3-Addendum 1_75N96024Q00019.pdf

Addendum 1 75N96024Q00019

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March 21, 2024

RFQ#: 75N96024Q00019

PURPOSE: This addendum is issued to answer timely questions received from potential respondents.

OPPORTUNITY TITLE: Centralized Media Processing and Glassware Services

GENERAL INFORMATION

Document Type: Combined Solicitation/Synopsis Solicitation Number: 75N96024Q00019 Posted Date: March 13, 2024 Original Response Date: April 4, 2024@11:00AM Current Response Date: April 4, 2024@11:00AM Product or Service Code: S201 Set Aside: Small Business – 100% NAICS Code: 561210

Questions

1. Question: Is there an incumbent currently performing this work? If so, please provide the name of the contractor and the contract number.

Answer:

Incumbent Contract Number: 75N96024P00006 Incumbent Contractor: Evergreen Consulting, Inc.

Incumbent Contract Type: FFP Incumbent Contract Acquisition Strategy: Sole Source Incumbent Contract Period of Performance: 11/06/2023-04/30/2024

2. Question: Can the government please provide the incumbent total action obligations/ total contract value for the incumbent contract?

Answer: Incumbent Award Value: $420,000.00

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3. Question: Can the government please provide historical workload data for all positions?

Answer: No, this information is not available for a firm-fixed price contract.

4. Reference: RFQ Page 3, “Offerors must complete annual representations and certifications on-line at http://orca.bpn.gov in accordance with FAR 52.212-3” Question: The link does not work. Can the government confirm and update the referenced website to reflect completion of annual representations and certifications in SAM.gov?

Answer: Offerors and quoters are required to complete electronic annual representations and certifications in SAM accessed via https://www.sam.gov

5. Reference: RFP Page 5, II. Scope and Requirements “The Contractor shall provide and require its employees to use appropriate personal protective equipment (i.e. safety glasses, uniforms, safety shoes, respiratory protection, etc.) as provided by the Government.”

Question: Can the government please confirm that all personal protective equipment (PPE) will be provided by the government?

Answer: The Contractor shall provide appropriate personal protective equipment.

6. Reference: RFQ Page 2, Place of Performance “Address: 111 T.W. Alexander Drive RTP, NC 27709”

RFQ Page 8, Place of Performance/Delivery “The Government expects all work to be performed at the Contractor’s site. The Government’s physical location is: NIEHS Campus… 111 T.W. Alexander Drive.”

Question: Can the government please clarify that all work and performance is anticipated to be conducted at the government’s facilities (NEIHS Campus), and not “at the Contractor’s site”?

Answer: All work and performance will be conducted at the government’s facilities (NIEHS Campus)

7. Reference: RFQ Page 20, 7.6 Subcontracting and Teaming “A subcontracting plan shall be submitted as part of the quote to the CO and must be approved prior to onboarding any subcontract staff.”

Question: Are Offerors expected to provide the Subcontracting Plan as part of their Technical Capability (Volume I), or submit it as a separate attachment?

https://www.sam.gov/

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Answer: The use of subcontractors is permitted under this contract with approval granted from the CO and COR. If the contractor plans to subcontract any part of the work, then the Subcontracting Plan must be submitted with the quote.

8. Reference: RFQ Pages 10 and 11, 6.4 Contractor Key Personnel “The following individual(s) is/are considered to be essential to the work being performed hereunder: Title.

Project Manager” RFQ Page 28, Type and Extent of Training/Experience Personnel “The offeror’s proposal will be evaluated on identifying which personnel are considered key personnel” Question: Can the government please confirm that only the Project Manager is deemed Key Personnel?

Answer: Minimally, the Project Manager is considered Key Personnel; however, offerors’ proposals will be evaluated to identify if any additional positions are to be considered key personnel.

9. Reference: RFQ Page 25, 10.3 Content and Submission Instruction. “Quoters shall submit a consolidated quotation composed as follows (must be provided via separate volumes via five separate submitted files): • TRANSMITTAL/COVER LETTER” Question: Does the government have specific requirements for what must be presented in Quoters’ Transmittal/Cover Letter?

Answer: There are no specific requirements; however, most contract cover letters express interest, identify the person(s) who can bind the company, state whether there are any conflicts of interests, and express why the company provides the best value for the government. Your cover letter can state whatever your company thinks is important for the government to know about it.

10. Reference: RFQ Page 25, 10.3 Content and Submission Instruction. Volume I Technical Capability. Page Limitations “30 (Up to 5 pages applied to Quality Control Plan)” Question: Does the 30-page limit encompass the five (5) pages applied to the Quality Control Plan, or does the government allow an additional five (5) pages (i.e., 35 pages total)?

Answer: Volume I (Technical Capability) is limited to 30 pages, total.

11. Reference: RFQ Page 25, 10.3 Content and Submission Instruction. Volume II Past Performance Submission. Page Limitations “4 Total (1-page matrix plus 1 page per reference)” Question: Would the government consider increasing the page limitation for Past Performances references, to allow for more than one (1) page per reference to ensure all requisite information can be adequately provided?

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Answer: Please limit your response to the number of pages allowed.

