Draft Request for Quote.pdf

DRAFT REQUEST FOR QUOTE

FOR INDUSTRY REVIEW AND COMMENT ONLY

Indian Health Service (IHS)/Division of Acquisition Policy (DAP)

Request for Quote # 75H70426Q00040 Title: Office of Finance and Accounting (OFA)

Contract Disputes Act Claims Analysis Support Comments Due: July 21, 2026 12:00PM Eastern Time Primary Point of Contact Luci Cason, Email: cynthia.cason@ihs.gov

This draft RFQ is provided for planning and comment purposes only. It does not constitute a solicitation, request for quotations, or commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or make an award.

Responses to this draft will be used solely to assist the Government in finalizing the acquisition strategy and/or solicitation documents. The Government is under no obligation to respond to comments received.

However, the Government reserves the right to post responses to questions or comments, in whole or in part, for the benefit of all interested parties.

This is a request for quote to issue a Contract for non-personal commercial services. This contract will provide expert consultation services, including Contract Dispute Act (CDA) claims analysis and Contract Support Costs (CSC) analysis, financial analysis, development of oversight mechanisms and tools, and related document preparation in support of current and anticipated litigation of CSC/CDA claims received from Tribes. The Government is issuing a solicitation for the purpose of entering into a contract. Only one award will be made as a result of this solicitation. This acquisition is conducted using the streamlined procedures of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12, as revised under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul.

TYPE OF CONTRACT

The Government contemplates award of a Labor Hour/Time & Materials contract, resulting from this solicitation. The Government intends to evaluate quotations and may award a Contract without conducting exchanges or discussions. However, the Government reserves the right to conduct exchanges or discussions if determined necessary by the Contracting Officer. The primary North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is 541990 All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services with an SBA size standard of $19.5 Million.

SOLICITATION TYPE

This acquisition is being conducted using the procedures in RFO FAR 12.201-1.

SUBMISSION AND INQUIRIES

See Section L “Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offeror” of this solicitation for further instructions.

Submit comments to Luci Cason at cynthia.cason@ihs no later than 12:00PM EST on July 21, 2026. Offeror is instructed specifically to contact only the Contract Specialist in connection with any aspect of this requirement prior to contract award.

Note: comments will not be accepted via facsimile or mail.

Table of Contents Section Description Page B Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs (CLIN Schedule)

