31310019R0054 Amendment No. 1 Question and Answer Final.pdf

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001

November 21, 2019

SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 31310019R0054 ENTITLED,

"INTERNATIONAL REGULATORY ASSISTANCE - AMENDMENT NO.

OFFERORS:

The purpose of this amendment is to answer offerors questions to the solicitation and to clarify various sections in the solicitation:

Questions regarding the International Regulatory Assistance RFP (RFP # 31310019R0054)

Question No. 1: Page 88 of the solicitation states that the page limit for the Technical Volume (minus the cover letter, title page, table of contents, table of figures, list of tables, and glossary) is 75 pages. Is this limit 75 pages single-sided or 75 pages double sided? Please clarify.

NRC Response: The page limit is 75 pages double sided (or 150 pages single sided).

Question No. 2: If the page limit is 75 pages single-sided, could the Government consider increasing the page limit to at least 150 pages? The scope of the work is very large and accounts for activities in three major areas (reactors, materials, and uranium) that will need to be addressed separately. Additionally, the SOW also discusses very extensive sub-activities that are distinct from each other (regulatory development, training, software development, physical infrastructure support, logistical support for invitational travel, etc.) and will also need to be addressed individually. A 75-page limit severely restricts Offerors and makes it difficult to answer in a manner that is "specific and complete in every detail" per RFP instructions.

NRC Response: The page limit is 75 pages double sided (or 150 pages single sided).

Question No. 3: Is there a page limit for the individual resumes?

NRC Response: The solicitation does not indicate a page limit. However, resumes shall be 2 pages double sided or 4 pages single sided is preferred.

Question No. 4: The solicitation states that both key personnel shall have degrees in a science or engineering field along with a minimum number of years of relevant experience.

Section C.4 of the solicitation (p. 20) states that "Personnel performing technical work under this contract shall have pertinent technical experience in one or more of the following areas: nuclear, mechanical, civil, electrical or chemical engineering, regulation of nuclear facilities or activities, health physics, or project management. The Contractor shall provide personnel who have pertinent experience for the performance of the administrative aspects of this contract such as arranging NRC sponsored travel and workshop and training preparation."

NRC Response: Per Section C.4, Key Personnel the Senior Engineer(s) / Scientist(s) proposed can be one individual or several that have the requisite skills or equivalent as outlined in this section.

Question No. 5: With respect to the estimated hours, does the number include potential in-country contractor hours or only prime contractor staff hours?

NRC Response: The estimated hours include in-country contractor’s hours, as specified under CLIN 0004, CLIN 1004 and CLIN 2004.

Question No. 6: What level of turnover is expected between the incumbent and the new contractor (assuming some company other than the incumbent wins the award)?

NRC Response: In accordance with the FAR clause Continuity of Services, FAR 52.237-3 the Government has determined that this requirement must be continued without interruption.

The contractor would be asked to provide a phase-in/phase program for up to 90 days after contract expires and exercise its best efforts and cooperation to affect an orderly and efficient transition to a successor.

Question No. 7: Will the incumbent be expected to provide all the documentation, etc. related to the two websites involved, including source codes, content, etc.?

NRC Response: The websites and related information will be transferred to the successful offeror.

Question No. 8: Are the certs and reps required to be attached to the proposal or is what is on file through SAM and CAGE sufficient?

NRC Response: In accordance with FAR 4.1102, offerors are required to be registered in SAM.GOV at the time an offer or quotation is submitted in order to comply with the annual representations and certifications requirements. The representations and certifications shall be on file within SAM.Gov at the time an offeror is made. The offeror is also responsible for the representations and certifications found in section K of the solicitation that are not in SAM.gov.

Question No. 9: The cover letter transmitting Solicitation No. 31310019R0054 states that the proposal must contain a statement indicating the period of time the proposal is in effect (not less than 60 days). However, Section L.11(a), Page 88 of the solicitation indicates the minimum shall be not less than 120 days from the solicitation due date. Please clarify.

NRC Response: The correct period is 120 days. The cover letter was incorrect. The cover letter shall be revised to read “(Not Less than 120 Days)”.

Question No. 10: Section C.3.1, Activity 1 on Page 6 of the solicitation states, “The contractor shall perform the activities specified below in Sub-activities 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5 for the regulatory authorities in Africa, Asia…” Clarification is needed whether Sub-activity 1.1 should also have been included in the above list. The same comment also applies for Sub-activity 2.1 (Page 9), Sub-activity 3.1 (Page 11), Sub-activity 4.1 (Page 13), and Sub-activity 5.1 (Page 15).

NRC Response: Yes, sub activity 1.1. 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 and 5.1 should have been included under the description of each activity. The correction will be made during the award.

For reference the corrections are as follows:

ACTIVITY 1 RADIOACTIVE SOURCES

The Contractor shall perform the activities specified below in sub-activities 1,1,1.2, 1.3, 1.4, and

1.5 for the regulatory authorities in Africa, Asia, Eurasia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East.

ACTIVITY 2 EXISTING NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

The Contractor shall perform the activities specified below in sub-activities 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 for the regulatory authorities in Africa, Asia, Eurasia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East, as requested.

ACTIVITY 3 NEW NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

The contractor shall perform the activities specified below in sub-activities 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 for the regulatory authorities in Africa, Asia, Eurasia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East, as requested.

ACTIVITY 4 NEW OR EXISTING RESEARCH REACTORS

The Contractor shall perform the activities specified below in sub-activities 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 for the regulatory authorities in Africa, Asia, Eurasia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East, as requested.

ACTIVITY 5 URANIUM RECOVERY FACILITIES

The Contractor shall begin efforts as specified in sub-activities 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 for the regulatory authorities in Africa, Asia, Eurasia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East, as requested.

Question No. 11: Page 12 of solicitation: While it is desirable that some technical team members be fluent in the listed languages, can it be assumed that the primary language for the interaction with the international regulators will be English?

NRC Response: The primary language for interaction with the international regulators will be English, the work orders will at times be required to include a staff that speaks the local language at a place the NRC is conducting a training/workshop/ or consultancy meeting.

Question No. 12: Section C.7 of solicitation requires that the contractor provide a long-term plan (18 to 24 months). Is there a long-term plan in place for the existing contract? If so, is it possible to obtain a copy of that long-term plan?

NRC Response: Yes the successful offeror will receive a copy. There is a long-term plan that is executed by the contractor. The long-term plan is based off a program plan of NRC’s direction on what countries NRC plans to provide international assistance to. The long-term plan is a living document and can be adjusted during contract performance.

Question No. 13: Will government security clearances (in addition to a site access badge) be required for staff performing work on the project?

NRC Response: A government security clearance will not be required to accomplish tasks under this contract.

Question No. 14: NRC RFP Solicitation Subsections B.1(b) and C.1 refer to “radioactive waste” and Subsection C.2 refers to “... radioactive sources, and materials and waste ...” when identifying the general areas where NRC has focused its technical safety and security assistance and training efforts. Concerning the overall scope of work/activities, Subsection C.3 refers to “...oversight of nuclear and radioactive materials and waste...”

None of the SOW Activities 1 through 5, as described in detail in NRC RFP Solicitation Subsection C.3.1, mentions “waste” in any way. In this solicitation, is the technical area of “waste” concerned with nuclear waste as representing sources of radiation that is the subject of SOW Activity1? If not, please identify the technical areas pertaining to nuclear waste that should be addressed in a technical proposal and which of the SOW Activities 1 through 5 do they pertain to.

NRC Response: Yes, the offeror can treat “waste” as nuclear waste representing sources of radiation.

Question No. 15: NRC RFP Solicitation Subsections B.1(b) and C.1 refer to “nuclear fuel cycle” when identifying the general areas representing the focus of the NRC’s technical safety and security assistance and training efforts. Concerning the overall scope of work/activities, Subsection C.3 refers to “...fuel cycle facilities...”

The SOW requirements for Activities 1 through 5, described in NRC RFP Solicitation Subsection C.3.1, do not mention “fuel cycle” in any way. Please identify which of the SOW Activities 1 through 5 in Subsection C.3.1 the area of nuclear fuel cycle is expected to be considered in a technical proposal.

NRC Response: The phrase “fuel cycle” was used in general terms. Please focus your responses to requirements specified in activities 1 – 5 of the SOW under section C.3.1 while describing your experiences and expertise.

Question No. 16: SOW Activities 7 “Training/Workshops,” described in NRC RFP Solicitation Subsection C.3.1, refers to “international conference” in defining Sub-activity 7.3, “Workshop Related Support” requirements. Is the term “conference” used in Sub-activity 7.3 the sense of “workshop” and /or “training?” If not, please clarify what types of international conferences need to be considered with regard to Sub-activity 7.3 in a technical proposal.

NRC Response: Correct, the term conference in Sub-Activity 7.3 refer to workshop and/or training.

Question No. 17: The tables in Section B.4 “Cost/Price Schedule” of the solicitation, CLINs 4, 1004, and 2004, specify a “Consultant(s)/Subject Matter Expert(s)”.

(A) Explain the meaning of Consultants.

NRC Response: These are experts in the subject matter needed to fulfill the requirements of the solicitation.

(B) Does this include subcontractors?

NRC Response: Per Section L.8 2052.216-70 Level of Effort, this section is advisory and not to be considered as the sole basis for the development of the staffing plan. This line item – CLIN 0004 includes: covers whatever expertise needed to fulfill the requirement.

These hours can be used for consultant(s), subject matter experts (SMEs), subcontractors, etc.

(C) Is the intent to bracket all consultants/subcontractors within this CLIN, and further limit consultants/subcontractors to the specified hourly LOE?

NRC Response: See response above. The NRC’s intent is not to limit consultants/subcontractors. The information provided is for advisory purposes only.

The contractor can break-up these hours to include consultants, subcontracts, etc.

(D) Are all consultants/subcontractors expected to be subject matter experts

NRC Response: Each offeror is responsible for proposing a staffing plan to meet the objectives in section L.12.