12. Reference: RFQ Page 25, I. Technical Capability (Volume I) “Staffing approach that provides for hiring and maintaining personnel with the capabilities, experience, and certifications beneficial for satisfying the Statement of Work requirements” RFQ Pages 28 and 29, Type and Extent of Training/Experience Personnel “In addition, offeror should provide: examples of general training and experience requirements for non-key personnel” Question: Would the government confirm that it is up to the offerors to determine what experience requirements and certifications are appropriate and beneficial for all proposed non-key personnel?

Answer: As noted on Page 25, shall provide a technical quotation addressing: “Staffing approach that provides for hiring and maintaining personnel with the capabilities, experience, and certifications beneficial for satisfying the Statement of Work requirements, including recruitment and retention of qualified and key personnel.”

13. Reference: RFQ Pages 26 and 27, III. Price & Business Submission (Volume III) “3. Other Direct Costs – Other direct costs (equipment) are estimated by the Government. Quotations are not required in this area.”

Question: If Quoters need not provide a quotation, does the government intend to provide a “PLUG Number” for ODCs?

Answer: No.

14. Reference: RFQ Page 30, 2. Evaluation Criteria, Factor 2: Past Performance “Include the following information for each contract or subcontract listed: (10) Key personnel (please highlight those individuals who worked on the relevant project(s) and are being proposed for this effort).”

Question: Can the government confirm that Key Personnel information should only be provided within Past Performance references if these same individuals are proposed to work on this NIEH contract?

Answer:. Provide Key Personnel for the contract and highlight those individuals who worked on the relevant project(s) and are being proposed for this effort.

15. Question: Can the government please provide all updates in red or a highlighted font within the amended solicitation to clearly demonstrate the exact changes made?

Answer: The Combined Solicitation/Synopsis will not be amended. This Q&A will be posted as an Addendum.

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16. Question: Can the government please ensure that all questions provided to the government are responded to? We understand that some may appear to be duplicates between vendors, however this help ensures all questions are accounted for.

Answer: All Questions are answered and posted as an Addendum.

17. Reference: RFQ Page 25, 10.3 Content and Submission Instruction, “Quoters shall submit a consolidated quotation composed as follows (must be provided via separate volumes via five separate submitted files) …” Question: Can the government please clarify what the fifth file should be if the other four

(4) are 1. Transmittal/Cover Letter, 2. Volume I: Technical Capability, 3. Volume II: Past Performance Submission, 4. Volume III: Price and Business Submission?

Answer: There are four files.

18. Reference: RFQ Page 25, 10.3 Content and Submission Instruction, Past Performance Submission – “4 total (1 page matrix plus 1 page per reference)” RFQ Page 26 II. PAST PERFORMANCE SUBMISSION (VOLUME II) “A Past Performance submission is required. The submission shall identify three (3) Contracts and/or Task Orders with federal, state, local Government, commercial sources, or not-for-profit sources and should highlight the company’s key role in the past performance being documented. This information shall consist of a one (1)-page introductory matrix listing the quoter’s past performance references.”

Question: What information should be contained in the matrix on the first page of the Past Performance Submission compared to the information on the following reference pages?

Answer: The first page should be an introductory page, which includes a matrix structured with information you deem relevant to introduce your references, followed by one page per reference.

19. Reference: RFQ Page 28, 2. Evaluation Criteria, Factor 1, Technical Understanding and Approach, “Additionally, the proposal will be evaluated on the offeror’s detailed plan for training personnel in the following areas: Identifying and handling of laboratory glassware, preparing media, operating equipment, sterilizing procedures” Question: Would the government consider moving this evaluation criteria to the section titled “Type and Extent of Training/Experience of Personnel”? This will prevent unneeded repetition in proposals and will streamline content.

Answer: Please prepare your quote as requested and note in Section 10.2 Specific Instructions, “Your firm’s quotation shall include all data and information requested by the solicitation and shall be submitted in accordance with these instructions. The quotation

Page 6 | 6 shall be compliant with the requirements of the solicitation. Nonconformance with the instructions may result in removal of the quotation from further evaluation.”

20. Reference: RFQ Page 36, 2. Evaluation Criteria, Factor 1, Type and Extent of Training/Experience of Personnel, “The offeror’s proposal will be evaluated on identifying which personnel are considered key personnel and then presenting documented training and experience of the identified key personnel in the following areas…” Question: Is it the government’s intention to have offerors submit a resume of an individual that meets all listed requirements?

Answer: Reference Page 28. After key personnel are identified, documentation will be presented to the government by the company to verify training and experience of those personnel.

21. Question: Can the proposal volumes be submitted in PDF format?

Answer: Yes.

22. Question: In order to best reference in our proposal response, can the government please confirm the official contract title for this procurement?

Answer: CENTRALIZED MEDIA PROCESSING AND GLASSWARE SERVICES

23. Question: Is the government going to evaluate the vendors’ labor categories selection?

Answer: No. This is a service contract, which is subject to the Service Contract Act.

Minimum rates are required per labor classification.

24. Question: Is Executive Order 14055 of November 18, 2021, applicable to this solicitation and contract?

Answer: Yes, federal contractors and subcontractors on a covered successor contract are required to offer jobs to qualified employees employed under the predecessor contract.

25. Question: In order to effectively respond to the solicitation, can the government please provide a one-week extension once the Q/As are posted?

Answer: Currently, the government does not anticipate extending the response date.