Attch 1 - Instruction to Offerors Supplemental Final.docx

Attachment 1 – Instructions to Offerors: 191NLE24R0027

General Content Requirements

It is requested that all interested parties submit their proposals via e-mail to Michele Coccovizzo at coccovizzoml@state.gov and Margaret (Renee) Gaudreau at gaudreaumr@state.gov by 5:00 pm EST, on Friday, August 2, 2024.

Questions pertaining to this solicitation shall be sent to Michele Coccovizzo at coccovizzoML@state.gov. Questions and requests for clarification shall be accepted until 12:00 PM EST on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.

All proposals and correspondence pertaining to this solicitation shall be submitted in English. Price Proposals shall be in U.S. Dollars

The proposal (Volumes I and II) shall include a signed and dated cover letter. The cover letter shall include the following: The Request for Proposal (RFP)/Solicitation reference number; date the RFP was issued; the DoS issuing office, location, and contact person; the closing date and time of the RFP (for submission of quotes); and the name, address (street, city, state, zip) of the contractor submitting the proposal. However, the cover letter(s) shall contain no pricing or technical information. Any such information provided in the cover letter will not be evaluated. The cover letter shall also acknowledge amendments, as applicable, to the RFP. Please note: The Department of State Seal is intended for use on official government documents only.

Each page within each volume and section shall be numbered using a consistent numbering scheme. This scheme shall also be used for all supporting documentation, such as charts, figures, diagrams, etc. that are included in each volume. Page numbering schemes that are difficult to track are not acceptable. The page limitations by volume are described below.

Volume I – Technical Proposal

There is a fifty (50) page limit imposed on Volume I. This is not inclusive of tables, Project Work Plan, sample outreach materials and executive summaries/capabilities statements. Should the Contractor submit more than 50 pages, the CO can deem anything over 50 pages not be considered for evaluation.

Volume II – Cost/Price Proposal

There is no page limit on Volume II, Cost/Price.

Exclusions from the Page Limitations

Following are the exclusions from the page limitations, as applicable:

Volume I – Technical Proposal

Cover Letter Table of Contents Resumes Key Personnel Information on Past Performance

Contractors shall ensure that the technical Proposal, including the cover letter, does not include any information that should be contained in Volume II, Cost/Price Proposal. Any cost/price information placed in Volume I will not be passed on to the Cost/Price Team and such will not be evaluated at all.

Volume II – Cost/Price Proposal:

There is no page limit on the submission requirements for Volume II. However, contractors shall ensure that the cost/price proposal, including the cover letter, does not include any information that should be contained in Volume I, Technical Proposal. Any technical information placed in Volume II will not be passed on to the Technical Evaluation Team and such technical information will not be evaluated at all.

General Format

Following is the specified format for Volume I, Technical Proposal:

12-point size type shall be used. The font shall be Times New Roman or Arial. The font size for tables and figures, and any other type of inserts can be no smaller than 8 point; The font size for any graphics as it appears on the printed page can be no smaller than 8 point; margins shall be one-inch at top/bottom and left/right of the page and pages may not be reduced form. Headers and footers are allowed in the margins and their font size can be no smaller than 10 point.

Following is the specified format for Volume II, Cost/Price Proposal:

12-point size type shall be used. The font shall be Times New Roman or Arial. The font size for tables and figures, and any other type of inserts can be no smaller than 8 point; The font size for any graphics as it appears on the printed page can be no smaller than 8 point; and margins shall be one-inch at top/bottom and left/right of the page and pages may not be reduced form. Headers and footers are allowed in the margins and their font size can be no smaller than 10 point. Formulas shall be included for evaluation purposes.

Caution: Proposals submitted that do not conform as enumerated above may not be evaluated. Text and graphics with font size smaller than the minimum specified may be excluded from award and found as non-compliant with the RFP instructions. The page limitations apply to the initial offer, revisions and final quote submission (if applicable).

Each volume shall contain the following additional items:

Cover: The cover shall indicate the following:

Title of the Acquisition Proposal Category (Technical, or Cost/Price) Volume Number RFP/Solicitation Number Name, UEI, and Address of the Contractor Table of Contents: Each volume shall contain a Table of Contents, which shall provide sufficient detail in order that all the important elements are easily located.

