Atch 4 - 52.212-1 Instructions.pdf

FA9401-20-R-0014

Attachment 4

ADDENDUM TO FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items

Addendum to FAR 52.212-1(c), Period of Acceptance of Offers. This paragraph is tailored as follows: The offeror agrees to hold the prices in its offer firm for 180 days from the date specified for the receipt of offers.

Addendum to FAR 52.212-1(e), Multiple Offers. This paragraph is tailored as follows: Multiple proposals from the same offeror will not be accepted.

1.0 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

(a) The offeror’s proposal must include all data and information requested by this Information to Offerors (ITO) and must be submitted in accordance with these instructions. The offer shall be compliant with the requirements as stated in the Performance Work Statement (PWS). Non-conformance with the instructions provided in this ITO shall result in an unfavorable proposal evaluation.

(b) Proposals not received by the closing date/time for the RFP will not be considered.

(c) The proposal shall be clear, concise, and shall include sufficient detail for effective evaluation and for substantiating the validity of stated claims. The proposal should not simply rephrase or restate the Government’s requirements but rather shall provide convincing rationale to address how the offeror intends to meet these requirements. Offerors shall assume that the Government has no prior knowledge of their experience and will base its evaluation on the information presented in the offeror’s proposal.

(d) Elaborate brochures or documentation, binding, detailed art work, or other embellishments are unnecessary and are not desired.

(e) In accordance with FAR Subpart 4.8 (Government Contract Files), the Government will retain one copy of all unsuccessful proposals. Unless the offeror requests otherwise, at the completion of this acquisition the Government will destroy all extra copies of proposals and additional documents submitted.

1.2 General Information

1.2.1 Points of Contact. The Contracting Officer (CO) is the sole point of contact for this acquisition. Address any questions or concerns you may have to the CO. Written requests for clarification may be sent to the following:

Contract Specialist: Leann Lopez (leann.lopez@us.af.mil) Contracting Officer: Katherine Parker (katherine.parker.2@us.af.mil)

1.2.2 Debriefings. The CO will promptly notify offerors of any decision to exclude them from the competitive range; whereupon, they may request and receive a debriefing. Offerors excluded from the competitive range may request a pre-award debriefing or they may choose to wait until after the source selection decision to request a post-award debriefing. However, offerors excluded from the competitive range are entitled to no more than one debriefing for each proposal. The CO will notify unsuccessful offerors in the competitive range of the source selection decision in accordance with FAR 15.503. Upon such notification, unsuccessful offerors may request and receive a debriefing in writing or orally. Offerors desiring a debriefing must make their request in accordance with the requirements of FAR 15.505 or 15.506, as applicable.

1.2.3 Discrepancies. If an offeror believes that the requirements in these instructions contain an error, omission, or are otherwise unsound, the offeror shall immediately notify the CO in writing with supporting rationale, as well as the remedies the offeror is asking the CO to consider as related to the omission or error. The offeror is reminded that the Government reserves the right to award this effort based on the initial proposal, as received, without discussion in accordance with FAR 52.212-1(g). This reservation to award without discussion also includes matters of addenda or substitute pages of the initial proposal.

1.2.4 Electronic Reference Documents. All referenced documents for this solicitation are available on Contract Opportunities website at http://www.beta.sam.gov. Potential offerors are encouraged to subscribe for real-time e-mail notifications when information has been posted to the website for this solicitation.

1.2.5 Oral Presentations. The Government shall not accept oral presentations in response to this solicitation.

1.2.6 Communications. Exchanges of source selection information between Government and offerors will be controlled by the CO. Email may be used to transmit such information to offerors only if the email can be sent and received encrypted and includes “Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 & 3.104” in the Subject line. In addition, Source Selection information may also be transmitted via standard email to the email addresses listed in 1.2.1.

1.2.6.1. Questions. Offerors are requested to submit questions to the points of contact noted above no later than 3:00 p.m. MDT on 30 September 2020. All appropriate questions will be answered via http://www.beta.sam.gov.

2.0 PROPOSAL FORMAT AND PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

2.1 Proposal Format. In order to maximize efficiency and minimize the time for proposal evaluation, the proposal shall meet format requirements. The offeror shall prepare the proposal as set forth in the Proposal Organization Table (Table 2.1 below). The contents of each proposal file are described in the ITO paragraph as noted in the table below:

Table 2.1 – Proposal Organization Table Volume ITO Para. Volume Title Copies Page Limit

I 3.0 Past Performance 1 No more than 3 citations (5 pages per citation) II 4.0 Contract Documentation 1 No limit

2.1.1 Page Limitations. Page limitations shall be treated as maximums. If exceeded, the excess pages will not be read or considered in the evaluation of the proposal. Page limitations may be placed on responses to Evaluation Notices (ENs). The specified page limits for EN responses will be identified in the letters forwarding the ENs to the offerors. In addition, the following will also not be counted in the maximum page limits: blank pages, title pages, table of contents, tabs, dividers, glossaries, and indices.

