Attachment J-8 Consolidated Question(s) and Answer(s) (NCCS) Revised 01292024 Final.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 26 KB Posted
- Attached to
- Network Cyber and Cloud Support (NCCS) Services
- Solicitation number
- 70RTAC24R00000006
About this file
This document contains questions and answers from an industry day regarding a forthcoming solicitation for Network Cyber and Cloud Support (NCCS) Services from the Department of Homeland Security.
The solicitation will seek to consolidate network, cloud, and cybersecurity services currently performed under two incumbent contracts. Key details include that an accredited contractor SCIF is not required, past performance can be provided from subcontractors, and each past performance reference must demonstrate experience in at least one of NOC, SOC or cloud support. Price and transition factors will be evaluated separately. The solicitation is expected to be released in January and will contain all standard proposal sections. Subcontractors are required to have a Top Secret facility clearance but onsite SCIFs are not mandated. The government expresses interest in innovative solutions and will release preferred tools after Phase 2.
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NCCS Industry Day Q & A
| Question No. | Question Category | ||
| # | Contract or Technical | Questions | Government Response |
| 1 | Technical | At first it sounded as if an onsite SCIF was a requirement, but later in the Q&A it didn’t seem required. Can you please clarify? | An accredited contractor SCIF is not a required. |
| 2 | Contract | Can past performance come from a subcontractor? | Past performance is acceptable from a sub-contractor team member. |
| 3 | Technical | Does each PP reference have to include all 3 (NOC, SOC, CLOUD), or one of the 3 for each reference? | Each PP reference must describe experience with either NOC, SOC, or Cloud support but does not need to include all three. Please focus on your most relevant past performance references - DHS is looking for past performance references of similar size, scope, and complexity, which would ideally include examples of integrating NOC, SOC, and cloud application monitoring. Greater consideration will be given to project references that incorporate relevancy to all three areas of NOC, SOC, and Cloud support. |
| 4 | Technical | It appears there will be requirements in the solicitation for equipment and software VAR support. Is this correct? | Some hardware and software O&M requirements are likely to be required under Tasks 3 - 6. |
| 5 | Technical | Sections 2.6 and 2.8 lend themselves to XaaS solutions. Is the government interested in various XaaS solutions as part of our overall response to the eventual solicitation? | The government is interested in all potential innovative solutions that will help DHS meet the scope and objectives of the contract. |
| 6 | Technical | During the Dec 18 Pre-Proposal Conference, equipment providers was mentioned as a possible evaluation factor. Can you confirm if this includes supply chain, logistics, testing, integration and delivery capabilities? Also, shouldn’t the contractor have access to a lab where various products can be tested ad virtual solutions created to ensure the solution that best meets the government requirements is integrated into a live environment? | This is a service contract and will not include hardware or software purchasing. However, contractor recommendations on how to evolve the various technology stacks leveraged at DHS will be considered as part of the contractor's overall approach to reducing technical redundancy and cost. |
| 7 | Technical | Is DHS NOSC related to CISA in any way? | The DHS NOSC has some responsibilities for oversight and technical support for the CISA information enterprise. However, CISA's acquisition strategy for its internal NOSC support services was not a consideration for NCCS and may take place via another contract vehicle. |
| 8 | Technical | Is having a certified SCIF a hard requirement? | Please see response to question # 1. |
| 9 | Technical | Will the SCIF be required Post award or pre award? We assume Post award as it is not listed as part of Factor 1. | Please see response to question # 1. |
| 10 | Contract | With regards to factor 5, have you considered orals in lieu of written response. an orals response will provide DHS an enhanced ability to evaluate the actual team who will execute NCCS | DHS has determined that the current acquisition timeline will not allow for the use of oral presentations for this requirement. |
| 11 | Contract | Has DHS considered providing a reasonable and realistic price floor and ceiling cap (i.e., rate bands near the DHS CTMS rates) for the awardable task order as this provides the Government a clear and more easily evaluable price and pricing approach? | The Government will not providing a reasonable and realistic price floor and ceiling cap as there will not be a task order awarded concurrent with the IDIQ award. |
| 12 | Contract | Has DHS considered separating transition from management for evaluation purposes, including price? | DHS will consider separating the transition from management for evaluation purposes prior to release of the final solicitation. |
| 13 | Contract | This will be the consolidation of 2 past contracts? Which ones, please? |
