Attachment_1_-_Responses_to_Solicitation_Questions_Amend_2.pdf

GENERAL

1. As submission of a Small Business Subcontracting Plan is not required in the RFP, we kindly request deletion of FAR 52.219-4 Notice of Price Evaluation for Hubzone Small

Business Concerns; FAR 52.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns; FAR 52.219-

9 Small Business Subcontracting Plan; FAR 52.219-16 Liquidated Damages -

Subcontracting Plan; and AIDAR 752.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns and

Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns from Section I.

USAID Response: The referenced clauses are deleted from the solicitation.

TECHNICAL

2. For Supplemental Technical Assistance CLIN 0004, could USAID please clarify if funds can be used for technical and background studies related to infrastructure that are not directly for construction? For example can CLIN 004 funds be used for surveys for sanitation plans?

USAID Response: No, The funds under CLIN 0004 must be used ONLY for Task 4 activities (see Section C)

3. For CLIN 003 can USAID please clarify what it means by “new equipment”? Will equipment only include water supply and sanitation related hardware or can it include for example IT systems procured to support AUWSSC HQ and SBU operations?

USAID Response: For the purposes of CLIN 0003, “equipment” is different from

“project equipment” that might be purchased for use by the implementing partner.

For CLIN 0003 “equipment” refers only to items that may be purchased for the strategic business units, once clearly identified in the business plans. “Equipment” may include items required for water treatment, water distribution, metering, etc.

“Equipment improvement” refers to any upgrading, not replacement in lieu of, existing “equipment” already being operated by the strategic business units.

Language in Section L.7 (b) Part 3 has been revised.

4. In reference to Section 9.3 Construction Challenges on page 29, is there a 3rd party A&E firm assigned to AUWS? If so, will that firm be engaged in the design and/or construction management oversight services that may be proposed under Task 4? Will the firm also provide QA testing for materials, equipment, and others under Task 4?

USAID Response: USAID/Afghanistan will use a separate contract with architectural and engineering (A&E) firm to provide quality assurance (QA) and construction management services including the monitoring of construction activities, the review of designs and specifications, and/or relevant assurance testing.

Attachment 1 Responses to Questions - Amendment 2

5. Can USAID please clarify the anticipated time frame for the baseline assessment in Task

1?

USAID Response : Annual work plan must be submitted after completion of the baseline assessments, Task 1.” Are contractors required to complete the Task 1 baseline assessments of AUWSSC and the 6 SBUs required in less than 90 days of contract award?

6. Can USAID please clarify how Task 4 deliverables and anticipated interventions relate to the management plan for infrastructure and equipment improvement in Section L.6.3?

What specifically does USAID anticipate contractors to address under the Technical

Approach section vis-a-vis the section on Management of Infrastructure and Equipment

Improvement?

USAID Response: In the “Technical Approach”, the offeror must demonstrate how the four tasks are interconnected and building one upon another and lead to increased access. In response to Section L.6.3, “Management of Infrastructure and

Equipment Support”, offerors must demonstrate a clear plan for the implementation of the proposed technical approach.

7. Under Section C.5 Task 2 one of the deliverables is “By the end of the activity, MUDH, in coordination with AUWSSC, must have sanitation plans completed for Herat, Jalalabad, Mazar e Sharif, Kandahar, and Kunduz.” Can USAID please provide some guidance as to what level of technical detail plans should cover and the time horizon for the plans?

USAID Response: The sanitation master plan for Kabul is currently being completed and will serve as a model for replication in Herat, Jalalabad, Mazar e

Sharif, Kandahar, and Kunduz. The timing and level of detail will be determined based on the model plan for Kabul.

8. Can USAID please clarify if references will be required for key personnel?

USAID Response: USAID requests only resumes as part of Annex H, and Letters of

Commitment as part of Annex I for proposed key personnel.

9. What information is required in the Staffing Plan that is not represented by the

Organization Chart? Can these requirements be encompassed by the inclusion of an

Organization Chart that also specifies phasing, location, and technical tasks of staff members?

USAID Response: The Organization Chart is a visual representation of the offeror’s proposed staffing. The Staffing Plan should describe the proposed roles and responsibilities of the staff included in the chart.

COST

10. Can USAID please clarify the contract type(s) for the task orders anticipated under CLIN

0004? Section B.4.(a) indicates the IDIQ follows a cost plus fixed fee structure. Under the cost instructions for CLIN 0004 in Section L.7 (b).3, the RFP states, “The Contractor will be reimbursed for allowable costs under CLIN 0003 and CLIN 0004 (cost-reimbursement basis). However, the Contractor must ensure infrastructure and equipment improvement projects, including but not limited to acquisition of equipment and construction projects, are priced on a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) Basis.” Will the CLIN 0004 task order contracts be Cost Plus Fixed Fee completion contracts that will include FFP subcontracts?

USAID Response: The use of Task Orders under the RFP has been eliminated. See section B.4 and section L.7 (b) Part 3 for revised guidance.

11. Section B.5 states that CLINs 0003 and 0004 shall be “at least up to 20% of TEC”;

however, Section L.7.(b) 3 states, “offerors must budget up to 20% for CLIN 0003 and up to 20% for CLIN 0004.” Can USAID please clarify if these CLINs should be a maximum of 20% of the TEC or a minimum of 20% of the TEC? Would USAID consider providing specific plug figures for CLINs 0003 and 0004 in order to establish parity across offerors’ proposals? Since assessments and planning will be required before detailing activities budgets for CLINs 0003 and 0004, there is not sufficient information at the proposal stage to price out a scope of work for these CLINs.

