Questions and NHTSA Response_RFP 23R000090_Traffic Safety Initiatives IDIQ_04.11.23.pdf

RFP # 693JJ923R000090

Law Enforcement Traffic Safety Initiatives IDIQ

Questions and Responses

1. (Reference Section L.7 (Proposal Content)

With us submitting for two of the three lots, we need to submit separate Price Schedules (Budgets) for each of the lots, correct?

NHTSA Response: Offerors should refer to Section L.7. “For each LOT the Offeror proposes to support, the Offeror shall provide a technical and cost proposal” (p.92). “The agency (NHTSA) will conduct separate evaluations for each Lot under the RFP and make associated awards” (p.91).

2. (Reference Section L.7 (Proposal Content)

With this being a multi-year solicitation, are we correct that there needs to be a budget submission for each of the five years covered by solicitation? Also, are we allowed to account for potential cost increases between years?

NHTSA Response: Offerors should refer to Section L.7. Yes, a budget submission for each of the five (5) years covered by the solicitation should be submitted. Yes, Offerors are allowed to account for any applicable cost increases from year to year.

3. (General Inquiry)

CPFF Estimated Hourly Rate- Can you please provide some guidance on what constitutes an “unloaded” hourly labor rate?

NHTSA Response: Unloaded Hourly Rates means billing rates that are not all-inclusive and reflect direct labor costs that do not include fringe benefits, overhead and profit.

4. (General Inquiry)

In addition to the proposals for the three hypothetical task orders, is the Government expecting a proposal for the IDIQ?

NHTSA Response: Offerors should refer to the instructions in Section L.7: Proposal Content. “The agency (NHTSA) will conduct separate evaluations for each Lot under the RFP and make associated awards” (p.91).

5. (Reference Section L.7.2.d. (Page 96))

Under the corporate experience and past performance section (L.7.2-part d) the solicitation states "The description shall be limited to five (5) pages." Is the five-page limit per lot or for the entire section, regardless of the number of lots we respond to?

NHTSA Response: “Each technical proposal shall be no more than thirty (30) pages per lot (not including resumes or appendices), single-spaced and 12-pt font” (p.92). Offerors should refer to the instructions in section L.7.2.d (p.96): Corporate Experience and Past Performance. The five (5) page limit refers to information shared by the Offeror of work on similar projects and includes providing the project title, description of project objective, the Offeror’s efforts to accomplish the objectives, start and finish dates and contact information for the funding agency’s project manager for the project being described (p.96). “The agency (NHTSA) will conduct separate evaluations for each Lot under the RFP and make associated awards (p.91).

6. (Reference Section L.7.2.d. (Page 96))

In the corporate experience and past performance section (L.7.2-part d), the solicitation states at least three references and three past performance questionnaires (PPQs) must be submitted. Is the requirement 3 references/PPQs per lot or in total?

NHTSA Response: “In order to assess the Offeror’s experience with similar research activities to those described under the solicitation, the Offeror shall briefly describe its related experience from the past five (5) years. In particular, the Offeror shall describe related experience for each lot for which it submits a proposal” (p.96). Offerors should refer to the instructions in Section L.7.2.d. Factor 3: Corporate Experience and Past Performance and the corresponding evaluation of Corporate Experience and Past Performance section M.2.3 (p.99).

7. (Reference Section L.7.2.d. (Page 96))

In the corporate experience and past performance section (L.7.2-part d), the solicitation states "If the Offeror has conducted similar work recently for NHTSA, or other agencies in the federal government, the Offeror shall include references on those projects. The Offeror must provide three (3) Past Performance Questionnaires." Would the Government consider CPARS in lieu of this?

NHTSA Response: Yes

8. (Reference Section L.7.2.d. (Attachment J.1))

Attachment J.1 includes language that states the response to the hypothetical task order is limited to 15 pages; however, the solicitation (pg. 92) states the technical proposal for each lot shall be limited to no more than 30 pages. Please clarify the expected length of the response for each lot, is it that the 30-page limit includes the technical proposal (15 pages) and the qualification of project personnel and corporate experience and past performance (together up to 15 pages for a total of 30)? If yes, that would mean each lot would have a technical proposal section, qualification of project personnel section, and a corporate experience and past performance section, correct?

