Questions and Answers Batch 5.pdf

Question # Question Government Response

RFP Section L.19.a.3 PROPOSAL PREPARATION—GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS (ELECTRONIC PROPOSAL DELIVERY), states that “(3) Each proposal volume shall be submitted in a single searchable Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file (compatible with ADOBE Reader version DC or 2017), with appropriate bookmarks. For Price volume exhibits required to be submitted in Microsoft Office Excel format (described below), spreadsheets shall also be converted to PDF, in the most readable manner practicable, and submitted as part of a single PDF file for Volume III”. “As indicated above, the Price Volume Exhibit shall also be provided in Excel format (compatible with Excel 2016).

RFP Section L.20.d ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS provides “Examples of acceptable file names are as follows” For Prime Offeror Submissions 1 - Prime Offeror name-solicitation number-MS Volume.docx 3 - Prime Offeror name - solicitation number - PP Volume.pdf 7 - Prime Offeror name - solicitation number Cost-Price Volume.xlsx

Clarification:

Please clarify submission requirement includes

• Each of Volumes I-IV are to be submitted as a separate searchable Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file and not Word format (.docx).

• Volume II Exhibit C to be submitted as a PDF or Excel file. Should it be provided as an attachment to Volume II or as a separate file?

• Volume II Exhibit D to be submitted as a PDF or Excel file. Should it be provided as an attachment to Volume II or as a separate file? Should the requesting supporting documentation not included in Volume II MS be provided as an attachment to Volume II or as a separate file?

• Volume III Price Volume Exhibits to be submitted in Microsoft Office Excel format

• Per Provision L.19(a)(3), each proposal volume shall be submitted as a single searchable Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file and not Word format (.docx).

• Volume II Exhibit C should be submitted as part of the single searchable PDF Volume II.

• Volume II Exhibit D should be submitted as part of the single searchable PDF Volume II.

• The Volume II Cover Page, Indices and Table of Contents should also be included as part of the single Volume II PDF file.

• The Price Volume III Exhibit is required to be submitted as both part of the single PDF file Volume III and as a separate Excel file, per Provision L.19 (a)(3) "For Price volume exhibits required to be submitted in Microsoft Office Excel format (described below), spreadsheets shall also be converted to PDF, in the most readable manner practicable, and submitted as part of a single PDF file for Volume III."

Clarity on the introduction Clause H.10 of the RFP.

“Should the contractor fail to successfully complete a Capability Validation task order, no further Capability Validation task orders under the contract will be issued, and further, the contractor shall be ineligible to compete for, or be awarded, any further contract work, including task orders for Operational Services (SOW 2.2) and Mission and Integration and Special Studies (SOW 2.3).”

H.10 says it applies only to Subcategory 2.2, but the language regarding a failure restricting all future task orders is not clear to us. Our legal counsel says the structure of the clause can be read to include Subcategory 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3. Please confirm performance on Subcategory 2.2 has no impact on Subcategories 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3.

Clause H.10 "SUBCATEGORY 2.2 CAPABILITY VALIDATION TASK ORDERS - ORDERING PROCESS AND FIRM FIXED PRICES" has been replaced with H.10 "CAPABILITY VALIDATION TASK ORDERS - ORDERING PROCESS AND FIRM FIXED PRICES" to address both Categories 1.0 and 2.0 Validation Task Orders. (See Amendment 3)

Section 11 of the amendments (SF 30) issued to date are selected, asking for offerors to acknowledge receipt by completing items 8 and 15, and returning 1 copy of the amendment However, Section 13E selects “Contractor is not required to sign this document and return…” Please confirm if acknowledging Amendments in the SF 33 (block 14) (along with an email communication) will suffice for compliance.

Section 11 offers the vendor 3 options to acknowledge the amendments. Simply acknowledging Amendments in the SF 33 (block 14) will suffice for compliance.

*NOTE With this posting of Questions and Answers Batch 5, the Government has provided responses to all questions submitted by potential offerors, with the exception of one question pertaining to Clause H.3 “1852.228-76 CROSS- WAIVER OF LIABILITY FOR INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ACTIVITIES (OCT 2012).” The Government is working to provide a response to the following final question and will post a response as soon as possible

“NSN activities will not be taking place on the ISS. Should this be 1852.228-78 CROSS-WAIVER OF LIABILITY FOR SCIENCE OR SPACE EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES UNRELATED TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION instead?”