36C10X19Q0061-0001000.docx

36C10X19Q0061

5. PROJECT NUMBER (if applicable)

CODE

7. ADMINISTERED BY

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER

CODE

6. ISSUED BY

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NUMBER

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED

PAGE OF PAGES

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED

BPA NO.

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

FACILITY CODE

CODE

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

E. IMPORTANT:

is extended,

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning __________ copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

(REV. 11/2016)

is required to sign this document and return ___________ copies to the issuing office.

is not, A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

15C. DATE SIGNED

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER

Contractor

16C. DATE SIGNED

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

STANDARD FORM 30

PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.243 (Type or print) (Type or print) (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

(Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (If other than Item 6) (Specify type of modification and authority) (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.)

(If required)

(SEE ITEM 11)

(SEE ITEM 13)

(X)

CHECK

ONE

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer) 02-28-2019 21703 Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick Department of Veterans Affairs 5202 Presidents Court, Suite 103 Frederick

MD

21703 36C10X Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick Department of Veterans Affairs 5202 Presidents Court, Suite 103 Frederick

MD

21703 To all Offerors/Bidders

36C10X19Q0061 02-15-2019

X X X

March 8, 2019 @ 2pm EST Te purpose of this amendment is to:

1) Respond to Vendor Questions

2) Extend the due date to March 8, 2019 at 2pm EST

Please see the attached pages for questions and answers. Changes to Section E are in RED.

ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS REMAIN IN EFFECT

Table of Contents

QUESTIONS and RESPONSES

1. On the SF 1449, item no. 19/20, states this is a request for quotes for a multiple award BPA, whereas on page 49, Evaluation (a), states among other things, “the Government will award a single contract, etc”. Please confirm this is a single award small business only contract.

RESPONSE: This was an error, please see revised section E for details.

2. Page 6, 1.c., a reference to security clearance. Will all staff working on this program be required to secure security clearances or merely those on-site and with access to VA IT systems?

RESPONSE: All interns and anyone who will access VA IT systems need security clearances.

3. Pursuant to Section, 9.2.1, if contractor’s personnel, including the interns, are required to undergo background investigations and maintain security clearances, will VA reimburse contractor for the costs as other federal agencies normally incur these costs?

RESPONSE: This is considered the cost of doing business with VA. Currently, the program office does not have a way to collect this cost but this could change during the period of performance.

4. Page 16, section 1.0 BACKGROUND, (2), indicates the various offices interns maybe assigned. What is the total number of interns VA has hired each of the previous 5 years and specify the locations of each intern, i.e. headquarters or particular field locations?

RESPONSE: VA has hosted 578 interns in the previous 5 years. Interns have been placed in all Administrations, Staff Offices, and various facilities throughout 50 states and territories to include Puerto Rico. Note: Interns are contractors and not tracked after the period of performance. Per the PWS, interns must be current students enrolled full or part time and are only eligible for internships the session after they graduated.

5. Please clarify if contractors have a responsibility to provide housing and travel ONLY IF the intern resides greater than fifty (50) miles outside their duty station.

RESPONSE: Correct. Housing and transportation is required if the intern is over 50 miles from the internship site.

6. Housing – how many students each of the previous five (5) years qualified for housing based on the fifty (50) mile radius outside their duty station.

RESPONSE: Over 75 percent of the students require housing and transportation.

7. Housing type – due to safety concerns in university housing, access to kitchens is prohibited or limited. In this instance, is VA amenable to the contractor offering interns eligible for housing either a meal plan at a university or the cash value of the meal plan in lieu of an extended stay housing facility with accompanying amenities of a kitchenette?

RESPONSE: If students are housed at a university and access to kitchens are not available the vendor should provide a meal plan that permits the intern utilization before and after working hours. Students should receive the cash equivalent for any meals that cannot be purchased because they are working onsite at a VA facility. Commute to and from the internship site should be taken into account to determine if a meal plan is accessible to the intern.

8. How long does VA Security normally require in conducting clearances relative to selected interns? Is the standard suitability?

RESPONSE: It varies based on the expediency of the VA employee handling the request and the content of the applicant’s background.

