Question and Answer Document.pdf

Questions and Answers, BFA Racial Equity Initiative

Q: Should our response assume 100% virtual delivery for post-award presentations, coaching, training, and sessions/discussions?

A: Yes.

Q: What is BFA’s timeline for each task for total project completion to occur within six months?

A: Specific timelines for each task are up to the contractor and their approach.

Q: How soon after contract award on September 14, 2020 does BFA expect Task 1 to begin?

A: Within a month but specific execution schedule is up to the contractor.

Q. What is the maximum number of hours BFA can dedicate for the following Task 1 activities:

a. Small group sessions/meetings

b. BFA Leadership Session

c. BFA-wide Session

A: Participation in group sessions will be recommended but not mandatory. There is no maximum time allotted, but quoters should be respectful of staff and leadership time.

Q: Will the NSF Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) need to be consulted in Task 1 or will BFA’s deliverables for this engagement be shared with ODI?

A: BFA will share deliverables with ODI.

Q: Will the NSF Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO) need to be consulted in Task 2 or will BFA’s deliverables for this engagement be shared with the NSF CHCO?

A: BFA will share deliverables with the CHCO, but this inquiry shall be limited to BFA’s practices only.

Q: Am I correct that the total # of participants will be 13 Sir Exec. and 30 Non-Exec Mgrs.?

A: Interested parties should maximize the number of participants. This includes senior executives, managers, and front line staff.

Q: CLIN 1 request pricing for task 1 & 2 although latter in the Solicitation it states pricing for Task 2 is not due until late September. Therefore is CLIN 1 just to include pricing for Task 1?

A: All price quotes are due on the day of the oral presentation. The date of the oral presentation will be identified in the advisory notice.

Q: In the pricing matrix there are the letters U/I…what does that stand for?

A: Unit of issue

Q: Is the Virtual Training able to take place on “Zoom” or will the government provide another forum for Virtual Training?

A: Zoom is NSF’s preferred tool.

Q: The RFP references a 6-month timeline. Would that period of performance include all of the activities in optional task 3 or could optional task 3 extend beyond the initial 6 months?

A: The optional period could extend beyond six months.

Q: Is the $75,000 budget referenced in the RFP anticipated to cover tasks 1 and 2 or would it also cover potential future implementation activities included in optional task 3?

A: $75,000 is an approximate value for tasks 1 and 2.

Q: To clarify the work activities included in task 1, while BFA references a survey, the description of the activities reads as if the facilitator will be conducting a series of focus group/group sessions to elicit employee feedback and perceptions, as opposed to designing, developing, and administering an online survey. Is that a correct interpretation of BFA’s desired approach? Is BFA interested in alternative suggestions for data collection activities that would best achieve their desired outcome of understanding employee attitudes and perceptions around issues related to race, inclusion, and diversity? BFA also references that the offerors will assist leadership in identifying points of bias – does this indicate that the offeror will be conducting independent review and analysis of policies, data, etc., or simply facilitating conversations about data BFA has collected separately?

A: BFA is interested in assessing alternative approaches to completing the work. BFA has not formally collected information in those areas.

Q: Should our response include any reference to our staffing and qualifications to perform the work or will that information be required in an oral presentation?

A: Oral presenters may choose to reference their staffing and qualifications during an oral presentation.

Q: Currently, the phase 1 quote focuses the response on our past performance and ability to effectively answer the 2 questions included in on page 6 of the RFP. Will we be including a technical approach (focused on the specifics of how we will accomplish the work) in a phase 2 oral presentation?

A: The oral presentation will consist of the quoter’s proposed approach to accomplishing the statement of work.

Q: Is there an incumbent currently working to support BFA (or another NSF Office/Division) on these efforts?

A: No

Q: Should offerors include a full copy of our Representations and Certifications with our proposal, or is it sufficient to only include a statement confirming that our Representations and Certifications are up to date in SAM.gov?

A: Quoters can reference the availability of the reps and certs in Sam.gov.

Q: Phase I, Factor 1: Can offerors cite relevant projects that are currently ongoing?

A: Yes.

Q: Optional task 3 includes several general support activities (i.e., small group facilitation, coaching, training, other D&I tasks) but does not identify any level of effort associated with these optional activities. How should offerors price this optional task?

A: Quoters should include the assumptions they made in their pricing document.

Q: Has type of work or similar work been conducted in the past or is this a new requirement?

A: No similar work has been conducted.

Q: Has the concept of the climate survey been socialized with the employees at BFA?

A: Yes.

Q: Who is exec sponsor?

A: NSF’s Chief Financial Officer.