A002_Attachment_3_Instructions_to_Offerors.pdf

AMENDMENT A003 ATTACHMENT 3

INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

Amendment A002 only changes the proposal submission/delivery method for potential offerors; these changes are at the end of this document and are highlighted in YELLOW.

Solicitation 70Z02324RHSWL0001 is a Firm Fixed Price (FFP), total small business set-aside, competitive solicitation conducted under FAR Part 12 and FAR Subpart 13.5. Per FAR 12.209, the government will use

FAR 15.4 when evaluating price proposals. If the solicitation results in a contract award, the award will conform to the requirements of FAR Subpart 16.5.

Offerors are responsible to provide current, relevant, compliant, and accurate information in their proposal when responding to this RFP. The USCG assumes no responsibility to obtain clarifications for vague, incomplete, or incorrect proposal information. The USCG will not reimburse offerors for costs incurred in preparing their proposals.

Proposals shall set forth in respective volume(s) any exceptions/assumptions taken with regard to the Statement of Work (SOW) or any other aspect of the RFP, including but not limited to any supporting price information such as labor categories, labor hours, and labor rates to support the CLIN prices.

Proposals shall be sectioned into the following format and the number of pages are considered maximums per volume/section. Vendors must submit a Cover Page, and Volumes 1, 2, and 3 to be considered compliant.

Pages counts are inclusive of assumptions.

Cover Page – 2 pages

Volume 1: Technical Capability to include any assumptions– 25 pages

Volume 2: Past Performance to include any assumptions – 4 pages

Volume 3: Price to include any assumptions – 2 pages (not including pricing spreadsheet/template)

Proposals shall not include ANY pricing information from Volume 3 in any other volumes. Proposals shall use 11 or 12 pt. font, preferably Times New Roman or Arial. Proposals may include larger or smaller font within graphics, but not smaller than 8 pt. font. Proposals shall use no smaller than one-inch margins.

Offerors are responsible for ensuring that the font used is easily readable and that they follow page count limits. The government reserves the right to determine what is and what is not “easily readable”. Each

Volume and the Cover Page shall be a separate file.

COVER PAGE: Cover Page shall include Company Name, Address, SAM unique entity identifier (UEI) number (must be the same as is listed in SAM.gov) and small business status. The cover page shall also include the proposal Point of Contact (POC) name, email address, phone number, and verification of offeror compliance with E-Verify.

ASSUMPTIONS: If any, offerors shall clearly identify any assumptions with respect to Volumes 1, 2, or 3 within that volume as indicated above.

VOLUME 1: Technical Capability – The Technical Capability factor demonstrates the Contractor’s ability to meet the government’s requirements and provide deliverables on schedule with an acceptable level of quality as defined by the SOW. A compliant Volume 1 must address the following criteria:

1. Offerors shall thoroughly describe fully how they will meet all SOW requirements. Offerors are responsible for all aspects of the SOW (each section). Section 4 (references) need only be acknowledged as required.

Offerors shall demonstrate their understanding of and capability to perform the requirement.

2. Offerors shall provide a comprehensive/detailed description of its quality control/assurance processes and procedures.

3. Offerors shall provide data regarding remake (rework) statistics for fixed, removable and implant appliances.

VOLUME 2: Past Performance (PP) – The Past Performance factor is a historical record of an offeror’s previous performance executing either the required services or services that are highly similar in scope and size of the requirement.

1. Offerors shall submit two (2), and no more than two (2), relevant and recent past performance references.

At least one of the references must be while performing as the prime contractor. Relevant is defined as of same or HIGHLY similar scope and size (as determined by the government). Recent is defined as the period of performance is either current, or it ended within 36 months (3 years) from the date of the solicitation (RFP). The offeror shall clearly articulate/delineate the recent/relevant performance for only those 36 months in its submission.

2. The references shall contain the following information (at a minimum):

a) If the past performance is for a federal/state/local government agency: The government contract number and task order number (if applicable); the government agency that issued the contract/order; the recent period of performance and total price; a CURRENT point of contact (POC) for the government agency that can verify the submitted information to include their name, title, email address, and phone number; a detailed description of the relevant services performed; a statement of whether or not the submitted past performance information is in CPARS (federal agencies only); and whether any current company employees participated in the execution of that government contract, to include their roles in the execution of the performance. A statement of why the past performance is relevant.

b) If the past performance is for a private firm or organization: The contract number (if applicable); the firm name that issued the contract or for whom work was performed; the recent period of performance and total price; a CURRENT point of contact (POC) for the firm that can verify the submitted information to include their name, title, email address, and phone number; a detailed description of the relevant services performed; and whether any current company employees participated in the execution of that performance for the firm, to include their roles in the execution of the performance. A statement of why the past performance is relevant.

