A23 RFQ Interpreting DFAS CL.doc

DFAS-CLEVELAND

INTERPRETING SERVICES

PR # HQ010333869

REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS

INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS/EVALUATION FACTORS

Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) is issuing a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for the services specified in the attached Performance Work Statement (PWS). Quotation evaluation will be conducted in accordance with FAR Part 13.5, with the intention to award a Purchase Order to one vendor. Quotations must be received by email to Veronica Hay at veronica.c.hay.civ@mail.mil by 5p.m. ET, 6/12/2023.

Questions regarding this solicitation are due to veronica.c.hay.civ@mail.mil by 5p.m. ET, 6/6/2023. Questions will be answered at the discretion of the Contracting Officer.

Government intends to award a Labor Hour (LH) contract for one base year and two (2) one-year option periods.

This will be solicited with Full and Open Competition on SAM.gov. The NAICS code for this announcement is 541930 with small business size standard $20.0 million.

**NOTE: Due to the need to coordinate requirements with limited notice and utilizing local interpreters, only service providers with scheduling staff located within the state of Ohio will be considered for award.**

1. List of Attachments:

Attachment 1: Performance Work Statement (PWS)

Attachment 2: Schedule of Items

Attachment 3: Clauses in Full Text Attachment 4: Past Performance Questionnaire

**Please see the attached Schedule of Items Table. Please utilize this schedule when submitting your quote. Failure to use the attached schedule will result in your quote NOT being considered for award. **

**Please complete the provisions FAR 52.204-24 and 52.204-26 fill-in sheet that is found on Page 2 & 7 on the document entitled “Clauses in Full Text.” **

IMPORTANT REMINDER: Prior to submission of quote, please verify your registration is current and active via the System for Award Management (SAM): https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/.

2. Description: Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) requires onsite and virtual interpreting (sign language) services on an as needed basis as described in the Performance Work Statement (attached separately).

Item 001: Interpreter Services as described in the Performance Work Statement.

Quantity = Estimated 400 hours provided on an as-needed basis during the base year period of performance for hours requested within 24 business hours in advance. Unit price shall be provided per interpreter per hour.

Item 002: Interpreter Services as described in the Performance Work Statement.

Quantity = Estimated 400 hours provided on an as-needed basis during the first option year period of performance for hours requested within 24 business hours in advance. Unit price shall be provided per interpreter per hour.

Item 003: Interpreter Services as described in the Performance Work Statement.

Quantity = Estimated 400 hours provided on an as-needed basis during the second option year period of performance for hours requested within 24 business hours in advance. Unit price shall be provided per interpreter per hour.

3. General Instructions:

3.1 Quotations: Quotations shall include two attachments and shall be submitted in one email. The first attachment represents the vendor’s response to Non-Priced Factor 1 and 2. The second attachment represents the vendor’s Price Quote, Factor 3. The first page of each attachment shall include the RFQ number, date of submittal, the vendor’s name, address, CAGE code, POC name, phone, and email. Vendors may use the body of their email as a cover letter. Limit the cover letter to 600 words.

3.2 Text shall be single-spaced, on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper, with minimum one-inch margins on all sides and minimum 12-point font. Text and graphics shall be in a format readable by Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or Excel. Note: There is a 15MB limit for email submissions.

3.3 Page Limitations. Any pages in excess of the page limitations below will not be considered.

4. Submission Instructions:

4.1 Factor 1 – Technical Approach

Describe your technical approach for meeting PWS requirements. Include a description of the following:

1. A brief explanation of how many local certified interpreters are available to support onsite requests for the DFAS Cleveland location.

2. A brief explanation of how many virtual certified interpreters available to support virtual requests.

3. A brief explanation of how current and new interpreters are vetted and assessed in the hiring processes.

4.2 Factor 2 – Past Performance

(A) Provide a list of no more than three (3) of your most recent and relevant contracts. Only recent and relevant contracts will be evaluated. Recent means contracts performed or completed within three years from the quotation due date. For contracts that are currently being performed, the vendor must have performed at least six months of service for the contract to be evaluated. Relevant means similar in scope and complexity to the solicited work. Furnish the following information for each contract referenced:

(1) Company/Division name

(2) Description of Service

(3) Contracting Agency/Customer

(4) Contract Number

(5) Contract Dollar Value

(6) Period of Performance

(7) Verified, up-to-date name, address, email and phone number of the contracting officer/POC

(8) Comments regarding compliance with contract terms and conditions

(9) Comments regarding any known performance deemed unacceptable to the customer, or not in accordance with the contract terms and conditions.