C Description/Specifications/Statement of Work

D Packaging and Marking

E Inspection and Acceptance

F Deliveries or Performance

G Administration Data

H Special Requirements

I Contract Clauses

J List of Attachments

K Representations and Certifications of Offerors

L Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors

M Evaluation Factors for Award

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

Base Period

ITEM SUPPLIES/SERVICES UNIT PRICE TOTAL/NOT TO

EXCEED

0001 Contract Disputes Act (CDA) Claims

Analysis

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2026 – 08/15/2027

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

0002 Contract Support Costs (CSC) Proposal Analysis and Operational Support

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2026 – 08/15/2027

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

0003 Document Preparation

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2026 – 08/15/2027

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

0004 Travel and Other Direct Costs

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2026 – 08/15/2027

Time & Materials Line Item

1 Each

QTY/UNIT

0005 Transition Period

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2026 – 08/15/2027

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

Option 1 Period

ITEM

1001 Contract Disputes Act (CDA) Claims Analysis

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2027 – 08/15/2028

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

1002 Contract Support Costs (CSC) Proposal Analysis and Operational Support

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2027 – 08/15/2028

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

1003 Document Preparation

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2027 – 08/15/2028

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

SUPPLIES/SERVICES UNIT PRICE TOTAL/NOT TO

EXCEED

1004 Travel

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2027 – 08/15/2028

Time & Materials Line Item

1 Each

Option 2 Period

ITEM

2001 Contract Disputes Act (CDA) Claims Analysis

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2028 – 08/15/2029

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

2002 Contract Support Costs (CSC) Proposal Analysis and Operational Support

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2028 – 08/15/2029

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

2003 Document Preparation

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2028 – 08/15/2029

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

SUPPLIES/SERVICES UNIT PRICE TOTAL/NOT TO

2004 Travel

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2028 – 08/15/2029

Time & Materials Line Item

1 Each

Option 3 Period

ITEM

3001 Contract Disputes Act (CDA) Claims Analysis

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2029 – 08/15/2030

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

3002 NOT APPLICABLE; CLIN NUMBER

RETAINED FOR NUMBERING

CONSISTENCY

3003 Document Preparation

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2029 – 08/15/2030

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

3004 Travel

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2029 – 08/15/2030

Time & Materials Line Item

1 Each

SUPPLIES/SERVICES UNIT PRICE TOTAL/NOT TO

Option 4 Period

ITEM

4001 Contract Disputes Act (CDA) Claims Analysis

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2030 – 08/15/2031

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

4002 NOT APPLICABLE; CLIN NUMBER

RETAINED FOR NUMBERING

CONSISTENCY

4003 Document Preparation

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2030 – 08/15/2031

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

4004 Travel

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2030 – 08/15/2031

Time & Materials Line Item

1 Each

4005 Transition Period

In accordance with the attached Performance Work Statement

Period of Performance 08/16/2030 – 08/15/2031

Labor Hour, Severable Services Line Item

1 Job

SUPPLIES/SERVICES UNIT PRICE TOTAL/NOT TO

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

See Attachment 1 – Performance Work Statement (PWS)

SECTION D – PACKAGING AND MARKING

There are no packaging, packing, marking, or shipping requirements applicable to this contract. All deliverables shall be submitted electronically in accordance with the Performance Work Statement.

SECTION E – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

The resulting Contract shall be subject to the inspection and acceptance provisions of FAR 52.212-4 Terms and Conditions – Commercial Products and Commercial Services. Additional inspection and acceptance requirements are contained in the attached Performance Work Statement.

SECTION F – DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

The resulting Contract shall be subject to the delivery and performance provisions of FAR 52.212-4 Terms and Conditions – Commercial Products and Commercial Services. Additional delivery and performance requirements are contained in the attached Performance Work Statement.

The period of performance will be a base period of 12 months from August 16, 2026 to August 15, 2027, followed by four 12-month option periods if exercised. Options may be unilaterally exercised by the Government.

SECTION G – ADMINISTRATION DATA

The resulting Contract shall be subject to the provisions and clauses included in Solicitation Attachment 2

– Provisions and Clauses.

Submission of invoices shall be in accordance with HHSAR 352.232-71, Electronic Submission of Payment Requests (Feb 2022), incorporated in full text in Solicitation Attachment 2 – Provisions and Clauses.

Invoices shall be submitted as follows:

Labor-Hour CLINs: Monthly, based on actual labor hours performed during the billing period at the negotiated hourly labor rates. Payment will not be made until COR acceptance of the monthly written status report for the invoiced period.

Travel and ODC CLIN: Travel should be invoiced as authorized travel costs are incurred.

Reimbursement shall be limited to actual allowable costs in accordance with RFO 31.205-46, the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), and the terms of the contract. Travel and ODCs must be approved in advance by the Contracting Officer and COR before any costs are incurred, as outlined in the

PWS.

Invoices shall reference the applicable CLIN(s), billing period, labor category, number of hours billed, and sufficient detail to support the labor hours, travel costs, or ODCs billed.

Contracting Officer Representative (COR):

The (COR) will be identified by a separate letter. The COR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The COR is authorized to perform the following functions: assure that the Contractor performs the technical requirements of the contract; perform inspections necessary in connection with contract performance; maintain written and oral communications with the Contractor concerning technical aspects of the contract; issue written interpretations of technical requirements, including Government drawings, designs, specifications; monitor Contractor's performance and notify both the Contracting Officer and Contractor of any deficiencies; coordinate availability of government furnished property; and provide site entry of Contractor personnel. A letter of designation issued to the COR states the responsibilities and limitations of the COR, especially concerning changes in cost or price, estimates, or changes in delivery dates. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the contract.

