Amendment 0004 6913G621R200004.pdf

(x)

6913G621R200004 x x 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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BE

RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY 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.

x

6913G6

Cambridge MA 02142-1001 55 Broadway

VOLPE NAT'L TRANSPORTATION SYS CNTR

04/16/20210004

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS. IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) is not extended.is extended, Items 8 and 15, and returning

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: (a) By completing

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

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

FACILITY CODE CODE

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., street, county, State and ZIP Code)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6)CODE 6. ISSUED BY

PAGE OF PAGES

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.3. EFFECTIVE DATE2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

02/25/2021

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority) appropriation data, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not is required to sign this document and return __________________ copies to the issuing office.

ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

The purpose of this amendment is to:

1) Provide updates to Solicitation Sections L.5.2 and L.7.2. Updates are provided in red font within the full text of the updated Sections to aid the reader in identifying changes.

Changes from previous amendments remain as red font in this amendment.

2) Provide responses to questions received.

Please acknowledge receipt of this amendment with the submission of your proposal. All other terms and conditions of the Solicitation remain unchanged.

Period of Performance: 08/01/2021 to 09/30/2025

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

15C. DATE SIGNED 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 16C. DATE SIGNED

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

ALEXANDER LUKER

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 11/2016)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

Previous edition unusable

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

Mission Information Technology Support Services Solicitation 6913G621R200004

Amendment 0004

L.5.2 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

1) Proposals are due no later than 2:00 PM Eastern Time on Monday April 26, 2021.

2) Proposals shall be submitted electronically to the following email address:

Jeffrey.P.Welch@dot.gov

Alexander.Luker@dot.gov

Receipt of your electronic submittal will be acknowledged via return email. If you do not receive an acknowledgement you are advised, before the due date and time for proposals, to call the CO at 617-494-3552 617-494-2790 as firewall protections may block emails and/or strip attachments.

3) Each volume of the proposal shall be submitted as a separate document (Microsoft Office 2016 compatible format Adobe Acrobat PDF). Offerors shall ensure that their subcontractors also follow the proposal submission instructions.

4) Prices and dollar values shall be stated only in the Cost and Business Proposal (Volume I) and shall be omitted from the Technical Proposal (Volume II) and Oral Presentation Slides (Volume

III).

L.7.2. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL CONTENT

The Offeror’s Technical Proposal (Volume II) shall consist of the following four sections:

SECTION 1 – FACTOR 1 – TECHNICAL UNDERSTANDING AND APPROACH

The Offeror shall provide its technical understanding and approach for the requirements outlined in the SOW; in particular, advanced technical skills and expertise in transportation system analysis, systems engineering, information technology, integration, research, and analysis applicable to transportation systems projects as it relates to the five task areas identified in Section C, as demonstrated by the effectiveness of the Offeror’s written response. The Section C five task areas are:

• Technology Assessments and Modernization

• System Analysis, Development, Deployment, Field Support, and Analytical Research

Analysis

• System Architectures and Framework

• Lab Facility and Operations Support

• MITS Management and Administrative Support Services

SECTION 2 – FACTOR 2 – STAFFING AND MANAGEMENT APPROACH

The Offeror shall provide the approach for its management and administration team, structure, and their roles and responsibilities to perform the requirements identified in Section C.2.5 MITS Management and Administrative Support of the solicitation. Specifically the Offeror’s staffing and management approach for the contract, task orders, and financial and administrative management to achieve technical excellence mailto:Jeffrey.P.Welch@dot.gov mailto:Alexander.Luker@dot.gov on Volpe Center projects through high quality, on time, and within budget deliverables; capability to recruit, employ, and maintain appropriately skilled resources, the Offeror’s Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan to ensure corrective actions are taken when necessary; its approach to managing and forming project teams to satisfy technical requirements as task orders arise; and its approach to project management.

The Offeror’s staffing plan will include LOE of the Prime Contractor, proposed subcontractors, and individuals for accomplishing the contract requirements, including the Offeror’s organizational matrix chart mapping functions identified in the SOW to specific management staff and lines of communication.

The Offeror shall provide resumes for Key Personnel. In addition to Key Personnel resumes, the Offeror shall provide resumes for two Project Managers, two Subject Matter Experts, one Senior General Engineer, one Senior IT Engineer, and one Senior Application Developer. The Offerors will be evaluated based on the depth and breadth of the proposed Key Personnel proposed resumes in terms of management and technical expertise, experience, and education relevant to performing the requirements of the contract.

NOTE FOR FACTOR 2, THE FOLLOWING SHALL APPLY:

The Offeror’s resume submission must be accompanied by a commitment/resume validity letter for all proposed resumes. At a minimum, the resume must include a statement regarding the veracity of the information provided in the by the individual, with signature and date. The letter must include commitment from the individual to perform the work (as required) for the duration of the base period of performance, as established in the SOW. Each letter must be individually signed and dated by the proposed person.