NHTSA Response: The technical proposal applies to the entire application. The Hypothetical Project is included in the technical application. “Each technical proposal shall be no more than thirty (30) pages per lot (not including resumes or appendices)” (p.92). Offerors should refer to the instructions in Section L.7: Proposal Content. “The agency (NHTSA) will conduct separate evaluations for each Lot under the RFP and make associated awards. An Offeror must submit separate proposals for each Lot it wants to receive consideration for award. For example, an offeror interested in receiving award of Lot A and Lot C must submit separate technical and cost proposals for Lot A and Lot C. The Lot for which each proposal is submitted must be clearly marked on both the technical and cost proposal” (p. 91). The Offeror’s technical proposal will be evaluated for technical merit according to the criteria set forth in M.2, Evaluation Factors.

9. (Reference Section J (Attachment J.2))

Please clarify the difference between J.2 and J.2.1.

NHTSA Response: Attachments J.2 and J.2.1 will be updated.

10. (Reference Section J (Attachments J.1 and J.2))

Please clarify if the Offeror is expected to submit as part of their Business Management Proposal J.2 or J.2.1.

NHTSA Response: Please see NHTSA’s response to Question #9.

11. (Reference Section M (Sections M.6.1 thru M.6.18))

Please clarify if the Offeror is expected to use the Estimated Hours the Government provided in Sections M.6.1 to M.6.18 to arrive at the extension amount.

12. (Reference Section L.7.2.d. (Page 96))

To help minimize burden for COs/CORs at NHTSA and other federal agencies, is CPARS acceptable in lieu of past performance questionnaires for references?

13. (Reference Section L.7.3.c.)

RFP Section L.7.3.c reads "For CPFF: Provide information requested in Section G.2 of this RFP." Please confirm whether this section should reference Section G.3, which provides a summary of allowable indirect costs.

NHTSA Response: Yes, the subject section should reference Section G.3 (Indirect Cost Rates).

14. (Reference Section L.7.2.d.)

Please confirm whether corporate experience required as part of L.7.2.d ("narrative description of work on a similar project(s)") is limited to 5 pages total or limited to 5 pages per Lot.

NHTSA Response: Please see NHTSA’s response to Question #5.

15. (Reference Section M.2.3)

In order to reduce the administrative burden on government customers, please confirm whether the requirement of three (3) past performance questionnaires is not a "per Lot" requirement.

NHTSA Response: Offerors should refer to Section M.2.3

16. (Reference Section J (List of Attachments)

The RFP states each Lot proposal is limited to 30 pages, whereas attachment J.1 indicates responses to hypothetical task orders are limited to 15 pages. Would NHTSA please clarify?

NHTSA Response: The technical proposal applies to the entire application. The Hypothetical Project is included in the technical application. “Each technical proposal shall be no more than thirty (30) pages per lot (not including resumes or appendices), single-spaced and 12-pt font” (p.92). “For each LOT the Offeror proposes to support, the Offeror shall provide a technical and cost proposal” (p.92). Offerors should refer to the instructions in Section L.7:

Proposal Content.

17. (Reference Section B.2 (Obligation Summary)

Pages 3 and 54 of 693JJ923R000090 state: (a) “The Contractor shall be obligated to provide supplies and services up to the maximum contract value amount of $TBD for the entire sixty (60) month period of performance inclusive of a thirty-six (36) month Base period and two (2) one (1) year option periods.” (b) “The Government reserves the right to exercise options to extend the term of the Contract, on a twelve

(12) month basis for two (2) renewable option periods, subject to the provisions of Section I.3.1, OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT and up to six (6) months subject to the provision of Section I.3.2, OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES. The total possible period of performance (to include option periods) is sixty (66) months.” Is the optional period of performance a maximum of 24 months or 30 months?

NHTSA Response: Offerors should refer to Section B.

18. (Reference Section D.2.1)

Page 51 of 693JJ923R000090 states: “Font type of Times New Roman with a font size of 12 shall be used throughout the document.” Can tables and graphs use a smaller font size (e.g., 10-point)?

NHTSA Response: Yes, tables and graphs can use a smaller font size (e.g., 10-point), however print must be reasonably legible.

19. (Reference Section M.6 (Price Evaluation Sheet))

This question draws from pages 104-112, 116-124, and 128-136 of 693JJ923R000090. In the tables for Lots A-C, under the “Direct Labor” section, each of two unnamed labor categories have 1,400 hours for each of Years 2-5 and 700 hours for the optional 6-month extension. To what labor categories do the hours apply? For example, do the labor categories fall under “Additional Labor Categories”?

NHTSA Response: The referenced section (M.6) will be updated. The unnamed labor categories incorrectly listed “1,400” hours.

20. (Reference Section M.6 (Price Evaluation Sheet))

This question is in reference to page 124 of 693JJ923R000090. In the table for Lot B, under its “Other Direct Costs” section, “Estimated Travel Cost” is $20,000 and “Estimated Direct Material Cost” is $10,000. Yet in the tables for Lots A and C, “Estimated Travel Cost” is $10,000 and “Estimated Direct Material Cost” is $5,000.

For the option to extend services for an additional 6 months for Lot B, is the “Estimated Travel Cost” $20,000 or $10,000? For the option to extend services for an additional 6 months for Lot B, is the “Estimated Direct Material Cost” $10,000 or $5,000?

NHTSA Response: Estimated Travel Cost ($20,000) and Estimated Direct Material Cost ($10,000) is for each Lot during Base Periods I, II, &III and Option Period I & II. However, “Option to Extend Services (6 months) should reflect Estimated Travel Cost ($10,000) and Estimated Direct Material Cost ($5,000), since this is only for a 6 month period.

21. (General Inquiry)

Please clarify the evaluation of Technical and Cost Proposals and any relation they have to each other. We understand the "Price Evaluation Sheets" to provide "a common basis on which [...] rates can be compared." Given offerors' responsibility to identify traffic safety initiatives and develop relevant plans, the government should expect to evaluate a wide range of solutions that could vary considerably in their required costs. Should bidders plan align recommended technical solutions to each hypothetical task order to the estimated hours provided in M.6, or are the "Cost Estimates" requested in J.1 a separate, evaluated element of Cost Proposals?

NHTSA Response: The offeror’s proposed prices as reflected in Section M.6 EVALUATION PRICE CALCULATION will be considered. The review of the Offeror’s price will be made independently of the technical review” (p.98). “For each LOT the Offeror proposes to support, the Offeror shall provide a technical and cost proposal” (p.92). “The agency will conduct separate evaluations for each Lot under the RFP and make associated awards.

22. (Reference Section B.5 (Labor Categories and Descriptions))

Would the Government please provide required education and years experience expectations for all the Labor Categories identified within B.5?

NHTSA Response: Offerors should refer to the instructions in Section L.7.2.c. Qualifications of Project Personnel. “In order to assess the Offeror’s experience with similar research activities to those described under the solicitation, the Offeror shall briefly describe its related experience from the past five (5) years. In particular, the Offeror shall describe related experience for each lot for which it submits a proposal” (p.96).

23. (General Inquiry)

Please clarify treating subcontractor costs as an ODC. The solicitation instructions contradict the FAR clauses listed. FAR 52.232-7 as cited in the solicitation identifies hourly rates to mean labor that meets the labor category qualifications for a labor category as specified in the contract, including labor performed by the subcontracts. In addition, materials (ODCs) are identified for subcontracts for supplies and incidental services for which there is not a labor category specified. Would the Government please confirm how the contractor should treat subcontractors’ labor costs?

NHTSA Response: Offerors should refer to Section B.4.

24. (Reference Section M.6.1 (Price Evaluation Sheet))

Please confirm Estimated Hours for all Option Years. Should there be Labor Categories identified for the two rows with 1,400 hours at the end of the Direct Labor list? Pages 104- 137.

NHTSA Response: Please refer to NHTSA’s response for Question #19.

25. (Reference Section M.6 (Evaluation Price Calculations))

Does this include all Lots combined? Or a separate table/page for each Lot?

NHTSA Response: Please refer to Section L.2.7.b. “For each LOT the Offeror proposes to support, the Offeror shall provide a technical and cost proposal” (p.92).

26. (General Inquiry)

Page Limit: Page 92 of the RFP States the Technical Proposal is limited to no more than 30 pages; however page 1 of Attachment J.1 states the response is limited to no more than 15 pages. Please clarify the page limitations.

NHTSA Response: Offerors should refer to the instructions in Section L.7: Proposal Content. The technical proposal applies to the entire application. The Hypothetical Project is included in the technical application. “Each technical proposal shall be no more than thirty

(30) pages per lot (not including resumes or appendices)” (p.92).

