Second Round of Q and A 8.17.23.xlsx
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- Attached to
- Public Assistance Technical Assistance Contracts V (PA TAC V) Federal contract opportunity
- Solicitation number
- 70FB8023R00000011
- Issued by
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
About this file
This document outlines a solicitation for Public Assistance Technical Assistance Contracts V (PA TAC V). The Federal Emergency Management Agency is seeking proposals for disaster grant management and technical assistance support services to be provided on an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity basis across four geographic zones. Proposals are due by August 21, 2023 and awards will be made to four contractors. The contract period of performance is one base year with four optional one-year extensions. Pricing will be fixed hourly labor rates with separate cost reimbursable travel and miscellaneous expense CLINs. The scope of work includes program delivery management, site inspection, environmental and historic preservation compliance, and training support. Contractors must demonstrate relevant experience, management approach, past performance, and price in their proposals to be considered for award.
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Sheet1
| Questions | Reference | Subject | Vendor Comments | Government Response | Government Reference | ||
| 1 | Are Phase II proposal documents to be submitted simultaneously with the Phase I proposal documents on August 21, 2023, or should Phase II documents be submitted at a later date, as consistent with other recent FEMA two phase solicitations? | Proposal Instructions | Yes, all proposal Phases are due by the due date as shown on the Solicitation (SF33), Section 9. | Solicitation, Section 9. | |||
| 2 | PDF Page 111, Phase II – Volume IV states that the “Subcontracting Plan (if large business) shall be due to the Contracting Officer within seven (7) days of contract award.” The directions for Phase II – Volume IV on PDF Page 111 state, “The Government will review the following for submission and completeness (any omission may render proposal nonresponsive).” 1. Please confirm that the Subcontracting Plan, referenced on Page 111, is indeed NOT required in Phase II – Volume IV and, therefore, will not be evaluated. | ||||||
| 2. We suggest that the Subcontracting Plan be removed from the Evaluation of Phase II - Volume IV bulleted list (PDF page 111) as it is not required with submission and, therefore, can’t be evaluated. Our concern is with the Volume IV directions language that states, “The Government will review the following for submission and completeness (any omission may render proposal nonresponsive).” The Subcontracting Plan is listed as one that will be reviewed and if not included, will render a contractor nonresponsive. | Subcontracting Plan | The subcontracting plan is due seven (7) days post contract award. Note: Subcontracting Plan submission details will be provided at time of award. | Solicitation, Section L.14 and M.4. | ||||
| 3 | PDF Page 100, L.7 Proposal Formatting and L.7 Phase I Evaluation Factor, Submission and Evaluation – Please confirm that Phase I Evaluation Factor, Submission and Evaluation should be numbered L.8. | Evaluation Factors | Proposal formatting is Section L.7. Phase I Evaluation Factor and Submission is L.8. | Solicitation, Sections L.7 & L.8. | |||
| 4 | PDF Page 100, L.7 Proposal Formatting, 2nd paragraph states: “…Page size shall be 8.5 x 11 inches, not including foldouts.” Please confirm that 11x17 foldouts are allowed and count as one page. | Proposal Formatting | Foldouts are not allowed for this requirement. This decision supersedes any other. | Solicitation, Section L.7. | |||
| 5 | PDF Page 104, L.12 Submission Phase II – Volume II, Factor 2 - Management Approach and Capabilities, Subfactor 1 – Management Plan states: “Offeror shall describe their understanding of the overall PA TAC V requirement as outlined in…2.2.2 Background Checks.” Within the solicitation document, we are unable to locate 2.2.2 Background Checks. Please clarify the reference to background checks to reflect the information you would like offerors to use to respond to Subfactor 1. | Evaluation Factors | Background checks has been removed. | ||||
| Solicitation, Section L.12 | |||||||
| 6 | PDF Page 106, Factor 4 – Past Performance states, “…The three (3) past performance contracts will be considered when offeror performed as the Prime contractor.” To be consistent with Phase I, Factor 1, we ask that FEMA add the words “or Joint Venture” after Prime Contractor to this requirement. Most contractors perform work relevant to PA TAC as Joint Ventures. | Past Performance- JV | Joint Venture contracts are allowable to be submitted as Past Performance examples. The government will revise the statement to “…The three (3) past performance contracts will be considered when offeror performed as the Prime contractor or Joint Venture.” | Sections L & M, Factor 4: Past Performance | |||
| 7 | PDF Page 30, Section C, Part 3, paragraph 3.1.1 Task Order Management Task specifies “the contract does not allow for billable labor hours for Task Order Management (PMO),” which appears to conflict with paragraph 1.6.8 – Contract Type (PDF Pages 21-22) which specifies that CLIN 0003 Task Order PMO Rate will be a labor hour/time & materials CLIN “not to exceed 3% of CLIN 0002 labor hours cost”. Please update paragraph 3.1.1 to align with paragraph 1.6.8. | PMO Rate | Per PWS sections 1.6.8 and 3.1.1 "The contractor shall propose a Task Order Project Management Office Rate, not to exceed 3% of CLIN 0002 labor hour costs. PMO costs will be based on actual hours of CLIN 0002 costs billed at the end of each period of performance to include base, option and extension." There is no conflicting information in these sections. | Solicitation, Section C PWS 1.6.8 and 3.1.1 | |||
| 8 | PDF Page 106, L.13 Submission Phase II – Volume III, Factor 4 – Price Submission. Please confirm that the Factor number should state 5 instead of 4. | Evaluation Factors | Price Submission is located at L.13 of the solicitation, Factor 5. | Solicitation, Section L.13. | |||
| 9 | If offeror has completed its Representations and Certifications in SAM and is registered under NAICS code 541611, should the Representations and Certifications in Section K be completed in full or should we only complete K.3.(d)? | SAM.gov | A preference would be a printed copy from SAM.gov; however, either will do. This includes all provisions listed in Sections L.14 and M.4. | Solicitation, Sections L.14 & M.4 | |||
| 10 | Should offeror complete the Representations and Certifications within the FAR provisions in Section I, or are these provided for informational purposes only? | FAR Provisions Sec | Reference Q&A #9. | Reference Q&A #9. | |||
| 11 | PDF Page 106, L.13 Submission Phase II – Volume III, Factor 4 – Price Submission. Please confirm that the Factor number should state 5 instead of 4. | Proposal Instructions | Reference Q&A #8. | ||||
| 12 | What is the page limitation for Factor 1 - Relevant Experience? | Factor 1 – Relevant Experience, page 100 | Proposal Instructions | Factor 1 - Relevant Experience has 6 page limitation. | Solicitation, Section L.8. | ||
| 13 | As submissions will be electronic and can be viewed at any zoom, will the gov't ease the font size restriction and allow a minimum of 11pt font overall, and a minimum of 8 pt font in tables, graphics, headers and footers? | L.7 Proposal Formatting, page 100 | Proposal Instructions | No, there are no changes to font size limitations. | Solicitation, Section L.7. | ||
| 14 | Are headers and footers allowed in the 1" margin? | L.7 Proposal Formatting, page 101 | Proposal Instructions | Headers and footers are not allowed. | N/A. | ||
| 15 | "Pages shall be numbered sequentially." Should this say "sequentially by Volume", so that each volume starts at page 1? | L.7 Proposal Formatting, page 102 | Proposal Instructions | Added language: "for each volume". | Solicitation, Section L.7 | ||
| 16 | The Factor 1 evaluation criteria states "d. Offeror demonstrated all three (3) proposed contracts are comparable to the PA TAC V requirements as detailed in Section C, Part 1 of this solicitation." |
Furthermore, reference to Section C, Part 1 is made throughout Section L and M as well.
