QA_as_of_8-2-2016_(003).pdf

Questions & Responses –Solicitation AG-3187-S-15-0037

The above mentioned solicitation is hereby amended to incorporate the information below:

1. USFS has obtained Contractor support through a similar IDIQ, which is forecasted to meet its maximum ordering capacity on or before March 2017, to support the implementation of international activities. In addition to completing administrative tasks further discussed in C.3.4, the Contractor is currently providing numerous short term consultants in addition to 91 expatriate and host country national contract personnel in support of USFS projects across the globe. USFS has a need for continued Contractor assistance to support its International Programs. Can you please tell us as soon as possible who this contractor is?

The incumbent contractor is Management and Engineering Technologies, Inc. (METI). The current contract number is AG-3187-C-13-0010, Overall Maximum Value $100,000,000.

2. May I suggest that, next to the week of Christmas and Thanksgiving, August 23 is probably the third worst week of the year to request proposals. It is made more complex by the RFP's implied statement that the work would not be needed until March 2017. Interested parties ask me "What's the rush?" There is the lingering suspicion that somebody's name is already on this one.

The time is adequate as our procurement process is rather extensive for a complex acquisition such as this. There is an internal review and approval process which occurred before posting of the solicitation and will again happen to review the source selection.

3. Your not having changed the FBO posting from Presolicitation (without a due date) to a Solicitation, suggests that someone might have grounds for a challenge if they felt they didn't have appropriate time for a judicious response to such a large initiative.

Please carefully read the RFP. Section L includes the submission information as well as the due date. FBO is also updated. The notice types in FBO include, “Presolicitation, Combined Synopsis/Solicitation, Sources Sought, Sale of Surplus Property, Special Notice, Foreign Government Standard, Award Notice, Justification and Approval (J&A), Intent to Bundle Requirements, and Fair Opportunity”. This notice was issued pursuant to FAR 5. As an appropriate pre-solicitation. FBO does not have an edit to change the pre-solicitation verbiage to solicitation verbiage other than posting the RFP and attachments.

4. SF-33 Continuation Sheet The solicitation indicates SCA Wage Determination No.: 2005-2103, Rev. 12, dated 6/13/2012 The Dept. of Labor website indicates the current version of this specific wage determination is Rev. 2, dated 12/29/2015. Is it possible the wrong wage determination has been cited?

The updated determination for Washington, DC is:

Wage Determination No.: 2015-4281 Revision No.: 3 Date of Revision: 04/08/2016.

The solicitation will be updated accordingly

4. B.6 Fee for Administrative Services &

B.9 Labor Categories and Rates Can the government clarify that the Fees to be proposed in section B.6 are not applicable to any direct labor elements that would be proposed under section B.9?

The proposed fees in B.6 are not applicable to any direct labor elements.

5. B.7 Task Order Proposals

CPFF and FFP task order proposals must conform to the format presented in Attachment 1 unless otherwise directed by the Contracting Officer. There is no “Attachment 1” that corresponds to this requirement. Please provide or indicate how the offeror is required to provide this information.

Offerors can submit this information in whatever format they would like so long as the fees are clearly noted. The reference to Attachment 1 has been removed.

6. B.9 Labor Categories and Rates

“the Contractor shall provide . . . fully burdened, government-site, fixed hourly rates” Can the government please clarify the government-site locations to be covered under the proposed rates? Location of services makes a significant difference in the pricing.

Offerors should use Washington, DC as the government-site location for the purposes of section B.9.

7. C.3.4 Administrative Services/Payment Processing

“Salary, benefits and allowances of host country Contractor employees” Most of the services listed in section C.3.4 are either non-labor or services provided by subcontract labor, rather than contractor’s own employees. Inclusion of contractor’s in-country employees in this section does not seem consistent with relevant portions of B.6 and B.9. Shouldn’t host country contractor employees be covered under other requirements not subject to application of Section B.6?

Host country Contractor employees should not be included in section C.3.4. Payment of host country contractor employees salary, benefits and allowances is the responsibility of the contractor and should adhere to the local labor and financial regulations of the host country.

Section C.3.4 has been updated with clarifying language.

8. C.3.5 Transition of the Current Tasks

“Activities that will continue under the new IDIQ are noted in Attachment 2.”

There is no “Attachment 2” that corresponds to transition activities.

Will the new contractor be responsible for transitioning the Forest Service’s 91 overseas expatriate and host country personnel or will the incumbent contractor maintain this workshare until task completion?

We request clarification regarding required transition activities and timelines.

See attachment 5. The reference in the RFP has been updated.

9. C.4 IDIQ Performance Standards PS-3 Qualified staff members are available to USFS immediately upon task order award. If there is to be a transition of current personnel, or hiring of new personnel, for some task orders, it would seem to be impossible for any contractor to meet this requirement on the day of “task order award”. Can the standard be rephrased to indicate “upon completion of transition/staffing plan”?

