S33 QAs 86615624R00002 7.4.2024 Final.pdf

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Reference: Questions in response to Solicitation Number 86615624R00002

To: Prospective Offerors

The following questions and answers addressed below are hereby incorporated into this solicitation:

Q1 SF-1449: Section 20. Schedule of Supplies/Services

Currently, there is no information regarding NTE travel amounts for each of the performance periods. Will the Government provide this information to support the Offeror's price proposal?

A1 The Government has provided the information to support the Offeror’s price proposal.

Please see the revised pricing sheet.

Q2 2.7-Non Disclosure Agreement

Are NDAs required with submission of proposal or only after award prior to work kicking off?

A2 No; this will be done shortly after award and prior to starting any work on the contract.

Q3 Part II-Proposal Format

Is there any page limit on the narrative discussion or breakdowns in the pricing proposal? Should the narrative discussion be in Excel or another format?

A3 There is no page limit on the narrative discussion or breakdown in the pricing.

Q4 5.1.2-Management Work Plan

This section mentions the potential for required travel to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Canada, and US Territories. What percentage of anticipated work under this contract is located OCONUS?

A4 None

Q5 5.1.3-Monitoring Procedures

Does the government have an estimate of the scope of file size anticipated in the digital imaging and storage?

A5 Reports, letters, and other correspondence file sizes vary based on what is discovered during the audit. For example, IPIA audit reports which sometimes contain images that http://www.hud.gov/program_offices/cpo can range anywhere 100K – 3MB or more for each audit. Other reports (i.e., IPRs) and letters can range from 1,100KB – 2,100KB.

Q6 5.1.4-Contract Status Meetings

Is contractor travel to these required monthly meetings at HUD Headquarters reimbursable following federal travel regulation procedures?

A6 Travel to in-person monthly meetings is reimbursable if the meeting location is outside the 50-mile radius of the official station and in accordance with federal travel regulations. All travel must be approved in advance.

Q7 5.1.7-State Participation

Under what Contract Line Item (CLIN) should we factor in pricing for these SAA agreements?

A7 Management and Administration CLIN

Q8 5.2.1-Schedule In-Plant Audits

Does HUD have an estimated timeline on how quickly they will respond to travel pre-authorization requests?

A8 HUD usually responds within five business days.

Q9 5.2.2-In-Plant Audits and Information Exchange

On follow-up audits do we need to provide new personnel or is the inspector from the initial audit the one requested to perform the follow up audit?

A9 New personnel are not required for follow-up audits, it is at the discretion of the Contractor. If the initial inspector is available, then he/she can go out or another inspector can be used.

Q10 5.2.3- Resolution of In-Plant Audits

If the IPIA does not comply with the follow up letter/phone call, what enforcement mechanism exists to ensure compliance?

A10 The Contractor performs in-plant audits to determine if the manufacturer is in compliance with the standards and regulations and to determine if the IPIA is ensuring the manufacturer follows their quality control program. Although it hardly ever occurs or is necessary, if needed HUD has the authority to disqualify an IPIA for incompliance and the manufacturer would have to secure the services of different IPIA.

Q11 5.2.10- Certification Label Distribution and Reporting

As part of the transition-in, will we be provided with sufficient data to determine which labels are outstanding that should have been produced?

A11 Yes

Q12 5.2.11- State Fee Accounting and Payment Process

What are HUD's requirements for accounting documentation/processes to facilitate these deliverables? Does HUD have standardized and/or required accounting documentation/processes for all deliverables

A12 Yes, HUD has a standard process for the State Fee Accounting and Payment process.

There is a formula for fee calculation that is based on home shipments into a state, and homes manufactured then sited in a state. Shipment reports are provided to HUD each month. Using the formula, the Contractor calculates the payment for each state and provides to HUD with the vouchers to review and approve for payment by the HUD’s accounting office.

Q13 Base Period/Option Period Sheets

We observe that CLIN 0009 is for Travel. However, travel pre-authorization is specifically required in PWS Section 1.11. We recommend Travel be an ‘as needed’ or ‘as approved by the COR’ type of CLIN. As currently written, HUD is asking for a Quantity of 1, and a unit price. We are unable to provide a unit price when travel is subject to pre-authorization, and further since we don’t know where all of the monitoring activities will take place, we are unable to price this CLIN. Can HUD please clarify if travel is indeed a one-time billable as the sheet indicates (which we don’t believe is your intention), or whether travel will be handled how the PWS paragraph 1.11 states (i.e. All travel will be coordinated and approved in advance with the COR and reimbursement of travel costs will be in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation and in accordance with FAR 31.205-46.).

A13 Please refer to A1 above.

Q14 Proposal Instructions, Section 2, Part II Proposal Format

Representations and Certifications are not mentioned anywhere in the Proposal Instructions as a required part of our submission. Do you require the inclusion of FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Feb 2024) in our proposal and, if so, which volume?

A14 The Representations and Certifications reference is provided in the solicitation. This provision outlines numerous clauses contractors must address regarding business size, responsibility matters, previous violations, and prohibited communications equipment.

A responsibility check will be accomplished for the apparent awardee prior to award.

Please note the penalty for making false statements in offers is prescribed in 18 U.S.C.

1001. The Offeror shall include the Representations and Certifications as part of their proposal submission, it should be within Volume 2, Business Proposal.

Q15 Section V Solicitation Provisions

Do you require FAR 52.204-24 "Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Nov 2021)" and FAR 52.209-7

"Information Regarding Responsibility Matters (Oct 2018)" to be completed and included with our proposal. If so, can you confirm they should be included in addition to FAR 52.212-3 "Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Feb 2024)" as part of the Business (Price) Proposal?

A15 Please refer to the Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment section of the solicitation starting on page 55.

This should be included and as part of the Business Proposal if required per the instruction.

Q16 Section 2 Proposal Submission/Technical and Price Proposal Submission

Fourth paragraph on page 54 states "Offerors shall certify that the information in the hard paper copies and electronic copies are exactly the same." Since Proposals are required to be submitted only electronically, can you confirm there are no "hard paper copy" proposal submission requirements?

A16 This is an electronic submittal only. There will be no hard paper copies required for submission.

Q17 Proposal Instructions, Section 2 Part I - Offer, Cover Letter

Should the Cover Letter be submitted as a separate file from the two required volumes (Technical and Business Volumes)? If not, do you require a cover letter to be included as part of each volumes or just the Technical or Business Proposal volumes?

A17 The Cover Letter shall be a separate standalone file.

Q18 Proposal Instructions, Section 2, Part II Proposal Format and Socioeconomic

Participation

The table included on pager 59 requires offerors to indicate total dollar value of labor to be performed by Prime and Sub contractors. However, page 54 states that Volume I responses shall excluded cost/price data. Total dollar value figures included in the socioeconomic participation table will be based on cost/price data. Please confirm that you want total dollar value of labor to be performed included in the Socioeconomic Participation table and that table will be part of the Technical Volume.

A18 Refer the solicitation amendment. The Socioeconomic Participation criteria has been removed in its entirety.

Q19 Proposal Instructions, Section 2, Part II - Proposal Format

Instructions for completing the Proposal Matrix state that we should map our proposal to each Performance Work Statement Requirement as well as each Evaluation Factor. Is the Proposal Matrix strictly for the Technical Volume or do you require a Proposal Matrix for the Pricing Volume as well?

A19 Technical Volume only.

Q20 Proposal Instructions, Section 2, Part II - Proposal Format, Socioeconomic Participation (2)

Where should Letters of Commitment be included in our proposal?

A20 See A18 above.

Q21 Proposal Instructions, Section 2, Part II - Proposal Format, Past Performance

The instructions for past performance state that "the offeror will provide the most recent 5 references". Does the 5 reference limit include all references provided by both the Prime and Sub contractors or can each member of the team (Prime and Sub) provide up to 5 references individually?

A21 Subcontractors are not required to complete and submit past performance survey responses.

Q22 Proposal Instructions, Section 1: Instructions For Submission of Offers, Section 2:

Proposal Submission

We believe that the current proposal due date of July 10, 2024 does not provide adequate time for HUD to review and publish answers to industry questions and for industry to review those answers and adjust their proposed approach accordingly. We respectfully request that the proposal due date be extended to 2 weeks from the time HUD published answers to industry questions.

A22 The proposal submission has been changed from Wednesday, July 10, 2024, to Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at 2 p.m. EST.

Q23 2) Addenda to 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors

2. Proposal Submission Technical and Price Proposal Submission

Instructions in the paragraph preceding this indicate electronic delivery only: .pdf and original format. Our understanding is that this is an electronic submittal only. Please confirm.

A23 Please refer to A16 above.

Q24 (2) Addenda to 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors

1. Instructions for Submission of Offers | Limitation on Size

Will the Government consider allowing an 11 x 17 layout to provide the Project Schedule required in the Technical Approach (RFP pg. 62)?

A24 The Government will consider allowing an 11 x 17 layout to provide the Project Schedule required in the Technical Approach.

Q25 Attachment 2 Pricing Sheet (4).xlsx

Please clarify where we provide pricing for subcontractors and other direct costs.

A25 The pricing sheet is a template and can be edited to meet the requirements within the

RFP.