2.1.2 Text. Text type shall be Times New Roman. Except for the reproduced sections of the solicitation document, the text size shall be no less than 12-point with normal proportional spacing. Text lines to include all tables, charts, graphs, and figures, shall have 1.5-line spacing.

Tracking, kerning, and leading values shall not be changed from the default values of the word processing or page layout software.

2.1.3 Page Size. A page is defined as each face of a 8 ½ x 11-inch sheet of paper containing information (excludes such things as blank pages, title pages, table of contents, tabs, dividers, glossaries, and indices). Page margins shall be a minimum of 1-inch each for the top, bottom and sides. All material must be contained within the page limit identified for each volume or appendix.

2.1.4 Tables, Charts, Graphs, and Figures. Legible tables, charts, graphs and figures shall be used wherever practical to depict organizations, systems and/or task layout, schedules, plans, etc. These displays shall be legible, easily understood by a reasonable person, and shall not exceed 8 ½ x 14 inches in size when printed. Foldout pages shall fold entirely within the volume and count as two pages. Foldout pages may only be used for large tables, charts, graphs, diagrams and schematics, and not for pages of text. For tables, charts, graphs and figures, the text shall be no smaller than Times New Roman 10 point. All tables, charts, graphs and figures will be included in the page count. Any tables, charts, graphs and/or figures containing smaller than Times New Roman 10 point font will be disregarded.

2.1.5 Pricing Information. All pricing information shall be addressed separately. Offerors shall be disqualified from consideration for contract award if pricing information is located in any other volume.

2.1.6 Classified Information. Proposals shall not contain any classified information. Any proposal containing classified information shall be disqualified from consideration for contract award.

2.1.7 Glossary of Abbreviations and Acronyms. Each volume shall contain a glossary of all abbreviations and acronyms used, and with an explanation for each. Glossaries do not count against the page limitations for their respective volumes.

2.1.8 Distribution. Proposals are due on the date and time specified on the Standard Form 1449, Block 8, and shall be submitted in accordance with the instructions herein. Ensure each proposal is properly marked “For Official Use Only” and “Source Selection Information--See FAR 2.101 and FAR 3.104.” Proposals received after date and time listed in Block 8 may be rejected. The CO will promptly notify the offeror its proposal was received late and whether the proposal will be considered. It is the offeror’s responsibility to confirm the Government received the proposal.

3.0 VOLUME I - PAST PERFORMANCE

3.1 General. Each offeror shall submit a past performance volume containing past performance information in accordance with the format described in this section. Offerors are cautioned that the Government will use data provided by each offeror in this volume and data obtained from other sources in the evaluation of past performance.

If applicable, the offeror shall submit a consent letter executed by each Joint Venture partner/Mentor Protégé partner/Teaming partner, authorizing release of adverse past performance information to the offeror so the offeror can respond to such information (See Attachment 7). For each identified effort for a commercial customer, the offeror shall also submit a client authorization letter, authorizing release to the Government of requested information on the offeror’s performance (See Attachment 10).

3.2 Past Performance Information for Relevant Contracts. Submit information in accordance with Attachment 6, Past Performance Information, on no more than three (3) active or completed contracts (with at least 6 months of performance history) in the past five (5) years from the issuance date of the RFP that you consider most relevant in demonstrating your ability to perform the proposed effort. Include rationale supporting your assertion of relevance.

For a description of the characteristics or aspects the Government will consider in determining recency and relevance, see paragraphs. 2.2.2.1 and 2.2.2.2, FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation addendum (Attachment 5).

3.2.1 Specific Content. Offerors are required to explain what aspects of the contracts are deemed relevant to the proposed effort and to what aspects of the proposed effort they relate.

This may include a discussion of efforts accomplished by the offeror to resolve problems encountered on prior contracts as well as past efforts to identify and manage program risk.

Merely having problems does not automatically equate to a limited or no confidence rating, since the problems encountered may have been on a more complex project, or an offeror may have subsequently demonstrated the ability to overcome the problems encountered. The offeror is required to clearly demonstrate management actions employed in overcoming problems and the effects of those actions in terms of improvements achieved or problems rectified. This may allow the offeror to be considered a higher confidence candidate. Submittal of quality performance indicators or other management indicators that clearly support that an offeror has overcome past problems is required.

Offerors are also required to address their compliance with FAR 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns, if this clause was contained in the contract. Please note that FAR 52.219-8 does apply to ALL businesses. When subcontracting possibilities existed on the contracts submitted by the offeror, address whether or not the offeror awarded subcontracts to small business concerns, veteran-owned small business concerns, service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns, HUBZone small business concerns, small disadvantaged business concerns, and women-owned small business concerns to the fullest extent consistent with efficient contract performance.

If none of the submitted contracts included these clauses, whenever subcontracting possibilities existed in the performance of these contracts, address whether or not it was the offeror’s policy to utilize small business concerns, veteran-owned small business concerns, service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns, HUBZone small business concerns, small disadvantaged business concerns, and women-owned small business concerns to the fullest extent consistent with efficient contract performance.

