Amend 0001.pdf

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QUESTIONS & RESPONSES

BPD-CFP-12-CI-0009

Note: Offerors may contact their local Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) which works to help local businesses compete successfully in the government marketplace. To locate a center near you, go to http://www.aptac-us.org/new/.

1. QUESTION: Does an incumbent exist? If so, please provide the incumbent vendor and corresponding contract number.

RESPONSE: An incumbent does not exist.

2. QUESTION: How many contractors will be selected under the IDIQ?

RESPONSE: A single award IDIQ contract is contemplated.

3. QUESTION: What are the estimated minimum and maximum values for the IDIQ?

RESPONSE: The minimum and maximum values of the IDIQ contract will be determined at time of award.

4. QUESTION: Will the Contracting Office release the firms who responded to the initial sources sought for teaming purposes?

RESPONSE: This information is not releasable. The Contracting Office would like to suggest visiting the interested vendors list at: https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=f4d7d13792af3c215531acc1173ee369&tab=ivl&t abmode=list

5. QUESTION: Are there any page limits for the proposal?

RESPONSE: No.

6. QUESTION: Looking through RFI-CFPB-12-0105, I see many boxes asking for detail about hiring of subcontractors, particularly those that are small businesses, women-, minority- or veteran-owned, and more.

First, mine is a woman-owned small business, so I assume that "counts." Second, as noted in my earlier question, it appears that hiring of subcontractors is to some extent contingent of a) the plan that CFPB chooses; and b) the nature of the thing to be tested - which is at this point indeterminate. Thus, I wonder: is it appropriate for me to fill these out? Should I leave them blank, or simply indicate that I intend to operate according to the wishes of the Treasury Department (which I most certainly endorse!)?

RESPONSE: The RFI is closed at this time. Offerors need only to comply with the solicitation requirements.

7. QUESTION: Re the FAR specifications, which I have now reviewed: I of course agree not to engage in human trafficking, doing business in the Sudan, and participating in other prohibited activities. Is it enough for me to simply OK this? Since such things are far outside the range of anything in the scope of work - as well as anything I would contemplate doing, I don't have any particular detail to add.

RESPONSE: Offerors do not need to address each FAR requirement. By signing the SF1449, they are agreeing to the terms and conditions set forth in the solicitation.

8. QUESTION: In order to maximize competition for this effort, will the Government allow pricing based on a fixed price "team bundle" rate schedule, provided that the Offeror has this pricing available on an approved Federal Supply Schedule?

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=f4d7d13792af3c215531acc1173ee369&tab=ivl&tabmode=list https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=f4d7d13792af3c215531acc1173ee369&tab=ivl&tabmode=list

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RESPONSE: Pricing shall be as in accordance with the solicitation; however, may be based on an offerors Federal Supply Schedule.

9. QUESTION: Will the Government consider granting a one-week extension for the due date for this proposal?

RESPONSE: The Government is unable to extend the due date.

10. QUESTION: For Task Area 2 of Task Order 0001, it may be necessary to engage an external partner to prototype a selected intervention. Is it expected that the contractor will engage a required partner and bear any costs necessary for implementation?

RESPONSE: If it is necessary to engage an external partner, the contractor shall engage with the partner.

The successful offeror will be responsible for completing the work at the firm-fixed-price in the Task Order.

11. QUESTION: At what point in the procurement process do we need to confirm specific partners? Do we need to do so pre-award in our proposal or do we confirm as the research questions and task orders are finalized so that we can have the best match?

RESPONSE: Any partners needed for tasks relevant to overall project management, research, and key personnel should be included in your proposal in order to be considered as part of the technical approach and expertise factors for evaluation purposes. Partners that would be used to prototype specific solutions to the consumer decision-making challenges do not need to be identified now, as the specific decision-making challenges will not be chosen until after the contract is awarded. However, possible partners can be included in the quote for illustrative purposes.

12. QUESTION: Would it be appropriate to submit many letters of support from researchers and implementing agencies that we may work with (depending on the task orders themselves)? In this case, we'd be submitting letters of support from more partners than we will actually work with. If we do submit letters of support from multiple potential subcontractors, are we required (locked in) to work with those specific partners?

RESPONSE: The solicitation does not request letters of support to be provided.

13. QUESTION: Item 11 e on p. 14 "Multiple Offers" is not clear to me - does this mean we can submit with a variety of partners as I've suggested above that we may/may not work with?

RESPONSE: If an offeror wishes to submit multiple proposals with alternative terms, conditions, or commercial items, they are allowed to do so in accordance with this clause.

14. QUESTION: Similar to my above questions, do we need to be referencing specific partners we'll be subcontracting in the Subcontracting Plan Outline? We do not have a Master Subcontracting Plan Outline, so we will need to develop an Individual Plan. Can we reference hypothetical subcontractors or would it be better to reference actual potential subcontractors or do we need to reference subcontractors we will certainly be subcontracting contingent on award? Do these subcontractors need to be already registered small or minority-owned businesses to qualify (and not just in the process of obtaining that status)? Does IPA secure signatures from Small Business Specialist and other government employees on the Signatures page, or does that process happen after submission?

RESPONSE: The Subcontracting Plan shall contain proposed potential sources as in accordance with FAR 52.219-9. If offerors choose to specify subcontractors in which they have an agreement in place, the subcontractors shall be registered in ORCA. Signatures will be obtained prior to award.

15. QUESTION: Is labor the only acceptable cost? If based on our organizational experience we know that the true cost of projects associated with the task order areas extends beyond labor, is our organization encouraged

Page | 4 to absorb and/or co-fund those costs? (An example of costs that would be allocable only to this contract are individual data analysis software licenses for project personnel).

RESPONSE: Task Orders will be firm-fixed-priced. Offerors shall propose all anticipated drivers of the firm-fixed-price at the IDIQ contract level (i.e. labor categories, labor rates, other direct costs), thereby creating a “menu” of items upon which to base each firm-fixed-priced Task Order.

16. QUESTION: Is Solicitation Attachment 4 - Price Proposal Format - the most detailed template we should be using for Price Proposal?

RESPONSE: Solicitation Attachment 4 is merely a format. Offerors shall revise as they deem necessary.

17. QUESTION: Since Task Order 0001 encompasses Task Areas 1 and 2 and has a project performance period of 18 months, are those costs the same as costs for IDIQ Base Period 1 (12 months) and the first half of IDIQ Option Period 1 (6 of the 12 month performance period)?

RESPONSE: The IDIQ contract will identify via a “menu” all labor categories, labor rates, and other direct costs determined as fair and reasonable at time of award in which the successful offeror may utilize in performing Task Areas 1-4 encompassed within the IDIQ SOW. Each Task Order will identify the specific and appropriate IDIQ contract labor categories, labor rates, and other direct costs. In addition, each Task Order will identify the amount of hours required to perform the Task Order SOW. Task Order 0001 is the required work that has been identified at this time. Multiple Task Orders many be issued throughout the IDIQ contract period of performance.

18. QUESTION: How many option periods is CFPB contemplating, offering? In block 20 of SF1449, CFPB cites three 12-month option periods, in addition to the initial 12-month base period. Similarly, under CONTRACT TERM, on page 11, CFPB states that “The IDIQ contract will be for a 12-month base period and three (3) 12-month option periods. Each Task Order will specify the applicable period of performance.”

However, within the RFP’s Subcontracting Plan Outline document, i.e. RFP Attachment 3, CFPB cites four (4) option periods; please refer to Attachment 3, Section 2, Goals.

RESPONSE: The IDIQ contract period of performance will be one (1) 12-month base period plus three (3) 12-month option periods. Attachment 3 is an outline/template and was provided as a guideline. Option Year 4 columns do not apply to this requirement.

19. QUESTION: If CFPB were to extend the initial Base Period by up to six (6) months, and thus up to 18 months in total, how will that affect the duration of the subsequent option years? (Please refer to RFP Attachment 2, page 2, final sentence in Attachment, where CFPB states: “Period of Performance: The period of performance of this Task Order is eighteen (18) months from date of award.”)

RESPONSE: The Task Order periods of performance, to be identified in each Task Order, do not affect the IDIQ contract period of performance.

20. QUESTION: Will CFPB allow offerors to use a company subcontracting template instead of the template provided in the RFP, if it complies with both FAR citations?

RESPONSE: Yes.

21. QUESTION: Does the contractor’s Subcontracting Plan need to be in compliance with: 1) (FAR) 52.219-9 Alt II, as specified on page 16; 2) FAR 19.705-4, as specified on page 17; or both?

RESPONSE: The contractor’s Subcontracting Plan needs to be in compliance with both FAR 52.219-9 Alt II and FAR 19.705-4.

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22. QUESTION: How many behaviorally-informed interventions does CFPB require, e.g. six (6) vs. 12?

RESPONSE: As stated in Task Order 0001 Statement of Work, the contractor shall develop a list of twelve

(12) decision-making challenges to be presented to the CFPB. The CFPB shall select six (6) challenges from that list, and the contractor shall develop interventions to address those six (6) challenges and detailed implementation plans to test those six (6) challenges. The CFPB shall then select up to three (3) to be prototyped.

23. QUESTION: Within RFP Attachment 2, on page 1, under Task Area 1, bullet #3, CFPB states: “For each of the up to six (6) decision-making problems selected by the CFPB, the Contractor shall design specific behaviorally-informed interventions that could be pilot tested.” However, CFPB states in Attachment 2, page 2, within the fifth row of the Deliverables table, that it requires 12 (as opposed to 6) interventions (e.g. designs).

RESPONSE: The Deliverables table contains an error. The fifth item should read, “Report on six (6) specific behaviorally-informed interventions that could be pilot-tested (subject to CFPB approval). This error has been corrected in the amended solicitation.

24. QUESTION: How many detailed evaluation plans does CFPB require, six (6) or up to three? Within RFP Attachment 2, on pages 1-2, under Task Area 2, the text implies that the CFPB requires detailed evaluation plans for the (up to) three (3) interventions selected by the CFPB. However the seventh row of the Deliverables table suggests that the CFPB requires detailed evaluation plans for each of the six (6) interventions suggested in Task 1.

RESPONSE: The Contractor shall develop implementation plans for the six (6) interventions. Once the CFPB has selected three (3) interventions to be tested, the Contractor shall develop evaluation plans for those three

(3) interventions. Implementation plans should focus on issues such as what the intervention is, what entity or institution would implement the intervention, and how it would change consumer behavior. Evaluation plans should focus on issues such as how the intervention will be tested, what data will be collected, and how the data will be collected and analyzed.

25. QUESTION: When does CFPB require the completion of the detailed evaluation plans? The text in Task Area 2, Attachment 2 pages 1-2 suggests that the detailed evaluation plans will be written after the CFPB selects up to three of the six proposed interventions. However the seventh row of the Deliverables table suggests that the CFPB requires the detailed evaluation plans at the same time as the proposed intervention designs, as both are to be submitted 180 days after award.

RESPONSE: The Deliverables table contains an error. The evaluation plan and data collection methods are due to the CFPB 210 days after date of award. This error has been corrected in the amended solicitation.

26. QUESTION: What is the FIPS 199 security categorization level for this system?

RESPONSE: Medium.

27. QUESTION: Will the contractor be required to submit a Privacy Impact Assessment?

RESPONSE: No, the PIA will be undertaken by the CFPB if it is required.

28. QUESTION: Will the contractor be expected to participate in a certification and accreditation (C&A) effort?

If so, what is the expected level of involvement from the contractor? Are there any ongoing C&A activities that should be included in the proposed budget?

RESPONSE: This will depend on the system selected.

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29. QUESTION: Is a working model required for all twelve behaviorally-informed interventions prior to CFPB approval? If so, are the working models required at the detailed implementation plan stage?

RESPONSE: The Contractor shall develop six (6) interventions (see correction in question 23 above). There do not have to be working models of the six (6) interventions; it is likely that some or all will be at the conceptual or ideation stage. A working model shall be developed during the prototyping phase of Task Order 0001.

30. QUESTION: Is usability testing required for software interventions?

RESPONSE: It is expected that usability testing would be part of the prototyping process described in Task Area 2.

31. QUESTION: Subcontractors and/or Partner organizations - Do all subcontractors and partners that will be used in the contract need to be provided in this bid document? Or could an offeror provide details on subcontractors later if they are selected? We are asking because depending on the nature of the prototypes and pilots that are undertaken we might want to engage different subcontractors or partners.

RESPONSE: See answer to question 11 above.

32. QUESTION: This is listed as a Single Award IDIQ Contract. Are you anticipating that the same contractor or group of contractors & subcontractors will be used for all four Task Areas and all Task Orders, or will there be a separate review process for each of Task Order in Task Areas 3 - 4? If so, do you currently know the anticipated timeline for the release of Task Orders for Task Areas 3-4?

RESPONSE: The same contractor will be required to perform all Task Orders issued under the IDIQ contract.

There is no anticipated number of Task Orders and the Task Areas for each Task Order are unknown at this time.

33. QUESTION: The pricing and cost of development and prototyping varies considerably across types of potential prototypes. For example, a change in the language and structure for a mailer or letter has a simpler logistical and pricing structure than web or software development, or electronic payments modifications. Is there flexibility in the eventual pricing/staff time contracted for Task Order 0001 to account for which prototypes are selected by the Bureau?

RESPONSE: Task Order 0001 will be awarded as a firm-fixed-price order.

34. QUESTION: Do non-profit organizations need to respond to and satisfy all of 52.212-5’s contract terms and conditions (starting on page 10) including those expressly addressed to “businesses”?

RESPONSE: Yes.

35. QUESTION: Similarly, if a non-profit organization subcontracts with only other non-profit organizations, would we still be required to hit the Treasury subcontracting percentage targets identified on page 42 of the pdf?

RESPONSE: Yes.

36. QUESTION: If an offeror feels they may have an apparent organizational conflict of interest, what do they need to include within their proposal?

RESPONSE: The offeror needs to identify the apparent organizational conflict of interest and provide a mitigation plan.

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37. QUESTION: BPD-CFP-12-CI-0009, Addendum to 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items (MAR 2012), page 16. If Volume I, Part A is reserved exclusively for Past Performance and Volume II Part B is to address approaches to Task Areas 1 and 2, where in the submission, if at all should the Offeror demonstrate approaches to Task Areas 3 & 4?

RESPONSE: Volume I shall contain both Parts A and B. Part A shall address not only Past Performance, but expertise as well. As in accordance with the Addendum to 52.212-2, the Government will evaluate expertise/past performance on the Offeror’s ability to completely handle all tasks. This has been further clarified in the amended solicitation.

38. QUESTION: BPD-CFP-12-CI-0009, page 3 and IDIQ SOW, Attachment 1. Page 3 of the RFP synopsis states “This Project will focus on developing and testing innovative approaches to discrete consumer decision-making and behavior challenges. This Project will:

• Increase knowledge of innovative approaches to improve financial education, which will strengthen financial education content and strategy both within the CFPB and with external stakeholders who serve consumers;

• Inform policy at the CFPB via insights into how consumers respond to product features and other aspects of the decision-making context; and

• Lead to better financial decisions and outcomes for consumers.”

However, the objectives outlined in the IDIQ Statement of Work (Attachment 1,Section 2.0, page 28) differ from the above, stating “This Project will focus on developing and testing innovative approaches to discrete consumer decision-making and behavior challenges. This Project will:

• Increase knowledge of innovative approaches to improve financial education, which will strengthen financial education content and strategy both within the CFPB and with external stakeholders who serve consumers; and,

• Inform policy at the CFPB via insights into how consumers respond to product features and other aspects of the decision-making context.”

The objectives outlined in the synopsis do not match the objectives outlined in the IDIQ Statement of Work Specifically, the objectives in the IDIQ SOW do not include “Lead to better financial decisions and outcomes for consumers” as noted on page 3 of the RFP. In this case, which objectives are the “right” ones?

RESPONSE: The amended solicitation contains “Lead to better financial decisions and outcomes for consumers” at Attachment 1, Section 2.0, page 28.

39. QUESTION: BPD-CFP-12-CI-0009, Attachment 1, page 2, Task Areas 1 and 2. What are CFPB’s criteria for selecting the interventions and prototypes?

RESPONSE: The criteria will be provided to the successful offeror after contract award.

40. QUESTION: BPD-CFP-12-CI-0009, Attachment 1, pages 12-13. Are the solutions set in stone or are they recommendations? Can they be changed?

RESPONSE: As stated in Attachment A, the list of challenges provided is for illustrative purposes only and do not necessarily indicate what will be included in the list that CFPB will provider to the successful offeror. The successful offeror will receive a revised list after contract award.

41. QUESTION: Is there a preferred “place of performance” for this contract?

RESPONSE: The work shall be completed at the contractor’s facility. This has been incorporated into the amended solicitation.

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42. QUESTION: BPD-CFP-12-CI-0009, Attachment 4. Attachment 4 notes that this is not a GSA Schedule, yet requests GSA Schedule associated labor categories. Additionally, the pricing assumption noted that redacted invoice be provided to Government to assist in price fair and reasonableness. In lieu of the preceding data, may the Offeror provide a cost build based upon DCAA bid rates to the Government?

RESPONSE: Attachment 4 requests that if the offeror is proposing GSA Schedule rates that they note that in their proposal. If an offeror does not propose labor rates that are included in their current GSA Schedule, Attachment 4 is requesting that the offeror provide a redacted invoice with evidence of the proposed rate, or a higher rate, currently being paid by other customers for the same labor category as the offeror is proposing.

Yes, the Offeror may provide DCAA bid rates in lieu.

43. QUESTION: Costs and a discussion of a technical approach are required for Task Order 1. The costs of developing and testing prototypes of different interventions may vary greatly, depending on the requirements of the intervention and the decision-making challenge it is designed to address. How do CFPB and BPD plan to make equitable cost comparisons?

RESPONSE: Refer to the amended solicitation at FAR 52.212-2.

44. QUESTION: To assist with the subcontracting plan, can you provide the estimated dollar value of the contract for the base year and for each option year?

RESPONSE: The estimated dollar value will not be determined until time of award. Therefore, offerors shall provide percentages only in their proposed Subcontracting Plan. The dollar values will be calculated and input at time of award.

45. QUESTION: Our reading of the proposal instruction is that nowhere is the offerer supposed to describe an approach to or understand of the requirements of Tasks 3 and 4. Only our Experience/Past Performance section is to address these Task Areas. Is that correct? If not, where is this requirement specified?

RESPONSE: Refer to the response to question 37 above.

46. QUESTION: Has any company developed behavioral change interventions for CFPB in the past? If so, what company?

RESPONSE: Refer to the response to question 1 above.

47. QUESTION: Please provide the total ceiling value of the contract.

RESPONSE: Refer to the response to question 3 above.

48. QUESTION: Is there any additional information (e.g. preliminary assessments, consumer analysis, prototype summaries) from prior CFPB research that can be provided to the offerors to better understand the government's requirements and to assist in the proposal response?

RESPONSE: There is no additional information available at this time.

49. QUESTION: Are there any particular consumer segments of the population that CFPB would prefer for the project to focus on initially?

RESPONSE: No.

50. QUESTION: Please clarify any preferred segment of the financial education and empowerment “field” that should be of focus in this effort (i.e. – universities, private institutions, initiatives led by covered person, etc.)

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RESPONSE: There is no preferred segment of the field to focus on in this project. The entities that could be the focus of this project could include nonprofit or for-profit financial education providers, universities, public agencies, financial service providers, or other entities.

51. QUESTION: We are considering partnership possibilities and have identified an organization that may have a board member currently employed by CFPB. Is this organization permitted to participate in the competition?

RESPONSE: Refer to the response to question 36 above.

52. QUESTION: In the RFP, the CFPB acknowledges the Office of Financial Education and Office of Financial Empowerment as sponsors of this requirement. Are stakeholders within other offices of Consumer Education and Engagement within scope of this requirement? (e.g., Office of Service Member Affairs.)

RESPONSE: Other CFPB unit stakeholders are within scope but there is no requirement that those stakeholders will be addressed by the interventions and solutions identified in this project.

53. QUESTION: The very first statement in Task Area 1 says that CFPB will provide a list of discrete consumer financial decision-making challenges. What was the process that the CFPB went though (or is planning to go through) to identify this list? How many challenges are on the list?

RESPONSE: The preliminary list is included as Appendix A. This list was developed by a group of financial educators and behavioral experts who attended an invitational meeting at the CFPB. As stated in Appendix A., the list of challenges provided are for illustrative purposes only and do not necessarily indicate what will be included in the list that CFPB will provider to the successful offeror.

54. QUESTION: Did CFPB have contractor/vendor assistance in collecting the list of discrete consumer financial decision-making challenges? If so, who?

RESPONSE: No, there was no contractor/vendor assistance in developing this list.

55. QUESTION: In addition to activities in Task Areas 1 and 2, will the vendor be responsible for program management activities such as stakeholder management, communications, risk management, policy tracking, and issue management? Is there a Program Manager established to lead the Innovation Development and Testing Support Services contract? If so, who?

RESPONSE: CFPB will be responsible for managing the program. The successful offeror will be responsible for managing Task Order activities.

56. QUESTION: Task Area 1 states; "This scan should include a review of the financial capability literature and consultation with experts in the financial education and behavior economics fields". Does the government plan to provide experts or will this expertise be provided by the vendor? If expertise is to be provided by the vendor please provide specific areas of expertise.

RESPONSE: The Contractor is expected to provide the expertise itself or via discussions with external experts in the field. The broad areas of expertise include financial education, asset building, behavioral economics, and psychology.