91990018R0005_Amendment_0001.pdf

Request for Proposals 91990018R0005 Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase II Amendment 0001

Closing Date: February 12, 2017 2:00 p.m. ET

U.S. Department of Education’s (Department or ED) responses to clarification questions submitted by January 17, 2018, 2:00 P.M. ET:

WARNING! Offerors must note that there are email attachment size restrictions. The Department of Education cannot accept attachments larger than 25 MB. The Government is not responsible for attachment size restrictions that may exist on offerors' email servers!

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If offerors attempt to submit a proposal to Mark.Motta@ed.gov and receive an error message, they MUST contact Mark Motta PRIOR TO THE CLOSING OF THE SOLICITATION during standard business hours (8:00 A.M. ET to 5:00 P.M. ET, Monday through Friday). The solicitation closes promptly at 2:00 p.m. ET, on February 12, 2018. Late proposals will not be accepted.

1. Our research is a study of school and teacher level measures. In Phase I, we implemented tools to anonymize student level PI so that researchers (myself included) did not access them. Is this suitable for a Phase II, or would clearance still be required with these measures in place?

Response: Offerors are not required to seek additional clearances (if applicable) at this time. Offerors just need to acknowledge the new security requirements in Appendix G, and otherwise prepare their proposal as they normally would. If selected for award, we will examine the employee positions with Dr. Metz and make a further determination at that time. Whether or not clearances are required has no impact on evaluation criteria or award selection.

2. In our Phase 2, we will use work for hire resources to supplement our team to perform important duties such as building a website and creating a PSA style video. We will also hire a video production crew for the teacher training video production. We would consider them key personnel since without them, we would not be able to complete the proposed work.

In two cases, we will use two separate companies.

Is it sufficient to list the company’s principals, even though support personnel may also work on the project?

Response: No guidance can be provided in relation to this question beyond what is stated in the

RFP.

And/or should we do a “resume” for the Company, and name the two most important individuals in that resume? In this case, the resume would be for the company rather than the individuals in that company?

Response: No guidance can be provided in relation to this question beyond what is stated in the

RFP.

In the other case, we will use a staff producer to create the video training but will hire available production crew (lighting, sound, etc). We would not know who they are at this moment, particularly since that aspect of our project is around month 10, and those types of individuals are on an as available basis.

Lastly, we will use a senior Research Assistant from a hospital where one of our part time employees works. They have an indirect fee. Please confirm that that is allowed and/or if there are any limits.

Response: From the description given it would appear that the indirect fees should be included with subcontracting/consulting costs. Any applicable limits will remain as stated in the RFP.