PSHBS RFP Questions and Answers.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 89 KB Posted
- Attached to
- Postal Service Health Benefits System (PSHBS)
- Solicitation number
- 24322623R0004
- Issued by
-
Office of Personnel Management
About this file
This document provides a request for proposal for a Postal Service Health Benefits System. The Office of Personnel Management is seeking a contractor to develop a scalable IT system to support health benefits for 1.7 million US Postal Service enrollees, with potential to support up to 6.5 million additional federal employees, annuitants, and family members enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. The system must provide eligibility determinations, enrollment support, and premium reconciliation for a customer support center. Additional required services include documentation, operations, deployment, cybersecurity, configuration management, training, COTS product management, technology refreshment, data services, and business analysis for IT programs. Proposals are due by 4:00 PM EST on April 21, 2023 and the contract is anticipated to be awarded in August 2023.
View the file
Other files
Show all 30
On GovTribe
Work with this file
- Download the original file
- Contacts named in this file
- Similar government files
- Ask GovTribe AI about this file
Text version
RFP Questions and Answers
| Solicitation Document | Page / Paragraph | Requirement / Portion | Questions/Concerns/Comments | Government's Response | ||
| Attachment 1 Instructions to Offerors Evaluation Criteria | 11. | ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, Page 14 | For Phase II, Factors 3 and 4 are more important than Factors 1 and 2. Factor 3 is the most important Factor and is more important than Factor 4. For Factor 3, Sub-Factor 1 is more important than Sub-Factor 2. Non-price Factors and Sub-Factors, when combined, are significantly more important than Factor 5. However, as proposals become technically equal, price will be of greater importance. | The solicitation states that “technical merit is more important than price”. Section 11, Page 14 states: “Non-price Factors and Sub-Factors, when combined, are significantly more important than Factor 5.” Presuming technical merit is equivalent to non-price factors and sub-factors, are non-price factors and subfactors “significantly more important” or “more important” than price in the evaluation scheme | Non-price factors and sub-factors are "more important" than price. | |
| Attachment 1, Instructions to Offers. | Page 4, Proposal Format Table; Page 12 | Initial Task Order Performance Work Statement | Please confirm that "N/A" in page limitation columns refers to the fact that no response is required rather than meaning the same as "No Limit" listed earlier in the table. Per the instructions on page 12, there is no specific subfactor for the Initial Task Order Performance Work Statement. | As it relates to attachment 4, which is the intial task order PWS, N/A means no response is required. The attachment is provided for Offerors to understand the requirement in order to propose. | ||
| Attachment 1: Instructions to Offerors and Attachment 11: Proposal Checklist Attachment | Page 4 of 20 for Attachment 1 and Page 3 of 5 for Attachment 11 | Attachment 1: Volume 1 - Factor 1: Corporate Capability and Experience says maximum 8 pages | ||||
| Attachment 11: Volume 2 - Phase One says 10 pages or less | Which of the page counts is correct? | The correct page count for Factor 1: Corporate Capability is eight (8). Attachment 11 has been updated. | ||||
| Attachment 1: Instructions to Offerors_Evaluation Criteria | Page 4, Section 2.2 Proposal Format Table | "Statement of Work (SOW)" is listed in the second row under Phase I for Volume 2 Factor 1. However, the RFP does not include instructions for responding to this item. | Is a response required for the SOW in Phase I/Volume 2. If so, please provide guidance on what is required in this response and any associated page limits. | As it relates to attachment 2, the SOW, no response is required. The attachment is provided for Offerors to understand the requirement in order to propose. The RFP has been updated to make this clear. | ||
| Attachment 3 - Price Workbook | Multiple Tabs | ODCs Treatment | OPM has not allowed any space for Other Direct Costs (ODCs) in the pricing volume. Technology solutions will including ongoing license costs; to ensure that OPM can fully understand and evaluate the total cost associated with each vendor’s bid, we recommend adding lines for ODCs, both total and by unit, into the pricing volume tabs. | As it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | ||
| Attachment 4 | ||||||
| Attachment 3 | Attachment 4: 12.1 Travel | Attachment 4 section 12.1 requires contractors to include "the costs of all travel required" in the "fixed price administrative fees for the Task Order period of performance". There is no place within Attachment 3 to include the fixed price administrative fee. Please clarify what else these fees should include, and where / how Contractors should include them within the pricing structure | No administrative fees will be allowed for travel costs. The PWS has been updated. |