9. Past Performance – since VA is weighing prime contractor past performance history with greater priority, could VA eliminate evaluating subcontractor past performances altogether to mitigate risk to the federal government? In addition to reviewing Past Performance history, is it possible to include a requirement of contractors submitting the 1099s coinciding with the relevant past performances.

RESPONSE: No, this is a business decision as it is up to the prime which references they plan to propose.

10. If a contractor’s SAM.gov is active, will VA accept the representations and certifications in the database or require a separate submittal?

RESPONSE: Yes, please include this as part of Volume IV.

11. Can VA provide a position description and timeframe for accepting candidate’s requirement documentation for review and extending offers, security clearance processing and on-boarding to achieve the June kickoff date?

RESPONSE: VA does not provide position descriptions for intern opportunities. Each opportunity will contain the location, graduate level, academic major, tasks or project to be completed during the internship. Offers will be extended based on completion of order technical evaluations and intern confirmation. Upon intern confirmation and acceptance, the onboarding and security process can be completed.

12. PWS, Section 4.3.4: Per “PWS Section 4.3.4: The contractor shall maintain an accurate, secure, and confidential database of applicant information and provide Intern Placement Reports, generated from that database…” Please clarify:

The VA does not specify what kind of database or what kind of application would be deemed appropriate and acceptable for keeping and maintaining confidential information.

What type of database does the VA consider appropriate for maintaining confidential information for the intern applicants?

RESPONSE: Please refer to section 4.3.4 of the PWS for the items required in the placement report. The VA does not have a specific recommendation only that information collected (resumes, identification verification, transcripts, and other personally identifiable information) should meet required business standards.

13. Please clarify: Is this a Small Business Set-Aside?

The FBO.gov notice indicates this is not a “Set-Aside”; however the solicitation indicates this solicitation is a 100% Small Business Set-Aside.

RESPONSE: This is a 100% small business Set-aside and the FBO posting was in error.

14. Are there a maximum number of interns that can be placed for each semester (fall, spring, and summer) per location?

RESPONSE: There is no maximum number of interns.

15. PWS Section 8.0: Please clarify, will the VA be providing a list of VA facilities and its satellite locations where interns can be placed at or is the Offeror responsible for coordination of this PWS section with the local VA facility?

RESPONSE: Interns are placed at locations that have requested an intern. This information as well as the requested degrees, grade level, and tasks to be accomplished is provided to vendor in the solicitation for the order request.

16. Which interns and under what circumstances do they receive housing and travel?

RESPONSE: This will be identified at the order level.

17. How many 40 hour interns and how many 20 hour interns are required per semester (fall, spring, and summer)?

RESPONSE: There are no set numbers for either. There will be no 20 hour interns in the summer session. The number of interns are based off the requests from sponsoring offices and will be noted in the order requests.

18. PWS Section 3.0 stated: "The contractor shall provide students to participate in internship opportunities." Is there a limit of interns per program year?

RESPONSE: There is no limit to the number of interns.

19. PWS Section 4.4.5 states “The contractor shall make bi-weekly (every two weeks) stipend payments to interns…” Is the stipend of the intern subject to Executive Order (EO) 13658 or any Wage Determination or Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)? If so what Occupation Code do they fall under?

RESPONSE: This does not apply for interns as they are students and they are the primary beneficiary of the relationship Fair Labor Standards Act, see website below for details:

https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm

20. Place of Performance. What VA location(s) does the Government anticipate the work will occur?

RESPONSE: No specific locations. Work will occur wherever there is a need.

21. Insurance. What dollar levels of insurance is required?

RESPONSE: See C.3 Supplemental Insurance Requirements

22. Monthly Reports. Can the Government provide an example of a monthly status report?

RESPONSE: This will be provided upon award.

23. Task Order vs. BPA Call. Can the Government clarify If work placed against the contract will be a Task Order or BPA Call (Ref: PWS 4.1.1) RESPONSE: All future actions will be identified as orders moving forward.

24. Estimated Quantity. Can the Government provide an estimated number of total interns for the base year?

RESPONSE: 60

25. Start Date. Can the Government provide a desired contract start date?

RESPONSE: We are hoping for an April 1, 2019 award date with the first order being a summer intern program order.

