ATTACHMENT_F_1_36C10X25Q0029 ANSWERS.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 26 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 36C10X25Q0029
About this file
This file contains questions and answers related to RFQ 36C10X25Q0029 for Enterprise Mail Management (EMM) Program Support Services at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Q&A reveals that Duty First Consulting is the incumbent (Contract #36C102X21P0013), and the requirement is for 3.5 key personnel positions including Senior Program Analyst, Project Management Professional Business Analyst, and Data Architect Analyst. The work supports VA mail managers across the enterprise and requires expertise in USPS, UPS, and FedEx regulations. Technical requirements include proficiency in SQL, Python, and Visual Basic. The government will provide standard laptops and PIV cards, telework is permitted, and no contractor facility is required. The period of performance will begin February 23, 2025 with a base year and three 12-month options. This is a 100% SDVOSB set-aside under NAICS 541611 with a $24.5M size standard. Proposals were due January 31, 2025 per Amendment 0002.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| ATTACMENT A_REV_2_36C10X25Q0029_RFQ_CONFORMING.docx | DOCX document | |
| ATTACMENT A_REV_2_36C10X25Q0029_RFQ_TRACKED CHANGES.docx | DOCX document | |
| 36C10X25Q0029 0003.docx | DOCX document | |
| ATTACHMENT_B_REV_1_36C10X25Q0029 CLINS.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| ATTACHMENT_G_36C10X25Q0029_ROM.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| 36C10X25Q0029 0003_1.docx | DOCX document | |
| 36C10X25Q0029 0002_1.docx | DOCX document | |
| 36C10X25Q0029 0002.pdf | ||
| 36C10X25Q0029 0001_1.docx | DOCX document | |
| A_REV_1_36C10X25Q0029_RFQ_CONFORMING.docx | DOCX document | |
| 36C10X25Q0029 0001.docx | DOCX document | |
| 36C10X25Q0029_1.docx | DOCX document | |
| ATTACHMENT_D_36C10X25Q0029 PPR.pdf | ||
| ATTACHMENT_B_36C10X25Q0029 CLINS.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| ATTACHMENT_C_36C10X25Q0029 PRICE WORKSHEET.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| ATTACHMENT_E_36C10X25Q0029 PPQ.docx | DOCX document | |
| ATTACHMENT_A_36C10X25Q0029 RFQ.docx | DOCX document | |
| ATTACHMENT_F_36C10X25Q0029 QA.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet |
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Text version
Sheet1
| No. | Question | Solicitation Reference | Final Answer/Comments |
| 1 | Will the Government consider extending due dates? | N/A | The Government will not respond to requests to extend due dates unless there is a reasonable request that includes the circumstances surrounding the request. |
| 2 | When will responses to questions be posted? | N/A | The Government plans to post answers as soon as possible after the Q&A close date. |
| 3 | Are there Service Contract Labor Standards applicable to this action? | N/A | It is unlikely that it will be. However, the Contractor will be responsible for notifying the Contracting Officer of their intention to quote SCLS positions within their quote. Notifications should included the local area in which the employee(s) will provide services. The Contracting Officer will provide the wage determination(s) that will be used in the contract. |
| 4 | Is there an incumbent or is this a new contract? | The current vendor is: Duty First Consulting |
2650 Park Tower Drive, Suite 100, Vienna, VA 22180 Contract #36C102X21P0013 5 The combined synopsis/solicitation notice at page 4, and the opportunity description on SAM.gov both list the deadline for questions as 1:00 p.m. on December 17. Attachment A at page 33 lists the deadline for questions as 1:00 p.m. on December 23. Will the Government please clarify which is the correct deadline for questions? 36C10X25Q0029_1, page 4 SAM.gov, Description Attachment A, page 33
| This was corrected in amendment 0001 | ||
| 6 | The combined synopsis/solicitation notice at page 1, and the Original Date Offers Due under General Information on SAM.gov both list the deadline for submitting proposals as 1:00 p.m. on January 10. Attachment A at page 33 lists the deadline for questions as 1:00 p.m. on January 9. Will the Government please clarify which is the correct deadline for proposal submissions? | 36C10X25Q0029_1, page 1 |
SAM.gov, Description Attachment A, page 33
| This was corrected in previous amendments | ||||
| 7 | The solicitation states "Support staff will learn EMM processes and programs working in conjunction with Government staff and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC)/MITRE. :DFC" In this context, does "programs" refer to software, or does it refer to operational units/locations? | 36C10X25Q0029_1, page 3, paragraph 1.0 | "Programs" does not refer to operational units/locations or software, its established mail programs across the enterprise | |
| 7a | If referring to software, is this a COTS product, government-developed, or contractor-developed? | 36C10X25Q0029_1, page 3, paragraph 1.0 | All software is COTS. | |
| 7b | If contractor-developed, who owns the data rights for the current software? | 36C10X25Q0029_1, page 3, paragraph 1.0 | VA owns the data rights for the current software. | |
| 8 | The solicitation states, "MITRE "DFC"will be transitioning duties to support staff to aid VA mail managers and staff supporting mail functions within their facilities. " This language was also present in the previous solicitation for this work. Has this transition already started? If yes, what portion of the transition has been completed to date? | 36C10X25Q0029_1, page 3, paragraph 1.0 | The transition from MITRE occurred in the previous contract period. The incumbent contractor is required to transition the work for this contract. From the previous contract all transition has been complete to date. In the current solicitation, the transition will begin after award. | |
| 9 | Does the Government own the licenses for SharePoint, the current Talent Management System, Power BI , Access, and risk management and reporting software, or are these to be provided by the contractor? | 36C10X25Q0029_1, page 5, paragraph 5.C.a-c | Yes the Government owns the licenses for SharePoint, the current Talent Management System, Power Bi Access and risk management and reporting software. | |
| 10 | The requirement for this volume requires offerors to develop a PWS. Since there is an incumbent contractor who presumably is already performing under a PWS, this requirement is likely to unfairly limit competition. Will the Government amend this requirement to state, "The Quoter shall describe how it will accomplish the objectives outlined within Section B.2, Statement of Objectives that addresses in detail how the Quoter proposes to accomplish each of the SOO tasks, including but not limited to the following: | |||
| 1. Evidence of specific methods and techniques for completing each discrete task, including but not limited to Project Management Plan and Quality Surveillance Assurance Plan (QASP)" | 36C10X25Q0029_1, page 35, Volume -Technical Capability | The Government can not use a PWS from a vendor that might submit a quote for the current requirement. | ||
| 11 | Does the incumbent contractor have an ongoing teaming arrangement with MITRE "DFC" in support of this program? | N/A | No | |
| 12 | The solicitation requires: "Signed Amendment(s), if any. An authorized official of the prime contractor shall sign the amendment(s) and all certifications requiring signature." The first Amendment released did not include an SF 30 (or similar). Will the Government release an SF 30 for this and future amendments, or should offerors meet this requirement with a signed statement in Volume V? | A_REV_1_36C10X25Q0029_RFQ_CONFORMING, p. 37, E.5, Volume V, paragraph 1 | SF30s have been uploaded to SAM. If you are not seeing them please contact the Contract Specialist at derek.devine@va.gov | |
| 13 | Is the Contractor required to provide a facility? Is telework permitted? | Attachment A, PWS 9.0 | No, the contractor is not required to provide a facility, telework is permitted. | |
| 14 | Will the Government provide a current list of Contractor Furnished Equipment? | Attachment A, PWS 10.0 | The Government will provide the following: Standard Laptops with charging device and PIV cards. | |
| 15 | What is the current level of effort and how many key personnel are currently provided? | Attachment A, PWS 5.0 | The current level of effort is 3 1/2 contract staff. 3 1/2 staff key personnel. | |
| 16 | Which labor categories are designated key? | Attachment A, PWS 5.0 | Key labor categories designated key are: Senior Program Analyst, Project Management Professional Business Analyst and Data Architect Analyst. | |
| 17 | Will Contract Teaming Agreements (CTAs) be acceptable? | N/A | No | |
| 18 | Is there an incumbent? If there’s an incumbent would this requirement require expanded role/duties by the incumbent? | open | The current vendor is: Duty First Consulting |
2650 Park Tower Drive, Suite 100, Vienna, VA 22180 Contract #36C102X21P0013. There are no expanded roles/duties by the incumbent.
| 19 | Does Attachment A represent the overall scope/objectives/requirements for this effort? | 3.0 | No the Attachment A does not represent the overall scope/objectives/requirements of this effort. Please see attached SOO 9.0 |
| 20 | Will the solicitation be revised with more information? The SOO does not provide enough information to describe the scope and needs. | 3.0 | The solicitation will be amended to reflect the specific tasks and deliverables. |
| 21 | Will this effort require support staffing beyond the “Key” personnel indicated? (Senior Program Analyst; Business Analyst; Data Architect Analyst) | 5.0 | This is at the discretion of the contractor in support of the business needs and requirements of the government |
| 22 | How many sites are included in the staffing? Regional Offices vs HQ (Central Office)? | 9.0 | EMM is an VA enterprise level program in support of all Administrations. Contract does process or deliver mail. No sites need to be included in staffing. |
| 23 | What apps/software are proprietary from previous vendor(s)? | 3.0 | EMM does not use COTS apps. |
| 24 | What are the primary Commercial Off the Shelf(COTS) apps? | 3.0 | EMM does not use COTS apps. |
| 25 | Will there be a data/software library where system architecture, platform apps and interface information will be provided for the proposal? What additional documentation will be provided; i.e., EMM guidelines, policies, operating procedures, etc.? | 1.0; 2.0; & 3.0 | Information will be provided upon selection of the vendor. |
| 26 | What is the expected level of engagement and support for stakeholders? | 3.0 | In this instance stakeholder will be defined as EMM gov't staff. The level of engagement will situational based on program requirement. |
| 27 | Will all communication be conducted through SharePoint or will the contractor be required to maintain a help desk for voice/email communications? | 3.0 | The contractor will not be required to maintain a help desk or voice/email communications. Majority of communication is conducted through SharePoint and normal day to day operations. |
| 28 | How much development of the current draft EMM or updates would be needed, it seems logical to have input on those items? | 3.0 | EMM is continually evolving, thus partnering with the contractor to maintain, develop and deploy programs for VA mail facilities. |
| 29 | Will this requirement focus on the development of processes/procedures and the data platforms for the EMM system? | 3.0 | Yes, this requirement will focus on the evolution of processes/procedures and the data platforms for the EMM system. |
| 30 | Will system architecture and interface information be provided for the solicitation response? | 3.0 | No, the system architecture and interface information will NOT be provided for the solicitation response. |
| 31 | Will this requirement include transitioning support staff duties, formerly provided by MITRE "DFC" to support VA mail managers and mail functions within various facilities? | 1.0 | No, the contractor will support EMM. |
| 32 | As the EMM program office continues to evolve via modernization efforts, will this requirement include additional and/or new dedicated and trained FTEs to support this effort? | 3.0 | That is to be determined, modernization efforts and new requirements are changing daily. |
| 33 | What is the total level of effort for this requirement (how many full-time equivalents)? | N/A | See attachment G: Rough Order of Magnitude |
| 34 | Does this requirement allow for contractors to work remotely, or is the requirement solely for contractors to work at centralized facilities operated by the vendor? | RFQ, Section B, 9.0 Place of Performance | This is dependent on the contractor business model. |
| 35 | The RFQ attachment indicates January 9, 2025 while the government bidding site SAM indicates January 10, 2025 Please confirm which is accurate. | RFQ p 34 (rev 12/17/24)/SAM | Amendment 0002 extended deadline to 01/31/2025 |
| 36 | What are the specific technical specifications for deliverables such as SharePoint configurations, database tools, or Power BI dashboards? Are there design standards or templates to adhere to? | Section 3.0 Scope | Standards for SharePoint configurations, database tools or Power BI dashboards must adhere to VA policy. |
| 37 | What is the expected volume of mail data (e.g., records processed, transactions, or mail items) to be handled monthly, and how is this data currently structured (e.g., databases, flat files)? | SOO Section 3.0 Scope and Section 4.0 Performance Objectives | The volume of mail data handled monthly varies by month but average 100KB. Data varies by vendor and site. Information is shared via email, csv file format, flat file, text file. Data is in an access database. |
| 38 | What software platforms (e.g., ERPs, CMS, mail management systems) are currently being used for the Enterprise Mail Management (EMM) program, and are there APIs available for integration? | Section 3.0 Scope and Section 4.0 Performance Objectives | EMM is not currently using mail management software and APIs are not available for integrations. |
| 39 | Are there any legacy systems or applications that the contractor’s tools must interface with? If so, what are their technical specifications and data formats? | Section 3.0 Scope | No legacy systems or applications are required for the contractor's tool to interface with. Therefore, there are no technical specifications and data formats. |
| 40 | Can you provide a schema or architecture diagram for the databases currently used to manage mail operations? Are there specific tools or formats required for data import/export? | Section 3.0 Scope and Section 4.0 Performance Objectives | No schema or acritude diagrams for the databases currently being used to mail operations will be provided. No specific tools or formats are required for data import/export |
| 41 | What are the technical requirements for the dashboards and reports (e.g., data sources, refresh intervals, interactivity levels, or specific visualizations)? | Section 4.0 Performance Objectives | Technical requirements for the dashboards and reports (e.g., data sources, refresh intervals, interactivity levels, or specific visualizations) will be reviewed after award. The common applied used in Microsoft Access is required. |
| 42 | Beyond SharePoint and Power BI, are there specific frameworks, programming languages, or database technologies (e.g., SQL, Python, or R) that key personnel must be proficient in? | Section 5.0 Key Personnel | SQL, Python, and Visual Basic for Application are the specific frameworks, programming languages, or database technologies that key personnel must be proficient in. |
| 43 | What type of access control (e.g., Single Sign-On, role-based access) is in place for contractor systems, and what tools are used to enforce security policies? | Section 11.0 Security | VA requires a single sign on with PIV and role-based access. Tools to enforce the security policies is found in Policy 6500. |
| 44 | Are there existing technical process documentation, API documentation, or system architecture diagrams that can be leveraged by the contractor for onboarding? | Section 3.0 Scope and Section 4.0 Performance Objectives | Yes there is existing documentation that can be used by the contractor for onboarding. |
| 45 | Are there specific milestones or datasets that need to be transitioned from MITRE "DFC" and is there a detailed handoff plan for those elements? | Section 2.0 Background and Section 3.0 Scope | Transition plan will be developed prior to contract award and will included all program process and programs to ensure a successful transition |
| 46 | What specific technical security protocols (e.g., encryption standards, SIEM integration) are required for systems handling VA data? Are contractors required to implement endpoint monitoring? | Section 11.0 Security | Contractor must follow Policy 6500 (VA Cybersecurity Program) requirements for technical security protocol |
| 47 | Are there automated systems in place for validating compliance with USPS DMM, 49 CFR, or FMR, or will these need to be developed as part of the contract? | Section 4.0 Performance Objectives | There are no automated systems in place for validating compliance with USPS DMM, 49 CFR or FMR. These are not part of the contract. |
| 48 | Are there specific technical platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Webex) that must be used for teleconferences and data sharing? Are there restrictions on contractor-provided solutions? | Section 9.0 Place of Performance and Section 13.0 Meetings | VA uses Microsoft Teams for teleconferences and data sharing. Recommend contractor follows VA platform. |
| 49 | What are the technical requirements or preferred formats (e.g., XML, JSON, PDFs) for submitting project documentation, updates, and deliverables to the VA? | Section 4.0 Performance Objectives and Section 11.0 Security | All platforms are required (XML, JSON, PDFs) for submitting project documentation, updates and deliverables to VA. (MS Office) |
| 50 | What are the technical specifications for data migration from MITRE " DFC" managed systems to the contractor’s tools? Are there existing scripts, tools, or pipelines that must be utilized or replaced? | Section 3.0 Scope and Section 4.0 Performance Objectives | Some technical specification are in place for data migration but use of MS Office meets the current requirement. There are no scripts, tools or pipelines that must be utilized or replaced. |
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