| Attachment 11: Proposal Checklist Attachment | Page 4 of 5 | ||||
| Volume 4 - Price | 1. Does your proposal include a Price Workbook Template (Attachment 12)? | Should this say Attachment 3 for the Price Workbook? | Yes, this should say Attachment 3. Attachment 11, Proposal Checklist, has been updated to reflect this change. | ||
| Attachment 11: Proposal Checklist Attachment | The Requirements Traceability Matrix is not on the checklist. | The checklist does not include a line item for submission of Attachment 5 (Requirements Traceability Matrix). Should this be added to the checklist? | Yes. Attachment 11, Proposal Checklist has been updated to add the RTM. |
| Attachment 12: Subcontracting Plan | General | General | Please confirm that subcontracting goals are at the IDIQ and not the Task Order level. | Yes, subcontracting goals are at the IDIQ level. The SOW has been updated to make this clear. | |
| Attachment 7 Provisions and Clauses | Page 22 | FAR 52.216-1 Type of Contract (APR 1984) | |||
| It is stated in Attachment 7: "FAR 52.216-1 Type of Contract (APR 1984) - The Government contemplates award of a Hybrid to include Firm Fixed Price (FFP), Labor Hour (LH) and Time and materials (T&M) IDIQ Multiple Award Task Order contract resulting from this solicitation. | |||||
| Which contract type(s) is/are applicable to the Initial TO SOW? If there are multiple contract types, which SOW requirements align to each contract type? | The SOW is specifically for the IDIQ. For every task order issued by the government, a PWS or relevant requirements document will also be issued. Because this is an IDIQ and the requirements are not yet known, the Government cannot align the components of the SOW with a particular contract type at this time. | ||||
| Attachment 3: Price workbook | Please update the Pricing workbook to reflect which priced components are FFP and which are T&M | As it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | |||
| Attachment_2_PSHBS_SOW.docx | P. 5, 7. Contract Period | The contract period for this IDIQ contract is 7 years from date of contract award. | For pricing purposes, what the Government please confirm anticipated IDIQ contract start date? | The Government anticipates the contract award date to be August 2023. |
| Attachment_1_Instructions_to_Offerors_Evaluation_Criteria.docx | Page 13, Section 9. BASIS FOR CONRACT AWARD | |
| Page 19, Factor 5: Price, Paragraphs 2 & 3 | The total evaluated price (TEP) to be used in any tradeoffs or award considerations will be composed of the following: Total Price for Postal Health Benefits System + Total Price for Postal Health Benefits Customer Support Center + Total Price for FEHB Scalability. |
The TEP to be used in any tradeoffs or award considerations for the initial task order award will be composed of the prices in the tab labeled Task Order 1 MVP Base and Year 1. The RFP includes substantial details for Task Order 1 MVP Base and Year 1, the RFP does not provide enough details to allow offerors to estimate the effort needed for all base and option years.
The RFP indicates this is a single award IDIQ, and defines the IDIQ Total Evaluated Price (TEP) to be used in any tradeoffs or award considerations. Would the government consider revising the Factor 5: Price Evaluation Criteria to only include the Task Order 1 MVP Base and Year 1 price by including the below updates:
| "The Total Evaluated Price (TEP) to be used in any tradeoffs or award considerations will be composed of the following: Total Price for Postal Health Benefits System + Total Price for Postal Health Beefits Customr Support Center + Total Price for FEHB Scalability. The Totatl Evaluated Price (TEP) to be used in any tradeoffs or award considerations for initial task order award will be composed of the prices in the tab labeled Task Order 1 MVP Base and Year 1"? | The government is not asking for the optional task orders related to the CSC or FEHB Scalability to be priced at this time. Therefore, as it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | ||
| Attachment_3_Price_Workbook.xlsx | Attachment 3 Price Workbook | Factor 5: Price | |
| The Government will utilize the pricing workbook, attachment 3 of the solicitation to conduct a price analysis for reasonableness, completeness, and any instances of unbalanced pricing. | Would the Government confirm that the contract type of the Task Order 1 for the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) could include T&M, FFP, Software, and ODCs? |
Given the government would like to leverage commercial technology in order to receive the latest functionality, would the government consider including a seperate CLIN that allows the Government to purchase the license for commmercial technology components directly?
