Questions Answers_Log_Cost VESS_fnl.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

#693JJ920R000020

Vehicle Electronic Systems Safety Cost Q&A Listing

Question Number

Solicitation Question NHTSA Response

1. Reference: Section L.12, entitled “VOLUME II:

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL

INSTRUCTIONS”

Question: What, if any, information should be provided for Cost Plus Fixed Fee pricing referenced in section B.1.2 at this time?

1. Please reference Attachment J.5 – Cost Proposal Template_693JJ920R000020.

2. Reference: L.12

Question: 1. What, if any, pricing submission is required from subcontractors?

Question: 2. If subcontractor pricing volumes are required, will the Government allow subcontractors to submit sealed bids directly to the Government (to avoid sharing proprietary information with Prime Offerors)?

1. Please reference Section M.6.1 - Subcontractor Personnel/Consultants

2. Yes, the Government will allow subcontractors to submit sealed bids directly to the Government (to avoid sharing proprietary information with Prime Offerors).

3. Reference: B.5; B.3.1

The CLIN tables at B.5 ask for loaded labor rates for each category. However, they are followed by separate tables requesting “ODC Indirect Cost Category and Base, e.g. ‘G&A, Subcontractor,’ ‘G&A, Travel,’ etc.”

The prime and each subcontractor may have different prices for the same labor category—for example, a Sr.

Technical Researcher from Subcontractor A who specializes in Research Area 4 may have a different hourly rate than a Sr. Technical Research from Subcontractor B who specializes in Research Area 5.

Question: 1. Will the Government provide guidance on how these differences should be reflected in the pricing proposal?

Question: 2. The presence of “G&A, Subcontractor” as a separate line item is confusing, as according to B.3.1, loaded labor rates include G&A (i.e., it is already included in the loaded rate). Will the Government please clarify?

Question: 3. B.3.1 says to “see ‘Treatment of Subcontractor’s Labor Costs’ cited in Section G.” There is no section by this name in Section G. Please clarify.

1. No. NHTSA will not provide guidance on how these differences should be reflected in the pricing proposal.

2. B.3.1 provides a definition only for loaded labor rates.

“G&A, Subcontractor” as a separate line item is only an example for what the offeror may enter.

3. Reference Section B.3.1 of the update RFP as reference is corrected to cite Section G.1 MATERIALS, SUBCONTRACTS, AND ALL OTHER NON-LABOR

COSTS.

4. Reference: B.3.2, G.4.1

B.3.2 states that “Profit or fee may never be applied to ODCs.” G.4.1 indicates that (in the context of Task Order bids) subcontractor labor may be proposed as part of the overall section B pricing, or as an ODC. It then states that in the case of subcontract ODCs, the subcontractor must submit “basis for those proposed labor and indirect costs…and proposed fee.”

Question: 1. These instructions seem self-contradictory, if profit/fee may never be applied to ODCs. Please clarify.

Question: 2. If subcontractors are to be treated as ODCs, but no profit/fee may be attached to ODCs, does this imply subcontractors cannot make a profit under this contract? Please clarify.

1. Section B.3.2 – provides a definition as applied to the IDIQ or contract, not the Task Order. G.4.1 – Specifically, addresses the application of profit or fee when issuing a Task Order.

2. The Government is not in the business of advising offerors on how to apply profit or fee.

5. Reference: Section B.3.1

Fixed indirect cost rates:

Question: Will the indirect cost rates be fixed based on what is proposed annually in the cost template or will Year 1 proposed rates be fixed in out years?

1. Your organization is responsible for establishing your Indirect Cost Rate Agreement through any authorized approving agency (e.g., DCMA or DCAA etc.)

6. Reference: Section B.3.1

Question: Can the government provide clarity if the loaded rates requested are being considered rate caps?

1. No. The loaded rates requested are not considered rate caps.

7. Reference: Section G.1

Question: Can fee be put on subcontractor labor? In G.4.1 in the Subcontractor bullet (pg. 39) it references proposed fee, however the bolded language in G.1 suggests otherwise.

1. No. The Subcontractor fee referenced in G.4.1 Ordering via Task Orders is charged to the prime contractor.

8. Reference: C.2

Question: Will tools, licenses', cost etc... be borne by NHTSA, or will the Contractor need to bear it?

1. The Government will reimburse costs at the Task Order level.

9. Reference: SOW Section B.5, entitled “PRICE SCHEDULE/LOADED LABOR RATES” and Section M.6, entitled “EVALUATED PRICE

CALCULATION”

Question: Does NHTSA want a low loaded rate and a ceiling loaded rate in both of these sections?

1. No.

10. Reference: SOW Section L.12, entitled “VOLUME

II: BUSINESS MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL

INSTRUCTIONS” and Section B, entitled

“SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES /COSTS”

Question: Section L.12 states to complete section B. For section B, CLINS 1101, 1102, 1103, etc., please clarify if organizations provide their ODC budget category in those lines and their applicable G&A or indirect cost basis rate?

1. Yes. Organizations are to provide their ODC budget using those lines, as well as indirect costs.

11. Reference: SOW Section L.12, entitled “VOLUME

II: BUSINESS MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL

INSTRUCTIONS” and Section J, entitled “PART III

- LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER

ATTACHMENTS”

Question: The IDIQ instructions in section L.12 state to provide loaded labor rates per the format in section B and complete the evaluation in section M. Should we plan to complete only section B and section M for the cost volume?

Question: Is Attachment J.5 an example only for future task order RFPs or does it also need to be completed? If so, please provide instructions for completing J.5 (Attachment J.5 – Cost Proposal Template_693JJ920R000020 is a task order cost proposal template).

Question: Is there a ceiling amount for the Estimated Travel and Other Direct Cost? If so, please provide those thresholds.

1. Please complete Section B and Section M.

2. Yes, please complete Attachment J.5 Cost Proposal template.

3. There are no ceiling amounts for travel or ODCs.

12. Reference: SOW Section M.6, entitled “Evaluated Price Calculation”

Question: Does the multiplier represent escalation/inflation rate only?

Question: If not, can you provide further explanation and definition of what makes up the multiplier rate?

Question: Approved indirect and fringe rates are part of the loaded rate and not the multiplier per section B.

1. No.

2. It is the offerors indirect rates that would be applied to these costs.

3. Correct.

Question: Is a detailed M.6 required for each subcontractor, or is just the “Subcontractor” section (in the chart on p. 89 of the RFP) with loaded labor hourly rate required?

Question: Does the subcontractor section need to be revised to include hours to estimate an extension amount?

2. Section M.6 should be completed as detailed.

3. Section M.6 inclusive of the Subcontractor portion should be completed as detailed, if applicable.

13. Reference: RFP Section B.2 – Price Schedules and Section M 6.1 - Price Evaluation Sheets

Question: Please confirm that these need to be filled out by the Offeror (Lead) and/or the subcontractors.

1. The prime offeror completes the Price Evaluation Sheets.

14. Reference: RFP Section B.5 – Price Schedule/Loaded Labor Rates; Section M 6.1 – Price Evaluation Sheets; and Section J – List of Attachments

Question: Please define the time period for these forms.

I’m assuming 36 months (3 years).

1. Time periods for all schedules are one (1) 36-month Base Period, which is 3 years, one (1) 24-month Option Period, which is 2 years and, if exercised, one (1) 6-month Option to Extend Services.

15. Question: How are teams to develop their billing rates?

Should they be adjusted for regional variation?

1. NHTSA is not in the business of telling organizations how to setup and operate their business.