273FCC20R0002 - App Dev - Attachment C - Offeror Question Template.Amendment A02.docx

RFP 273FCC20R0002

Application Development Support IDIQ

ATTACHMENT C

OFFEROR QUESTION TEMPLATE

Should the Offeror fill out the “Total Hours” Column C on the Price Sheet – Detail?

Yes, the Offeror should fill out the "Total Hours" Column C on the Price Sheet - Detail worksheet.

Is this assuming we need to determine what hours to use when completing the pricing template for these CLINs?

Please propose hours (Column C) and rates (Column D) not to exceed (NTE) a sum Item Number Total and/or hours as reflected on Row 16, 31, and 45. If the hours proposed are more than the not to exceed total, the sum total cannot exceed the NTE total.

Is the vendor supposed to enter one hour for each LCAT in the “Total Hours” column or is the Vendor expected to determine their own number of hours to use in the “Price Sheet – Detail” tab?

Please propose hours (Column C) and rates (Column D) not to exceed (NTE) a sum Item Number Total and/or hours as reflected on Row 16, 31, and 45. If the hours proposed are more than the not to exceed total, the sum total cannot exceed the NTE total.

Can the Government provide specific samples of non-development security support expected?

Security and documentation support will be related to the specific Task Order.

Will there be any requirements generated from stakeholders outside FCC HQ?

Due to COVID, would the Government be ready to participate in requirements gathering sessions remotely?

Yes, there may be requirements generated from stakeholders outside FCC HQ. The Government would be ready to participate in requirements gathering sessions remotely based on receipt of Contractor submitted Corporate COVID and/or Telework, and/or Remote/Alternate Location Program Agreements approved by the Contracting Officer (CO) and the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).

Pricing Sheet revised.

L.3.1.4.3 Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) (Amendment A01), Instructions to Offerors, page 9

TECHNICAL EXHIBIT 3: Technology and Business Applications List TECHNICAL EXHIBIT 5 (AMENDMENT A01): Technologies List

However, the answer to question 121 states, "The Program Manager and Project Manager must have PMP and PgMP certifications. This does not prevent other certifications. There will be no replacement of the PMP and PgMP certifications."

Please confirm that the PgMP certification is preferred and not required.

The Program Manager and Project Manager must have a PMP certification. Additionally, the PgMP certification is preferred, but not required. There will be no replacement of the PMP and PgMP certifications with other certifications for these specific labor categories.

Since this is an IDIQ, it is unusual for an offeror to provide labor hours for task orders that do not exist yet.

Would the government please directly state whether it intends that the offerors should fill in the labor hours columns in the pricing submission (in the “Price Sheet - Detail” worksheet these are columns C, J, Q, X, and AE). If the answer is affirmative, please directly state if it intends for the offerors to distribute the NTE hours among the labor categories. In the absence of any task order information, please clarify what the government intends the offerors to use as the basis for that distribution.

The Offeror should develop assumptions about the type and quantity of Task Orders that would be issued under this IDIQ. The Offeror should provide a quantity, within stated limits, of services deemed to be furnished during a fixed period with deliveries or performance to be scheduled by orders placed. The guaranteed minimum and maximum in the RFP are provided to ensure the Contractor will not be required to perform at uneconomical levels or beyond its capacity. Offering price proposals for this master award stage forms the basis to submit price proposals for task orders under this award.

May Offerors submit multiple Key Personnel per Key Position? What is the maximum number of resumes that Offerors may submit for Key Personnel?

Offerors must submit one (1) key personnel resume for each requested key labor category position. There are two key labor category positions (Program Manager and Project Manager). Offerors must also submit one resume for each of the following three positions for evaluation purposes:

-Software Application Architect (Senior) -Software Application Developer (Senior) -Application Developer (Journeyman) Offerors may not submit multiple resumes for any particular position.

Instructions to Offerors. Amendment A01, Pg. 4-5 Will the individual page limits for Tabs 3a-3e be counted as part of the 25-page limit for Tab 3 (i.e. 25 total pages for Tab 3) or will the page limit for Tab 3 and 3a-3e be counted separately (i.e. 42 total pages for Tab 3)?

The page limits for Tab 3 and Tabs 3a-3e will be counted separately for each tab. The page limits are not to exceed limits.

In L.3.1.1 Management of Requirements Bullet 1, Offerors are instructed to “Describe the approach to identifying sufficient quantity of personnel needed and subsequent recruiting, hiring, screening, and retaining of qualified personnel.” In L.3.1.2.3 Staffing Plan and Approach Paragraph 1, the Government is asking for the same information.

Will the Government please confirm that rather than duplicating their answer, Offerors should provide a thorough response in L.3.1.3.2 - TAB 3b Staffing Plan and Recruiting Approach.

The Instructions to Offerors has been updated.

The Program Manager and Project Manager must have a PMP certification. Additionally, the PgMP certification is preferred, but not required. There will be no replacement of the PMP and PgMP certifications with other certifications for these specific labor categories.

Please also confirm that the Project Manager must have a PMP certification and a PgMP certification is not required for the role.

The Program Manager and Project Manager must have a PMP certification. Additionally, the PgMP certification is preferred, but not required. There will be no replacement of the PMP and PgMP certifications with other certifications for these specific labor categories.

The applications and technologies listed in the technical exhibits are provided as a depicted of the current environment. The applications and technologies for future projects will be determined at the task order level.

The applications and technologies listed in the technical exhibits are provided as a depicted of the current environment. The applications and technologies for future projects will be determined at the task order level.

Confirmed, a dash “-“ can replace the colon “:”

The Instructions to Offerors has been updated.

Technical Writer (Journeyman)

Technical Writer (Journeyman)

Technical Writer (Entry Level)

Was the FCC intending to have two journeyman and no Master LCAT?

The Pricing Sheet has been updated.

Will the Government confirm that the original evaluation criteria and basis for award document dated May 21, 2020 is the document offerors should use and that there is no amended document?

The documents to use are referenced with A02.

The page limits for Tab 3 and Tabs 3a-3e will be counted separately for each tab. The page limits are not to exceed limits.

The page limits for Tab 3 and Tabs 3a-3e will be counted separately for each tab. The page limits are not to exceed limits.

"Pricing Sheet - Detail" Tab Inconsistent Headers for Columns D, K, R, Y, and AF continue to cause confusion. Please clarify that these five columns should all have the same header.

Please clarify the FCC's intent for what information is to be bid in these columns. What base standard does the FCC want to bid in these columns, e.g. a Commercial ceiling rate or a GSA ceiling rate?

Please be specific in your response as the previous "The RFP, Instructions to Offerors, Evaluation Criteria and Basis for Award, and Attachment A documents have been revised" response did not resolve the issue.

The Pricing Sheet has been updated.

"Pricing Sheet - Detail" Tab

"Pricing Sheet - Detail" Tab With respect to columns C, J, Q, X, and AE ("Total hours"), it is still unclear what exactly the FCC wishes for the Offerors to bid. While the corresponding annual hours and dollars NTEs are understood, there does not appear to be sufficient enough details in the RFP documents to clearly define discrete work scope for each CLIN to enable the offerors to bid realistic hours under each CLIN.

Is the FCC simply looking for the offeror to propose a representative potential hours mix to indicate buying power of the NTEs, or does the FCC expect offerors to bid against the performance of discrete bounded work scope? Please clarify.

The Offeror should develop assumptions about the type and quantity of Task Orders that would be issued under this IDIQ. The Offeror should provide a quantity, within stated limits, of services deemed to be furnished during a fixed period with deliveries or performance to be scheduled by orders placed. The guaranteed minimum and maximum in the RFP are provided to ensure the Contractor will not be required to perform at uneconomical levels or beyond its capacity. Offering price proposals for this master award stage forms the basis to submit price proposals for task orders under this award.

Please clarify how the FCC expects the offeror to submit a FFP bid for the Program and Project Management Support CLIN without these details?

The Offeror should develop assumptions about the type and quantity of Task Orders that would be issued under this IDIQ. The Offeror should provide a quantity, within stated limits, of services deemed to be furnished during a fixed period with deliveries or performance to be scheduled by orders placed. The guaranteed minimum and maximum in the RFP are provided to ensure the Contractor will not be required to perform at uneconomical levels or beyond its capacity. Offering price proposals for this master award stage forms the basis to submit price proposals for task orders under this award.

Without knowing the quantity and nature of future Extreme Programming projects, how is the offeror to bid Firm Fixed Price Program and Project Support hours for the unknown work scope of an unknown quantity of Extreme Programming projects? Please clarify.

The Offeror should develop assumptions about the type and quantity of Task Orders that would be issued under this IDIQ. The Offeror should provide a quantity, within stated limits, of services deemed to be furnished during a fixed period with deliveries or performance to be scheduled by orders placed. The guaranteed minimum and maximum in the RFP are provided to ensure the Contractor will not be required to perform at uneconomical levels or beyond its capacity. Offering price proposals for this master award stage forms the basis to submit price proposals for task orders under this award.

