor categories for a project director but rather a project manager. Is the IDIQ project director what is defined as the project manager? If at the task order level there can be a project director specifically for that task order who is not the overall IDIQ project director, can there be multiple individuals in the project manager labor category or can a task order project director be an individual from one of the other sample labor categories?

See our responses to questions #6 and #21. For any given task order, an offeror may propose multiple people in any labor category, including "project manager."

Page 23, item 4.d.v indicates that ”failure to propose labor rates for all labor categories will render an offeror’s proposal incomplete and the entire proposal will be subject to rejection”; however, response to question 5 issued on 6/8/2020 indicates that “the offeror does not need to propose rates for all sample labor categories”. Can MACPAC confirm that offerors do not need to propose staff or rates for all labor categories?

See our response to question #23. Offerors may use the sample labor categories included in section 1.3.1 or its own categories.

If an offeror does not submit qualifications for one of the project types, will the offeror have the opportunity to receive and bid on a project type for which the initial proposal did not include qualifications for that project type? For example, if we do not include qualifications for ‘convening/soliciting information from experts/stakeholders’, will we receive and have the opportunity to bid on a task order under that project type as a prime? See our response to question #48.

Page 19, Section 2.5.1.5 refers to the fact that MACPAC "has separate task order contracts for Medicaid administrative and survey data analyses”. Can MACPAC please elaborate on the names of those organizations who have these other task order contracts and the scope of work of those task order contracts, including the RFP number?

MACPAC awarded IDIQ contracts to SHADAC and Acumen in 2020.

Page 19, item 3.ix refers to the proposal “IDIQ project manager”…. Is this sentence supposed to be referencing the IDIQ project director? Yes.

Similarly, on page 25, item 2.g, the sentence refers to the “project director(s)” ..

is this sentence supposed to be referencing the project manager(s) for task orders? Yes.

Page 20, item 4.iv states that ”This section should be no more than five pages (not including resumes) and a separate response should be submitted for each of the project types”. Does this mean that we have an additional 5 pages which precedes the separate 5 pages per project type? For example, if we are bidding on one project type, do we have 10 pages, or do we have 5 pages?

The response for each project type should be no more than five pages long. A separate response should be submitted for each of the project types.

On p. 19, item ix mentions the IDIQ project manager. Is this the same individual as the IDIQ project director mentioned elsewhere in the RFP? If not, could MACPAC clarify the role of the IDIQ project manager?

Yes, this is the same. See our responses to questions #6 and #21.

Item a under 4.0, Business proposal format and instructions, (p. 21) mentions the hypothetical project, and item c (p. 22) mentions Hypothetical Cost Estimates. Could MACPAC confirm whether we need to provide information on a hypothetical project?

No information on a hypothetical project is needed.

References to a hypothetical project should be ignored. See our response to question #4 and our updated IDIQ RFP language posted on 6.8.20.

Page 19: Section 4. Proposed Personnel Qualifications and Page 20: Section 5.

Organizational Qualifications and Past Performance. For both sections, the format calls for a “separate response to this section for each project type”.

Would MACPAC consider the inclusion of an overview/introduction to each of the two sections-Section 4 and 5, while staying within the currently assigned page limits? No.

Throughout the proposal, there are references to the IDIQ Project Director (p 10, 15, 20) and the IDIQ Project Manager (p 19). Can you clarify the differences between these two positions? See our responses to questions #6 and #21.

Is there a comprehensive list of Task Orders, who won them and the winning amount for the 2015-2020 IDIQ years? See our response to question #9.

Will all Task Orders be released to everyone who wins a spot on the IDIQ, or will each Task Order be sent only to those who responded to the specific area of relevance to that task order as outlined in 2.5.1.? See our response to question #48.

If Task Orders are released according to one of the six areas outlined in 2.5.1, how will the domain they are issued under be selected if more than one is relevant? See our response to question #56.

Should potential subcontractors be listed in the initial RFP response? Is it possible to add subcontractors later as task orders are released?

No. It is possible to add them later as task orders are released.

Should labor categories and rates for potential subcontractors be included in the Business Proposal? No.

Will additional question and answer periods be provided for each task order that is released for bid? Yes.

Will task orders include estimated hours and/or budgets when they are released for bid? Yes.

Page 3, 1.3.2 Pricing Table. Please provide examples of items that should be included in the Cost Categories 0002-Cost Reimbursement Materials and 0004- Other.

For purposes of the business proposals, only labor costs need to be provided and other rows in the pricing tables may be left blank. If future task orders include cost reimbursement for materials or travel, these sections of the pricing tables would be completed.

Page 17, 2.0.a Please provide a copy of MACPAC’s standard terms and conditions for non-university based firms. Will the offeror have the opportunity request exceptions to the standard terms and conditions?

The standard terms and conditions for universities and non-universities will be posted on June 24, 2020. Exceptions will not be granted.

Page 22, 4.0.b.iii What criteria is used to determine “unreasonably low or high proposed costs/prices”?

MACPAC uses a best value to the government standard in source selection. FFP labor rates that are unlikely to result in task order proposals that are a good value to the government may be eliminated.

82 Please provide a list of the current 21 IDIQ contractors. See our response to question #9.

Are there special considerations (e.g., bonus points) or minimum contract percentages for minority and women-owned small businesses?

No. MACPAC is not subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), though it follows governance rules based on the FAR.

Please clarify the use of the terms “Project Director,” “IDIQ Project Director,” “Project Manager,” and “IDIQ Project Manager.” For example, are these terms interchangeable within the RFP? Is there an expectation that the offeror propose an overall IDIQ Project Director as well as staff qualified to be a task-level Project Director/Manager? Does 1.3.1(a) describe the qualifications for the IDIQ Project Director/Manager or for another Project Manager role? See our responses to questions #6 and #21.

Will MACPAC consider a Fellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries (FCA) designation as meeting the definition of a “similar designation from another actuarial certifying body?” Yes.

Will MACPAC consider a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA) designation as meeting the definition of a “similar designation from another actuarial certifying body?” Yes.

Please provide a copy of the MACPAC Standard Terms and Conditions for “others” (non-university based firms).

The standard terms and conditions for universities and non-universities will be posted on June 24, 2020.

88 Is MACPAC willing to negotiate the terms and conditions for the contract?

MACPAC does not negotiate standard terms and conditions for its contracts.

Where should vendors include exceptions to terms and conditions (for example, attachments, appendix of Technical or Business Management, and Cost/Price Proposals, etc.)?

Exceptions to the contract will not be added.

Vendors who are offered IDIQ contracts may examine the standard terms and conditions before signing the contract and may choose not to participate in the IDIQ.

Should the Table of Contents and Glossary of Abbreviations and Acronyms in the Business Management and Cost/Price Proposal include content from the Technical Proposal as well? No.

Are there any evaluation points allocated to the Business Management and Cost/Price Proposal?

The Business Management and Cost/Price proposal will be evaluated for compliance with the government's requirements, reasonableness of the proposed rates, and financial capacity of the offeror.

92 Will MACPAC allow redaction of confidential/proprietary information?

MACPAC is a legislative branch agency and is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act. No part of any proposal sent to us will be made public so it is not necessary to mark any proposal information proprietary.

On page 19, Attachment A, Section 3.1 Technical Proposal Format, Management Plan, item ix the instructions request "the name and a brief summary of the qualifications and role of the proposed IDIQ project manager, the key staff person responsible for oversight of all tasks issued under the contract." However, Section 2.6.1.2 states that "Offerors shall propose an IDIQ project director who will be responsible for overseeing the performance of all task orders awarded under this contract and be considered key personnel on this contract." Please confirm whether the IDIQ Project Manager and the IDIQ Project Director are different roles. If so, please confirm whether the IDIQ Project Manager should also be considered key personnel. See our responses to questions #6 and #21.

Item 2.4.4, MACPAC states that we can propose working with other prime contractors on this IDIQ. Can you please provide a list of prime contractors?

See our response to question #9 for a list of vendors on our current IDIQ.

Item 2.5.1.5 indicates MACPAC is also interested in learning about sources of data that offerors have access to. Would Medicaid or CHIP data would be made available by MACPAC to support requested analyses? If offerors have access to datasets (i.e. ResDAC Medicaid data) for other research purposes, but the data use is limited to that specified research question, would it be applicable to list in this section?

If an offeror has access to any relevant sources of data that can be used to support analyses for a task order contract under this IDIQ, the offeror should describe them in its response.

Responses to Questions (posted June 24, 2020)