Would the Government consider structuring the Attachment 3 Price Workbook to include CLINs and separate pricing for the following items, for all pricing worksheets:
| • | Software: Separate CLIN to follow standard commercial licensing for product purchase | |
| • | Implementation Services (FFP): Implementation, O&M services, testing, integration, migration | |
| • | PMO (T&M): Overarching management functions, reporting, and initial carrier integration | |
| • | Other Direct Costs: Direct reimbursement for travel and any other materials | The contract type for the initial task order is FFP, but Offerors will be allowed to propose ODCs. As it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. |
| Attachment 1 | Page 3, paragraph 2.2 | Attachment 2 in Volume 2 | Could OPM please clarify in what form Attachment 2 should appear in Volume 2 of the response? Attachment 2 is not mentioned in the Proposal Checklist proposed in Attachment 11. | As it relates to attachment 2, the SOW, no response is required. The attachment is provided for Offerors to understand the requirement in order to propose. The RFP has been updated to make this clear. | |
| Attachment 1 | Page 4, paragraph 2.2 | Attachment 4 in Volume 3 | Could OPM please clarify in what form Attachment 4 should appear in Volume 3 of the response? Attachment 4 is not mentioned in the Proposal Checklist proposed in Attachment 11. | As it relates to attachment 4, the intial task order PWS, no response is required. The attachment is provided for Offerors to understand the requirement in order to propose. The RFP has been updated to make this clear. | |
| Attachment 1 | Page 10, subparagraph f. | "Offerors must review and submit the Software Provider Attestation form provided in the OPM Cyber Language for IT Acquisitions document (Attachment 14)" | Please provide Attachment 14. | The OPM Cyber Language for IT Acqusitions is attachment 13. Attachment 1 has been updated to correct this and reflect that change. | |
| Attachment 1 | Page 13, subcontracting goals | Table provided. | Please confirm that work performed under the SDB, WOSB, HUBZone, and SDVOSB goals can also be counted for the overarching 30% SB goal. Stated differently, is the total overall minimum required subcontracting SB goal 30% or 46%? | Yes, the total overall minmum required subcontracting SB goal is 30%. The RFP has been updated to clearly state this requirement. | |
| Attachment 1 | |||||
| Attachment 2 | Att 1 (pg. 13, subcontracting plan); Att 2 (pg. 7, paragraph 11) | Attachment 1: "The Small Business goals apply to the total percentage of the subcontracted dollar value; not the total |
dollars of the contract value. (Example: Total contract dollars is $200 and the Subcontracted Dollars is $100 – the Goals apply to $100 vs the total contract dollars of $200.)"
| Attachment 2: "… in addition to the above requirements and any subcontract clauses, the contractor must be careful to ensure that the small business minimum requirements (30% of total contract value) are maintained when replacing or eliminating subcontractors." (emphasis added in both excerpts) | Will the Agency please clarify whether the goals apply to subcontracted dollars as or total contract dollars? | The small business goals apply to the total contract value. The RFP has been updated to make this clear. | ||
| Attachment 7 | n/a | FAR Clauses related to data and computer software | Will the Government consider including the following FAR clauses: |
a) FAR 52.227-14 Alternates, I, II, III, and
b) FAR 52.227-19;
| Yes the clauses will be included, however, since the data rights clauses are dependent upon the offerors solution, the government will update clauses based on the successful offeror's solution to ensure the appropriate clauses are in the contract. | |||||
| Attachment 7; | |||||
| Attachment 3 (price worksheets) | Page 1, FAR 52.204-22 | Alternate Line Item Pricing | Can we price it FFP for the overall system rather than the hours-based approach used in the solicitation? | As it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | |
| Attachment 3 | n/a | Pricing spreadsheets | To facilitate a fair evaluation and ensure that all offerors take the same pricing approach on the issue, what month does the Government anticipate issuing the task order for the call center? For example, is no earlier than [date], is it at the soft go-live, at full go-live? | The government is not asking for the optional task orders related to the CSC or FEHB Scalability to be priced at this time. Therefore, as it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | |
| Attachment 3 | n/a | Pricing spreadsheets | To facilitate a fair evaluation and ensure that all offerors take the same pricing approach on the issue, should the customer support center labor assume the additional enrollees provided under the FEHB scalability task order? | The government is not asking for the optional task orders related to the CSC or FEHB Scalability to be priced at this time. Therefore, as it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | |
| Attachment 3 | n/a | Pricing spreadsheets | Please provide additional details on the scalability solution. For example, should contractors assume that the additional participants will have the same plan design for USPS, or would contractors be required to configure the solution to meet additional plans to support the other government agencies? If there are additional plan designs, would there be a work order submitted in the future that defines the scope and contractors would be able to reprice the solutions to support new plans? | The government is not asking for the optional task orders related to the CSC or FEHB Scalability to be priced at this time. Therefore, as it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | |
| Attachment 2 | Page 5, paragraph 7 | Term of contract | When building price proposals, what date should offerors use for estimated contract award? | The Government anticipates the contract award date to be August 2023. | |
| Attachment 2 | Page 5, paragraph 7 | Term of contract / Task order 1 | a) How long after the IDIQ award does the Agency intend to award Task Order 1? | ||
| b) Does the Government intend to have the period of performance of Task Order 1 start immediately upon issuance? | The initial task order will be awarded in conjunction with the IDIQ. | ||||
| Attachment 1 | n/a | FAR Part 12.6 in conjunction with FAR Part 15 | If timely requested, does the Government intend to provide offerors an opportunity for a post-award debrief in accordance with FAR 15.506? | Yes. | |
| Attachment 3 | All sheets | Pricing | How should offerors include other costs that would be necessary for this work that are not expressly labor (e.g., travel requirements, banking costs, credit card fees, printing and postage, hosting, facility/real estate costs, software licenses, ODCs, etc.)? | As it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | |
| Solicitation; | |||||
| Attachment 3 - Pricing worksheets | Page 1; | ||||
| All sheets | "The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) intends to maximize the use of a Hybrid Contract Line-Item Number | ||||
| (CLIN) structure. The Government anticipates the associated task orders will utilize a mix of firm-fixed price (FFP) and time and materials (T&M)." | Given the Agency's labor-based approach to pricing this FFP effort, can the Agency please clarify the timing of payments? For example on TO #1's two year base period of performance, will the TO be structured and will the contractor be permitted to submit a monthly invoice for 1/24th of the total FFP or will the Agency consider a performance-based payment approach based on deliverables being accepted? | The government is allowing Offerors to propose a milestone/project schedule with a payment structure. Payments will be made based on the proposed schedule. The solicitation has been revised to reflect this change. | |||
| Attachment 7 | Page 25, 52.212-5 | Applicable FAR Clauses under (b) and (c) where the Contracting officer checks as appropriate | a) Can the agency please confirm which clauses will be applicable for this effort? |
b) Does the Government intend to include FAR 52.222-55, which (currently) requires a $16.20/hour minimum wage?
| c) If 'yes' in (b), what escalation factor should offerors use in anticipation of the automatic annual increases (determined by DOL each September)? | Please see attachment 7 for all applicable clauses. Clause 52.222-55 is not applicable. The Service Contract Act is not applicable. | ||||
| Combined Solicitation | Page 1, paragraph 5 | Delivery method for submission of your proposal is via Microsoft Teams. All proposal documents must be uploaded into the four (4) separate folders identified by Volume Number. | Are there any restrictions on the file size that can be uploaded? | The file size limit for Teams is 250GB. | |
| Attachment 1 and Attachment 11 | Pg 3 of Attachment 1, Table 2.2 and Attachment 11, pg. 1 | All questions for each of the four (4) volumes must be answered by checking only one box and indicating each file name in your proposal, as applicable. | Please clarify if proposal documents listed in Table 2.2 of Attachment 1 (pg. 3) are to be uploaded as individual documents within the (4) electronic volumes. | Yes, the documents that are required to be returned can be uploaded as individual documents in that respective volume. | |
| Attachment 1 | Pg 11, paragraph 5 | Offerors must submit a PPQ (Attachment 6) and provide a PPN that corresponds with the PPQ for each contract reference used to demonstrate its past performance, which equates to a maximum of three (3) PPQs that are allowed to be submitted for each of the three (3) PPNs. | RFP says for us to submit the PPQs with proposal; however, the instructions on the PPQ form states that the rater will submit the completed form directly to the Government. Please clarify what needs to be included with our proposal response. | The PPNs are submitted by the Offerors as it is the narrative that supports the PPQs that are to be submitted. PPQs are to be submitted by the rater. Attachment 1 has been updated to make this clear. | |
| Combined Synopsis/Solicitation | Page 1 | All proposals must be received by 4:00 P.M. EST, Friday, April 7, 2023. Delivery method for submission of your proposal is via Microsoft Teams. | Please consider extending proposal due date by two weeks to April 21, 2023 in recognition of the complexity of scope. | The Governemnt will be extending the proposal due date. An amendment will be posted to reflect this change. | |
| Overall | N/A | N/A | Does the PSHB contract require Dept. of Labor SCA compliance along with compliance of President Biden's EO on minimum wage? | No, the Service Contract Act is not applicable. | |
| Attachment_1_Instructions_to_Offerors_Evaluation_Criteria_Amendment_2 | 13 | The Small Business goals apply to the total percentage of the subcontracted dollar value; not the total dollars of the contract value. (Example: Total contract dollars is $200 and the Subcontracted Dollars is $100 – the Goals apply to $100 vs the total contract dollars of $200.) | This requirement conflicts with the requirement in the SOW "the contractor must be careful to ensure that the small business minimum requirements (30% of total contract value) are maintained when replacing or eliminating subcontractors." |
| We are assuming that small business goals of 30% are based off of total subcontracted dollars - can OPM please confirm. | The small business goals of 30% are based off of the total contract dollars. The RFP will be updated to reflect this change and deconflict the documents. | ||||
| Attachment 1 Instructions to Offerors and Evaluation Criteria | Page 3-4, Section 2.2 Proposal Format Table | N/A | The proposal format table includes Attachment 2 SOW and Attachment 4 Initial TO PWS as if offerors are supposed to submit them with their proposal, but it does not appear to make sense to submit a document to the Government unmodified that it already has. Please confirm offerors are not supposed to submit Attachments 2 and 4 with their proposal. | Offerors do not have to submit attachments 2 or 4 with proposals. These documents were provided to offerors to provide an understanding of the requirement in order to propose. | |
| Attachment 1 Instructions to Offerors and Evaluation Criteria | Page 3-4, Section 2.2 Proposal Format Table | N/A | The proposal format table lists the Small Business Subcontracting Plan as part of Factor 5, but is later presented as being withing Factor 4. Please clarify. | The subcontracting plan is applicable to Factor 4. The table in attachment 1 has been updated to reflect this change. | |
| Attachment 1 Instructions to Offerors and Evaluation Criteria | Page 18, Section 13, Evaluation of Factors and Sub-Factors/Criteria for Award | "Subcontracting Plan Offerors required to submit a Subcontracting Plan will have that plan evaluated on “Pass or Fail” basis considering at a minimum the required socio-economic goals as stated in the table above and follows the requirements of FAR 52.219-9 as part of the Contracting Officer’s responsibility determination of a potential awardee." | Please confirm offerors should complete Attachment 12 and submit it as a separate document to satisfy the Subcontracting Plan requirement rather than submit it with the Factor 4: Management Approach document within the 10-page limit. | Yes, attachement 12 should be submitted as a separate documment with Factor 4. It does not count towards the page limit for Factor 4. Attachment 1 has been updated to clarify. | |
| COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION | page 1 | PROPOSALS DUE: All proposals must be received by 4:00 P.M. EST, Friday, April 7, 2023. | Considering the complexity of some of these questions, and the materiality of the answers to the proposal, would OPM consider an extension of two weeks, April 21? | The Governemnt will be extending the proposal due date. An amendment will be posted to reflect this change. | |
| Attachment_1_Instructions_to_Offerors_Evaluation_Criteria_Amendment_2 | Section 5.d.3 | N/A | Instructions to Offerors & Evaluation Criteria: In section 5.d.3, the solicitation states a meaningful relationship exists within a corporate structure when, among other things, an entity is either a wholly owned subsidiary or a parent of another entity. In section 5.d.6, the solicitation states a meaningful relationship will only exist between a parent and its subsidiary if the parent is relying on specific resources of the affiliate – in the example given, a parent taking credit for a subsidiary’s approved purchasing system must demonstrate that purchase orders will be processes through that purchasing system. Please clarify whether demonstrating one of the criteria in section 5.d.3 will be sufficient to establish a meaningful relationship, or whether additional facts must be demonstrated as well as suggested in section 5.d.6. | The RFP has been updated to remove this section. | |
