Q-A RFQ 75H70426Q00033 (18SEP2026).pdf

Vendor Questions & Government Responses:

1. Question 1 PWS Sections 1.2 and 2.1.3: Government-owned analytical code: The quoter asks (a) in which language or languages the existing Government-owned code is written; (b) the approximate volume of the code and whether it is organized as a documented production pipeline or a collection of analyst scripts; and (c) whether the code, or a representative sample, will be made available to quoters before the quotation due date or to the awardee at the post-award conference.

Government response:

(a) The existing code is written in SAS and R, consistent with PWS Sections 4.2 and 5.1.

(b) The Government will not characterize the volume or organization of the existing code beyond what is stated in the PWS. Quoters should base their technical approach and pricing on the requirements in PWS.

(c) No. Government-owned code and documentation will be furnished to the awardee after award, once the access requirements of PWS Section 5.1 and Part 11 have been met.

2. Question 2 PWS Section 7.2: Data years within scope: The quoter asks whether mortality and natality data years 2015 through 2019 are intentionally excluded from the requirement, and whether the differing end years of the mortality/natality series (2025) and the linked birth/infant death series (2023) are correct.

Government response:

The data years in PWS 7.2, including the end years of each series, are correct as written. Mortality and natality data for 2015–2019 are not within the scope of this requirement. Quoters shall price the requirement as stated.

3. Question 3 PWS Section 2.1.4: Natality misclassification methods: The quoter asks whether an IHS-approved and validated adjustment methodology already exists for natality misclassification, as it does for mortality, or whether the first-year task is to develop a new approach; and, if a methodology exists, its current maturity and validation status.

Government response.

Yes. IHS-approved and validated adjustment factors for natality data are established and in use. They will be furnished to the awardee under PWS 5.2 and applied as described in PWS 7.2. The first-year task in PWS 2.1.4 is as stated and is in addition to the processing tasks in PWS 7.2. The Government will not further characterize its methods before award.

4. Question 4 PWS Section 4.2: Lead Demographer education: The quoter asks (a) whether a doctoral degree in Statistics falls within “a directly related field”; and (b) whether “substantial coursework in demographic methods” is evaluated as a pass/fail minimum qualification, or whether documented applied experience with Federal vital statistics microdata will be considered alongside or in lieu of coursework.

Government response.

(a) The Government will not make pre-award determinations about specific degrees or individuals. Quoters should explain how the proposed individual meets PWS 4.2.

(b) Quotations will be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria in the RFQ. Quoters may document both relevant coursework and relevant professional experience.

5. Question 5 PWS Sections 4.1 and 4.2: Distribution of qualifications across a team:

The quoter asks how Sections 4.1 (qualifications possessed collectively by contractor personnel) and 4.2 (qualifications of the individual performing the primary analysis work) operate together, and specifically whether demographic methods depth may be supplied by a named subcontractor key person rather than residing in the Lead Demographer.

Government response.

PWS Sections 4.1 and 4.2 are as stated. The Government will not evaluate proposed team structures before quotations are received. Quotations will be evaluated on whether the proposed personnel meet Sections 4.1 and 4.2 as written, including the designation required by Section 4.1.

6. Question 6 RFQ Section 2, Schedule of Services: Basis of the 1,912-hour estimate:

The quoter asks (a) whether the 1,912-hour figure is derived from historical actuals;

(b) whether it is an estimate for quoting purposes or an expected minimum level of effort; and (c) whether quoters should price to 1,912 hours or to their own estimate.

Government response.

(a) The Government will not disclose the basis of its estimate.

(b) and (c) The figure is provided for information only and is neither a minimum nor a required level of effort. As stated in PWS 1.5, the Government does not prescribe level of effort. Quoters shall propose a firm-fixed price for each period of performance based on their own estimate of the effort needed to meet the PWS.

7. Question 7 RFQ Section 1 and PWS Section 10.2: Travel requirement: The quoter notes that RFQ Section 1 (four one-week trips per year to IHS Headquarters) and PWS 10.2 (up to four Government-requested in-person meetings per year) appear inconsistent and asks which controls for pricing.

Government response.

The Schedule of Services controls. Quoters shall price four (4) one-week trips to IHS Headquarters, Rockville, MD, per period of performance. PWS Sections 1.4 and 10.2 will be amended to conform.

