QandA.docx

1. Please confirm if the ACT program is an off-center program and the 10 ACT slots are full-time slots, representing a total of 10 students. If the ACT program is an on-center program, please provide additional information, i.e. which college are the slots affiliated with and the specifics of how the program is offered on center.

A: See Amendment 000002 The ACT program is full time and takes place at Hinds Community College

2. The statement under the Training Slots table states that NTC programs are indicated with an asterisk, but none of the programs have an asterisk. It is noted that carpentry and facility maintenance have HBI behind them, but please clarify if any other CTT programs are offered by NTCs, specifically electrical.

A: See Amendment 000002

3. The FAR clause references vary significantly from the model RFP listing. We acknowledge several references have been updated to more recent versions, but this listing excludes several clauses that seem pertinent to Job Corps procurements. For example, the listing does not include 52.217-8 & 9, relating to options extending the terms; various 52.222, clauses relating to the Davis-Bacon Act; 52.237-7 pertaining to the medical liability insurance coverage, etc. Please clarify.

A: See Amendment 000002

4. The CTST chart is blank. Please confirm that the following trades will qualify for CTST funding: Carpentry (24), Electrical (24), Facility Maintenance (24), and Welding (48). These trades typically qualify for CTST funding.

A: See Amendment 000002

5. Please confirm the Utility Report is correct for the water expenses. The FY 2014 history presented is nearly half the cost of the prior year FY 2013. The cost per gallon is significantly lower in the months of March through September. Please clarify.

A: The utility report accurately represents water usage by the Job Corps Center.

6. The National Staff Compensation Report was not included as an attachment. Please provide.

A: See Amendment 000002

7. Please review/confirm the Davis-Bacon Wage Determinations referenced. The wage determinations for Building, Residential, and Highway are for Hinds county, but the center is located in Copiah County. Please confirm based on Copiah county, the applicable Davis-Bacon wage determinations should be as follows: Building – MS150114, Residential – MS150038 and Highway – MS150233.

A: See Amendment 000002

8. Specifically which CTT trades are offered by the National Training Contractors (NTC’s)? None are indicated.

A: See Amendment 000002

9. Will the ACT offering be held on or off Center?

A: See Amendment 000002

10. Technical, Question B (Career Preparation Period), Organizing, Scheduling, Instructional Materials does not request a copy of the CPP schedule (as in the model and previous RFPs); 3.b (Staff Resources Proposal) on page 69 does request the CPP schedule, is this to only be included in the Staff Resources Proposal? If included in the CPP Technical section, will the pages used for the schedule be included or excluded from the Technical Proposal page count? (page68/69 of RFP) A: The CPP Technical section will be included in the technical proposal page count.

11. Is a national Staff Compensation Report available for this RFP?

A: See Amendment 000002

12. Is a Geographic Differential report available for the Cost of Labor for this RFP?

A: A Geographic Differential report is not available for the Cost of Labor for this RFP

13. 3.g Transition/Phase-out Plan states “The incumbent shall submit a transition-out (phase out) and non-incumbent offeror’s shall submit a transition-in plan.” Will this remain the same, or will it be revised that ALL offers be required to submit both transition-in and transition-out? This has been a requirement in several procurements in the past 6 months.

A: See Amendment 000002

14. Reference to “Hand-delivered proposals must be delivered to the depository outlined in Block 9” of the SF33. The location information in Block 9 is missing. Please confirm delivery location.

A: See Amendment 000002

15. Page 64 table requires one CD for each of the four sections. Page 65 indicates that Technical Approach, Staff Resources, and Past Performance Narrative hard copies are to be bound together in a single volume. Please clarify whether the offeror is to submit 4 CDs (each containing one section), or 2 CDs (one with the technical, staff, and past performance; and the other with the BMP).

A: The offeror is to submit 2 CDs One CD containing Technical Propsoal, staffing, and past performance. The second contains the Business Management Proposal and Price.

16. The Transition Cost section states- “Transition in costs and transition out costs will not be considered as part of the offeror’s evaluated cost nor will it be factored into the Government’s Best Value, Trade Off analysis. Is it the Government’s intent that the Incumbent contractor will have no proposed Transition-In costs?