Project Officer: A federal Project Officer (PO) will be assigned to provide leadership direction for this requirement. The PO will coordinate with the contractor and with the federal team to ensure the project stays on task. This person will be identified by the COR or the Contracting Officer.

SECTION H – SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Security Requirements The contractor and sub-contractor personnel shall be subject to the same Federal laws, regulations, standards and policies as IHS employees regarding information and information system security, including mandatory training requirements. Contractor personnel may be exposed to sensitive and unclassified information systems and documents.

(a) To perform the work specified herein, Contractor personnel are expected to have routine (1) physical access to an HHS-controlled facility; (2) logical access to an HHS-controlled information system; (3) access to sensitive HHS data or information, whether in an HHS-controlled information system or in hard copy;

or (4) any combination of circumstances (1) through (3).

Contracting personnel visiting any Government facility in conjunction with this contract shall be subject to the standards of conduct applicable to Government employees. Site-specific approval regarding access to any IHS facility, sensitive materials, computer facility access, issues of security badges, etc. shall be coordinated with the COR or IHS Project Manager as required.

Additional Requirements Concerning Data, Data Rights, and Computer Software The Government has unlimited rights to all documents/material produced under this contract. All documents and materials, including the source codes of any software, produced under this contract shall be Government owned and are the property of the Government with all rights and privileges of ownership/copyright belonging exclusively to the Government. These documents and materials may not be used or sold by the contractor without written permission from the Contracting Officer. All materials supplied to the Government shall be the sole property of the Government and may not be used for any other purpose. Permission for use, maintenance, disclosure, and disposition of data is at the sole discretion of the Indian Health Service. This right does not abrogate any other Government rights.

SECTION I – CONTRACT CLAUSES

See Attachment 2 – Provisions and Clauses

SECTION J – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

Attachment 1 – Performance Work Statement

Attachment 2 – Provisions and Clauses

Attachment 3 - Pricing Table

SECTION K – REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS OF OFFERORS

By submission of its quote, the Offeror represents that the representations and certifications contained in the System for Award Management (SAM) are current, accurate, and complete as of the date of offer submission. The Offeror shall identify any material changes to its representations and certifications that may affect its eligibility for award.

SECTION L - INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

The following instructions are provided for informational purposes to facilitate industry review of the anticipated solicitation.

Quote Format

(a) Your quote for this acquisition must be prepared in two parts: a) Technical Quote (Volume I) and b) Price Quote (Volume II). Comments are due July 21, 2026 , 12:00 PM Eastern Time.

(b) The technical quote should have as much detail as you would consider necessary to reflect a clear understanding of the nature of the work being undertaken. The technical quote shall not contain pricing information. However, resource information, such as data concerning labor hours and categories, material, subcontracts, etc., must be contained in the technical quote (without identifying labor rates or prices) so that your understanding of the Performance Work Statement can be evaluated. The technical quote must disclose your technical approach in sufficient detail to provide a clear and concise presentation that addresses, but is not limited to, the requirements of the technical quote instructions.

(c) The quote must be signed by an official authorized to bind your organization.

(d) The offeror must include a cover letter with the following information:

1. The name, title, phone number, e-mail address, and signature of the authorized representative

2. The name, title, phone number, e-mail address of the person to be contacted concerning any matter related to the solicitation (if different from above)

3. Unique Entity Identifier number

4. Company name and mailing address

5. Date quote submitted and quote expiration date

6. Type of company (i.e. small business, 8(a), woman owned, etc.) as validated via the System for

Award

7. Management (SAM). Offeror must register in SAM, located at http://www.sam.gov.

8. Your quote must stipulate that it is predicated upon all the terms and conditions of the RFQ. If not noted in this section of the Quote, it will be assumed that the contractor proposes no assumptions for award and agrees to comply with all of the terms and conditions set forth herein. It is not the responsibility of the Government to seek out and identify assumptions, conditions, or exceptions buried within the quote. In addition, it must contain a statement that it is firm for a period of at least 90 days from the date of receipt by the Government.

e) Offeror shall submit one (1) non-editable PDF copy of their technical quote and one (1) Excel and noneditable PDF copy of their price quote.

