Q A_-01-28-2016.pdf

DOL-OPS-16-Q-00012

Development and Technical Support for Development of DOL/OSHA/DSG Regulatory Standards and

Guidance Materials

Questions and Answers

01/28/2016

DOL, Office of Procurement Services, Division III responses to questions from Offerors.

Question 1:

I have a question about the Combined Synopsis posted to FBO under solicitation number

DOLOPS16Q00012 for Development & Technical Support for DOL/OSHA/DSG Development of

Regulatory Standards & Guidance.

Was this a follow-on requirement? If so, could you please provide the incumbent contract number for this opportunity?

Answer 1: Yes. IDIQ contract DOLJ129F32859.

Question(s) 2:

Regarding the Technical Approach:

1) In Sections L and M of the RFP, the following instructions are provided for Sub-factor 2:

Technical Experience and Capability:

- … Offerors must also submit resumes, including their certificates of specialized expertise, and awards/commendations, of their proposed labor categories, commitment letter for this

RFP, and organizational chart of their Firm.

We understand that resumes’ are not included in the page limit for Volume I: Technical

Approach.

Question (1): Can OSHA please clarify whether or not individual staff commitment letters and the organizational chart are included in the page limit for Volume I?

DOL/OPS clarification on the following:

Answers (1)(a) and (b):

(a) Individual staff commitment letters are not included in the page limit for Volume I:

Technical Approach.

(b) Organizational Chart is included in the page limit for Volume I: Technical Approach.

Question (2):

2) To be confident that OSHA will receive the proposed personnel’s expertise over the life of the contract, should bidders include years with the firm on resumes?

Answer (2): In standard written resumes, the number of years is typically included in resumes to determine the validity of the proposed staff’s expertise for that particular field being proposed.

The answer is Yes.

Guidance Materials

Regarding the Price Proposal:

Question (3):

1) Should the rates proposed be independent of our GSA schedule rates?

Answer (3)1): Yes, DOL/OPS is clarifying that Offerors must submit rates independent of the

GSA Schedule rates, since the solicitation is open market and the Government is requesting for competitive open market rates, in accordance with the industry standards. However, it is the interested Offeror’s decision to propose open market rates similar to their GSA schedule rates.

2) If the pricing proposal is to be based on GSA Schedule rates the following question applies. In RFP section 1.6.8 – Special Qualifications, OSHA defines five specific labor categories. In completing Attachment 3, can we present multiple GSA labor categories that are relevant to each of the OSHA labor categories?

Answer (3) 2): This solicitation is an open market acquisition using open market rates. Please see answer above Question (3) #1. Offerors may propose multiple labor categories relevant to each of the OSHA labor categories. In the PWS of the solicitation DOL-OPS-16-Q-00012, page

29 (manual numbering) Technical Exhibit II – Estimated Workload Data, are estimates based on the Government’s historical data.

3) Can OSHA provide any information about their cost reasonableness evaluation. For example, will OSHA consider proposers’ current rates on similar (OSHA) contracts?

Answer (3) 3): Please see the solicitation DOL-OPS-16-Q-00012, page 63, per manual counting

(numbering is not reflected due to system error), under Volume IV. Price, second paragraph, fourth sentence, “….Offeror's price proposal will be evaluated for fair and reasonableness using one or more of the following techniques to ensure that prices remain reasonable throughout the life of the contract.

(1) Comparison of proposed hourly rates for each proposed labor categories, provided by the Offerors and the yearly escalation rates, received in response to the solicitation.

(2) Comparison of proposed prices with independent Government cost estimates.

(3) Review for responsiveness and accuracy in providing all price information under this section.

(4) Price proposal must provide 120 days expiration time.”

Questions 3:

Guidance Materials

1. Please confirm that the contract is firm fixed price (FFP), but CLINs 0002 - 4002 can be either FFP or Labor Hour.

Answer 3 -1: The resultant contract is Hybrid IDIQ, Firm Fixed Price contract. CLIN 0001-

4001 is FFP CLIN. CLIN 0002-4002 can either be FFP or LH CLIN. CLIN 0003-4003 is price reimbursable.

2. Are the lists of items provided in Sections 1.6.14, Other Direct Costs (ODCs), and G.4, Other Costs, inclusive, or will offerors be allowed to be reimbursed for other costs (e.g., telephone)?

Answer 3-2: Other Direct Costs and Other Costs or Miscellaneous Costs are price reimbursable.

3. Please confirm that ODCs do not need to be priced as part of the price proposal.

Answer 3-3: CLINs 0003-4003 – ODCs do not need to be priced as part of the price proposal.

4. Section 1.6.7 states, “Contractor personnel performing work under this contract must have a minimal security clearance.” What security clearance level is required for this procurement?

Answer 3-4: A National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) Clearance.

5. The table in Technical Exhibit 2, Estimated Workload Data, states “Contractor is responsible for proposing the appropriate hours and labor mix to perform the requirements of the PWS.” Do the total 16,500 hours/year and labor mix found in this chart need to be proposed, or can the offeror either propose more or less hours and/or a different labor mix?

Answer 3-5: It is the Offeror’s responsibility to propose the appropriate hours and labor mix in accordance with the PWS. Technical Exhibit 2, Estimated Workload Data, is the Government’s estimates only, as the document suggested, based on historical data.

Guidance Materials

6. There appears to be no Section K associated with this solicitation. Will offerors updated and completed Representations and Certifications in SAM be sufficient to fulfill the

Section K requirement for this submission?

Answer 3-6: Yes, SAM certification is sufficient to fulfill Section K submission.

7. Section L.1 refers to a Section J table, but the RFP does not have a Section J. Does the

Section J table appear as Attachment 3?

Answer 3-7: Section J is Attachment 3. Please see page 56 of the solicitation, DOL-OPS-16-Q-

00012.

“Offerors will utilize the Section J table, Attachment III, to complete and provide breakdown of their Price proposal/quote, for each proposed Labor Category, consistent with the CLINs and

Section C - Description of Services.”

8. Section L.3 states that 2-hard copies and 1-CD are required for Volume IV, Price, however, Section L.6 states that one-CD copy and one hard copy are required. Which statement is correct?

Answer 3-8: This statement is correct: 2-hard copies and 1-CD are required for Volume IV, Price

9. Under Section L.4, Volume II Past Performance, Section 1 – Contract Description, please clarify the difference between (b) Government contracting activity, and current address, Procuring Contracting Officer’s name, e-mail address, telephone and fax numbers and

(e) Government contracting administration activity’s Pre-Award Monitor’s name, and current e-mail address, telephone and fax numbers.

Answer 3-9: Volume II Past Performance is the Offeror’s past performance activity with other

Government agencies and/or civilian organizations.

The Offeror’s Contracting Officer or the Offeror’s Administrative Contracting Officer should have the responses to this question, also. If this is the first time Offerors have seen a “Past

Performance Information Questionnaire,” these information can be supplied by the customer(s) of the contracts.

(b) Government contracting activity and current address =

Answer 3-9

Contracting Office and PCO can be the CO. Definitions per the FAR.

Guidance Materials

Contracting Officer (CO)

A person with authority to enter into, administer, and/or terminate contracts and make related determinations and findings for the U.S. government.

Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO)

The individual authorized to enter into contracts for supplies and services on behalf of the government by sealed bids or negotiations, and who is responsible for overall procurement under the contract.

(e) Government contracting administration activity’s Pre-Award Monitor’s name, and current e-mail address, telephone and fax numbers.

Answer 3(9)

DCMA of the contract, if any, typically utilized for complex or cost type contracts.

The Preaward Survey Monitor is responsible for completing Preaward Survey requests received from a

Preaward Survey Manager.

10. Section L.4 identifies four volumes that should be included in proposals including a

Small Business Participation Plan as Volume III, but Section L.6 of the RFP does not mention the Small Business Participation Plan. Is this plan indeed supposed to be included? If so, what is the requested page limit for Volume III? See page 75 of the solicitation DOL-OPS-16-Q-00012, Volume III – Small Business Participation Plan

Answer 3-10: Yes, it is an oversight. Volume III – Small Business Participation Plan is part of the criteria in awarding a contract(s). Subcontracting Plan submitted by the Offerors will be evaluated based on the Department of Labor’s small business goals and to ensure that Agency’s small business goals are met, utilizing Attachments I and II.

Page limit for Volume III – Small Business Participation Plan is 5 pages, including Attachments

I and II.

11. Section L.4 and Section M, Volume IV Price, specify that offerors do not need to propose

CLINs 0003 – 4003 for ODCs/Travel. The instructions under Section L.4 and Section M do not however speak to completing CLINs 0002 – 4002, although Attachment 3 has

CLIN 0002 blacked out. Please clarify which CLINs need to be priced?

Answer 3-11: Only CLINs 0001- 4001 need to be priced.

Guidance Materials

12. Section L.6 General Instructions: Volume III Price notes that price proposals are limited to 20 pages. Other than offerors providing the completed SF 1449 and the table in

Attachment III, will any additional cost backup or documentation be required to be proposed in Volume III? If so, it may be necessary to submit more than the 20-page price proposal restriction in order to provide a full and thorough cost proposal.

Answer 3-12: No additional price (cost) backup or documentation is required. 20 page limit only remains unchanged and is required for (should be)Volume IV-Price.

13. Section M, Volume I, Sub-factor 2 requires commitment letters for each resume submitted. Are commitment letters required for all offerors’ employees or just contingent hires? Also, are commitment letters required for subcontractor personnel and consultants?

Would DOL accept resumes with signatures certifying commitment to the contract in lieu of separate commitment letters?

Answer 3-13: Yes, commitment letters are required for all proposed primary Offeror’s employees. For subcontractor personnel, it is the prime Contractor’s responsibility whether to submit commitment letter(s) for subcontractor staff, since the Government has no privity with subcontractors.

14. Section M, Evaluation Factors for Award, Volume I, Sub-factor 3, item number 2 states, “qualifications of the proposed key personnel and the process for selecting replacements if the key personnel should leave during the contract period.”

However, Section L.4, Volume I, Sub-factor 3, item number 2 states, “qualifications of the proposed Program Manager and the process for selecting replacements if a Program

Manager should leave during the contract period.”

Please clarify which statement is correct and confirm whether key personnel is indeed limited to only the Program Manager?

Answer 3-14: Both statements are correct. The key personnel is limited to the Program

Manager, who oversees the activities of the prime Offeror’s staff and delivery of the performance of the contract.

Guidance Materials

Also, in the Offeror’s Technical Proposal, the Offeror shall describe processes for selecting replacement(s) in the event a Program Manager or any Contractor staff who will leave and replacement of that staff and processes to ensure continuous performance of services.