| The incumbent contractors are Leidos (HSHQDC-16-D-00009) and CACI (70RTAC20A00000003). | |||
| 14 | Contract | What is meant by "multiple" vendors to provide services? Multiple awardees, or one award to a team? | This will be a single award to one vendor or team as defined by a Contractor Teaming Arrangement (CTA) or Joint Venture (JV). |
| 15 | Contract | In the proposal, will only Offerors' (Prime Contractor) TS Facility Clearance be required? Or subs' as well? | The Offeror as the Prime Contractor or all Teaming Partners proposed in a Joint Venture or Mentor Protégé response, to include all potential sub-contractors, are required to demonstrate their current active Facility Clearance at the Top Secret level and Top Secret Level of Safeguarding. |
| 16 | Contract | What will the small business utilization target be for this effort? | The small business utilization target(s) will be provided in the final solicitation release. |
| 17 | Contract | At this time, can the Govt provide page limits for each factor? There are about 39 subtask areas in the Sept SOW, and we see that a technical approach to the SOW will be required. | The page count for the volume submissions will be provided with the release of the solicitation. |
| 18 | Contract | If Contractors already have DHS EOD from another contract, will they receive reciprocity and be able to begin work on Day 1 since they have already been found suitable? | DHS does accept reciprocity and it is used when applicable. The processing time will depend on the caseload. |
| 19 | Technical | Will the government consider past performance within the last 5 years? | The government will only consider past performance within the last three years. |
| 20 | Technical | Will the scenario(s) be based on a multiple year scope awardable NOSC task order, which allows time-phased innovation enhancements to present itself in the solution/approach, or just the base year? | The scenario questions encompass shorter-term (months) to longer-term (year) scenarios, and the government will be assessing the extent to which offerors address both aspects, as applicable. |
| 21 | Contract | When the Final Solicitation is released in January, will it contain Section L and M requirements for all Phases? | When the final solicitation is released, it will contain all of the solicitation sections. |
| 22 | Technical/Contract | Recommend DHS require key personnel letters of commitment to lower NCCS transition and execution risk. Recommend adding a NCCS Chief Engineer and NCCS Chief Solution Architect as Key Personnel. Recommend DHS require key personnel resumes (2-pages limit and not included in page count). Recommend the Government require a justification for each key personnel that details the reason why they have been designated Key and the benefit DHS will receive from the identified key personnel. �Recommend DHS require offeror to keep bid Key Personnel, with exception of mutually agreed upon change or force majeure instances for 12 months. | DHS has reviewed this request. The resume submission for the key personnel submission will be included in the final RFP release. While the Government has identified key personnel positions for this contract and will review the resume submissions for the key personnel as part of the contractor’s ultimate performance under the contract. The Government will review the resume submissions for the key personnel. The review of the key personnel minimum qualifications, experience, and certifications will not be considered as part of the award decision. |
| 23 | Technical | Is the scope 4.1.1 (conf change and release management) be inclusive of network scope or just cybersecurity work? | Section 4.1.1 is inclusive of network, cloud (compute, application hosting, and storage) and platform, and cybersecurity work. |
| 24 | Contract | Do all subcontractors also have to have a TS FCL? | Please see response to question # 15. |
| 25 | Contract | Understanding that it is common practice for prime contractors to sponsor their subcontractors for a facility clearance in order to bring understanding, innovation, and capabilities to bear for the government, can the government confirm the definition of "proposal team", i.e. is it any team member listed in a prime's proposal - or is it any team member actively participating in proposal writing - or is it any team member with reading room? | The proposal team consists of the members of the Contractor Teaming Arrangement (CTA) partnership, the Joint Venture (JV), or subcontractors in a Prime-Sub-Contractor relationship. |
| 26 | Contract | Will all subcontractors require an accredited onsite SCIF as well? | Please see response to question # 1. |
| 27 | Technical | *reading room access? | This wil be addressed in the solicitation release. |
| 28 | Contract | Can the required SCIF space be a rented space, or does the offeror need to own and operate the SCIF within their own facility? | Please see response to question # 1. |
| 29 | Contract | Is there a requirement for the contractor to have a SCIF in place in addition to TS facility clearance? | Please see response to question # 1. |
| 30 | Contract | For the Transition task in Task 1, is that focused on IDIQ transition, or task order transition? | Transition tasks in Task 1 are focused on the IDIQ transition. |
