70CDCR25R00000020_Qs_As_Session.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 21 KB Posted
- Attached to
- DHS ICE Religious Services Federal contract opportunity
- Solicitation number
- 70CDCR25R00000020
- Issued by
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement
About this file
This file is a Questions and Answers (Q&A) document for a DHS Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Religious Services contract (Solicitation Number 70CDCR25R00000020). The Q&A provides critical clarifications about chaplain requirements, including language capabilities and staffing expectations. Key details include a requirement for chaplains to be bilingual, with a strong preference for chaplains fluent in Arabic, Russian, Portuguese, Punjabi, or Turkish, in addition to English. The government seeks flexibility in meeting language and religious diversity requirements, potentially allowing waivers if specific chaplain qualifications cannot be met.
The document addresses several technical proposal submission details, such as page count restrictions and font requirements. Specifically, the Legal Offer is excluded from the 25-page technical section limit, while the Table of Contents is included. The solicitation covers religious services across six locations, including five ICE Detention Facilities and Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, with an emphasis on providing detainees structured opportunities to practice their religious beliefs. Small businesses are noted as not being required to submit a subcontracting plan, and offerors are advised to use their business judgment when determining wage scales for key personnel positions.
View the file
Other files for this federal contract opportunity
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| 70CDCR25R00000020 - Attachment A - Performance Work Statement Religious Services 2025.pdf | ||
| 70CDCR25R00000020 - Attachment D - DHS Form 700-23.pdf | ||
| 70CDCR25R00000020 - Attachment C - SF33.pdf | ||
| 70CDCR25R00000020 - Attachment B - Provisions and Clauses.docx | DOCX document | |
| 70CDCR25R00000020 RFP ICE Religious Services.pdf |
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Text version
Sheet1
| Question No. | Reference | Question Category | Question | TET Team/Program Office Responses |
| 1 | RFP 70CDCR25R00000020 | Contract | Would the Government also consider allowing the non-Christian chaplain to demonstrate fluency in the denomination’s traditional language (e.g., Arabic for Muslim detainees, Hebrew for Jewish detainees, Hindi for Hindu detainees) in lieu of Spanish, with Spanish-language coverage provided at the team level through other chaplains or ICE’s professional interpretation services? | Yes, the government would consider a chaplain that spoke another language other than Spanish, but would favor the following languges in this order: Arabic, Russian, Portugues, Punjabi, Turkish. |
However, in that scenario the chaplain must coordinate services requiring Spanish language skill with the LPM.
If a Chaplain cannot be identified then the government would consider waiving the requirement of having one non-Christian Chaplain in favor of all Chaplains being bi-lingual in English and Spanish. Or where the Local Program Manager would be bi-lingual in English and another language, with a preference for Arabic, Russian, Portugues, Punjabi, Turkish.
2 RFP 70CDCR25R00000020 Contract As an alternative means of meeting the Government’s objectives, would the Government consider allowing the required non-Christian chaplain to serve primarily as a Multi-Faith Coordinator, responsible for facilitating accommodations, volunteers, and resources for minority faiths, while Spanish-language chaplaincy is provided by other chaplains on the team? The non-Christian Chaplain must be bi-lingual. As noted, the government would favor a non-Christian chaplain that spoke one of the following languages in this order: Arabic, Russian, Portugues, Punjabi, Turkish.
Serving as Multi-faith coordinator is an additional duty to the duty the chaplain is responsible for at his or her assigned facility. Serving as the multi-faith coordinator for the religious programs across all 6 locations does not absolve the chaplain's primary duty is to provide religious services to the primary location they base out of.
If a non-Christian Chaplain cannot be identified then the government would consider waiving the requirement of having one non-Christian Chaplain in favor of all Chaplains being bi-lingual in English and Spanish. Or a Christian Chaplain that was bi-lingual in English and another language, with a preference for Arabic, Russian, Portugues, Punjabi, Turkish.
| 3 | RFP 70CDCR25R00000020 | Contract | As an alternative means of meeting the Government’s objectives, would the Government consider structuring the non-Christian chaplain role as a shared or roving position (including virtual/remote support) across multiple facilities, rather than requiring a full-time Spanish-speaking non-Christian chaplain at a single site? | Every facility must have one designated full-time Chaplain providing in-person religious services at that location. Virtual or remote support can be provided only in instances where in-person is not possible. Virtual or remote must not be the primary mean of delivering religious services. A chaplain or a Local Program Manager could assist all facilities virtually or remotely if they were bi-lingual in English and another language, with the government having a strong favor for the following languages in this order: Arabic, Russian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Turkish | |
| 4 | RFP 70CDCR25R00000020 | ||||
| Background | Contract | Would the Government consider revising the requirement so that the non-Christian chaplain may serve effectively in English as the primary language, given that more than 70 percent of ICE detainees report English proficiency and most non-Christian religious services are already conducted in English or in the denomination’s traditional language rather than Spanish? | All Chaplains must be bi-lingual. As noted the government would consider waiving the requirement for all Chaplains to be bi-lingual in English and Spanish, if one Chaplain was bi-lingual in one of the following languages in this order: Arabic, Russian, Portuguse, Punjabi, Turkish. |
The Government reserve the right to waive the requirement for recruitment and retention of non-Christian chaplain based on totality of circumstances in the Contractor's effort in recruiting the non-Christian chaplain. The Contractor must submit detail information regarding their recruitment and retention effort and inability to source the non-Christian chaplain in hard-to-fill location.
If a non-Christian Chaplain cannot be identified then all Chaplains must be bi-lingual in English and Spanish. A Local Program Manager could be bi-lingual in English and another language, with a preference for Arabic, Russian, Portugues, Punjabi, Turkish. And therefore, could assist all facilities covered by this contract.
| 5 | RFP 70CDCR25R00000020 | ||||
| Section L.3 | Technical | In Section L.3 (General Proposal Submission Instructions) the Government can the Government clarify if the Legal Offer are part of the 25 pages permitted for the technical? Would the Government consider the Legal Offer and table of contents outside of the page count restrictions? | The Legal Offer is not considered part of the Technical Section and is therefore excluded from the 25-page limit. However, the Table of Contents is included within the page count restrictions because it applies to Technical Section. | ||
| 6 | RFP 70CDCR25R00000020 | ||||
| Section L.4.1 | Technical | In Section L.4.1 the Government states that 12-point Times New Roman font should be used. Would the Government consider 10-point font for tables and images? | |||
| Section L.4.1 specifies that 12-point Times New Roman font must be used. If the Government permits exceptions, such as 10-point font for tables and images, it will be stated explicitly in the solicitation. Please follow the requirements as written unless otherwise directed. | |||||
| 7 | RFP 70CDCR25R00000020, Section L, p. 37 | Contract | Are the 2 provisions from Section K the only ones that need to be incorporated into the proposal (i.e., not those listed in Section I)? | Both sections are incorporated, but they refer to different requirements. Please review the title of each section carefully to understand their specific applicability. Section K provisions must be included as stated, while Section I provisions may have separate requirements. Follow the solicitation instructions to ensure compliance with all applicable sections. | |
| 8 | RFP 70CDCR25R00000020, Section L, p. 37 | Contract | Does anything on pages 2-6 of SF-33 need to be completed? | Block 12 through 18 on page 1 of SF 33 must be completed by the offeror, and Block 17 must be digitally signed to indicate that the offeror has read and agrees to comply with all conditions and instructions outlined in the solicitation document | |
| 9 | RFP 70CDCR25R00000020, Section L, p. 37 | Technical | What are the most comparable positions in the Federal schedules for the purpose of determining wages for the three key personnel positions required? | Offerors should use their business judgment while ensuring compliance with the Service Contract Act. | |
| RFP 70CDCR25R00000020, Section L, p. 37 | Contract | As a small business, are we required to submit a subcontracting plan? | No Small Business are not required to submit a subcontracting plan only large businesses. |
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .