II_01_RFP_2032H8-R-24-00005 Government Responses to Questions Part 2.pdf

# Document Reference

Page/Paragraph/ Clause Reference Question Government Response

1 II_01_

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92 / PROPOSAL

CONTENT

Will the government clarify or confirm that the Clauses that must be returned with the proposal submission are all of SECTION I. Contract Clauses/Provisions from page 49 to 68.

Refer to Sections G, H, I and K for contract clauses/provisions fill-in. The government is not confirming or clarifying page numbers.

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92 / PROPOSAL

CONTENT

Will the government clarify or confirm that the Reps & Certs that must be returned with the proposal submission are all of SECTION K. Representations and Certifications from page 69 to 88.

Representations and Certifications is in Section K. The government is not confirming or clarifying page numbers.

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92 / PROPOSAL

CONTENT

Will the government clarify if they are looking for one pdf for all Phase I Submission requirements or will they accept separate pdf's for the Provisions/Clauses & Reps/Certs; Project Supporting Documentation, and Past Performance (CPAR or PPQ).

Refer to Section L in the RFP regarding proposal submission and the attachments shall be separated.

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96 / Past Performance:

Factor 2

Will the government clarify if offerors are to include the unsigned Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) Attachment# 08 that was provided to the client in Volume 1. Or, should the offeror reference that a PPQ was sent and provide the government POC information.

No, the Government will not accept unsigned Past Performance Questionanaires. The Government will not require the Offeror to send proof that the PPQ was sent to the government/client Point of Contact.

5 RFP &

Attachment 9

B.2 Price Schedule, Track 1

CLINs 0003, 1003, 2003, 3003, & 4003 Transition are not included on the Excel Attachment. Will the government modify the Pricing Template to reflect this CLIN?

The pricing templates have been updated to reflect Transition.

6 RFP &

Attachment 10

B.2 Price Schedule Track 2

CLINs 0003, 1003, 2003, 3003, & 4003 Transition are not included on the Excel Attachment. Will the government modify the Pricing Template to reflect this CLIN?

The pricing templates have been updated to reflect Transition.

7 RFP Page 92, Phase I – Volume 1

If there are amendments during this Phase, should offerors include those in this Volume along with the SF-33?

Refer to Section L in the RFP regarding proposal submission.

8 RFP Page 92, Phase II – Volume 2 Submission

Is the "Oral Presentation Attendees Letter of Commitment" each a separate page? The Page limit only references the Letter of Commitment being a 1-page limit, not the oral presentation attendees.

Refer to Section L in the RFP regarding proposal submission. A resume and letter of commitment are required for the Program Manager.

9 RFP &

Attachments 1-

Pages 4 & 5, Factor 1 – Corporate Experience & Factor 2 - Past Performance, Page 95 Corporate Experience: Factor

Will the government limit the number of Corporate and Past Performance experiences from 8A JVs to allow fairness between all 8A companies "If a joint venture does not demonstrate corporate experience for award, corporate experience shall be demonstrated by each party to the joint venture."?

Per the solicitation, the limit is 3 projects for corporate experiences and past performance.

10 RFP &

Attachments 1-

Page 93, Contractor Teaming Arrangements (CTA) and Page 94 Partnership, Mentor/Protégée, and Joint Venture (JV). Page 7 of Attachment 1 #5

Per the government's definition of a CTA, it lists a "JV". CTAs and JV's are different type of agreements. CTAs are only used and applicable to GSA Schedules while a JV is a state approved and registered legal entity. Is the government only requesting a copy of the CTA or both CTA and JV? "4. "The Offeror must submit a complete copy of the joint venture agreement that established the CTA relationship." The Source Selection Process Overview only identifies the CTA document " If applicable, Contractor Teaming Arrangements (CTA)."

A Contractor Teaming Arrangement is not limited to GSA schedules, and is defined in FAR Subpart 9.6 Contractor Team Arrangements.

RFP# 2032H8-24-R-00005 Government Responses Part 2

11 Attachment 7 NA The form includes the name of the "Awarding Official." If Offeror is a subcontractor, the Awarding Official may be unknown to us. In cases where the offeror is the subcontractor, please confirm that a cognizant official from the prime contractor is acceptable as the "Awarding Official"?

Refer to the revised Attachment #07 released in Amendment #0002 on May 17, 2024.

12 RFQ

Attachment 7

Page 95/Corporate Experience Factor

No. 6 in the Instructions include the following: "The client reference does not include the prime contractor of a subcontract." This statement indicates that only the Government customer, not the prime contractor can sign Attachments 7 and 8.

