Questions_and_Answers_05292013.pdf

Questions and Answers

pg. 1

1. What are the NRCS Field or Area Office locations to be serviced? The solicitation does not state actual locations at this time and potential contractors should price the positions to accomplish work throughout the states of Iowa, Missouri or Nebraska.

2. Can the contractors service more than one Field or Area Office? This is a possibility.

If so what locations can be grouped together? Locations that are in close proximity and at the convenience of the Government can be grouped together.

3. Does the government require a Farm Bill Clerk and a Soil Conservation Clerk at each Field or Area Office? No, not at this time.

4. Is this the tasks in the solicitation new to the government, is government employees conducting the tasks, or is the tasks currently being completed by a contractor(s)? This is a new requirement.

5. Does the government consider 1920 hours per year as full time for the contractors. If not what is the estimated hours per man year for each Farm Bill Clerk and Soil Conservation Clerk?

The Government views 2087 hours per year as full time. The necessary contracted services shall not exceed 40 hours per week and may be less.

6. Attachment 3 states a requirement for valid Iowa driving license. Can the contractors also have Missouri and Nebraska driving licenses? The contracted service employee shall possess a valid state issued driver’s license per state regulations.

7. Do you have an insurance requirement for liability? Please see the AGAR clauses, specifically AGAR 452.228-71. The contractor has to provide the Government with proof of liability per the terms described.

8. Confirming that the qualifications for both positions are identical. Yes as long as the services can be provided in accordance with NRCS policies, procedures and the Field Office Technical Guide requirements.

9. Does the Soil Conservation Technician require any specialized conservation experience? No.

10. Page 3, Section 2 states our proposal should be of a reasonable length and gives no font size restrictions. Please help us understand what you consider reasonable. Font - Times New Roman size 12, double spaced not to exceed three pages.

11. Is there an incumbent(s)? No. If so who? N/A

12. Was the incumbent contract(s) also SCA? N/A

13. What was the incumbent's fully burdened labor rates for each labor category? N/A

pg. 2

14. What was the incumbent's contract value for last year (12 months)? N/A How many FTEs did this cover? N/A

15. Attachment 2 and Attachment 3 each call for 19,000-22,000 labor hours during the base year. This would total between 38,000 and 44,000 total hours. However, Attachment 1, Section

(v) states overall estimate is 19,000 - 25,000 hours. What is accurate? Current possible requirement is 19,000-25,000 hours, depending on available funds.

16. Was a sources sought advertised to determine if this opportunity could be set-aside (ie WOSB, VOSB, SDVOSB, etc)? No, it was requested that this solicitation be placed on Federal Business Opportunities for small business.

17. What DOL wage determination labor categories does the Government recommend? After reviewing the requirements, no wage determination is being issued by DOL and therefore in accordance with Title 29 C.F.R. Part 4, Section 4.6(d), the contractor is required to pay no less than the Federal minimum wage.

18. What DOL wage determination labor categories have been used historically? General Clerk category and Engineer category.

19. Are all positions anticipated to be full-time? That is dependent on the requirement and available funds.

20. Do both positions require the employee to have their own vehicle to drive to other sites?

This is a possibility. Some employees may opt to take public transportation - Is this acceptable? Yes as long as services can be performed per the terms of the contract.

21. Is the incumbent eligible to bid? N/A

22. Please provide the appropriate DOL Wage determinations. N/A

23. Section 4 , Price Factor - Since you are not requesting cost details/build-ups, you only request a fully burdened hourly rate, how will you determine if a price is unreasonably low? The statement of equivalent rates for Federal hires is $17.00/hour, which shall be the basis for price reasonableness.

24. Attachment 1, paragraph (ii) states, “to include a base period of 1 year from the date of award and two one year each option periods…” and the third sentence in paragraph (v) states the similar requirement. Yet, the pricing displayed in paragraph (v) has four option years. Please clarify the number of years to include. Include pricing for one base year and four option years.

25. Attachment 1, paragraph (v) states the estimated hours at 19,000 to 25,000. Then in the descriptions for the Farm Bill Clerk (pg. 11) and again in the Conservation Technician (pg. 14), they state “a requirement of between 19,000 and 22,000 labor hours during the base year.” Please clarify the hour estimate; is it 19,000 hours for both positions, or 38,000 hours combined, and then is it 22,000 or 25,000 hours? 5,000-25,000 hours is anticipated in the base year dependent on funding and the Government’s

pg. 3 needs. There is also an implication that additional task orders will be added later. Is there an estimated scope and location for these? Not at this time.

26. Attachment 1, paragraph (v) last sentence stating, “the number of hours needed and schedule for each field office…” Which field offices are projected for the service? Current possible needs: Conservation Technician – Rock Rapids, IA; West Union, IA; Independence, IA and Centerville, IA: Farm Bill Clerks

– Spencer, IA; Red Oak, IA; Creston, IA; and Fairfield, IA. Are the positions for these offices contemplated to be full time positions or part-time? Full-time.

27. Attachment 1, paragraph (vii), please provide further detail on invoices and payments. Invoices shall be submitted monthly for work performed and payments will be made via electronic funds transfer within 15 days of receipt of the invoice.

28. Attachment 1, paragraph (viii), please confirm the mail address, fax number and email address for delivery of the proposal as:

a. USDA-NRCS-Iowa State Office 210 Walnut Street 693 Federal Building Des Moines, IA 50309

b. Fax: (none shown)

c. Email: john.selenske@ia.usda.gov and michelle.bates@ia.usda.gov

Confirmed

29. Attachment 2, page 12; RFP Attachment 3, page 15; AGAR Clauses, page 1, how much travel per individual / labor category is expected annually? Mileage shall be a separate line item on the monthly invoice. By automobile? Unknown at this time. By airplane? Unknown at this time.

30. Attachment 1, page 2, section (v); RFP Attachment 2, page 12; RFP Attachment 3, page 15; AGAR Clauses, page 1, will the travel be treated as an Other Direct Charge? Mileage shall be a separate line item on the monthly invoice reimbursed at a rate equal to the Standard Mileage Rate provided by the IRS.

31. Page 3 of the solicitation states copies of FAR 52.209-7 Information Regarding Responsibility matters and the Certification at AGAR 452.209-70 are provided as attachments however, there are no attachments to the solicitation for these two provisions. Could you please post/provide the two provisions? See page 6 of the solicitation.

mailto:john.selenske@ia.usda.gov mailto:michelle.bates@ia.usda.gov