This performance standard applies to award of an individual task order, not the award of the contract. It is expected that there will be a transition period.

10. F.2 Period of Performance Is there a period of performance for transition activities?

There is not a period of performance for the transition activities. It is expected that this will occur in the first few months.

11. F.4 Place of Performance Can the government identify the location of anticipated USFS locations in the US?

The majority of US-based contractor employees will be in Washington, DC. However, it is possible that virtual locations may be utilized. In addition, activities will occur throughout the

US.

12. H.1 Additional Requirements for Personnel Compensation

(c) Salaries and wages . . . without the approval of the contracting officer. As salaries generally increase year to year, this paragraph seems to indicate that NO salary increases for any employee are acceptable without contracting officer approval. This will be a serious impediment to a contractor’s ability to hire and retain qualified personnel. We would recommend some guidance on what is considered acceptable increases not requiring contracting officer approval.

Per H.1.h., annual salary increases are allowed, but may not exceed 5% applied to an entire employee pool.

13. L.1.5 Volume 4: IDIQ Cost Proposal Cost Tables in accordance with Section B.4 – B.7 of the IDIQ (base and option years) as part of Attachment 1 There is no “Attachment 1” that corresponds to this requirement. Can the government please clarify the required format for the specified pricing information?

See answer to question 5.

14. L.1.5 Volume 4: IDIQ Cost Proposal

Labor Descriptions and cross reference to OPM categories (as appropriate) in accordance with Section B.10 of the IDIQ Reference to Section B.10 appears to be in error. Suggest this should refer to B.9.

RFP has been updated with reference to B.9.

15. L.1.5 Volume 4: IDIQ Cost Proposal

Labor Rates in accordance with Section B.10 of the IDIQ (base and option years) as part of Attachment 1 Reference to Section B.10 appears to be in error. Suggest this should refer to B.9.

See answer to question 14.

16. L.1.5 Volume 4: IDIQ Cost Proposal Labor Rates in accordance with Section B.10 of the IDIQ (base and option years) as part of Attachment 1 There is no “Attachment 1” that corresponds to this requirement. Can the government please clarify the format and content of the referenced Attachment 1?

17. Task Order Cost with overhead and fees as part of Attachment 1

The Offeror shall provide a complete budget, including the budgets for each subcontractor, by cost element utilizing the provided budget template titled “VOL 4 SAMPLE Task Order” which is in Attachment 1…. There is neither a “VOL 4 SAMPLE Task Order budget template” nor an “Attachment 1” that correspond with this requirement. Please clarify the format and content of the requested data.

The offeror can submit this in whatever format they would like. The reference to Vol 4 SAMPLE Task Order has been removed from the RFP

18. Task Order Cost with overhead and fees as part of Attachment 1

See Sample Task Order SOW, attachment 7… There is no “Attachment 7” that corresponds to this requirement. Please clarify.

RFP has been updated with proper attachment reference (Attachment 1).

19. Volume 3: Past Performance Instructions

The Offeror shall provide not more than three (3) past performance summaries in the past three years utilizing the spreadsheet template in Attachment 3. There is no past performance spreadsheet template that corresponds to this requirement. Attachment 3 is the “Ghana Performance Management Plan” and does not correspond to this requirement. Please clarify the format and content of this section.

The offeror can submit this in whatever format they would like, but should include the following information:

Name of Contract

Contract Number

Total Contract Value

Completion Date, or stage of completion if still in progress

Contracting’s Officers Name, address, email address and telephone

Name of prime company if you subcontracted out this work, or if you acted as a subcontractor.

Project location

Whether the project was completed timely

20. Volume 4: IDIQ Cost Proposal

Cost Tables in accordance with Section B.4 – B.7 of the IDIQ (base and option years) as Excel spreadsheet, see Attachment 1 No Attachment 1 spreadsheet has been provided. Please clarify the format and content of this section.

Offerors can submit the cost proposal in whatever format they like as long as all the relevant information is provided. The reference to Attachment 1 was removed from the RFP.

21. Volume 4: IDIQ Cost Proposal

Labor Descriptions and cross reference to OPM categories (as appropriate) in accordance with Section B.10 of the IDIQ Reference to Section B.10 appears to be in error. Suggest the reference should be to B.9.

22. Volume 4: IDIQ Cost Proposal

Labor Rates in accordance with Section B.10 of the IDIQ (base and option years) as Excel spreadsheet, see Attachment 1 worksheet “Contract Labor Categories” There is no “Attachment 1” that corresponds to this requirement. Can the government please clarify the format and content of the referenced Attachment 1?

