Q&A_-_Part_2-final.pdf

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DARPA STO SETA PROGRAM SUPPORT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

PART 2 – January 25, 2017

4. Question: SOW Section 2.6.2, SOW Section 3, Section L.4 Volume II, Section D, Page 103

- Please clarify if the contractor must possess a SCI/SAP level SCIF within a 15 minute walk of the DARPA headquarters at award. Is it acceptable at award for the contractor to have a facility within 15 minute walking distance that has a minimum Top Secret Facility clearance from DSS and conference space and can be sponsored for SCI/SAP after award?

Answer: No, the Offeror or one of their teaming partners must have a facility that meets the requirements delineated in SOW Section 2.6.2 and SOW Section 3 at the time of award.

5. Question: Section J Attachment 9, Section J, Attachment 11 - Please clarify degree requirement for Senior Science Advisor. Sample Task 3 lists a Master’s degree as the minimum degree while Attachment 11, Personnel Qualifications, states a BS degree as a minimum.

Answer: It should be a Master’s Degree. The personnel requirements will be revised.

6. Question: Section L.4 Volume II Section A page 99, Section L 9.2 c Proposal Volume

Breakout page 115 - Section A description in Section L states that, “for each sample task order, the Offeror’s Staffing Plan shall include a summary list (MS Excel format preferred) of all personnel proposed…:” Is the excel spreadsheet summary list included in the Volume II page count? Please clarify that the MS Excel file in Volume II, Section A, Task Order Staffing is excluded from the 30 page Volume II page limit.

Answer: Yes, it is excluded from the page count.

7. Question: Section L.4 Volume II Section C Page 102, Section L Volume IV Page 108 - Will the government look at expanding the past performance recency requirement in Volume IV to 5 years to match organizational experience in Volume II, Section C.

Answer: The 5-year reference in Volume II, Section C Organizational Experience will be removed in Amendment 0002 since recency will be assessed with past performance.

8. Question: Section L.4 Volume IV page 109 - Please clarify if all teaming partners must submit a consent letter, or just partners providing the prime contractor past performance submission(s).

Answer: All teaming partners providing the prime contractor past performance submission(s).

9. Question: Section J Attachment 8 Front Office Sample Task Order - Please clarify what is the expectation/difference between Sample Task 0001 Front Office and the recently awarded front office contract.

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Answer: The SOW for the recently awarded front office contract was for front office support only. The SOW in this IDIQ is for all of the support STO may require. Sample Task Orders 0001, 0002, and 0003 are meant to give the offerors a sampling of the work that may be required under this SOW.

10. Question: Section J Attachments 8-11 - Can the government clarify the personnel qualifications for the Conference Specialist in Attachments 8, 9, and 10 in relation to Attachment 11. All three sample tasks have identified a need for a Conference Specialist and there does not appear to be a correlating labor category in Attachment 11.

Answer: The personnel requirements provided at Attachment 11 are a representative sampling of the labor categories that may be required. It is not an exhaustive list.

11. Question: Section J Attachments 8 and 11 - Can the government clarify the personnel qualifications for Subject Matter Experts 1, 2, and 3 in Sample Task 1 vs the personnel qualifications found in Attachment 11. Sample Task 1 Attachment 8 seems to state that SMEs 1, 2, and 3 should all possess a PhD where Attachment 11 states that SME 1 can have a Bachelors, SME 2 a Masters, and then SME 3 should have a PhD.

Answer: The labor category titles in the Sample Task Orders are examples only. Offerors should concentrate on the qualifications of the individuals related to the experience/expertise outlined in the Sample Task Order, not the title of the Labor Category.

12. Question: Section L.4 Volume III page 106 - Will the government allow the prime contractor to bid fixed fee on subcontractor labor prices included in the prime’s proposal? It is customary on CPFF solicitations for the prime contractor to propose a reasonable fixed fee on top of a subcontractor’s proposed labor price. However, the RFP says, “Subcontract costs shall be proposed as other direct costs…” and further, that, “No profit shall be paid on ODCs...” “The Contractor will provide ODCs on an actual cost basis only.” and “Fee shall not be applied to other direct costs…” Please add a clarifying statement to the RFP permitting a prime contractor to bid fixed fee on a subcontractor’s labor price.

Answer: Amendment 0002 will remove, “be proposed as other direct costs” in order to permit fee on subcontractor labor costs. The statement, “Fee shall not be applied to other direct costs…” was primarily intended for travel and materials.

13. Question: Section J, Attachment 8, Paragraph 1.2.3, pg 3 of 10 - Sample Task Order 0001 states nine (18) program managers. Please clarify.

Answer: The SOW for Sample Task Order 0001 will be corrected in Amendment 0002 to state eighteen (18).

14. Question: Section C.2.1.2 page 11 0f 127 - Personnel Mix states: Assign an effective mix of …personnel on-site at DARPA…” Should all positions be bid onsite regardless of FTE percentage or is there a minimum FTE for onsite?

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Answer: Reference the Labor Category Example provided for each Sample Task Order. The second paragraph provides instructions for how to determine if a position should be proposed as onsite or offsite.

15. Question: Section C.2.6.2 and C.3, pages 17 and 18 of 127 - Section C.2.6.2 Conference Facilities Requirements states the requirement for a single conference room at the SCI level that accommodates 50 persons. However Section C.3 states a requirement for multiple conference rooms at the Secret and TS/SCI levels. Please clarify.

Answer: Reference to the number of attendees the conference room facility should be able to accommodate will be removed from the SOW, Section 2.6.2 in Amendment 0002.

Conference room facility requirements are stated in the SOW, Section 3.

16. Question: Section C.2.7.4 page 18 of 127 - Section C.2.7.4 Facility Maintenance states that Contract Management includes maintenance of “appropriate Contractor facilities, to include conference facilities.” Please define what other contractor facilities must be maintained.

Answer: Any facility where Government personnel will be in attendance.

17. Question: Section C.5 page 19 of 127 - Section C5 Security defines requirements for a Security Manager. Is this position part of the STO contract? In which section should the qualifications of the Security Manager be provided? Is a resume required?

Answer: Any company that has access to classified materials should also have an individual (i.e. security manager) to oversee said materials. There is no specific qualifications for a security manager other than is listed in C.5.

18. Question: Section J, Attachment 11, Personnel Qualifications - Personnel Qualifications does not include qualifications for the Mid-Scientist position, which is called out in Sample Task 3. Will quals be provided for this position, or should they be supplied by the offeror?

Answer: See response for Question #10

19. Question: Section J, Attachment 11, Personnel Qualifications - Personnel Qualifications does not include qualifications for the Executive Assistant position, which is called out in Sample Task 1. Will quals be provided for this position, or should they be supplied by the offeror?

20. Question: Section J, Attachment 11, Personnel Qualifications - Personnel Qualifications does not include qualifications for the Financial Analyst position, which is called out in Sample Task 1. Will quals be provided for this position, or should they be supplied by the offeror?

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21. Question: Section L.4 Volume II Section B, Section L.4 Volume V, Section J4, Attachment

6 - Section L instructions for Volume V indicate that the format of the Small Business Subcontracting Plan is the responsibility of the offeror. Volume II, Section B requests completion of Attachment 6. Can you please confirm if Attachment 6 is required for a large business who must complete Volume V?

Answer: Yes, it is required and will not count toward any page limitation.

22. Question: Section J, Attachment 4, Section C - It is unclear what information is required for subcontractors in the Past Performance Information Summary, Section C. “Offerors shall provide the above required information for any proposed subcontractor who will perform twenty (20%) percent or more of the effort.” Please clarify. Does this just mean that a past performance submission is required for any subcontractor that will perform more than 20% of work awarded on the IDIQ?

Answer: Yes, reference Page 108, Volume IV – Past Performance. Past performance information is only required for a teaming partner expected to perform 20% or more of the services on the proposed effort based on the total proposed price (of the IDIQ) or an aspect of the effort that the Offeror considers critical to the overall successful performance of the proposed effort.

23. Question: Section J Attachments 9 and 10 - Several STO programs are listed on both Attachment 9, Sample Task Order 0002 (Communications and Wireless Technical & Administrative Support) and Attachment 10, Sample Task Order 0003 (Maritime & Radar Technical & Administrative Support). Is this intentional?

Answer: Yes, it was intentional.

24. Question: Section J, Attachment 4 - Past Performance Information Summary, Section 2 – Performance, (b) states to address subfactors in Section L. Should this be section M?

Answer: No. The Government will be evaluating the Offeror’s past performance for quality, recency and relevancy as discussed in M. The Offeror needs to provide past performance information that addresses the Technical sub-factors in Section L.

25. Question: Section G.11 - Task Order Instructions states that in response to a response for proposal (RFP), “the Contractor that offers the best value to the Government will be awarded the task.” Does this mean that a single award will be awarded per task order RFP?

Answer: Yes, unless otherwise stated.