Attachment_F_Government_Response_to_Draft_RFQ_Questions_FINAL.xlsx

XLSX spreadsheet 28 KB Posted Jul 29, 2022

Attached to: NEA Statistics and Evidence-Based Reporting Center Federal contract opportunity
Solicitation number: 140D0422Q0533
Issued by: Department of the Interior Departmental Offices Interior Business Center

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Written by GovTribe AI · Dec 28, 2023

This document provides government responses to contractor questions on a federal solicitation for statistical indicator and reporting services. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) seeks a contractor to establish a National Arts Statistics and Evidence-based Reporting Center (NASERC) to analyze and report on national arts datasets according to a published schedule. The contractor will develop a statistical indicator framework, produce evidence-based reports and literature scans, and convene a Technical Working Group (TWG). The estimated total contract value ranges from $2-5 million. The response deadline was extended to August 22nd, 2022. The NEA will host file sharing through Box.com and approve the final statistical indicators. All meetings are expected to be virtual. No travel is required. Invoices shall be submitted monthly.

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Other files attached to NEA Statistics and Evidence-Based Reporting Center, newest first.
File	Type	Posted
Sol_140D0422Q0533_Amd_0003.pdf	PDF	Aug 15, 2022
Attachment_C_Vendor_Questions_Template_Government_Response_Amendment_2_0002.xlsx	XLSX spreadsheet	Aug 11, 2022
Sol_140D0422Q0533_Amd_0002.pdf	PDF	Aug 11, 2022
Attachment_B-_Price_Schedule_Amendment_2_0002.xlsx	XLSX spreadsheet	Aug 11, 2022
Attachment_A-_PWS-NEA_Evidenced_Based_Reporting_Center_Amendment_1_0001.pdf	PDF	Aug 11, 2022
Attachment_B-_Price_Schedule_Amendment_1_0001.xlsx	XLSX spreadsheet	Aug 11, 2022
Attachment_C_Vendor_Questions_Template_Government_Response_(2)_0001.xlsx	XLSX spreadsheet	Aug 11, 2022
Sol_140D0422Q0533_Amd_0001.pdf	PDF	Aug 11, 2022
Attachment_C-_RFQ_Vendor_Questions_Template_FINAL.xlsx	XLSX spreadsheet	Jul 29, 2022
Attachment_B-_Price_Schedule_FINAL.xlsx	XLSX spreadsheet	Jul 29, 2022
Attachment_A-_PWS-NEA_Evidenced_Based_Reporting_Center_FINAL.pdf	PDF	Jul 29, 2022
Attachment_D_-_Prior_Experience_Reference_Sheet_FINAL.docx	DOCX document	Jul 29, 2022
Sol_140D0422Q0533.pdf	PDF	Jul 29, 2022
Attachment_E_Subcontracting_Plan_Template_FINAL.doc	DOC document	Jul 29, 2022

