75ACF124R00010 - Amendment 0001.pdf

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75ACF124R00010

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1 copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted ; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BE

RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR

OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted , such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

x

Washington DC 20201

ACF

330 C ST., SW

MARY E. SWITZER BUILDING

Administration for Children and Families Admin for Children and Families

06/28/20240001

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS. IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) is not extended.is extended, Items 8 and 15, and returning

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended , by one of the following methods: (a) By completing

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

FACILITY CODE CODE

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., street, county, State and ZIP Code)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6)CODE 6. ISSUED BY

PAGE OF PAGES

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.3. EFFECTIVE DATE2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

06/28/2024

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority) appropriation data, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not is required to sign this document and return __________________ copies to the issuing office.

ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

The purpose of this amendment is to do the following:

1. Respond to prospective offeror questions after release of the Request for Proposal (RFP).

2. Provide revised RFP, Performance Work Statement (PWS), and Attachment #3 Pricing Sheet.

3. The government reserves the right to respond or to not respond to any further questions.

4. All other terms remain unchanged.

SEE CONTINUATION PAGES

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

15C. DATE SIGNED 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 16C. DATE SIGNED

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

CHRISTOPHER PALMER

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 11/2016)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

Previous edition unusable

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9 A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect .

CONTINUATION PAGES 75ACF124R00010

Questions and Answers:

1. In reference to Technical Volume I, L.3, Page 58 (RFP), Can the HHS Section 508 evaluation templates be included as an appendix to the technical volume?

A. Yes

2. In reference to Technical Volume I, L.3.1, Page 59 (RFP), Would the government allow charts/graphics to be 10-point font:

A. Yes

3. In reference to Technical Volume I, L.3.1. Page 59, (RFP), Do the technical appendices count towards the max page limit (i.e., resumes of key personnel, non-disclosure agreement, letters of commitment)?

A. See RFP Paragraph L.3.1 SUBMISSION OF THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL (PART I)

4. In reference to Cost/Price Volume III, B.3, Page 3, In B.3 and Attachment 3, what terms in the PWS relate to CLIN 0002, 1002, 2002, 3002, and 4002), and why do those CLINs have different performance periods?

A. CLINs 0002, 1002, 2002, 3002, and 4002 are specific to meeting planning, Tasks 11 and 12 of the PWS. They are separated out and given a longer period of performance given unique planning timelines required for meetings, such as space reservation requirements. See updated Pricing Sheet in Amendment 0001.

5. In reference to Cost/Price Volume III, B.3, Page 3, Does the government have an expectation about which tasks belong in each CLIN, or can the Offeror decide?

A. The Government expects tasks specific to meeting planning, (Tasks 11 & 12) will be in CLINs 0002, 1002, 2002, 3002, and 4002. Tasks 0001, 1001, 2001, 3001 & 4001 are for tasks 1- 10 in the base and subsequent option periods. See updated Pricing Sheet in Amendment 0001.

6. In reference to Cost/Price Volume III, L.3.3. Page 59 (RFP), Due to the various supporting documentation requirements for the price proposal, would the government consider removing the page limit or substantially increasing it to accommodate the documentation?

A. No. All page limitations remain the same.

7. In reference to Cost/Price Volume III, L.3.3.1, Page 60, RFP says, “Offerors shall sign the SF33 in Block # 30a” The signature block is #17. Will that be corrected?

A. The correct block has been listed in Amendment 0001. See L.3.3.1.

8. In reference to Cost/Price Volume III, Part 1, Part 65 (RFP), The title references “Part 1:

CPFF Term and Cost-No Fee.” This is cost plus fixed fee (CPFF) so there will be a fee. Is this in error? If not, please clarify.

A. This is a Cost-Plus Fixed Fee all references to No-Fee have been removed.

9. In reference to Cost/Price Volume III, Part 1, Requirement 3, Page 66 (RFP), the last sentence says, “Offeror and its subcontractor(s) shall disclose the location per the PWS of each proposed labor category’s performance in their respective cost proposal(s).” What is meant by ‘disclose the location,’ would that be the task and subtask numbers?

A. Sentence has been removed.

10. In reference to Cost/Price Volume III, Part 1, Requirement 6, Page 66, (RFP), What is the “RS3 contract number”? If the offeror doesn’t have one, what other reference should be used.

A. Deleted sentence from RFP.

11. In reference to Cost/Price Volume III, Part 1 Requirement 8, Page 67, (RFP), If offerors have a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement with the government, can that be provided in lieu of the information in Volume III, requirement 8?

A. Audited rates from a federal agency (i.e. NIH-DFAS, DCAA, etc.) would be acceptable if they align to the period of performance for the requirement. If there are periods within the period of performance that do not contain audited rates, offerors would need to provide the detailed pool and base costs used to develop the indirect rate. For example, if the Offeror has indirect rates that were audited by NIH-DFAS for FY24 through FY26, the offeror will need to submit the detailed pool and base costs for FY27 through FY29 used to develop the indirect rate estimates.

12. In reference to Cost/Price Volume III, Part 1, Requirement 9, Page 68 & B.3, Page 3, (RFP), B.3 Services and Prices lists only two CLINs per period (001 and 002). Page 68, #9 lists four CLINs (001, 002, 003, and 004). The instructions state the Offerors shall structure their COST.xlsx document per the CLIN structure in Section B of the RFP. Since CLIN 0003 and CLIN 0004 are not mentioned anywhere else in the RFP (except page 68, #9), will these CLINs 0003 and 0004 be added to Attachment 3 and B.3?

A. This is a Cost-Plus Fixed Fee all references to No-Fee have been removed. Material and travel associated with the tasks of CLIN’s 0001 and 0002 will be billed to their respective CLINs. See updated RFP in Amendment 0001 Section L.4 Vol III Part 1 #9.

13. In reference to Cost/Price Volume III, Part 1, Requirement 11, Page 68 (RFP), What is meant by “Manpower” referenced as part of Technical Element 1?

A. Manpower has been updated to Labor.

14. In reference to PWS, Subtask 2.3, How should offeror budget for these calls since there are several options (monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly)?

A. The Government would like the Offeror to propose a plan that will fit the requirements described in the PWS.

15. In reference to PWS, Subtask 2.5, For budgeting purposes, should offeror budget for 2 per year, and how long will the workgroup convenings be?

A. The Government would like the Offeror to propose a plan that will fit the requirements described in the PWS.

16. In reference to PWS, Subtask 3.2, How many technical experts are expected?

A. The Government would like the Offeror to propose a plan that will fit the requirements described in the PWS.

17. In reference to PWS, Subtask 3.2, How much should offeror budget for honoraria for each technical expert?

A. The Government would like the Offeror to propose a plan that will fit the requirements described in the PWS. Offerors should rely on their expertise in this field for negotiating and budgeting of honoraria.

18. In reference to PWS, Subtask 3.4, How many technical experts are expected?

A. The Government would like the Offeror to propose a plan that will fit the requirements described in the PWS. The PWS has been updated in Amendment 0001, see Subtask 3.4.

19. In reference to PWS, Subtask 3.4, How much should offeror budget for honoraria for each technical expert?

A. The Government would like the Offeror to propose a plan that will fit the requirements described in the PWS. Offerors should rely on their expertise in this field for negotiating and budgeting of honoraria.

20. In reference to PWS, Subtask 2.5, For budgeting purposes, how many days each will the 50 site visits be?

A. The Government would like the Offeror to propose a plan that will fit the requirements described in the PWS. In the past, site visits have taken 2-3 days.

21. In reference to PWS, Subtask 12.1, For the annual ad hoc meeting development of one large and three small meetings, what format (i.e., virtual, in-person, or hybrid) how should the offeror budget for on each?

A. The Government would like the Offeror to propose a plan to meet the requirements as described in subtask 12.1, utilizing the participant estimates provided. These can include a mix of formats. CLIN 0002 is specific to the meeting planning activities, so labor and other direct cost categories on the Pricing Sheet can be used as a guide.

22. In reference to PWS, Subtask 12.1, For the annual ad hoc meeting development of one large and three small meetings, how many speakers/presenters will there be for each event? How many meeting rooms will be needed for each event?

A. The Government would like the Offeror to propose a plan to meet the requirements as described in subtask 12.1.

23. In reference to PWS, Subtask 12.5, For the Tribal MIECHV meetings, how many meetings and what type of format for each (i.e., virtual, in-person, or hybrid) should the offeror budget for?

A. The Government would like the Offeror to propose a plan to meet the requirements as described in subtask 12.5. Tribal MIECHV meetings referenced in subtask 12.5 are a direct reference back to the meetings detailed in subtask 12.1, so similar parameters can be used to address both.

24. In reference to PWS, For the Tribal MIECHV meetings, how many speakers/presenters will there be for each event? How many meeting rooms will be needed for each event?