SECTION 3 – FACTOR 3 – TRANSITION (First Task Order)

In this section the Offeror shall provide a Transition Plan that includes the following:

• Resume of the Proposed Transition Manager;

• Approach to meet the requirements described in Section C.4 of the SOW;

• Understanding of current workload, status of ongoing projects, and milestones;

• Management organization, authorities, and lines of reporting during the transition from the incumbent contractor to the successor;

• Approach for coordination with the Volpe Center;

• Description of the transition tasks to be performed;

• Communication strategy with key stakeholders (e.g., incumbent contractor management and staff, and key Government personnel);

• Transition Schedule that identifies the estimated 50 tasks orders to be performed efficiently, accurately, and in a timely manner; and

• Risk mitigation during the execution of sub tasks including minimizing disruption to ongoing tasks, plan for mitigating any potential project disruptions, and staffing plan, if necessary, including retention of percentage of incumbent staff for continuity.

SECTION 4 – FACTOR 4 – CONTRACTOR PAST PERFORMANCE

The Offeror shall submit its past performance information for both the Offeror and each of its major proposed subcontractors that individually represent over 20 percent of the estimated LOE.

Each Offeror will be evaluated on its performance under existing and prior contracts for similar products or services. Performance information will be used both for responsibility determinations and as an evaluation factor. References other than those provided by the Offeror may be contacted by the Government and the information received may be used in the evaluation of the Offeror’s past performance.

The Offeror must provide a list of the five most relevant contracts that it and/or its major proposed subcontractors that represent over 20 percent of the hours in the Cost and Business Proposal are currently performing or have completed for the Federal Government within the past 3 years with a value over $1,000,000. The list should include the involvement of the proposed Key Personnel. Although past performance information from Federal Government sources is desirable, the agency encourages past performance information from any source, including those from State and Local Governments. The Offeror must select the five contracts that it considers the most relevant in demonstrating its ability to perform the proposed effort. The Government will accept past performance for contracts with a value less than $1,000,000 if the Offeror considers the contracts relevant in demonstrating its ability to perform the proposed effort. If the list includes Federal Government contracts in which the Offeror served as a subcontractor, it is the Offeror’s responsibility to obtain all information regarding the Offeror’s performance.

If the Offeror can demonstrate that including information on its five most relevant contracts with the Federal Government over $1,000,000 would create an undue burden on the Offeror, then the list may be reduced to reflect contracts for which data is readily available. The Offeror must describe in its proposal what types of contracts were excluded and what process was utilized to ensure that the most relevant contracts with the Federal Government over $1,000,000 relevant to the SOW were included.

The Offeror’s list of five most relevant contracts must include the following information for each contract:

1. Name and address of customer

2. Contract number

3. Contract type

4. Total contract value

5. Description of contract work

6. CO’s address, telephone number and email address

7. ACO’s address, telephone number and email address (if different from item 6)

8. COR’s address, telephone number and email address

9. List of major subcontractors

10. Assessment of relevance to requirements identified in this solicitation.

11. Whether any final or interim contract past performance report was or has been issued by the contracting agency. Copies of the final or most current past performance report must be submitted for the most relevant contracts as cited by the Offeror. Copies of reports on other than these contracts considered most relevant by the Offeror should not be submitted as part of the proposal but may be obtained by the Government if the Government considers the contracts relevant.

In submitting relevant past performance information, Offerors may include information on problems encountered on the five identified contracts and the Offeror’s corrective actions. The Offeror may include information regarding predecessor companies, proposed personnel who have relevant experience, or subcontractors that will perform major or critical aspects of the requirements such that information is relevant to this acquisition. In the case of a relatively new firm (i.e., established within the last 18 months), the Offeror may submit past performance information for contracts on which its corporate management has performed to supplement any past performance information for the firm itself; this shall be specifically noted in the proposal submission.

The Offeror is responsible for making all reasonable efforts to ensure that a completed evaluation report is provided for each of the five cited contracts by no later than the due date for receipt of proposals. If the contracting activity has completed a contractor evaluation report and provided a copy to the Offeror, particularly those completed in accordance with Subpart 42.15 of the FAR, a copy of this report is sufficient. The Volpe Center uses the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) as its primary method for entering past performance information. The Volpe Center can obtain completed past performance evaluations via CPARS. However, the Offeror is responsible for making all reasonable efforts to ensure that copies of the performance evaluation reports (including those found in CPARS) are provided directly to the Volpe Center CO by the appropriate contracting activity's responding official by no later than the due date for receipt of proposals. If the contracting activity has not developed its own past performance evaluation report form, please refer that contracting activity to the Contractor Performance Report format found at the CPARS website. This format, including the associated numeric ratings and criteria, should be used to submit the required past performance information for the proposal. Information contained in the evaluation reports is considered sensitive and will not be released to other Offerors. Failure of the Offeror to demonstrate that it has made all reasonable efforts to provide the required past performance reports may result in an unacceptable rating for this factor.

The Government reserves the right to obtain additional information from any of the referenced contract contacts and from other Government sources. If the Government receives negative past performance information (indicating that performance was less than satisfactory) that is not accompanied by a response from the Offeror, a copy of the adverse information will be provided to the Offeror; and the Offeror will be given a limited period in which to provide a response. If no response is received within the specified timeframe, the negative past performance information will be evaluated as submitted.

If the Offeror has no relevant past performance history or less than the required 5 evaluations, it must affirmatively so state in its proposal. Offerors that state they have no relevant past performance history or less than 5 evaluations and Offerors that are unable to provide past performance reports after http://www.cpars.gov/ making all reasonable efforts will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably under this criteria in accordance with FAR 15.305. If the Offeror does not include past performance history or does not affirmatively state that no past performance history exists or can be obtained, this factor may be rated as Unacceptable.

It is the responsibility of the Offeror to provide the past performance evaluation reports found in CPARS.

If the Offeror is unable to access CPARS, the Offeror must notify the CO by e-mail at Jeffrey.P.Welch@dot.gov no later than 20 calendar days before the proposal due date.

In the event that a Federal Government reference has not completed an evaluation using CPARS, Offerors can send a Past Performance Questionnaire (Section J Attachment J.7) to those references listed in the five most relevant sources to assist in the timely processing of past performance evaluations. Offerors are responsible for ensuring that Past Performance Questionnaires are completed and returned to the Volpe Center CO by the proposal due date. Completed Past Performance Questionnaires submitted by Offerors will not be accepted for evaluation.

VOLUME III - ORAL PRESENTATION SLIDES

Volume III shall consist of Microsoft PowerPoint slides the Offeror intends to present during its structured oral presentation. Volume III shall include three separate sections: Technical Understanding and Approach; Staffing and Management Approach; and Transition.

Offerors may not change their presentation slides after submission. The Technical Evaluation Team will not be provided with copies of the presentation slides until immediately before each oral presentation.

The purpose of this restriction is to assure Offerors of the fairness and integrity of the oral presentation process.

Slides are intended to aid material presented orally during oral presentations. Accordingly, any material submitted on an oral presentation slide not covered during the oral presentations will not be considered in the evaluation of proposals. If any material on the oral presentation slides conflicts with material presented orally during the oral presentation, the government will consider the material presented orally, not the conflicting material on the slide(s).

The structured oral presentation shall not encompass proposed price, cost, fee, or profit. Oral presentations shall not constitute discussions. All presentations shall begin with the introduction of presenters and other members of the Offeror’s team by name, proposed position, and company affiliation.

Oral presentations will be conducted using Microsoft Teams and the presenter(s) should be prepared to have their cameras turned on and share their screen in order to present and display the slides.

TECHNICAL UNDERSTANDING AND APPROACH

In order to allow a complete evaluation of the Offeror’s technical understanding and approach of each functional area capability under the master contract, the Offeror will have 15 uninterrupted minutes to demonstrate that it has the necessary expertise, experience, and capability to successfully accomplish the scope of work described in the SOW, and can meet these requirements for both on-site and off-site task orders. The Offeror will be asked to respond to one (1) oral question presented to the Offeror’s team during the oral presentation. Each Offeror’s oral presentation responses will be evaluated in its presentation of its understanding of the factor. Each Offeror will have 20 minutes to respond to the oral question.

mailto:Jeffrey.P.Welch@dot.gov

STAFFING AND MANAGEMENT APPROACH

The Offeror will have 15 uninterrupted minutes to describe its organizational structure, roles and responsibilities, and anticipated level of effort; describe its management and administration team and the capabilities and experience resident within the team to successfully accomplish the requirements of the solicitation. The Offeror will be asked to respond to one (1) oral question presented to the Offeror’s team during the oral presentation. Each Offeror’s oral presentation responses will be evaluated in its presentation of its understanding of the factor. Each Offeror will have 20 minutes to respond to the oral question.

TRANSITION (First Task Order)

In order to allow a complete evaluation of the Offeror's capability to manage the transition from the existing on-site SOFITS Task Order as described in Section C.4, the Offeror shall have 15 uninterrupted minutes to demonstrate its understanding and approach to task order transition. The Offeror shall present its transition plan, describe how it plans to meet the requirements of solicitation, and demonstrate that it has the necessary understanding, expertise, and experience to accomplish a successful transition. The Offeror will be asked to respond to one (1) oral question presented to the Offeror’s team during the oral presentation. Each Offeror’s oral presentation responses will be evaluated in its presentation of its understanding of the factor. Each Offeror will have 20 minutes to respond to the oral question.