Reprioritization based upon resource availability is possible, but not abrupt.

3 and L.3.1.3.2, pp 6-8

Is it the FCC's intent that the "Journeyman" level only be viable for 1 year since a Journeyman becomes Senior after just 1 year on contract under current specifications.

The LCAT levels will be determined at the time of the individual task order(s).

The LCAT Descriptions have been updated.

Should Offerors complete the “Total Hours” cells or should Offerors leave them blank?

If Offerors are expected to complete the “Total Hours” cells, is there any source of information on which to base how many hours to budget? (For example, the task that is supposed to be completed.)

Yes, the Offeror should fill out the "Total Hours" Column C on the Price Sheet - Detail worksheet.

The Offeror should develop assumptions about the type and quantity of Task Orders that would be issued under this IDIQ. The Offeror should provide a quantity, within stated limits, of services deemed to be furnished during a fixed period with deliveries or performance to be scheduled by orders placed. The guaranteed minimum and maximum in the RFP are provided to ensure the Contractor will not be required to perform at uneconomical levels or beyond its capacity. Offering price proposals for this master award stage forms the basis to submit price proposals for task orders under this award.

Yes, the Pricing Sheet has been updated.

How is an Offeror expected to specify binding rates for the 22 Labor Categories for which the LCAT Descriptions and Minimum Qualifications are not defined?

The proposed rates will be ceiling rates at the task order level.

(a) Could the Government explain why the CLINs for Program and Project Management Support Services and for Extreme Programming Support are Firm Fixed Price (FFP), but the CLINs for Application Development Support are Labor Hour (LH)?

(b) Does the Government reserve the right to also issue FFP task orders for Application Development Support?

The acquisition package has been updated.

Proposals are due August 24, 2020.

RFP - Amendment A01 Section C.6 Application Development, page 8 - 11

Instructions Section L.3.1.3.2 (p.7)

Mulesoft is currently the tool of choice. Offeror is responsible for the development of APIs related to the specific TO they are supporting.

Internal (government) or external (public) requirements.

Yes, the discount should be based on the contractor’s determined standard rate.

The Pricing Sheet has been updated.

B.5.1, Page 3 The RFP states hourly rates will be used “for evaluation purposes only” AND “will establish ceiling rates.”

Q. Please clarify the contradiction between hourly rates being used for evaluation purposes only when the solicitation also states the rates establish ceilings.

Vendors are to propose ceiling rates in the Pricing Sheet, “Average Rate” tab. The rates on the “Pricing Sheet - Detail” tab, shall not exceed those rates.

B.5.1, Page 3 and Attachment A - Pricing Sheet Amendment A01, Price Sheet – Detail Tab

The RFP states “The Government’s labor mix for these CLINs may be modified or revised to meet the not-to-exceed thresholds. The Offeror’s proposed total price for these CLINs shall be sum of the products of the Offeror’s proposed labor rate for each LCAT.” Attachment A Pricing Sheet only list categories for evaluation purposes. There is no labor mix for bidders to modify.

Q. Will the Government provide hours by category to establish a common price evaluation model?

The Offeror should develop assumptions about the type and quantity of Task Orders that would be issued under this IDIQ. The Offeror should provide a quantity, within stated limits, of services deemed to be furnished during a fixed period with deliveries or performance to be scheduled by orders placed. The guaranteed minimum and maximum in the RFP are provided to ensure the Contractor will not be required to perform at uneconomical levels or beyond its capacity. Offering price proposals for this master award stage forms the basis to submit price proposals for task orders under this award.

Pricing Summary Tab-Note The solicitation does not provide hours to be priced by category, only NTE hours. Given that the quantity of work and required skill mix can only be determined by future task orders, a bidder cannot estimate the hours needed for the entire IDIQ effort.

Q. Will the Government provide hours by category to establish a common price evaluation model?

The Offeror should develop assumptions about the type and quantity of Task Orders that would be issued under this IDIQ. The Offeror should provide a quantity, within stated limits, of services deemed to be furnished during a fixed period with deliveries or performance to be scheduled by orders placed. The guaranteed minimum and maximum in the RFP are provided to ensure the Contractor will not be required to perform at uneconomical levels or beyond its capacity. Offering price proposals for this master award stage forms the basis to submit price proposals for task orders under this award.

Q. The solicitation was not released as a task order under any existing IDIQ vehicle. Given that this solicitation is to establish a new IDIQ schedule, what is the Government’s intent for requesting a Standard or GSA Rate and then a discounted FCC rate?

