95332418Q01270002_US_final_signed_by_CO.pdf

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT 1. CONTRACT ID CODE

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6) CODE

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 10-83)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

FACILITY CODE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended, is not extended.

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a)By completing items 8 and 15, and returning copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE

DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment your desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required)

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS.

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER

NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15C. DATE SIGNED

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

16C. DATE SIGNED

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

PAGE OF PAGES

6. ISSUED BY CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., street, county, State and ZIP Code) (X)

CODE

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

NSN 7540-01-152-8070

Previous edition unusable

Responses to questions:

1. B.3 SCHEDULE OF SERVICES AND PAYMENT. Table note directs: “The Total Contract Price includes labor and other direct costs to perform all required services.” ODCs include travel and elsewhere in the RFP travel is indicated; see for example, C.3.A.(4).

Question: Do the LOE estimates in the TOTAL LABOR HOURS table include travel?

A – The actual travel time and direct working 8 hours LOE budgeting will depend upon company’s overhead structure. Travel time can be included in the LOE calculations. Total LOE should not exceed LOE hours listed in section B.3 SCHEDULE OF SERVICES AND PAYMENT, TOTAL LABOR HOURS.

1. B.3 SCHEDULE OF SERVICES AND PAYMENT and F.3 TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS.

Referenced section directs: “please also budget additional trips from company's HQ and consultants' locations to Washington DC separately”.

Question - how many such trips should be assumed?

A – Please see section F.3 TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS.

MCC estimates for the number of trips to MCC's countries seems unrealistic or at a minimum, would dramatically skew/ impact budgeting/cost submissions. In the base year, assuming “4 trips two weeks each”, and assuming two staff per mission, would mean each trip would be 2 staff X 96 hours [48 hours one week (typical of missions) and 40 for the second week, and 8 hours travel] or 192 hours. Four trips would = 768 hours or 77% of the estimated LOE for the base year.

Question – was this the intended distribution of LOE?

A – The main purpose of the LOE hours is to complete the scope of work. Travel is a complimentary function to allow experts to provide services to the MCA countries within the scope of work requirements.

For the number of trips scheduled in this RFQ MCC assumed a single geospatial expert travelling.

Destination and in country travel can dramatically impact cost.

Question - In order to ensure uniformity in proposal submissions, can MCC provide an assumption for destination; for example, “assume each mission is to Jakarta, Indonesia; and a further assumption: “no in-country travel is assumed”.

A – For the purposes of this calculation, assume that a round trip coach fare costs $3000.

2. B.3 SCHEDULE OF SERVICES AND PAYMENT. Labor Rates table show Base Period as 9 months, then Option Years 1-4.

Question – Are we proposing labor rates that extend to two additional option years (Option Years 3 and 4)

A – Yes, we need the price quotes for all three periods, base and two option years.

3. C.3.A.1 & C.6.1 In section C.3.A.1 it states that “agency approved” cloud-based software will be used, including ArcGIS Online, Collector, Survey123 and ArcGIS Desktop. But in Section C.6.1, in the skills requirements, it also says experience in other types of software are also desirable, including open source software (e.g. QGIS, R, mobile mapping and survey apps).

Question - Are open-source software platforms considered “agency approved”? Also: Is it expected that in some instances open-source software will be used, and in others ArcGIS Online/Desktop will be the preferred platform?

A – One of the services MCC seeks from the consultant is strategic guidance in choosing software to deploy, for individual applications and for MCC as a whole. In the past, MCC and its partners have used both commercially available and open sourced software.

4. C.5 REQUIRED RESOURCES General Requirements for Personnel. “Non-key positions” are referenced in the first sentence of referenced section; thereafter, the guidance appears directed to key personnel. The guidance does require “at least three people should be identified as key personnel” but beyond that, it allows for discretion in proposed staffing. Further, H.1 authorizes the contractor to

“propose more than one person per position to enhance the team's expertise”. To clarify:

Question – is it permissible to propose multiple staff in any given labor category, with only one designated as “key”, the remainder designated as non-key?

A – The quoters may proposed several personnel to one labor position to enhance the team performance.

5. C.6 MINIMUM PERSONNEL SKILLS REQUIREMENTS. MCC’s minimum personnel requirements for labor categories tend to be very prescriptive in nature. As a result, contractors are often prevented from utilizing staff who do not meet each requirement, but who are otherwise ideally suited to perform the role of the given labor category. In some instances, this significantly reduces a contractor’s flexibility to most efficiently and productively execute the work.

Question – would MCC consider reviewing minimum personnel requirements with a view towards eliminating those not deemed absolutely essential to quality performance for the given labor category?

A – MCC provided minimum requirements for the personnel in Section C.5 REQUIRED RESOURCES.

6. C.6.1 Senior Geospatial Specialist Experience. The RFP requires “at least 15 years of experience

(with the Master's degree)”.

Question – is not the Masters Degree a superfluous requirement given that a Bachelor's degree with

6 years of relevant experience may substitute for a Masters Degree?

A – please read the RFQ, the education requirement is stated clearly as: 1. Senior Geospatial Specialist

Education. § A Master's degree in GIS, Geography, Earth Science, Engineering, Computer Science or a related field from an accredited college or university, or a Bachelor's degree with 6 years of relevant experience.”

Question – geospatial technology is a rapidly developing field. Someone with 10 years’ experience virtually at the cutting edge of this technology may be far more suited to play a lead (SR) role than someone with 20 years’ experience, but with much of it somewhat dated. Would MCC consider reducing this to 10 years?

A – MCC has clearly stated the requirements for the positions, please refer to section C.5 REQUIRED

RESOURCES.

7. C.6.2 Mid-level and Junior Geospatial Specialists Experience. Following the rationale above for Sr staff, ten years’ experience for a Mid-Level staff seems unnecessarily prescriptive, most especially given the other experience requirements listed.

Question – would MCC consider reducing this to 7 years?

The same rational applies to Jr staff – a requirement for 5 years’ experience would eliminate staff that have been specializing in geospatial technology since graduating from college, and within 2 years, are sufficiently trained and experienced to engage on such work; indeed, they are regularly engaged on such work for commercial clients.

Question – would MCC consider reducing this to 3 years?

8. L.5, Volume I: Technical Capability. Referenced section provides: “Proposed key personnel shall provide commitment letters .…” Unlike e.g., independent contractors, employees of a firm have no authority to commit their time, only authorized firm officials may legally make such a commitment.

Further, the RFP notes: “Contractors should verify that consultants proposed are available to undertake the work described.”

Question – will a commitment by the firm in its proposal suffice to meet the key personnel commitment requirements?

A – MCC requires each of the proposed key personnel to provide a commitment letter.

9. Part 1.5 Quote preparation and Instructions. Reference Summary table and paragraph a under Volume

I: Technical Capability. According to the table the cover page counts as one of the 19 pages allowed;

however the following paragraph states: “Cover pages, dividers, table of contents do not count against the limitation.”

Question - Is the cover page included in the page count?

A – The cover page counts as first page of the 19 pages total.

Millennium Challenge Corporation, Contracts and Grants Management Division, 1099 Fourteenth St NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC, 20005-3550, US