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Sheet1

RFQ 140D422Q0533 NEA NASERC

Attachment F Government Response to Draft Solicitation Questions

Item	Question/Comment	Government Response	Change
1	Will the government provide an estimated or target budget for this solicitation?	The Government has included an estimated range for the total contract value. See Contnuation Pages	Page 4 of Continuation pages has been updated.
2	Is the government requiring any specific caps on indirect costs?	The NTE value for ODCs are in included in Attachment B-Price Schedule	No Change
3	Does the government anticipate that the final quote will be due on 8/17/2022, or is this a placeholder date? If 8/17 is the anticipated due date, is there any possibility for extending this due date given the substantial requirements related to submitting a quote?	The Government will extend the Due date of this RFQ from 8/17/2022 to 8/22/2022	See SF 1449
4	Under A. General Instructions #1 & #9, there are dates listed for submission of proposals and questions. Are these the actual due dates for the proposal?	Please see formal RFQ General Instructions	Continuation Pages updated to reflect new dates
5	Under A. General Instructions #3, Quote Content, there is an asterisk next to Management Approach in the Volume I Technical Quote table. There does not appear to be associated text referenced. What is the asterisk referring to?	Clerical Error. This has been removed	Page 34 of continuation pages has been revised to remove asterisk
6	Under B, Volume 1, NEA NASERC Technical Quote #3c Key Personnel Resumes, it shows Project Director and Researcher as the only two key personnel positions. Is the contractor limited to proposing one Project Director and one Researcher for this contract?	Contractors are encouraged to propose personnel that they feel will best meet this requirement.	No Change
7	Under B. Volume 1. NEA NASERC Technical Quote #3c Key Personnel Resumes, there is a requirement that the Project Director should have a PhD; does this also extend to researcher(s), and would experience as well as certifications substitute for doctoral degrees. Please clarify the necessary documentation requirements for key staff.	Certifications will not substitute for a Ph.D. Only the Project Director is required to have a Ph.D. Personnel requirements are specified in the solicitation.	No Change
8	Under 3.3. Task 3, 3.3.2.3, NEA has suggested that the first TWG meeting may be virtual; is it possible that other meetings could be virtual as well?	All meetings are expected to be virtual.	No Change
9	Under 3.3. Task 3, 3.3.2.2, Does NEA anticipate that the contractor will provide honoraria or reimbursements to the TWG participants?	TWG support is included as a NTE amount in Attachment B Price Schedule	No Change
10	Item 2.4 suggests that some travel may be required to provide services at "Government facilities located throughout the United States," but section 11 (page 19) states that travel is not required for this project. Could the government clarify if travel should be considered in our budget?	No travel is required. This statement has been removed from PWS	PWS Page 3 Item 2.4 revised to remove travel language
11	Can the labor structure differ from what is indicated in Appendix A?	Yes, Appendix A shows only estimates of the labor anticipated for this requirement. Quoters are encouraged to provide the labor structure that best meets the needs of the Government.	No Change
12	Is there a federal maximum F&A (indirect cost) rate?	Indirect Cost rates are applicable to Cost-reimbursement contracts and Firm-fixed price contracts. As it is anticipated that this will be a T&M contract, indirect cost rates will not be authorized or established. As such, Quoters shall propose fully loaded rates. See FAR 42.7	No Change
13	Is there a maximum or target total price for this contract?	The Government has included an estimated range for the total contract value. See Contnuation Pages	Page 4 of Continuation pages has been updated.
14	Is it expected that the TWG members receive compensation for their work on this project?	TWG support is included as a NTE amount in Attachment B Price Schedule	No Change
15	Is it anticipated that the contractor will submit price quotes for other direct costs (excluding labor) such as data infrastructure?	The NTE value for ODCs are in included in Attachment B-Price Schedule	No Change
16	How should the budget acccount for cost-share in the price quote that is submitted?	Cost Sharing is applicable to Cost-reimbursement contracts. This contract is anticipated to be awarded as a T&M and therefore cost sharing does not apply. See FAR 16.303.	No Change
17	When will the non-draft RFQ be released?	It is anticipated that the formal RFQ will be released on 7/29/2022	No Change
18	What is the submission deadline for the non-draft RFQ?	Please refer to SECTION V – QUOTE PREPARATION /SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS	No Change
19	Do vendors need to be ISO9001 certified?	No. ISO is stated in the SOW as an example of an approach to quality control.	No Change
20	How do we get paid? Do we submit invoices on a schedule? Is there a pre-approval process for materials and services?	Yes, invoices shall be submitted on a monthly basis in arrears. Please refer to page 17 of the continuation pages for invoicing requirements.	No Change
21	Is there any detail to back up these estimates?	The estimates are based on market research obtained from an evaluation of the marketplace as well as technical knowledge and experience of skill mix and level of effort	No Change
22	Can the indicators be referenced by the contractor in other contexts after publication by the government? Examples: can the indicators be combined with proprietary data to produce additional research? Can the indicators be combined with proprietary data to produce research provided by the contractor to other clients for a fee?	The indicators will be made publicly available at no cost to and may be referenced after Government publication. Any data considered proprietary to the Government and is not public information, may not be used to produce other research unrelated to this requirement. Please see AQD Local Clause 5, Confidentiality and Disclosure of Information.	No Change
23	If Contractor is already in possession of data used in this effort, and already publishing research utilizing it, does the Contractor have to cease doing so until after the Government makes public analyses and indices related to this project? How limited will the contractor be in using its existing data if that data also serves this project? Does the Contractor have the right to co-publish findings on its own website at the same time that the Government agency releases them?	The Contractor does not have to cease current research; however, data obtained/developed for this requirement shall only be used for this performance under this contract. If a conflict of interest exists, Contractors shall submit a mitigation plan that demonstrates avoiding such conflict. Furthermore, Contractors shall only use data that is publicly available and accessible. The Contractor shall not use data not first produced under performance of this contract without authorization from the Contracting Officer. Please see FAR 52.227-14 and AQD Local Clause 4, Organizational Conflict of Interest.	No Change
24	Is there an expected minimum response time for technical assistance inquiries? Is the email address expected to be monitored by the key project personnel, or can it be monitored by other staff, with technical questions referred to the researcher as needed?	The NEA will accept a minimum response time of 1 business day. The email account can be monitored by other staff, with technical questions referred to the researcher as needed.	Page 14 of the PWS revised to include response time requirement.
25	Are these consultations intended to overlap with TWG members, or be comprised of a different set of interviewees? Will the contractor be responsible for identifying appropriate interviewees, and if yes, will the government approve the final list? Will the consulted be credited on the NASERC website alongside the TWG?	The nine consultations are expected to take place with individuals not part of the TWG. The contractor is responsible for identifying these individuals in consultation with the NEA staff. The Government will approve the final list. These individuals will be credited for their contributions, although the exact method for providing credit is yet to be determined.	No Change
26	Can NEA share a copy of what they expect to see in the Transition-In Plan, or provide a template, especially since the Transition-In Plan has to be provided 5 days after the award?	Transition-in Plan has been removed, Transition-out requirements remain the same	page 6 of the Continuation Page has been updated
27	What does the acronym COR stand for?	Contracting Officer Representative (COR)	Page 4 of Continuation pages has been updated.
28	What does the acronym CO stand for?	Contracting Officer (CO)	Page 4 of Continuation pages has been updated.
29	Sentence is not complete. Management of what?	Clerical Error. This has been corrected to state management of the contract.	Page 7 of PWS
30	Sentence is not complete. Performance of this what?	Clerical Error. This has been corrected to state performance of this requirement.	Page 15 of PWS
31	Does project manager need Project management Certification and is there a specific type of management structure required, such as Waterfall?	There is no specific requirement for project management certification nor is there a specific management structure required.	No Change
32	What comprises the parts of a Transition-Out plan? Is there a template?	There is no template for this plan. The contractor would be responsible for providing a plan for transitioning services to another contractor at the end of this PWS.	No Change
33	Is there a specific time and cost tracking system that is required?	There is not a specific time and cost tracking system; however, contractors shall submit all required information and documentation IAW the terms specified in the RFQ continuation pages.	No Change
34	Will contract enable purchase of needed hardware, software, fixed assets and/or recurring subscription costs?	IAW the PWS, The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items except for those specified as Government-furnished property and services.	No Change
35	What are the parameters for protection? What security classification is the data? What types of confidential data can be expected? What is the expected granularity of the data?	The NEA cannot respond to these questions as the data sources and indicators have not yet been identified. The agency expects to use statistical data available from other federal agencies and other publicly available sources in addition to its own national data sources.	No Change
36	The appendix does not include a line item for IT personnel. Can IT personnel costs be included as part of this project?	We do not expect a need for IT personnel for this contract; however, Contractors are encouraged to provide the best solution to meet the Government's need. All proposed labor categories and key personnel shall be submitted IAW with the RFQ requirements.	No Change
37	Is there an existing logical roadmap for defining the up to 20 statistical indicators or is contractor required to develop one?	The contractor is expected to produce a proposed arts indicator framework during the first year of this contract. There is no existing logical roadmap.	No Change
38	Are there any existing statistical indicators, measures and metrics being tracked and reported?	Vendors are advised to review existing arts data profiles on the NEA website for sample existing indicators. See https://www.arts.gov/impact/research/arts-data-profile-series.	No Change
39	What datasets are currenlty being used to track and report on existing statistical indicators, measures and metrics?	See answer above.	No Change
40	What technologies or tools are currently used and approved for use to collect, analyze and report on existing data and newly acquired data?	The agency expects to use statistical data available from other federal agencies and other publicly available sources in addition to its own national data sources. It is not clear what is meant by "technologies or tools… currently used and approved for use."	No Change
41	Is the purpose of the statistical indicators formally/officially established?	As stated in 2.1, the purpose of the statistical indicators is to inform arts researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and the general public of key metrics and trends in the arts sector.	No Change
42	Who will be selecting and approving the final indicators?	The NEA will be approving the final indicators IAW Section 6 of Attachment A PWS.	Section 3.4 of PWS revised to include approval language.
43	Is contractor using various analytical methodologies tasked with interpreting and reporting the indicators?	The contractor is expected to analyze data for reporting the indicators and topical reports.	No Change
44	Once developed, approved and deployed, what will be the cadence for maintaining and reviewing the indicators, weekly, monthly annualy?	The reporting cadence is dependent on the data sources and the frequency of their updating. We anticipate that indicators will vary in their reporting cadence.	No Change
45	Section V, A.5 indicates that contractors must submit all 3 volumes, but Section V, C.2 states that small business primes do not need to submit the Volume 2 Subcontracting Plan. Please clarify since we intend to bid as a small business prime contractor.	Small Businesses prime contractors are not required to submit Volume 2 Subcontracting Plan	No Change
46	1. p 6, 3.1.4- a Government repository will be created to facilitate timeline communication-- who's system will host this? will COntractor employees need to take any specific trainings to use the system if Government hosts? If hosted by Contractor, what compliance does the system need to meet?	The NEA plans to use its existing commercial, cloud-based platform -- Box.com -- for this project. The contractor will be able to utilize this platform for file sharing.	No Change
47	1. p.6, 3.1.6- For meeting support, if the meetings are to be in person, will the Contractor be finding and booking the accommodations for the meeting? should the Contractor include TWG travel in our cost proposal? If yes, how many quarterly meetings/year should we plan on being in person?	All meetings are expected to be virtual. Any discussion of in-person meeting arrangements should be removed from the SOW.	No Change	S
48	1. p.7, 3.1.9- please verify whether the Contractor needs to include travel costs for the kick-off meeting	No	No Change
49	1. p.13, 3.4.2.1- please verify that the annual narrative report will need to be 508 compliant	Yes	No Change
50	I'm not sure what they mean by 'statistical indicator system' (p. 5, 2.7.1.4-- not sure it's wise to ask for clarification? but that 'system' word could be problematic	A statistical indicator system can be defined as a set of statistical indicators. It is not meant to imply data infrastructure.	Page 5 of PWS revised.

File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated Jul 29, 2022.