23. Volume 4: IDIQ Cost Proposal

Complete worksheet titled “Vol 4 SAMPLE Task Order”. There is no worksheet titled “Vol 4 SAMPLE Task Order”. Please clarify the format and content of this requirement.

See answer to question 17.

24. Pre-Bid/Pre-Proposal Conference Are vendors able to schedule one-on-one sessions with a Forest Service Representative during the pre-bid conference?

No, the conference is designed to address all interested bidders.

Technical Questions

25. The pre-solicitation listed database development for financial management and program monitoring and evaluation was a requirement. Although Section C.3 Scope of Work of the RFP references that the Contractor must provide personnel with expertise in IT support and database development and management, it does not specifically reference databases for financial management or M&E systems. Can USFS please clarify the types of databases to be developed under this IDIQ?

The US Forest Service International Programs (USFS/IP) collaborates with partners on a range of natural resource management issues to strengthen the forest management and biodiversity conservation. The project management and financial reporting requirements for these various initiatives requires a suite of standard information technology systems and databases so that USFS/IP can accurately communicate, implement, track and report on its wide array of projects with USAID and the State Department. In order to do this, the USFS/IP requires database development and information technology support. Currently, USFS/IP utilizes Microsoft Access to track financial reporting requirements.

26. The PWS includes several positions with areas of expertise where the contractor will need to either transition personnel or recruit new candidates, can USFS please provide a list of the current positions, as well as expected additional and removed positions?

A sample list of required positions is include in section C.3.2. See attachment 5 for a list of positions to be transitioned (also referenced in question 8).

27. Can USFS provide a list of current field office and domestic office locations and staff positions that will need to be transitioned under the new IDIQ?

See answer to question 8.

28. Can USFS confirm that font used in graphics and charts smaller than 12 point is allowed as long as the text is easily readable?

Font must be at least 12-point size to ensure the Proposal is legible.

Cost Questions

29. Section L.1.3 states that the technical and cost components of the Sample Task Order Proposal shall be submitted in the same volume. Can USFS confirm that the offeror’s Cost Approach is not counted toward the 15 page limit?

The Cost Proposal does not count toward the 15 page limit.

30. P. 6 Section 2.7 instructs offerors to “retain up to seven qualified mid-level staff: Question on labor categories and current staff.” What labor categories should offerors assume for the 7 staff?

The government will not confirm qualifications and level of effort is task 2. The government will not state if travel is required. Responses should address the offeror’s proposed solutions for meeting the requirements outlines in Task 2.

31. Could USFS please confirm that Washington, D.C. is the location that should be used for OPM categories referenced in Section B.10? If not, can USFS please clarify what offerors should use to ensure cost realism?

Yes, Washington, DC should be used.

32. In Section L.1.5 and L.2.1, Volume 4: IDIQ Cost Proposal, USFS references Section B.10 for labor descriptions and labor rates. Could USFS please confirm that these requirements should instead be linked to Section B.9?

33. In Section L.1.5, Volume 4: IDIQ Cost Proposal, USFS references a budget template titled “VOL 4 SAMPLE Task Order” in Attachment 1, but it appears to be missing from the attachment. Could USFS please provide a copy of the budget template for the sample task order?

34. Section L.1.4 states that Volume 3: Past Performance is limited to 10 pages. May Offerors provide narrative regarding past performance in addition to the three past performance summaries within the 10 pages allowed?

Offerors may include a narrative as long as the information in the answer to Question 19 is addressed and it does not exceed two pages per past performance summary.

35. Section C.3.5 references Attachment 2, which details activities that will continue under the new

IDIQ. Could USFS please provide Attachment 2?

36. Section M.3.3 (d) requires offerors to provide key personnel with “relevant and appropriate skills, experience and expertise in relation to the task order requirement.” However, Section 13 of the sample task order indicates that the implementation of the sample task order does not require key personnel to be designated at the task level. Can USFS confirm that section M.3.3 (d) will only evaluate the six illustrative positions outlined in the sample task order, and that no key personnel are required for the task order?

USFS Confirms that section M.3.3(d) will only evaluate the six illustrative positions outlined in the sample task order.

37. There are no CLINs for option years yet option years are referenced, see especially F.2. The only performance period given in a CLIN is 11/18/2016 through 11/17/2017. Are there optional periods of performance and if so why aren’t they reflected in the CLIN structure? Will CLINs be added to reflect the optional periods of performance?

The contract is a base plus four option years. Individual task orders with specified periods of performance will be awarded against the contract for different types of activities. Combined, these tasks orders will not exceed the IDQ Maximum of $150,000,000.