Question: Section C, Part 1 covers the full breadth of the contract in general terms. Can the gov't be more specific as to which subparts of offeror's need to demonstrate comparability - for example 1.3 Scope and 1.4 Performance Objectives? Factor 1 – Relevant Experience, criteria d, page 100; and Section L and Section M Relevant Experience Subparts of Section C.1 that contractors should demonstrate relevant experience in are as follows:
1.3 Scope
1.4 Performance Objectives
| 1.6.8 Contract Type | Solicitation, Section L.8 Factor 1. | |||||
| 17 | States "The Government will evaluate offeror’s Key Personnel (Program Manager and Deputy Program Manager) resumes as detailed in Section 2.2 of the PWS…" There is no section 2.2. Should this say "as detailed in Section 2.1 of the PWS"? | Subfactor 3 Key Personnel (Section and L and Section M), page 104 and 109 | Key Personnel | Yes, Section 2.1. | Solicitation, Section L.12 Factor 2, Subfactor 3 - Key Personnel. | |
| 18 | How is "Local" defined? |
| Does "Local" mean the region or the disaster area? | PWS 1.4.3, page 18 | Local | In accordance with the Stafford Act SEC. 307 and FAR 26.201, Local firm means a private organization, firm, or individual residing or doing business primarily in a major disaster or emergency area. | Stafford Act SEC. 307 and FAR 26.201 Definitions. | |||
| 19 | Does "local" include both local firms as well as local personnel? Is "local" where (1) the headquarters is located, (2) where the offices are, or (3) where the personnel are? | PWS 1.4.3, page 18 | Local | In accordance with Stafford Act SEC. 307 and FAR 26.201, Local firm means a private organization, firm, or individual residing or doing business primarily in a major disaster or emergency area. | Stafford Act SEC. 307 and FAR 26.201 Definitions. | ||
| 20 | If additional local firms or resources are to be added to the roster to meet local goals set by the CO, will the badging limits be increased to accommodate meeting this goal (e.g., > 140%)? | PWS 1.4.3, page 18; and PWS 2.1.1, page 26 | Roster Quantity | The government reserves the right to increase this amount based on zone disaster activity and operational needs. This will be included at the time of the TOPR. | Solicitation, Section C PWS 2.1.1 | ||
| 21 | References Zone 3 - Is this supposed to reference "Atlantic Zone"? | Sub-factor 2 – TOPR Activities, page 104 | Evaluation Factors | Reference to "Zone 3" should be removed and replaces with "Atlantic and West Zones" | Solicitation, Section L.12, Factor 3, Subfactor 2. | ||
| 22 | No specific instructions are included for the Price Submission. Should Offerors submit just a PDF of the Price Submission? Would FEMA allow a minimum of 8pt font for the Price Submission as it will be difficult to create a legible table using 11pt font? | Factor 4 - Price Submission; L.7 Proposal Formatting | Proposal Instructions | Per Solicitation Section L.13, a Price Proposal template (Attachment A) is provided for vendor to input vendor's pricing. If vendor includes a .pdf with additional pricing information it shall be in compliance with Section L.7 of the solicitation. | Solicitation, Section L.7, and Attachment A - Pricing Schedule. | ||
| 23 | "The three (3) example contracts shall demonstrate work was performed as the Prime Contractor or Joint Venture." |
| Will the gov't reword this to say "The three (3) example contracts shall demonstrate work was performed as the Prime Contractor, the Joint Venture, or a Joint Venture member company." | Factor 1 - Relevant Experience, Factor 4 - Past Performance | Past Performance- JV | No, the government will not revise the language to include Joint Venture Member Company. | N/A. | |||
| 24 | Does a contract include both IDIQ and Task orders? | Factor 1 – Relevant Experience, page 100 | Relevant Experience | Task Orders will not be considered for this requirement under Factor 1. | Solicitation, Section L.8, Factor 1. | ||
| 25 | Last sentence in 1.6.4 states: "For bidding purposes, the contractor should include regular and overtime rates for all labor categories to include base and all options." Attachment A does not have a means to include the overtime rates. Can the Government please modify Attachment A to be inclusive or overtime rates? | PWS, 1.6.4, page 21 | Pricing Schedule- Overtime Rates | Corrected. Added the overtime cells in the Tab. | Solicitation, Attachment A - Pricing Schedule | ||
| 26 | Our interpretation of CLIN 0003 PMO Rate is that the 3% is a fixed rate applied to the field labor. For example, we would invoice 3% of the field labor costs total and not the actual labor hours expended under CLIN. |
Is our interpretation accurate? If not accurate, can the gov't please provide clarity? PWS 1.6.8.c, page 22 PMO Rate No, your interpretation is not accurate.