Oral Presentation Schedule

The following is a summary of the oral presentation schedule and required presenters:

Evaluation Area Topic Time Limit Presenters 1 Technical

Understanding and Approach Presentation

Presentation on Contract Technical Understanding

15 minutes Proposed Program Manager and one member from management team

Technical Understanding and Approach Question

Technical Understanding and Approach Question

20 minutes Proposed Program Manager and one member from management team

2 Staffing and Management Approach Presentation

Presentation on Task Order Management and Administration Staffing and Management Approach

15 minutes Proposed Program Manager and one member from management team

Staffing and Management Approach Question

Staffing and Management Approach Question

20 minutes

Proposed Program Manager and one member from management team

3 Transition Presentation

Presentation on Task Order Transition

15 minutes Proposed Transition Manager

Transition Question Transition Question 20 minutes

Proposed Transition Manager

MITS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

RECEIVED AND GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

SOLICITATION 6913G621R200004

RFP Section Question Government Response

41. General At this time, only the incumbent contractor has full knowledge of the existing Job Orders which they are executing on the SOFITS Contract, including those Job Orders which the Government plans to transition to the MITS Contract as Task Orders. This clearly gives the incumbent contractor a distinct advantage in the competition for the MITS requirement.

We respectfully request that the Government make available to industry as much information as possible about the current Job Orders, as well as those Job Orders which are planned to be transitioned to MITS as Task Orders. At a minimum, the Government should provide the title of each such Job Order, and a synopsis of the scope of work and duration for each Job Order.

The Government considered this question and ultimately decided the information cannot be provided. All of the existing Job Orders aren’t necessarily transitioning to MITS. Specific details about task orders will be provided to the awardee during the Transition phase. Offerors are advised to review Attachment J.10 MITS

TECHINCAL REFERENCE LIBRARY

42. Amendment 1, Questions and Answers #10, Intent to award a single M&A Task Order.

The Volpe Center has traditionally had this work either as a separate line item in the schedule or part of the first task order that was issued concurrently with the award of the master contract. Offerors were required to submit a proposal for that CLIN with their submission of the master contract.

Previous contracts, such as SOFITS, utilized a job order system which allowed the Volpe Center to issue one large task order. MITS is a new contract and does not include a job order system so the way Volpe traditionally solicited previous contracts does not work for MITS. MITS ordering and processes are expected to function differently than SOFITS.

Offerors are advised to follow the instructions in MITS when developing offers.

43. SECTION _ FACTOR

2, Paragraph 2

Describes the requirement of a staffing plan for the first few task order including the 50 contemplated. The evaluation of proposals described as described in the RFP is for evaluating specific tasks and not representative of an IDIQ where individual tasks would be issued. Can you clarify?

FACTOR 2 is meant to evaluate how an Offeror will staff and manage the portfolio of task orders issued throughout the life of MITS. FACTOR 2 is also meant to evaluate the offeror’s ability to perform the functions outlined in the Statement of Work.

Specific details regarding task orders will be issued during the transition phase.

During transition the Government will issue an estimated 50 task order request for proposals (RFPs) to the awardee and the awardee will provide an estimated 50 proposals in response to the RFPs.

Transition will be evaluated through

FACTOR 3.

After transition, it is expected that task orders will continue to be issued through new RFPs.

Please note this answer is meant to clarify aspects of the solicitation and does not change the method of evaluation by the Government. The Government will evaluate offers in accordance with the solicitation.

44. L.6.2 – COST AND

BUSINESS PROPOSAL

CONTENT.

L.7.2 Section 2 - Staffing and Management Approach

Please explain how offerors should respond to these requirements in the IDIQ proposal, given the absence of specific TO requirements/information?

Offerors should respond in accordance with the instructions in the solicitation.

Specific TO requirements will be issued to the awardee during the Transition phase. Offers should use the Statement of Work included in the solicitation develop their offer.

45. The Oral Presentation under Topic for the Staffing and Management Approach “Presentation on Task Order Management and Administration.”

This is the only time this term is used. For SOFITS there was a section that described this work which was a CLIN under SOFITS Task Order 1. Is this what is expected for the oral presentation or was it a typo?

It was a typo. The section has been corrected to state “Presentation on Staffing and Management Approach”.

46. G.12 - PAYMENT OF

FEE – COST PLUS

FIXED FEE (APRIL

2019) (page 40)

RFP Section G.12 states “In accordance with FAR 52.216-8, the Government will withhold 15% of the earned fixed fee per invoice, per task order, until $100,000 is withheld on each

The Volpe Center considered this request and determined to leave Section G.12 unchanged. The fee withholding will be occur separately for each task order. The Volpe Center manages other contracts this way and it has not been an issue. The CO task order.” FAR 52.216-8, however, does not specifically require a fee withhold of up to $100,000 at the task order level.

With an estimate of 50 initial task orders, the MITS contractor could be required to withhold as much as $5M, depending on the total value of the 50 task orders.

This would be a significant burden on the MITS contractor that will cause undue financial hardship.

Question:

Would the Government consider changing the withholding requirement to $100,000 for all Task Orders combined?

does not expect it to be an issue under MITS. There is no change to solicitation as a result of this question and response.

47. L.5.3 – PROPOSAL

FORMAT, 1. Page Size, Margins, and Text (page 118)

The RFP states “Text font must be no smaller than 11 point and average no more than 14 characters per inch and 6 lines per inch (reduction is not permitted). Exceptions to these restrictions are text included on figures, charts, and/or matrices, which may be reduced to 8 point.”

Question:

Will the Government confirm that call-out boxes are figures and therefore can be reduced to 8 point font?

Confirmed. Call-out boxes will be treated as figures.

48. L.7 – ORAL

PRESENTATION

SCHEDULE (page 135)

Question:

Please clarify whether the estimated timeframe for Oral Presentations provided in the Pre-Proposal Webinar slides as the week of 04/26/2021 will be modified due to the revised proposal due date of 04/21/2021.

Amendment 0003 identified an estimated timeframe for oral presentation as April 28, 2021 to May 7, 2021. That estimated timeframe remains the same per Amendment 0004.

49. L.5.2 PROPOSAL

SUBMISSION

INSTRUCTIONS (page 117)

L.5.3 PROPOSAL

FORMAT; 1. Page Size, Margins, and Text (page 118)

Page 117 of the RFP states “Each volume of the proposal shall be submitted as a separate document (Microsoft Office 2016 compatible format)” while page 118 states and that proposal volumes I and II “shall be submitted in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.”

Question:

(1) Would the Government please clarify the submission format for each proposal volume?

The format shall be Adobe Acrobat PDF.

Section L.5.2 is updated.

50. L.7.2. TECHNICAL

PROPOSAL CONTENT

- VOLUME III - ORAL

PRESENTATION

SLIDES (page 134; page 19 of Amendment 0001)

3/10/2021 MITS Pre-proposal Webinar

Sec. L.7.2 (page 134; p[age 19 of Amendment 0001) of the RFP states “Oral presentations will be conducted using Microsoft Teams and the presenter(s) should be prepared to have their cameras turned on and share their screen in order to present and display the slides.” During the 03/10/2021 Pre-Proposal Webinar, the Government stated that offerors will use Microsoft Teams Breakout Rooms to prepare their responses to questions.

Question:

Will the Government monitor the offerors in the Teams Breakout Room(s) while they are preparing their responses to orals questions?

The Government intends on giving the offeror’s as much privacy as possible while in the breakout rooms. It is possible the CO or designated Oral Presentation Facilitator will be present in the breakout room. However, the Government Technical Evaluation Team will not be in the breakout room. The CO or designated Oral Presentation Facilitator will not be a member of the Technical Evaluation Team.

Offeror’s are advised and allowed to have their own arrangements made to utilize as a breakout room while preparing responses to oral questions. However, the CO or Oral Presentation Facilitator needs a way to contact the offeror to provide time notifications.

The CO or Oral Presentation Facilitator will also go over ground rules and answer questions before presentations begin.

51. Amendment 1:

L.5.2 Proposal Submission Instructions

3. Volumes

The amendment states in paragraph 1: “Each volume must include a cover page.

Paragraph 2 states: “Each volume must also contain a title page, which shall not count against the proposal page limitation.” This appears to be a request for redundant information with the title page also requiring a signature.

Yes, both a title page and cover page are required.

Please confirm if both a title page and cover page are required.

52. C.1 Background

There is a significant emphasis on data science, research and development, and emerging technology development.

Section B.5 does not show data scientists, database architects, enterprise architects or hardware engineers. What is the role of MITS contract staff in the development of new technologies? Will DOT provide a functional org chart that shows where key inventors and developers reside in the organization?

MITS staff will expected to be capable of providing support for all of the functions identified in the Statement of Work. An Organizational Chart was included in the Pre-Proposal Webinar slides which are posted to Beta SAM.

53. C.2.4.A Systems Operations and Administration

The RFP outlines support requirements for sponsor organizations. Will DOT provide a list of sponsor locations where this support is required?

The majority of work is performed on-site at the Volpe Center. Note the Volpe Center is currently in a maximum remote work status due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently under SOFITS, there is only one project which requires an individual to work at an off-site locations.

It is in Oklahoma City for the Air Force Flight Standards Agency. However, there is no guarantee that this specific project transitions to MITS. This information is provided for informational purposes only.

It is possible future work will require an off-site presence at other locations. This information is unknown at this time.

Again, most the work occurs on-site at the Volpe Center.

54. C.4 Transition Transition Plan

There are 50 task orders that the government wants transitioned in Task Order 1. Can the government provide a bidder’s library that includes all work orders during 2020?

Please note the 50 task orders are an estimated amount and they will be separate task orders. MITS is a new contract so the Government is not providing additional information related to the predecessor contract, SOFITS. It is expected that not all of the SOFITS work will Transition to MITS so providing the requested information might be misleading.

55. General How many key personnel, number of staff and labor categories does the government anticipate on this contract

Offerors’ proposals should indicate their plan to meet the requirements of the solicitation and staffing needs. The solicitation provides labor categories and including the number of current 1099s on the contract? Would the government provide a list of 1099s at Volpe on SOFITS?

labor hours which the offerors are required to use. Key Personnel for the contract are also identified in the solicitation. MITS and SOFITS are different contracts. Providing the requested information would be misleading. Offerors are advised to bid on MITS as a new contract and not propose as if it is going to be the same as SOFITS.

56. Section 2 – Information Other Than Cost And Pricing Data L.6.2, page 122

The RFP states the following.

“Cost-type subcontractors, regardless of the subcontract value, must follow the same proposal preparation instructions, complete the Cost and Business Proposal cover sheet, checklist, and cost schedules, and meet the same requirements for the Cost and Business Proposal as the Prime Contractor except for those sections that clearly have no applicability to a subcontractor.

Cost-type Subcontractors are NOT required to complete Section J, Attachment J.6 Schedules 4, 5, 8, and 9.” Would the government provide a matrix clarifying which items are to be provided by the prime, subcontractors, or both?

Please see Solicitation Attachment J.5

MASTER CONTRACT COST AND

BUSINESS PROPOSAL CHECKLIST. It provides the information requested.

57. B.1. Contract Type B.1.B, page 6

Would the government please provide any details regarding the anticipated mix of task order types (CPFF, T&M and CPFF) to be issued at award and any projects or forecasts for this mix over the life of the contract?

Currently, the Government anticipates mostly using CPFF, however, any of the contract types identified in the solicitation may be utilized.

58. L.5.2 Proposal Submission Instructions

Each volume of the proposal shall be submitted as a separate document (Microsoft Office 2016 compatible format).” But, on page 118 the instructions are as follows The Offeror’s Cost and Business Proposal (Volume I) shall be submitted using the Attachment J.6 Master Contract

The format shall be Adobe Acrobat PDF.

Section L.5.2 is updated.

Cost And Business Proposal Schedules and narratives shall be submitted in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. The Offeror’s Technical Proposal (Volume II) shall be submitted in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. So, does this mean Volume I and II should be submitted in both MS Office (word, excel) and PDF formats?

59. Section 2 – Information Other Than Cost And Pricing Data

c. Staffing

The title of Schedule 3 on page 123 of the solicitation reads “CPFF and T&M/LH Subcontractor Labor Hours” and does not match the title of Schedule 3 in Attachment J.6

“CALCULATION OF CPFF

DIRECT LABOR COSTS –

MITS.” Please confirm that Schedule 3 is

“CALCULATION OF CPFF

DIRECT LABOR COSTS –

MITS” and that the title on page 123 is an error.

Amendment 0001 to the solicitation revised title of the table in Section 2 “Information Other Than Certified Cost and Pricing Data” to indicate the hours can be used across Schedules 3 and 5. The title of the table intentionally does not match the title of the Schedule because the table can potentially apply to both Schedules 3 and 5. It depends how each Offeror structures their offer.

Offerors are advised to closely read the underlined text above the table titled “CPFF and T&M/LH Subcontractor Labor Hours”. It provides important information for filling out the Schedules in Attachment J.6. It reads:

The Government’s current best estimate of direct labor hours, by labor category, required to perform the work is provided in the tables below. For proposal purposes, the Offeror shall use the Government estimates for labor hours by labor category (See Section J Attachment J.6 Schedules 3 and 4). The Government anticipates most task orders to be CPFF, however FFP and T&M/LH task orders may also be issued. For proposal purposes, the Government has set aside an estimated 10% of the total LOE for T&M/LH type task orders. Prime offerors shall propose fixed hourly rates (See FAR Provision 52.216-29) using Schedule 4 that will be used for the issuance of T&M/LH task orders during the ordering period of the contract. The

10% LOE estimate for T&M/LH is only an estimate and the Government may order more or less than 10% of the total LOE as T&M/LH. Schedule 3 is for CPFF cost information and Schedule 5 is for subcontractor T&M/LH cost information. Hours within each labor category may be reallocated between Schedules 3 and 5 if T&M/LH subcontractors are proposed, however, the total amount of labor hours in each labor category shall NOT change. The hours in Schedule 4 shall NOT be reallocated to a different schedule and shall NOT change.

60. C.4 Transition

Page 22 states “During the transition period, the Government intends to issue approximately 50 Task Order Request for Proposals (TORFPs) for submission of proposals by the Contractor.

The Government also intends to award these task orders to transition the work in order for the Contractor to begin performance on October 01, 2021. The approximately 50 Task Orders are only representative of the quantity of Task Orders to be issued during the transition period.” This seems to imply there will be other task orders issued during the transition period. Please confirm that any task orders issued separate from the original 50 will NOT be required to begin performance on October 01, 2021. Further, does the government expect any of the additional task orders to be FFP and if so, can the government gives an approximation of how many would be FFP?

Section C.4 states approximately 50 task orders. This means it is possible for there to be more or less than 50, however, the Government is confident the number will be very close to 50 or less.

The purpose of the statement, “ The approximately 50 Task Orders are only representative of the quantity of Task Orders to be issued during the transition period,” is to notify offerors that more task order request for proposals will be issued throughout the life of MITS (after October 01, 2021). The Government issuing requests for proposals (RFPs) and the awardee responding to those RFPs will be a constant and continuous process throughout MITS.

The Government does not have information related to the contract type of each task order to be issued during transition.

61. Section 2 – Information Other Than Cost And Pricing Data

c. Staffing

Page 123 notes “The Government anticipates most task orders to be CPFF, however FFP and T&M/LH task orders

The Government does not have an estimate for the requested information.

Page 123 may also be issued.” Further it is noted that 10% of the labor hours have been allocated to T&M/LH and no allocation has been given for FFP. Can the government provide an estimate as to how many FFP TOs are envisioned in the first year of execution?

62. L.5.3.2 PROPOSAL

FORMAT - VOLUME

II – Section 2 (page 5 of Amendment 0001)

Question:

Will the Government confirm that pursuant to RFP Sec.

L.5.3.2, Volume II, Section 2, that offerors should include a staffing matrix that includes information on all available staff the offeror has ready to support future Volpe Center Mission Information Technology Support Services contract task orders in Cambridge, Massachusetts?

Offerors should provide a staffing matrix that they believe best represents their strategy and ability to meeting the requirements of the MITS solicitation.

63. C.2.1.A & C.2.3.B Is there a requirement that vendors be TOGAF v9.x certified to provide architectural, design, assessment or planning approaches?

No, the solicitation does not include a requirement for TOGAF v9 certification.

Offerors are advised that specific task orders may identify additional certification requirements.

64. C.2.1.B Will the vendor be given access to the GPS or TPMS if this is incorporated into mandatory oral presentations?

Oral presentations will be conducted using Microsoft Teams.

65. C.2.1.B What is the (~) amount of data storage per annum and anticipated DOT growth rate per annum of data storage? Will the vendor be provided current data management storage levels for costing future expansion throughout the life of the contract?

The Government is not providing this information for the solicitation. If a specific task order requires the awardee to have this information then it may be shared.

66. C.2.2.B & C.2.4.A Does the Government require a dedicated (24x7 facility), Proof-of-Concept (POC) laboratory environment dedicated to the continued research and design, development and migration of hardware and software support systems throughout the life of the contract?

No, this is not a requirement of the solicitation.

67. C.2.2.G and C.2.2.I Are vendors required to develop and documentation system, bring in a documentation system or will they inherent an existing documentation system? Does this documentation system include a formal “Change Management Systems”, and/or “ticketing” system for tracking and management?

Offerors will be evaluated to determine their capability of meeting the functions described in the Statement of Work.

Specific details, such as the information asked about in the question, will be identified in specific task orders.

68. C.2.2.J Will site installation be considered as CAPEX or OPEX funding and do changes to site installation efforts require modification to costs if Government requirements change?

This type of information, if applicable will be identified in specific task orders.

Offerors are advised to submit in offers using the information included in the solicitation.

69. C.4 For the period of transition prior to September 30, 2021 from the SOFITS contract, will the vendor be allowed billable services for the period of (60) days prior to September 30, 2021?

One task order for transition will be issued shortly after the contract is awarded. The transition task order will be firm fixed price. Attachment J.6 Schedule 1 includes a cell (F26) which offeror are instructed to complete. Cell F26 shall provide the firm fixed price for the awardee to perform transition. Please note the transition is firm fixed price, not cost plus fixed fee. The awardee will be paid on a firm fixed price basis.

70. C.4 Its the Governments intent to award the Transition Task Order 60 days prior to the SOFITS termination date of September 30, 2021, therefore the Final Transition Plan would be returned to the contractor to make final changes not later than 10 calendar days, or 50 days prior termination of

SOFITS?

Yes, that is the intent. Please note the period for Transition is up to 60 calendar days which means it might be shorter.

71. F.5 Will the Government accept any other version of Microsoft Office v2016, albeit v2019, etc.?

The Government currently utilized Microsoft Office 2016. The documents referenced in F.5 must be compatible with Microsoft Office 2016.