(10) Explanation of why the contract is relevant to the solicited work.

(B) Questionnaires. Attached to the solicitation is a Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ). Vendors are required to send the Questionnaire to each contracting officer or point of contact (POC) with knowledge of the vendor’s performance for each contract referenced (unless a past performance record is already available in CPARS for the reference contract). The contracting officer/POC should be instructed to send the Questionnaire directly to the person identified on the first page of the Instructions no later than the quotation due date specified. The vendor is solely responsible for ensuring that Questionnaires are received by the Government no later than the quotation due date. Questionnaires received after the quotation due date may not be considered in the evaluation.

(C) Subcontractor Consent: Past performance information pertaining to a subcontractor cannot be disclosed to the prime contractor without the subcontractor’s consent. Provide a letter, as an additional Attachment, from each subcontractors that will perform significant aspects of this requirement, consenting to the release of their past performance information to the prime contractor. Consent letters do not count toward page limitations.

4.3 Factor 3– Price

Provide a Labor Hour-price for the base year and option periods. The vendor’s price quote shall identify the number of hours and fully-burdened hourly rates for each labor category, and any materials or supplies required to perform the PWS. Rates shall be equal to or lower than the vendor’s GSA rates. Significant discounts are strongly encouraged and shall be identified in the vendor’s price quote.

5. Evaluation: The Government intends to evaluate quotations and award a Labor Hour-price task order based upon the vendor’s proposed technical approach, past performance and price based on initial quotation. Inclusion of any important consideration not covered by this request is encouraged. The Government reserves the right to make a determination whether a quote is acceptable or unacceptable solely on the basis of the information submitted and proceed without requesting additional information. Therefore, the vendor’s initial quotation should contain the best terms from a pricing and technical standpoint.

The award shall be made to the responsible vendor whose quotation represents the best value to the Government. The Government may reject any or all quotations if such action is in the public interest; accept a quotation other than the lowest priced quotation; and waive informalities and minor irregularities in quotations received

5.1. Order of Importance

Factor 1 – Technical Approach is equal to Factor 2 – Past Performance. Combined, Factors 1 and 2 are more important than Factor 3 – Price. However, the importance of price will increase if quotations are rated and considered essentially equal in terms of non-price factors.

5.2. Ratings

5.2.1 Factor 1 – Technical Approach will be evaluated through an assessment of any strengths, weaknesses, and deficiencies, and will receive one rating described in the table below.

TECHNICAL RATINGS/RISK

5.2.2 Factor 2 – Past Performance will be evaluated in the following manner: The Government shall evaluate recent and relevant performance information on vendors based on the contracts provided by the vendor and Questionnaires received. The Government may seek and consider in the evaluation, data independently obtained from other government and commercial sources, including databases such as CPARS. Recent means contracts performed or completed within three years from the quotation due date. For contracts that are currently being performed, the contractor must have performed at least six months of service for the contract to be considered. Relevant means similar in scope and complexity to the solicited work.

Projects performed by subcontractors or joint venture partners may be considered relevant, provided the information submitted by the contractor demonstrates that the subcontractor or joint venture partner played a major role and critical role in successfully performing the project. Relevant projects performed by the contractor as a prime contractor will be weighed more heavily in the overall evaluation. Contracts performed for the Department of Defense, depending on relevancy, may be considered more significant in the evaluation.

The government reserves the right to give greater consideration to information on those contracts deemed most relevant to the effort described in this solicitation, see Table below:

Relevancy Table

The purpose of the past performance evaluation is to allow the government to assess the contractor’s ability to perform the effort described in the solicitation, based on the contractor’s demonstrated present and past performance. The assessment process will result in an overall performance confidence rating in accordance with Table 2. Contractors with no relevant past or present performance history shall receive the rating of “Unknown Confidence”.

Table 2

High Confidence: Based on the contractor’s performance record, the government has high confidence the contractor will successfully perform the required effort.

Significant Confidence: Based on the contractor’s performance record, the government has significant confidence the contractor will successfully perform the required effort.

Satisfactory Confidence: Based on the contractor’s performance record, the government has confidence the contractor will successfully perform the required effort.

Neutral Confidence: Performance record is so sparse that no meaningful confidence assessment rating can be reasonably assigned.

Little Confidence: Based on the contractor’s performance record, substantial doubt exists that the contractor will successfully perform the required effort.

No Confidence: Based on the contractor’s performance record, extreme doubt exists that the contractor will successfully perform the required effort.

