Questions and Answers for BAA 693JJ33-BAA-20-0004.pdf

693JJ3-20-BAA-0004 Complete Trip ITS4US Questions and Response # Reference Questions Answer 1 N/A Will the government provide the names of the companies currently performing any portion of this work?

This is a new effort, there are no companies currently performing this work for USDOT.

2 N/A Will the government provide the expected award date and start date of Phase I?

It is anticipated awards will be made by September 30, 2020, and all contracts will start in October 2020.

3 Page 6, Section 4.3

Will the government indicate in section 4.3 Populations and Challenges, which are mandatory, desired or preferred, and optional?

There are no specific mandatory, desired or preferred populations.

Population selections are dependent on the needs of the primary jurisdiction.

4 Page 11, Section 4.4

Will the government indicate in section 4.4 The Complete Trip Segments and Challenges, which are mandatory, desired or preferred, and optional.

None are mandatory, desired, or preferred. It is dependent on the needs of the primary jurisdiction.

5 Page 42, Section 9.2

Will the government exclude from page count the following: executive summary, cover page, table of contents, any glossary of terms and list of figures?

Cover page, table of contents, glossary of terms and list of figures are excluded from the page count.

However, the Deployment Summary is included in the page count as stated in the BAA.

6 Page 42, Section 9.2

Will the government allow the use of an Appendix to demonstrate deployments or solutions in Volume I that are not part of the page count?

No, all technical proposal content must adhere to the page counts described in the BAA Section 9.2.

7 Page 45, Volume II Part 1

The majority of contractors who can perform the work requested in the solicitation are commercial in nature with little to no Government experience or expertise in cost disclosure as meant by Government Cost Standards. Therefore, they will not be able to meet the requirement for cost or pricing data disclosing indirect rate make-up. While they, like good business people, know their costs, they are not aware of specific indirect rates and the have not had government agencies assist with this process. This could become an impediment to competition, with many companies finding it daunting to bid with the cost information requested. This may impede the government in getting the best

The Government is not requesting certified cost or pricing data, but other than cost or pricing data. As such, contractors are expected to provide the estimates of their indirect cost rates. The USDOT does not expect offerors to provide forward pricing rate agreements unless they already have them.

solution. Therefore, will the Government accept pricing being presented with comparisons to market rates, etc. as price analysis to show fair and reasonableness in order to get more contractors to propose which would bring the Government the best and brightest solutions to select from?

8 Section 10 Evaluation Criteria

The Government will evaluate proposals to ensure small businesses are utilized to the maximum extent practical. The Government will review the offeror’s small business plan to ensure small businesses are adequately utilized. The Government reserves the right to not award a contract if the offeror’s small business plan is not adequate. What are the requirements to qualify as a Small Business, does it have to have an SBE designation? What percentage of Small Business involvement is considered 'adequate'?

Small business size standard is determined by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code. For this effort, the NAICS code is 485999 - Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation. The size standard for NAICS code 485999 is $16.5 million. A size standard is the largest that a concern can be and still qualify as a small business for Federal Government programs. The size standards are the average annual receipts of a firm. How to calculate average annual receipts and average employment of a firm can be found in 13 CFR § 121.104 and 13 CFR § 121.106, respectively.

Please see the Attachment 4, Small Business Subcontracting Plan for the percentages that constitute adequate small business participation.

9 N/A What are the limitation on funds for Phases 2 and 3? Can funds be used to purchase buses?

USDOT is looking for new and innovative technologies and services to address the complete trip segments and challenges. If a service is innovative and integrates with a technology solution that addresses a need, it can be considered. In addition, funding for operations will have to continue 5 years after the project ends, therefore it needs to be a sustainable service that can continue operations after the project is over.

10 N/A Can other federal dollars be used as match?

No, other federal dollars may not be used as the 20% match.

11 N/A Will the program run again next year? No, this Broad Agency Announcement will only remain open through August 3rd, 2020 and will not be competed again.

12 Are universities permitted to be lead agencies? Do you need a municipal partner?

Respondents to this Broad Agency Announcement are expected to represent partnerships among public sector agencies, non-profit organizations, and the private sector.

Academic institutions may also play a role. The only requirement for teaming is that a public-sector organization capable of forming and leading a cooperative agreement for Phases 2 and 3 must be a part of the Phase 1 team.

Note that in Phase 1, the effort may have a prime offeror (lead entity) representing any U.S. based public agency, private company, non-profit organization, or academic institution

13 N/A Can you please help clarify if “Letters of Intent” are synonymous with “Letters of Support” or if they are two different things?

The instructions specifically state that “Letters of intent are required for all public-sector agencies acting as partners in Phase 1 and identified as potentially leading the additional phases of the effort” but additional instruction directs that “letters of intent are not suggested for non-partner stakeholders, or private sector partners.”

There is no mention about letters of support from elected officials, academic interests, or private sector stakeholders - the benefit of which including such letters is in helping US DOT ascertain what level of support the proposers might have identified.

Letters of intent are required for public sector Phase 1 partner agencies who are identified as a potential lead agency for Phases 2 and 3 of the ITS4US Complete Trip Program.

Letters of intent are suggested for all public sector agencies and non-profits (including academic partners and advocacy/service organizations) who are identified as Phase 1 partners.

Additional letters of intent related to partner participation may be submitted. Letters of general interest or support from non-partner stakeholders are discouraged.

Letters of intent from Phase 1 partners should appear in an appendix to Volume I, Part III and do not count against the page limit for Volume I, Part III.