Questions Answers 6973GH-20-R-00168-.pdf

Solicitation 6973GH-20-R-00168 Amendment 0002

Questions and Answers

1. SIR page 7, F.2 Delivery Schedule states “Some requirements may require periodic evening shift contract support between the hours of 3:30 p.m. and 12:00 a.m.”

Question: In this event, will the Government reimburse the contractor for night differential in addition to regular rate after 6:00 p.m.? Answer: The Government will pay a night differential percentage in addition to the regular rate.

2. SIR page 25, clause 3.2.2.3-39.

Question: Our team is submitting as a Small Business 8(a) Joint Venture Mentor/Protégé. Are all members of the JV required to submit the Certified Cost or Pricing data for each modification or just the JV itself? Answer: Only the Prime Contractor.

3. SIR page 59 states “Contract Documentation – Volume I: Section B, Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs; Government format.” SIR page 63 states “Cost/Price Proposal Content – Volume IV Bullets 1 and 3 states to include “Section B, Supplies or Services.”

Question: Does the Government require Section B, Supplies or Services to be included in both volumes? Answer: Yes

4. SIR page 62 states, “Offerors must send the Past Performance Questionnaire to Government or Contractor points of contact for each example of past performance in their past performance volume, to complete and return to the Contracting Officer. The evaluator must e-mail this to nia.glover@faa.gov by the close date of the solicitation.”

Question: The policy of our Government COR is to NOT complete PPQs when CPARs are available. We have no control over this policy and cannot force the Government to comply with these instructions. Our available CPARs rate performance in terms of Quality, Schedule/ Timeliness, Cost Control, Business Relations/Management, and Customer Satisfaction. Will the FAA accept CPARs in lieu of PPQs? Answer: In accordance with number (2) of the amendment all references to a past performance questionnaire are being removed and it is no longer a requirement to submit questionnaires as part of your proposal.

5. SIR page 62 states, “Offerors that are submitting proposals under a Teaming Agreement or other similar prime contractor/subcontractor teaming arrangement must also have at least two returned questionnaires returned that are relevant and recent past and/or present contracts for each of the proposed sub-contractor(s).”

Question: Our team is submitting as a Small Business 8(a) Mentor/Protégé Joint Venture. Are all members of the JV required to have a minimum of two returned questionnaires or does the Government consider the JV a single business entity?Answer: Please find the answer under question 4.

6. SOW 2.1 Location of Work states, “All work performed under this contract shall be performed at the following location, unless directed in writing by the CO: Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center

(MMAC).”

Question: It is clear that all instruction and management must take place at the MMAC. Are all employees required to also be on location or are some employees allowed to work from other locations where practical? Answer: This paragraph is intended to state the location of the work is at MMAC and not another facility. It is not intended to be a paragraph regarding telework. Telework is exercised to the maximum extent practical, especially during the current pandemic crisis.

mailto:nia.glover@faa.gov

Question: If there are mandatory positions, besides Program Manager and Instructors, that must be performed at MMAC, will the Government specify which positions those are? Answer: Any position associated with this contract will perform duties at the MMAC unless telework has been authorized.

7. SOW 3.2 Travel Reimbursement Guidelines states “FTR will be used as the guideline for establishing allowable reimbursement costs for all travel.”

Question: Will the Government reimburse the travel costs for part-time instructors that must travel to MMAC to teach? Answer: Each travel request will be reviewed independently and approval of travel costs will be reimbursed on a case-by-case basis. Some criteria used in determining approval includes, but is not limited to, the best interest of the Government and the budget.

8. SOW 6.2 states “Contractor shall be responsible for providing, without direct cost to this contract, all personal protective equipment, unless available from FAA.”

Question: Will the Government provide a list of required PPE equipment that needs to be purchased and what equipment the FAA provides? Answer: Mask are required.

9. SOW 8.5 Required Training – Instructors Question: Does the FAA provide all of the required training detailed in this paragraph at no additional cost to the contractor? Answer: The FAA will provide required training, not commercially available (see paragraph 8.2), at no additional cost unless training attendee fails (see paragraph 8.4).