A: A decision to have transition-in costs is at the discretion of the offeror.

17. The Transition Cost section states- “Transition in costs and transition out costs will not be considered as part of the offeror’s evaluated cost nor will it be factored into the Government’s Best Value, Trade Off analysis. Will the Government consider making the Transition-In and Transition-Out costs evaluated as part of the Offeror’s Total Evaluated Cost? Having a non-evaluated Transition-In CLIN offers a sizable advantage to non-incumbent contractors, in that it allows a CLIN for the offeror to include initial purchases that can be utilized throughout the contract without having that cost included into the overall Total Evaluated price.

A: A decision to have transition-in costs is at the discretion of the offeror

18. The Transition Cost section states, “Transition in costs and transition out costs will not be considered as part of the offeror’s evaluated cost nor will it be factored into the Government’s Best Value, Trade Off analysis.” Will the Government consider providing a “Plug” Transition-In and Transition-Out value? Accompanying that “Plug” will the Government please clearly define all items that are included within that “Plug” and a statement that would clearly remove the strategy of assuming one-time purchases involved with Base Period and Option Period contract operations are included within the plug number?

Will the Government please provide instructions on how each pricing form is to be filled out and completed?

A: See Amendment 00002

19. G.3.1 States:” The contractor shall have the opportunity to earn a technical performance incentive fee and a technical performance excellence bonus for center operation, and for Outreach/Admissions (OA), and Career Transition Services (CTS), if applicable, based on achievement of goals. The technical performance incentive fee shall range from 0% to 2.4% of total and indirect cost, excluding fee, CRA (CLIN 5001, equipment (CLIN 5002), CTST (CLIN 5003), and demonstration projects (5004). “The cost incentive fee shall range from 2.0% to 3.6% of total direct and indirect costs, excluding CRA (CLIN 5001), equipment (CLIN 5002), CTST (CLIN 5003), and demonstration projects (5004).” Will the Government please confirm that there are 3 separate opportunities for the contractor to earn Fee on this solicitation?

Technical Performance Incentive Fee- 0%-2.4% Technical Performance Excellence Bonus- 0% - .44% Cost Incentive Fee- 0% - 3.6%

Will the Government please confirm that for proposal purposes a Technical Performance Excellence Bonus should NOT be proposed?

A: A Technical Performance Excellence Bonus should not be proposed.

20. Is it the Government’s intention that for populating the “Incentive Fees” tab of Attachment J-1, within Column C, that all values entered will be “$0” since you request the Technical Performance Incentive Fee at 0%?

A: The offeror will populate the incentive fee based upon the requirements stated in each CLIN.

21. “Explanation of corporate services and support (General and Administrative services) that will be provided to this contract. Describe the experience and specific areas of expertise of corporate staff that will provide oversight.”

The statement seems to favor corporate oversight functions being charged to the Cost Accounting General and Administrative (G&A) Services. Depending on the corporation’s Disclosure Statement, oversight functions might come from a combination of indirect costs (G&A, Overhead) or direct costs located on or off Center.

We recommended the statement be revised striking “(General and Administrative Services).” Proposed revision: “Explanation of corporate services and support that will be provided to this contract. Describe the experience and specific areas of expertise of corporate staff that will provide oversight.

Is the Government interested in a description of pooled resources (off-site HR, Finance, Security, Safety etc) in this section that support Center Operations but not be physically located on the Center?

A: The government is asking offerors to state what corporate services and support are being provided to the contract. Direct costs will be accounted for on DOL form 2110 indirect costs can be detailed as part of the cost proposal.

22. Section L.I.1 “Past Performance will be evaluated based on the Offeror’s relevant past performance. Relevant past performance is defined as, within the three (3) years preceding the submission of the proposal, the offeror performed a contract sufficiently similar in size, scope and complexity. Size, scope and complexity are defined as follows: Size – dollar value and contract duration; scope – type of work; complexity – performance challenges and risk.

Section L.I.1.b.1) “Current/Recent Contracts: Offerors must provide a list of contracts and programs that they currently operate or have operated within the past three years. The list must include the following information:

• Contract number

• Contracting agency/entity

• Agency contact information

• Period of performance

• Contract value

• Description of service provided”

Section M.3.1 states, “the Government will focus on information that demonstrates quality of the Offeror’s experience relevant to the size and complexity of the procurement under consideration.”

1. There seems to be differing terms required for Section L submittal and Section M evaluation criteria. In order to ensure we provide a compliant response for the most significant evaluation factor, would the Government provide clarification?

2. Does “size” equate to “Period of Performance” and “Contract Value?”

3. Does “scope – type of work” equate to “Description of service provided?”

4. Is it the Government’s intent that the complexity evaluation factor be addressed in the “Current/Recent Contracts” (L.I.b.1) or the “Narrative” (L.I.b.2) or both?

5. The Government identifies the complexity sub-factor “performance challenges” as a requirement to address. Is that the same information as “problems encountered and corrective actions taken?”

6. The Government identifies the complexity sub-factor “risk” as a requirement to address. Is the Government requesting specific risk issues encountered, severity, and associated mitigations?

7. Is there a page limitation for “Current/Recent Contracts” (L.I.b.1)?

A: Further clarification is provided. 2. Size is dollar value 3. Scope – type of work is equated to description of the service provided. 4. Complexity is performance challenges and risk and can be included in the narrative 5. Complexity is the same information as problems encouted and corrective actions taken. 6. Yes risk is a requirement to address, how it is addressed is at the discretion of the offeror. The offeror is allocated 10 pages to describe problems encountered and resolution of contracts over the past 3 years.

23. The Transition Cost section states, “The Transition Costs section of the Business Management Proposal encompasses three things:”

The RFP indicates two of the three:

“1) For offerors who are not the incumbent contractor…” “2) Both incumbent and non-incumbent offerors shall include…” Will the Government please clarify what the third of these “three things” is?

Will the Government please provide a copy of J.13, National Staff Compensation Report Data?

A: See Amendment 000002

24. FAR part 19.12 in the current version of the FAR is annotated as “Reserved.” Would the Government consider updating this reference?

Paragraph A. states, “The Service Contract Act of 1965 is not applicable to contracts for the operation and management of Job Corps centers. However, subcontracts awarded by contractors operating and managing Job Corps centers are subject to the Act to the same extent and under the same conditions as contracts made directly by the U.S. Department of Labor…..”

Exempting Contractor employees from SCA wages, but requiring Subcontractor employees to be paid wages in accordance with SCA wage determinations can create an atmosphere of inequality and favoritism in some circumstances. For example, if, in an effort to achieve its small business goals, the Contractor has subcontracted a portion of the scope to a subcontractor and the subcontractor has a clerk or administrative type staff positions covered under a WD, those employees will, in most cases, be paid higher wages than the Contractor’s administrative employees working in comparable positions whose wages were based on the Government provided ‘National Staff Compensation Report Data’.

Will the Government consider exempting subcontractors from paying SCA wages?

Will the Government consider requiring both Contractor and Subcontractors to pay SCA wages?

A: Subcontractors must comply with the SCA. It is the business decision of the offeror (prime contractor) to determine if they pay workers in the same position an equivalent wage as a subcontractor under the SCA. The prime contractor is required to comply with the new minimum wage requirement of $10.10.

25. Paragraph B. states, “Subcontracts awarded by contractors operating and managing Job Corps centers shall include FAR clause 52.222-41, in FAR 22.10, with such modifications as would otherwise be inappropriate had the clause been included in the prime contract.”

We are confused on the government direction.

1. Paragraph B directs the Contractor to include FAR 52.222-41,”in Far 22.10,” in subcontracts. There are 8 references to FAR 52.222-41 in FAR 22.10. What does the government mean by “in FAR 22.10?”

2. Par B also directs the Contractor to include FAR 52.222-41, in Far 22.10, in subcontracts “with such modifications as would otherwise be inappropriate had the clause been included in the prime contract.” What does the Government specifically mean by the phrase, “with such modifications as would otherwise be inappropriate had the clause been included in the prime contract?”

3. Recommendation, we recommend the government consider revising the statement to:

“Subcontracts issued under this prime contract will include FAR 52.222-41 Service Contract Labor Standards.”

A: See Amendment 000002

26. Please provide the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Concurrent Enrollment Program.

A: It is the expectation by the Department of Labor that each offeror must develop their own Memorandum of Understanding’s (MOU’s) with partners in the community for all support. The current operator’s MOU’s are proprietary and therefore not releasable.

27. Building 31C – Recycle Storage was not opened; is there a contract with a vendor for pick up and disposal of recycle materials? Is there equipment?

A: The Recycle Storage is used to collect recycle materials and those collected materials are transported off-Center. There is no equipment to conduct recycling.

28. Building 4 – Student Leadership building on the site plan has signage indicating Regional Lab. Is this building still used by the Region as a Regional Lab?

A: The Regional Lab is a title that was developed many years ago and is accurately referred to in the site plan as the Student Leadership Building. The Atlanta Region does not use the facility. The Center Operator has flexibility to use the space in support of their approach.

29. During the walk-through there were cameras installed around the center but it could not be determined if they are connected to a central point for monitoring. If the center wide surveillance system is fully functional, which of the following applies? Is this a center wide surveillance system monitored by center Security? Is the center wide surveillance system monitored by a third party company?

A: Camera systems have been installed around the center to support security of the facility. It is monitored by staff at multiple locations on the Center. The areas where monitoring occurs is the Security Building, Academic building, Student Services, Dormitories – Magnolia and Utica, Cafeteria, CPP, Social Development Building and the Administration Building. The camera systems are not monitored by a third party company.

30. Will the government provide a current national staff compensation report (Attachment J-13) that reflects the required minimum wage for federal government contracts? Attachment J-13 has not been provided.

A: See Amendment 000002

31. Will the government provide a current list of vehicles that includes the pick-up trucks used by the construction trades?

A: The government vehicles are listed in the EPMS inventory provided in the RFP. There are no vehicles specifically assigned to the construction career technical training areas.

32. Will the government identify the trades assigned to NTCs? Attachment 5 is blank.

A: See Amendment 000002

33. On Page 5 and Page 9 of the RFP, the center design is 108 residential male students and 130 residential female students. However, weekly WSSR reports indicate the actual student population is approximately 180 residential male students and 65 residential female students. Is the center design in the RFP correct?

A: The on board strength stated in the solicitation represents the requirements of the government.

34. On Page 14 of the RFP, it is indicated that Concurrent Training is applicable to this contract. Will the Government provide copies of existing Memorandums of Understanding between the Mississippi Center and other entities?

A: It is the expectation by the Department of Labor that each offeror must develop their own Memorandum of Understanding’s (MOU’s) with partners in the community for all support. The current operator’s MOU’s are proprietary and therefore not releasable.

35. What is the status of construction of a new two story sixty eight (68) bed dormitory, a new two story thirty-four (34) bed single parent dormitory, and a new one story child development center?

A: The government does not yet have a firm timeline for building construction.

36. Will the government provide the estimated utility cost associated with this new construction?

A: The government does not yet have a firm timeline for building construction. This information is not releaseable.

37. We would like to request a copy of the MOU the Center has with the Copiah County School District and the Hazlehurst City School District.

A: It is the expectation by the Department of Labor that each offeror must develop their own Memorandum of Understanding’s (MOU’s) with partners in the community for all support. The current operator’s MOU’s are proprietary and therefore not releasable.

38. What is the geographically area for the non-residential students, i.e. what cities/counties are non-residential students coming from?

A: A majority of the non-resident students come from Copiah and the surrounding counties.

39. Can you please provide a copy of Volume II of the Facility Survey?

A: Volume II of the Facility Survey is available from pages 51-449 of attachment J-9

40. Please clarify whether both the Utica and Copiah dorms are designated for male students.

A: The Utica and Copiah dormitories are designated for male students.

41. Can you please clarify whether dental services are provider on or off center.

A: Department of Labor expects offeror’s to develop their approach to providing dental and other health services based on their approach (on center, off center or a combination).