(f) The Government will evaluate quotes in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in the “Evaluation of Quote” section further below.

Technical Quote (Volume I) Instructions

(a) The offeror must submit a detailed technical quote including information on the offeror’s capabilities to respond to the requirements as defined in the Performance Work Statement attached to this solicitation. A quote which merely offers to conduct a program in accordance with the requirements of the Government’s Performance Work Statement will not be eligible for award. The technical quote should be in as much detail as you consider necessary (within a limit of 25 pages) to reflect a clear understanding of the nature of the work being undertaken.

(b) The written technical quote shall include, at a minimum, the following sections which Offeror shall use as the Table of Contents for the technical quote.

TAB A: Cover page of technical quote, including solicitation number, volume number, and name and address of offeror TAB B: Table of contents, appendices, CVs/Resumes TAB C: Concise presentation of each of the evaluation criteria

Volume I – Technical Quote

1) Technical Approach

2) Staffing and Management Approach

3) Relevant Experience and Past Performance

Volume II – Price quote

(c) The technical quote shall not exceed 25 pages, excluding Tab A (cover page) and Tab B (table of contents, appendices, CVs/resumes). The technical quote shall be single spaced, single sided, on standard

8.5 x 11-inch pages, with 12-point font and 1’’ margins. 8-point font is acceptable for tables and charts.

All pages in the written technical quote must be sequentially numbered excluding the cover page. Any pages beyond the first 25 pages will be ignored in the evaluation process. The technical quote should stand alone, with the appendices used only for clarifying or backup information. The technical quote should be in as much detail as you consider necessary to reflect a clear understanding of the nature of the work to be undertaken. The offeror shall demonstrate their understanding of the intent and requirements of the contract and any potential challenges which may be encountered in its performance. The technical quote must disclose your technical approach in sufficient detail to address the requirements.

(d) The technical quote (Volume I) shall specifically address the following:

(d)(1) Technical Approach The offeror’s proposed technical approach must demonstrate their plan to achieve all tasks outlined in the Performance Work Statement. This approach should contain sufficient quantitative details to permit a complete and accurate evaluation of the approach from a strictly technical viewpoint.

At a minimum, the quotation shall:

a) Provide a detailed and comprehensive discussion demonstrating an understanding of the scope, purpose, objectives, and requirements of the requirement.

b) Describe the proposed technical approach for accomplishing each task identified in the Performance Work Statement, including the methodology, processes, and resources that will be used to perform the work.

c) Describe the contractor's approach for identifying, mitigating, and resolving risks or performance challenges that may arise during contract performance.

(d)(2) Staffing and Management Approach The contractor shall submit a Staffing and Management Approach describing how it will organize, manage, and staff the effort throughout the period of performance. The quote shall clearly demonstrate that the proposed personnel satisfy the minimum personnel qualifications identified in the Performance Work Statement. The Government may determine a quote to be unacceptable if it fails to demonstrate (in Tab C, Volume I, Section 2 of the Technical Quote) its compliance with the minimum personnel qualifications identified in the Performance Work Statement.

At a minimum, the quotation shall:

a) Identify the proposed labor categories and hours necessary to perform the requirement.

b) Describe the qualifications, relevant experience, certifications (if applicable), and responsibilities of proposed key and non-key personnel, including how the proposed personnel possess the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to perform the requirements of the Performance Work Statement.

c) Describe the contractor's approach for maintaining qualified personnel throughout contract performance, including replacement procedures, if necessary.

d) Describe the contractor's management approach for schedule management, deliverables, quality control, stakeholder coordination, and communication with the Government.