8. Question 8 PWS Sections 5.1 and 6.4 and Technical Exhibit 1: Access timeline against deliverable dates: The quoter asks (a) what level of background investigation is required for the PIV card and secure-environment access; (b) the Government’s estimated elapsed time from award to functional access; and (c) whether first-year delivery dates will run from the date of system access rather than from the contract date.

Government response.

(a) Contractor personnel requiring system access will be subject to a public trust background investigation. The contractor is responsible for initiating the process through Government-designated channels (PWS 11.4).

(b) The Government cannot estimate the elapsed time from award to system access.

(c) For the base period, delivery dates in PWS 7.1, 7.3 and Technical Exhibit 1 will be measured from the date the Government grants access to the secure environment.

The PWS will be amended accordingly. Delays caused by late or incomplete contractor submissions will not extend delivery dates.

9. Question 9 RFQ Section 4: Format and page limitations: The quoter asks (a) whether a page limitation applies to Volume I, Technical Quotation; (b) whether resumes, past performance information, and assumptions submitted under separate cover count against any limit; and (c) whether there are font, margin, or file-format requirements.

Government response.

No page limit applies to Volume I or to resumes, past performance information, or assumptions. There are no font or margin requirements. Quotations shall be submitted electronically in PDF format.

10. Question 10 HHSAR 352.239-78: Section 508 conformance documentation: The quoter asks whether a Section 508 checklist or Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) must accompany the quotation and, if so, which checklist applies, given that the deliverables are Government-templated Excel workbooks, PowerPoint presentations, narrative reports, and analytical code rather than commercial ICT products.

Government response.

A Section 508 checklist or ACR is not required with the quotation. Section 508 conformance is a performance requirement under PWS Section 10.6: deliverables shall conform to the Revised Section 508 Standards, and the contractor shall provide an Accessibility Conformance Report on Government request after award.

11. Question 11 Predecessor performance: The quoter asks whether the requirement is currently performed under an existing contract, interagency agreement, or other arrangement and, if so, the identity of the incumbent and the contract number, or confirmation that this is a new requirement.

Government response: This a new requirement. Quoters should price the requirement described in the PWS.

12. Question: Is there any incumbent/recompete or this is a brand-new project? If yes, could you please provide us with their award number or even if the customer bought similar services in the past.

Government Response: This requirement is a brand-new effort. There is no incumbent, and it’s not a recompete.

13. Question: May the Government consider relevant experience and past performance of proposed key personnel, including the Lead Demographer, when that work was performed under a prior employer or organization, or will Factor 1 be evaluated solely on the quoter’s corporate experience and past performance?

Government Response: Quotations will be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria stated in the RFQ. Quoters may submit whatever experience and past performance information they consider relevant to those criteria. The Government will not make pre-award determinations regarding how particular experience or past performance information will be evaluated.

14. Question: We have reviewed the bid posting site and noted that the submission due date is Sep 21, 2026, 02:00 pm EDT. Could you please confirm if this date is correct and if there have been any updates or amendments that may not have been posted yet?

Government Response: The due date remains unchanged. Presently, there are no updates or amendments (9.17.2026).

15. Question Furnishing of existing programs, adjustment factors, and denominators: The quoter asks whether the existing IHS SAS and R programs, the validated adjustment factors, and the current Government-approved denominators will all be furnished at kickoff.

Government response: Government-furnished property and data, including the existing Government-owned SAS and R code and documentation, the IHS-approved and validated adjustment factors and methodologies, and the Government-approved denominators, will be furnished to the awardee after award, as described in PWS Section 5.2. Furnishing of this material is contingent on the awardee first meeting the access requirements of PWS Section 5.1 and Part 11, including completion of required security training, execution of the required agreements, and issuance of a Personal Identification Verification (PIV) card following a favorable background investigation. The Government will not characterize the volume, organization, or timing of this material beyond what is stated in the PWS. Quoters should base their technical approach and pricing on the requirements stated in

PWS.

16. Question: Background check and PIV card lead time; work before card issuance The quoter asks the typical lead time for the background check and PIV card, and whether work on non-confidential tasks may begin before the card is issued.

Government response: Contractor personnel requiring access to Government systems or facilities will be subject to a public trust background investigation and must obtain a PIV card, as described in PWS Sections 6.4 and 11.4. The contractor is responsible for initiating and coordinating this process through Government-designated channels. The Government cannot estimate the elapsed time from award to system access. Work that does not require access to Government systems or confidential data may be performed on contractor-furnished equipment before a PIV card is issued, consistent with PWS Sections 1.4 and 6.3. All work with confidential Government data must be performed exclusively on Government-furnished equipment in the secure Windows server environment.

For the base period, delivery dates stated in weeks after date of contract (ADC) will be measured from the date the Government grants the contractor access to the secure Windows server environment; the PWS and Technical Exhibit 1 will be amended accordingly. Delays attributable to late or incomplete contractor submissions of investigation or access documentation will not extend delivery dates.

17. Question: Availability of Technical Exhibits 2 and 3 (QASP) to quoters

The quoter notes that PWS Section 3.1 incorporates the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) as Technical Exhibit 3 and that Technical Exhibit 2 is also referenced, and asks whether either is available to quoters.

Government response: Any reference to Technical Exhibits 2 and 3 have been removed from the PWS. The QASP will be provided at time of award.

18. Question: Measurement of option-period delivery dates

The quoter notes that Technical Exhibit 1 sets the 20-, 28-, and 36-week clocks after date of contract, and asks whether, in the option periods, the annual deliverables run from the start of each option period.

Government response: Yes. For each option period, delivery dates stated in weeks ADC will be measured from the first day of that option period. (For the base period only, delivery dates stated in weeks ADC will be measured from the date the Government grants the contractor access to the secure Windows server environment.) The PWS and Technical Exhibit 1 will be amended to state this measurement rule.

19. Question: Section 508 submittal form and coverage under HHSAR 352.239-78 The quoter asks, under HHSAR 352.239-78, which form the Government prefers for the Section 508 submittal and whether it should cover the Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF deliverables.

Government response: No Section 508 submittal is required with the quotation. A Section 508 checklist or Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) need not accompany the quotation, and no particular form is prescribed at the quotation stage. Section 508 conformance is a performance requirement: under PWS Section 10.6, all electronic and information technology deliverables, including Excel workbooks, PowerPoint presentations, and PDF reports, shall conform to the applicable Revised Section 508 Standards (36 CFR part 1194), and the contractor shall provide an Accessibility Conformance Report on Government request after award.

20. Question: Release of Government report templates before the due date

The quoter asks whether the Government report templates are releasable to quoters before the quotation due date.

Government response: No. The Government-provided report templates and models (Excel workbooks and PowerPoint presentations) are Government-furnished property that will be provided to the awardee after award under PWS Section 5.2.

They will not be released to quoters before the quotation due date. Quoters should base their technical approach and pricing on the requirements stated in the PWS.

21. Question: Does PhD-Level describe a required credential held by named key personnel, or does it describe the standard of analysis the Government expects?

Government Response: The PhD-Level requirement is a preferred standard.

PWS & RFQ Changes:

1. PWS Section 1.4, Place of Performance

The first sentence of Section 1.4 is replaced with:

Work shall be performed virtually, except for the in-person trips required by Section 10.2 and for in-person activities such as obtaining Personal Identification Verification (PIV) cards and meeting other security-related requirements.

The second sentence of Section 1.4 is unchanged.

2. PWS Section 10.2, Travel

Section 10.2 in its entirety is replaced with:

The contractor shall travel to IHS Headquarters, Rockville, MD, for four (4) one-week trips per period of performance, scheduled in coordination with the COR, and as needed to obtain access credentials. All travel costs shall be included in the firm-fixed price.

The RFQ Schedule of Services (four one-week trips per period of performance) is unchanged and controls.

3. PWS Section 7.1 and Technical Exhibit 1, Measurement of delivery dates

The following paragraph is added at the beginning of Section 7.1 and replace the note at the end of Technical Exhibit 1 (“*ADC = After Date of Contract”) with the same text:

ADC means “after date of contract.” For the base period, delivery dates stated in weeks ADC shall be measured from the date the Government grants the contractor access to the secure Windows server environment. For each option period, delivery dates stated in weeks ADC shall be measured from the first day of that period.

4. PWS Section 11.4, Background Check and PIV Card

The following is added at the end of Section 11.4:

The contractor shall submit all documentation required to initiate background investigations and system access within [10] business days after award. Delays attributable to late or incomplete contractor submissions shall not extend delivery dates.

5. RFQ Provision HHSAR 352.239-78:

The HHS Section 508 Accessibility Conformance Checklist and Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) are not required with the quotation and Section 508 conformance deliverables are governed by PWS Section 10.6.