A. The Government would like the Offeror to propose a plan to meet the requirements as described in subtask 12.5. Tribal MIECHV meetings referenced in subtask 12.5 are a direct reference back to the meetings detailed in subtask 12.1, so similar parameters can be used to address both.

25. In reference to PWS, Subtask 12.5, How many sponsored travelers (speakers and presenter) are expected?

A. The Government would like the Offeror to propose a plan to meet the requirements as described in Task 12. Large meetings typically include 1-2 plenary speakers.

26. In reference to PWS, Subtask 12.5, How much should offeror budget for honoraria for each speaker/presenter?

A. Offerors should rely on their expertise in this field for negotiating and budgeting of honoraria.

27. Will the government consider allowing a 50-page limit?

A. No. All volume page counts remain unchanged.

28. Will the government consider allowing 10 pt font for exhibits? Using 12 pt font for exhibits like conceptual models and organizational charts is especially limiting.

A. Yes.

29. For Subtask 10.3, can the government please clarify what is meant by “work collaboratively with key partners” in the development of the outcomes dashboard. What role does the government expect both the contractor and the key partners to have in developing the dashboard website?

A. Key partners would most likely include federal program staff in the Administration for Children and Families and the Health Resources and Services Administration, as well as Tribal MIECHV grant recipients. The Contractor would be expected to provide technical expertise in areas such as researching the appropriate technology to meet the dashboard requirements and convening partners for user testing or gathering feedback on usability.

30. For Subtask 10.3, will the outcomes dashboard need to be hosted on a .gov website?

A. Yes.

31. For Subtask 10.3, will the outcomes dashboard require an ATO and what is the role of the contractor in securing the ATO?

A. The contractor is responsible for securing Authority to Operate (ATO) for all systems under this Contract (Subtask 7.1). There is potential likelihood that an ATO may be needed for the dashboard. Tribal MIECHV currently uses the Tribal Home Visiting Reporting System (THVRS) to collect performance measurement data. THVRS uses Microsoft Dynamics 365 and has a current ATO. There may be ways to work within the boundaries of the THVRS system. If data is stored and accessed in a separate data source an ATO will be likely. However, the data dashboard will only display aggregate data, which lessens the scope of the ATO.

32. For Subtask 5.3, the PWS states that the contractor should plan for 50 site visits during the Base Year. Can the government please clarify whether this means that the contractor should plan to send 50 travelers on site visits, or if the contractor should plan to staff 50 unique site visits which could require sending more than one staff person on each visit?

A. Offerors should plan for 50 unique site visits.

33. Within the Price Proposal, will salary backups and market research screenshots of vendors count towards the 10-page limit?

A. Yes.

34. Page 68, item 9, states: “The Material estimate plus the proposed applicable indirect charges to Material will be applied to Cost-No Fee CLIN 0002. The Travel estimate plus the proposed applicable indirect charges to Travel will be applied to Cost-No-Fee CLIN 0003. The ODC estimate plus the proposed applicable indirect charges to ODC will be applied to Cost-No Fee CLIN 0004.” Can the government please clarify this requirement about cost- no-fee CLINs? The rest of the RFP does not mention CLIN 0003 and CLIN 0004.

A. This is a Cost-Plus Fixed Fee all references to No-Fee have been removed. Material and travel associated with the tasks of CLIN’s 0001 and 0002 will be billed to their respective CLINs.

35. Within the Price Proposal, are offerors required to break down the budget by task for each project period? Or is a budget per project period sufficient?

A. Price proposals broken out as prescribed in the pricing sheet will be adequate.

36. Within the Price Proposal, does the government expect offerors to complete and submit the pricing sheet? If so, can we make edits to the pricing sheet by adding rows?

A. Yes, per section L.3.3.1 of the Supplies or Services and Prices/Cost document, Offerors shall complete the Pricing Schedule (the attached Pricing Sheet in excel). The document may be adapted as needed by adding or eliminating rows for labor category or materials.

37. Within the Price Proposal, can offerors make edits to the labor categories by adding or removing categories?

A. Yes, the document may be adapted as needed by adding or eliminating rows for labor categories.

38. Do the hours included in the pricing sheet represent the estimated level of effort? Or are they included as an example of how to present proposed hours in the pricing sheet?

A. Yes, the hours represent the Government’s workload estimate for the tasks but are not to be construed as minimums or not to exceed amounts. Offerors may at their discretion alter or change the estimates.

39. Subtask 3.4 Plan for Engaging with and Coordinating and Collaborating with TEC Efforts states: “meetings may include logistical support, including communication technology, space, lodging, transportation costs, per diem, and honoraria for all technical experts.” Can the government please provide budget estimates regarding the anticipated number of meetings and meeting attendees/travelers that the contractor is expected to support.

A. Specifics for engaging with and coordinating and collaborating with Tribal Early Childhood Efforts will be developed in consultation with the COR, as part of the Work Plan development.

Specific elements may change over time dependent upon current needs and priorities. However, it is likely there would be one meeting/year at most. Those meetings have most recently been virtual.

40. Should offerors submit examples of VPATs completed for similar products as described in the PWS? If so, should these be included as an appendix?

A. Yes can submit as an appendix.

41. In section 12.1, we are asked to facilitate an on-boarding meeting with the COR during the base year, submit an agenda at least three days prior, and submit a final discussion summary and Work Plan, reflecting comments received from the COR within one week of receipt of comments. In section 11.1, we are asked to initiate a discussion to facilitate a kick-off meeting within 15 working days, send an agenda five days prior, and submit a memorandum summarizing major decisions reached within one week of the discussion. In section 11.2, we are asked to submit a work plan within two weeks of the orientation and a revised work plan within two weeks of the COR comments. In section 11.3, we are asked to provide the COR with a plan within 45 days of the award on how the THRIVE Center will implement its stage-based approach. How do sections 11.1, 11.2, and 11.3 relate to section 12.1? Is the on-boarding meeting different than the kickoff meeting?

A. CLIN 0002 is comprised of Tasks 11 and 12. The kick-off meeting detailed in Subtask 11.1 is specific to the CLIN. As such, a Work Plan and kick-off separate from CLIN 0001 is expected.

Subtask 11.2 is the development of the Work Plan Outline, Subtask 11.3 results in a finalized Work Plan to cover meeting planning tasks overall (Tasks 11 and 12). The plan developed under Subtask 12.1 is specific to the annual meeting. This plan can be a section of the overall Work Plan (subtask 11.3) or a separate stand-alone plan. The on-boarding meeting under Subtask 12.1 could also be included as part of the larger kick-off meeting or held separately to focus solely on planning for an annual meeting. The timing and approach can be developed in coordination with the CORs and will likely be dependent upon grantee needs.

42. Subtask 12.6 Tribal Early Childhood Listening Session and Consultation Support, it states the Contractor shall provide logistical and content support for in-person and virtual sessions for up to 150 people. Can the government clarify how many of these meetings are expected to be in person?

A. The primary preference of the Government is to have all meetings be in-person. However, Offerors should factor in providing virtual options for those who cannot attend in person.

43. The PWS and solicitation refer to both Key Staff and Key Personnel. Page 40 of the PWS designates Key Personnel as the Project Director, Senior Level Tasks Leads and Senior Technical Assistance Specialists. Sections of the solicitation describe Key Staff to encompass a broader set of staff roles. Can you the government please clarify whether these are two distinct categories (Key Personnel more limited than Key Staff) or if Key Personnel and Key Staff should both be defined as limited to Project Director, Senior Level Task Leads, and Senior TA Specialists?

A. The Offeror may propose staff in a variety of labor categories to meet the requirements of the solicitation. Key Personnel are the three positions that are required to be filled and information about the staff to fill those positions should be included in the technical appendices, to include at a minimum the resumes for the proposed key personnel. Key staff and non-key personnel can be applied more broadly to include labor categories or job roles proposed to complete the work requirements. However, when the Offeror is evaluated on Subfactor 2 (personnel qualifications and experience), the term key staff should also include the Key Personnel, in addition to the other job categories and roles.

44. Guidance for the Management Plan states that we are to include “The labor mix assigned to the functional program tasks. This includes position name, level (i.e. Junior, Midlevel, or Senior employee). A table may be best to summarize this information.” Can the government please clarify what is being requested? Are offerors asked to provide the number of labor hours by position name and level by task, or are offerors asked to provide the position names and levels for each task regardless of assigned labor hours?

A. The Offeror may describe and submit information about their proposed management structure and labor mix in a way that best demonstrates how the work requirements will be fulfilled.

Offerors often submit in a table form information by task broken down by labor category or proposed staff role and estimated number of hours proposed. In the management plan, estimates by hour are not required.

Attachments:

Attachment 1 – RFP 75ACF124R00010

Attachment 2 – PWS Revision 1

Attachment 3 – Pricing Sheet