Response Questions_75N96023R00001_010623.pdf

Title: NIEHS Laboratory Animal Husbandry and Technical Support Services (LAHTSS) Solicitation No.: 75N96023R00001

No. Government Solicitation Question Page Section No./Name Text 1 SOW 9 Section III. d. Colony Management

Supervisor, Qualifications LATg certification Please advise that this position should have a requirement of LATG if the Breeding Specialist requires LATG. Yes

2 SOW 12 Section III. j. Technical Remote Specialist, Qualifications

LAT Certification LATg is encouraged. Please advise that position should have a requirement of LATG since it is responsible to training at all levels. LATg encouraged

3 SOW 16 Section III. Table: Positions Colony Managers LAT certification LATg encouraged. Please confirm that this position is not LAT but LATG encouraged.

4 SOW 17 Section III. r. Where corrective actions by the Contractor are required which could in any way affect research programs, the Contractor shall inform the COR prior to taking any action unless an emergency which threatens the well-being of the animals, and the research mission requires immediate action. In the case of such an emergency, the Contractor may take remedial action deemed appropriate by the industry for an animal research environment such as NIEHS, followed by immediate notification of the COR.

Please confirm if this is a new requirement.

This is a new requirement

5 SOW 20 Section IV: Statement of Work Requirements #16

Once each employee has completed the Contractor’s occupational health and safety program, the assurance statement of program completion containing the signature of each employee adjacent to the date of completion is to be delivered to the COR. Prior to starting work in the animal facility, the contractor’s resume must be accompanied by a statement by the Contractor’s physician for occupational fitness that state that “…this person is fit for duty.”

Please confirm if this is a new requirement.

This is a new requirement.

6 SOW 35 Section VI. Specific Tasks, Transgenic Technical support (n.)

Participate in Management weekend/holiday on-call rotation schedule.

Please confirm if this position is to stay in the rotation or can it be covered by a supervisor. This would fall under the requirement to have a breeding technician or colony manager on site during the weekend..

7 SOW 38 Section VI. Specific Tasks, Support of ABF and animal transport section (i)

Participate in management weekend/holiday on-call rotation schedule as needed.

Please confirm if this position is to stay in the rotation or can it be covered by a supervisor. Can be covered by Supervisor

8 SOW 39 Section VI. Specific Tasks, Support

Operations Supervisory section (i) Participates in Management weekend/holiday on call rotation schedule.

Please confirm if this position is to stay in the rotation or can it be covered by a supervisor. This is meant as an option for the project manager to lessen the burden of weekend coverage on the module supervisors. If needed the Animal Feed, Bedding and Transport Supervisor could fill in for the Supervisor on the weekend shift.

9 SOW 55 Section VII. Reporting Requirements (Deliverables): 3.

Report of Employee Health Status:

The Contractor shall submit to the COR one copy semi-annually.

This report shall include up to date information on each employee’s health status, without violating HIPA regulations, in relation to the employee’s ability to perform duties without restriction and without undue risk to themselves and the animal population. The first report will be submitted within thirty (30) days of contract award and every six months thereafter.

Is this a new requirement? If so, please advise who would do this. It is a new requirement.

10 General Will the government request bidders to submit a letter of commitment (LOC) from key personnel to ensure that bidders proposed key personnel are committed to working on the contract and avoid engaging in a “bait and switch”. No requirement for

LOC.

11 General In light of there being 24 days to submit proposals and the continual delays associated with registering joint ventures (JV) in SAM.gov, would NIEHS consider amending the RFP to include expedited JV registration procedures similar to those in Class Deviation 2023-O0001 – Verification of Eligibility of Small Business Joint Ventures?

Alternatively, due to the 24-day proposal deadline and difficulties with JV registration in SAM.gov, would NIEHS consider extending the proposal due date by 30 days to allow potential small business/8(a) JVs the fair opportunity to compete and submit a proposal under the RFP? RFP will be extended until 5:00pm EST on Monday, 16 January 2023.

Question: Will the Government please confirm the positions and corresponding labor hours? The updated spreadsheet omits some positions that were there previously and uses 2080 annual labor hours instead of the 1880 previously posted.

Answer: See attachment posted to https://sam.gov named - 1-6-2023 Attachment 2-Labor Classifications and Estimated Hours Per Year Revised.

Question: The overtime hours have been removed from the spreadsheet. Are overtime hours to be included in the cost volume?

Answer: See attachment posted to https://sam.gov named - 1-6-2023 Attachment 2-Labor Classifications and Estimated Hours Per

Question: The list of positions in the RFP does not match the positions listed in the amended spreadsheet. Will the government please clarify all positions?

Answer: See attachment posted to https://sam.gov named - 1-6-2023 Attachment 2-Labor Classifications and Estimated Hours Per https://sam.gov/

Question: On the 1/3/23 amended attachment 2- Labor classification and estimated hours/per year the Breeding Technician is listed as 12 FTE with 35,360 hours. However using the same calculation 35,360 hours results in 17 FTE. If you can please clarify which is the correct estimate?

Answer: See attachment posted to https://sam.gov named - 1-6-2023 Attachment 2-Labor Classifications and Estimated Hours Per

Question: On the 1/3/23 amended attachment 2- Labor classification and estimated hours/per year the Colony Managers is listed as 5 FTE with 20,800 hours. However using the same calculation 20,800 hours results in 10 FTE. If you can please clarify which is the correct estimate?

Answer: See attachment posted to https://sam.gov named - 1-6-2023 Attachment 2-Labor Classifications and Estimated Hours Per

Question: On the 1/3/23 amended attachment 2- Labor classification and estimated hours/per year in the optional labor section the Colony Managers is listed as 5 FTE with 20,800 hours. However using the same calculation 20,800 hours results in 10 FTE. If you can please clarify which is the correct estimate? (Assuming this last one does not matter as your optional labor is based on LH and may or may not be ordered).

Answer: See attachment posted to https://sam.gov named - 1-6-2023 Attachment 2-Labor Classifications and Estimated Hours Per Year Revised.

Question: The CBA document provided is only an addendum to a main document that is referenced. The reference to the main document is regarding information that is needed to properly determine the Health & Welfare expenses that we would be required to abide by under the SCA. It is understood that the incumbent is currently negotiating a new agreement with the union but in the mean time would it be possible to obtain the full CBA as it stands now?

Answer: See attached original CBA named FEFA ALPHA OMEGA CBA 2016-2019, plus two other supplemental agreements for 2020 and 2021, also between FEFA/Alpha Omega and the union. See attachments for other two supplemental agreements named CBA Signed_Supplemental_Agreement_FEFA Alpha Omega NIEHS 2020 -8 31 2020 AND named CBA Signed Supplemental Agreement 2021.

https://sam.gov/

Question: We request that the government consider extending the due dates of the response by 2 weeks from the time the Q&A’s are released in order to ensure bidders have sufficient time to provide a proposal that fully addresses the solicitation.

Answer: RFP will be extended until 5:00pm EST on Monday, 16 January 2023.