| Attachment_1_Instructions_to_Offerors_Evaluation_Criteria_Amendment_2 | Section 13, Factor 2 | Instructions to Offerors & Evaluation Criteria: In section 13, Factor 2: Past Performance, the solicitation states that for a Very Relevant rating to be assigned, “all PPQs/PPNs must have holistically demonstrated relevant past performance,” while also stating the same for a Relevant rating. Please clarify. | The RFP has been updated to clarify. | ||
| Attachment_1_Instructions_to_Offerors_Evaluation_Criteria_Amendment_2 | Section 13, Factor 5 | Instructions to Offerors & Evaluation Criteria: In section 13, Factor 5: Price, the solicitation states “The total evaluated price (TEP) to be used in any tradeoffs or award considerations will be composed of the following: Total Price for Postal Health Benefits System + Total Price for Postal Health Benefits Customer Support Center + Total Price for FEHB Scalability,” and states “The TEP to be used in any tradeoffs or award considerations for the initial task order award will be composed of the prices in the tab labeled Task Order 1 MVP Base and Year 1.” However, the solicitation does not describe any separate tradeoffs or award considerations for the initial task order award, and instead states that only a single award IDIQ contract is contemplated. Please clarify how the Government intends to evaluate and use each of the overall TEP and the initial task order TEP in its best value tradeoff. | The government is not asking for the optional task orders related to the CSC or FEHB Scalability to be priced at this time. Therefore, as it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | ||
| Attachment_3_Price_Workbook | Instructions | * This tab is for the eventual inclusion of Non-Postal Federal employees to be included in the Customer Support Center. For evaluation purposes, please use Year 4 fully-burdened labor rates, as the exact timing of this implementation is to be determined. | Since the evluation will consider all factors including the Customer Support Center(CSC) and FEHB Scalability is OPM expecting the offeror to include CSC support starting in Year 4 per the instructions for FEHB Scalability? | The government is not asking for the optional task orders related to the CSC or FEHB Scalability to be priced at this time. Therefore, as it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | |
| Attachment 2 PSHBS SOW | Page 5 of 12 - Travel | "Except as indicated above, the Contractor(s) will be reimbursed for actual travel expenses incurred, in accordance with the FTR and FAR Part 31.205-46 - Travel costs" | If travel is going to be reimbursed per JTR, will the Government issue a Travel CLIN to accommodate all travel related costs after award? | Yes. The Pricing Workbook has been updated. | |
| Attachment 3 Price Workbook | Instructions | Is this contract solely firm fixed price as noted in Attachment 2 page 7 (Additional Potential Mandates section)? If not, please provide details on which components would be firm fixed price, labor hours, and/or time and materials and how such components should be separately presented within the Price Workbook. | This requirement has been removed from Attachment 2, the Statement of Work. | ||
| Attachment 3 Price Workbook | Instructions | If this contract is firm fixed price and thus inclusive of travel costs (as noted within page 19 of Attachment 4), please explain how the provisions noted within Attachment 4 section 12.1 ("Travel") which notes cost reimbursement for travel are relevant. | The PWS states: "All travel will be defined and priced as Not to Exceed." OPM intends to structure the task order to identify travel costs separtely on its own CLIN that will establish a not to exceed amount. The pricing workbook has been update to allow for travel costs to be proposed for the initial task order. |
| Attachment 3 Price Workbook | Instructions | Time and materials Factor | Please further explain the 10% Time and Materials Factor. If this is a firm fixed price contract, is the 10% factor added on within the template considered part of a contractor's bid price? What is the intent of this item and what would the financial implications of this be post award? If this is considered a separate component from the firm fixed price, please explain how such time and material components would be segregated from the baseline time other direct costs embedded within the fixed fees supported by labor hours and rates build up. | As it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | |
| Attachment 3 Price Workbook | Instructions | Please explain the relevance of the statement - "The fully burdened labor rates will be considered binding….". How would this pertain to the portion (or entirety) of the contract that is considered to be firm fixed price? | The fully burden rates are being proposed at the IDIQ level. These rates will be used for pricing on future task orders. | ||
