SMASS IV Responses to RFP Questions.pdf

SMASS IV 80KSC022R0010 RESPONSES TO RFP QUESTIONS 1

No. RFP Area RFP Section Paragraph Page Question Government Response

Interested in receiving the solicitation documents for the subject Request for Proposal – NASA KSC Safety and Mission Assurance Support Services (SMASS) IV. In looking at the SAM.gov posting (link to SAM posting), there does not appear to be any documents available. Can you please advise if there are restrictions to us receiving and responding to this

RFP?

Refer to RFP, which was posted on https://sam.gov/opp/37e69d74f24744cfa a83548751740880/view

2 Is there a list of interested parties for this procurement available so that we may inquire about possible teaming opportunities? Your response to this inquiry would be greatly appreciated.

Refer to the interested parties list on www.sam.gov. Parties must be signed in to access the list.

3 Section B, Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs

Attachment J-

Table B.3-1, Base Level of Effort Hour Allocation

2 of 2 Can labor categories, reflecting more experience and/or unique specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities (such as 20 plus years or recognized SMEs at agency, national or international levels) be added to ensure flexibility to meet existing or future requirements, or does NASA intend for these to be priced separately on an as needed basis and not included in the base price for SMASS IV?

Refer to Attachment L-01 for Government minimum education, minimum experience, skills and descriptions for the Government standard labor categories.

Refer to Attachment L-04 instructions tab, Note #1 pertaining to the "other" labor classification and its use.

SMASS IV 80KSC022R0010 RESPONSES TO RFP QUESTIONS 2

4 Section L.

Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors or Respondents

L.15 Volume I, Mission Suitability Instructions, L15.2 Management Approach

L.15.2(a)(3) (iv)

84 (A) Does the Government see the use of flex hours, in this requirement, as a means to prevent companies from buying into the resulting service contract through the use of uncompensated overtime? (B) Does the Government think that changing the solicitation to read:

"Uncompensated overtime is not allowable under government contracts; however overtime will be required for this contract. Please describe your approach to manage overtime." would be a better way to prevent this from happening?

(A) Refer to RFP Clause B.3 paragraphs (a), (e), and (f) to reference how the Government will potentially exercise flex hours and refer to RFP L.1 FAR 52.237-10 Identification of Uncompensated Overtime.

(B) The solicitation will remain the same.

SMASS IV 80KSC022R0010 RESPONSES TO RFP QUESTIONS 3

5 Section L.

Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors or Respondents

L.15.2, Management Approach, Paragraph(A) (3)(vi) Reserved

Add at paragraph L.15.2(a)(3) (vi) currently Reserved

84 In other NASA RFPs, we have seen the inclusion of a paragraph in Section L pertaining to the Ostensible Subcontractor Rule. Will the government please consider including a similar paragraph in the KSC

SMASS IV RFP?

For example, the paragraph below was included in a recent NASA Safety and Mission Assurance RFP:

"An ostensible subcontractor is a subcontractor that performs primary and vital requirements of a contract or a subcontractor upon which the Contractor is unusually reliant. To ensure compliance with the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Ostensible Subcontractor Rule (reference 13 CFR 121.103 for how the SBA determines affiliation), all aspects of the relationship between the Offeror and any proposed subcontractor should be considered, including, but not limited to the following:

(A) Who will manage the contract?

(B) Which party possesses background and expertise necessary for contract performance?

(C) Which party pursued the contract?

(D) The degree of collaboration in preparation and submission of this Proposal.

There will be no change to the total small business set aside.

Refer to Clauses I.1, FAR 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set- Aside and FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting.

SMASS IV 80KSC022R0010 RESPONSES TO RFP QUESTIONS 4

(E) Whether there are discrete tasks to be performed by each proposed subcontractor, or whether there is instead a co-mingling of personnel and resources.

(F) Which party will perform the more complex and costly contract functions?

(G) The relative amount of proposed work (annual dollar value) to be performed by each proposed subcontractor.

6 Section L.

Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors or Respondents

L.18 Volume IV, Plans and Other Data Instructions

L.18.2(b) Responsibili ty Determinati on

Allowing a "major subcontractor" to provide the evidence of responsibility for performing the work seems to be in direct violation of the Ostensible Subcontractor rule. Avoiding use of this rule presents the risk of giving an unfair advantage to unqualified small businesses who bring on a large business as their subcontractor. (A) To avoid violation of the "Obstensible Subcontractor Rule," will the Government remove "major subcontractor" from this paragraph, such that only prime contractors must provide the evidence stated? (B) What is the rationale for not?

Refer to Question 5 Government response.

SMASS IV 80KSC022R0010 RESPONSES TO RFP QUESTIONS 5

7 Section L.

Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to

L.18 Volume IV, Plans and Other Data

L.18.2(b)(2)

Does this paragraph, which states that evidence of at least one contract performed by the offeror that was valued at greater than or equal to $7M, mean greater than or equal to $7M per year or a total contract value of $7M, spread over multiple years?

In accordance with FAR Subpart 9.104- 2, $7M threshold is total contract value.

8 Section K.

Representation s, Certifications, And Other Statements of

General Comment

N/A N/A This procurement recognizes a variety of Small Business categories including 8a, HUBZone, SDVO, WO, and others. Congress recognized in the FY 2022 NDAA the many national benefits accruing from 100% Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) businesses including recruiting, retention, wealth sharing, and workforce satisfaction. This type of service company can not only provide exceptional service but can also help KSC and NASA achieve higher small business performance.

Will the government please consider that this type of small business be recognized by this procurement by offering extra strengths / points on the SMASS IV Mission Suitability evaluation?

Refer to RFP Provision M.3(b) on how subfactors will be numerically weighted and scored. The solicitation will remain unchanged.

SMASS IV 80KSC022R0010 RESPONSES TO RFP QUESTIONS 6

9 Section L.

Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to

L.17 Volume III, Past Performance

L.17(a)

86 "Major subcontractor" is defined multiple ways throughout the RFP, will the Government clearly define the metrics that constitute "major or critical aspects of the requirement" for the Past Performance and other Volumes/Sections - - for example:

"A major subcontractor is any subcontractor at any tier that contributes more than X% (with the Government providing a value for X) of the hours as proposed by the Offeror for all CLINs combined."?

Refer to RFP Provision L.17 paragraph (c)(2).

SMASS IV 80KSC022R0010 RESPONSES TO RFP QUESTIONS 7

10 Section L.

Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to

L.4 Far 52.222-46 Evaluation of Compensation for Professional Employees (Feb 1993)

L.4(b)

73 The RFP states "Additionally, proposals envisioning compensation levels lower than those of predecessor contractors for the same work will be evaluated on the basis of maintaining program continuity, uninterrupted high-quality work, and availability of required competent professional service employees. "

Will the Government please clarify how, and in which volume, maintaining program continuity, uninterrupted high-quality work and availability of required competent professional service employees will be evaluated?

Refer to RFP Provision M.3.2(a)(c).

11 Section B, Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs

B.4 Non- Proposed Other Direct Costs (ODCs) Values

B.4(b)

If ODCs are included in an offeror's G&A base, will they be allowed to take exception to the statement "the Government will not reimburse the Contractor under these estimates for profit or indirect loads" and the proposal still be responsive?

Refer to RFP Amendment 1 Clause B.4(b), which has been updated.

SMASS IV 80KSC022R0010 RESPONSES TO RFP QUESTIONS 8

12 Section L.

Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors or Respondents / Section M.

Evaluation Factors for Award

L.2.(F) (5);

L.4.(A) & (B);

M.3.2.(A) (4)

N/A

As currently written the RFP can be interpreted to indicate that a lower level of experience is acceptable than has been the historical case at KSC. If so, the government may lose valuable knowledge unless the preference for retention (or not) of senior personnel is clarified. For purposes of clarification please specify: A. What percentage of personnel retention is desired by the government? B. Will the Government assess the risk to recruit and retain less experienced replacement personnel as a part of realism in both the price and in the management volume? C. Where in section M is this indicated?

(A) The Government has no requirement for a personnel retention percentage.

(B) Refer to Attachment L-01 for Government minimum education, minimum experience, skills and descriptions for the Government standard labor categories.

(C) Refer to RFP Provisions M.3.1 and M.3.2 for the evaluation of minimum qualifications.

13 Section L.

Conditions, and Notices to

L.16 Volume II, Price

L.16(a)

The first sentence states that the Attachments L-05 and L-06 are to be completed and submitted with the Price Volume. L.14(a) shows L-05 and L-06 are included in Volume IV Plans and Other Data. Do you want L-05 and L-06 to be included in Volume II, Volume IV, or both?

Refer to RFP Amendment 1 Provisions L.14 and L.15.1 which have been updated to clarify.

SMASS IV 80KSC022R0010 RESPONSES TO RFP QUESTIONS 9

14 J-12

N/A N/A What positions on SMASS IV are SCA covered?

SCA positions are dependent on proposals submittals, however the Government has not identified any SCA positions at this time.

15 Section L.

Conditions, and Notices to

L-01

N/A N/A Are the “Specialists” SCA covered? If so, under what Occupation Code - Title?

Refer to Question 14 Government response.

16 Section L.

Conditions, and Notices to

L.17 and L-08

88 In RFP L.17, “Recent is defined as performance within the last 5 years prior to the proposal due date with a minimum of 12 months of performance occurring within that 5-year period.” However, L-08 the PP Questionnaire says, “NASA requires the company to provide this questionnaire to customer references for which it has had an active or completed contract in the past three

(3) years.” Question: If a company has 4-5 year old past performance, is that past performance exempt from the L- 08 PP Questionnaire?

Refer to Attachment L-08 Amendment 1 Past Performance Questionnaire page 3 which has been updated to clarify.