Requirements for Style: Each contractor shall submit a proposal that clearly and concisely describes and defines the contractor’s response to the requirements contained in the RFP. Use of general or vague statements such as “standard procedures will be used” or “good engineering practices” will not satisfy this requirement. Simply repeating or paraphrasing the RFP requirements without substantive, meaningful discussion will not be acceptable. Unnecessary elaboration or presentation beyond that which is sufficient to present a complete and effective proposal is not desired and may be construed as an indication of the contractor’s lack of understanding of the requirements or cost consciousness. The desire is for clear succinct pictorials, graphs, etc.

At a MINIMUM, proposal package must include:

· Technical Approach: The offeror shall submit a technical approach that demonstrates logical and feasible methods for meeting the requirements described in the Statement of Work (SOW), the attached individual specification sheets, and meeting any performance objectives outlined within the solicitation. The proposal shall contain adequate design details, construction, measurements, material and trim details, finish, and any other information necessary for the government to determine compliance with the technical specifications. Catalogues should be included in such proposal. If the offeror is proposing subcontractors, the offeror shall clearly identify what aspects of the work will be performed by the prime and what aspects of the work will be performed by each subcontractor in its technical approach.

· Work Plan: The offeror shall submit a Comprehensive Work Plan that is clear, concise, and demonstrates that it will result in meeting the objectives and requirements contained within the SOW. The vendor shall propose a comprehensive Work Plan to include, at a minimum,

· key positions/roles and responsibilities (position/role and not individuals to be named to such position/role);

· proposed subcontracting arrangements and reporting relationships of all subcontractors, if applicable;

· a plan that demonstrates successful communication and coordination between the contractor and the government personnel/roles;

· schedules of all tasks and subtasks, meetings, and deliverables, to include estimated furniture production and delivery dates, obtaining proper permits and clearances as applicable, estimated assembly timeframes, installation timeframes, and final inspections;

· clear lines of authority from the top of the organization to all those working on this effort

· Past Performance:

The offeror shall submit a total of three (3) relevant past performance contracts within the past five (5) years that include the following information:

· Company name (Client).

· Project start date.

· Project completion date.

· Project description.

· Project cost.

· Project point of contact name.

· Point of contact email.

· Point of contact telephone numbers.

· Price (Non-Technical): The offeror shall submit a price proposal that is consistent with the requirements set forth in the SOW and in the format requested in the solicitation’s price schedule.

The Government contemplates awarding a contract using commercial item procedures under FAR Part 12 and 13.5. The Government will award a contract to the responsible contractor whose offer conforms to the requirements of the solicitation and is evaluated as being the most advantageous to the Government, cost or price and other factors considered.

Offerors are hereby notified that the Government intends to use outside contractors to assist in the evaluation of proposals. Those contractors will have access to any and all information contained in the offerors’ proposals and will be subject to appropriate conflict of interest, standards of conduct, and confidentiality restrictions. It is the intent of the Government to make an award based on the initial proposal without discussions.

Point of Contact Exchanges of source selection information between Government and Offerors will be controlled by the Contracting Officer (CO). Email may be used to communicate with offerors. All emails must include “191NLE24R0027 Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104” in the Subject line. Email: Michele Coccovizzo at coccovizzoML@state.gov and Margaret R. Gaudreau at gaudreauMR@state.gov .

Non-Government Advisors Non-Government Advisors will not provide ratings for proposals received in response to the solicitation. Their expertise is required for document preparation, training, advisory, and electronic source selection support. The use of Non-Government Advisors as defined above does not warrant a formal determination by the head of the agency as prescribed in FAR 37.204 (a).

Company names of Non-Government Advisor(s) are:

Universal Strategy Group, Inc.

Pre-Award Site Visit A pre-award site visit for this project will be scheduled. The site visit will be scheduled to allow prospective offerors access to required work locations. The purpose of the site visit is to allow prospective offerors an opportunity to inspect the site where services are to be performed and to familiarize themselves with regard to general and local conditions that may affect the cost of contract performance. Attendance at the site visit is recommended, however, attendance is not a prerequisite for submission of a quotation and will not be considered a factor in the evaluation of quotations.

Additional information pertaining to said pre-award site visit can be found in the Statement of Work (SOW) under Section 4. Pre-Award Site Visit.

Pre-Award Survey The Government may, at the Contracting Officers discretion, conduct pre-award surveys in accordance with FAR 9.106.