Attachment 7 includes information that may not be available to the agency signer for verification such as the subcontract # and subcontract value. Further, some subcontracts preclude a subcontractor from requesting performance assessments directly from the government point of contract. In such cases, getting feedback directly from an official from the prime contractor is acceptable. Please change the instructions to allow a client reference to be a prime contractor of a subcontract..

The RFP has been revised to state "For a project performed as a subcontractor, the client reference may be Prime Contractor with cognizance over the submitted project". Refer to section L, Corporate Experience: Factor 1.

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Pg. 95/ Corporate Experience: Factor 1, Para. 3, Supporting Documentation

If Offerors use the Relevant Experience Verification Attachment #07, should the reference completing the form attest that contract award document is not available or missing the required information?

Refer to Section L, Corporate Experience: Factor 1, Supporting Documentation.

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Pg. 95, Corporate Experience: Factor 1, For each project narrative provide the following information: #s 7 and 8

The government requests that offerors provide their corporate experience streamlining and optimizing processes (#7) and creating new capabilities and fostering innovation (#8). Most of the work performed within Functional Category 2, Acquisition Lifecycle Planning and Support Services, happens in support of inherently governmental functions, leaving little scope for innovation. Unless an offeror was specifically engaged by the government for the purpose of streamlining or innovating acquisition services, they will be unable to speak to these requirements. Will the government remove this requirement for FC 2 proposals, so as not to put offerors at a disadvantage who have an outstanding track record of providing Acquisition Lifecycle Planning and Support Services on contracts the scope of which did not allow for innovation?

Refer to the RFP for Corporate Experience Factor 1, the following language has been removed "creating new capabilities".

15 RFP Page 95 The RFP states "If the Offeror needs to demonstrate corporate experience by submitting the project experience of its CTA firm(s), projects shall include the experiences of the first- tier subcontractor(s) or JV partner(s)." May we include past performance of first tier subcontractors if Teaming Agreements are in place but they are not members of the CTA?

FAR 9.601 defines a Contractor Teaming Arrangement (CTA).

16 RFP 97, Subfactor 3A Since this is an IDIQ scope, please clarify what technical approach the government would like to see. Is it explaining the management of orders, the actual execution of the types of functions within the scope, a combination of things in 15 minutes? Please clarify.

Refer to Sections L and M of the RFP.

17 Section M Page 4 and 5 What is meant by "The Offeror performed the predominant services of a project.."?

Does that simply mean that the offeror did relevant work as either prime or sub?

Yes, "Predominant Services" can be performed by the Prime or Sub.

18 08 _ Past Performance Questionnaire

Page 1, "Part I.", "Program/Project Title"

Is it permissible to mention the specific job title from our past performance project/program title and include, in parentheses, the corresponding labor category from the labor category document?

Refer to Attachment #08.

19 07_Relevant Experience Verification Form

Page 1, "Part II", "The following questions pertain to the contractor's…"

Will a write up or proof of past performance in the form of a signed SOW be acceptable?

No.

20 08 _ Past Performance Questionnaire

Page 4, "Part III", "Signature of Rater/Date.."

Some commercial projects and their leaders who are needed to perform the past performance questionnaire have left the company, what is the correct action in this case?

Identify a client reference within the company.

21 II_01_+RFP_203

2H8-24-R- 00005

10/2/B.3 IDIQ

Maximum and Minimum Amounts

Can the government clarify the following? "The Post Award Conference will meet this minimum quantity guarantee and will not exceed $250.00 per awardee/contract."

The Post Award Conference amount of $250.00 is the minimum order guaranteed by this contract type as required in FAR 52.216-19 Order Limitations in Part II, Section I. Contract Clauses/Provisions in the RFP.

22 Attachment 07, the Relevant Experience Verification Form

Attachment 07, the Relevant Experience Verification Form, asks for the Contract No.

and Subcontract No. (if applicable). Would it be acceptable to include relevant IDIQ past performances under the same contract number but different subcontract numbers? Can we use the same contract number but different subcontract numbers?

Refer to Section L: Corporate Experience, Factor 1 of the RFP. A “project" is defined as a single contract, order, or subcontract.

23 Are the hours calculated based on 1920 or 2040? 1920

24 II_01_

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Section C.

DESCRIPTION/SPE

CIFICATIONS/PERF

ORMANCE WORK

STATEMENT

Many companies are structured with multiple divisions or multiple legal entities that individually perform Prime Contracts but fall under a broader corporate umbrella.

