Questions and Answers for Clarification DOL121RP20475 06292012.doc

1. Pursuant to the Solicitation No. DOL121RP20475, Gadsden Job Corps Center, and the deadline for questions as of today, May 29, 2012, we request for the copies of the Center's reports as follows:

· CTT-10 from March 1, 2011 to April 30, 2012

· MSO-20 from March 1, 2011 to April 30, 2012 Answer: The March 2, 2011 to April 2012 time period is not available in the system.

Attached are CTT-10 reports for the following periods:

3/1/2011 – 2/29/2012

4/1/2011 – 3/31/2012

5/1/2011 – 4/30/2012

2. 1. The SF 33 presents the solicitation number of DOL121RP20475; however, numerous areas in the solicitation present solicitation Number DOL121RP20488. Please confirm the correct Solicitation Number Answer: The solicitation number is DOL121RP20475. Please disregard any other solicitation numbers.

3. CTT Offerings in the Solicitation list Advanced Human Services Worker, Residential Advisor....20 Slots. Please clarify if this CTT offering is in fact an advanced trade?

Answer: The Advanced Human Services Worker, Residential Advisor training is an Advanced CTT offering. This is presently a 10 full time slot training program.

4. 1. Page 19: Section F.3 states that the period of performance is a "base period of twenty-five months." Is this correct? RFPs for JC contracts always have a base period of 24 months. Is the 25th month the Transition Month?

Answer: The period of performance is two 12 months base period and three one year option periods. The one month Transition plan must be included in Attachment J-1.

5. Page 20: Section E.3 refers to the Incentive Fee Schedule as G.1.C.2. Should this read G.3.B.2 instead?

Answer: It should be G.2.C2. See Revised Section G attachment.

6. Page 109: Part 3, Cost Proposal, lists schedules to be provided on CD. Bullet #3 asks for table G.1 A. Should this be G.3 A instead? Also, bullet # 4 asks for table G.1.C.2. Should this be G.3.B.2 instead? Last, bullet #5 asks for table G.3. Should this be G.4 instead?

Answer: See Revised Section G attachment.

7. 7. Page 112: The last sentence of the first paragraph discusses the incentive fee and references Section G.1.C.2. Should the reference be made to G.3.B.2 instead?

Answer: See Revised Section G attachment.

8. Pages 1, and 59 through 123 The Solicitation Number is not consistent throughout the RFP. There are different Solicitation Numbers on the top of the first page and in boxes 3 and 7 of the RFP (i.e., DOL121RP20475 and DOL121RP20488). This inconsistency continues in the Section J Attachments and throughout the remaining sections of the RFP. Please provide the correct Solicitation Number for this procurement.

Answer: See the answer to question number two.

9. Pages 20 and 22 The RFP does not include the period of performance for the contract. Please provide the anticipated period of performance.

Answer: See the answer to question number four.

10. Page 21, Section G, The RFP does not include the schedule for Estimated Cost, Fixed and Incentive Fee for the base period. This is inconsistent with the Cost Proposal requirements listed on page 109 for Estimated Cost, Fixed and Incentive Fee table (G.1.A). Please clarify.

Answer: See Revised Section G attachment.

11. Page 41, Clause H.29 Clause H. 29 appears to be a new requirement for this procurement. It reads:

“Contractors that provide technical assistance, curriculum development and or staff development to Job Corps or individuals who were previously under contract to provide technical assistance, curriculum development and/or staff development for Job Corps are not eligible for award as the prime contractor, subcontractor or consultant under this contract.”

· Please clarify the government’s intent in restricting competition and the entities that would be ineligible for award of the contract. For example, since almost all center operators are contracted by Job Corps and provide technical assistance, curriculum development and/or staff development to Job Corps the clause can be interpreted to mean that any experienced Job Corps operator (small or large) is prohibited from bidding or being included in the Gadsden contract (as a subcontractor or consultant).

· Does this restriction apply retroactively, meaning to contractors who are ineligible due to previous or current contracts, but who were not informed of this restriction on their ability to bid on contracts for center operations prior to entering into those contracts, as indicated in the RFP which now makes them ineligible?

· Are potential bidders, which have provided subcontracted services to other companies which, in turn, have previously contracted to provide technical assistance, curriculum development and/or staff development for Job Corps, ineligible for award?

Answer: This clause is hereby deleted in its entirety from RFP DOL121RP20475 as of June 29, 2012

12. Page 54, The List of Attachments on page 54 refers to Attachment J-3 (Accounting System Certification), and states “See Attachments” but no attachment is provided. Please provide the attachment or information as referenced.

Answer: See Attachment J-3

13. Page 55, The Wage Determination Number referenced on page 55 is 05-2002 (Rev-10). Typically offerors would expect odd numbered WD’s. Please confirm this wage determination is correct.

Answers: See Wage Determination Number revised attachment WD-05-2001 (Rev. -10)

14. Page 77, Attachment J-6, The Carpentry program (24 slots) is not included in the J-6 Attachment (Career Technical Skills Training - CTST). Please clarify if the Carpentry program is included in the center’s CTST program and funding.

Answer: Yes. The carpentry program (24 slots) is included in the center’s CTST program and funding See revised J-6.

15. Page 83, Attachment J-8, the Past Performance Questionnaire. Please clarify that the J-8 Subcontracting Plan Summary Sheet on page 83 is not required/relevant for this offer.

Answer: Subcontracting plan is not required.

16. Page 84, Attachment J-8 the Past Performance Questionnaire (Attachment J-8) provides the following statement but no date or address is given:

“Therefore, we are requesting that you provide the following information regarding our performance on the contract identified below. Please electronically send all completed Past Performance Confirmation Questionnaires to brown.crystal@dol.gov or directly to the address shown below no later than due date of the solicitation to:

ATTN: Crystal Brown Solicitation No. DOL121RP20475

U.S. Department of Labor

ETA, Office of Contracts Management

200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-4643

Washington, DC 20210

17. Page 102 indicates that Part 3 of the proposal submission (Business Management Proposal) should be separately bound in two sections (3.1 and 3.2). The table on page 102 only references Section 3.1 (Cost Proposal) and not Section 3.2. Please clarify whether 3.2 references Transition Costs or some other section.

Answer: The Cost Proposal should only be 3.1. The Transition Costs must be completed. See revised Section L attachment as of June 29, 2012.

18. Page 119, Cost will not be evaluated using an adjectival rating system. Please provide the basis or system for evaluating the cost proposal.

Answer: The Government will use Best Value to determine the cost proposal.

19. Page 102 states that Parts 1 & 2 of the proposal shall be separately bound. Does this mean separate from each other or bound together separate from the other Parts?

Answer: Part 1 and 3 of the proposal shall be separately bound. Past Performance will be sent as stated in answer to question number 16.

20. Page 102 states that Part 3 of the proposal shall be separately bound in 2 sections (3.1 and 3.2). There is no discussion of a 3.2. Page 114 states that a subcontracting plan is not required but a listing of subcontracts that are anticipated are requested. Is this listing of subcontracts 3.2 and is it to be bound separately from the cost?

Answer: 3.2 does not applies. Part 3 shall be bound separately.

21. Page 111 in the discussion under Narrative Cost Detail – Center part 2) please clarify the statement “For the purpose of this RFP, the inflationary rate used in projecting costs shall be to be announced by the offeror.” Should this read that the Contracting Officer will provide the inflationary rate to be used in projecting costs for the second base year?

Answer: The inflation rate for PY 11 and beyond is zero(0%). Those rates are effective until superseded.

22. Page 109 – “In addition to the written cost proposal, offers shall provide the following on CD” - Estimated Cost, Fixed and Incentive Fee table (G.1A). There is no table in that section. Will this table be provided?

Answer: Please see revised Section G.

23. Page 109 states that “Offerors must complete Section A of Attachment J-9, Past Performance Confirmation Questionnaire, for each past performance reference indentified above.” Then on page 54 Section J- List of Attachments it states that J-8 is the Past Performance Confirmation Questionnaire but J-8 is not provided in the RFP.

Answer: Attachment J-8 is hereby provided. See attachment.

24. Page 118, M.1 Evaluation of Proposals: Will each evaluator read and evaluate the entire proposal? This is important to know in order to determine when and where we need to be repetitive with some of the proposal information.

Answer: there will be two teams evaluating the proposals. Technical Evaluation and Cost Proposal Team.

25. What is the deadline by which the Past Performance Confirmation Questionnaire (Attachment J-18) has to be submitted to the Contracting Officer?

Answer: July 13, 2012 @ 4:30 pm EST.

26. The header on the RFP itself has the RFP number as DOL121RP20475 up to page 58. Starting with page 59, the header changes RFP number to DOL121RP20488. Please confirm the correct RFP number.

Answer: See answer to Question number two.

27. Page 12, item 13 Career Technical Training: The list of trades in the table includes "Advance Human Services Worker, Residential Advisor." Please confirm whether this is an advanced CTT trade offering.

Answer: The Advanced Human Services Worker, Residential Advisor training is an Advanced CTT offering.

28. The RFP does not identify and/or address the inflationary factor/rate that should be used in pricing the effort.

Please identify the applicable inflationary factor/rate.

Answer: See Answer to question number 21.

29. Under Section F.3 “Period of Performance” it states in part that the period of performance is a base period of twenty-five months, with twelve-month option periods. It also states in part the contractor shall perform necessary functions related to transition for a period of one month from the date of award (the first month in the twenty-five month base period)”.

Please identify the first month in the twenty-five month base period so that necessary functions related to and accurate costs can be developed to cover the one month transition period.

Answer: See Answer to question number 4.

30. DOL has recently issued two JCINs pertaining to GSA vehicles. In the first, JCIN 11-05, DOL had centers perform a GSA vehicle analysis. The second, JCIN 11-70, to which a response is due next week, directs centers/operators to select GSA vehicles to return to GSA by June 30, with a goal of 10% reduction in the number of leased vehicles. Which GSA vehicles on the list provided has the incumbent center/operator selected to return to GSA by June 30, 2012?

Answer: Per attachment, 2009 Chevrolet Express (license plate #G43-0628) has been approved by the Regional Office to be surrendered by the Gadsden Job Corps Center per JCIN 11-70.

31. On page 109 of the RFP, Section 3.1 Cost Proposal it indicates items that the offerors shall provide on CD. It appears the references, (G.1A), (G.1 C.2), and (G.3) are not correct. Please clarify.

Answer: See Revised Section G Attachment.

32. Past Performance Questionnaire, Attachment J-18, does not include a due date and the name of the contracting officer that the questionnaires should be returned to is missing.

Answer: Please see answer to question number 16.

33. Can we obtain a listing of GSA vehicles with the annualized mileage over the past year in order to determine costs for insurance, mileage, and determine potential under-utilization?

Answer: See GSA Vehicles Attachment.

34. Can we obtain a target for the estimated costs or provide the award amount of the most recent contract year?

Answer: The previous contract was awarded September 30, 2009, in the amount of $15,835,005 for the 2-year base period which is inclusive of center operations, Outreach/Admissions and Career Transition Services.

35. Two statements on p. 122 seem to be contradictory. Please provide clarification.

a. The Offeror's and its teaming partners [sic] past performance will be evaluated based on information furnished by the references identified in Section L and any other available sources. The Government will evaluate the quality of performance relative to the scope, size, and complexity to the work described in the solicitation.

b. The Government will consider Past Performance information for the offeror or entity and/or its principals proposed as the prime contractor. Only that Offeror’s performance as a prime contractor or as a principal of the prime contractor will be considered. Past performance of proposed subcontractors will not be evaluated.

A. Answer: Answer: The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s past performance to determine the degree to which it demonstrates the likelihood it can successfully perform the contract. The Government shall evaluate past performance information submitted by the Offeror through its references identified in Section L, and through recent (during the last three years) and relevant contracts that are similar in size, scope and complexity. The Government may evaluate past performance information from sources other than those provided by the Offeror.

B. The Government will consider Past Performance information for the Offeror (and/or its key personnel) proposed as the prime contractor. Only that Offeror’s performance as a prime contractor (or key personnel performance for a prime contractor) will be considered. Past performance of proposed subcontractors will not be evaluated.

36. Question 1.

As indicated on the Solicitation Cover Page (SF 33) proposals are due on June 22, 2012. Does the government anticipate extending the posted proposal submission date? Essentially, the June 22, 2012 date is 29 calendar days from the date of the Pre-Bid. Given the scope and detail involved in preparing a quality proposal and the time involved with packaging the proposal (at least three days) the posted window for proposal development seems very limited when compared to the historical 45 days for previous proposal development on other like solicitations. It would be helpful to offerors to allow a 45 day proposal development window as the government will likely receive a higher quality response from sources electing to submit a proposal.

Answer: The proposals for submission for this RFP (DOL121RP20475) is hereby extended from July 06, 2012 to July 13, 2012.

37. Question 2.

Does the Gadsden Job Corps Center and/or the Department of Labor, Office of Job Corps hold any "special" operating Memorandums of Understanding with the Gadsden State Community College, Local Government, or any such entity that offerors need to be aware of when preparing our response to this solicitation?

Answer: The Gadsden Job Corps Center presently has Memorandums of Understanding with Gadsden State Community College and the Etowah County Board of Education.