5.2.3 Factor 2 – Price

Price reasonableness determinations will be in accordance with FAR 8.405-2(d). The government will evaluate whether the proposed level of effort and labor mix are appropriate for the requirements of the PWS to ensure successful performance; and whether the proposed rates per hour are reasonable.

The government has included 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services. For evaluation purposes, the Government will consider the price for the six-month Option to Extend Services as equal to half the price of the last option period quoted. The total evaluated price will include the base period and all options including the Option to Extend Services. Evaluation of options will not obligate the government to exercise the options.

6. Invoices:

Shall be submitted via Wide Area Workflow (WAWF), to the WAWF acceptor who will be identified in the resulting contract. Reference DFAR Clause 252.232-7006.

7. Provisions and Clauses:

The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2021-02. The Government intends to include the following FAR and DFAR clauses and provisions, either by reference or in full text in the resulting award. NOTE: The FAR and DFARS clauses may be accessed in full text at http://www.acquisition.gov.

Provisions By Reference:

FAR 52.204-16 Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (AUG 2020)

FAR 52.212-1 Instruction to Offerors – Commercial Items (OCT 2018)

FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (NOV 2021)

FAR 52.212-3 Alt. I Offeror Representation and Certifications – Commercial Items Alternate I (NOV 2020)

FAR 52.216-31 Time-and-Materials/Labor Hour Proposal Requirements-Commercial Item Acquisition (FEB 2007)

FAR 52.217-5 Evaluation of Options (JUL 1990)

FAR 52.219-1 Small Business Program Representations (OCT 2022)

DFARS 252.203-7005 Representation Relating to Compensation of Former DoD Officials (NOV 2011)

DFARS 252.204-7008 Compliance with Safeguarding Covered Defense Information Controls (OCT 2016)

Clauses By Reference:

FAR 52.204-18 Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (AUG 2020) FAR 52.212-4 Alt. I Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items Alternate I (JAN 2017)

FAR 52.216-31 Time-and-Materials/Labor Hour Proposal Requirements-Commercial Item Acquisition (FEB 2007)

FAR 52.219-4 Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns (OCT 2022) FAR 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (NOV 2020)

FAR 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (DEC 2013) FAR 52.253-1 Computer Generated Form (JAN 1991) DFARS 252.201-7000 Contracting Officer’s Representative (DEC 1991) DFAR 252.203-7000 Requirements Relating to Compensation of Former DoD Officials (SEP 2011)

DFARS 252.203-7002 Requirement to Inform Employees of Whistleblower Rights (SEP 2013)

DFARS 252.204-7006 Billing Instructions (OCT 2016)

DFARS 252.204-7012 Safeguarding of Unclassified Controlled Technical Information (DEC 2019)

DFARS 252.204-7015 Disclosure of Information to Litigation Support Contractors (MAY 2016)

DFARS 252.209-7999 Representation by Corporations Regarding an Unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction under any Federal Law (Deviation) (JAN 2012)

DFAR 252.232-7003 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests (DEC 2018) DFAR 252.232-7006 Wide Area WorkFlow Payment Instructions (DEC 2018)

DFAR 252.232-7010 Levies on Contract Payments (DEC 2006)

DFARS 252.237-7010 Prohibition on Interrogation of Detainees by Contractor Personnel (JUN 2013)

DFARS 252.244-7000 Subcontracts for Commercial Items (JUN 2013)

DFARS 252.247-7023 Transportation of Supplies by Sea – Basic (FEB 2019)

Clauses by Full Text (Attached Separately):

FAR 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (OCT 2020)

FAR 52.204-25 Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (AUG 2020)

FAR 52.204-26 Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services – Representation (OCT 2020)

FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statues of Executive Orders - Commercial Items (NOV 2020)

FAR 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services (NOV 1999) FAR 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (MAR 2000)

FAR 52.252-1 Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (FEB 1998)

FAR 52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference (FEB 1998)

FAR 52.252-5 Authorized Deviations in Provisions (NOV 2020)

FAR 52.252-6 Authorized Deviations in Clauses (NOV 2020)

8. Wage Determination: The Service Contract Act of 1965, as amended, applies to this acquisition, per the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses that have been incorporated by reference (FAR 52.212-5). Wage Determination Number 2015-4165. Revision Number 19, published May 27, 2022, is applicable to this solicitation and may be viewed at http://www.sam.gov.

PLEASE NOTE: A quotation does not constitute an award; therefore, an obligation to your company is not official until you receive an award and subsequent purchase order for this service.