2nd set of Qs and As 3_25_21.pdf

2nd set of Qs&As 25 March 2021

Questions and Answers that were not previously posted.

1. Question: Technical proposal – can CDC confirm, does the 10 page limit for the technical proposal exclude the cover letter, title page, and table of contents?

Answer: Confirmed, the 10-page limit is for the proposal only.

2. Question: For maximum fully burdened loaded labor rates, are we required to use NIH cap? (For example, if a senior scientist’s actual salary is higher than NIH cap, may we use actual salary or do we need to use the NIH capped salary?)

Answer: The loaded labor rates are not restricted by a cap (NIH or otherwise). However, this is a competitive opportunity and best price is considered along with best technical proposal.

3. Question: Do the fully loaded salaries that we put in the Labor Rate Table represent the maximal salary allowable for any future task order response under this SHEPheRD contract?

Answer: It is expected that your future Task Order Proposal labor rates shall not exceed the 5-year loaded labor rates for the categories outlined. However, any deviations from the 5-year loaded labor rate will be considered with justification depending on the needs of the requirement.

4. Question: If a subcontractor is not listed in our SHEPheRD proposal now (for example, a non-profit organization that is not listed under the IDIQ), can the subcontractor still be included as a subcontractor later for a response to a SHEPheRD task order?

Answer: Offerors may propose subcontracting services, existing or newly established, as appropriate to future requests for task order proposals. Ability to demonstrate success with proposed subcontractors and ability to establish appropriate subcontracts to accomplish work with the respective domain and subsequent requests for task order proposals (RFTOP) should be of focus.

5. Question: For responses to future task orders under this SHEPheRD contract, are we limited to the IDIQ labor categories that we include in the current proposal? For example, if a future task order requires a modeler but we did not include modeler as an IDIQ labor category, would we be prevented from including a modeler personnel in a future task order?

Answer: A vendor will not be prevented from including additional labor categories that are relevant to future task order requirements.

6. Question: Our understanding that for a single domain grant proposal, we would need to submit two total binders (one for technical volume, another for business volume); is that correct?

Furthermore, if we apply for two domains, the total number of binders would be unchanged (ie., two total?)

Answer: Correct, all domains of interest shall be addressed in one proposal, and for 2 binders and an electronic submission is required for each proposal. One correction, this is a contract opportunity and not a grant.

7. Question: For Domain 5: We are active investigators using a large PCORI clinical research network (comprising >10 medical centers), but we do not own the network. Would we still qualify for domain 5?

Answer: The requirements for Domain 5 do not require the offeror to own the network or healthcare facilities. The requirement is to be an owner of a proprietary EHR system or other healthcare information technology product. If any vendor can justify their capacity and experience to meet the Domain scope, we encourage them to submit a proposal.

8. Question: If we apply for two domains, is it recommended that we have two separate and independent budgets under the business proposal?

Answer: Each Sample Task Order requires a separate business proposal (i.e. budget).

9. For documentation of past performance, if some of our prior Government prime contracts in the past 3 years were with CDC (such as the CDC Broad Agency Agreement), (1) do those contracts qualify for past performance documentation, and (2) should the Past Performance Assessment Questionnaire be filled by a CDC POC?

Answer: Yes, you can provide past performance documentation for your previous government contracts. Yes, you should request the POC for those contracts to complete the questionnaire (i.e. the COR or SME).

10. Question: The solicitation contains several publication restrictions (Section C.3 on page 8 – CDC approval of all publications; Section H.13 on page 37 – Government owns all data generated under the contract; FAR 52.227-17 on page 42, Rights in Data Special Works). These are highly problematic for us as written because they jeopardize our fundamental research exception. Will CDC please provide the motive behind each restriction cited so we can better understand under what circumstances an article might not be approved for publication?

Answer: This is standard language for SHEPheRD contracts to protect government interest, investment, and security. If an exemption is required, a vendor can request exemption post-award and/or as it relates to future task orders.

11. Question: Page 6, Article B.7, Service Contract Act: Please clarify, do you expect that all staff who are paid under the Task Orders for this contract to be covered by the Service Contract Act, regardless of whether they would otherwise be exempt? Are there any aspects of the Service Contract Act that would not apply to our staff who normally would be categorized as exempt?

Answer: If they’re exempt, the SCA dose not apply. RFP Amendment #2 revised B.7.

12. Question: Page 9, Article C.4.2, Domain 2: Would a collaboration between neighboring hospitals willing to share data via a common electronic medical record qualify as a large multicenter network?

Answer: It could. Reviewers would want to understand the collaboration and coordination structure.

13. Question: Page 12, Article C.5, QASP: Is this to be submitted with this opportunity, or with the individual RFTOPs if we are awarded the umbrella SHEPheRD contract?

Answer: QASP are required at the task order level, and only the Domain 1 sample task order has a QASP requirement. There is no specified format or template for the QASP in the sample task orders.

14. Question: Sample RFTOPs for RFP Domain 1: Please clarify: if a price range is listed for the base contract plus option periods, is the base price range applicable for the entire base period of the Task Order or is that a per baseline period year?

