Questions and Answers_8.7.23.pdf

Questions & Answers For Solicitation 73351023Q0304

Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) Initiative

1. Our existing RIC contract would overlap by about three months, what advice do you have for us?

There are multiple current Regional Innovation Clusters (RICs) who have contracts ending in December 2023 or January 2024. These RICs are eligible to apply for this solicitation. If they receive an award, SBA’s Office of Investment and Innovation will work with each individual RIC to ensure compliance and completion of previous contract and beginning of new contract.

Additionally, previous work as a RIC can be included as Past Performance or Prior Experience.

2. In Section 2.0, Scope or Mission, of the Statement of Objectives, what does “TA” mean?

TA stands for Technical Assistance.

3. Section 5.0, Performance Based Objectives, I.E., Required Results, of the Statement of Objectives calls for offerors to establish links between spending and outcomes. Direct causality is often difficult to provide, what level of proof is required?

Cluster administrators will be required to provide quarterly and annual reports to SBA’s Office of Investment and Innovation (OII) demonstrating continued activity within the Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) and progress towards goals and objectives stated by the cluster administrator in their proposal. The anticipated small business metrics utilized by OII to measure the activity of each RIC are included in section 5.2.1 of the Statement of Objectives.

4. Are cluster administrators required to report on all of the Small Business Metrics listed in section 5.2.1 of the Statement of Objectives or can this list be modified given our method or approach being utilized?

SBA’s Office of Investment and Innovation will ask for the same metrics to be included in quarterly and annual reports from all the Regional Innovation Clusters (RICs). In quarterly and annual reports, there will be the opportunity for each RIC to provide narratives and qualitative information in addition to the small business metrics to demonstrate the unique attributes and approaches of each RIC.

5. Section 5.4 of the Statement of Objectives says, “The Contractor shall also comply with SBA requests for independent assessment studies.” What does “Comply” mean?

SBA reserves the right to request additional qualitative and quantitative data from the cluster administrators. SBA will work with the cluster administrators to ensure such requests are within the capacity of each RIC.

Additionally, each RIC is required to participate in an annual survey of the Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) program by a contractor and disseminate information of the survey to participating small businesses and large organizations within the cluster.

6. The SBA Terms and Conditions describes Key Personnel. Does the entire team need to be specified now, or can we add them as we go?

The Key Personnel needed to achieve the stated goals and objectives of the RICs must be included in the proposal. Key Personnel can change throughout the duration of the contract but any requests to change key personnel must be submitted in writing with an attached resume of the new personnel to the contracting officer (CO).

7. Section 5.c of SBA Terms and conditions addresses organizational conflicts of interest. Do you need statements now that we comply and are without conflict or is this required when / if a conflict is discovered?

If awarded a contract, the company’s signature on the contract warrants that, to the best of the Contractor's knowledge and belief, there are no relevant facts or circumstances which would give rise to an organizational conflict of interest, as defined in FAR Subpart 9.5, and that the Contractor has disclosed all relevant information regarding any actual or potential conflict.

8. Section 8 of SBA Terms and Conditions mentions Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS). CPARS is new to us, how much work/effort/hours is associated with complying with this?

Please see the link for CPARS training for “Contractor Representative” (CPARS Training by Roles). This may help inform your understanding of this requirement.

CPARS is required for all contracts/orders above the Simplified Acquisition Threshold ($250K).

9. Are letters of support required, helpful or not needed at all?

Letters of support are not required. If letters of support are included in either the Cluster Qualification and Key Personnel or Technical Approach and Performance Work Statement, they will count towards the page maximum of each section.

https://www.cpars.gov/lc_role.htm https://www.cpars.gov/lc_role.htm

10. For Past performance or Prior Experience – we’ve been focusing almost exclusively on the current RIC effort. I am not aware of any other funding that is similar to cluster development work in our resume. Are two required?

At least two and up to four examples of past performance or prior experience are required. Prior experience can include work done in conjunction with programs or efforts not supported by the federal government.