Per PWS sections 1.6.8.c, "The contractor shall propose a Task Order Project Management Office Rate, not to exceed 3% of CLIN 0002 labor hour costs. PMO costs will be based on actual hours of CLIN 0002 costs billed at the end of each period of performance to include base, option and extension."
e.g., CLIN 0002 total labor costs = $100,000; CLIN 0003 total cost not to exceed $3,000.
First month's invoiced CLIN 0002 total labor costs = $10,000
| CLIN 0003 total invoiced cost could exceed 3% based on work performed(T&M) as long as it does not exceed $3,000 for the period of performance. | Solicitation, Section C PWS 1.6.8 | |||||
| 27 | EHP field work activities may require unique task order specific equipment such as artifact bags, shovels, rakes, brushes, etc. Will these materials be allowed as other direct costs when needed for specific task order needs that cannot be predicted at this time? | PWS 1.6.14, page 24 | ODCs | Per the PWS "All allowable Travel, Miscellaneous, DBA Insurance costs shall be prescribed in the TOPR and will only be reimbursable provided the expense is explicitly identified as reimbursable on the TOPR or contract modification, and COR approval. | Solicitation, Section C PWS 1.6.8 | |
| 28 | The CLIN and option year CLINs indicate this is FP. Throughout the RFP, DBA insurance is referenced as an ODC and is Cost Reimbursable (e.g., Table 2). Should the DBA CLINS be Cost Reimbursable? | RFP, page 2 and 3, CLIN 0006 DBA | DBA | Corrected, all contract line item numbers can be referenced in the Solicitation, Continuation Sheets, and Section C, 1.6.8. | Solicitation, Continuation Sheet, and Section C, 1.6.8. | |
| 29 | EHP tasks may require sample testing, sample shipping, purchase of historical records reports, or access to other databases. Will these items be allowed as other direct costs when needed for specific task order needs that cannot be predicted at this time? | PWS 1.6.14, page 24 | ODCs | Per the PWS "All allowable Travel, Miscellaneous, DBA Insurance costs shall be prescribed in the TOPR and will only be reimbursable provided the expense is explicitly identified as reimbursable on the TOPR or contract modification, and COR approval. | Solicitation, Section C PWS 1.6.8 | |
| 30 | For computer software, will Adobe Pro or Google Earth or other special licenses (e.g.: Equipment Watch, RSMeans or Exactimate) be required to be supplied with contractor furnished equipment? | PWS 1.6.14, page 24 | Software | Per 1.6.14 "If there are other software applications required by FEMA, it will be included at the time of TOPR." | Solicitation, Section C PWS 1.6.14 | |
| 31 | First sentence indicates that the PWS is at no cost to the government. Shouldn't this statement be removed? Offerors will be submitting a price proposal in Factor 5. | PWS, 1.4, page 17 | Performance Objectives | Removed statement. | Solicitation, Section C PWS 1.4 | |
| 32 | The PWS states that the "Contractor shall not bill any direct labor hours for invoice-related services." Invoicing is a significant effort for task orders. Can the Contractor bill efforts for putting together the invoicing backup and coordination of the TMC under the 3% PMO rate CLIN 0003 for a task order? | PWS 1.6.15, page 24 | Invoice | Removed "Contractor shall not bill any direct labor hours for invoice-related services." |
| These costs should be billed under CLIN 0003 PMO. | Solicitation, Section C PWS 1.6.15 | ||||
| 33 | Table 3 doesn't include a Resource Coordinator/Manager. Can the Government add this position for billing under the PMO rate Task Order CLIN 0003? | PWS Table 3, page 26 | PMO Rate | No, the government will not update to include additional positions under the PMO rate. | |
| 34 | 1.6.2.d states: "However, all Task order staff must have been issued training prior to the kickoff meeting of the Task Order." PWS 3.1 states (3rd paragraph): "The contractor shall have from the TOPR notification to a Task Order award to train their staff in the respective positions as prescribed in the training plan." H.2 also references Task Order award. Can the Government clarify the deadline for the training as the two referenced statements are different? | PWS 3.1, page 29; 1.6.2.d, page 19; and H.2, page 64 | Training | The Government will update all references to state, "The contractor shall have from the TOPR notification to a kickoff meeting to train their staff in the respective positions as prescribed in the training plan. If proposed staff are no longer available, all replacement candidates must be trained within five (5) calendar days of authorization to commence work." |
| All replacement candidates must be trained within five (5) calendar days of authorization to commencement of work. | Solicitation, Sections C PWS 1.6.2.d, 3.1 and H.2 | |||||
| 35 | How are fold-outs counted in page count? | L.7 Proposal Formatting, page 100 | Proposal Instructions | Reference Q&A #4. | Reference Q&A #4. | |
| 36 | Would the gov't consider removing the restriction on page distribution to allow the 24 pages in this factor to be used for the three sub-factors at the offeror's discretion? | Factor 2 - Management Approach, page 103 | Proposal Instructions | Factor 2 page limit will be as follows: the total number of pages in the Factor 2 submission will be 24 pages. Subfactors 1 & 2 will not exceed 20 pages, and contractors can determine the pages allocates to each subfactor. Subfactor 3 page limit will remain unchanged and a 2-page resume will be submitted for each Key Personnel proposed. | Solicitation, Section L.12, Subfactors 1 & 2. | |
