Amendment 1 -- Questions and Answers.pdf

Amendment 1 Questions and Answers

RFQ 6913G623Q300013

January 25, 2023

1. It is difficult to come up with a price proposal without a specified level of effort. This information will determine how many contractors might be needed. Can you provide additional information on this expectation?

The level of effort would be partial time the entire period of performance with more effort up front to help develop strategy, interview questions, and survey questions. Executive leadership coaching throughout the project is also important. Junior staff may be helpful in analyzing interviews and/or surveys.

2. Have any previous organizational assessments been conducted in the last 3-5 years? If so, can you share the outcomes and the name of the vendor/s?

Not to our knowledge.

3. Does the government have an estimated budget and level of effort for the work?

a. The government is unable to provide this information. Please submit a quote that you believe provides the best value to the government.

b. See question 1 above.

4. Based on the description of Tasks 1 and 2, the scope of work seems to be limited to supporting the execution of the organizational structure (that has been developed) as opposed to conducting an assessment and making recommendations. Can the government confirm?

There may be additional changes made to the structure based on the recommendations.

5. Does the government have a minimum estimated number of trips as part of the work?

One. Most of the work can be done virtually.

6. Would the Government please indicate if there are per resume and/or per factor page limits for "FACTOR 2- Staffing"?

Vendors should submit no more than (4) four resumes. Preference for concise responses is preferred; please no more than 1 pages for each resume.

7. Will the Government allow space in "FACTOR 2 - Staffing" for an overall Staffing Plan to provide context for the staff selected?

Vendors may submit an overall Staffing Plan if desired; however, this is not required by the Government.

8. "FACTOR 1 - Technical Approach" explains that the Technical Approach Summary shall be no longer than 2 pages. Would the Government please clarify maximum page limitations for FACTOR 3 - Past Performance?

The Government encourages vendors to be concise and limit past performance to two pages; however, we leave this up to the discretion of the vendor.

9. To support implementation of recommendations, would the Government be open to vendors recommending optional tasks that could be added (funded) to the contract at a later date?

Yes, the Government is open to vendors recommending optional tasks.

10. Does the Government have a "price worksheet" template for vendor use when developing SECTION

1 - PRICE?

No price worksheet is provided as there is only one line item (located in RFQ Description):

CLIN 00100:

Quantity: 1 Unit of Measure: EA Unit Price:

Total Price:

PSC: R799

Period of Performance: date of award to 08/22/2023

Vendors may propose alternate units of issue that would still result in a Firm Fixed Price Purchase order in accordance with the Statement of Work.

11. Will the Government consider adding FAR clause 52.217-8 to the contract for use in the event conflicts arise preventing completion of all tasks by the stated deadline?

No, the Government prefers to use FAR 52.217-9 for this requirement.

12. For vendors not in the Boston Metropolitan area, will travel to the Volpe Center be reimbursed by the Government? If so, will the Government provide a not to exceed (NTE) travel value or an estimated number of trips the vendor may need to make?

See 5 above. Travel costs should be built into the quote under CLIN 00100.

13. Would the Government please consider moving the proposal due date from Friday January 27 to Monday January 30 to allow Contractor time to reflect on Government's answers to questions submitted on Tuesday January 24?

Yes, Amendment 1 extends the due date for quotes to Monday, January 30th.

14. The announcement for the solicitation indicates this is a ‘total small business’ set-aside opportunity.

What schedule is being used for this opportunity?

A schedule is not being used for this opportunity. A Firm Fixed Price Purchase Order is anticipated. This opportunity is being set aside for small businesses under NAICS code 541611, therefore any vendor submitting a quote must meet the small business size standard requirements for this NAICS code (as listed below):

541611 Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services $24.5M (Source:

https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2022- 12/Table%20of%20Size%20Standards_Effective%20December%2019%2C%202022_508%20%281%29_ 0.pdf

15. Is there an incumbent currently performing the work?

https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/Table%20of%20Size%20Standards_Effective%20December%2019%2C%202022_508%20%281%29_0.pdf https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/Table%20of%20Size%20Standards_Effective%20December%2019%2C%202022_508%20%281%29_0.pdf https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/Table%20of%20Size%20Standards_Effective%20December%2019%2C%202022_508%20%281%29_0.pdf

No, there is no incumbent currently performing work.

16. The announcement for the solicitation in SAM indicates that the vendor must provide resume(s).

How many resume(s) is the government seeking? Can the government call out key personnel or name the LCaT with the qualifications?

Vendors should submit no more than (4) four resumes. Key personnel may include an Executive Coach and/or an Organizational Assessment Strategist.

17. Does this contract have a NTE total contract value?

No, this contract does not have a NTE total contract value. The Government intends to issue a Firm Fixed Price Purchase Order.

18. This section indicates: “Some travel maybe required. The work will take place remotely and/or at the Volpe Center.” Can the government confirm the physical location of the Volpe Center? Where and how often will travel be required?

The Volpe Center is located at 55 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02142. See number 5 above.

19. Will the government consider extending the due date for the response?

The Government will extend the due date per this Amendment to Monday, January 30, 2023.

