Library Support Services RFP Amendment 1 (1).pdf

47QFLA21R0022

Section A – Solicitation/Contract Form

Contract Library Support Services

A procurement by the

U.S. General Services Administration on behalf of

National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC)

Solicitation Number / GSA ASSIST #47QFLA21R0022

GSA Form 300

A contract resulting from this solicitation will be made on the GSA Form 300, which will be attached at the time of contract award.

Section B - Supplies or Services and Prices

B.1 GENERAL

The National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Applied Informatics Flight (NASIC-GXKA) requires Contract Library Services.

B.2 CONTRACT TYPE

The contract type is a hybrid of firm-fixed-price with cost-reimbursement ODCs. The contract method is an open market standalone contract. The North American Industrial Classification

System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 519120, Libraries and Archives.

B.3 PRICES

Materials and shipping costs shall be specifically spelled out and are to be billed as direct costs to be paid on a reimbursable basis. Labor costs shall be firm fixed price and billed in 12 equal monthly payments.

B.4 SCHEDULE OF ITEMS/SERVICES AND PRICES

The labor categories and rates to be used in performance of this contract are presented in the tables that follow. The contractor may propose and negotiate additional labor categories as appropriate for inclusion in the contract.

Base Year: 29 Sep 2021-28 Sep 2022

CLIN Months Monthly Unit Price Total

CLIN 0001 FFP LABOR 12 $ $

CLIN 0002 Other Direct

Costs $5,000,000.00 NTE

Option Year 1: 29 Sep 2022-28 Sep 2023

CLIN 1001 FFP LABOR 12 $ $

CLIN 1002 Other Direct

Option Year 2: 29 Sep 2023-28 Sep 2024

CLIN 2001 FFP LABOR 12 $ $

CLIN 2002 Other Direct

Option Year 3: 29 Sep 2024-28 Sep 2025

CLIN 3001 FFP LABOR 12 $ $

CLIN 3002 Other Direct

Option Year 4: 29 Sep 2025-28 Sep 2026

CLIN 4001 FFP LABOR 12 $ $

CLIN 4002 Other Direct

Section C – Description/Specifications/Statement of

Work

C.1 See Attachment 2 PWS

Section D - Packaging and Marking

D.1 Reserved

Section E - Inspection and Acceptance

E.1 See Attachment 1, Provisions and Clauses

Section F - Deliveries or Performance

F.1 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Base Year: 29 September 2021 – 28 September 2022

Option Year 1: 29 September 2022 – 28 September 2023

Option Year 2: 29 September 2023 – 28 September 2024

Option Year 3: 29 September 2024 – 28 September 2025

Option Year 4: 29 September 2025 – 28 September 2026

F.2 See Attachment 1, Provisions and Clauses

Section G - Contract Administration Data

G.1 CONTRACTING AND ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY

a. The contract will be administered by the General Services Administration Federal Acquisition

Service Region 5. The Contracting Officer (CO) is the only person authorized to approve changes or modify any of the requirements contained elsewhere in this contract; the said authority remains solely with the CO. In the event the contractor effects any such change at the direction of any person other than the CO, the change will be considered to have been made without authority and no adjustment will be made in the contract costs to cover any increase incurred as a result thereof.

b. The contractor shall submit requests for modifications of this contract to the CO with a copy of the request to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

c. Contractual problems of any nature that may arise during the life of this contract must be handled in conformance with public laws and regulations (e.g., Federal Acquisition Regulation).

Only the CO is authorized to resolve such problems. Therefore, the contractor is hereby directed to bring all such contractual problems to the immediate attention of the CO.

d. Request for information on matters related to this contract, such as explanation of terms and contract interpretation, shall be submitted to the CO.

G.2 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

a. Notwithstanding the contractor’s responsibility for total management during the performance of this contract, the administration of the contract requires maximum coordination between the

Government and the contractor. The following individuals will be the Government points of contact during the performance of the contract:

Contract Specialist:

Name: Patrick Salter

Email: Patrick.salter@gsa.gov

CO:

Name: Amanda Foster

Email: amanda.foster@gsa.gov

GSA COR:

Benedicta Reyes

Email: benny.reyes@gsa.gov

b. Contract Administration. All contract administration will be affected by the CO.

Communications pertaining to contractual administrative matters shall be addressed to the CO.

No changes in or deviation from the scope of work shall be effected without a written modification to the contract executed by the CO authorizing such changes.

c. Designation of Representatives. The CO may designate individuals to act as the. CORs may provide technical guidance in direction of the work, but they are not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the contract. CORs will be designated by a letter of appointment from the CO.

The COR is an authorized representative of the CO who assists with the technical monitoring or administration of a contract. The COR is the technical/administrative liaison between the contractor and the CO. All communication with agencies of the Government shall be accomplished only through the direction and with the coordination of the COR.

d. Technical Coordination.

1) Performance of work under this contract shall be in compliance with the PWS. The contractor shall use the PWS together with other applicable portions of the basic award as a basis for the description of its capabilities and ability to propose appropriate items/services.

2) All technical coordination shall remain within the scope of this. No oral statements of any person whosoever shall in any manner or degree, modify or otherwise affect the terms of this contract. Technical coordination shall not result in any action that:

i. Constitutes an assignment of additional work outside the PWS.

ii. Constitutes a change as defined in the contract clauses FAR 52.212-4(c) Changes or Changes

- Cost-Reimbursement as applicable.

iii. Causes an increase in the total contract amount or the time required for contract performance.

iv. Changes in any of the expressed terms, conditions, or specifications of this contract.

v. Interfere with the contractor’s right to perform the terms and conditions of the contract.

G.3. INVOICING/PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS

THE FOLLOWING INVOICING PROCEDURES MUST BE FOLLOWED TO ENSURE

TIMELY PAYMENT:

The contractor shall provide a monthly invoice to be submitted simultaneously with the monthly status report no later than the 15 th calendar day of the month following the reporting period. The monthly reporting period shall be based on the calendar month. The contractor invoice shall have separate line items for items/services and ODCs (if utilized).

The contractor shall submit the invoices and supporting documents, through ASSIST simultaneously with the monthly status report (as an acceptance item) to allow the client and the

Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to electronically accept and certify services received by the client representative. The contractor is authorized to invoice only for the services ordered by GSA and provided in direct support of the client’s project requirements. For technical questions regarding ASSIST, please contact the ASSIST Help Desk at 1-877-472-4877.

G.4 POST AWARD EVALUATION OF CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE

Interim and final evaluations of contractor performance will be prepared for each period of performance under this contract in accordance with FAR Subpart 42.1550. The evaluation reports will be prepared in the CPARS (Contract Performance Assessment Reporting System). A final performance evaluation will be prepared by the COR at the time of completion of work. In addition to the final evaluation, interim evaluations may be prepared by the COR annually to coincide with the anniversary date of the contract if it exceeds one year in duration. As a minimum, evaluation factors will include quality, schedule, cost control, management, regulatory compliance. Additional factors may include professionalism and commitment to customer satisfaction.

Interim and final evaluations will be provided to the Contractor as soon as practicable after completion of the evaluation. The Contractor will be permitted sixty calendar days to review the document and to submit additional information or a rebutting statement. Any disagreement between the parties regarding an evaluation will be referred to an individual one level above the

CO, whose decision will be final.

Copies of the evaluations, Contractor responses, and review comments, if any, will be retained as part of the contract file, and may be used to support future award decisions.

G.5 GOVERNMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

The Government will evaluate Contractor performance under this contract in accordance with a

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). The purpose of this evaluation is to ensure that

Contractor performance meets Government requirements. The QASP also indicates the potential disincentives for unsatisfactory performance due to a reduction in value received. The

Government reserves the unilateral right to change the QASP at any time during contract performance provided the changes are communicated to the Contractor by the effective date of the change. The QASP along with its attached “Surveillance Objectives, Measures, and

Expectations” and “Performance Evaluation Report” identifies evaluation procedures, PWS items to be evaluated, and the measures against which performance will be evaluated. The QASP will be identified at the task order level.

Section H - Special Contract Requirements

H.1 KICKOFF MEETING

There will be a kick-off meeting / conference call for this contract within 15 calendar days after award of the contract or at other such time as mutually agreed upon by the parties.