| 37 | Should this read "L.8 Phase I Evaluation Factor, Submission and Evaluation"? | L.7 Phase I Evaluation Factor, Submission and Evaluation, page 100 | Evaluation Factors | Changed to read as, Phase I Evaluation Factor 1: Submission and Evaluation. | Solicitation, L.8 Evaluation Factor | |
| 38 | The PWS states that the task order kickoff meeting notes are due 3 business days after the meeting; however, Attachment 2, 4.1 Kickoff Meetings states that the notes are due within 1 business day. Can the requirement in Attachment 2 be changed to 3 business days consistent with the PWS? | PWS 3.1.2, page 30 and | ||||
| Attachment 2, item 4.1 | PRS- Kick Off Meeting Notes | Updated PRS to state "The contractor shall take notes and provide a digital copy to the COR and TM no later than three (3) business days following the conclusion of the kickoff meeting." | Attachment 2 - PRS 4.1 | |||
| 39 | The PWS states that the Contractor shall notify the FEMA COR of all terminations/resignations within five calendar days of occurrence. Can this requirement be modified to coincide with the Weekly Security Report? | Part 6 Background Investigations, III. Separation from Contract | Terminations/Resignations | No, the government will not modify this requirement to coincide with the Weekly Report. | Solicitation, Section C PWS Part 6, Section III Separation From Contract | |
| 40 | If one contractor is evaluated to have the highest overall rating in multiple zones, how will the Government select which zone will be awarded to that contractor? | M – EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD, page 108 | Overall Ratings | In accordance with FAR Subpart 15.101-1 Tradeoff process, the Government intends to award four (4) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts to four (4) different qualified offerors who successfully demonstrate Best Value in their proposal consisting of the following evaluation factors: | ||
| • | Factors 2 – 5 shall be part of the best value tradeoff process. | |||||
| • | Factors 2 – 4 are nonprice factors Factor 5 is the price factor. |
Best Value is the expected outcome of an acquisition that, in the government’s estimation, provides the greatest overall benefit in response to this requirement, and within the tradeoff process. Award may be to an other than the lowest priced offeror or to an other than the highest technically rated offeror.
| Note: Offeror may submit one (1) proposal for each zone; and each zone proposal shall demonstrate capabilities relative to that zone. A successful offeror will be awarded one IDIQ contract which means there will be four (4) different IDIQ Contract Holders. | Solicitation, Section L.9. | |||||
| 41 | The pricing schedule includes PMO positions that are not included in Attachment 1, Labor Category Qualifications. Can the government provide the labor category qualifications for these positions including: Contracting Specialist III, Computer Specialist III, Planner I, Program Coordinator II, and Program Coordinator III? | Attachment A, Pricing Schedule | Pricing Schedule- LCATs | Developed qualifications and included in PWS and Attachment 1, Labor Category Qualifications | Solicitation, Section C PWS & Attachment 1, Labor Category Qualifications | |
| 42 | Would the gov't consider rewording "Performed within geographical zone" to "Work performed for project supporting the geographical zone"? I.e., would work for a headquarters task order in support of a different geographic zone qualify? | Relevant Experience, page 100 | Relevant Experience- Zone | Changed to read as, work performed for the project supporting the geographical zone. | Solicitation, L.8 Factor 1 - Relevant Experience. | |
| 43 | Will all HQ task orders default to the East Zone contract holder? | Section c, Part 1 Zone Map and 1.3 Scope | Zones | The HQ requirements are assigned to the East Zone. There will be no competition for any orders issued under the PA TAC V contracts. | Solicitation, Section C PWS 1.1 Introduction. | |
| 44 | The clause states "Contractors and subcontractors who are working on this contract shall receive Unauthorized | |||||
| Disclosure of Classified or Unclassified Information training, receive the OPSEC security brief, and complete Insider Threat Awareness". Is this an annual requirement for these 3 courses or a one-time requirement? | IT Security training pg 51-52 | Security Training | These are annual training requirements. | |||
| 45 | The clause states initial and subsequent training certificates to satisfy annual training requirements shall be submitted to the COR. Would a completion record report satisfy this requirement or will the COR require actual copies of all IT Security certificates? | IT Security training pg 50-51 | Security Training | A completion report will satisfy this training requirement. A certificate should be delivered to the COR, upon request. | ||
| 46 | "Offeror shall detail how they will administer the internally developed, PA-related training to employees on a yearly basis." The training courses in Attachment 1 are one-time courses. On page 19 it states "However, all Task Order |
staff must have been issued training prior to the kickoff meeting of the Task Order."
The statement on page 103/104 and the statement on page 19 seem to contradict each other.