27. (Reference Section L.7.1 (Required Forms))

Required Forms: Can you please clarify if the Required Forms listed on page 91, Section L.7.1 are required for each Lot, or just 1 form per Submittal regardless of the number of Lots submitted?

NHTSA Response: Offerors should provide one (1) form per submittal, regardless of the number of Lots submitted.

28. (Reference Section L.7.2.d (Corporate Experience and Past Performance))

References: Per page 96, Section d. Corporate Experience and Past Performance - Are there three (3) References required for each Lot or three (3) total per submittal regardless of the number of Lots submitted?

NHTSA Response: “In order to assess the Offeror’s experience with similar research activities to those described under the solicitation, the Offeror shall briefly describe its related experience from the past five (5) years. In particular, the Offeror shall describe related experience for each Lot for which it submits a proposal” (p.96). Offerors should refer to the instructions in Section M.2.3. Factor 3: Corporate Experience and Past Performance.

29. (Reference Section C.3 (Requirements) and Attachment J.1 (Hypothetical Tasks))

Can the government provide more detail about how the objectives for Lots A and C differ? The descriptions in Section C.3 both mention evaluation and demonstration projects for new or improved traffic safety initiatives. The hypothetical tasks in J.1 also seem similar with the exception of using the term “demonstration project” in Lot A and “research and development project” in Lot C, but both hypothetical tasks seem to be looking for an approach to identify, develop, deploy, and analyze the results of a new traffic safety initiative.

NHTSA Response: This IDIQ uses three “Lots” to categorize Task Orders. Task orders may be issued to more than one (1) source under each lot at the discretion of the government. The “Lots” are as follows:

• Lot A: Development of Traffic Safety Initiatives and Countermeasures

• Lot B: Education and Training Efforts

• Lot C: Traffic Safety Research and Development to Address Emerging Issues

See Section C.3 for additional information on requirements pages 46-49.

30. (Reference Section L.7.2 (Technical Proposal))

Does the 30 page limit include c. Qualifications of Project Personnel and d.

Corporate Experience and Past Performance? Or, Attachment J.1 Hypothetical Tasks states that each hypothetical task response is limited to 15 pages.

Should the Offeror assume this means 15 pages for the hypothetical task response and the remaining 15 pages for Qualifications of Project Personnel and Corporate Experience and Past Performance?

NHTSA Response: “Each technical proposal shall be no more than thirty (30) pages per lot (not including resumes or appendices), single-spaced and 12-pt font” (p.92). “For each LOT the Offeror proposes to support, the Offeror shall provide a technical and cost proposal” (p.92). Offerors should refer to the instructions in Section L.7: Proposal Content. The Offeror’s technical proposal will be evaluated for technical merit according to the criteria set forth in M.2, Evaluation Factors.

31. (Reference Section L.7.3 (Business Management Proposal))

Should the Offeror submit pricing for each hypothetical task in addition to the price schedules and price evaluation sheets?

NHTSA Response: “For each LOT the Offeror proposes to support, the Offeror shall provide a technical and cost proposal” (p.92). “The agency (NHTSA) will conduct separate evaluations for each Lot under the RFP and make associated awards. An Offeror must submit separate proposals for each Lot it wants to receive consideration for award. For example, an offeror interested in receiving award of Lot A and Lot C must submit separate technical and cost proposals for Lot A and Lot C. The Lot for which each proposal is submitted must be clearly marked on both the technical and cost proposal” (p.91).

32. (Reference Attachment J.1 (Hypothetical Tasks, Lot C))

Requirement 4 refers to a demonstration project. Should this say, “Collect and analyze data to evaluate the traffic safety research and development project?”

NHTSA Response: Lot C refers to Traffic Safety Research and Development to Address Emerging Issues. Offerors should refer to the instructions in Section C. 3 and specifically the description of Lot C (p.48-49). “Lot C efforts may be undertaken to examine new and emerging issues that result from legal, social, or profession-based changes that impact traffic safety. Potential task orders issued under Lot C will seek traffic safety research and development activities to address emerging issues for the enforcement community (i.e., law enforcement or other regulatory enforcement efforts)” The hypothetical tasks as described are fictious. The Government is interested in understanding how an Offeror would approach and solve the hypothetic task”.