H.2 PROTECTION OF PROPOSAL AND CONTRACT INFORMATION

In accordance with FAR 3.104-4 and 15.207, the Government will take the necessary and usual steps to maintain the confidentiality of contractor information submitted prior to and after award of the contract.

H.3 GOVERNMENT DELAYS IN REVIEWING DELIVERABLES OR FURNISHING

ITEMS

If contractor performance or submission of deliverables is contingent upon receipt of government furnished items (data, equipment, materials, facilities, and support) or input, or upon government review and approval of interim items or draft documents (collectively referred to as Government

Performance), the government shall specify when it will provide such items or input, or the time it will need to perform reviews or give approvals. If the government fails to meet item, input, review, or approval deadlines, contractor performance or submission of deliverables shall automatically be extended one calendar day for each day of government delay. The contractor shall promptly advise the Contracting Officer (CO) of any delays in receipt of government furnished items, input, reviews, or approvals. If dates for Government performance are not specified in this contract/order or associated task directives (if used), this clause will not apply, and contractor delays must be handled or negotiated under other provisions of this contract or order.

H.4 ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedures increase the opportunity for relatively inexpensive and expeditious resolution of issues in controversy. These procedures may be used at any time that the CO has authority to resolve the issue in controversy. If the Contractor submits a claim, ADR procedures may be applied to all or part of the claim. The Contractor must certify its claim in accordance with FAR 33.207. When ADR procedures are used after the issuance of a CO’s final decision, the time limitations or procedural requirements for filing an appeal of the CO’s final decision are not altered.

H.5 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY

During the course of this contract the Contractor may be required to use Government Furnished

Property or to purchase items or equipment to fulfill the Government’s bona fide need.

Accordingly, the provisions of the clause entitled Government Property (FAR 52.245-1) will apply. Contractor purchased items or equipment will become Government property per paragraph (e)(3) of this clause. Government Property will be disposed of at the end of this contract per Contracting Officer Disposition Instruction in accordance with paragraph

(j)(2)(i)(A) of this clause. In the absence of a Contracting Officer Disposition Instruction, all

Government property, whether furnished by the Government or purchased on behalf of the

Government, shall be returned within 60 days of the task order completion date to the government COR responsible for the task order under which the government property was furnished. The Contractor shall coordinate the delivery logistics of Government property returns with the task order TPOC.

NOTE: In addition to, or in place of, the applicable provision of the Government Property clause, the contractor shall have the responsibility to conserve and protect Government resources. The contractor shall repair any Government-owned equipment, which is damaged through or by the fault of the contractor, with equipment of equal or better quality, at no cost to the Government. All repairs and/or replacements of GFE/GFP must be pre-approved by the

TPOC.

Section I - Contract Clauses

See Attachment 1, Provisions and Clauses

Section J - List of Attachments

Attachment 1 – Provisions and Clauses

Attachment 2 – Performance Work Statement (PWS)

PWS - Attachment A – Service Delivery Summary

PWS - Attachment B – Non-Disclosure Agreement

PWS - Attachment C – Request to Initiate Purchase

PWS - Attachment D – Consent to Purchase

Attachment 3 – Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

Attachment 4 – Question and Answer Template

Attachment 5 – Pricing Template

Attachment 6 – Past Performance Information Sheet

Attachment 7 – Government Furnished Property/Information (GFP/GFI) Listing

Section K – Representations, certifications, and other statements of offerors

Section L - Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to

Offerors or Respondents

L1.0 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS/INFORMATION

L1.0.1. The proposal shall be clear, concise, and shall include sufficient detail for effective evaluation and for substantiating the validity of stated claims. The proposal should not simply rephrase or restate the Government's requirements but rather shall provide convincing rationale to address how the offeror intends to meet these requirements. The offeror shall assume that the Government has no prior knowledge of their capabilities and experience and will base its evaluation on the information presented in the offeror's proposal.

L1.0.2. The offeror shall make a clear statement in Volume I cover page that the proposal is valid for a minimum of 120 days from the proposal due date.

L1.0.3. In accordance with (IAW) FAR Subpart 4.8 (Government Contract Files), the

Government will retain one digital copy of all unsuccessful proposals.

L1.0.4. Portions of the offeror’s proposal may be incorporated into the contract as an attachment in Section J.

L1.0.5. Point of Contact.

The Contracting Officer (CO) and Contract Specialist (CS) is the point of contact for this procurement. Address any questions or concerns you may have to the CO. Written requests for clarification must be sent to the CO at the email address located below.

Contract Specialist

Name: Patrick Salter

Phone No: (937)-705-9133

E-Mail Address: patrick.salter@gsa.gov

Contracting Officer

Name: Amanda Foster

Phone No.: (217) 492-5046

E-Mail Address: amanda.foster@gsa.gov

L1.0.6. Discrepancies.

If the contractor believes that the requirements in these instructions contain an error, omission, or are otherwise unsound, the contractor shall immediately notify the CO in writing. The offeror is reminded that the Government reserves the right to award this effort based on the initial proposal, as received, without negotiation.

L1.1. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

L1.1.1. ASSIST Registration.

The offeror must submit their proposal through the GSA ASSIST portal

(https://portal.fas.gsa.gov/) under the solicitation number noted above. The contract will be awarded and administered through the GSA ASSIST system. If your company is not registered in the ASSIST system, you must register to submit your proposal prior to the proposal due date. Instructions for registering are provided on the web site. Additionally, phone technical support for ASSIST is available by calling toll free 877-472-4877 and following the prompts.

L1.1.2. ASSIST Proposal Submission.

Although this requirement is being solicited through sam.gov system, offerors must submit their proposals through the GSA ASSIST procurement portal (www.portal.fas.gsa.gov) under the Solicitation PIID noted above. The contract will be awarded and administered through the GSA ASSIST system. Offerors must register and submit their proposal in

ASSIST prior to the due date for Government receipt of proposals to be considered for award. If your company is not registered in the ASSIST system, you must register to submit your proposal prior to the proposal due date of this announcement. Instructions for registering are provided on the web site. Additionally, phone technical support for ASSIST is available. Once registered in ASSIST offerors intending to propose must contact the

Contracting Officer or GSA Project Manager and provide the company name and contact person as it appears on the ASSIST registration. This step is necessary so the Government can activate the ASSIST RFP screen in the name of your company so you can submit your proposal. Your company MUST identify an individual in the registration form who will have signing authority for the company. Offerors must be registered by and notify the

Contracting Officer or Contract Specialist by 21 July 2021 to facilitate submission of the proposal in accordance with these procedures.

Proposals submitted to ASSIST, as attachments, must conform to formats compatible with

Microsoft Office software (i.e., MS Word, MS Excel, etc) with all external objects embedded (not linked) or Portable Document Format (.pdf). [Note: This stipulation is for compatibility with government software, only, and is not an endorsement of Microsoft

Corporation, Adobe, Inc., or other manufactures of compatible software or of their products.] Multimedia files will not be accepted, e.g., QuickTime or Windows Media

Player, RealPlayer, etc. ASSIST will accept attachments up to 50MB in size, each, and may accept larger documents. ASSIST accepts attachments in groups of six at a time. If you need to attach more than six documents to your proposal, attach and click the “submit” button for the first six attachments and then repeat the attachment process for subsequent documents.

L.1.1.3 Submission Instructions: Non-conformance with the below instructions and proposal content requirements may result in immediate removal from competition.

L.1.1.4 Due Date: The contractor shall submit its proposal in the ASSIST system no later than 26 July 2021 at 10:00am eastern time. Late proposals will be processed in accordance with FAR 52.212-1(f) Late Submissions, Modifications, Revisions, and Withdrawals of

Offers.

L.1.1.5 Questions: All questions regarding this solicitation shall be submitted in email no later than 1200 EST on 7 July 2021 to the POCs at the email addresses provided above.

Questions shall be provided on the attached Q&A template (Attachment 4).

L.1.1.6 Minimum Acceptance Period: Quotations shall be available for Government acceptance for a period of no less than 120 calendar days.

L.1.1.7 Format: proposals shall be broken into the following two volumes with the page limits as specified below:

● Volume 1: Non-Price Factor(s) o Technical Approach (15 page limitation) o Staffing Approach (10 page limitation) (including Phase-in plan if applicable) o Past Performance (5 page limitation)

● Volume 2: Price (Government format provided Attachment 5)

● Volume 3: Contract Documentation

L.1.1.8 Page Limitation Exclusion: Pages or written material exceeding the number specified will not be read or considered in the evaluation by the Government. The following are excluded from page limitations: cover page, table of contents, resumes, and glossary.

L.1.1.9 Proposal Organization: The proposal in its entirety shall be organized to correspond with the evaluation criteria and submitted in an 8½-in X 11-in format, using 12-point Times New Roman type, and 1-inch margins.

L1.1.10 Labor Categories and Rates

Volume two of the proposal shall include a completed price schedule in Section B of this solicitation listing all of the labor categories and labor rates the offeror proposes to use to perform work under this contract. The schedule should be divided into five segments should the offeror desire to propose price changes from year to year. For labor rate pricing, the contractor shall propose fully burdened FFP labor rates. The total amount proposed for the Labor CLIN will establish the Firm-Fixed Price Amount. Price proposal shall be submitted in accordance with Attachment 5 and shall remain in the editable version of excel.

L2.0. OTHER INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR VOLUME 3 CONTRACT

DOCUMENTATION

L.2.1 Authorized Offeror Personnel.

Provide the name, title, and telephone number of the company/division point of contact regarding decisions made with respect to your proposal and who can obligate your company contractually. Also, identify those individuals authorized to negotiate with the Government. This individual must also be identified as the signing authority in the company’s ASSIST registration

L2.2. Company/Division Address, Identifying Codes, and Applicable Designations.

Provide company/division's street address, county and facility code; CAGE code; DUNS code;

TIN; size of business (large or small); and labor surplus area designation. This same information must be provided if the work for this contract will be performed at any other locations. List all locations where work is to be performed and indicate whether such facility is a division, affiliate, or subcontractor, and the percentage of work to be performed at each location.

L2.3Contract/Representations and Certifications

The purpose of this volume is to provide information to the Government for preparing the contract document and supporting file. The offeror's proposal must include a signed offer letter.

L2.4. Section I - Contract Clauses.

The offeror shall comply with the clauses provided in Section I. Please note that many clauses require the prime Contractor to include the same or similar clause in contracts with subcontractors.

L2.5 Purchasing System

Provide a summary description of your purchasing system or methods (e.g., how material requirements are determined, how sources are selected, when firm quotes are obtained, what provision is made to ensure quantity and other discounts). Also, identify any deviations from your standard procedures in preparing this proposal. Indicate whether you have Government approval of your system and if so, provide evidence of such approval.

L2.6 Accounting System

Indicate whether you have Government approval of your accounting system and if so, provide evidence of such approval. Also, identify any deviations from your standard procedures in preparing this proposal.

L3.0 PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

L4.0 PROVISIONS INCORPORATED BY FULL TEXT

Section M: Evaluation Factors for Award

M.1 COMPETITIVE, BEST VALUE TRADE-OFF SOURCE SELECTION:

This source selection is a best-value trade off competitive source selection conducted in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 15.3, as supplemented by the

Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS) Subpart 215.3. The Government will select the overall best offer, based upon an integrated assessment of Technical, Management/Staffing Plan, Past

Performance, and Cost/Price. To be eligible for award, the Offeror must be deemed responsible in accordance with FAR Subpart 9.1; meet all requirements of the solicitation; conform to all required terms and conditions; and, include all required certifications, unless a proposed exception is accepted by the Government. The Government will select for award the proposal determined to be the most advantageous to the Government considering all the evaluation factors in Section M. Even though price is a substantial factor in source selection, this competition may result in an award to a higher-rated, higher-priced Offeror, where the decision is consistent with the evaluation factors and the Source Selection Authority (SSA) reasonably determines that the technical superiority and/or overall business approach and/or superior past performance of the higher price Offeror outweighs the cost/price difference. While the Government source selection evaluation team and the SSA will strive for maximum objectivity, the source selection process, by its nature, is subjective and, therefore, professional judgment is implicit throughout the entire process.

M.2 EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD:

There are four evaluation factors: Technical, Management/Staffing Plan, Past Performance, and

Cost/Price. The Technical, Management, and Past Performance factors are considered in descending order of importance and, when combined, are significantly more important than the

Cost/Price factor. The Government intends to award a single contract to the Offeror that provides the best overall value to the government. The Government reserves the right to make a single contract award or no contract award based on funds availability.

M.2.1 EVALUATION FACTOR 1 – NON-PRICE:

M.2.1.1 SUBFACTOR 1 – TECHNICAL APPROACH

The technical proposal shall include an overview of the methodology that will be utilized to guide the management and performance of the technical requirements identified in Attachment 2

– Performance Work Statement.

● The Offeror shall demonstrate technical understanding in establishing, maintaining, and updating library website.

● The Offeror shall demonstrate knowledge in creating secure web content that can be made accessible through and on government networks.

● The Offeror shall follow security best practices to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of information and users for the library website.

● The Offeror shall ensure that any third-party services they utilize will not be able to see information about a particular user or their IP address.

● The Offeror shall provide software source code for any developed software and make it available for any audits and ensure that it can be recompiled (all tools and libraries are listed and accounted for).

● The Offeror shall demonstrate expertise in building websites using modern web frameworks.

● The Offeror shall demonstrate expertise in securing software and ensuring prompt remediation to any found software bug such as in the case of a CVE notification.

M.2.1.2 SUBFACTOR 2 – MANAGEMENT AND STAFFING APPROACH

The contractor shall describe their staffing approach for completing the PWS tasks. The staffing approach MUST include the below items. Failure to provide any one of the below items will result in immediate removal from the competition. The Government will evaluate the staffing narrative and staffing matrix presented for this factor as a whole.

● List of names and resumes of personnel proposed, their skill category, and an estimated number of hours by labor categories.

● Rationale for any differences in staffing plan and estimated annual workload (see attachment 5 amendment 1 - Pricing Template)

● Resumes of personnel proposed shall describe their past experience, special qualifications, security clearances, certification and training.

● Staffing plan shall include information detailing how proposed teaming/subcontractor shall be managed.

● Demonstrate ability to process, perform analysis, and store material within the Contractor site.

● Identify any requested government furnished desk and IT requirements provided on-site at NASIC for pre-approval if required to conduct the requirements of this contract

● The Offeror shall demonstrate expertise in providing search and translation capabilities that make available records to an English speaking user-base.

The Offeror shall demonstrate they can provide support for the website via channels such as phone and/or email.

M.2.1.3 SUBFACTOR 3 - PAST PERFORMANCE AND EXPERIENCE:

Under this factor, the government will evaluate the degree to which the offeror’s other past or present projects are similar in size, scope, complexity, and cost to that of this requirement.

Higher ratings will be given for those that are more similar and lower ratings to those that are less similar.

- The Offeror shall submit recent and relevant past performance examples for contracts completed within the past three years. See Attachment 6 – Past Performance Information Sheet

- The Offeror shall submit at least two (2) maximum of three (3) references in accordance with

Attachment 6 – Past Performance Information Sheet for contracts they have completed within the past three years or that they are currently performing.

- Submission of past performance from a subcontractor is permitted. If submitting past performance from a subcontractor, only one (1) reference from the subcontractor is permitted.

The subcontractor past performance submission will count towards the maximum allowed.

- Past performance information may be obtained from any other sources available to the

Government, to include, but not limited to, the Past Performance Information Retrieval System

(PPIRS), Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS), Electronic

Subcontract Reporting System (eSRS), or other databases; the Defense Contract Management

Agency; and interviews with Program Managers, Contracting Officers, and Fee Determining

Officials.

M.2.2 EVALUATION FACTOR 2 - PRICE: No price information shall be included within the other volume. The portion of the quotation shall be submitted using the Government-provided Pricing Template (Attachment 5).

M.2.2.1 All pricing submissions shall be provided in Microsoft Excel format. Failure to provide pricing in the Excel format may result in immediate removal from competition. Contractor is required to complete the pricing template.

M2.2.2 The Government has provided Not to Exceed (NTE) amounts in the Pricing Template.