| Question: Can FEMA clarify what is meant by training to employees on a yearly basis? | Subfactor 2 - Training Plan, page start on page 103 and continues on page 104; and 1.6.2.d | Training | The Government will remove "on a yearly basis." requirement in Subfactor 2--Training Plan | Solicitation L.12 | |||
| 47 | Is FEMA's expectation that contractors shall certify employees by labor category based on completion of the courses identified in Attachment 1 or by position, such as PDMG and site inspector? | Subfactor 2 - Training Plan, page 103 - 104 | Training Plan | The government's expectation is that the contractor shall certify employees by labor category based on completion of the courses identified in Attachment 1. | |||
| 48 | Can the gov't add a labor category for PDMG? | Attachment 1 | Labor Category | No, the government will not update to include additional positions. | |||
| 49 | Attachment 1 identifies the following courses "7116 - Program Delivery Manager and 7117 - Site Inspector". Can the gov't clarify that training materials and updates for these courses will be provided? | Attachment 1 | Training Materials | The Government will provide the training materials to the contractor to train their staff and develop the Training Plan after the award. | Amendment 0001, Q&A #75 &76 | ||
| 50 | This section is pass/fail with evaluation of "meets or "does not meet". However, for criteria a, b, and c the gov't asks for "at least one (1) example contract" that meets the criteria, implying that consideration will be given to >1 contracts that meet the criteria. How will >1 contracts that meet the criteria be evaluated? | Phase I, criteria a, b, c; page 100-101 | Evaluation Factors | Reference, L.8, Evaluation Phase I - Volume I. Language added to further clarify evaluation of Factor 1. | Solicitation, Section L.8, Factor 1, Evaluation Phase I - Volume I. | ||
| 51 | According to this section, a Management Plan will be a required deliverable under the Base Contract. According to Section L.12 a Management Approach and Capabilities statement, which includes a 'Management Plan', is required as part of the proposal submission. Please clarify the difference between the two requirements. | Section 1.6.2 - Base Contract Deliverables, starting on page 18 | Management Plan | Per the PRS, the contractor shall submit a Management Plan as part of its base contract proposal, and shall submit an updated Plan no later than 15 calendar days following each exercise of Option Period. The Management Plan is a subfactor of the Management Approach and Capabilities under Factor 2. | Attachment 2 - PRS | ||
| 53 | Would the gov't consider removing NFIP certification on Commercial Property Insurance Professionals and request at the TOPR level since not all claims are flood related. | Attachment 1 | Labor Category Qualifications | No, the government will not remove the NFIP certification requirement. | |||
| 54 | Would the gov't consider consolidating these three positions, General Planner, Reports and Communication Specialist, and Management Analyst, into one position as the requirements are the same? | Attachment 1 | Labor Category Qualifications | No, the government will not consolidate these three positions. | |||
| 55 | Would the gov't consider revising "Professional Registration/Certifications" to "Recommended Professional Registration/Certifications"? | Attachment 1 | Labor Category Qualifications | No, the government will not revise this statement. | |||
| 56 | Should CLIN 3003 and 4003 be for "Task Order PMO Rate"? | Page 5 and 6 | PMO Rate | Update to CLIN 3003 "Task Order PMO" and CLIN 4003 "Task Order PMO" | |||
| 57 | Page 67, FAR Clause 52.222.41: The labor categories in Table 3 of the PWS are predominately professional labor categories where qualification, with few exceptions, require some sort of higher education degree and professional registration/certification. Therefore, the clause doesn’t seem to be appropriate for the contract. Given the professional nature of the labor categories requested, would FEMA reconsider the inclusion and remove the SCA Contract requirement (FAR Clause 52.222.41 - Service Contract Labor Standards) included by references in Section I – Contract Clauses? | Section I, Contract Clauses | Contract Clauses | In accordance with FAR 22.1006 and 41 USC 6702(a) this solicitation and anticipated awards meet the requirements of the SCLS. | No Change | ||
| 58 | Would the gov't revise CLIN 0004 Travel and 0005 Miscellaneous (ODC) to Cost Reimbursable (CR) rather than Time and Material (T&M). These are costs only CLINs, as provided in Attachment A Pricing Schedule. | Attachment A - Pricing Schedule; page 21 section 1.6.8 Table 2 | CLINs | No. | No Change | ||
| 58 | Would the gov't consider |
(1) making SOI certification, for the positions: Archaeologist, Historic Architect and Architectural Historians, a TOPR requirement rather than a contract requirement. As an example, only one member of a task order team needs to be SOI qualified.
OR
(2) Would the gov't allow years of experience in lieu of SOI certification. Attachment 1 Labor Category Qualifications The government will not allow the SOI certification be removed from the base contract requirement.
No, the government will not allow years of experience in lieu of SOI certification.
| 59 | What is the maximum file size for electronic submission? | L.5 Electronic Submission, page 99 | Proposal Instructions | The fema-patacv@fema.dhs.gov email file size is 13MB. | N/A. |
| 60 | The gov’t states “The cover sheet and table of contents will not count against page limitations.” However, on page 96 and 98, the gov’t asks for a first page that includes title page information and references a title page on page 98. Furthermore, the Factors and forms would be best separated by a tab to ease document navigation. Please revise this statement to say “The cover sheet, title page, tabs and subtabs, and the table of contents will not count against page limitations and will not be evaluated.” | L.7 Proposal Formatting, page 100 | Proposal Instructions | FAR 52.215-1(c)(2) information may be included on your cover page and inclusive of information in Section L.7 Proposal Formatting. Reference L.7 Proposal Formatting: Each Phase and Volume shall clearly identify respective title; volume number; solicitation number; and the Offeror’s name, address, point of contact, email address, phone number, and company’s unique identifier number. Proposals shall be confined to the appropriate Phase and Volume. Tabs and/or subtabs will not count against page limitation. | Solicitation, L.7 Proposal Formatting. |
| 61 | Our experience is that the Government normally develops the QASP along with the PWS during the requirements phase of services acquisition. If the Government will be using the QASP as a tool to evaluate the contractors' performance, why does the Government intend for the contractor to develop the evaluation tool itself? | Page 17, Section C.1.4.1: Start up Tasks |
Page 19, C.1.6.2 Deliverables Under the Base Contract
Start-up Tasks Per FAR Part 37.604 Quality Assurance Surveillance Plans, it is the Program’s intent to have offerors submit a quality assurance surveillance plan for the Government’s consideration in development of the Government’s plan.
Per the PRS, the QASP is due within (30) days after award.
62 FEMA modified the language to state "PMO costs will be based on actual hours of CLIN 0002 cost billed at the end of each period of performance to include base, option and extension."
There is significant administration associated with PMO start up costs for task orders that often exceeds 3% of incurred labor costs for the first few months. Will the Government allow the Offeror to overrun the 3% labor value during a particular month if a final true-up with the last invoice meets the overall TO 3% labor amount? Page 22, Section 1.6.8, paragraph (c ) & Page 30, Section 3.1.1
| Reference: Round 1 Question #54 | PMO Rate | PMO costs are based on a not to exceed of 3% of the overall CLIN 0002 costs billed at the end of each period of performance to include base, option and extension. PMO costs are not based on monthly CLIN 0002 costs. | PWS 1.6.8c: Contract Type, CLIN 0003 | |||
| 63 | When FEMA determines a TOM must be on site, will travel be billable under CLIN 0004? | Reference: Round 1 Question #24 | TOM- Travel Costs | If FEMA determines/approves that the Task Order Manager will travel on site, travel costs should be billed to CLIN 0004. | Solicitation, Section C PWS 3.1 | |
| 64 | It appears the Government's response to Question #53 was not incorporated in the amended Solicitation. Does the Government intend on changing the language per their response to Question #53? | Reference: Round 1 Question #53 | Reporting | Updated to state "The contractor shall submit a report (15) calendar days after the end of each contract period." | Solicitation, Section C PWS 1.6.3 | |
| 65 | An Authority to Operate (ATO) is the Government's authorization to operate an information system on behalf of a Federal agency. |
Obtaining an ATO is typically an involved process that requires approval from the highest agency officials (i.e. Chief Information Officer). And the contractor will neither be operating a Government system nor placing sensitive data on a Government system. It appears, therefore, that an ATO is not needed. Why is the Government including the requirement in the solicitation?
