Questions_and_Answers.pdf

CCSQ-393-2018-0554 Development and Projected Redesign of the CMS CLIA Database.

1. Is all work to be performed onsite in Baltimore or will be conducted at another location for this project?

Government Response: CMS anticipates the preponderance of the work will be at the Government site in the CMS Baltimore region.

2. The solicitation states the expectation is for 900 hours’ worth of work. Is that over the course of two calendar years or is the base year with the intent of an option year requiring additional hours? If so, how many hours will be required in the option year?

Government Response: The anticipated level of effort is 900 hours for the base year and 900 hours of for Option Year 1.

3. What level of security clearance will be required for this engagement?

Government Response: The security parameters for this acquisition is the ability to obtain a CMS Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card upon contract award.

4. Will CMS allow teleworking for employees and/or expect firms to have a facility offsite to complete work or will all work be expected to be done on-premise?

Government Response: All work shall be completed on premises at the Government site in the CMS Baltimore region.

5. Is there an incumbent performing this work or is this a new requirement. If there is an incumbent, please provide contract number and vendor name.

Government Response: Contract Number HHSM-500-2017-00035P Vendor Name: C Huggins

6. Please confirm only one person for 900 hours is needed?

Government Response: The hours provided are an estimate for one FTE.

7. Please confirm this is a firm fixed price effort?

Government Response: The solicitation states the following, “The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) intends to award on a competitive basis, under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures in accordance with FAR Part 13 (Dollar Threshold of $250,000), a firm fixed price award for a project entitled, "Development & Redesign of CLIA Database."

8. Please confirm the evaluation criteria is LPTA?

Government Response: The award will be made on the basis of lowest priced technically acceptable (LPTA).

9. Please confirm two volumes are needed as part of the submission – Technical volume (Containing Technical understanding, Personnel, Management, Past Performance) and Price Volume (containing price)?

Government Response: The instructions the Government provided are to submit a response no more than 10 pages that addresses the Technical Understanding and Approach, Personnel, Management, Past Performance and Price- Fully Loaded Labor Rate. The offeror is to submit a response within the limitations of instructions.

10. What technology is the DLS database developed in? (i.e. Is it MS Access, MS Sql Server, Oracle, etc?)

Government Response: Oracle.

11. Please define some qualifications needed for the key personnel for this effort?

Government Response: Qualifications for the requirement are outline in the SOW.

12. Please define QIES?

Government Response: Quality Improvement and Evaluation System.

13. The SOW states “The Contractor shall participate in pertinent quality assurance teleconferences and onsite meetings”. Please confirm how often will be the onsite meetings?

Government Response: Biweekly.

14. Is the government set on using MS Access to collect CLIA business requirements? There are other cost effective tools that are better suited for managing requirements. Would the government be open to exploring these tools based on technical guidance of the contractor?

Government Response: No.

15. Does the government need a part-time project manager for this effort or should we just provide a point of contact that will handle the contract related matters?

Government Response: The Government does not anticipate a need for a PM.

16. If there are current personnel performing these tasks, will they get right of first refusal?

Government Response: This is a competitive acquisition under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold. See FAR 22.1203-2(a)(1).

17. Please clarify the period of performance? The SOW states “The period of performance is from date of the award to one year” whereas the combined solicitation states “The anticipated period of performance is one twelve-month base period and one twelve-month option period”. Please clarify which of the two is correct?

Government Response: The Period of Performance is performance is one twelve-month base period and one twelve-month option period.

18. Can we kindly request an extension for the proposal submission?

Government Response: No extension will be granted for proposal submission.

19. Whether companies from Outside USA can apply for this?(like,from India or Canada)

Government Response: There are no restrictions on OCONUS companies applying for the requirement but they must meet be able to meet the security requirements of obtaining PIV card and work onsite at the CMS Baltimore Government location.

20. Whether we need to come over there for meetings?

Government Response: The SOW states that there will be onsite meetings.

21. Can we perform the tasks (related to RFP) outside USA? (like, from India or Canada)

Government Response: The Place of Performance is onsite at the CMS Baltimore Government location.

22. Can we submit the proposals via email?

Government Response: The solicitation states that responses must be sent electronically in MS Word format to Sabrina Thompson, Contracting Specialist at Sabrina.thompson1@cms.hhs.gov no later than 11:00 am Eastern Standard Time (EST) on September 14, 2018.

23. During the contract period how many times do the contractor required to travel to client?

Which location do we need to visit?

Government Response: The requirement is modified to remove the travel from the SOW.

24. Is the work expected to be mostly equally spread over the year? Or is it anticipated that work load will fluctuate to high and low?

Government Response: The work load is expected to be spread equally throughout the year.

25. Can you provide an estimated percentage for the travel mentioned?

Government Response: Travel is removed from the requirement.

26. Can you confirm that the resource will have access to the current CLIA database?

Government Response: Yes, once processed through security access to the CLIA database will be granted.

27. Can you please confirm the due date?

Government Response: Due Date is Friday, Sept 14, 2018.

28. Offeror assumes that there is no individual page limit to the resumes and the resumes are not included in the page count of 10 pages.

Government Response: If the offeror chooses to submit resumes, they shall be in accordance with the 10-page limitation.

29. Please provide all the information that will go in the Past Performance section such as contract number, period of performance, point of contact, value, etc.

Government Response: The evaluation of past performance shall consider the offeror’s successful performance in a variety of projects of a similar magnitude and type (size and technical area) as defined in this SOW. Past Performance shall not exceed (NTE) three submissions and must include the following:

Contract Number, Agency, Contract Type, and Period of Performance.

The offeror shall address why the past performance submitted is relevant to the current solicitation.

30. Is there a minimum number of past performance that the Government is looking for?

Government Response: NTE 3 Submissions.