USAID Response: Per USAID’s responses to questions 11, 12, 13, 15 in Attachment

1 of Amendment 1, Offerors should propose 20% of their total estimated cost

(TEC) for CLIN 0003, 20% of the TEC for CLIN 0004. Offerors must budget 20% of the total estimated cost (CLINs 1-4) for CLIN 0003. Section L.7, Part 3 has been revised.

12. Can USAID please confirm the following: Total budgets for CLIN 0002, 0003 and 0004 should include fee and associated indirect costs.

USAID Responses: Per USAID’s responses to question 19 in Attachment 1 of

Amendment 1, CLIN 0003 and CLIN 0004 costs should be inclusive of direct cost, indirect cost and fixed fee. See note referenced in section B.5. of the RFP.

13. Can USAID please clarify how offerors should price CLIN 0004 in the proposal? Should offerors propose a CPFF detailed budget that will be used for evaluation purposes only?

Section B.4.(b) states, ”the fee set forth in B.4 (a) is based upon furnishing the level-of-effort specified in paragraph (c)” however, a level-of-effort is not provided in the RFP.

Does USAID intend to provide offerors with an illustrative level-of-effort to use for budgeting purposes?

USAID Responses: USAID’s response to question 22 in Attachment 1 of

Amendment 1 The use of Task Orders under the RFP has been eliminated. See section B.4 and section L.7 (b) Part 3 for revised guidance.

14. How will the payment of fixed fee be made under the IDIQ task orders? Section B.9 states that the payment of fixed fee will be tied to the deliverable schedule in Section F.5.

Will each task order have an individual fixed fee schedule or will the payment of fee be based on a different method?

USAID Response: See question 13 above. The use of Task Orders under the RFP has been eliminated. See section B.4 and section L.7 (b) Part 3 for revised guidance.

15. Section H.17(b) Defense Base Act Insurance refers a contract base period and option period. Can USAID please confirm that the contract is a five year base period with no option years?

USAID Response: The table at section H.17(b) is an illustrative. The period of performance is five years. See Section F of the Solicitation and Amendments.

16. Can USAID please confirm that CLIN 0004 funding may be used for infrastructure planning purposes, including but not limited to infrastructure surveys, technical assistance for infrastructure planning, etc.? Can CLIN 0004 funding also be used for the procurement of technical equipment for a baseline survey in Task 1?

USAID Response: See response to question number 2 above.

17. Will USAID please clarify what costs should be included in CLIN 0002, Security Costs?

The RFP states, “Any security cost incurred by the Offeror directly must be shown in its own detailed budget.” Is the intention that all security costs including those incurred directly by the offeror be budgeted under CLIN 0002? For example, if the Offeror proposes personnel for risk management, would that position and all associated travel, indirect costs and fee be included in CLIN 0001 or CLIN 0002?

USAID Response: See USAID’s response to question 7 of Amendment 1 Attachment

1. Yes, the Offerors are to provide fully burdened security costs under CLIN 0002

18. Can USAID please provide an exchange rate in order to establish parity across offeror’s proposed costs?

USAID Response: ee USAID’s response to question 7 of Amendment 1 Attachment

1. Offerors should indicate the exchange rate used in their cost estimate assumptions.

19. Section L.7(a) states, “Cells that contain budget figures should be formatted as Numbers or Currency, with no decimal places, and with comma separators.” Would USAID allow

Offerors to include decimal numbers for small unit costs and daily rates to show accuracy of the unit cost?

USAID Response: The Offeros are to round up all of their costs for consistency.

20. Can USAID please provide the anticipated start date of the project for offerors’ planning purposes and cost estimating?

USAID Response: Start date will be decided during post award kick-off.

21. Section H.16, states: “salary ranges must be certified by the Contractor and submitted to the Contracting Officer.” Are Offerors required to submit salary ranges as part of the proposal or after award?

USAID Response: See revised section H.16 in the updated solicitation, Attachment

2.

22. Section B.5 & Section L state that only FFP subcontracts shall be issued under CLIN

0003 and CLIN 0004. Would USAID consider allowing Offerors to propose cost reimbursable subcontracts if needed?

USAID Response: See question 10 above.

23. Annex 8 [Part 5 ii (a) through ( c )] and Annex 9 [Part 6 (d)], under Section L.7(b) 3)

(page 130) USAID is requesting that the Offeror and proposed subcontractor must provide Information Concerning Work-Day, Work-Week, and Paid Absences. Would

USAID please confirm that this information should be provided in both Annex 8 and

Annex 9? This appears to be a duplicate. Concurrently, please clarify if this information is required for each proposed subcontractor or for each proposed major subcontractor.

USAID Response: Referenced information are only required as part of Annex 9.

Information about only Major subcontractors are required.

24. Annex 9 [Part 6 (a)], under Section L.7 (b) 3) (page 130). kindly requests confirmation that letters of commitment from each proposed major subcontractor should be included under Annex 9 [Part 6 - Information to support Consent to Subcontract]. Normally, this is listed as a separate Part, e.g. Letters of Commitment (Major Subcontractors).

USAID Response: Letters of Commitment for each major subcontractor are required as part of Annex 9.

25. In reference to Section H.17 b), under Notes (pages 63-64): As there is no option period or option year, kindly requests removal of DBA requirements for option period or option year.

USAID Response:: See question 15 above.