| Solicitation Page 47, Part 6, VII e | ATO | FEMA is requesting that the awarded vendor submit security artifacts that demonstrate proper data protections are in place specific to the vendor's IT system where FEMA data is being stored and/or processed. FEMA is requesting the submission of these artifacts for contractor-owned and contractor operated systems that input, store, process, output, and/or transmit FEMA information or data. Background on the NIST Framework for public companies can be found at https://www.nist.gov/itl/smallbusinesscyber/planning-guides/nist-cybersecurity-framework. The awarded vendor shall provide FEMA with these artifacts within 30 days of contract award for review and risk acceptance. | |||||
| 66 | Will the Government confirm that "foldouts" refers to an 11 x 17 page size? | Section L.7: Page size shall be 8.5 x 11 inches, not including foldouts. | Proposal Instructions | Reference Q&A #4. | Reference Q&A #4. | ||
| 67 | Can a vendor perform work as a prime or JV member of the CRC contract as well as a prime or JV member of one of the PA TAC V Zone contracts? | COI | The government cannot assess this question based on what is stated. Therefore, the PA TAC V solicitation information you might refer to is Section I.16 3052.209-72 Organizational conflict of interest; L.8 Phase I Evaluation Factor 1; L.12, Factor 4 Past Performance; and M.2, Factor 4 Past Performance. | Solicitation, Sections I.16, L.8, L.12 and M.2 | |||
| 68 | PDF Page 104, L.12 Submission Phase II – Volume II, Factor 2 - Management Approach and Capabilities, Sub-factor 2 – Key Personnel states, “…The resume shall demonstrate each Key Personnel has the experience, years of experience, education, leadership capabilities, and all elements as required in the PWS Section 2.2.” Within the solicitation document, we are unable to locate PWS Section 2.2. Please clarify the reference to PWS Section 2.2 to reflect the information you would like contractors to use to respond to Sub-factor 2. | Evaluation Factors | Updated section L.12 Submission Phase II – Volume II, Factor 2 - Management Approach and Capabilities, Sub-factor 3 – Key Personnel to state "The resume shall demonstrate each Key Personnel has the experience, years of experience, education, leadership capabilities, and all elements as required in the PWS Section 2.1" | L.12 Submission Phase II – Volume II, Factor 2 - Management Approach and Capabilities, Sub-factor 3 – Key Personnel | |||
| 69 | If offeror has completed its Representations and Certifications in SAM and is registered under NAICS code 541611, should the Representations and Certifications in Section K be completed in full or should we only complete K.3.(d)? | Proposal Instructions | Other Submittals are provisions listed in Section K of the solicitation can be completed or printed from vendor's registration on SAM.gov. | Solicitation, Sections L.14 & M.4 | |||
| 70 | Should Proposer complete the Representations and Certifications within the FAR provisions in Section I, or are these provided for informational purposes only? | Proposal Instructions | Many of the provisions have been completed by vendors in SAM.gov. Not to make this a cumbersome task, these provisions can be printed and submitted per requirements in L.14 & M.4. Provisions in Section I are also in vendors SAM.gov; the only exception is I.16 3052.209-72 OCI. | Solicitation, Sections L.14 & M.4 | |||
| 71 | 1.6.10 specifies that "The government will not reimburse for non-rotational travel time." Request FEMA clarification on travel expenses under C.1.6.10: a. Are travel time and travel expenses reimbursable during mobilization and demobilization? b. Are travel time and expenses reimbursable for rotational travel? | Contractor Travel | Per section 1.6.10 "Costs for transportation, lodging, meals and incidental expenses incurred by contractor personnel on official company business in support of this contract are allowable in accordance with FAR 31.205-46, Travel Costs. | ||||
| The Government will reimburse up to eight (8) hours per day for contractor travel time, to include OCONUS travel. Labor hours for travel will be accounted for under CLIN 0002 and CLIN 0003 at the Task Order Level. The government will not reimburse for non-rotational travel time." | Solicitation, Section C PWS 1.6.10 | ||||||
| 72 | Is G&A an allowable cost under CLIN0004 for travel? | G&A | No, per FAR 16.601, Time & Materials Contracts, the contract shall specify separate fixed hourly rates that include wages, overhead, general and administrative expenses, and profit for each category of labor (see 16.601(f)(1)). | FAR 16.601, Time & Materials Contracts | |||
| 73 | The solicitation is silent regarding coordination, potential integration, or connections to the PA program delivery model processes shared across FEMA contractors. While FEMA’s Q&A confirmed CRC support is outside the scope of the PATAC V contract, for offeror’s technical approach considerations, can FEMA describe any planned or possible processes where PATAC work may be reviewed by other FEMA contractors? | There are currently no planned or possible processes where PA TAC contractor's work may be reviewed by other FEMA contractors. | N/A. | ||||
| 74 | CPARS are now considered CUI by many agencies, which affects the method of transmission of such information. Since CPARs must be part of the proposal response, it should be expected that Volume II, Factor 4 – Past Performance in which CPARS is included will become classified as CUI in its entirety and must be safeguarded appropriately, such as by password protection. Can the Government identify the method in which contractors should submit CUI information? | Factor 4 – Past Performance, Sentence 6 "CPARS and PPQ shall be submitted with offeror’s proposal but not later than the proposal due date" | Proposal Instructions | For transparency, CUI means Controlled Unclassified Information. Information relative to this solicitation is considered source selection sensitive in accordance with FAR 2.101 and 3.104. Additionally, vendors shall submit proposal requirements as stated in Section L.12 of this solicitation. | FAR 2.101 source selection, FAR 3.104 Procurement integrity; and Solicitation, Section L.12. | ||