38. The single CLIN shown in the schedule reflects an “IDIQ Maximum” of $150,000,000. However, lacking any CLINs for option periods, it is not known whether the Government forecasts future year requirements as a straight line projection of the maximum (e.g. $30,000,000 per performance year) or whether requirements will be distributed across performance periods in an irregular fashion. Please provide and estimate of requirements for all required performance periods.

See answer to question 37.

39. In B.1 et al., B.6 and B.6 the Government states that there will be required CPFF and FFP task orders and FFP payment processing requirements will have a fixed fee attached, dependent upon the transaction amount. However, the Government does not provide any estimated breakdown of the contract’s value (maximum $150,000,000) for any of these requirements.

Since the distribution of contract work among these 3 kinds of activities (FFP, task order, CPFF task order, payment processing) will necessarily affect contract pricing will the Government provide estimates by contract performance period for the various types of work anticipated under this contract?

In this IDIQ type contract, the volume of task orders is unknown with the base year minimum of $100,000 and the maximum of $150,000,000. The Government will require CPFF task orders for services, such as those outlined in section C.3.2. In addition, the Government will require

FFP task orders for payment processing for overseas administrative services. They payment processing will vary in amounts, and the offerors should list the fees for the corresponding amounts in section B.6.

40. B.7 requires that CPFF and FFP task order proposals must conform to the format presented in

Attachment 1…” Per Section J attachment 1 is a Performance Work Statement (PWS) for Ghana.

Would the Government please explain how a PWS for a particular requirement constitutes a

“format” which can, much less ‘must”, be used for all future CPFF and FFP task order proposals?

Moreover, B.7 uses terminology such as ‘itemized budget sets” that appear nowhere in

Attachment 1. Will the Government provide a definitions section to the RFP to include all such terms not elsewhere defined in the RFP?

41. B.9 requires that FFP task orders be priced “using the fully burdened, government-site, fixed hourly rates as proposed under this RFP.” The RFP fails to identify a particular place of performance for all FFP task orders. Since direct labor rates (DLRs) are a primary cost component of full burdened (wrapped) labor rates and DLRs may vary considerably by location, is the Government here requiring that the contractor bid a single wrapped rate for each labor category as part of its proposal for the contract and that those rates will be used in every geographical location which may see FFP task order work? Also, the RFP requires the use of the rates as proposed in response to “this RFP”. Does that mean that in lower cost areas the contractor may not submit a lower rate on a FFP task order proposal but must use the rates

“proposed under this RFP”?

See answer to question 6.

42. B.10 (a) – This does not mention whether the fixed fee pool will be broken out and stated separately on CPFF task orders. Does the Government intend to identify the fixed fee pool separately or will it only be an implied component of the number identified here as “the total estimated cost plus fixed fee…”?

The fixed fee should delineated in the offeror’s proposal and at the time of the award, the task order will state the maximum amount the contract may be paid (which includes the total estimated cost plus the fixed fee).

43. B.10 (b) states “…Contracting Officers must state in the task order the FFP, which represents the total amount of the task order and the maximum price the Contractor may be paid to perform the services…” The use of the word “may” implies that the Government has discretion over the amount to be paid the contractor under a FFP task order. Absent any negotiated changes to the requirements on a FFP task order and in accord with FAR 16.202-1, is not the amount of the FFP task order the amount that “shall” be paid the contractor? Will the Government explain what it meant by the use of the word “may” with respect to payment of the amount of a FFP task order?

FAR 16.202-1 does not require the use of the language ‘shall’ with regard to this section.

Using this language lends to an absolute for payment, where other factors (like performance) could affect final payment. The language shall be changed to read “When issuing FFP task orders, Contracting Officers must state in the task order the FFP, which represents the total amount of the task order and the maximum price the Contractor will be paid upon successful performance of the requested services, reports, or other deliverables in the task order.

44. C.1 states that the current, similar IDIQ contract will reach its maximum value on or before

March 2017. CLIN 0001 indicates performance of the contract awarded under this RFP will commence performance on 11/18/2016. Since each are IDIQ contracts will the current contract remain in force and operational until it reaches its maximum value simultaneously with the contract awarded under this RFP, will it be terminated even if early (before it reaches maximum value) or will award of this contract be delayed beyond 11/18/2016?

The current IDIQ will remain in place until the ceiling is reached and will overlap with the new award. This will allow time for transition to a new contract.

45. C.3.5 identifies Attachment 2 as a list of activities transitioning from the current contract to the new. Section J identifies Attachment 2 as the Ghana CSLP Branding Plan. Which is it? There appears to be no list of activities to be transitioned in this RFP. Will the Government provide one?

46. F.2 shows the base period of performance as being from “Award” to November 18, 2017. The

Schedule shows the base period of performance (and the only CLIN) as November 18, 2016 through November 17, 2017. Does the base period end November 17 or 18, 2017? F.2 seems to imply with the start of the base period being “Award” that it may be for less than 1 full year (12 months) of performance. Is the base period of performance intended to be a full year or whatever part of a year as may remain from date of award as either November 17 or 18, 2017?

The period of performance listed is an estimate and at the time of the award the base will be issued for a full year.

47. H.1 at (d) and (f) references a ‘final proposal revision” which is to contain proposed initial starting salaries. Per (d) “Any initial starting salaries included in the final proposal revision and accepted during negotiations, are deemed approved upon contract execution”. As presently structured the contract does not contain a listing by labor category, location and required number of hours of the personnel requirements for which this information is to be submitted.

Will the Government please provide additional information regarding what this “final proposal revision” is, when it will be required and sufficient information to submit proposed salaries for the personnel included by this requirement?

See answer to question 6.

48. H.1 at various locations (e.g. ©) imposes salary caps based on salary history, presumably that of the now current contract. Will the Government clarify that it is addressing salaries previously paid on the now current contract and not an employee’s salary history regardless of previous places of employment? Will the Government provide as part of this RFP what those salary histories are so that the restrictions on salary can be implemented on the “final proposal revision”?

H.1. addresses how salaries will be negotiated after the award of the contract. For the purposes of the proposal, the offeror should complete section B.9. and respond to the sample task order.

49. The incorporation into the RFP of a Service Contract Act wage determination and the presence of FAR 52.222-41, other Service Contract Act clauses required by FAR 22.1006 are currently not present (e.g. 52.222-42,-43). May the Government amend this RFP to include the physical presence of the most current required wag determination(s) and all clauses as may be required to implement the Service Contract Act requirements?

See answer to question 4.

50. L.1.3 requires production of the most recent NICRA or other audit documentation stating “the most recent final indirect cost rates” as part of the sample task proposal. Since the sample task will be priced as if occurring in the future, finalized indirect cost rates from previous years may not correspond with the projected indirect cost rates utilized in the sample task cost proposal as submitted. Will the Government accept alternate forms of justification for the projected indirect rates used in the sample task, for example forward rate pricing agreements, DCAA/DCMA approved billing rates, or detailed pool cost and allocation base data supporting the proposed indirect rates?

The offeror should include the most recent NICRA or other documentation from its cognizant

Government Audit Agency, if any, stating the most recent final indirect cost rates.

51. L.1.5 references cost tables in accord with B.4 – B.7 as well as base and option years. Since the

Schedule B does not actually state option years and B.4 – B.7 do not contain “cost tables” will the Government please provide clarification of this requirement in the proposal?

52. L.1.5 requires “Labor Descriptions and cross reference to OPM categories (as appropriate) in accordance with Section B.10 of the IDIQ”. Since B.10 actually contains “Task Order Limitations” will the Government please clarify this requirement and provide the information cited at this location in the RFP?

53. L.1.5 requires submittal of “Labor Rates in accordance with Section B.10 of the IDIQ (base and option years) as part of Attachment 1”. Again B.10 contains task order limitations, not any data, formats, or other information for submittal of labor rates. Also again, the reference to attachment 1 is inconsistent with prior references to attachment 1 which elsewhere variously is described as the Ghana CSLP Sample Task Order Section J) and a document containing fee structure format individual line items of cost (B.7). Will the Government please clarify the attachment numbering system, the document associated with it and provide those same documents, only one of which (Ghana Task Order) is actually incorporated into this RFP?

See answers to questions 5 and 14.

54. L.1.5 references “Task Order Cost WITH OVERHEADS AND FEES as part of Attachment 1” and further at (i) references “…the provided budget template titled “VOL 4 SAMPLE Task Order” which is in Attachment 1…”. Presumably the referenced “Attachment 1” is the Ghana Sample

Task Order and not another of the attachment ones, but nonetheless the Ghana Sample Task

Order document does not contain any budget template, named as indicated or otherwise. Will the Government please clarify the reference to attachment 1 and provide the named document as indicated?

55. Same location as referenced in #18 preceding, reference is made directing the offeror’s attention to “Sample Task Order SOW, attachment 7..”. Since there is no attachment 7 elsewhere identified or provided and the sample task order SOW is in fact contained in attachment 1, per section J of the RFP, will the Government please provide clarification as to what document is being referenced and provide that document?

See answer to question 18.

56. Same location as referenced in #21 and 22 above. The paragraph addressing indirect cost information requires “…a complete copy of its most current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate information (NICRA)…). See question #17 above, again the NICRA provides approved indirect cost rate information for previously completed contractor fiscal years while the pricing for the sample task will include indirect billing rates for future time periods. Will the Government accept documentation that supports billing rates (in contract to definitized rates, such as forward rate pricing agreements, DCAA/DCMA approved billing rates, or detailed pool cost and allocation base data?