VOLUME 3: Price

Offerors shall provide a complete and accurate price proposal on a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) basis for the Base

Period and each Option Period. Offerors must price all individual products under each CLIN. Prices shall reflect all pricing information as requested on Attachment 2 (RFP_Attachment-2_Pricing_Sheet). Offerors shall use Attachment 2 (RFP_Attachment-2_Pricing_Sheet) for price proposal Volume 3 submission.

Shipping is not separately priced; offerors price proposal shall be inclusive of shipping to all locations on the list of clinics as required in Attachment 1 (Statement of Work). The list of clinics is Enclosure 1 to the SOW and is included at the end of Attachment 1. All labor required to fabricate dental appliance laboratory orders shall also be included into the price of CLINs. Labor is not separately priced.

Offerors shall provide the following in VOLUME 3 in order to be considered compliant:

1. Offerors shall use Attachment 2 (RFP_Attachment-2_Pricing_Sheet) to submit its price proposal.

Offerors are responsible for all calculations on the spreadsheet. Use of Attachment 2 provides the base period price, each option period price, and the total price (the base period price plus all option prices).

2. Offerors shall identify if ANY of its labor required to execute the requirement is subject to the

Service Contract Labor Standards Act (SCLS) – formerly known as the Service Contract Act. If labor under the SCLS is required, offerors shall affirmatively state this fact, and provide a list of the labor categories applicable, to include a copy of the relevant Department of Labor Wage

Determination Report. The offeror shall also affirmatively state that applicable employees will be compensated accordingly.

Except when it is determined in accordance with FAR 17.206(b) not to be in the Government’s best interests, the Government will evaluate offers or quotations for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement to determine the total evaluated price. This includes options under FAR clause 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services, which applies to this solicitation.

Evaluation of options will not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

EVALUATION FACTORS AND BASIS OF AWARD

EVALUATION FACTORS:

The government will use Confidence Ratings to rate proposals for evaluation factors 1 and 2 (Technical

Capability and Past Performance, respectively). The following factors will be used to evaluate proposals:

Factor 1: Technical Capability / VOLUME 1

The government will evaluate offerors Technical Capability proposal with regard to the offerors detailed understanding of the requirement, its ability to meet all requirements of Attachment 1 (SOW), including delivering quality products/services as detailed in the SOW.

The government will evaluate the offerors quality control/assurance processes and procedures with respect to alignment with Attachment 1 (Sections 8.0 through 8.6 inclusive) and their ability to deliver quality products/services as required.

The government will evaluate submitted data regarding remake (rework) statistics for fixed, removable and implant appliances; the evaluation will consider the risk to performance based on the data provided.

The government will aggregate the above evaluation findings and assign a confidence rating for Technical

Capability – Factor 1.

Factor 2: Past Performance (PP) / VOLUME 2

The government will evaluate each offerors submitted Past Performance information for completeness of submission, relevance to the scope and tasks of the requirement, and recency of the information. Past

Performance is not a guarantee of future results.

PP provides an indication of risk (positive or negative) with respect to the offerors ability to successfully perform the requirement as proposed by the offeror in its technical proposal.

The government will use all available resources to evaluate past performance; this includes, but is not limited to, CPARS database assessments of all recent and relevant assessments, SAM.gov, other government databases/sites with past performance information, and other reputable sources (as determined by the government).

Offerors without a record of recent and relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available will be assigned a rating of NEUTRAL.

Factor 3: Price / VOLUME 3

The Government will not rate or score price but will analyze and evaluate each offerors price in accordance with FAR 12.209 and the price evaluation techniques in FAR 15.404. The proposed pricing will be evaluated for completeness of information (Volume 3 submission requirements) and price reasonableness of the Total

Evaluated Price (the combined price for the Base, all Option Periods, and a 6-month extension). The 6-month extension will be calculated equal to half (6 months) of the proposed Option Period 4 price (see below). The

Government is not responsible for offeror mistakes in price proposals (calculation, omission, etc.).

The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. To account for the option periods possible under 52.217-8 (maximum of six months), Options to Extend Services, the Government will evaluate the option to extend services by adding six months of the offeror’s final option period price to the offeror’s total price. This amount will be the total evaluated price. The Government may choose to exercise the Option to Extend Services at the end of any performance period (base or option periods). Prices for the base and option periods, including the 6-month option available under FAR 52.217-8, will be evaluated to ensure that they are fair and reasonable for performance of the requirements established in the solicitation and as proposed in the technical submission.