Recognizing such corporate structures exist across the industry, the procurement rules and numerous GAO decisions have made clear that procuring agencies may evaluate and credit an offeror with the past performance and corporate experience of sister subsidiary companies where the offeror’s proposal demonstrates that the resources of the sister subsidiary (e.g., workforce, management, facilities, or other resources) will be meaningfully contributed to contract performance. See GM–Bulltrack, B- 414591.6 (Comp. Gen. Oct. 30, 2018) (holding that an agency may properly attribute the experience or past performance of a sister subsidiary), and Iyabak Construction, LLC, B- 409196 (Comp. Gen. Feb.6, 2014) (holding that the agency failed to articulate a rational basis for solicitation’s refusal to consider experience and past performance of sister subsidiaries).

Would the Government please confirm that the Offeror may cite the prime contract past performance and corporate experience of a sister subsidiary company as prime so long as the Offeror demonstrates how the resources of the sister subsidiary will meaningfully contribute to the performance of the opportunity?

Yes, if the sister subsidiary will meaningfully contribute.

25 Attachment 06 Is the Attachment 6 - Volume Cover Sheet to be the first page of the proposal response, or can offerors include their standard company cover sheets prior to Attachment 6?

No, Attachment #06 shall be utilized.

26 If an Offeror is using a PPQ versus a CPARS document, what information if any should be included in the response section for Past Performance? Should we include who the PPQ was sent to and the date? Or just acknowledge that we used the PPQ?

No additional information is required for the PPQ.

27 Page 96 Section labeled Past Performance: Factor 2. Is the government requiring the Offeror to provide a Past Performance narrative in addition to the CPARS or PPQ or is this section only requiring a CPARS document or PPQ?

Refer to page 96 Negative Past Performance Narrative.

28 Page 96 Section labeled Past Performance: Factor 2 indicates “The Offeror shall provide past performance information from the identical/matching corporate experience three (3) projects submitted in Factor 1 Corporate Experience that have been “recently” performed”. Can the government please clarify “recently performed,” as in how many years past?

Refer to Section M, Evaluation Criteria, Factor 1 - Corporate Experience.

29 Page 96 Section labeled Past Performance: Factor 2 indicates “If the Offeror needs to demonstrate recent and relevant past performance by submitting the past performance information of its CTA firm(s), projects shall include the past performance information of the first-tier subcontractor(s) or JV partner(s).” If an offeror is using multiple first-tier subcontractors, do we need to submit one corporate experience and past performance for each subcontractor or is the limit only 3 total corporate experience projects/past performance?

Per the RFP, the Offeror shall submit 3 corporate experience projects/past performance.

30 RFP Document Page 94 - Partnership, Mentor/Protégé, and Joint Venture (JV), if applicable

In this paragraph in the RFP, there is a list of items that Partnership, Mentor/Protégé, and JVs must provide. Please confirm that all items in this list shall be placed in the Volume 1 section entitled "Contractor Teaming Arrangements."

Yes

31 RFP Document Page 95 - Corporate Experience: Factor

The solicitation states, "If a joint venture does not demonstrate corporate experience for award, corporate experience shall be demonstrated by each party to the joint venture." Given the size of the OCPO effort and the need for experience in managing large IDIQs with multiple, simultaneously executed tasks, please confirm that corporate experience references submitted for a JV (from the managing venturer or a JV partners) will be evaluated as more relevant if the cited experience was gained in a prime role.

No, refer to Section L and M. The relevancy criteria is as stated.

32 RFP Document Page 95 - Corporate Experience: Factor

The solicitation states, "If a joint venture does not demonstrate corporate experience for award, corporate experience shall be demonstrated by each party to the joint venture." Given the size of the OCPO effort and the need for experience in managing large IDIQs with multiple, simultaneously executed tasks, please specify that the managing venturer of a JV must submit at least one reference where the managing venturer served as a prime contractor.

Refer to Section L and M of the RFP.

33 RFP Document Page 95 - Corporate Experience: Factor

The solicitation states, "If a joint venture does not demonstrate corporate experience for award, corporate experience shall be demonstrated by each party to the joint venture." Please confirm that corporate experience references submitted for a JV (from the managing venturer or another JV member) will be evaluated identically and in accordance with the evaluation criteria in Section M.

All submitted corporate experience will be evaluated in accordance with the

RFP.

