Q-A BLMSS Industry Day 02202024.pdf

U.S. COAST GUARD

BUSINESS LOGISTICS & MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES

INDUSTRY DAY

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

FEBRUARY 20, 2024

1:00PM – 2:00PM ET

1) Page 3; III, 2 – Will the government create a numerically weighted matrix to clarify the trade-off evaluation process?

Government Response: The Government will use procedures as stated in FAR Subpart 8.405- 3 Blanket purchase agreements (BPAs) for establishing multiple award BPAs.

2) Page 4; III, 3. Evaluation Process (b) – Will the government please define what “highest technically rated” means or provide what criteria is included in this rating process?

Government Response: “Highest Technically Rated” is selection process that may be utilized in accordance with FAR Subpart 15.101 Best value continuum.

3) Page 4; III, 3. Evaluation Process (c) – “In the event quotes are evaluated as technically equal, then price will become a major consideration…” Would the government please clarify “technically equal”? Currently, the language suggests that price is not a major consideration unless quotes are evaluated as technically equal and there is no mention of Factor B.

Government Response: Should Vendors with an overall Factor rating for Factors A & B that are equal then the Government will consider whether the Vendor’s total evaluated price is the best value for the Government in accordance with FAR Subpart 8.405-3(b)(2)(vi).

4) Page 4; III, 3. Evaluation Process (c) – How will the government determine a reasonable, accurate, and complete price or lack of such?

Government Response: Based on FAR Subpart FAR Subpart 8.405-3(b)(2)(vi) that includes the Vendors GSA FSS SIN 541611 contract pricing.

5) Page 4; III, 3. Evaluation Process (f) – If Offerors who are advised not to proceed elect to continue to Step 2, are they allowed to re-submit improved Prior Experience documentation and receive a new evaluation of that Factor?

Government Response: No.

6) Page 4; III, 3. Evaluation Process (g) – Will the Government please clarify the weighting of Step 1 and Step 2 as well as Factors A, B, and C using a numerical weighting matrix? Currently 3(g) contradicts the statement from 2 “Factors A and B when combined are more important than Factor C” which seems to indicate that Factor C is the most important, only outweighed by Factors A and B when combined.

Government Response: Should Vendors with an overall Factor rating for Factors A & B that are equal then the Government will consider whether the Vendor’s total evaluated price is the best value for the Government in accordance with FAR Subpart 8.405-3(b)(2)(vi).

7) Page 4; III, 3. Evaluation Process (k) – The term "first tier subcontractors" is cited in the third bullet. Will the government please define "first tier subcontractor"?

Government Response: Subcontractor performing major or critical work.

8) Page 4; III, 3. Evaluation Process (k) – Since this is at the BPA level, and no Task Orders for specific tasking is known, any mitigation plan offered would be speculative. Suggest the removal of “Offers shall include their mitigation plan” and include this requirement at the Task Order level when there is a specific scope of work to evaluate.

Government Response: No.

9) Has it been determined how many BPA awards will be made?

Government Response: The Government intends to make multiple BPA awards under this solicitation. A manageable number of awards will be made to ensure adequate competition at the order level.

10) Will the prime be able to include prior experience include experience from teammates? Can the prior experience be just a combination of all of the teams (Prime + subs) without a set breakout for the prime and for the subs?

Government Response: Yes, and Yes. Submissions may be structured as prime or prime contractor/subcontractor(s) arrangement.

11) Can a subcontractor or a subcontractor JV use the Primes GSA schedule or is each subcontractor required to have the appropriate GSA schedule?

Government Response: The Government will only accept the GSA FSS SIN 541611 contract of the prime.

12) III. TWO STEP PROCESS A. The Government intends to conduct the quote review and awardee selection in two (2) Steps: 1. Step 1. Advisory – Suggest adding the following language: “The advisory down-select does not constitute the establishment of a competitive range, as described in FAR 15.306(c), and it will not obligate USCG to conduct discussions or to solicit or entertain submittal revisions.”

Government Response: This solicitation is being conducted in accordance with FAR Subparts 8.405-3 and 8.405-5. FAR 15 does not apply to this solicitation. Please ensure you are citing and reviewing the correct FAR clause.

13) Award Eligibility. Suggest adding language to address that the offeror is a small business as evidenced by the certification statement on the cover letter and a SAM lookup by the government.

Government Response: No. The RFQ provides for this in the RFQ letter. In addition, GSA made the determination at time of award of the GSA FSS SIN 541611 contract per FAR 8.4.

14) Award Eligibility. Request clarification on how the Government is going to perform the following: “or where the Government determined the OCI is avoided, neutralized, and/or mitigated.”

Government Response: The Contracting Officer will review the submitted mitigation plan with the assistance of Office of General Counsel and consultants, advisors to make the determination.

15) Award Eligibility. Request that the following language be added: “This BPA request is set aside for small business concerns. Responses received from concerns that are not small business concerns will be rejected. Only GSA MAS contract holders that are currently identified as small business concerns for SIN 541611 and SAM.GOV for NAICS 541611 may submit a response to this BPA request. Further, should you be selected as the successful offeror, your signature on the BPA award re-certifies that your company qualifies for this BPA as small under NAICS code 541611 per the current associated size standard of $24.5 million established by the SBA in March 2023, as of the date of your signature on the BPA award.”

Government Response: No. The RFQ provides for this in the RFQ letter. In addition, GSA made the determination at time of award of the GSA FSS SIN 541611 contract per FAR 8.4.

16) Award Eligibility. Request that the following language be added: Small Business SAM.gov

Self-Certification Review. The Contracting Officer shall review the Offeror’s SAM.gov Certs and Reps for compliance with the set-aside requirements. Offerors who do not meet the Small Business Set-aside requirements will immediately be deemed non-compliant and ineligible for award.

Government Response: The RFQ provides for this in the RFQ letter.

17) For Small Business Administration (SBA) approved Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) Joint

Venture (JV) offerors, please confirm that experience where the JV member companies (e.g.

SBA-approved mentor and protégé) worked together will be similarly evaluated as experience submitted by a prime/subcontractor offeror.

Government Response: No.

18) Would the Government confirm that the final RFQ will include Government provided labor categories for the Mock Task Order that define years of experience and experience/certification requirements to enable a consistent price evaluation between quoted labor categories from each offeror's GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) 541611 contract?

Government Response: No. This is a performance-based acquisition in accordance with FAR Subpart 37.6. Therefore, the Vendor shall quote labor categories from its GSA FSS 541611 contract using the Pricing Sheet and Mock Call Order. The Mock Call Order will be provided with the Final Request for Quote.

19) Draft Attachment III Instructions and Evaluation Plan and Procedures—Evaluation Process section 3(e) states “Offeror quotation submission may be structured as prime or prime contractor/subcontractor(s) arrangement.” Can the Government clarify if proposals using a GSA MAS Contractor Team Arrangement (CTA) where each member has a Multiple Award Schedule, and the CTA does not create a separate legal entity will be allowed?

Government Response: No. Submissions may be structured as prime or prime contractor/subcontractor(s) arrangement.

20) Will past performances be required by only the prime, or could the prime use subcontract past performances?

Government Response: The Government is not requesting past performance rather prior experience. Submissions may be structured as prime or prime contractor/subcontractor(s) arrangement.

21) How many awardees does the Government anticipate for the BPA vehicle? Will the

Government provide anticipated level of effort for the price proposal?

Government Response: The Government intends to make multiple BPA awards under this solicitation. A manageable number of awards will be made to ensure adequate competition at the order level. No, This is a performance-based acquisition in accordance with FAR Subpart 37.6;

therefore, the Vendor must provide the anticipated level of effort for the price proposal from its GSA FSS 541611 contract using the Pricing Sheet and Mock Call Order. The Mock Call Order will be provided with the Final Request for Quote.