The price for the effort associated with FAR 52.217-8 will not be included in the total awarded value at contract award. If, at the end of the contract’s/order’s period of performance (the end of the base period or any option period) and within the time period established in the clause, the Government chooses to exercise this option, the pricing will be pursuant to the rates specified in the contract for the preceding performance period.

BASIS FOR AWARD:

All offerors who submit proposals will be verified as a small business by the government. The government will use the Small Business Administration (SBA) dynamic small business search (database) to verify offerors small business status. This search will be executed using the SAM unique entity identifier (UEI) provided on the cover page. Vendors who are not registered in this database will be considered “other than small” and not eligible for award; however, they will be given the opportunity to correct this with the SBA prior to award and restore eligibility.

The government shall award a FFP, Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to the responsible small business offeror whose proposal offers the best value to the USCG using the trade-off process. Best value will be based on consideration of all three evaluation factors (Technical Capability, Past

Performance, and Price), the findings (strengths, weaknesses, and deficiencies) of each, and the final ratings of each as determined by the Contracting Officer.

Best value will be determined by comparing the final ratings AND findings (strengths, weaknesses, and deficiencies) for each offeror. Final ratings among offerors may be similar (example: two offerors may have the same rating(s)); however, similar ratings or equally rated proposals does not mean the proposals are equal. The findings within each factor may indicate one proposal is stronger than the other, although the findings do not justify a higher rating. The Contracting Officer will use these findings and ratings to make a best value determination for the awarded proposal.

Technical Capability is more important than Past Performance. Past Performance is more important than

Price. When combined, all non-price evaluation factors are significantly more important than to price. As non-price evaluation ratings converge (become more similar), price may become more important. The

Government may award any resulting contract to other than the lowest-priced proposal, or to other than the proposal with the highest non-pricing rating.

The Government intends to evaluate proposals and award a single FFP IDIQ contract without discussions.

Therefore, each initial offer shall contain the offerors best terms from a technical, past performance, and price standpoint. The Government reserves the right to conduct discussions, if determined necessary by the

Contracting Officer. The Government may reject any or all proposals if such action is in the public interest;

may accept other than the lowest proposal; and may waive informalities and minor irregularities in proposals received.

Failure to submit a complete, accurate proposal (as detailed above for each volume and the cover sheet), may result in an offeror being determined as ineligible for award. This is a contracting officer determination.

Awarded offeror will be required to sign Attachment 4 (Business_Associate_Agreement)

DEADLINES:

Questions: Offerors may submit questions regarding this solicitation. Questions shall be submitted via email attachment to the Contracting Officer, Michael Bumgardner (Michael.A.Bumgardner@uscg.mil) with a copy to Matthew Aponte (Matthew.N.Aponte@uscg.mil), no later than Wednesday July 3, 2024, 9:00 AM, Eastern

Time Zone.

Responses to questions will be executed via solicitation amendment to Contract Opportunities. Offerors should not expect an extension to any deadlines.

Proposals: Offeror proposals are due no later than Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at 8:00 AM, Eastern Time Zone.

Proposals shall be submitted as .pdf (PDF) files, except for the price spreadsheet (Attachment 2) which is

Excel (.xlsx). Offerors shall submit all volumes and the cover page. Proposals shall be delivered electronically via email with attachments to the Contracting Officer (Michael.A.Bumgardner@uscg.mil) with a copy to CG-

9121-2 (Matthew.N.Aponte@uscg.mil) in response to the solicitation.

Email attachments (and the total email size with attachments) over 7MB in size may be too large for the US

Coast Guard system to accept. Potential offerors are solely responsible for submission and government receipt of timely proposals in response to the solicitation.

Offerors should include in the email submission “[Offeror Company Name] Proposal for RFP

70Z02324RHSWL0001. Offerors may submit their proposal in multiple emails if necessary due to size limitations. Offerors who submit multiple emails for their proposal, shall annotate “1 of X, 2 of X, etc”. For example, “Company ABC Proposal for RFP 70Z02324RHSWL0001 – 1 of 3” or “2 of 3” etc.

mailto:Michael.A.Bumgardner@uscg.mil mailto:Matthew.N.Aponte@uscg.mil mailto:Michael.A.Bumgardner@uscg.mil mailto:Matthew.N.Aponte@uscg.mil