| 75 | Can the Government confirm that the 6-page limit for Volume I, Factor 1 – Relevant Experience is in addition to the 6-page limit for Factor 4 – Past Performance? | Amendment 0001, Q&A answer #92 | Proposal Instructions | Yes, the submission for Factor I --Relevant Experience is six (6) pages and the submission for Factor 4--Past Performance is six (6) pages. These are two separate factors and information for each factor needs to be submitted as such. | Solicitation, Sections L.8 and L.12 | ||
| 76 | The PPQ doesn’t appear to provide a way to identify client contact information or client certification for form completion. This could result in potential fraudulent PPQs being submitted. In addition, under the Rating section in the PPQ “Other Areas” item #3 has different ratings than the other categories. Will FEMA modify the PPQ form to include client contact and client certification information and provide clarity into the different ratings provided in “Other Areas.” | PPQ | PPQ | Attachment C – Past Performance Questionnaire | The PPQ will reflect the extended due date for proposals. Respondents should email PPQs to fema-patacv@fema.dhs.gov. Other Areas 1 - 3 are provided for any additional information that may not have been covered in other sections of the PPQ. | Attachment C - PPQ. | |
| 77 | This section references PWS Section 2.2. However, PWS Section 2.2 does not exist. Would FEMA please confirm the appropriate section in the PWS that should be referenced in this section? | 104-105 | L.12 Submission Phase 2, Factor 2, Subfactor 3 Key Personnel | Updated section L.12 Submission Phase II – Volume II, Factor 2 - Management Approach and Capabilities, Sub-factor 3 – Key Personnel to state "The resume shall demonstrate each Key Personnel has the experience, years of experience, education, leadership capabilities, and all elements as required in the PWS Section 2.1" | |||
| 78 | This section references PWS Section 1.6.2a, however, PWS Section 1.6.2a does not appear to exist. Would FEMA please confirm the approach section in the PWS that Offer should reference? | 104 | Evaluation Factors | L.12 Submission Phase 2, Factor 2 Management Approach, Subfactor 1 Management Plan, 1.6.2a Background Checks | Updated to remove "Background Checks" | ||
| 79 | Would FEMA please confirm that an 11x17 foldout counts as one page? | 101 | Proposal Formatting | L.7 Proposal Formatting | Reference Q&A #4. | Reference Q&A #4. | |
| 80 | Does FEMA require the pricing to be emailed separately from the technical submission? | 100 & 107 | Proposal Instructions | L.5 Electronic Submission & L.13 Factor 5 Price Submission | Pricing is a separate Volume from Technical. You may use your own discretion in terms of emailing. Note: the fema-patacv@fema.dhs.gov email file size is 13MB. | Solicitation, Sections L.13 & L.7. | |
| 81 | On Page 108 of the RFP, the government states that it “will evaluate offeror’s proposal regarding an accomplishable management approach.” Please clarify what is meant by accomplishable. | Page 108 | Evaluation Factors | M.2 Evaluation Methodology Phase II – Volume II Factor 2 – Management Approach and Capabilities | Reference M.2 of the solicitation, Table for Management and Technical Evaluation Factors. | Solicitation, Section M.2 Rating Table . | |
| 82 | Please confirm that the formulas in Cells G18, I18, K18, M18, O18, and Q18 are correct. It appears that the formulas reference the Labor Rate of the LCAT in row 17, not the labor rate for the LCAT in row 18. | Start-Up Mob “Tab” | Pricing Schedule | Attachment A – Pricing Schedule – PA-TAC V_08-03-2023.xlxs | Corrected. Added the overtime cells in the Tab. | Attachment A - Pricing Schedule | |
| 83 | Task 6 indicates that Total staff “excludes HQ staff”. Please clarify excluding HQ staff from the quantity of staff used for PDMG, SI, TS, and EHP training, as 3 of the 4 Zones do not contain HQ support. | “Start-Up” Mob Tab | Pricing Schedule | Attachment A – Pricing Schedule – PA-TAC V_08-03-2023.xlxs | Task 6 is for PDMG, SI, TS, and EHP training and it is applicable to all 4 zones regardless if they have HQ staff under them or not. | Attachment A - Pricing Schedule | |
| 84 | The worksheet labels “All Task Orders” contains labor calculations for “Total Staff for PDMG, SI, TS and EHP Surge Capability”, “Staff – Other” and “Surge Staff” (CLIN 0002). However, the calculations under CLIN 0004 – Travel appear to only include travel costs for the 198 “Total Staff for PDMG, SI, TS, and EHP Surge Capability.” Will FEMA require Other and Surge staff to travel? and if so, where are these costs captured? | “All Task Orders” Tab | Pricing Schedule | Attachment A – Pricing Schedule – PA-TAC V_08-03-2023.xlxs | No. This pricing schedule calculates travel for the original existing 196 "field" staff. Surge capability travel calculation was not considered in the pricing schedule as it is not required for the purpose of proposal cost evaluation. When/if surge capability is requested the travel portion for the additional surge staff shall be captured at the Task Order level. | Attachment A - Pricing Schedule | |
| 85 | “c. At least one (1) example contract cited has an award total value of at least $100M and work is relevant to the PA TAC V requirements as detailed in Section C, Part 1 of this solicitation.” Does “award total value at least $100M” mean at the time of initial award, or can a project with a “bill to date” of $100M be acceptable? | 101 | Evaluation Factors | L.8 Phase I Evaluation Factor and Submission, Factor 1 Relevant Experience | L.8 Phase I Factor I, states "an award total value" not a bill to date. | Solicitation, Section L.8 (c) | |
| 86 | Would FEMA please confirm what impact if any a neutral rating has on the evaluation If a client does not return a PPQ in time and we receive a neutral score, does that affect the weighting of the overall score, i.e., will the score be based on only 2 PPQs received vs 3? | 111 | PPQ | M.2, Evaluation Phase 2, Volume 1, Factor 4 Past Performance | In accordance with FAR 15.305(2)(iv) In the case of an offeror without a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available, the offeror may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on past performance. Based on the scenario provided, the government does not have enough information to assess for a contextual response and would prefer not to set a precedence based on limited information. | Solicitation, Section M2 Factor 4. | |
| 87 | The font restriction (11pt) on tables and graphics makes it difficult to fit these elements within the useable space (6.5") on an 8.5x11 page. Please reduce the font restriction on tables and graphics to 9 pt, which is a widely accepted and federally compliant publishing standard and is the font size used in the Solicitation. | Section L.7 Proposal Formatting, p. 101 | Proposal Formatting | No, there are no changes to proposal formatting. | Solicitation, Section L.7 | ||
| 88 | The font restriction (12pt) makes it difficult to address all of the requirements of the RFP in the pages allowed. Please reduce the font restriction to 11pt, excluding tables and graphics, which is a widely accepted and federally compliant publishing standard and is the font size used in the Solicitation. | Section L.7 Proposal Formatting, p. 101 | Proposal Formatting | No, there are no changes to proposal formatting. | Solicitation, Section L.7 | ||
| 89 | The page limitation, combined with the font restrictions, does not allow offerors enough space to address all of the requirements FEMA has asked for in Factor 2 - Sub-factor 1-Management Plan. Please increase the page allocation to 20 pages for Factor 2, Sub-factor 1. | Section L.7 Proposal Formatting, p. 101; Section L.12 - Factor 2, Sub-factor 1; Q&A dated 8.4.2023 #61 requirement for Code of Conduct | Proposal Formatting | No, there are no changes to proposal page limitations. | Solicitation, Section L.7 | ||
| 90 | The page limitation, combined with the font restrictions, does not allow offerors enough space to address all of the requirements FEMA has asked for in Factor 4 - Past Performance. The solicitation asks offerors to address 14 different criteria in addition to addressing the Phase II requirement of demonstrating "relative to zone." Please increase the page allocation to 9 pages total for Factor 4 - Past Performance (3 pages per project). | Section L.7 Proposal Formatting, p. 101; Section L.12 - Factor 4, p. 106 | Proposal Formatting | No, there are no changes to proposal page limitations. | Reference Solicitation, Section L for page limitations. | ||
| 91 | An Offeror has two key personnel, Candidate A and Candidate B, both experienced and qualified in Zone X and Y. If they submit proposals for Zones X and Y, can they propose Candidate A as program manager in X and deputy program manager in Zone Y and vice versa for Candidate B? | Original solicitation section L.6 Offeror's Question, Government Response to Q&A question 89 issued Aug 3, 2023. | Key Personnel | No. If an offeror submits a proposal for more than one zone, each proposal shall demonstrate different key personnel for each proposed zone. | Solicitation, Section L.9 & L.12 Factor 2, Subfactor 3, and M.2 Factor 2, Subfactor 3 | ||
| 92 | L.7 Proposal Formatting, page 100: The gov’t states “The cover sheet and table of contents will not count against page limitations.” However, on page 96 and 98, the gov’t asks for a first page that includes title page information and references a title page on page 98. Furthermore, the Factors and forms would be best separated by a tab to ease document navigation, particularly sections such as CPARS and Other Forms and Submittals, which include many forms of non-distinct appearance. Please revise this statement to say “The cover sheet, title page, tabs and subtabs, and the table of contents will not count against page limitations and will not be evaluated.” | L.7 Proposal Formatting, page 100 | Proposal Formatting | Reference Q&A #60 | Reference Q&A #60 | ||
| 93 | 1) Will the TOM be able to expense their travel against CLIN 0003? | ||||||
| 2) If the TOM cannot expense their travel against the CLIN 0003, can the Government please provide the travel assumptions for pricing the TOM travel within the CLIN 0002 for recovery of travel expenses? | Amendment 1 - Q&A; 34 | TOM- Travel | If FEMA determines/approves that the Task Order Manager will travel on site, travel costs should be billed to CLIN 0004. Travel hours may be expensed under CLIN 0003. | Solicitation, Section C PWS 3.1 | |||
| 94 | Can the Government please clarify their response? The response seems to indicate that the contractor can only bill CLIN 0003 against the CLIN 0002 Labor Hours. Should the 3% NTE be against the CLIN 0002 labor costs rather than hours? | Amendment 1 - Q&A; 54 | CLINs | The 3% is not exceed to CLIN 0002 total labor cost. | No Change | ||
| 95 | The government is allowing 8 hours travel time for mobilization and demobilization including OCONUS locations. Travel to OCONUS locations when crossing the international date line often exceeds 8 hours. The FEMA Travel policy and FTRs allow actual elapsed travel time when crossing the international date line. Will the government consider allowing TOPR specific exceptions to cover elapsed travel time for OCONUS locations? |
| If not, will the government provide a LOE for billing OCONUS labor hour travel that crosses the international date line? | Amendment 1 - Q&A; 63 | Travel Time | The government will only allow up to 8 hours travel time for mobilization and demobilization including OCONUS locations. | Solicitation, Section C PWS |
| 96 | The government has indicated that Headquarters tasks will be included within the East zone. |
Can the government confirm that Headquarters tasks will be limited to support Headquarters entities or program level guidance (like the PAPPG and equipment rate tasks) and not used to support Regional or disaster specific work (including Community Disaster Loan tasks which are disaster specific support)?
| Amendment 1 - Q&A; 71 | Zones | FEMA HQ includes national-level PA mission support tasks, such as training, planning, project management, updating equipment rates, and providing services that involve or relate to analyses, feasibility studies, and strategy options to be used by FEMA personnel. This includes supporting the Community Disaster Loan program. | Solicitation, Section C PWS 1.3 |
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