26. Electronic Proposal. Is there a size limit for the electronic proposal files which can be e-mailed, e.g., 7 megabytes?

RESPONSE: Quotes shall be submitted as individual files. Compressed (zipped) files shall not be accepted. If you need to send multiple emails make sure the number of emails is added to the subject line for example, 1 out of 3.

27. Pathways. Is the NDIP being done using the Pathways Intern Program guidance?

RESPONSE: No, NDIP is being implemented under the contract that is awarded. VA does have a Pathways Program that is utilized.

28. Existing Contract. Is there currently a contract in place for the NDIP service? If so, can you provide the company name, Contract Number and total dollar amount?

RESPONSE: No, the previous contracts have expired and the total value was approximately $6 Million.

Below is a table showing the previous contracts:

29. Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ). Can you provide a PPQ for this RFQ?

RESPONSE: It was included within the RFQ. Please see attached as well.

30. 1) What is the anticipated number of intern placements for fall, spring and summer sessions (number per session)?

RESPONSE: The anticipated number of interns required are as follows: Spring-10, Summer-40, and Fall-10.

31. This solicitation is categorized as a BPA call. Is this a multiple-award contract, or will the contract be issued to one awardee only?

RESPONSE: The resultant vehicle will be a multiple award BPA.

32. In regard to VA regional/field offices, if local transportation (bus, subway, etc.) is not available, will expenses for rental car or an alternative such as Uber taxi be covered under the scope of this contract?

RESPONSE: This would be under the cost of doing business. Vendors should take these expenses into accounts when determining a firm fixed price.

33. In regards to travel and housing for full time interns that are "relocated" to work location, market prices for housing and airfares vary significantly by city and time of year. Your pricing worksheet does not allow for any "NTE" pricing, cost reimbursable pricing, or some other method to accommodate these differences in market prices. That pricing method requires the contractor to use the highest price markets to roll into pricing for those CLINS, taking the FFP price for those intern positions up significantly. This is especially true for a company such as ours that is a SDVOSB, 8a small business that cannot risk financial loss due to failure to account for potential high price markets where interns could be located under this program. That would also mean that if the position was located in a lower price market, the contractor would receive a FFP payment for that intern that is not justified based upon lower market prices. It would be in the VA's interest to process airfares (or other to/from worksite relocation method), housing costs and other related expenses as reimbursable based upon actual costs (with documentation provided), in order to contain the costs for this program.

RESPONSE: This is not something that VA is considering at this time.

34. What is the frequency that the contractor can invoice the government?

RESPONSE: Monthly, to be defined at the order level.

35. Are nonprofit organizations under $7.5M eligible to bid on this?

RESPONSE: Yes.

36. Is Section B.2 IT Contract Security applicable to the BPA? If section B.2 is applicable, what previous contractor systems may have interfaced with the Government?

RESPONSE: Vendor Time and attendance tracking, intern reports. There are no required interfaces.

37. Does the contractor need to have a facility clearance at the time of proposal submission or contract award to process and manage the interns? If so, will the government sponsor the contract awardee for facility clearance?

RESPONSE: No, no clearance is needed for the contractor. Interns receive VA sponsorship for a clearance upon confirmation.

38. In regards to transition activities, how long is the transition period between the incumbent and the successor contractor?

RESPONSE: None, the current contract has expired.

39. Will a formal RFP be released for this requirement, and what is the anticipated ward and start date for this?

RESPONSE: This is the formal solicitation and the anticipated award is April 1, 2019.

40. Volume III – Price The Price Schedule requests prices for full time intern and part time intern but did not make mention of the intern’s classification (undergraduate or graduate). Should all interns be paid at the same rate?

RESPONSE: Intern stipends are set by the vendor. Graduate students typically receive a larger stipend than undergraduate students.

41. Page 48- Number 4 - Complete Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs) Since the instructions for the Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs) indicated the PPQs should be returned to the Contract Specialist and Contract Officer at VA, does this mean that we should list the contact information for the person and agencies that were sent the PPQ as an attachment to the RFQ?

RESPONSE: Yes.

42. Based off the current program deadlines for the Summer of 2019, can we assume that the acquisition is intended to support the Fall 2019 session (September 2019 through December 2019) and beyond?

