SRACES_80MSFC19R0024_-_RFP_Cover_Letter.pdf

September 5, 2019

PS20

TO: All Potential Offerors

SUBJECT: Request for Proposal (RFP) #80MSFC19R0024 for the Strategic Research and

Analysis, Communications, and Exhibits Services (SRACES) Acquisition, George C.

Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)

The solicitation for the SRACES acquisition at NASA/MSFC has been released. All offerors should review Attachment A, Clarifications to All Potential Offerors, and Attachment B, Summary of Changes Between Draft and Final Solicitation, listing the changes to the draft solicitation posted on August 14, 2019. The changes identified in Attachment B are the result of comments and questions received from industry and internal reviews performed by NASA and represent significant changes; however, the listing is not intended to be all inclusive. Offerors are cautioned to carefully review the solicitation in its entirety. Grammatical, typographical, and other non-substantive changes have been corrected throughout the document.

Offeror's are notified that a procurement sensitivity "blackout notice" letter for this acquisition was distributed to all applicable MSFC employees with the release of the solicitation to industry. Effective immediately, with the exception of the designated point of contact, all employees are prohibited from communicating with industry concerning this procurement.

This 'blackout' period of communication will continue until the contract has been awarded and the evaluation board is released from its responsibilities.

All questions regarding the solicitation shall be submitted via email to the individual noted in the provision MSFC 52.205-90, Designated Point of Contact. The due date for receipt of questions from industry is 4:00 p.m., Central Time, September 10, 2019. Any questions submitted by this deadline will be answered as an amendment to the solicitation. As part of any resultant proposals, offerors shall acknowledge receipt of all solicitation amendments, if any.

A virtual industry day briefing was conducted on August 19, 2019, 2:00 p.m., Central Time.

Attendance at the briefing was neither required nor a prerequisite for proposal submission and will not be considered in the evaluation. Information presented at the briefing, as well as a list of registered attendees, was posted to FedBizOpps on August 19, 2019.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

George C. Marshall Space Flight Center Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812

Reply to Attn of:

Potential offerors are responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation in its entirety. Further, it is the offeror's responsibility to monitor FedBizOpps for any amendments to the solicitation.

Thank you for your continued interest in the SRACES acquisition.

X Manager, Office of Procurement PS20 - Engineering and OSAC Support Office

Enclosures:

Attachment A, Clarifications to All Potential Offerors Attachment B, Summary of Changes Between Draft and Final Solicitation

RFP Cover Letter - Attachment A - Page 1

ATTACHMENT A

CLARIFICATIONS TO ALL POTENTIAL OFFERORS

Index Solicitation Reference Section(s) Question/Comment Response

1 Section K, FAR 52.209-7

On Section K, page K-6 (FAR 52.209-7), the Draft Request for Proposal (DRFP) states: (b) The offeror [_] has [_] does not have current active Federal contracts and grants with total value greater than $10,000,000. Can NASA verify this refers to a company's total sum of all contracts? Or is this a single contract value?

Section K, FAR 52.209-7, Information Regarding Responsibility Matters, paragraph (b) refers to the total of all contracts and grants an offeror currently has with the Federal Government.

Section J, Attachment J-6, Wage Determination

Can NASA clarify if Section J, Attachment J-6 is only to show relevant minimum wages by labor category and as a guide to offerors?

Section J, Attachment J-6, Wage Determination, establishes the minimum regulatory hourly wage and fringe benefits applicable to contractor employee's identified as non-exempt from Service Contract Labor Standards (formerly the Service Contract Act

(SCA)).

SRACES #80MSFC19R0024

RFP Cover Letter - Attachment A, Clarifications to All Potential Offerors

RFP Cover Letter - Attachment A - Page 2

Index Solicitation Reference Section(s) Question/Comment Response

Section J, Attachment J-6, Wage Determination

We noticed that the wage determination (WD) included is an "even" WD. We would like to ask that you review that selection and potentially change to an "odd" WD.

