Question and Answer for 36C10G23R0012.docx

Question and Answer for 36C10G23R0012

1. Question: Reference Page 80. Addendum to FAR52.212-1. Will the Government please confirm that names of personnel can be included throughout the proposal (e.g., narrative text; organization charts) in the redacted version of the proposal?

Answer: Names of Contractor personnel are not needed as part of the solicitation. Within 5 working days after contract award and prior to contract performance, the Contractor shall provide names of each contractor personnel.

Volume I, Technical, and Volume II, Past Performance, must be submitted in one .PDF redacted and one .PDF un-redacted version.

2. Question: Reference Page 80. Addendum to FAR52.212-1. Will the Government consider revising these to reflect: Past performance file name: Past Perf.pdf and price file name: Price.xls?

Answer: All files will be submitted as either a Microsoft Excel (.XLS) file or an Acrobat (PDF) file or compatible as indicated in the table.

3. Question: Reference Page 82. Addendum to FAR52.212-1. Will the Government permit the substitution of a PPQ with a CPARS?

Answer: Offeror shall submit no more than three Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs).

4. Question: RFP Section 13.3 Wiki Website Creation reference pages 16 & 17. Will the Government please confirm that the website/wiki must be hosted on a FEDRAMP-certified platform or environment?

Answer: The website can be created on any platform if it is password protected like word press, document 360, etc.

5. Question: RFP Section 17.5 Key Personnel reference page 29. A. Will the Government clarify where resumes are to be included in the response (e.g., an Appendix to the Technical Volume)?

Answer: Instructions to Offerors have been revised for the Technical volume to include information about Key Personnel resumes.

6. Question: RFP Section 17.5 Key Personnel reference page 29. A. Will the Government confirm resumes do not count against the Technical 20 - page limit?

Answer: Resumes do not count against the page count for the Technical Volume.

7. Question: RFP Section 17.5 Key Personnel reference page 29. Will the Government confirm resumes should not be subject to the redaction requirements stated in RFP Section E.4?

Answer: Volume I, Technical, and Volume II, Past Performance, must be submitted in one .PDF redacted and one .PDF un-redacted version.

8. Question: RFP Section 17.5 Key Personnel reference page 29. Will the Government provide a page limit for resumes?

Answer: Each resume is limited to two pages.

9. Question: Volume I-Technical Factor: “provide evidence of key personnel meeting the requirements listed in Section 16.0 of the PWS”. Is there a page limit for resumes or a limit to the number of resumes that can be submitted?

Answer: Section has been updated to 17.0 IAW the PWS. Each resume is limited to two pages.

Resumes are required for Key Personnel.

10. Questions: Can the Resumes be submitted in an Appendix to Volume 1 – Technical Volume and not be counted in the 20-page maximum?

Answer: Yes, resumes can be submitted as an Appendix. Resumes do not count against the page count for the Technical Volume.

11. Volume II – Past Performance Factor: Can relevant subcontracts be used by the proposing prime contractor?

Answer: Offerors shall submit a list of all recent and relevant past performance for itself and any major subcontractors.

12. Attachement 6 – Past Performance Questionnaires : Can CPARS be used as a substitute for a completed Past Performance Questionnaire?

Answer: Offeror shall submit no more than three Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs).

13. Is redaction for Volume I – Technical Factor only?

Answer: Volume I, Technical, and Volume II, Past Performance, must be submitted in one .PDF redacted and one .PDF un-redacted version.

14. Volume IV – The page limit is 5 pages. As an SDVOSB/VOSB what information is required other than “a statement of compliance that it qualifies as a SDVOSB or VOSB in accordance with VAAR 852.215-70, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned and Veteran-Owned Small Business Evaluation Factors”. Do you require submission of a screenshot of either the www.sam.gov or www.veterans.certify.sba.gov webpages?

Answer: An Offeror shall submit a statement of compliance that it qualifies as a SDVOSB or VOSB in accordance with VAAR 852.215-70, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned and Veteran-Owned Small Business Evaluation Factors. Supporting documentation is acceptable.

15. B.6 Delivery Schedule: Can the Government clarify in which volume it would like to see a populated Delivery Schedule?

Answer: The Delivery Schedule will be populated on each task order. The expected period of performance is provided in the solicitation; see Section 14.0 of the PWS.

16. Question: RFP page 81 Past Performance. Given the unique and niche nature of Clinical Practice Guidelines contracts, will the government allow references completed during the past 5 years immediately prior to the date of issuance of this solicitation to be submitted In Volume II Past Performance?

Answer: Recent past performance is defined as performance during the past three years immediately prior to the date of issuance of this solicitation.

17. Question: RFP Section E.5 Page 87 Evaluation. Will the government clarify if more credit is received if an offeror is priming as an SDVOSB or VOSB versus a large business priming with 17.5% or more work allocation to a SDVOSB?

Answer: The factors to be evaluated are shown in descending order of importance.

18. Question: RFP Section E.5 Page 88 Evaluation. Will the government clarify if the 17.5% small business requirement have to have representation across SDVOSB, VOSB, SDB, Women owned small business and HUB zone small business, or can we meet the 17.5% through representation from one or two of these?

Answer: The extent to which the Offeror meets or exceeds the Government’s Subcontracting goals are provided by percentages per small business type. Any inability to meet the Government’s subcontracting goal(s) for this procurement must be supported by a detailed narrative explanation as to why that goal(s) cannot be met and will be evaluated on the adequacy and reasonableness of the explanation.

19. Question: RFP Section 5G Page 88 Evaluation. Section 5G says that the percentages are based on total contract value. However, FAR 52.219-9 states that it is of total subcontracted dollars. Will the government clarify if the percentages are based on total Contract value or total subcontracted values?

Answer: Per FAR 52.219-9 (d)(1) ; For individual subcontracting plans, and if required by the Contracting Officer, goals shall also be expressed in terms of percentage of total contract dollars, in addition to the goals expressed as a percentage of total subcontract dollars.

The Subcontracting Plan section states that the extent to which all elements required by FAR 52.219-9 have been met will be evaluated.

20. Question: RFP Section 17.0 Page 28 Key Personnel. Will the government clarify if it is required for the Project Director to be a physician or registered nurse? Will other practitioners such Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant be considered? Does physician definition include MD and DO?

Answer: Please see Section 17.1 of the PWS which provides the requirements for the Project Director. It explains ”if” s/he is a physician what is required or “if” s/he is a registered nurse what is required. No other practitioners are referenced for the Project Director. A physician can be an MD or DO.

21. Question: RFP. Pg 81. VOLUME II – PAST PERFORMANCE FACTOR. Will the government confirm the offeror shall submit no more than 3 past performance references for itself and no more than 3 for any major subcontractors in Section 1 of the Past Performance volume to correspond to the number of PPQs required?

Answer: Offeror shall submit no more than three Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs).

22. Question: RFP. Pg. 27 "Project Director. Will the government confirm that an MBA with a concentration in healthcare meets the criteria for the Project Director Key Personnel Master’s degree requirements?

Answer: The Project Director will be a trained, experienced administrator with a minimum of a Master‘s degree (Healthcare field). Evaluation of key personnel will be performed once proposals are received.

23. Question: RFP Section 17.0 Page 28 Key Personnel. Will the government confirm that requirements for Key personnel for clinical staff will be provided prior to each task order?

Answer: The Performance Work Statement will be included in each Task Order identifying Key Personnel. Assumptions are provided in the solicitation.

24. Question: RFP Section 17.0 Page 28 Key Personnel. Will the government clarify how they would like the key personnel submitted for clinical staff given the guideline focus may change year to year?

Answer: The Performance Work Statement will be included in each Task Order identifying Key Personnel. Assumptions are provided in the solicitation.

Each resume will contain at a minimum a statement describing the person’s experience, education, skills, and any other information that would be pertinent to the position. Once awarded, no substitutions for persons whose resumes were submitted will be made without the written approval of the Contracting Officer. All proposed substitutions would be submitted in writing to the Contracting Officer at least 15 working days prior to the proposed change.

25. Question: RFP Section 17.5 Page 29 Personnel Factor. Will the government confirm that resumes for Key Personnel will not count against the 20-page limit for Volume 1- Technical Factor?

Answer: Resumes do not count against the page count for the Technical Volume.

26. Question: RFP Page 81 Past Performance. Can the government clarify what constitutes as clinical services?

Answer: Clinical services is not mentioned in the solicitation. Critical services are the services needed as described in the PWS.

27. Question: Section Volume VI. 1. The instructions for Volume VI – Solicitation, Offer and Award documents and certifications/representations indicates “Offerors are hereby advised that any Offeror imposed terms and conditions and/or assumptions which deviate from the Government’s material terms and conditions established by the solicitation, may render the Offeror’s proposal Unacceptable, and thus ineligible for award.” Could the Government clarify if they are willing to negotiate any of the terms and conditions within the solicitation and anticipate contract? There are certain terms within the solicitation that may be contrary to what can be accepted by certain organizations, however, it’s unclear if the Government will allow contractors to reserve their right to negotiate terms, based on this statement.”

Answer: Any Offeror imposed terms and conditions and/or assumptions which deviate from the Government’s material terms and conditions established by the solicitation, may render the Offeror’s proposal Unacceptable, and thus ineligible for award.

28. Question: Can VHA providers and staff be on project teams?

Answer: Project teams are not mentioned in the solicitation. If referring to members of the working group, providers/staff previously employed by VHA or DoD must follow standards as outlined in the contractor employment contract rules.

29. Question: Is there an incumbent agency for this work?

Answer: Yes, this is a follow-on requirement.

This concludes the Question and Answer period for this opportunity.