11. How is this related to the NSF Engines program and the EDA Tech Hubs?

The Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) program is separate from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines Program and the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs program. Applicants and cluster administrators are encouraged to collaborate with awardees of other federal programs and eligible to apply to other federal programs as long as they continue to comply with the terms and conditions of the RICs contract.

12. Is this solicitation only available to new RICs? Given the 100% small business set aside, it appears you are no longer allowing nonprofits and universities to be the prime contractor. Is that true?

No, this solicitation is not only available to new Regional Innovation Clusters (RICs). RICs with contracts expiring in December 2023 or January 2024 are eligible to apply and organizations that have previously been a RIC are eligible to apply. Organizations other than for-profit small businesses under the $19 million size standard of NAICS code 541690, Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services, are not eligible. We encourage offerors to partner with nonprofits, universities, economic development organizations, technical assistance providers, and other organizations to achieve the goals and objectives stated in proposals. Small businesses must perform at least 51% of the work in order to receive a small business set aside award.

13. Will Nikeena Brown confirm receipt of applications submitted?

Yes.

14. How many clusters will you contract with?

The government intends to make multiple awards under this solicitation.

15. Do the clusters have to be in a specific region?

The SBA is not prioritizing any specific region when evaluating responses to the solicitation. Offerors must specify the intended region of cluster services. Offers that support innovation clusters in rural areas or HubZones are of interest.

16. Are nonprofits able to apply for this solicitation?

This contract is a small business set aside therefore nonprofits cannot be the prime applicant on the offer. We encourage offerors to partner with nonprofits, universities, economic development organizations, technical assistance providers, and other organizations to achieve the goals and objectives stated in proposals. Small businesses must perform at least 51% of the work in order to receive a small business set aside award.

17. What is the average number of people served you would like to see from each grantee during this grant project?

Each regional cluster is unique, SBA does not dictate the number of businesses or entrepreneurs during the period of performance.

18. The solicitation speaks much about “Region”. Please define region for us.

A region may cross municipal, county, and other jurisdictional boundaries. The region in which a cluster will administer services can include multiple localities across multiple states.

A regional cluster is a geographically-concentrated, interconnected network of synergistic or complementary businesses, suppliers and associated organizations engaged in or with a particular industry sector, with active channels for business transactions, communications, and dialogue that share specialized infrastructure, labor markets and services.

19. I have a question about where the clusters will be located. For example, my business is based in South Florida, if I was awarded this contract what would be my region?

The region in which the cluster will deliver services needs to be defined by the offeror and can cross municipal, county, and other jurisdictional boundaries. The location in which the cluster administrator is headquartered can be a part of the region and cluster services can extend past the municipal boundary in which the cluster administrator or organizations participating in the cluster are located.

20. Can an organization submit applications for two separate Regional Innovation Clusters (RICs) under this one solicitation?

No. In accordance with 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items of the Solicitation, Offerors cannot submit multiple offers against the solicitation.

21. Can an organization receive multiple contracts for separate RICs under this one solicitation?

No. Offerors can only submit one offer towards the solicitation and therefore can only receive one contract.

22. We would like to know if this is a brand-new contract OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services. If not brand new, could you please provide the current / previous contract number?

The Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) program began in September 2010 and has supported cluster activity for various industries and regions across the country since its inception. The SBA has continuously procured RIC services across various regions and industries since September 2010. A list of regional clusters currently supported through active SBA contracts can be found at: https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/regional-innovation-clusters. SBA is seeking new offers to support the RIC initiative through this solicitation.

23. Are there any required templates to be used, beyond the excel files provided?

The only two templates required for use in quote submissions are Attachment 2 – Past Performance – Prior Experience Information and Attachment 3 – Pricing Schedule_Bases and Options.

24. I’m not seeing any guidance regarding the application format, etc. Is there a template we should be using for our application or a document that provides specifics on fonts, spacing, margins etc. which I sometimes see for other types of applications.

Offerors will submit quotes, not applications. Instructions to Offerors can be found at the SAM.gov link. Offerors can find information required, supporting details, how to format volumes, due dates, etc on the solicitation page at SAM.gov.

https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/regional-innovation-clusters