RESPONSE: Yes.

43. In regards to training, the Scope of Work mentions training, however there is no specific task in the SOW. What type of training will be required for the interns?

RESPONSE: Professional Development Training includes training that enhances the interns employability and internship experience. Samples include interviewing skills, presentation tips, resume writing etc.

44. Should the CLIN include all the direct and indirect costs? Or are those to be treated separately?

RESPONSE: The price should include the fully burdened rate.

45. Can the Government explain how we are to reflect costs for housing and transportation in the pricing spreadsheet, if at all? For example, is there a standard housing and transportation rate we should factor in the hourly rate?

RESPONSE: No the government can’t advise how to structure the housing and transportation rates.

46. How does the Government wish us to reflect initial travel costs to the work site for interns who will be using housing during the period of the program, if at all? If we are to reflect that in the pricing, does the cost include air/ground transportation to the location as well as daily transportation costs to the worksite?

RESPONSE: The pricing for costs with housing and travel should be included in the firm fixed price. The contractor must take into account housing and transportation costs that will be incurred.

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E.3 FAR 52.212-2 EVALUATION—COMMERCIAL ITEMS (OCT 2014)

EVALUATION APPROACH

(a) The Government will award multiple BPAs resulting from this solicitation to the responsible vendor(s) whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factor(s) considered.

The government’s source selection decision will be based on a Best Value Tradeoff process which incorporates the following factors listed in descending order of importance: technical approach, performance risk, and price. When combined, technical approach and performance risk are significantly more important than price.

All quotes shall be subject to evaluation by a team of Government personnel. The Government intends to award without discussions based upon the initial evaluation of quotes.

All Vendors are advised that, in the interest of efficiency, the Government reserves the right to conduct the evaluation in the most effective manner.

The quote will be evaluated strictly in accordance with its written content. Quotes which merely restate the requirement or state that the requirement will be met, without providing supporting rationale, are not sufficient. Vendors who fail to meet the minimum requirements of the solicitation will be rated Unacceptable and thus, ineligible for award.

In order for quotes to be considered acceptable and eligible for evaluation, they must be prepared in accordance with and in compliance with the instructions given in this RFQ and address all of the requirements set forth within this RFQ.

Evaluation and award will be conducted in accordance with the requirements of FAR Part 13. The Government does not anticipate requesting revisions to quotes, so vendors should provide their best price in its response to this RFQ. The quote will be evaluated strictly in accordance with its written content. Quotes which merely restate the requirement or state that the requirement will be met, without providing supporting rationale, are not sufficient. Vendors who fail to meet the minimum requirements of the solicitation will be rated Unacceptable and thus, ineligible for award.

The following factors will be used to evaluate quotes:

A. TECHNICAL APPROACH EVALUATION. The evaluation process will consider whether the quote demonstrates an acceptable understanding of the technical features involved in meeting the solicitation requirements.

The Government is not limited to the past experience provided by vendors, but reserves the right to independently seek past performance information through any available source including government systems and other government agencies.

In the event quote revisions are requested due to a need for clarification, the Government will not necessarily be seeking revisions from all vendors. The Government will not be conducting "discussions" as defined in FAR Part 15.

B. PERFORMANCE RISK EVALUATION

This factor will include a separate evaluation of both Experience and Past Performance. The evaluation will only consider references which are timely, defined as services performed within the last five (5) years, and relevant, defined as services which, when considered as a whole, are similar in size, scope and/or complexity. The Government will consider experience and past performance for the proposed prime contractor to be significantly more important than experience and past performance submitted for any other member of the vendor structure. For the purposes of evaluating prime contractor experience and past performance, the prime contractor is defined as the contractor identified in Block 17a of the SF 1449. Projects performed by contractors other than the quoter, such as subcontractors, will not be evaluated as prime contractor experience or past performance, unless those other contractors are part of a joint venture quoter as demonstrated by a signed joint venture agreement. For past performance which is timely and relevant, the evaluation will consider the following:

a. Experience – Experience is the skill and knowledge gained by performing services. The information provided will be evaluated to determine the extent to which the contractor has previously provided relevant services which would meet or exceed the needs of this procurement. The Government will consider the level of risk associated with the contractor’s experience.

b. Past Performance – Past performance is a measure of the degree to which a quoter satisfied its customers in the past and complied with Federal, State, and local laws and regulations. The Government will evaluate Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs) to determine the quality of services previously provided, including aspects of cost, schedule and performance, such as quality of product or service, timeliness of performance or adherence to delivery schedules, and effectiveness in program management. The Government reserves the right to evaluate any other information available to the Government through the PPQs or other available resources. The Government will consider the level of risk associated with the contractor’s past performance. An quoter without a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available; the quoter may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on past performance.