| PSHBS+ Combined+ Solicitation+ 243226-23-R-0004_Amendment+ 1 | 1st paragraph | "The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) intends to maximize the use of a Hybrid Contract Line-Item Number (CLIN) structure. The Government anticipates the associated task orders will utilize a mix of firm-fixed price (FFP) and time and materials (T&M)." | Please explain specifically which components are expected to be priced in which manner in what is noted as a hybrid approach here. How should this translate to the Price Workbook input? | As it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | |
| Attachment 3 Price Workbook | Instructions | Are other direct, non-labor costs associated with the contract (e.g. cloud hosting costs) expected to be inserted into the fully burdened labor rates within the Price Workbook? Is there any alternative place for input for these types of costs recommended? | ODCs are associated with the contract. As it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | ||
| Attachment 3 Price Workbook | Task Order 1 MVP Base and Yr 1 tab | Should this tab reflect the summation of the "Base Year - - PSHBS" and "Year 1 - - PSHBS" tabs? If yes, should it rather be linked to these 2 tabs? If not linked or reconfigured, please provide instructions on how data should be input to reflect 2 years worth of costs as the template appears to be currently configured for a single year. | |||
| Attachment 1 | Page 19, Factor 5: Price | Please provide more clarity on how the Total Evaluated Price (TEP) for all components of the bid vs the TEP for Task Order 1 only will be evaluated/weighted/balanced. Is one weighted more heavily than the other? Is the TEP for the entire period (beyond just Task Order 1) of utmost importance? | As it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | ||
| Attachment 1 Instructions to Offerors_Evaluation Criteria_Amendment 1 | Page 12, Subcontracting Plan | The Small Business goals apply to the total percentage of the subcontracted dollar value. | |||
| Will offerors Subcontracting plans be evaluated (scored) against Small Business goals? | Yes, as stated in the RFP, the subcontracting plan will be rated on a pass/fail basis, determined by whether the proposals meets the minimum required goals. | ||||
| Attachment 2 PSHBS SOW | Page 7, 10. | Subcontracting | The contractor must be careful to ensure that the small business minimum requirements (30% of total contract value) are maintained when replacing or eliminating subcontractors | Small business minimum requirements (30% of total contract value) appears to contradict Subcontracting Plan instructions (page 12, Attachment 1) that states Small Business goals apply to the total percentage of the subcontracted dollar value. Please can you clarify? | The small business goals apply to the total contract value. Attachemnt 1 of the RFP has been updated. |
| Attachment 3 Price Workbook | Tabs: |
Base Year -- CSC Year 1 -- CSC Year 2 -- CSC Year 3 -- CSC Year 4 -- CSC Year 5 -- CSC Year 6 -- CSC
| FEHB Scalability | # of FTEs for each of the Customer Service Center (CSC) tabs and FEHB Scalability tab. | We plan to make some reasonable assumptions to meet High-Level Technical Objectives for Customer Service Center (CSC) and FEHB Scalability outlined in Attachment 2 PSHBS SOW, is that acceptable? | The CSC and FEHB scalability requirements are future task orders and will be proposed and priced when the requirements are defined at the task order level. As it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | ||
| Attachment 1 Instructions to Offerors_Evaluation Criteria_Amendment 1 | Page 19, Factor 5: Price | The total evaluated price (TEP) to be used in any tradeoffs or award considerations will be composed of the following: Total Price for Postal Health Benefits System + Total Price for Postal Health Benefits Customer Support Center + Total Price for FEHB Scalability. | Will OPM consider evaluating Total Price for Postal Health Benefits System only to remove any inconsistency across bidders submitting Total Price for Postal Health Benefits Customer Support Center and Total Price for FEHB Scalability? | The CSC and FEHB scalability requirements are future task orders and will be proposed and priced when the requirements are defined at the task order level. As it relates to all questions surrounding the Pricing Workbook (Attachment 3), the Government has updated the solicitation and Attachment 3 to allow for a consistent price evaluation. Because this is an IDIQ, all the requirements are not known at this time and as a result, the Government is unable to provide all the information necessary for Offerors to adequately propose a price for the work to be performed for the different areas/tasks identified in the SOW. The SOW encompasses the full scope of the IDIQ and future requirements that are included in the SOW will be defined and priced at the task order level. The RFP has been updated to provide the ceiling for the IDIQ as well as how the price evaluation will be conducted. Additionally, the Pricing Workbook has been updated to reflect these changes. | |