The Pricing Sheet has been updated.

, F.3 Place of Performance (Amendment A01) , Page __ Attachment A - Pricing Sheet Amendment A01, Price Sheet – Detail Tab Given the market difference among the potential work sites and the unspecified future work by site, please provide guidance in light of the Pricing Sheet only allowing a single labor rate for each LCAT.

Q. Will the Government please provide guidance?

Work may be performed outside FCC HQ. The Government and Offerors should be ready to work remotely based on receipt of Contractor submitted Corporate COVID and/or Telework, and/or Remote/Alternate Location Program Agreements approved by the Contracting Officer (CO) and the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).

, F.3 Place of Performance (Amendment A01) , Page __ Attachment A - Pricing Sheet Amendment A01, Price Sheet – Detail Tab

RFP, Section H.1, Key Personnel In L.3.1.5 the Government is requesting resumes “for all Key Personnel identified for Task Orders.”

Section H.1 of the RFP provides Key Personnel descriptions for the IDIQ Key Personnel.

Q. The government has not provided a sample Task Order, thus is the intent for resumes to be provided for the Key Personnel listed in H.1 for the IDIQ? Please clarify.

Yes, the key personnel requirement is for the IDIQ. Future task orders will likely have key personnel requirements.

TAB: Price Sheet Detail The government has provided NTE ceiling amounts for either Value and/or hours annually for each requirement, for the base period and each option year. RFP paragraph B.4.2 establishes the maximum value of an individual Task Order at $10,000,000.

Q. With a NTE value of $25,000,000 in Attachment A Pricing Worksheet, are we to assume for pricing purposes that we may be delivering on multiple Task Orders simultaneously?

Yes.

Section M.3 EVALUATION FACTORS

The Government list Factor 1: Technical Approach as more important than Factor 2: Management Approach.

In establishing a down select pool of vendors for Phase 2 evaluation, the government has selected to use Factor 2: Management Approach, as its highest factor. This may result in very Technically Qualified vendors not being selected for Phase 2 consideration.

Given that two of the three technical requirements in the RFP are technical: Application Development and Extreme Programming, the government risks not having the most Technically capable vendors to select from in Phase 2.

Q. We recommend the government consider switching Factor 1: Technical to the Phase 1 evaluation, and Factor 2: Management Approach to Phase 2.

No.

Q. Please provide referenced clause LOCAL-24 Contractor Employee Access to IT Resources?

Local 24 – Contractor Employee Access to IT Resources is provided in full text.

Q. Please provide referenced clause LOCAL-1 Security Requirements Suitability and Security Processing?

Local Clause 1 – Security Requirements Suitability and security Processing is provided in full text.

Tab ‘Pricing Summary’ Q. Please confirm what is to be included in the totals on row 29. Is this row intended to include the $10K of ODCs on rows 23-26? Or do ODCs only get added into the green cell on row 32?

ODCs shall be included in each performance period (Row 29).

CLIN X002 has an NTE of $25M annually CLIN X003 has an NTE of $10M annually

Q. Are Offerors required to bid as close to the NTE ceiling as possible?

If an Offeror bids lower than the NTE ceiling, will they be costed up to the ceiling for evaluation purposes?

No, the offeror is not required to bid as close to the NTE as possible. We will not be adjusting price proposals for evaluation purposes.

C.7 Extreme Programming Support, p. 11

[Affects related sections of 273FCC20R0002_-_App_Dev_-_Attachment_A_Pricing_Sheet_-_IDIQ.xlsx]

According to the last released questions the government does not plan on using Pivotal Cloud Foundry (with XP).

Q. Would the government consider removing C.7 entirely, as C.6 was amended to remove a reference to extreme programming as well?

No. Although the government currently uses Pivotal Cloud Foundry, it does not intend to continue using it going forward.

Section: H.1 Key Personnel, pp. 19-23

The government lists five positions as Key Personnel at the IDIQ level; however, only two of the five are listed in the Management CLIN X0001 for pricing purposes.

Q. Will the government remove the requirement for the Software Application Architect (Senior), Software Application Developer (Senior) and the Application Developer (Journeyman) as Key Personnel at the IDIQ level? These technical positions would be bid at the Task Order level, and the mix of labor categories will be determined by the Offeror based on their technical and staffing solution at the Task Order level.

No. The LCATs are in the subsequent CLINs.

Q. Does the government expect to see a Small Business Subcontracting Plan with the proposal submission? If so, which “ALT” version is required per the clause?

Yes. The clauses are revised to include 52.219-9 Alt II.