| 31 | Contract | Can you clarify team TS facility requirements. Does each SubK need a TS facility clearance or just the team? | Please see response to question # 15. |
| 32 | Technical | Regarding the 3 past performances of similar size, scope and complexity - does each one have to cover SOC, NOC and cloud, or can each past performance cover one or more areas? | Please see response to question # 3. |
| 33 | Contract | Please confirm that there will NOT be a draft RFP? | The DHS does not anticipate releasing a draft solicitation at this time. |
| 34 | Contract | We would like to confirm that there will be not awardable task order as part of the solicitation. Please advise. | There will not be an awardable task order as part of the solicitation release. |
| 35 | Contract | Question 2 in regards to do subcontractors also need a TS facility clearance... it was answered yes, but in looking at the state.gov site... this is not the case as long as the prime has one... the sub would get one stood up paid by govt should it be required or warranted... | Please see response to question # 15. |
| 36 | Technical | Does the government plan on issuing more than one task order during the first year of the contract? | Currently, the government (DHS HQ/MGMT OCIO) plans on issuing one task order shortly after contract award, and there may additional task order awards in the first year (either for CBP or other components). |
| 37 | Contract | SCIF was previously stated as required within this briefing, in Q&A it was stated it is not required, this is a conflict within this briefing | Please see response to question # 1. |
| 38 | Contract | Is this a setaside? | This requirement will be competed as a full and open competition. |
| 39 | Contract | Has the government considered any specific contract vehicle like GSA MAS? | DHS will compete this requirement as an open-market competitive requirement. |
| 40 | Technical | If the qualifications with respect to the Program Manager Key Personnel role remain what they were as indicated in the draft SOW (September 19, 2023, Version 1.3), please confirm that DHS will accept a PMP equivalent such as: 1) the DoD/DHS Program Manager Level III (Advanced) Certification, a PMP equivalent DHS has accepted in the past on directly related work; 2) the National Defense University Advance Management Program (AMP) Certificate, which exceeds PMP requirements; and 3) the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level 3 Certification, which exceeds PMP Certification requirements? | The government has accepted these recommendations and has incorporated this clarification into the SOW. |
| 41 | Contract | Please clarify whether subcontractors may be added post award for specific task orders. | The addition of subcontractors to task orders will be determined at the task order level. |
| 42 | Contract | Please clarify whether subcontractors that perform only unclassified work, or perform classified work at DHS locations, still require a TS FCL. | Please see response to question # 15. |
| 43 | Technical | The government is “seeking responses to two (2) specific questions, requiring the Offeror to provide a written description of each Answer”, as well as reference information for three (3) projects of similar size, scope, and complexity. In providing answers to the two questions, please confirm that Offerors may cite experience above and beyond the experience related to the three projects for which reference information will be provided. | Yes, Offerors may cite experience above and beyond the experience related to the three projects for which reference information will be provided. |
| 44 | Contract | Can you please confirm that either GSA based Contractor Teaming Arrangements (CTAs) or those under FAR 9.601 (1) will be accepted? And if the latter, can please confirm that Past Performance from each member of the CTA Partnership or JV will be accepted? | Contractor Teaming Arrangements will be accepted. Past Performance from members of the CTA partnership or the JV, up to 3 submissions total, will be acceptable. |
| 45 | Contract | Do subcontractors also need a TS Facility clearance? | Please see response to question # 15. |
| 46 | Technical | Will the Government release a list of preferred tools (GOTS, COTS & FOSS) with the solicitation and levels of experience with each tool? (e.g. Splunk) | This information of the list of preferred tools will be released after Phase 2 of the solicitation in a reading room so that vendors have an understanding of DHS's current technology stack. |
| 47 | Technical | Is it your intent to perform NCCS in government facilities or via off-site contractor facilities? | The specific mix of on-site, off-site (contractor facility), and off-site (telework) personnel will be adjudicated at the Task Order level. However, vendors should assume at least some dedicated on-site presence at classified government facilities in both the NCR and Stennis MS locations. The government is open to a mix of arrangements for cost containment and other innovative purposes. |
| 48 | Technical | Will this contract absorb all or any work currently being performed under the HSEN (formerly OneNet) contract? | This contract is primarily a consolidation of the NextGen ESOC Leidos IDIQ and the DSS 2.0 NOSC Infrastructure Continuing Support Services Task Order. |
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .