Vendor_Questions_and_Answers_9192018.docx

Revised Answers to Vendor Questions

This revision updates the previous response to question #10 regarding the appropriate NAICS code Solicitation 951700-18-Q-0156 Acquisition Support

QUESTIONS

Submit all questions via email to Tisa Harvin at tharvin@bbg.gov no later than noon, EDST, September 18, 2018.

PROPOSAL DUE DATE

If you are interested in this acquisition, please submit your proposal before the due date and time for this solicitation via email to Tisa Harvin tharvin@bbg.gov. The due date and time for receipt of proposals is Monday, September 24, 2018, no later than 10:00 AM EDST.

1. Will the Government consider changing the set-aside to either an 8(a) set-aside or small business set-aside to allow us to participate?

Answer: No

2. I am wondering if an incumbent exists for the potential requirement: Life Cycle Contracting and Acquisition Management Support Services outlined under 951700-18-Q-0156.

And

Can you tell me if there is an incumbent contractor currently performing work for this requirement? If so, could you please provide their company name and contract number?

Answer: No, this is a new requirement. There is no incumbent providing the same services described in the solicitation. There are currently three vendors providing some of the services required, but not all of the services. Those are Salmon Group, Chaise Management and WTI.

3. If this is a logical follow-on requirement could the government provide details of who is currently performing the work? For contractor incumbent, please provide company name, contract number, period of performance, dollar value of base and any option periods, and number of FTE’s.

Answer: Generally, the term logical follow-on applies to federal supply schedule orders. This is not a federal supply schedule order.

4. Is this a brand-new requirement or follow on work?

Answer: New requirement

5. If this is a follow on requirement – can the government confirm whether the incumbent is eligible to bid (i,e., given the size standard or other) Answer: this is not a follow-on requirement. The new contract is intended to provide a greater breadth of acquisition-related support.

6. If this is a follow-on requirement can the government share whether or not the scope is the same or how it may have evolved over time.

Answer: The agency currently receives limited acquisition support services from three different vendors. The new contract is intended to satisfy the agency’s growing needs for greater breadth of acquisition-related support services.

7. The price table (page 29) for Task Order 1 has est. hours at 1180 but elsewhere in the Solicitation the hours are listed at 1880 (Price Proposal Volume Contents - pg. 3; Evaluation {3} Price - page 4; and 11.5 Staffing and Level of Effort - page 33). Which estimated level of effort hours are correct?

Answer: 1,880 hours is the correct number.

8. Page 29, I.7, Labor Rates – Should the number of hours for each position be 1,880 as stated earlier in the solicitation (Page 3, 4 and 33) rather than 1,180?

Answer: Yes

9. Given that only the Contract Specialist Site Lead position is expected to begin work in this calendar year, would it be acceptable to submit the resume for that Key Position and a sample resume for the contract specialist?

Answer: Yes. However, the agency would not authorize the contractor to proceed onboarding the second position until the actual candidate resume is submitted and the agency is assured of the candidate’s qualifications.

10. Please consider whether NAICS Code 541611 would be more appropriate for the tasking described.

And:

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation – The solicitation uses NAICS Code 561110 – Office Administrative Services is referenced. The definition for this NAICS code is as follows: This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing a range of day-to-day office administrative services, such as financial planning; billing and recordkeeping; personnel; and physical distribution and logistics for others on a contract or fee basis. These establishments do not provide operating staff to carry out the complete operations of a business. Acquisition support is more complex than day-to-day office administrative services. Would the government considering changing this solicitation to reference NAICS 541611, Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Service, instead? It is more appropriate for this requirement.

Answer: Upon closer analysis and review, we agree that the suggested NAICS code 541611 is more appropriate for the requirement. We will amend the solicitation to change the NAICS code.

11. May this contract be performed remotely, or is it an onsite requirement?

Answer: On-site requirement, as stated in the solicitation.

12. What hourly dollar range is considered reasonable to your organization? We have provided true market rates in prior proposals, and received feedback that the rates were unreasonable (even though they are the existing market rates being paid by clients).

Answer: We will consider existing market rates.

13. Place of Performance The Contractor shall provide services under this contract on site within the United States Agency for Global Media headquarters building located at 330 Independence Ave, SW, Washington, D.C.

Telework or remote work is not authorized; however, the Contracting Officer may consider exceptions to this provision on a case-by-case basis when the Contractor requests it in writing no less than one business day in advance.

If awarded this opportunity, may I have the opportunity to perform this work remotely as I have recently relocated and locked into a lease for one year?

Answer: No. Onsite performance is required. On occasion the contracting officer may authorize remote work of one day at a time.

14. In Section “Proposal Submission Requirements” Page 2, the RFP states, “Submission – Text and graphics portions of the electronic copies shall be in a format readable by Microsoft (MS) Office 2010, MS Word 2010. Data submitted in spreadsheet format shall be readable by MS Office 2010, MS Excel 2010. All Price information shall be in files separate from Technical Approach.” Would the USAGM consider PDF submissions in lieu of MS Word copies?

Answer: Yes. PDF submission are acceptable.

15. Page 2, Proposal Submission Requirements – Can an offer be submitted in pdf?

Answer: Yes

16. Page 4, EVALUATION, 1) Technical submission, states “…Specifically, the agency will evaluate the Vendor’s management plan and the qualifications of its proposed personnel.” However, the proposal submission also calls for a Quality Control Plan and Technical Approach. Does that mean these sub elements of the Technical submission will not be evaluated?

Answer: We are conducting this procurement using simplified acquisition procedures. We will evaluate the entire management plan, which includes a brief discussion of how the vendor will ensure quality. Please refer to Proposal Content Requirements, Technical Volume, item i)

17. Page 9, II.4 SAMPLE TASKS, the solicitation includes the statement, in part “…the Contractor shall provide the acquisition support services described below.” Should that be “The Contractor shall provide the life cycle contracting support and acquisition management support services” described below as the sections 4.1 through 4.3 cover both as defined earlier in the solicitation (Page 8).

Answer: Yes, it should have.

18. Page 24 references USAGM-issued laptops. Also, Page 34, II.6, Work Hours, notes onsite support. Will laptops, space, and office equipment/supplies be provided for the onsite contractor staff?

Answer: Yes – however, the government may provide desktop workstations rather than laptops.

19. Section II.5, Page 13 asks for personnel resumes, are resumes included or excluded as Part of the Technical Volume Page Limit (10 Pages)?

Answer: Excluded

20. Does the offerors cover memo or transmittal letter count towards the 10-page limitation or is it excluded from the count?

Answer: Excluded from the count

21. Are Letters of Commitment (LOC) to be included for each of the resumes submitted with the proposal? If the proposed personnel are already employed with the offeror are LOC’s still required?

Answer: Not required, but may be submitted. However, the government will terminate the contract if the selected contractor cannot produce personnel who can perform the work at the required level of quality.

22. The solicitation references a statement of work but no such document is posted to FBO. Can you provide this document?

Answer: The SOW is part of the solicitation document. It begins on page 6 of the document attached to the FBO listing.

Are these electronic or physical files, or both? Both

If physical files, what is the maximum weight of items that need to be moved around (boxes, folder stacks, etc.)? We have never weighted our files or boxes. Rarely, if ever, would a specialist have a need to move a box.

As a percentage of total task hours, what percent would you assign to in person meetings and orientations? Roughly 20% for all meetings, as meeting with customers to discuss acquisition strategies and planning meetings are a significant portion of the effort. Time spent at post-award meetings is significantly less.

Is this a physical or electronic filing system? Both. See response to previous question.

If not, please explain how FFP task orders would be determined. Example, facilitation of a procurement-related off-site activity for training purposes might be based on a market rate for coordinating similar activities. Pricing arrangement may be negotiated between the parties when the services are required.