2. Attachment 3.7 - Question and Answer UPLOAD 2.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 19 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 70SBUR21R00000009
About this file
This document is a combined synopsis and solicitation for a National Benefits Center Records Operations Contract to provide administrative and clerical services to support immigration application and petition processing. Services include courier, file room operations, scanning, Freedom of Information Act requests, and program management. Phases 0, 1 and 2 of the proposal response are due on January 19, February 1, and February 25, 2021 respectively. The contract will be awarded at an undetermined date and performed at the NBC in Lee's Summit and Overland Park, Missouri. This is a total small business set-aside with a NAICS code of 561210 and size standard of $41.5M. The solicitation applies instructions for commercial items and provisions for representations and certifications. Applicable FAR clauses are identified and additional terms and conditions are included in attached documents. Questions and proposals shall be submitted electronically by the specified dates to the Department of Homeland Security's US Citizenship and Immigration Services contracting office.
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| NOTE: THIS IS THE SECOND AND FINAL UPLOAD OF RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS | ||||
| 70SBUR21R00000009 Question and Answers | ||||
| Document Title | Page # of the Document | Section & Paragraph Number | Question | Government Response |
| Attachment 3.5 - Price Schedule and Staffing Proposal Model | N/A | N/A | The estimated FTE numbers extend out numerous places beyond the decimal point. Can USCIS confirm that contractors should turn off the “Show Formulas” function in Excel when viewing and submitting information in Attachment 3.5 – Price Schedule and Staffing Proposal Model_NBC ROC Revised. | Contractors may need to turn off the "show formulas" function in order to view the numbers. |
| Attachment 3.5 - Price Schedule and Staffing Proposal Model | Tab 2, Cell AN39 | There is a hard coded number (749.14) in cell AN39 on Tab 2 of Attachment 3.5, can USCIS provide clarification on the significance of this number and what it represents. | Amendment 0002 has removed this number. | |
| Attachment 3.5 - Price Schedule and Staffing Proposal Model | Tab 2 - Estimated FTE); Tab 3 - Production Data Information; CLIN Tabs (All) | D.2.14; D.4.1 | The pricing Tabs indicate Offerors are to provide the requested services with pricing yet Tabs 2 and 3 do not reflect the staffing estimated or volumes anticipated for certain labor categories (e.g., File Movement, which is FFP). |
| Will USCIS please provide the anticipated volumes in Tab 3 to determine the staffing needed in Tab 2 that would enable Offerors to complete the CLIN tab? | This question has been clarified in Amendment 0002. | ||
| RFP | 33, 36 | 2.5.2 Security Requirements, Fitness Determination | |
| 2.5.2 Entry on Duty and Transition Process | The RFP allows a 60-day EOD period. |
a. While the RFP states that USCIS may make a favorable EOD decision based on a preliminary security check, is this typically done (assuming there are no issues in the preliminary review)?
b. If so, what is the expected timeframe for receiving this preliminary approval?
| c. In cases where USCIS security will not make a decision based on a preliminary security check, what is the expected timeframe for receiving a full USCIS security clearance and approval for a new hire to begin work? | The EOD process operates on a case by case basis and no guarantees can be made regarding the preliminary security checks and favorable EOD decisions. The expected timeframe for receiving a full USCIS suitability determation for a new hire to begin work will depend on the individual's background history and no timeline can be assigned. | ||||
| PWS | 65 | Appendix A, NPWR | What data and/or records are maintained within the NPWR and how is this system used on the contract? | NPWR maintains data from running cases through the non discretionary checklist. | |
| Attach. 3.5 | Tab 2 | Estimated FTE | Based on the information provided in Attach. 3.5, PWS D.5. Document Scanning is being performed by GC Is and GC IIs. Please confirm that these are the correct SCA categories? | There is no change to the solicitation related to this question. | |
| Attachment 3.1 PWS | 56 | N.1 Transition In Plan (Only in Base Period) | As part of the transition-in plan, the contractor must outline the process of hiring staff during the transition period. It is our understanding that the NBC has downsized its contractor staff in recent months. Utilizing the FTE estimates provided in Attachment 3.5, approximately how many additional new hires (non-incumbent personnel) will the awarded contractor be expected to hire and onboard during the transition period? | This information should be taken into consideration when the offeror provides their transition in Plan. | |
| Attachment 3.1, Performance Work Statement | 53 | J. Periods of Performance | The Base Period is listed as "Will begin 2 months after Contract Award Date". What is the anticipated Contract Award date? | The government intends to award the contract prior to proposal expiration as identified in Amendment 0002, Section 4.3 of the solicitation. | |
| Amendment 1 RFP | p. 63 | 4.3 | The RFP states "Tables and figures shall use no smaller than ten (10) point character size and must be clear and readable." Would the Government allow a font other than Times New Roman for tables and figures, such as "Tables and figures shall use no smaller than ten (10) point character size in a font that is clear and readable."? | There is no change to the solicitation related to this question. | |
| RFP Attachment 1 (PWS) | p. 59 | O.1 | How will the Program Manager qualification "$200 million or more for a lifecycle" be calculated? Would the Government define "lifecycle" as having managed $200M in contracts over a five year period? | This has been clarified in Amendment 0002. | |
| RFP Attachment 3.2 (PRS) | p. 3 - 62 | Performance Requirements Summary (PRS) Tables | Would the Government provide historical performance data on achievement of the Performance Requirements (PRs) in the PRS so offerors can accurately assess the risk associated with these PRs? | Offerors shall base their proposals off of the current requirement as stated in the solicitation as it relates to the achievement of performance requirements. | |
| Combined Synopsis Solicitation 70SBUR21R00000009 | |||||
| 62 | |||||
| 4.3.1 - Phase 0 | Can the Government confirm that Offerors must submit Phase 0 security information for any proposed major subcontractors? | There is no change to the solicitiation related to this question. | |||
| Combined Synopsis Solicitation 70SBUR21R00000009 | N/A | N/A | The solicitation does not contain a requirement for FAR 52.228-10, Vehicular and General Public Liability Insurance minimum coverage requirements. Can the Government confirm there are no minimum insurance liability requirements beyond the need for those to operate the lease truck? | This clause is not included, however vehicular and general public liability insurance is required to be in compliance with federal and state laws. | |
| Combined Synopsis Solicitation 70SBUR21R0000010 | 62 | Section 4.3, Proposal Formatting | Government states, "Tables and figures shall use no small than ten (10) point character size and must be clear and readable." Will the Government consider 9 point font instead for tables and figures since the text is no less than 10 point font for the proposal response. Can vendors use Arial Family for tables and graphics? | There is no change to the solicitation related to this question. | |
| Combined Synopsis Solicitation 70SBUR21R0000010 | 62-63 | Section 4.3, Proposal Section Table and Proposal Formatting | The Proposal Section table states that there is no page limit for Cover letters or Tables of Content. The Proposal Formatting section states that cover pages and table of contents are excluded from page count limitations. Can the Government confirm that Offerors may include a Volume Cover Page as well as a Cover Letter and that both are excluded from page count limitations? | Offerors shall provide their volumes in accordance with Section 4.3.2 I. | |
| PWS | 33 | G.5 Business Process Improvements | |||
| Attach. 3.5 Price Schedule and Staffing | The PWS in Section B, last paragraph, last sentence, states, "supporting the enhanced national security mandate and sustaining and further developing the new processes, systems, and aforementioned digital enhancements". |
The PWS at G.5 requires the contractor to "create and/or maintain local databases, . . . conversion of old databases to newer formats . . .."
There are no IT labor categories shown in Attachment 3.5.
a. What labor categories are performing this work today?
| b. What level of IT knowledge is or will be required to further develop the new "systems and aforementioned digital enhancements" and maintain and convert the databases? | The labor categories are business applications delivery manager, business analyst, programmer analyst, and junior data analyst. Please see Amendment 0002 for further clarification on this question. | |||
| Combined Synopsis Solicitation (Amendment 0001) | 68-69 | Section 4.3.4 - IV Accounting System Documentation (All) | The RFP requires that offerors "shall provide evidence of an adequate accounting system." Offerors proposing as a Joint Venture and who are participating in an approved Mentor-Protégé relationship, are formed as an unpopulated entity. In addition, 13 CFR § 125.8(e) provides, "When evaluating the capabilities, past performance, experience, business systems and certifications of an entity submitting an offer for a contract set aside or reserved for small business as a joint venture established pursuant to this section, a procuring activity must consider work done and qualifications held individually by each partner to the joint venture as well as any work done by the joint venture itself previously. A procuring activity may not require the protégé firm to individually meet the same evaluation or responsibility criteria as that required of other offerors generally. The partners to the joint venture in the aggregate must demonstrate the past performance, experience, business systems and certifications necessary to perform the contract." |
| Please confirm that evidence of an adequate accounting system from a member of an unpopulated Mentor-Protégé joint venture is acceptable. | In accordance with Section 4.3.4 IV. of the solicitation, any partner or subcontractor with a non-fixed price contract, or performing non-fixed price work during performance, shall provide evidence of an adequate accounting system. | ||||
| RFP | 67 | IV. Accounting System Documentation | Per SBA's rules, a Mentor-Protégé JV must be an unpopulated entity with work flowing directly to the JV partners. If the bidding entity is an SBA Mentor-Protégé JV, will the Government accept evidence of an approved accounting system from each of the JV partners, instead of from the JV itself, since the Mentor-Protege JV will only be a pass-thru entity? | In accordance with Section 4.3.4 IV. of the solicitation, any partner or subcontractor with a non-fixed price contract, or performing non-fixed price work during performance, shall provide evidence of an adequate accounting system. | |
| PWS | 62 | Q. Performance Requirements, last paragraph | What is the definition of a surge in workload? | A surge in workload is a sudden increase in volumes that is unanticipated at the time. An example of this would be if there was an unforeseen sudden spike in applications coming from the Lockbox facility as a result of increased throughput. | |
| PWS, Attachment 3.1 | 61-62 | Section P, Paragraph 4 | During the May 2019 industry day and tour, there were equipment items in use to facilitate the transfer of boxes, files, etc. This PWS section P does not reference hand trucks, forklifts, etc. Are these equipment items the responsibility of the contractor? | Amendment 0002 has clarified this question. |
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