10. SOW 12.2 Contractor Quality Control Plan states “A draft copy of this plan, including any anticipated modifications, shall be included with any proposal submitted in response to this document.”

Question: The SIR does not provide instructions for the QCP. May it be submitted as a stand-alone document and be excluded from the page count? Answer: No, it should be included in the page count.

11. SOW 13.1 states “As part of their normal administrative activities, the contractor shall provide various reports and data to the CO, the COR, and to other FAA offices as needed. These reports and data will include, but are not limited to, those deliverables specifically in accordance with contract requirements.”

Question: Will the Government provide a list of the required deliverables? Answer: The list of required deliverables can be found in Appendix D, Contract Data Requirements List (CDRLs). Other reports and data are not identified at this time and may arise as necessary, for instance dealing with pandemic tracking.

12. Schedule B is provided as a PDF.

Question: To ensure all for formulas are included per directions in SIR page 62, is an Excel format for Schedule B acceptable? Answer: In Volume IV an excel sheet is acceptable. Volume I, should be a PDF or word.

13. Page 62 L.6(b)(3) The SIR states that “the Offerors must send the Past Performance Questionnaire to Government or Contractor points of contact for each example of past performance…”; however, a PPQ is not listed as one of the attachments, or further outlined in the SIR. Please provide industry with the PPQ we are to use for this SIR. Answer: Please find the answer under question 4.

14. Attachment A in Appendix A, it states that “The FAA does not establish any requirement for the contractor to utilize any type of AWS under this task.” Will the Government consider a virtual work schedule due to the restrictions imposed by COVID-19? Answer: Yes. The Government will consider virtual work when feasible.

15. 5. 28 SOW 12.2 indicates a QCP is required with our proposal submission. Shall industry include it as a “non-page counted” Appendix to Volume II Technical? Or does the Government prefer the QCP be submitted as a stand-alone document? Please provide guidance. Answer: Please include the QCP in the 40 page count.

16. General Please provide the name of the incumbent contractor currently performing these tasks.

Answer: This is a new requirement. There is no incumbent.

17. 64 Section L.6.c.11 Please provide the applicable wage determination schedule. The Wage determination was included as a separate attachment Answer: The wage determination for the applicable labor category Administrative Assistance, has been added to the amended solicitation.

18. 13 SOW 5.3 Please identify which labor categories, if any, will require an extensive background investigation (BI) in order to work on this contract. Answer: At this time, it is expected that all labor categories will undergo the normal background investigation to work at the MMAC. We do not expect that any of the labor categories will undergo the extensive background investigation (BI) required by Customs and Border Protection. However, there is potential this could change but would most likely only affect a full-time position (i.e. FTC Instructor).

19. Please provide a list of anticipated courses to be delivered under this contract. Answer:

Currently, the expectation is for delivery of courses that are conducted at MMAC. At this time, that course is the Land Mobile Radios (LMR) course. However, many courses are under development and courses conducted at MMAC is expected to change. Currently, all courses expected to be taught are electronic/technical in nature.

20. Are any portions/tasks of this SOW currently being performed by another contractor? Answer:

This is the first time this effort has been solicited. There are certain aspects of this requirement that were being satisfied under another contract. These trainings/development activities may need to be transitioned to the awardee but they should be minimal. The SOW has been corrected under section 14 to correctly reflect that the phase in will not include transitioning from one contractor to another. There are still aspects to phase in that will need to be addressed as shown in the SOW, these will still need to be addressed in your phase in plan and proposal.

21. Will the awardee be expected to Phase-In any work currently being done by another contractor?

Answer: This is the first time this effort has been solicited. There are certain aspects of this requirement that were being satisfied under another contract. These trainings/development activities may need to be transitioned to the awardee but they should be minimal. The SOW has been corrected under section 14 to correctly reflect that the phase in will not include transitioning from one contractor to another. There are still aspects to phase in that will need to be addressed as shown in the SOW, these will still need to be addressed in your phase in plan and proposal.

22. Are there incumbent personnel currently performing these tasks? See answer provided under 16

23. What time is the proposal due on 4 Dec 2020, 1430 or 4:30 PM? Answer: In accordance with number (2) of the amendment the proposal date is extended to December 18, 2020 at 16:30 PM.

24 H.4(e) Section H.4 states “The Contractor shall require contract personnel to wear personal protective equipment when it is necessary because of the hazards on the job and in most instances will provide the equipment and corresponding training, except that which has been specified to be furnished by FAA. All personal protective equipment worn by contractors shall comply with applicable industry standards.” Please further detail what PPE has been specified to be furnished by the FAA. Will the PPE that is provided by the contractor be considered cost reimbursable material? Answer: If there is a situation that requires PPE and the Government does not furnish it, the PPE would not be cost-reimbursable material. It would be considered vendor or individual provided material that belongs to the vendor or individual.

25. SOW Are the courses associated with this requirement already developed and being delivered?

If yes, who is currently delivering/instructing these courses—federal instructors, or contract instructors under a different contract? Answer: Some of the courses have been developed and several are in the process of being developed. Most of the instructors are federal but we are also utilizing the services of a contract instructor from another contract.

26. Does Right of First Refusal for Incumbent Personnel (52.222-17 Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers) apply to this contract? Answer: The FAA doesn’t follow the FAR.

27. What is the anticipated award date? January 1, 2021 1. What is the anticipated award date for this solicitation? Answer: The anticipated award date is sometime early in calendar year 2021.

28. Pg 62, (b), 1), bullet 8: Client POC information for each contract reads "two (3) references"

- is it 2 or 3? Please clarify. Answer: It is two (2) as corrected on number (2) of the amendment.

29. Pg 61 states resumes are not part of page count. Pg 71, 3), ii states attachments are included in page count. Please clarify. Answer: Attachments are included unless it specifically states that a document is excluded as on page 61.

30. Pg 60 #5 "Offerors must prepare an evaluation factor matrix". Is there a preferred format for this - a table or excel? Also, please confirm the evaluation factor matrix is to be included in Volume I, since the directions for the matrix were provided in Volume II pg 60, 5). Answer: There is no specific format. Volume I is the contract documentation filled out by the contractor, a matrix is not needed for this volume. The technical volume is the volume that needs the evaluation factor matrix.

31. Pg 65 L10 Amendments and Solicitation: Will FAA provide document SF-30 with the posted QAs?Answer: Yes

32. Pg 62 Past Performance Questionnaire: Does FAA plan to provide the questionnaire for offerors to send to their previous clients. Answer:Please see response under question 4.

33. Pg 60 Tabbed Volumes - Does FAA prefer the tabbed sections to be submitted as files through a PDF portfolio for each volume? Answer:No preference.

34. Pg 60 (e) 1) states the Past Performance Proposal must not include prices/costs or any pricing information. Answer: This is referring to your bid price/cost Pg 62 Volume III (b) (1) requires documentation for each contract to include contract total value $ This is referring to the dollar value of past contracts that you are using in your Past Performance Volume.

35. Pg 63 1) References the volume should be in FAA format. Please confirm this is Schedule B?

Also, Pg 63 6) references "within all Excel Spreadsheets" - does FAA require additional pricing documents in Excel? If so, is there a template available?

Answer: Yes, the proposal should include additional pricing documents in excel that show how the contractor’s pricing was formulated. There is no template.

36. SOW: Pg 24 Section 14.2 Phase-In Transition Plan- Based upon the language included phase in plan directions, is this under a current contract? If so, could you please provide the incumbent's information?

Answer: See answer provided under 21

37. Does the government have preferred authoring tools? Answer: There is no specific authoring tool specified in the SOW, therefore the contractor can specify in their proposal. While the FAA does prefer certain authoring tools such as Storyline 3 there may be other tools that are favorable.

38. Can the government provide a list of topics for instruction and course development? Answer:

Electronics maintenance and repair, IT, operations of surveillance equipment.

39. Can the government confirm the systems/technologies that instructors, developers, & SMEs will execute on? Answer: Electronic Surveillance, Internet Technologies, Government Policy

40. How does the government define instructor “part Time Hours” (Schedule pdf) listed as 7600?

Answer: Part-time hours could be utilized to fulfill an instructional need (i.e., 2 weeks to deliver a class) or could be hours needed to perform a development effort (i.e., 200 hours of ISD work, 150 hours graphic artist, etc.).

41. Is there Remote option for any positions during and after COVID? Answer: Telework is exercised to the maximum extent practical, especially during the current pandemic crisis.

42. L.6 Proposal Content, Factor 4 requires a Transition Plan timeline but no incumbent is identified. Is there an incumbent who is fulfilling these roles currently? If there is an incumbent, can the government please provide the current SCA wage determination positions? Answer: Please see response under 21.

43. When will the GFI be available after award? Answer: Government furnished information can be provided after award as soon as the period-of-performance begins.

44. Will the lessons/materials be up to date at start of contract? Answer: Some courses are currently up-to-date while others are currently being developed.

45. What portion of training is delivered in the classroom vs field? Answer: While our organization has courses that are conducted on-site at MMAC, at a field location, or partially or wholly conducted via remote means, personnel under this contract will be conducting on-site at MMAC at this time.

46. What positions are resumes required? Answer: All Labor Categories included in APPENDIX B Contract Support Position Descriptions and Qualifications.

47. Will the government provide a Past Performance Questionnaire for contractors to submit for contract references to complete? Answer: See answer provided under 4.

48. Given the outstanding question of PPQs above, will the government extend the proposal deadline 2 weeks to accommodate our contract references to complete PPQs accordingly? Answer: See answer provided under 4.

49. What position(s) has the government identified as SCA Wage Determinations? Answer: The wage determination for the applicable labor category Administrative Assistance, has been added to the Number (2) amended solicitation.

50. Will the government provide clarification on the topic areas required of the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)? Answer: Topics vary. A list of qualifications required for the SME position can be found in Appendix B.

51. Reference: Section L, page 59, paragraph L.5 Proposal Organization Table and paragraph (c) Contract Documentation – Volume I of the same page.

Question: Do we provide SIR Sections A-K or just Sections B and K? Answer: A through K. There are some fill ins in the other sections.

52. Reference: Section L, page 60, paragraphs L.5(e), L.6(b)3) and M.4(c)

Question: All reference a Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ). Paragraph L.6.(b)3) levies a requirement to send a PPQ for each of the minimum of 3 past performance references, with at least 2 of the (minimum) 3 to be returned to this solicitation’s Contracting Officer by the closing date of the solicitation. Paragraph M.4(c) indicates that the PPQs will be the primarys evaluation point for evaluating and scoring Past Performance. ?

We cannot find a PPQ in the list of documents/links provided with the announcement on beta.SAM.gov, nor is one listed in Section J of the solicitation. Please clarify the requirement for PPQs. If they are required as currently stated within the solicitation, will the Government provide them in a timely fashion so that they may be distributed, completed and returned by the solicitation’s closing date of December 4, 2020. Answer: See answer provided under 4.

53. Reference: Section L, page 61, paragraph L.6 Factor 2 Staffing Strategy and Section M, page 71, paragraph M.4 Factor 2 (Technical) Contract Support.

Question: Is Factor 2 a Staffing Strategy or Contract Support? Answer: Staffing Strategy as corrected on number (2) of the amendment.

54. Reference: Section L, page 62, paragraph L.6 (b) Past Performance Proposal – Volume III, d.

Customer Satisfaction, 1), last bullet

Question: How many client POCs do we need to identify, two or “3”? Answer: It is two (2) as corrected on number (2) of the amendment

55. Reference: Section L, page 64, paragraph L.6 (C) 11).

Question: Is there a Wage Determination associated with this SIR? Answer: The wage determination for the applicable labor category Administrative Assistance, has been added to the amended solicitation.

56. Please provide student to instructor ratio requirements for each course delivery. Answer: Instructor to student ratio will vary dependent on course. Generally, classes are kept below 10-12 students where feasible.

57. Please provide the number of students anticipated for each course (i.e., minimum and a maximum capacity). Answer: The schedule is varied by course and is dependent on Customs and Border Protection requirements.

58. Please provide anticipated and historical workload data (e.g. course delivery schedule, frequency each course delivered, duration of each course delivered.) Answer: Anticipated workload begins at an estimated 1 class per course, per month, ramping up from there. However, the schedule is very fluid and subject to change. All courses are currently less than 2 weeks (10 working days) in length.

59. Please provide the projected instructional delivery schedule to include potential course overlaps.

Answer: Not identified at this time.

60. Will the customer provide a staffing breakout or historical work hours as it relates to either Contract Support Positions or Task Descriptions to allow the offeror to better assess the number of personnel that may be required for each task? Answer: This is a new contract effort and does not have any historical work hours.

61. Are all positions currently filled? Answer: This is a new contract effort and the positions do not currently exist.

62. Is there an incumbent on this contract, if the Government is at liberty to provide the incumbency information, can you please provide Incumbent Name and Incumbent Contract value? Answer: This is a new contract. There is no incumbent.

63. Can the Government please provide us PPQ (Past Performance Questionnaire) format?

Answer: See answer provided under 4.

64. Can the Government please clarify us as in the document “Base Year: November 1, 2020

– October 31, 2021”if base year period of performance is November 1, 2020-October 31, 2021 or December 1, 2020 – October 31, 2021? Answer: Base and option year dates will be adjusted at award.

65.Can the Government please specify us if resumes are required for all labor categories or only for key personnel? Answer: All Labor Categories included in APPENDIX B Contract Support Position Descriptions and Qualifications.

66.Can the Government please clarify, for some labor categories positions the Government has given 1840 as estimated hours , Can Government please specify whether SCA is applicable or not? Answer: The wage determination for the applicable labor category Administrative Assistance, has been added to the amended solicitation.

67.Can the Government please clarify if Price break down is required along with the proposal?

Answer: Yes, the FAA requires additional pricing documents in excel in accordance with the solicitation as stated below:

Page 63:

7) In order to assist the Contracting Officer in a determination of price reasonableness, Offeror must provide a thorough explanation of the pricing methodology used for all proposed prices.

Offeror must provide pricing assumptions, judgmental factors, supporting rationale and the basis of all estimates.

8) All Cost/Price Proposals must identify, in sufficient detail, all direct costs and markups, as allowed by the contract and any proposed subcontracts. Offeror is responsible for submitting sufficient information to enable the Government to fully evaluate the Cost/Price Proposal.

68.Can the Government please confirm if there are any task areas that require our team to be onsite and offsite? Answer: All tasks under this contract are expected to perform duties at the MMAC. However, there may be occasional travel associated with requirements. Telework is also considered to the maximum extent practical, especially during the current pandemic.

69.Can the Government please provide us the sub-contracting utilization plan is required? If yes what percentage (%) is allocated? Answer: A subcontracting utilization plan is not required as this is set aside for 8(a) contractors only.

70.In Continuation to the following question, can Government please provide us the mandatory percentage (%) that is required to perform as the “Prime” on this acquisition?

Answer: I would direct you to Clause 3.6.1-7 Limitations on Subcontracting in the solicitation.

71.Can the Government please confirm if labor hours presented in the contract are accurate?

Please Confirm if there is any surge in the quantity of the hours projected in the contract, this allows offeror’s to be proactive in meeting such requirements. Answer: Labor hours are considered estimates and will fluctuate based on projects/requirements.