Section J, Attachment J-6, Wage Determination, has been designated as an "even" number wage determination for this solicitation. This is based on SRACES being a follow-on effort to the previous Strategic Analysis and Communications Support Services (COMMSS) contract, which had previously utilized an "even" numbered wage determination. Per the Department of Labor (DOL), even-numbered wage determinations require the contract to have a fringe benefit plan requiring compliance on an "average cost" basis. This allows the contractor to comply with the wage based on the average cost of their fringe benefit plan when calculated on the entire service employee workforce. This calculation is based upon total hours worked (including overtime hours, but excluding paid time off such as holiday and vacation) by all employees. If under the previous contract period, the "average cost" wage determination was utilized, DOL rules require its continued use under 29 CFR § 4.52.

4 Section L, NFS 1852.215-81

Can offerors use smaller but still readable fonts for graphics and tables?

Offerors are not allowed to use smaller fonts for graphics, tables, etc. for page-limited volumes. In accordance with Section L, NFS 1852.215-81, Proposal Page Limitations, paragraph (b)(5)(F) states for page-limited volumes that charts, tables, figures, pictures, or other objects shall comply with the stated guidelines for fonts (in accordance with NFS 1852.215-81(b)).

5 Section L, NFS 1852.215-81

Can standard front matter (e.g., title page, table of contents, acronym list) be excluded from page limits?

Offerors are not allowed any exclusions from page limits for page-limited volumes. In accordance with Section L, NFS 1852.215-81, Proposal Page Limitations, paragraph (b) states there are no exclusions from the page limitations established for the page-limited volumes.

RFP Cover Letter - Attachment A - Page 3

Index Solicitation Reference Section(s) Question/Comment Response

6 Section L, MSFC 52.215-91

Can you confirm you need a full Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) plan two weeks before the Request for Proposal (RFP) due date?

A full draft OCI Plan is requested from offerors two weeks prior to proposal submission in accordance with Section L, MSFC 52.215-91, Due Date for Receipt of Proposals or Quotations. In accordance with MSFC 52.215-91, paragraph (b) states early submission is neither required nor a pre-requisite for proposal submission, provided all volumes are submitted by the specified due date.

7 Section L, FAR 52.216-1

Is NASA open to other than a firm-fixed-price (FFP) contract?

In accordance with Section L, FAR 52.216-1, Type of Contract, NASA/MSFC is only contemplating award of a firm-fixed-price contract with an indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) component, to include performance-based deductions, resulting from this solicitation.

Section L, Volume III -

Past Performance Factor Instructions

Are past performance referenced contracts limited to previous performance under North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541715?

Past performance referenced contracts are not limited to performance under any specific NAICS code. In accordance with Section L, Volume III - Past Performance Factor Instructions, when choosing referenced contracts, offerors shall consider the size, content, and complexity similarities provided in paragraph

(d) in relation to the SRACES effort.

Section L, Volume III -

Past Performance Factor Instructions

Can offerors use a past performance reference of an affiliate or subsidiary?

Offerors may utilize past performance referenced contracts of an affiliate or subsidiary where authorized by law (i.e., 13 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section (§) 121.103(b), Exceptions to Affiliation Coverage).

RFP Cover Letter - Attachment A - Page 4

Index Solicitation Reference Section(s) Question/Comment Response

Section L, Volume III -

Past Performance Factor Instructions;

Volume IV - Contract Instructions;

and Section M - Volume III -

Past Performance Factor Evaluation

Is NASA open to a joint venture (JV) from a team rather than a prime/subcontractor relationship?

NASA/MSFC has placed no limitations on an offeror's legal business arrangement(s) (e.g., prime/subcontractor, joint venture), provided the offeror's business arrangement(s) comply with all stated solicitation requirements (e.g., section I, FAR 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside; Section K, FAR 52.204-8, Annual Representations and Certifications; Section L, Acquisition Approach).

Section L, Volume III -

Past Performance Factor Instructions

Based upon DRFP language regarding ostensible subcontracting in relation to Performance Work Statement (PWS) Sections 3.0 and 4.0, and the requirement to align past performance and proposed work-share, is it correct to conclude that it is not possible to have a relevant subcontractor past performance reference in PWS Sections 3.0 or 4.0?

In accordance with Section L, Volume III - Past Performance Factor Instructions, if any subcontractor is assigned work in either PWS Section 3.0 or 4.0, they will be subject to being affiliated with the offeror for purposes of evaluating the Small Business Administration (SBA) ostensible subcontractor rule. In accordance with 13 CFR § 121.103, if the subcontractor is a similarly situated subcontractor (as defined by 13 CFR § 125.1), or other exceptions to the affiliation coverage exist, and is assigned work in either PWS Section 3.0 or 4.0, past performance referenced contract(s) may be utilized in support of these PWS sections.

