Encl. 1 SIR 693KA9-23-R-00017 Amendment 2- Offeror Questions and FAA Answers.pdf

Encl. 1 SIR 693KA9-23-R-00017 Amendment 1 | Offeror’s SIR Questions and FAA Answers

16 October 2023

Enclosure 1: SIR 693KA9-23-R-00017 Amendment 2

Offeror’s SIR Questions and FAA Answers

1. The FAA states in Section B.3 (page 2) that it requires “one pack of five (5) HR professional seats.”

Typically, an HR professional’s focus areas and research needs are different than a CHRO’s or HR Leader’s. However, the current Scope of Work (Section C), does not include a separate task/section describing the distinct needs of the FAA’s HR professionals. To ensure the FAA receives offers that include the required HR professional license, please amend Section C to include a description of this requirement. For example, as a new bullet 7 under Task 1: Provide unlimited access to research, benchmark data, tools and trainings for HR professionals that is distinctly different than the research, benchmark data and tools for the CHRO and HR management leadership team. This separate HR professionals research license shall provide five (5) users with unlimited access to materials focused on building HR skills and competencies, including business acumen, strategic consulting, relationship management, data judgment, talent management and agility.

ANSWER:

Task 2 described in Part II - Section C Description/Specifications/Work Statement specifies the requirements for research and advisory licenses for CHRO, advisor, and/or HR professional seats.

2. Regarding the requirement for “unlimited, real-time access to HR SMEs/analysts […]” (Section C, Task 1, bullet 1, sub bullet 3, page 4), will the FAA please confirm that the ‘one (1) CHRO seat and ten (10) advisory seats’ all require unlimited, real-time access to the Contractor‘s HR SMEs/analysts, whereby each licensed user is able to engage directly with the Offeror’s SMES/analysts in an unlimited number of one-on-one advisory sessions?

ANSWER:

See updated SIR Section C, L.18, and M.4.1

3. Additionally regarding the requirement for “unlimited, real-time access to HR SMEs/analysts […]” (Section C, Task 1, bullet 1, sub bullet 3, page 4), please confirm that Offerors’ advisory services must include unlimited real-time access to HR SMEs/analysts for ad-hoc inquiries and document reviews. Given the FAA’s HR technology and digital/hybrid workplace-related focus areas, document review services are important for the FAA. These services typically include having an Offeror’s analysts review, provide feedback and suggestions for improving internal documents such as strategic plans and businesses cases, as well as documentation related to a technology purchasing initiative (including vendor proposals). Please confirm that the FAA requires Offerors’ SMEs/analysts to be available for unlimited document and proposal reviews.

Please see the answer to Question 2.

4. The FAA indicates the need for “benchmark data” (Section C, Task 1, bullet 4, page 5). HR benchmarking data and accompanying tools have been a critical resource for the FAA. Will the

FAA please confirm the following with regard to benchmarking tools:

a. The FAA requires benchmarking tools that allow the FAA to visualize and baseline the current state of its HR function as a whole, as well as various HR programs (including but not limited to HR technology, talent analytics, DEI, total rewards, recruitment, etc.) compared to industry and peer benchmarks.

b. The FAA requires a benchmarking tool that enables the FAA to compare its HR organization’s spending and staffing to peers.

c. Additionally, to ensure to ensure depth and breadth of relevance to the FAA, please confirm that Offerors must provide offer at least 200 different HR metrics (e.g., HR budget, employee experience, return-to-office, digital workplace investment, succession management).

ANSWER:

Per SIR Section L.18, the Offeror must describe its approach (including benchmarking tools) to benchmark data.

5. In Section C, Task 2 (page 5), it states, “The Contractor must provide research and advisory licenses (CHRO, advisor, and/or HR professional seats) to the HR management leadership team.” For clarification purposes, please confirm that the FAA requires all three license types (i.e., CHRO, advisor and HR professional).

ANSWER:

Per SIR Section B.3, the Offeror must propose pricing for one (1) CHRO seat, ten (10) advisory seats, and one pack of five (5) HR professional seats.

6. Section C, Task 2 (page 5) makes two references to a Section 3.1. This Offeror believes the FAA is referring to areas within Section C (which are not numbered). Is this a correct understanding? If it is not, please indicate the location of the referenced Section 3.1.

Section 3.1 is referenced in error. The correct reference is Task 1 specified in SIR Section C.

7. Regarding Factor 1: Technical Approach (Section L.18, pages 67-68), Offerors are required in their proposals to “demonstrate how the Offeror will complete the requirements identified in the Statement of Work (SOW).” However, the solicitation limits Offerors’ response to just 10 pages for the combination of Factor 1: Technical Approach and Factor 2: Corporate Experience. In order to sufficiently demonstrate compliance with each requirement listed in the SOW (while also providing sufficient detail of Offeror’s relevant experience), will the FAA please consider increasing the page limit for Factor 1 and Factor 2 to 20 pages?

The page limit specified in the SIR is sufficient.

8. Regarding Factor 1: Technical Approach and the requirement to describe “how the Offeror will deliver objectivity and independence in research” (Section L.18, pages 67-68):

a. To help the FAA identify possible conflicts of interest with an Offeror’s research practices, please confirm that any sponsored/commissioned research or white papers published by an Offeror in the past three years must be disclosed in the Offeror’s proposal, regardless of whether the commissioned/sponsored research or white papers are included in the proposed subscription(s)’ online database.

b. Another practice that can compromise an Offeror’s ability to deliver objectivity and independence in research is the practice of outsourcing research authorship to industry contributors such as technology providers, consultants or vendors. Shall Offerors confirm that all of their research is produced entirely in-house by the Offeror’s own dedicated team of full-time research analysts?

ANSWER:

The minimum requirement for the first discriminator under Factor 1 is a description of how the Offeror will deliver objectivity and independence in research. The Offeror can include “a and b” of Question 8 in its approach, at its discretion.

9. Regarding Factor 1: Technical Approach (Section L.18, pages 67-68), to ensure Offerors’ research subscriptions provide adequate coverage of the FAA’s focus area, please confirm the following:

a. Offerors’ response to Factor 1: Technical Approach must include the amount of available research included in the proposed subscription(s) per each FAA focus area identified in Section C, Task 1, bullet 2 (pages 4-5).

b. To ensure relevance of Offerors’ research, Offerors’ response to Factor 1: Technical Approach must include the amount of research, per FAA focus area, that was published per year for the past three years.

c. Offerors shall include several titles of relevant research per FAA focus area.

The Offeror can include “a, b, and c” of Question 9 in its approach, at its discretion.

10. Regarding Factor 3: Resource Qualifications (Section L.18, page 68), Offerors are instructed to provide general information regarding their SME/analysts’ qualifications and experience.

a. In order to demonstrate that Offerors’ SME/analysts can fully support each of the FAA’s focus areas (identified in Section C, Task 1, bullet 2, pages 4-5), shall Offerors provide not only the “average number of available SMEs” but also the number of available analysts/SMEs who are experts in each of FAA’s focus areas (e.g., Future of work: 20 Analysts, Hybrid/remote work plans: 10 Analysts, etc.)?

The Offeror can include Question 10 a in its approach, at its discretion.

b. To further demonstrate the SMEs/analysts’ qualifications, does the FAA require Offerors to include at least two biographies of Offeror’s analysts per FAA focus area?

No. Biographies of the Offeror’s analysts are not required.

c. Please confirm that the number of available analysts indicated should be limited to the number of Offerors’ dedicated, full-time analysts that will be available to the FAA on an unlimited, ongoing basis through the proposed subscription(s) (i.e., the number should not include Offeror personnel who deliver services through consulting engagements that are different than and separate from the research and advisory services available through the proposed subscriptions).

Please see the answer to Question 2.

11. In several locations throughout the SIR (Section L.18, Factor 2, page 68; Section L.19, pages 68- 69; and Section M.5.2, page 76), the FAA indicates that Offerors are required to provide two (2) references. However, the Past Performance Questionnaire attachment provided with the SIR indicates a requirement for three (3) references. Please confirm that the FAA requires two rather than three references.

Please see the revised Attachment L001 requesting two (2) relevant projects.

12. Will AHR accept non-federal and commercial past performance?

Yes.

13. What is the first-year budget for this level of effort?

The budget is based on the winning proposal.