C. PRICE EVALUATION APPROACH. The Government will evaluate price to determine whether or not it is considered fair and reasonable. Normally, price reasonableness is established through adequate price competition, but may also be determined through price analysis techniques as described in FAR 13.106-3. Price reasonableness will be evaluated to ensure labor rates proposed are in compliance with the applicable Wage Determination and using a comparison of proposed prices with an independent Government cost estimate to ensure the overall lowest evaluated price is reasonable. Vendors are advised that submitting an unrealistically low price may be grounds for eliminating a quote from competition. This could be on the basis that the vendor does not understand the requirement or has made an incautious quote.

A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful vendor within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

The Government will consider all items associated with the quote, including the option under FAR 52.217-8, as part of the price analysis

BASIS FOR AWARD

The Government will accept the offers that are considered the most advantageous. Considering the evaluation factors outline above, when combined, technical, past performance, and SDB participation significantly more important than cost.

Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs, Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick TO: Melissa Maloy, Contracting Officer Rebecca Ubert, Contract Specialist

RFQ: 36C10X19Q0061

TITLE: NDIP

PHONE: 202-770-6584

E-MAIL: Rebecca.Ubert@va.gov & Melissa.Maloy@va.gov

INFORMATION REQUEST: PAST PERFORMANCE

This office is currently in the process of awarding a competitive Blanket Purchase Agreement. ________ [INSERT CONTRACTOR NAME] has provided your name and organization as a reference regarding _ [INSERT CONTRACTOR NAME]’s record of past performance under Contract No. _____________________ [INSERT CONTRACT NO.].

PAST PERFORMANCE QUESTIONNAIRE

Contractor Name:

Name of Person Completing the Evaluation:

Telephone: E-mail:

Title:

Company/Organization:

Past Performance Effort/Contract:

Please rate the contractor in each of the following areas. Note: there is room for comments where you deem remarks would be helpful to our evaluation.

· Not Applicable: N/A

· 1: Performance clearly below the contract performance standard or requirement

Overall satisfaction with the Contractor’s performance.

Delivery performance includes delivery consistency, on time performance, and flexibility in responding to emerging issues and implementing required solutions.

Rate the effectiveness and applicability of the plans and strategies delivered and the actual implementation of those.

This includes the Contractor’s ability to solve problems, the speed in which they handle problems, and their effective delivery of resolutions.

Rate the quality of the contractor’s staff in executing the project work scope.

6. Have you issued a cure notice, show cause notice, suspension of progress payments or other letters directing the correction of a performance problem in the past 3 years?

|_| Yes |_| No If Yes, please explain.

7. Have you terminated this contractor for default within the past 3 years, or are there any pending termination actions? |_| Yes |_| No If Yes, please explain.

8. Based on the contractor’s overall performance, would you award them another contract?

|_| Yes |_| No If No, please explain.

9. Have you discussed any adverse past performance problems with the Contractor’s and given them an opportunity to comment? |_| Yes |_| No Please explain.

10. Do you file past performance information in a database that the Contracting Officer may search?|_| Yes |_| No If yes, what database?

11. If the contract had options, were those options exercised? |_| Yes |_| No If no, please explain.

12. What was the contract period of performance (i.e., when were services provided)?

13. What was the dollar value of the contract performed by the Contractor?

14. Provide a brief description of the services provided by the Contractor for this contract.

Please attach any past performance database reports or other material you deem appropriate to a full understanding of the contractor’s past performance by the evaluator. Please provide information on any adverse performance by the contractor and the corrective actions taken.

See attached document: PPQ 02.

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