72. G.18 Based on historical reference, can the Government provide typical annum travel and per diem expectations for travel per skill set required on the contract?

Potential travel will be provided with specific task orders. The MITS contractor will be required to travel in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations. Per diem information is identified at the United States General Services

Administration (GSA) website.

73. Attachment J.2 Per the RFP, “During performance of task orders, on a case-by-case basis, the Contractor may offer to the CO a candidate with experience only (no degree), having specialized, or market-scarce skills/qualifications for consideration in any of the labor categories cited above.”

For project manager positions requiring 10 years’ experience in addition to the Masters requirement, would the government consider candidates with a minimum 10 years of Volpe experience in lieu of a Masters?

Attachment J.2 was revised per Amendment 0003. Please review the revised Attachment J.2. The statement in question was removed from the solicitation.

74. H.50 Service Contract Act Wage Determination

(FEB 2021

The government states Wage Determination Number 2015- 4047 is applicable to this contract and all task orders.

Please provide a list of labor categories covered under the SCA Wage determination.

It is the responsibility of the Offeror to determine which labor categories apply. It is anticipated that most employees working under MITS will be considered professional employees and be exempt from the Wage Determination, however, if an Offeror proposes to utilize an employee covered by the Wage Determination then it would apply.

75. J.5 Cost and Business Proposal Checklist

Are subcontractors required to complete the Representation, Certifications, and Other Statements in accordance with Section K?

No.

76. J.5 Cost and Business Proposal Checklist

Information other than cost and pricing data in accordance with the instructions provided in Section L is not an item listed in the Cost and Business Proposal Checklist. Would the government please update the checklist to reflect the requirement?

The checklist is provide as a tool for Offerors to use when developing and submitting their offer. The checklist may not include all of the requirements of the solicitation. Offerors are responsible for reading the entire solicitation and providing all of the required data.

Offerors may add items to the checklist if desired.

77. J.5 Cost and Business Proposal Checklist

Subcontracting Plan is not an item listed in the Cost and Business Proposal Checklist.

Would the government please update the checklist to reflect the requirement?

The checklist is provide as a tool for Offerors to use when developing and submitting their offer. The checklist may not include all of the requirements of the solicitation. Offerors are responsible for reading the entire solicitation and providing all of the required data.

Offerors may add items to the checklist if desired.

Per the solicitation, a small business subcontracting plan is only required for large business prime offerors.

78. L.6.1 Introduction The government states that it will “Evaluate the Offeror’s Professional Compensation Plan in accordance with FAR 52.222- 46”, should offerors include a compensation plan as part of the Cost and Business Proposal?

Yes.

79. J.5 Cost and Business Proposal Checklist

Professional Compensation Plan is not an item listed in the Cost and Business Proposal Checklist. Would the government please update the checklist to reflect the requirement?

The checklist is provide as a tool for Offerors to use when developing and submitting their offer. The checklist may not include all of the requirements of the solicitation. Offerors are responsible for reading the entire solicitation and providing all of the required data.

Offerors may add items to the checklist if desired.

80. J.5 Cost and Business Proposal Checklist

Are subcontractors required to submit a Professional Compensation Plan?

Yes.

81. J.5 Cost and Business Proposal Checklist

Uncompensated Overtime Policy is not an item listed in the Cost and Business Proposal Checklist. Would the government please update the checklist to reflect the requirement?

The checklist is provide as a tool for Offerors to use when developing and submitting their offer. The checklist may not include all of the requirements of the solicitation. Offerors are responsible for reading the entire solicitation and providing all of the required data.

Offerors may add items to the checklist if desired.

82. C.4 TRANSITION and Attachment J.6

The government states “The Contractor shall provide all resources required to complete transition on a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) basis”. Can additional Tab/Schedule be added to the Attachment J.6 to include the detailed pricing for transition

Offerors shall propose the firm fixed price Transition price in Schedule 1, Cell F26.

83. L.5.2 PROPOSAL

SUBMISSION

INSTRUCTIONS

Please confirm that subcontractors may submit their proposals directly to the email provided in the instructions.

Yes, please note per Amendment 0003 the email address changed. Proposals shall be submitted to Alexander.Luker@dot.gov.

84. Solicitation Is there an estimated Contract Ceiling?

The ceiling of the contract will be determined by the contract award.

mailto:Alexander.Luker@dot.gov

85. L4.7 Is a full consent package required with the proposal for all proposed subcontractors even if there is no allocated workshare for a particular subcontractor at the time of proposal/award?

Please see Section L.4.8 and M.4. The Technical Proposal and Cost and Business Proposal will be evaluated for consistency. Proposing a subcontractor in the Technical Proposal with no cost and business information in the Cost and Business Proposal would result in an inconsistency.

Amendment 4