| PSHBS+Combined+Solicitation+243226-23-R-0004_Amendment+1 | Page 1- Paragraph 3 | All questions and inquiries concerning any aspect of this RFP must be submitted in writing to email box: |
opopostalmailbox1@opm.gov. Questions are due no later than 4:00 P.M Eastern Standard Time
| (EST), Wednesday, March 15, 2023 | When will answers to questions be published? | The Government will publish all questions and answers as soon as possible. | |
| PSHBS+Combined+Solicitation+243226-23-R-0004_Amendment+1 | Page 1-Paragraph 1 | This Request for Proposal (RFP) is being executed as a combined synopsis/solicitation for Postal Service |
Health Benefits System (PSHBS) in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12.6, in conjunction with FAR Part 15, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement is a request for proposals and constitutes the only solicitation. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) intends to maximize the use of a Hybrid Contract Line-Item Number (CLIN) structure. The Government anticipates the associated task orders will utilize a mix of firm-fixed
| price (FFP) and time and materials (T&M). | Will OPM offer an opportunity for Oral Presentations and if so, please provide the timeline for this and how vendors will be selected for such presentations, and the length of such presentations. Please elaborate further on how negotiations will be conducted. | No. OPM will not be conducting Oral presentations. Please read Attachment 1 to see how the Governement will make an award decision. | |
| PSHBS+Combined+Solicitation+243226-23-R-0004_Amendment+1 | Page 2-Paragraph 3 | BASIS OF AWARD: The Government anticipates awarding a single contract resulting from this | |
| announcement to the Offeror whose proposal represent the best value to the Government. | When will the contract be awarded and how will OPM notify all bidders of the award? Will OPM share the evaluation scoring and selection criteria with all bidders along with the award notice, or will vendors be required to request this? | The contract is anticipated to be awarded in Aug 2023. OPM will notify all Offerors who submitted a proposal in wiriting. In accordance with the FAR 15.506, if an Offeror requests a timely debreifing, OPM will provide one. OPM recommends that all Offerors read FAR 15.506 as it outlines what information is to be provided in a debreifing. Additionally, Attachment 1 provides the selection criteria for contract award. | |
| Attachment+4+Initial+TO+PWS | Page 6- Paragraph 3 | 4.0 PERIOD(S) OF PERFORMANCE |
The contractor shall customize and deliver a fully functional system, as described above, to support Open Season 2024. The period of performance for this task order is 24 months consisting of a two (2) year base period and no option periods.
| Please provide a projected timeline for task orders that will be issued against this contract. | There is currently not a timeline avaliable for issuing all future task orders. The Government will execute task orders as the need arises. | |
| Attachment+2+PSHBS+SOW | Page 6-7-Paragraph 6 | Subcontracting |
ALL subcontractors proposed regardless of business size of the prime or the subcontractor, MUST:
Be actively registered in SAM, not subject to any offsets, and not have any active exclusions; AND
Be a U.S. owned company, doing business physically within the 50 United States or District of Columbia, performing under this contract from within those geographic limitations, and all employees supporting the performance of this contract must be physically located within the 50 United States or District of Columbia; AND
Disclose any previous company names / DUNS, parent company or subsidiary, related to the current company (including but not limited to any mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, novation, or other changes in name, DUNS number, or structure) for the past eleven (11) years, as well as any bankruptcies filed by any of those entities. Subcontractors must have had no bankruptcies under any company names or DUNS used at present or for the past eleven (11) years.
In accordance with OPM clause 1752.209-71 Contractor’s Key Personnel, any post award changes involving individual subcontractors that are deemed to be key personnel may be considered with Government approval however, in addition to the above requirements and any subcontract clauses, the contractor must be careful to ensure that the small business minimum requirements (30% of total contract value) are maintained when replacing or eliminating subcontractors.
This is the start of the file's text. The full file is on GovTribe.
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .