Questions_ _Answers_(Q As).pdf

BAA-RVKV-2015-0001 and BAA-RVKV-2015-0001A

Control, Navigation, & Guidance for Autonomous Spacecraft (CoNGAS)

Questions & Answers (Q&As)

Q: What is the small business size standard for this BAA?

A: The NAICS is 541712 and the size standard is 1,000 employees.

Q: What is the anticipated period of performance?

A: 3 years plus 2-one year options for a total of 5 years.

Q: How many awards are anticipated?

A: The Air Force anticipates awarding a minimum of three (3) contracts.

Q: Are collaborative proposals welcome or encouraged? (e.g., with multiple PIs)

A: Structure of the proposal in terms of participants/collaborations/partnerships is not a factor in the evaluation, other than attention will be given to whether the proposer has the technical capability to do the work proposed (falls under technical merit).

Q: Do you have to propose to all topic areas and is each topic considered a separate proposal?

A: Offerors may propose to as many topic areas as they choose. Each topic area proposed to must be submitted as a separate proposal. Proposals shall not intertwine topic areas. AFRL does not anticipate awarding every topic area. The proposals will be evaluated IAW the Evaluation

Criteria and selected IAW the “Review and Selection Process” of the announcement.

Q: Are Government agencies allowed to propose to the BAA?

A: If a Government agency is interested in participating, please contact the Program Office identified in the BAA. If those discussions result in a mutual interest to pursue your agency’s participation, the effort will be pursued independent of this broad agency announcement.

Q: Is there a benefit to achieving a much smaller SWaP and cost?

A: Yes, there is a benefit to providing a smaller SWaP (size, weight, and power) than what is requested in the BAA, as long as the other performance requirements provided can still be attained.

Q: What is the anticipated cost of the BAA?

A: Cost of the overall CoNGAS program across all awards is estimated not to exceed $9.7M.

This funding level is an estimate only and is not a contractual obligation for funding.

Q: Is there an opportunity for small businesses to submit white papers or otherwise seek concept feedback prior to committing to a full proposal?

A: No.

Q: Can classified proposals be submitted?

Q: Are universities allowed to submit a proposal to this BAA?

A: Yes.

Q: Do universities need to include a small business subcontracting plan?

A: Yes, if the dollar threshold is $650,000 or above and subcontract possibilities exist.

Q: Can a PDF proposal be submitted instead of a Microsoft Word copy?

Q: Can a Principal Investigator (PI) be on different proposals?

A: Yes.

Q: How many hard copies must be delivered with the CD copy?

A: Offeror must submit one original and 3 hard copies of their proposals.

Q: How many CSOWs are required per proposal?

A: One.

Q: There are 9 CDRLs listed in the BAA, is it expected that all 9 CDRLs are required for all topic areas?

Q: How should the proprietary labor, overhead, and G&A rates of subcontractors be handled?

A: See Cost Proposal Instructions. It is highly recommend the offeror provide these cost proposal instructions to all subcontractors. Fully disclosed Subcontractor/IOT proposals are required for

ALL subcontractors (including Tables 1 thru 4), and are due by the closing date identified in this solicitation. Note that the absence of adequate data on subcontractors is a frequent source of prime contractor inadequate proposals and avoidable delay in contract award. Subcontractors can deliver their fully disclosed proposal to the address in the announcement.

Q: How closely are we supposed to follow the instructions on the AFRL BAA guide for industry?

A: The BAA guide is to assist industry and is only a guide.

Q: What are the technical milestones for this BAA?

A: We are requesting a CSOW for this effort; Other than general thoughts on deliverables that are discussed within each topic, we have not provided milestones.

Q: Can you please confirm that we are required to submit one CD for the Technical/Management

Volume and one for the Cost/Business Proposal?

A: One CD may be submitted as long as it captures the Technical/Management and

Cost/Business volumes while adhering to the announcement instructions/requirements.

Q: Can you please clarify in which Volume the offeror should place Attachment 2 – Proposal

Content Checklist?

A: The Proposal Content Checklist is separate from the Technical and Cost proposal volumes and must be submitted as part of the overall proposal. The Proposal Content Checklist does not affect page limitations.