20. Does the two-page limit for the Technical Approach only apply to the summary or the entire section?

The two-page limit applies to the entire section.

21. How soon after contract award will we have access to review documents and data related to the scope of work?

The contractor will have access to review documents within one week.

22. When was the last time an organizational assessment was performed for FMCSA?

Unknown.

23. What is the estimated budget for this opportunity?

The Government does not provide this information. All vendors should submit pricing that they believe provides the best value to the Government.

24. Are there any restrictions on how we share and manage data for the assessment? For example, we typically establish a SharePoint site for our clients to upload relevant documents for our review and as an option for them to review certain documents and/or deliverables along the way.

SharePoint and MS Teams are preferred.

25. What type of resources will our teams have access to help facilitate assessment activities? For example, how many individuals will our Project Manager work with to collect data, coordinate meetings/focus groups, etc.

The current team has 3 individuals and additional resources may be available if needed.

26. Regarding bullets 3 and 4 in the Requirements Section of the Statement of Work (SOW) (page 1), please provide the volumes and types of data included that require analysis by the contractor as described in: a) Analyze safety data analysis (using data from FMCSA systems or other approved sources) to support current state, outcome/effectiveness assessment(s) and b) Analyze non-safety data analysis (e.g., time savings analysis, cost-benefit analysis, workload analysis, organizational structure review, etc.).

Exact data to be analyzed is still to be determined.

27. In the Objective Section of the SOW (page 1), it states, “The objective of this task is to support Volpe in conducting an organizational assessment of the new department.” Please explain the division of work between Volpe and the Contractor. For example, will Volpe be presenting the deliverables?

The contractor will serve as the Org Assessment SME and strategist. Volpe will be responsible for all deliverables though they may be presented by the contractor.

28. In Task 2 of the SOW (Page 2), it states, “Executive coaching will be required during the duration of the org assessment, particularly during the leadership meeting(s) and upon delivery of recommendations.” Please provide the volume of executives requiring coaching and the number of coaching sessions per executive during the duration of the contract.

These numbers are not determined yet.

29. In Task 2 of the SOW (Page 2), it states, “The Contractor will provide support executing the Organizational Assessment Strategy which may include interviews, surveys, facilitating focus groups, logic modeling, change management expertise, reviews of position descriptions and org charts, and leading sensitive conversations with current staff/leadership.” Please provide the number of offices and employees to be interviewed by the Contractor for the purposes of the assessment.

The exact number is still to be determined but the first estimate is 3 small focus groups and 15-20 individuals.

30. Both Task 1 and Task 2 of the SOW (Page 2), mention “Volpe’s Organizational Assessment Strategy.” Please provide more information or documentation on Volpe’s Organizational Assessment Strategy.

The strategy document will not be shared until a contract is awarded.

31. On the SAM Description of the RFQ in SECTION I –PRICE, it reads, “Vendors shall submit a price component, which shall include the following: Unit Price and Total Cost.” Please provide additional information as to the pricing units required in the pricing.

CLIN 00100:

Quantity: 1 Unit of Measure: EA Unit Price:

Total Price:

PSC: R799

Period of Performance: date of award to 08/22/2023

Vendors may propose alternate units of issue that would still result in a Firm Fixed Price Purchase order in accordance with the Statement of Work.

32. On the SAM description of the RFQ in Period of Performance, it reads “PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: date of award to August 22, 2023.” However, in the SOW it reads, “The work will take less than one year.” Please clarify the length of the period of performance.

The period of performance is date of award to August 22, 2023

33. Please provide the anticipated date of the award.

The Government hopes to make an award within two weeks of receiving quotes.

34. Please clarify any font limitations. May we use 10pt font?

There is no font limitation. Yes, you may use 10pt font.

35. May proposals use the space allotted in FACTOR 2–Staffing to describe management support and organizational structure supporting the proposed personnel?

Vendors may use space to describe management support and organizational structure supporting the proposed personnel if desired; however, this is not required by the Government.

36. As responses to these questions will require time for analysis and incorporation into our technical approach and pricing strategy, we request an extension on the proposal due date from 3 PM on January 27, 2023, to 3 PM on February 3, 2023.

Monday, January 30, 2023, will be the last day to submit a proposal.

37. Do you prefer if we send the resumes as a separate attachment or include in the body of our response?

The Government prefers that resumes are included in the body of your response.

38. The instructions to offerors reference the qualifications for key personnel, can the Government identify the expected number of key personnel and/or the desired positions or labor categories that shall be deemed key?

See 16 above.

39. The SOW indicates Volpe has an existing project team to support this effort, can the Government clarify the responsibilities of that team vice what is being requested of the contractor?

The contractor will serve as the Org Assessment SME and strategist.

40. With a fixed Period of Performance end date of August 22, 2023, can the Government advise an anticipated award date for pricing purposes?

The government hopes to make an award within two weeks of receiving quotes.

41. Does the Government have a target price range for this effort?

The Government does not provide this information. All vendors should submit pricing that they believe provides the best value to the Government.