See answer to question 50.

57. Past Performance Summaries on page 44 references a required spreadsheet template identified as Attachment 3. Per Section J attachment 3 is the Ghana CSLP PMP. Will the Government clarify this reference to Attachment 3 and provide the spreadsheet template required to complete the past performance summaries requirement?

See answer to question 19.

58. Vol IV IDIQ Cost Proposal page 44 references cost tables in B.4 – B.7, labor descriptions and cross references to OPM categories in B.10 and an excel spreadsheet required for use references as Attachment 1, and also cited as in B.10. As referenced in question #s 18 and 19 above none of the information or required tables, formats, etc. exist at the referenced numbered paragraphs in the Schedule, Section B. Will the Government clarify the references and provide the tables, descriptions, cross references and spreadsheets as identified?

See answers to questions 5 and 14.

59. Also, same location as #22 above, a required submittal is the task order cost as spreadsheet to be satisfied through completion of a worksheet “Vol 4 SAMPLE Task Order. No such spreadsheet could be found in the RFP. Would the Government identify its location in the RFP more specifically or if it is not provided correct the omission? Additionally, simply to confirm the requirement, Vol IV IDIQ Cost Proposal is required to contain the excel spreadsheets/workbook that details and support the sample task order pricing?

60. According to page 43, Volume 4: IDIQ Cost Proposal references “Task Order Cost, a NICRA is required to support the IDIQ proposed wrapped labor rates. May the Government accept proposed billing rates supported by other documents (forward rate pricing agreements, DCAA/DCMA approved billing rates, detailed pool cost and allocation base data) since the rates will be proposed for use in the future?

See answer to question 50.

61. AGAR 452.237-71 identifies the scheduled date of the pre-proposal conference as July 27, 2016.

The SF-33 identifies the closing date of the RFP as August 23. Would the Government consider an extension of the closing date to a full 45 days following the pre-proposal conference to

September 7, 2016, considering the size and complexity of the proposal effort?

See response to question 2.

62. M.3.3 Response To Sample Task Order Factor and M.4 IDIQ Cost Factor are confusing in how they detail evaluation of pricing of the sample task. Price is not identified in M.3.3 as a factor in evaluating the sample task proposal. It is identified in M.4 as a part of the evaluation of the IDIQ cost factor. Since this apparently created 2 distinct components to the IDIQ cost evaluation factor, one being the evaluation of the pricing submitted in response to the IDIQ contract and the second being the sample task order pricing , will the Government identify the relative order of importance to these 2 sub factors? For the sake of clarity, given the current evaluation scheme as described in M.4 will the Government re-name M.4 and the corresponding parts of

Section L to reflect that this factor is being evaluated on more than just the pricing data submitted in response to the IDIQ contract? Finally, L.1.3 requires submittal of both technical and cost information as part of Volume 2 Sample Task Order Proposal. This unusual arrangement of submitting both technical and cost proposal in a single volume is justified by the fact that “Because this is only a sample and will not be awarded, Offerors shall include technical and cost information in the same volume only in this instance.” However since M.3.3 and M.4 make it clear that price will not be evaluated as part of the sample task evaluation, and to avoid the widely recognized undue influence price may have on the technical evaluation of the sample task, will the Government delete the requirement to submit cost information in Volume 2?

Both technical and cost will be evaluated for the sample task order. See M.3.3 and M.4 paragraph 2

63. M.4 IDIQ Cost Factor states that the pricing data submitted in response to the IDIQ proposal requirements will be evaluated for all option years. As noted previously the Schedule does not contain option year CLINs nor has the Government provided an Excel workbook to provide a standard format for submittal of this data by option year. Will the Government add CLINs to identify optional periods of performance and provide a workbook for use in submitting the required IDIQ contract cost information?

See answer to question 39.

64. 6c-Ghana Sample Task Order paragraph 5 near the end of the first paragraph has an apparent typographical error that affects interpretation “…while tasks and six will be firm fixed price

(FFP).” Please verify that the intent is for Tasks 1 – 5 to be CPFF and Task 6 FFP.

6C-Ghana Sample Task Order was updated to fix this typo.

65. For the Sample Task, Volume 2, Task 4, could you please verify if the two weeks for travel to

Ghana requested should include a total of 14 days of per diem? Also, if the two, one week trips within the U.S. will require 14 days of per diem, or 5 days of per diem for each trip for a total of

10?

A week should be calculated at 7 days. So, the two trips to Ghana will require 14 days of per diem each for a total of 28 days. The two, one week trips within the U.S. will require 7 days each for a total of 14 days.

66. According to page 14, Section C.3.5 Transition of Current Tasks, first sentence, “Activities that will continue under the new IDIQ are noted in Attachment 2”, but according to page 29, Section

J List of Attachments, Attachment 2 is the Ghana CSLP Branding Plan. Could the government please clarify what Attachment 2 you are referring to in Section C.3.5?

67. According to page 39, Section L.1.5 Volume 4 IDIQ Cost Proposal, the table mentions

Attachment 1, but according to page 29, Section J List of Attachments, Attachment 1 is the

Ghana CSLP Sample Task Order. Could the Government please clarify what Attachment 1 is being referenced in this statement?

68. According to page 40, Section L.1.5 Volume 4 IDIQ Cost Proposal, the table mentions

Attachment 7. Could the Government please clarify what Attachment 7 is being referenced in this section?

See answer to question 18.

69. Section L.2.1 Volume 4 IDIQ Cost Proposal, page 43 mentions a worksheet titled “Vol 4 SAMPLE

Task Order”. Could the Government please clarify as to where this worksheet could be located?

70. According to page 17, Section F.2 Period of Performance, the date November 18 appears both at the beginning and at the end of the ranges, thereby placing the November 18th date in two separate contract years. May the Government please clarify the dates?

The RFP has been updated so the date range spans just one year. These are estimates of the period of performance for the base period and option years. They will be revised at the time of the contract award.

71. According to page 37, Section L.1.1 Page Limitation, states “The following pages are not included in the page limitations: Cover Pages, Tables of Contents, Resumes, and Past Performance

Summaries.” However, according to page 39, Section L.1.4 Volume 3; PAST PERFORMANCE, the header of the table states VOLUME 3: PAST PERFORMANCE (10 Page Limit). May the

Government please clarify the page limitations?

Reference has been removed from L.1.1.

72. Of the 6 tasks in the sample task, two of them (#s 3 and 5) require the use of 4 short term consultants and one of them (#6) requires 15 payment transfers valued at a total of $2,000,000.

Of the remaining tasks, two of them (#s 1 and 4) require the hiring of 2 FTEs in total. Given the requirements of the sample task in its entirety, it appears that the majority of the dollars expended on it will be in the form of short term consultants and payment transfers. In describing the scope of the IDIQ contract the Government provides no estimate of the distribution of workload among the various kinds of work that may be ordered (consultants, subcontractors, wire transfers, prime contractor employees, etc). Is the distribution of dollars among these various categories of activities as described and required in the sample tasks representative of the future actual workload under the contract as currently anticipated?

No, the sample task order is not a representation of the future workload. The workload and types of contracts vary from year to year and it is difficult project future requirements.

73. The sample task order in tasks 1,3,4 and 5 contains detailed levels of effort, including specific numbers of hours and qualifications for the personnel needed to perform the required work under each task. Task 2 contains no such detailed qualifications, for example simply requiring

“qualified mid-level local staff’ at 2.5 and “Maintain a full-time accountant…” at 2.7, does not contain and specified level of effort, for example “Retain up to seven…”, is in part ambiguous, for example 2.3 may be interpreted as requiring a full time Project Office manager or simply as prescribing a function to be performed by the staff as required elsewhere by the Government and contains no travel requirements. Will the Government provide qualifications and levels of effort in task 2 equivalent to those provided in tasks 1,3,4 and 5 and further, confirm that no travel is required as part of task 2?

The government will not confirm qualifications and level of effort is task 2. The government will not state if travel is required. Responses should address the offeror’s proposed solutions for meeting the requirements outlines in Task 2.

74. Per B.9, can USFS confirm that fully burdened hourly rates will be used for fixed price task orders, rather than deliverables-based pricing?

As stated in B.9. when a firm fixed price task order is requested, the Contractor shall provide services under this contract using the fully burdened, government-site, fixed hourly rates as proposed under this RFP.

75. On page 15 of the sample Task Order (Attachment 1), can USFS please confirm that the anticipated contractor start date is March 15, 2017 (and not 2016)?

The period of performance has been updated.

76. Per L.1.3, can USFS please confirm that our NICRA needs to be attached to the sample TO in the technical proposal? We note that it must also be attached in the IDIQ cost proposal, per L.1.5.

It can be submitted once, per L.1.5. The reference in L.1.3 has been removed.

77. Per L.2.1, Volume 1, Factor 2, can USFS please confirm that “consultants currently available” may include consultants within the offeror’s network, but who may not be full time employees of the offeror?

Yes, we confirm.

78. Per L.2.1, Volume 1, Factor 2, can USFS clarify what positions are considered “critical staff”?

Specifically, are there IDIQ staff for whom offerors must confirm availability other than the Key

Personnel identified in the RFP?

The government leaves it up to the offeror to identify staff that it feels are critical to the successful execution of this work, and demonstrate the capacity and availability of these personnel.

79. Per L.2.1, Volume 2, Factor 3, can USFS please clarify whether there are page limits for Task

Order candidate CVs?

Per L.1.3., Volume 2, “Detailed bios/resumes of proposed final candidate for each overseas and domestic long and short term position described in the statement of work are not included in the page limit”

80. Per L.2.1, Volume 2, Factor 3, can USFS confirm that the instructions for the Task Order staffing plan are the same as those for the IDIQ staffing plan listed in Volume 1, Factor 2 instructions?

The task order staffing plan should be specific to the response to the sample task order.

81. Per L.2.1., Volume 3, Factor 4, USFS indicates that offerors should utilize past performance summary spreadsheet template in Attachment 3. However, Attachment 3 per Section J is the

Ghana CSLP PMP. Can USFS please provide the past performance template?

82. Can USFS confirm that no budget is required for the sample Task Order response? If a budget is required, can USFS please provide its preferred template?

A cost proposal is required for the response to the sample task order. Offerors may submit in whatever format they choose.

83. Can USFS-IP please clarify, for the 25 overseas staff to be transitioned, how many are CCN, TCN and export?

84. Could USFS-IP please explain why in the previous iteration has 2 key personnel and this one has only 1 key personnel?

USFS-IP decided that only one key personnel was required for this contract.

85. Can USFS-IP please clarify the 25 contract staff in IP that are based in DC?

86. Reference page 30, Section J List of Attachments, an attachment is not referenced for WD 05-

2103, rev12. According to DoL, the most current version, v17, was issued in July 2015. Will all applicable wage determinations, including the most current version, be provided?

See answer to question 4.

87. Reference page 37, Section L.1.1 Instructions to Offerors states “all volumes shall be submitted in separate word processing/data presentation software”. Is Adobe Acrobat an acceptable format for submitting Volume 1: Technical Proposal, Volume 2: Sample Task Order Proposal, and

Volume 3: Past Performance?

Yes.

88. Is a 2-column page layout acceptable?

No, please keep it to 1 column.

89. Volume 4 lists a Cover Letter as a required item. Do Volumes 1, 2 and 3 also require a cover letter? Can a cover letter be included in each volume and not be included in the page count?

Cover letters are not required in Volumes 1, 2 and 3; however, cover pages are. If a cover page is added to these sections, it will not be count towards the total number of pages.

90. Volumes 1, 2 and 3 list the Table of Contents (TOC) as a requirement. Does Volume 4 require a

TOC? Can a TOC be included and not counted towards the page count?

A table of contents is not required in Volume 4, but may be included. There is not a page limit to Volume 4.

91. Reference page 37, Section L.1.1, third paragraph, “The Sample Task Order Cost must be submitted using spreadsheet software that is compatible with Microsoft Excel 2013”. Does the government intend on issuing the stated spreadsheet?

There is not a template for the format of the Sample Task Order cost.

92. Reference page 37, Section L.1.1 Proposal Format, please clarify that charts, graphs and illustrations can use smaller than 12-point font size as long as they are legible.

Yes, charts, graphs and illustrations can use smaller than 12-point font size as long as it is legible.

93. Reference page 38, Section L.1.3, Volume 2 Sample Task Order Proposal, the instructions state

“…..Offerors shall include technical and cost information in the same volume only in this instance.” Please clarify what cost information is being referenced in this statement?

Offerors shall include their cost proposal for the sample task order.

94. Reference page 43, Section L.2.1, Volume 3 Past Performance, item a) mentions the use of a past performance template in Attachment 3. Reference page 30, Section J List of Attachments, Attachment 3 is the Ghana CSLP PMP. Please state what Attachment 3 is being referenced?

95. Will you be releasing a list of attendees, at least at the live meeting, if you do not know who joined the teleconference? If yes, time is of the essence for partnering and teaming opportunities. If no, please explain.

The attendee list is attached. An open teleconference line was provided for those who wished to listen in. We do not have a list of participants by telephone.

96. A-- Re: rates for US Based employees. The list on page 8 and for subsequence years gives

Experience/Grade Equivalents in column two. Assume that column refers to GS grades. May we note in our response that, due to the speed in which we put together the proposal at the time of year when many specialists are not available to be reached, our costs for each of these line items are, say 110% of what we expect them to be? Or will we be held to committing to those hourly rate line items when actual work orders are issued?

The rates provided on your proposal are the minimum acceptable rates under the contract.

B-- Can you let us know where we would find the hourly rates for those GS equivalencies on US government sites?

Hourly rates for GS equivalencies can be found on OPM’s website.

97. Were you going to release the names of the parties in the Bidder's Pre-Conference last week? If the government is truly interested in obtaining responsive bids, it might be a good way to foster collaboration and partnership.

Please see answer to question 95.