3.3 Past/Present Performance Questionnaires (PPQs)

3.3.1 The Government requests the offeror send out past and present performance questionnaires (see Attachment 8) to each of the points of contact (POCs) identified in the Past Performance Information sheets (Attachment 6). Once the past and present performance questionnaires are completed by the POCs, the information contained therein shall be considered sensitive and shall not be released to the offeror. However, adverse past performance information will be released to the offeror so the offeror can respond to such information.

3.3.2 Provide a list of questionnaire recipients to include two current POCs and phone numbers for each contract reference provided. The offeror is solely responsible for the accuracy of the contact information provided.

3.3.3 The completed past/present performance questionnaire must be emailed to:

katherine.parker.2@us.af.mil and leann.lopez@us.af.mil.

4.0 VOLUME II – CONTRACT DOCUMENTATION

4.1 General. The purpose of this volume is to provide information to the Government for preparing the contract document and supporting file. This portion shall include the following sections completed by the offeror.

4.1.1 Standard Form (SF) 1449. Complete Blocks 12, 17a and 30a, b and c of SF1449. An authorized official of the firm must sign and date the SF1449 in Block 30 a-c. Signature by the offeror on the SF 1449 constitutes an offer the Government may accept. The signed SF 1449 shall also include the acceptance period of no less than 180 days during which the Government may accept the offer to create a binding contract. The solicitation constitutes the model contract.

4.1.2 Price. A separate Price Proposal is not required. The Total Evaluated Price calculation specified in FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation will utilize the Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs) prices and quantities identified in Schedule B of the SF1449. Offerors are advised to round both the unit price and the total extended price to the nearest dollar.

4.1.2.1 New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax (NMGRT). NMGRT may be applicable to the proposed effort. For assistance in determining the extent to which NMGRT may apply and applicable rates, contact the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, 5301 Central Ave., NE, PO Box 8485, Albuquerque NM 87198, (505)841- 6200, http://www.tax.newmexico.gov/Businesses/gross-receipts.aspx. No post-award adjustments to labor rates shall be made for the purpose of reimbursing Federal, State, and Local taxes and duties.

4.1.3. Mission Essential Services Plan. In accordance with DFARS 237.7600, contractors who provide Government-determined essential contractor services shall provide a written plan to be incorporated in the contract to ensure the continuation of these services in crisis situations.

Refer to provision DFARS 252.237-7024, Notice of Continuation of Essential Contractor Services, for the required contents of the plan. The mission essential plan will be reviewed to ensure it meets the minimum requirements identified in DFARS 252.237-7024. Failure to submit the plan or failure to meet the minimum requirements may cause the proposal to be not eligible for award.

4.1.4 Representations and Certifications. Complete all FAR, DFARS, and AFFARS provisions as applicable, including FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Items. Offerors shall ensure that all clauses and provisions that require “fill-in” information are appropriately completed, including the proposed prices associated with the Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs) in the Section B of the RFP.

4.1.5 Solicitation Amendments. Acknowledgement of all amendments issued (if applicable).

4.2 Exceptions to Solicitation Requirements. Offerors are required to meet all solicitation requirements, such as terms and conditions, representations and certifications, and technical requirements, in addition to those identified as evaluation factors. Offerors must clearly identify any exception to the solicitation terms and conditions and provide complete accompanying rationale. Each exception shall be specifically related to each paragraph and/or specific part of the solicitation to which the exception is taken. Provide rationale in support of the exception and fully explain its impact, if any, on the performance, schedule, cost, and specific requirements of the solicitation. This information shall be provided in the format and content of Table 4.2.

Table 4.2 – Solicitation Exceptions Solicitation Document

Page/Paragraph Requirement/Portion Rationale

PWS, Model Contract, Instructions to Offerors, etc.

Applicable page and paragraph number

Identify the requirement or Portion to which exception is taken

Describe why the requirement can/will not be met

4.3 Other Information Required.

4.3.1 Authorized Offeror Personnel. Provide the name, title, telephone number, and e-mail address of the company/division point of contact regarding decisions made with respect to your proposal and who can obligate your company contractually. Also, identify those individuals authorized to negotiate with the Government.

4.3.2 Government Offices. Provide the mailing address, telephone and fax numbers and facility codes for the cognizant Contract Administration Office, DCAA, and Government Paying Office. Also, provide the name and telephone number for the Administrative Contracting Officer

(ACO).

4.3.3 Company/Division Address, Identifying Codes, and Applicable Designations.

Provide company/division’s street address, county and facility code; CAGE code; DUNS code;

TIN; size of business (large or small); and labor surplus area designation. This same information must be provided if the work for this contract will be performed at any other location(s). List all locations where work is to be performed and indicate whether such facility is a division, affiliate, or subcontractor, and the percentage of work to be performed at each location.