34 RFP Document Page 95 - Supporting Documentation

In this paragraph of the RFP, the Government identifies a list items that must be included in contract documentation substantiating corporate experience references.

Within Government contracts, multiple modifications are issued that revise the period of performance and dollar amounts as modification are issued throughout execution.

To simplify and facilitate the Government's review of this information, please allow offerors to include (along with other required information) an FPDS report to substantiate the period of performance and dollar amount of each referenced Government contract.

The Offeror is allowed to provided modifications as additional documentation.

Refer to updated Section L, Instructions.

35 RFP Document Page 96 - Supporting Documentation

The Government states in the RFP, "If a copy of the contract/subcontract is not available or missing the required information above, the Offeror shall submit the completed Relevant Experience Verification Attachment #07 which shall be signed and submitted by the client reference to the CO." Please confirm that offerors may submit contract information and the client reference may also submit a signed Attachment #07 to ensure the Government has complete information to substantiate an offeror's corporate experience references.

No, please refer to Section L.

36 RFP Document Page 97 - Subfactor 3A – Understanding the Requirement (Oral Presentation)

The RFP states, "The Offeror shall present an Oral Presentation and submit Oral Presentation slide(s) of their technical approach for Factor 3 – Subfactors 3A. The slide deck will not be evaluated." Please define how the Government will evaluate the oral presentation if the content of the slides is not evaluated.

The information provided orally within the Oral Presentation will be evaluated against the solitiaiton evaluation criteria. The slides are only used as a guide.

37 RFP Document Page 97 - Subfactor 3B – Skilled Personnel (Written)

The RFP states, "The Offeror shall utilize the labor categories defined by the Government in Attachment 05 – Labor Category Descriptions. The Offeror shall propose personnel in accordance with the labor category descriptions and qualifications described in Attachment 05 – Labor Category Descriptions. Alternate or substitute labor categories and labor category mapping/crosswalks will not be accepted." Please confirm that all labor categories are relevant to all Functional Categories.

Attachment #05 lists the IDIQ Labor Categories and Qualifications. Reference the FC pricing templates for the Government's required RFP pricing.

38 Section M, Evaluation Factors (FC 1, 2, an 3)

Page 4, Factor 1, Corporate Experience (Written)

In Section M for each Functional Category, the Government states, "A 'project' is defined as a single contract, order, or subcontract." Please confirm that a single award BPA with multiple task orders qualifies as a project.

A 'project' is defined as a single contract, order, or subcontract.

39 Section M, Evaluation Factors (FC 1, 2, an 3)

Page 4, Factor 1, Corporate Experience (Written)

In Section M for each Functional Category, the Government states, "A 'project' is defined as a single contract, order, or subcontract." Please confirm that an offeror can provide a combination of task orders all awarded under a single award BPA as a single project to demonstrate both the relevance of the offeror's experience and their ability to execute multiple simultaneous task orders.

A 'project' is defined as a single contract, order, or subcontract.

40 Section M, Evaluation Factors (FC 1, 2, an 3)

Page 4, Factor 1, Corporate Experience (Written)

In Section M for each Functional Category, the Government states, "A 'project' is defined as a single contract, order, or subcontract." Please confirm that an offeror can use a single task order under a BPA and a combination of other task orders from the same BPA as separate projects to demonstrate both the relevance of the offeror's experience and their ability to execute multiple simultaneous task orders.

A 'project' is defined as a single contract, order, or subcontract.

41 Attachment 06, Volume Cover Sheet

12. Are you submitting another Proposal?

If yes, list the other FC(s):

The Attachment 06 Volume Cover Sheet requires the offeror to identify if the offeror is submitting another proposal in another FC. Please confirm that the offeror should use this space to identify its participation and role in any other FCs other than the one for which the cover sheet is provided.

Correct, other than the one for which the cover sheet is provided.

42 RFP 95 Volume 1- Phase 1- Written;

/Corporate Experience: Factor

The RFP states that the Prime Offeror must submit at least one (1) corporate experience project as the intended prime contractor. If a joint venture does not demonstrate corporate experience for award, corporate experience shall be demonstrated by each party to the joint venture. Can the government confirm that if a Joint Venture is proposing as the prime offeror that the number of allowable corporate experience narrative's increases to four (4).

The limit is 3 corporate experience projects.

43 RFP 96 Volume I- Phase 1- Written/Past Performance:

Factor 2

The RFP state that the Prime Offeror must submit at least one (1) past performance document as the intended prime contractor. If a joint venture does not demonstrate past performance for award, past performance shall be demonstrated by each party to the joint venture. Can the government confirm that if a Joint Venture is proposing as the prime offeror, then the number of allowable past performance information increases to four (4).

The limit is 3 past performance projects.

44 RFP Page 92, Proposal Content table and Page 95, Supporting Documentation

The table on page 92 lists "Project Supporting Documentation (Copy of Contract or Attachment #07)" under Volume 1 and on page 95 it states that "the Offeror will provide a copy of the Relevant Experience Verification for each project", but Page 96 states that the form shall be submitted by the client to the CO. Can the government please confirm where the Relevant Project Verification Attachment 7, if it is being used, should be included? Should it be submitted with the offerors proposal or submitted by the client to the CO?

Attachment # 07 shall be submitted by the Client according to the instructions outlined in the RFP.

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Page 95/Supporting Documentation

Can the government allow the submission of a copy of the contract and the completed Attachment 07 to allow the offerors to discuss the relevant scope of work in detail?

Government SOWs sometimes don't contain detailed levels of tasks, and this will allow offerors to augment the SOW/PWS with Attachment 07.

No, refer to Section L, Supporting Documentation.

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pg. 92, PROPOSAL CONTENT table

The Phase I submission requires a large amount of administrative and supporting documents (MPJV agreements, Certs and Reps, CPARS, Awards and PWS/SOWs) that will consist of hundreds of pages a potentially make the document large. Will the government allow a separate Supporting Documentation file to be zipped containing these?

Refer to Section L, Electronic Filing Submission instructions of the RFP.

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Pg. 28/General With this effort supporting the IRS Office of Procurement. If a company is awarded a spot on the IDIQ can the government please clarify whether there are any OCI concerns for awardees to pursue other work within the IRS?

Any OCI concerns will be identified and addressed on the order level when necessary.

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pg. 94, Proposed Subcontractors

Can the government please clarify what they mean by a first tier sub-contractor? Do we have to mention one of our subs in the CTA documentation even if we are not using any experience from them?

Refer to Section L, Contractor Teaming Agreement (CTA) instructions of the RFP.

49 II_01_Attachme nt+05_Labor+C ategory

Similar to a GSA schedule contract requirement, would the Government consider allowing a substitution of years of experience for a higher level of education or allowing education to substitute for years of experience?

The minimum labor requirements are outlined in Attachment 05. Specific requirements will be identified and negotiated at the order level.

50 Attachment 02, Section M

Factor 4 To prevent industry from leveraging evaluation schemes for LCATs we recommend the Government establish floor rate limits for each LCAT. This will ensure realistic (price realism) IDIQ rates and ensure each offeror can deliver staff to meet the Government's needs.

Reference the FC pricing templates for the Government's required pricing.

51 RFP Pg. 92 - Proposal Content

Please confirm that a company-branded title/cover page (with company logo, etc.) is excluded from the page count for Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3.

Refer to Section L, Proposal Submission in the RFP.

52 RFP Pg. 93 - Provisions/Clauses , and Representations/C ertifications

Can the Government please provide a list of all fillable provisions and clauses that need to be submitted to ensure that Offerors don't accidentally exclude any?

Refer to Sections G, H, I and K for contract clauses/provisions fill-in. The government is not confirming or clarifying page numbers.

53 P. 94 Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO)

SOLICITATION

NUMBER 2032H8-

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PART IV, SECTION L. Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors or Respondents, PROPOSAL CONTENT, VOLUME 1 – PHASE I – WRITTEN, Corporate Experience: Factor 1, Subcontractor Letter of Commitment, No. 3. Under a CTA can two SBA 8(a) companies make up the prime workshare?

This is permissible as long as the two 8(a) firms perform 66% (at least 51% required) of the contract work.

54 P. 86 Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO)

SOLICITATION

NUMBER

2032H8-24-R- 00005, PART IV, SECTION K. Representations and Certifications, FAR 52.219-1 Small Business Program Representations (Feb 2024), (ii). Under a CTA can a company that is SBA 8(a) and HUBZone Small Business Concern use the HUBZone price evaluation preference?

No.

55 Amendment #0002

Amendment #0002 released a revised Attachment #07 Relevant Experience Verification and #08 Past Performance Questionnaire. Our company has already submitted our PPQ request to our customers, and some have already returned to the Government. Will the Government accept the original Attachment #07 and #08 forms?

Yes, the Government will accept the original Attachment #07 Relevant Experience Verification and #08 Past Performance Questionnaire.