ETIS_III_DRFP_80GSFC18R0034_Questions_and_Answers_v.2.pdf

80GSFC18R0034

ENVIRONMENTAL TEST AND INTEGRATION SERVICES (ETIS) III

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

14. QUESTION: Does the Government intend to host a site visit?

ANSWER: If an Offeror hasn't already visited GSFC and needs to visit the site, please contact the Contracting Officer by 2:00 p.m. local time on August 8th and the Contracting

Officer will schedule a visit for August 15th. Please send the names of attendees and whether or not you require a Government escort at the gate, or if there is another individual at GSFC that can sponsor your visit. If you require the Government to escort you at the gate, security needs 2-3 days advanced notice (3 days for foreign nationals).

Please note the Government will not provide information regarding the ETIS III DRFP or

RFP during a site-visit.

15. QUESTION: Reference Clause H.6, 1852.209-71 Limitation of Future Contracting. Will

NASA consider removing this clause or provide a list of contracts that may be considered in conflict to this program.

ANSWER: It is the Offeror's responsibility to identify Organizational Conflicts of

Interest (OCIs). The clause will not be removed.

16. QUESTION: Reference M.4, Subfactor C. “(4) NASA will evaluate the Offeror’s participation and/or proposed participation in the Mentor Protégé program and their planned commitment to enter into mentor-protégé agreements to provide appropriate developmental assistance to enhance the protégé’s ability to perform successfully under contracts and/or subcontracts.” Will the Government modify the RFP to evaluate the

Offerors NASA and/or SBA Mentor Protégé Programs?

ANSWER: No, the Government will not modify the RFP.

17. QUESTION: Reference L.30, Subfactor B, “B.2 The Offeror shall describe its strategy for using (or not using) significant subcontractors (based on the definition of significant subcontractor in the cost volume instructions). If significant subcontractors are proposed, the Offeror shall identify the interfaces between its organizational structure and the significant subcontractors. Additionally, the proposal shall describe: the nature and extent of the work to be performed by the subcontractor, including split of responsibilities and the potential percentages of work to be performed. The Offeror shall discuss its plans for addressing any performance issues on subcontracted portions of the contract.” Would the government please clarify, it seems the first half of the requirement is only looking for discussion on “significant” subcontractors but the second half

(additionally, the proposal shall) seems to be requesting information on any/all subcontractors. Is this correct, that the second half of the request is to describe information on subcontractors and is not limited to that of significant subcontractors?

ANSWER: The first three sentences apply only to significant subcontractors. The third sentence will be updated to add the word “significant” in the final RFP for clarity. The last sentence applies more generally to ANY subcontracted work.

18. QUESTION: Reference L.27 (a)(2), “Prime Offerors and proposed Significant

Subcontractors for Cost Volume proposal purposes defined as any subcontract that is likely to exceed 25% of the Government Pricing Model (GPM) Grand Total value shall [.

. .].” Reference L.31(a), “A significant subcontractor is defined as any subcontractor whose estimated value causes the cumulative percentage of subcontractor work (from lowest to highest percentage of work) to meet or exceed 20% of the total GPM estimated value.”

The DRFP defines “Significant Subcontractors for Cost Volume proposal purposes” differently in the two referenced DRFP Sections. Which one is correct?

ANSWER: The latter definition “…causes the cumulative percentage [. . .] to meet or exceed 20% [. . .]” is correct.

19. QUESTION: Reference Enclosure CC. Are the hours listed for “ONSITE GPM-

Specified Non-Management” Designer III correct (17 hours annually)? Also, are the hours listed under “MANUFACTURING ONSITE GPM-Specified Non-Management” for Engineer IV and Network Admin correct (4 hours and 1 hour each annually)?

ANSWER: Yes, these hours are correct.

20. QUESTION: May offerors propose additional direct non-management labor categories in Attachment B beyond those within Enclosure CC as long as the appropriate position description is provided? Note: Section L.31 (2)(b) states, “The direct labor categories must reflect all labor categories and levels within each individual labor category anticipated to perform the requirements of the Statement of Work and should range from entry level to the most senior level.”

ANSWER: No.

21. QUESTION: Please confirm that the Government requires only Administrative personnel to be housed off site.

ANSWER: Yes.

22. QUESTION: The Government requires the submission of an OCI Avoidance Plan as part of the Offer Volume; however, the Offer Volume does not specify where the Plan should be placed. Please advise.

ANSWER: The OCI plan needs to be included in the Offer Volume. There isn't a requirement to place it in a particular place within the Offer Volume.

23. QUESTION: Reference L.27 (b), BOE page count (35 pages). Would the government consider increasing this page allocation to 50 pages?

ANSWER: No, the page count will not change.

24. QUESTION: Reference L.32. What is the maximum number of past performance programs requested (normally 3-5)? How many should represent the Prime versus a

Significant Subcontractor?

ANSWER: The Government isn't providing a maximum number of programs, nor will the Government specify how many should be from the Prime versus Significant

Subcontractor.

25. QUESTION: Will the government consider establishing a minimum award fee?

ANSWER: No, the Government will not establish a minimum award fee.

26. QUESTION: The DRFP cover letter indicates that the anticipated release date for the

Final RFP will be August 1 with proposals due approximately 30 calendar days later.

Would the government consider extending the time for proposal submission to 45 days?

ANSWER: The Government does not anticipate a 45-day RFP at this time.

27. QUESTION: Reference L.32 (b). In lieu of a paper copy of the completed questionnaire

(Exhibit 13), mailed in a sealed envelope to the NASA Contracting Officer, will the

Government accept completed questionnaires from our customer references in scanned pdf format as attachments sent via email to the NASA Contracting Officer’s email address provided?

ANSWER: Yes, Past Performance Questionnaires may be emailed directly to the

Contracting Officer.

28. QUESTION: Reference Attachment J & Enclosure CC. Attachment J identifies which labor categories are covered under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The government provides GPM hours by labor category in Enclosure CC. The indication is that all hours in Enclosure CC for a labor category identified as a CBA labor category in

Attachment J are for CBA covered work. For example, the indication is that the 49,376 onsite hours for the Engineering Tech V (a CBA-covered category) performed by individuals covered under the CBA? However, the RFP isn't clear that none of those

49,376 hours are (or can be) performed by non-CBA personnel. We request the government either (1) clarify that all hours identified in Enclosure CC for a category identified as CBA in Attachment J are CBA hours or (2) provide an updated Enclosure

CC which has a column for CBA hours and a column for non-CBA hours by labor category.

ANSWER: Offerors need to address per L.31 (b)(1). Additionally, please review

Attachment J, U.S. Department of Labor Wage Determination and Collective Bargaining

Agreement (CBA). Per the Wage Determination, "In accordance with Section 2(a) and

4(c) of the Service Contract Act, as amended, employees employed by the contractor(s) in performing services covered by the Collective Bargaining Agreement(s) are to be paid wage rates and fringe benefits set forth in the current collective bargaining agreement and modified extension agreement(s)."

29. QUESTION: Reference Attachment J. and Enclosure EE. Attachment J identifies which labor categories are covered under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The government provides available average contract historical direct labor rates for those categories with historical information. We request the government either (1) clarify that the average direct labor rates for CBA labor categories in Enclosure EE are based on only individuals covered under the CBA or (2) provide an updated Enclosure EE which has a column for average CBA direct labor rates and a column for average non-CBA direct labor rates by labor category.

ANSWER: Enclosure EE differentiates between which labor is CBA vs. non-CBA. The

Government provided Historical Data for labor categories where it had shareable data.

30. QUESTION: Reference Enclosure CC & Exhibit 1A. We request the government please provide a definition of the difference between the "ONSITE" and "MANUFACTURING

ONSITE" work locations. They are both labeled as onsite and the RFP does not identify any additional/different cost requirements for the Manufacturing site beyond the split of locations on Exhibit 1A. We recognize that this simply may be a way for the government to segregate the costs by site. But we didn't want to make the assumption without asking for the clarification.

ANSWER: The hours are split due to different onsite locations. “Manufacturing

Onsite” is for work performed within the Advanced Manufacturing Branch.

31. QUESTION: Can the Government revisit the large number of Principal Engineer hours listed in Enclosure CC?

ANSWER: The hours listed in Enclosure CC will be revised in the final RFP to 3,770 hours per contract year. The table in Provision L.31 (b)(3) will be revised to add miscellaneous ODCs:

Other Direct

Cost (ODC)

CY1 CY2 CY3 CY4 CY5

Material $11,784,080 $12,137,602 $12,501,730 $12,876,762 $13,250,209

Travel/Training $816,351 $840,841 $866,067 $892,049 $917,918

Miscellaneous

ODCs

$8,317,782 $8,567,315 $8,824,335 $9,089,065 $9,352,648