The totals for Other Direct Costs (ODCs) shall remain as pre-filled by the Government. Any changes to these amounts will be reverted back to the original amounts prior to the price evaluation. These amounts shall be inclusive of any proposed indirect rates. All proposed indirect rates shall be notated within the price proposal and a copy of existing DCAA forward-pricing rate approval(s) for such indirect rates shall be provided. Profit or fee will not be permitted on travel or ODCs. ODCs will be reimbursed on a Cost Reimbursable basis.

M.2.2.3 If modifications are made to the spreadsheet, they shall be clearly marked, along with an explanation of the modification.

M.2.2.4 The contractor should ensure that the price volume is consistent with the technical submission in all respects. The information in the price submission will be shared with the technical evaluators to determine if pricing is reasonably aligned with the proposed labor mix to perform the duties as required by the PWS.

M.2.2.5Primary place of performance will be Contractor site.

M.2.2.6 Contractors are encouraged to provide price discounts.

M.2.3 EVALUATION FACTOR 3 – CONTRACT DOCUMENTATION:

M.2.3.1 The Offeror shall demonstrate what processes they will use to ensure each authorized

Client purchases and receives information purchased.

M.2.3.2 The Offeror shall have a clear understanding of how to receive, inspect, and accept/reject purchased print content.

M.2.3.3 The Offeror shall have an efficient manner in purchasing digital content with the appropriate distribution terms to meet the Client’s intent.

M.3 EVALUATION PROCESS AND AWARD DECISION:

M.3.1 The Government will perform and document an integrated best value assessment of the evaluated proposals. Technical scores will be ranked and then assessed against the total price using a trade-off approach based on the relative risks and benefits of the individual quotes. This trade-off will identify the best value offer to the Government. When making these trade-offs, the technical will be considered significantly more important than price.

The following table/ratings will be utilized to score Factor 1 Non-Price, sub-Factor 1 Technical

Approach, Sub-Factor 2 Management and Staffing Plan 2, and Factor 3 Contract Documentation:

Rating General Description

Outstanding

(BLUE)

For the Technical Expertise/Approach and Management & Staffing Plans Approach factors, the quote must exceed specified minimum performance or capability requirements in a way beneficial to the government. A quote must have more than one strength and no deficiencies to receive a blue.

Good (Purple)

For the Technical Expertise/Approach and Management & Staffing Plans Approach factors, the quote must exceed specified minimum performance or capability requirements in a way beneficial to the government. A quote must have at least one strength and no deficiencies to receive a purple.

Acceptable (Green)

For the Technical Expertise/Approach and Management & Staffing Plans Approach factors, the quote meets specified minimum performance or capability requirements. A quote must have no deficiencies to receive a green but may have one or more strengths.

Marginal (Yellow)

For the Technical Expertise/Approach and Management & Staffing Plans Approach factors, the quote presents doubt regarding whether an aspect of the quote meets a specified minimum performance or capability requirements, but any such uncertainty is correctable.

Unacceptable (Red)

For the Technical Expertise/Approach and Management & Staffing Plans Approach factors, the quote fails to meet specified minimum performance or capability requirements. The quote has one or more deficiencies and is not awardable.

The following table/ratings will be utilized to score Sub-Factor 3 Past Performance:

Adjectival Rating Description

Very Relevant Present/Past Performance effort involved essentially the same scope and magnitude of effort and complexities this RFQ requires.

Relevant Present/past performance effort involved similar scope and magnitude of effort and complexities this RFQ requires.

Somewhat Relevant

Present/past performance effort involved some scope and magnitude of effort and complexities this RFQ requires.

Not Relevant Present/past performance effort involved little or none of the scope and magnitude of effort and complexities this RFQ requires

M.3.2 Cost or price evaluation shall be conducted in accordance with FAR 15.305.

M.3.4 The government shall award a contract to that firm offering the best value to the government, price and other factors considered. In accordance with FAR 15.304(e)(1) All significant factors and sub factors are more important than cost or price. The award will be based on the initial proposal evaluations without conducting discussions; therefore, each offer should contain the Offeror’s best terms from a price and technical perspective. However, the

Government reserves the right to hold discussions in accordance with FAR 15.306 if, during the evaluation, it is determined to be in the best interest of the Government.