(d)(3) Relevant Experience and Past Performance The contractor shall submit information demonstrating its recent and relevant experience performing projects similar in scope, size, and complexity to the requirements described in the Performance Work Statement (PWS). The contractor shall provide information for up to three (3) contracts or task orders performed within the past five (5) years that it considers most relevant to this requirement. For each contract or task order, the quoter shall provide:

1. Customer/Agency name

2. Contract number

3. Period of performance

4. Contract type

5. Total contract value

6. A brief description of the work performed, including an explanation of how the work is similar in scope, size, and complexity to this requirement and

7. Customer point of contact, including name, title, telephone number, and email address

Price Quote (Volume II) Instructions

(a) The price quote must be prepared on 8.5 x 11’’ pages, using 12-point font, and 1’’ margins. 8-point font is acceptable for tables and charts. The price quote is not restricted to a page limitation. However, Offeror is advised that any documentation that is not attributable to the information requested for inclusion in the price quote, or any documentation that appears to be an overflow of the technical quote, may not be evaluated.

(b) Offeror is required to submit pricing data for the proposed costs with their quote. The price quote must include, at a minimum, the following sections:

1. Price quote cover sheet and table of contents, containing the following information (as applicable):

Solicitation and/or amendment number; volume number Name and address of offeror Number of pages of price quote

2. Signed copy of the solicitation face page and any solicitation amendment face pages

3. Completed “Supplies or Services and Prices” section of the solicitation

4. A completed Pricing Table (attached to this Solicitation as Attachment 3)

All of the above must be executed by an official authorized to bind the offeror.

(c) Offeror shall complete the Pricing Table attached to this solicitation (or provide an equivalent table) to reflect:

1. Services CLINs Pricing shall include sufficient detail to support each CLIN, including proposed labor categories, estimated hours, and hourly labor rates included in the proposed price, sufficient to permit the Government to evaluate price reasonableness.

Proposed hourly labor rates shall be fully burdened hourly rates and shall include all direct labor, indirect costs, overhead, general and administrative (G&A) expenses, profit, and all other costs associated with performing the labor-hour services, except for Travel and Other Direct Costs reimbursed under the applicable CLIN.

2. Travel and Other Direct Costs CLIN The Government has established the following not-to-exceed amounts for travel for evaluation purposes. Offerors shall include the Government-established amounts in their total proposed price and shall not modify these amounts. Travel and ODCs will be reimbursed only for actual, allowable costs incurred and pre-approved by the Contracting Officer and COR.

Base Year: $50,000.00 Option Year 1: $52,500.00 Option Year 2: $45,125.00 Option Year 3: $37,381.00 Option Year 4: $39,250.00

3. Offerors are neither requested nor required to propose the 6-month option period under

FAR 52.217-8.

Suggested Labor Categories and Hours: the suggested labor categories and hours below are suggestions, and offerors are not required to use these labor categories or hours in their quote.

Labor Category CLIN X001 CDA Claims Analysis Hours

CLIN X002

CSC Proposal Analysis and Operational Support Hours

CLIN X003

Document Preparation Hours

CLIN X005

Transition Period Hours

BASE PERIOD

Senior Partner/Lead Consultant 250 0 0 0 Partner 5 0 0 0 Senior Manager 5 90 0 0 Manager 350 240 25 0 Supervisory Senior 1750 0 0 0 Senior Auditor/Consultant 1350 360 0 0 Staff Auditor/Consultant 1120 1324 0 20 Document Preparation 0 0 750 0

OPTION 1 PERIOD

Senior Partner/Lead Consultant 250 0 0 0 Partner 5 0 0 0 Senior Manager 5 45 0 0 Manager 350 120 25 0 Supervisory Senior 1750 0 0 0 Senior Auditor/Consultant 1350 180 0 0 Staff Auditor/Consultant 1120 650 0 0 Document Preparation 0 0 750 0

OPTION 2 PERIOD

Senior Partner/Lead Consultant 250 0 0 0 Partner 5 0 0 0 Senior Manager 5 10 0 0 Manager 350 50 25 0 Supervisory Senior 1750 0 0 0 Senior Auditor/Consultant 1350 50 0 0 Staff Auditor/Consultant 1120 200 0 0 Document Preparation 0 0 750 0

OPTION 3 PERIOD

Senior Partner/Lead Consultant 250 0 0 0 Partner 5 0 0 0 Senior Manager 5 0 0 0 Manager 350 0 25 0 Supervisory Senior 1750 0 0 0 Senior Auditor/Consultant 1350 0 0 0 Staff Auditor/Consultant 1120 0 0 0 Document Preparation 0 0 750 0

OPTION 4 PERIOD

Senior Partner/Lead Consultant 250 0 0 0 Partner 5 0 0 0 Senior Manager 5 0 0 0

Manager 350 0 25 0 Supervisory Senior 1750 0 0 0 Senior Auditor/Consultant 1350 0 0 0 Staff Auditor/Consultant 1120 0 0 0 Document Preparation 0 0 750 0

Suggested Labor Category Descriptions (Informational Only) The following descriptions are provided solely to assist offerors in understanding the Government's suggested labor categories and estimated hours. Offerors are not required to use these labor categories and may propose labor categories that they determine are appropriate to successfully perform the requirements in the Performance Work Statement.

Senior Partner / Lead Consultant (8+ Years of Relevant Experience) Takes responsibility for strategic direction and overall operation. Serves as the senior technical advisor.

Partner (8+ Years of Relevant Experience) Performs components of the roles below and provides executive-level oversight and strategic direction for contract performance.

Senior Manager (6+ Years of Relevant Experience) The Senior Manager is responsible for managing the Manager, Supervisory Senior, Senior Auditor/Consultant, and Staff Auditor/Consultant to ensure the work is being completed on a timely basis and within parameters.

Manager (4–7 Years of Relevant Experience) A manager is responsible for managing the overall workflow, from planning to completion. They oversee a team of staff, including associates and senior associates, review work papers, and ensure that the team is meeting expectations. While they may or may not be the external point of contact, they are internally responsible for ensuring that all work is completed.

Supervisory Senior (3–7 Years of Relevant Experience) The supervisory senior position bridges the gap between a senior auditor/consultant and manager. The supervisory senior is developing and becoming a subject matter expert.

Responsibilities often also include the responsibilities of the Senior Auditor/Consultant and Manager. They are often responsible for training new staff and reviewing Senior Auditor/Consultant work papers.

Senior Auditor / Consultant (2–5 Years of Relevant Experience) A senior auditor/consultant is a more experienced auditor/consultant. The senior auditor/consultant role is a mix of different types of responsibilities and questions coming from the staff auditor/consultant, supervisory senior, managers, partners, and senior partners. These extra responsibilities may include:

Reviewing staff workpapers Creating the first draft of technical documentation such as memos Creation and maintenance of more complex workpapers Mentoring new staff

Staff Auditor / Consultant (1–3 Years of Relevant Experience) Entry level role where professionals will learn audit or consulting service by completing work papers over the more basic areas.

Small Business Subcontracting Plan Instructions (Applicable to Other Than Small Business Offerors) Offerors that do not represent themselves as a small business under the applicable NAICS code shall, upon request of the Contracting Officer, submit an acceptable Small Business Subcontracting Plan in accordance with FAR 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan. Upon request, it shall be submitted through the HHS Small Business Customer Experience (SBCX) system, or other method identified by the Contracting Officer. Additional instructions will be provided at the time of the request.

The subcontracting plan must be acceptable to the Contracting Officer. Failure to submit and negotiate an acceptable subcontracting plan within the time prescribed by the Contracting Officer may render an offeror ineligible for award.

SECTION M – EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

Offeror’s quote will be evaluated in two areas: technical and price.