Answer: The range provided is for the entire period of performance of the base contract, and does not include the Option Period/ Year.

15. Question: Attachment 7, pages 12-13, Labor Rate Tables: These are blank, and the job titles listed are not present in our county’s labor rate tables found online. Will you be providing this information separately?

Answer: The Loaded Rates Table is provided as a template for the vendor’s rates. The government can not provide the rates for a vendor’s employees and subcontractors. The vendor shall propose rates they feel are competitive and consistent with their organization’s policies and procedures.

16. Question: Is "Advisory or Focus Group" in Task C meant to indicate qualitative data collection (e.g., through traditional focus groups or other methods) should take place during these 4+ meetings? Or, given that the primary deliverable appears to be meeting minutes 2 weeks post, can the meeting minutes be analyzed to inform recommendations to the CDC?

Answer: Focus groups are usually qualitative in scope of discussing ideas. Yes, the understanding from the focus group discussions would guide recommendations.

17. Question: The project goals for Domain 3 mention delivering education to patients via a "web portal" and "vender website" for patient education webinars, checklists, etc. Should patients access the education by through existing patient portals such as Epic’s MyChart or should they be publicly available without a login on the healthcare facilities’ websites?

Answer: The government wants publicly available.

18. Question: For Domain 3, is there a required or recommended timeframe during which the initial visits for Task B must be accomplished?

Answer: Non-specific. Within period of performance of the task order.

19. Question: For Domain 3 it appears that an initial high-level report of site visit observations for Task B is due 3 weeks after the last visit and a more detailed report is due by the end of the POP.

Is that correct?

Answer: Yes, quickly after each visit, the government wants to see what findings were made while it is still fresh for quickest learning opportunity and in case some sort of response is needed. After all the visits are done, we want to see what type of findings span across all the visits and learning. That could be completed at any point once all the visits are done.

20. Question: For Domain 3, Task E, please clarify what is meant by Catheter connection and disconnection audit and checklist (patients). Is this a checklist that patients on home dialysis would use to ensure that they follow all the steps correctly? Similarly, what is meant by Hand Hygiene (staff and patients)? What information should be in this checklist? Who would use this checklist?

Answer: For the one marked “patients”, the patients would be the ones completing the checklist. For the one marked “staff and patients”, the staff and the patients would complete the same checklist (either/or and independently). The purpose of the checklist is to guide the user in remembering all the steps needed for appropriate connection and disconnection or hand hygiene in an attempt to limit infection potential.

21. Question: If the Domain 3 Sample RFTOP is funded, would more than one center be funded? We think that collaborations between sites would be beneficial and would make the education more generalizable and accessible.

Answer: The government will review all applications and make funding decisions after review of everything received in all Domains.

22. Question: Sample Task Order Domain 1—This task order has Base Period objectives on page 4 and a statement that indicates the Option Period should follow the base period objectives. This task order does not have a list of tasks for the base period and option period with the deliverables, quantity/frequency and due dates like the task orders generally have. Lack of this information makes it difficult to know exactly the expectations of the CDC for this task order. The example delivery table on page 22 of this task order is incomplete and does not match the objectives listed on page 4. The Staffing and Management Plan on page 23 does not match with Attachment 7— SHEPheRD labor categories and descriptions for Domain 1. It looks like Attachment 7 is the same attachment that was used in 2016 for the SHEPheRD-2-16-N-17729 solicitation?

Answer: Domain 1 Sample Task Order is a Statement of Objectives and not an Statement of Work. The vendor’s response shall include a Statement of Work, Delivery Schedule, and Performance Based Invoicing Schedule.

23. Question: Sample Task Order Domain 2—on page 10 of this task order, tasks 1-5 and 12-14 are listed with the task description, deliverables, quantity/frequency and due dates. The information for tasks 6-11 are not listed and thus making it very difficult to know the exact expectations for those tasks by the CDC.

Answer: If no interim date is provided, the vendor will have until the end of period of performance.

24. Question: Past Performance Requirement: On page 8 of the RFP it states that 2 Past Performance references should be included for each domain. However on page 100, it states that up to 3 questionnaires should be included per proposal. If we are applying for 2 domains, can you clarify how many questionnaires we should be including?

Answer: Up to 3 Past Performance Questionnaires shall be included for each proposal. It could be possible that the vendor can demonstrate experience for multiple domains through one contract past performance questionnaire. Therefore the vendor shall use their best judgement on how many past performance questionnaires to provide, maximum 3.

25. Question: Over the course of the contract, the involvement of a small business subcontract may change within each Domain #3 functional category when necessary. For the purposes of the contract proposal process, is it required for the small business subcontract to be included in the Domain #3 sample task order business/price proposal (Part E)? If not, is it acceptable for the Subcontracting Plan (Part A-2) to be submitted without Attachment #11?

Answer: Offerors may propose subcontracting services, existing or newly established, as appropriate to the sample task order and future requests for task order proposals. Ability to demonstrate success with proposed subcontractors and ability to establish appropriate subcontracts to accomplish work with the respective domain and subsequent requests for task order proposals (RFTOP) should be of focus. In reference to Subcontracting Plan Attachment 11, vendors shall try their best to address all requirements, or provide a justification for why they can not.

26. Question: I am planning to submit proposal for ''Safe Healthcare, Epidemiology, and Prevention Research Development (SHEPheRD) Program -'' My organisation NAICS code is not listed in the RFP. Are we eligible to apply?

Answer 1: You are not prohibited from submitting a proposal.

27. Question: The company is registered with SAM, and their certs and reps page is available on the SAM website. I have been asked to make sure all of our certs and reps are in compliance, but I am under the impression that if we are listed in the SAM site, then we do not need to submit a separate reps and certs page with the proposal. Is there a reps and certs checklist specific for this SHEPheRD mechanism? I'm hoping you can provide me with some clarity!

Answer: Please include all the reps and certs in Section K of the RFP. No, there is no checklist.

NOTE: RFP Amendment #2 updated Section G8 CDCA-G001 Invoice Submission clause (March 2021).

NOTE: RFP Amendment #2, extended the due date for “Past Performance Assessment questionnaire” from 26 March to 31 March 2021.

Clarifications to the 1st set of Qs&As

1. Reference General, Q57 – the question asked about a stated deliverable due date that is listed before the proposal is submitted. This is a question that we submitted in reference to the Domain Sample Task Order 3, which states “Educational dialysis patient infection prevention and safety case-based learning modules – Draft modules due by February 15, 2021”. The answer provided by the government was that the deliverable due date has been amended; however, a revised Domain 3 Sample Task Order was not posted. Can the government provide a revised due date for this Domain 3 Sample Task Order deliverable?

Answer: This has been amended to “by one month prior to the end of Period of Performance”. See amendment #1 to Attachment 3, Domain 3 Sample Task Order.

2. Reference Domain 3, Q7 – The government’s response of “Yes” does not clearly answer the question asked – Can non-profit organizations be considered as small business if they fit the annual receipts size standard OR are non-profits excluded form this designation? Can the government provide clarification if non-profit organizations can be considered small-business if they meet size standards?

Answer: Yes, non-profit organizations can be considered small business if they meet the small business definition/ requirements for the NAIC codes listed.

3. Reference OAS Q10: The attached pdf does not contain an answer – will one be provided?

Answer: The table has been corrected/revised. See Amendment #1.

4. Reference General Q81: Can CDC please confirm that the only required subcontracting plan is for the overall IDIQ and should be prepared in accordance with FAR Clause 52.219-9 (FAR 19.704), and that any RFTOP-level subcontracting requirements will not establish a new subcontracting plan, given that a contract may not have more than one plan per FAR 19.705-2(e)?

Answer: A subcontracting plan is required for the overall RFP. At a minimum, subcontractors and their role on the project shall be outlined for each Domain Sample Task Order that a vendor proposes. The vendor can provide a subcontracting plan for each sample task order if it differs significantly from the subcontracting plan provided for the Overall RFP.

5. Reference Domain 3, Q7: Can CDC please confirm that non-profit Professional Organizations cannot be considered small businesses for the purposes of this procurement?

Answer: Yes, non-profit organizations can be considered small business if they meet the small business definition/ requirements for the NAIC codes listed.

6. Reference RFP Amendment #1, Section L.2.15, Part E – the Business Proposal instruction regarding fully burdened Labor Rates are not clear on what information and/or documentation that the government would like to see. Item 3 references a Labor Rate Table, Part B of Attachment 9, but there is no labor rate table worksheet in the Attachment 9 posted by the government (see attached). Item 4 instructs the offerors to complete an excel spreadsheet for each labor category and references Attachment 10, but the Attachment 10 posted by the government is the CPARS Ratings Evaluation Information document in PDF. Can the government clarify if there is a standard submission format for the proposal Labor Category rates?

Answer: See RFP Amendment #2, corrected Labor Rate Table reference to “Attachment 7”

7. Reference RFP Amendment #1: Would you please clarify the due date for this proposal? The list of Amendments states that it is due March 17. However, Amendment 1 L.2.10 submission Due date cites a due date of March 31:

Answer: The proposal due date is extended to 8 April 2021. See RFP Amendment #2

8. Reference General Q42: Must the proposal documents be 508 compliant or will the government make any necessary Section 508 conversions?

Answer: The government will not make any necessary Section 508 conversions’

9. Reference General Q42: The Government’s above response to Question 42 by inference seems to introduce a new submission requirement. Would you please confirm that Offerors’ proposal documents do not need to be 508-compliant?

Answer: That is correct. The government welcomes 508 compliance in vendor communications, but does not require accessibility for a proposal to be considered.

10. Reference General Q75: Would the Government extend the due date by three weeks? The Answer said: The RFP will be amended to extend the due date by 2-weeks. In the List of amendments (item 15) it says the due date is 3/17; in the RFP (p1 and p91) it says the due date is 3/31. Please confirm the extended submission date is March 31, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.

Answer: The proposal due date is extended to 8 April 2021. See RFP Amendment #2