Section L, Volume III -

Past Performance Factor Instructions

If a subcontractor is also a small business as defined in the procurement, can work be assigned to the subcontractor without a determination of being an ostensible subcontractor since they are similarly situated?

In accordance with 13 CFR § 121.103 paragraph (h)(4), an ostensible subcontractor is a subcontractor that is not a similarly situated entity, and performs primary and vital requirements of a contract, or is a subcontractor upon which the prime contractor is unusually reliant. As such, work may be assigned without a determination of being an ostensible subcontractor if they are similarly situated (as that term is defined in 13 CFR § 125.1), or if other exceptions to the affiliation coverage exist.

RFP Cover Letter - Attachment A - Page 5

Index Solicitation Reference Section(s) Question/Comment Response

Section L, Volume III -

Past Performance Factor Instructions

Is the Government stating that it will determine two entities to be other than small if the subcontractor is assigned any work in PWS Sections 3.0 and 4.0 without a formal size protest submitted to the SBA area office?

In accordance with 13 CFR § 121.103 paragraph (h)(4), an ostensible subcontractor is a subcontractor that is not a similarly situated entity, and performs primary and vital requirements of a contract, or is a subcontractor upon which the prime contractor is unusually reliant. Any challenge to small business size representation will be handled in accordance with FAR 19.302, Protesting a Small Business Representation or Rerepresentation.

Section L, Attachment L-1, Excel Pricing Model (EPM), Tab A

Under section MSFC 52.216-90, IDIQ Contract Value by Period of Performance, CLINs 003, 007, 011 and 015 and 019 (IDIQ Materials, Equipment, and Supplies) show a maximum value of $2,000,000.

However, Tab A of the Excel Pricing Model (EPM) is respectively populated with $3,000,000. Please confirm the value.

Section L, Attachment L-1, Excel Pricing Model (EPM), Tab A values have been corrected in row 8 to align with Section B for Materials, Equipment, and Supplies having a $2,000,000 maximum ordering value. (see Attachment B, Index #1)

Section M, Past Performance Factor Evaluation

How does the government plan to evaluate multiple past performance references?

In accordance with Section M, Volume III - Past Performance Factor Evaluation, the Government has clarified that each past performance referenced contract will be evaluated for overall relevancy. All referenced contracts determined to be at least relevant overall shall contribute to the Government's assignment of each offeror's past performance confidence level rating as set forth at NFS 1815.305, Proposal Evaluation, in paragraph (a)(2)(A). (see Attachment B, Index #2)

RFP Cover Letter - Attachment A - Page 6

Index Solicitation Reference Section(s) Question/Comment Response

Section M, Past Performance Factor Evaluation

Is it possible to achieve a Very High Level of Confidence with two prime contracts that have only the required threshold for size, content and complexity with exceptional Contract Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) reviews?

The offeror's past performance confidence level rating, as set forth at NFS 1815.305, Proposal Evaluation, paragraph (a)(2)(A), will be determined by the Government in accordance with Section M, Volume III - Past Performance Factor Evaluation. This includes the Government assessing the offeror's referenced contracts that have been determined to be at least overall relevant, the offeror's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reportable injury rates, information contained in Federal CPARS database records, completed past performance questionnaires, and any other relevant information obtained independently by the Government.

[End of Attachment]

RFP Cover Letter - Attachment B - Page 1

ATTACHMENT B

SUMMARY OF CHANGES BETWEEN DRAFT AND FINAL SOLICITATION

Index Solicitation Reference Section(s) From To

Section L, Attachment L-1, Excel Pricing Model (EPM), Tab A

Row 8 (Materials, Equipment, and Supplies) cells B8, C8, D8, E8, and F8: $3,000,000 (each cell)

Row 8 (Materials, Equipment, and Supplies) cells B8, C8, D8, E8, and F8: $2,000,000 (each cell)

Section M, Past Performance Factor Evaluation

Paragraph (b) - "In determining overall relevancy, referenced contracts will be evaluated in the order of size, content, and complexity. ..."

Paragraph (b) - "In determining the overall relevancy of individual referenced contracts, each referenced contract will be evaluated in the order of size, content, and complexity. ..."

[End of Attachment]