Evaluation of Quote The Government will use streamlined evaluation procedures under FAR Part 12. Quotations will be evaluated using a comparative best-value approach considering Technical Approach, Staffing and Management Approach, Relevant Experience/Past Performance, and Price. Non-price factors, when combined, are significantly more important than price. Therefore, the Government reserves the right to award to other than the lowest priced quote. However, the Government will not make an award at a significantly higher overall cost to achieve only slightly superior technical capability.

The Government may evaluate quotations in the order deemed most efficient. If the Government determines that a quotation is technically unacceptable or otherwise ineligible for award under any evaluation factor, the Government reserves the right not to evaluate the remaining factors, including past performance and price.

Notice of Intent to Award Without Discussions Quoters are advised that the Government intends to evaluate quotations and make an award without conducting discussions. Therefore, quoters are advised that their initial quote should be their best from a technical and price standpoint.

Quotes will be evaluated using the following factors and price:

Evaluation Factor 1: Technical Approach The Government will evaluate quotations to determine whether the proposed technical approach demonstrates a thorough understanding of the Performance Work Statement and provides a sound, practical, and feasible approach for successfully accomplishing the required tasks.

The evaluation may consider:

a) The contractor's understanding of the scope, objectives, and requirements of the requirement

b) the extent to which the technical approach complies with the requirements and tasks specified in the Performance Work Statement and its consistency with the stated goals and objectives of the Performance Work Statement

c) The contractor's approach for identifying, mitigating, and resolving technical or performance risks

Evaluation Factor 2: Staffing and Management Approach Quotes will be evaluated based on their ability to demonstrate a sound management approach and staffing plan that supports successful performance of the contract tasks and responsibilities. The Government will evaluate whether the proposed personnel meet the minimum qualifications specified in the Performance Work Statement, including required certifications and experience. Failure to demonstrate compliance with the minimum personnel qualifications may result in the quote being determined technically unacceptable.

The evaluation may consider:

a) Appropriateness of proposed labor categories and hours

b) Whether the proposed personnel possess the qualifications, certifications, relevant experience, and subject matter expertise necessary to successfully perform the requirements of the Performance Work Statement, including any minimum qualifications identified in the PWS.

c) The contractor's ability to maintain qualified personnel throughout performance

d) The proposed management approach for schedule management, quality control, deliverables, and

Government coordination

Evaluation Factor 3: Relevant Experience and Past Performance Quoters will be evaluated based on their recent and relevant experience and previous performance in projects of similar scope, size, and complexity to the requirements described in the Performance Work Statement. Overall, this factor will be evaluated to assess the degree to which the quoter’s experience and past performance indicate a likelihood of successful performance of the required services.

The Government may evaluate past performance information obtained from the quoter's submission, the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), customer references, Government records, or any other reasonable source of information available to the Government. The Government reserves the right to verify information provided by the quoter but is not required to do so, and is not required to contact the references identified in the quotation.

Evaluation of Price Quote A price analysis will be conducted to determine the reasonableness of the price quote. Quotes will be evaluated to determine if the price is fair and reasonable. The Government may use one or more price analysis techniques, including comparison of proposed prices received, comparison to the IGCE, comparison to historical prices, or other methods available to the Contracting Officer. The total evaluated price will be utilized as the basis for evaluating price. If necessary to support the determination of price reasonableness, the Government may request additional supporting information, including other than certified cost or pricing data.

The Government may, but is not required to, evaluate whether the proposed labor categories, labor mix, and estimated level of effort are reasonable for the scope and complexity of the requirement. A quotation that proposes an unrealistically low or excessive level of effort, or an unreasonable labor mix, may be considered less favorable if it increases performance risk or indicates a lack of understanding of the requirement.

The Government reserves the right to make an award on any item for a quantity less than the quantity offered, at the unit cost or prices offered, unless the offeror specifies otherwise in the quote. The Government may determine that a quote is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced.