QAs_Round_2__DOL-OPS-16-R-00022_OPS_V3.1_10.14.2016_FINAL.pdf

SOLICITATION DOL-OPS-16-R-00022

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, Round 2

SUBMITTED MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

GROUP 1: REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENTS / KEY PERSONNEL

1. QUESTION: The key personnel requirement for the Account Executive/Project Manager position requires a Masters’ Degree and 10 years’ related experience. Our experience suggests many qualified and experienced resources for this type of position have significantly more experience but do not meet the Masters’ degree requirement. This is consistent with ODEPs Required Qualifications for the Project Director where no Masters’ degree is required. We recommend expanding the Required Qualifications for the Account Executive/Project Manager position to include either a Masters’ degree and 10 years’ relevant experience (current requirement) or a 15 years’ relevant experience. This approach effectively equates a Masters’ degree with an additional five years’ experience and provides a broader range of qualified candidates for this key position.

Reference: RFP Section PWS PART 4: CONTRACTOR FURNISHED PERSONNEL, ITEMS AND SERVICES; Paragraph(s) 4.1.3 Key Personnel, Page(s) 24: “Required Qualifications for the Account Executive/Project Manager.”

DOL ANSWER: Yes, for the Account Executive/Project Manager ODEP will allow 15 years of relevant experience in lieu of a Master’s degree and 10 years of experience provided that the relevant experience includes: 1) developing, managing and conducting public awareness campaigns and b) developing and implementing other strategic communications and outreach and messaging activities. See revised solicitation at above referenced location. Also see Key Personnel in Sample Task Order (p. 131) revised to align with this change.

2. QUESTION: Can the government please clarify and confirm whether their intent was to limit submissions for all Key Personnel solely to individuals having direct experience with disability employment issues at the national level?

Reference: RFP Section 4.1.3 Key Personnel, Key Personnel Chart; Page(s) 23- 25: In the Required Qualifications column, relating to required years of experience for the Project Director, Account Executive/Project Manager, Public Outreach Manager, Communications Coordinator, Communications Specialist, and the Website/Social Media Content Manager specific to disability employment issues at the national level.

DOL ANSWER: Yes, the Project Director, Account Executive/Project Manager, Public Outreach Manager, Communications Coordinator, and Communications Specialist must all have direct experience with disability employment issues at the national level. However, this requirement does not apply to the Website/Social Media Content Manager. See solicitation at above referenced location and note Required Qualifications for item 6 on p. 24.

3. QUESTION: Is the government open to broadening the Required

Qualifications of Key Personnel beyond “disability employment issues at the national level,” for example: to include individuals with equivalent years of experience working on social marketing campaigns (leveraging best practices and experience to influence social behaviors that benefit society and change perceptions) at the national level?

experience for the Project Director, Account Executive/Project Manager, Public Outreach Manager, Communications Coordinator, Communications Specialist, and the Website/Social Media Content Manager specific to disability employment issues at the national level.

DOL ANSWER: No, ODEP is not open to broadening the qualifications. ODEP requires the specified Key Personnel to have experience providing communications services regarding disability employment and they must possess knowledge of these issues at a national level.

4. QUESTION: If the government is open to broadening the Required

Qualifications of Key Personnel (see question 4), to include individuals with equivalent years of experience working on social marketing campaigns at the national level (rather than having direct experience working on disability employment issues at the national level), which of the proposed key personnel positions is the government open to modifying?

experience for the Project Director, Account Executive/Project Manager, Public Outreach Manager, Communications Coordinator, Communications Specialist, and the Website/Social Media Content Manager specific to disability employment issues at the national level.

DOL ANSWER: N/A, ODEP is not open to broadening the qualifications of the key personnel.

GROUP 2: REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENTS / FTEs

5. QUESTION: In the second paragraph of Technical Exhibit 1, the solicitation states the annual level of effort for this IDIQ will be approximately 15 FTEs, however, the table below lists 13 FTEs. We understand these are just estimates, but will the Government confirm which estimate is correct?

Reference: RFP Section J.1, Paragraph 2 and table, Page 122

DOL ANSWER: The correct estimate is for 12 FTEs. See revised solicitation at above referenced location.

6. QUESTION: Under Technical Exhibit 1, the table states Campaign for

Disability Employment has 4 estimated annual FTEs, however, under Sample Task Order: Appendix A, the solicitation states the estimated level of effort will be approximately 3 to 3 ½ FTEs. We understand these are just estimates, but will the Government confirm which estimate is correct?

Reference: RFP Section J.1, Table, Page 122 and RFP Section Sample Task Order: Appendix A, Paragraph 1, Page 150

DOL ANSWER: The estimate for the Sample Task Order should be 3 ½ to 4 FTEs and thus rounded up to 4 in the IDIQ estimate. See revised Sample Task Order at above referenced locations.

GROUP 3: REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENTS GENERAL

7. QUESTION: Does the incumbent currently have the "phase-out" plan?

If so, is it possible for possible bidders to review the phase-out plan in order to address specifics during our technical approach?

Reference: RFP Section H.17 Transition Plan; Paragraph 3; Page(s) 58-59:

Within the Transition Plan, this task relates to the phase-out of the incumbent and phase-in of the contract awardee.

DOL ANSWER: The incumbent’s phase-out plans cannot be shared at this time but will be made available to the successful bidder. Offerors are not expected to address specifics in their technical approach beyond what is provided in the solicitation.

8. QUESTION: Do the training sessions and meetings cover multiple topics/program areas (e.g., CDE and EPW) or are they focused on a single topic/program area each time?

Reference: General Question

DOL ANSWER: The training sessions and meetings will cover multiple different topics/program areas but typically only one topic area at a time as determined at the Task Order level.

9. QUESTION: Can you provide examples of some of the “additional ODCs other than those listed in the table” that an offeror could propose?

Reference: Q&A#78

DOL ANSWER: See Section B.4.1.3 Other Direct Costs (ODCs) and Travel on page 11 for examples of the types of items that could be proposed as ODCs.

10. QUESTION: a) Can you please identify, by name, those conferences, tradeshows, meetings or other venues at which ODEP typically exhibits? b) Is the contractor responsible for designing / building / acquiring booth or exhibit components? What is the expected / anticipated booth size? c) What are the characteristics of the “off-site meeting” locations (e.g., hotel, conference center)? d) Are there requirements for additional services such as A/V and/or food?

Reference: Pg. 32, 5.7 TASK 7. Education and Outreach and Pg. 171, Table 3:

Task Activities, Conferences / Meetings

DOL ANSWER: a) Although it may vary from one year to the next, ODEP typically exhibits at 3 conferences convened by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) including their national conference, their Talent Management Conference and their Diversity & Inclusion Conference;

the annual conference of the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN); and the national conference of the National Industry Liaison Group (NILG). ODEP also exhibited at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) annual conference.

b) The Contractor is not responsible for designing/building or acquiring the booth or exhibit components.

c) Characteristics of off-site meetings will be determined at the Task Order level – in many cases ODEP participates in events convened by other organizations often held in hotels or conference centers.

d) Under no circumstance would the government require the contractor to supply food. There may be meetings where arranging or providing AV services may be required, as determined at the Task Order level.

11. QUESTION: How is the training conducted, online and/or in-person? If in-person, what are the locations where the training is provided? Are printed course materials required, regardless of the training format?

Reference: Pg. 171, Table 3: Task Activities, Crowd-Sourcing Platforms

DOL ANSWER: The training for new participants on the use of ODEP’s crowd-sourcing platform (ePolicyWorks) is typically conducted online and by phone via a webinar format. Printed materials are not required but any materials that are used or distributed must be provided in an accessible format. See revised Solicitation Part 5, Section 5.7 Task 7, p. 32 and above referenced section p. 172.

GROUP 4: REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENTS / SAMPLE TASK ORDER

12. QUESTION: Under the Sample Task Order, Task 7 lists training or presentations as a deliverable. Does the Government anticipate that contractor staff will need to travel to tradeshows and events for this deliverable? If so, how many events per year does the Government expect the need for travel?

Reference: RFP Section J.3 Sample Task Order, Task 7, Paragraph 13, Page

DOL ANSWER: The Government does not anticipate that contractor staff will need to travel to tradeshows or events for the Sample Task Order. However, there are other travel requirements specified in Section 1.6.3 (p. 128) of the Sample Task Order. Travel to tradeshows or events would allowable if identified and approved in the Education and Outreach plan that will be delivered or if other opportunities consistent with the scope of the Task Order arise, but such travel would be subject to ODEP approval and the limitation of funds.

13. QUESTION: In the Sample Task Order Attachment: Technical Exhibit 2

– Deliverables Schedule, it states that the First Date deadline for the Two State Targeted Initiatives is no later than 1 month after the beginning of the PoP. Will the Government please clarify what exactly is due on this date relative to this task?

Reference: RFP Section Sample Task Order Attachment: Technical Exhibit 2 – Deliverables Schedule, Row 5, Task 7, Page 162

DOL ANSWER: The deliverable would be a plan for the Targeted Initiative in 2 states which could be incorporated into the overall Education and Outreach Plan. ODEP has revised the Sample Task Order PWS at the above referenced location to allow 4 months for the vendor to provide this plan to coincide with the due date for the overall plan. Also see revision to Sample Task Order Task 7 Deliverables on p. 143

14. QUESTION: In which two (2) states is ODEP considering the pilot

“Targeted Initiative”?

Reference: Pg. 143, TASK 7: Education and Outreach

DOL ANSWER: In the plan for the 2-state outreach pilot the Contractor will recommend two states to target subject to ODEP approval. See revised PWS for Sample Task Order, Task 7, p. 143. Also please note revision to Sample

Task Order, Task 11, p. 146 that clarifies that all plans submitted as deliverables under the various tasks must be approved by ODEP before the activities commence.

GROUP 5: SECTION L (INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS) /

SECTION M (EVALUATION CRITERIA)

15. QUESTION: Proposal best practices include the integration of charts and graphs within relative narrative paragraphs. Most of these charts and graphs are less than one page in size. Does the Government require these charts and graphs to be on separate unnumbered pages? If not, we recommend that the 110 page limit includes all graphs and charts.

Reference: RFP Section L.3 Proposal Preparation & Organization;

Paragraph(s) The Technical Proposal (Volume I) must not exceed a maximum of 110 pages; Page(s) 105: “Charts and graphs are not included in the 110 page limit.”

DOL ANSWER: No, the Government does not require that charts and graphs be on separate unnumbered pages. ODEP has revised the solicitation to delete charts and graphs from among the items listed that do not count towards the (revised) 120 page limit. See above referenced location.

16. QUESTION: Please clarify that offerors are to complete SF33. Is the need for the SF1449 still relevant?

Reference: RFP Section L.3 Proposal Preparation & Organization;

Paragraph(s) 1. Small Business Compliance; Page(s) 102.

DOL ANSWER: Please see revised Section L.

17. QUESTION: Can the government elaborate on what offerors are to complete within section B of the solicitation, i.e. tables?

Reference: RFP Section L.3 Proposal Preparation & Organization: Volume 2 Pricing proposal Sub-factor 1: IDIQ Pricing; #3 Complete Section B of the solicitation; Page(s) 111.

DOL ANSWER: Offerors shall submit Pricing Worksheets for the IDIQ and the Sample Task Order (see revised Section L of Soliciation)

18. QUESTION: In section L.3 Factor 4: Sample Task Order, the solicitation states “Unless specified otherwise all requirements contained in the IDIQ Solicitation will apply and be in full force and effect for this Task Order.”

Does the Government expect the Offeror to provide a separate Quality Control Plan, Corporate Experience and Past Performance for the Sample Task Order? We anticipate the answer is no, give on page 108, it notes “The Offerors need not repeat information that is already provided in their IDIQ proposal, but should offer specificity when appropriate to indicate what staff, resources and approaches will be applied to the specific tasks in this CDE PWS.” Will the Government confirm the Offeror does not need to provide these sections in the Sample Task Order?

Reference: RFP Section L.3, Factor 4, Paragraph 6, Page 109

DOL ANSWER: Confirmed. The Offerors do not need to provide separate Corporate Experience or Past Performance information for the Sample Task order. Similarly a separate QCP does not need to be submitted, however if there are specific aspects of the work that require distinct quality control activities, they should be identified and described.

19. QUESTION: It does not seem possible to have the CDE Sample Task

Order response be 25 pages given all of the requirements asked for in the response (which include a Project Management Work Plan, Quality Control Plan and numerous other elements). Will the Government accept a page limit of 45 pages?

Reference: RFP Section L.3, Factor 3, Paragraph 5, Page 108

DOL ANSWER: Per answer to Q 19 Offerors need not repeat applicable information in the response to the Sample Task Order if it is provided in the response to the IDIQ. The Government, however, will allow a 35 page limit for the response to the Sample Task Order. See revisions on p. 104, 105, and108.

20. QUESTION: Given that the CDE Sample Task Order specifically states that the offeror may “include information about more than one possible approach, or a combination of approaches,” may Offerors provide prices for multiple (i.e., two or three) scenarios, with each priced and broken out separately?

Reference: RFP Section L.3, Factor 43, Paragraph 34, Page 109

DOL ANSWER: Pricing must be provided for only one proposed approach.

The solicitation has been revised to limit the technical approach to just one that includes discussion of the considerations (pros and cons) that make the proposed approach optimal. See revision at above referenced location. Also please note related revisions in Section L.3, Factor 1 on p. 105, Section M.2.14, on and Section M2.4

21. QUESTION: The solicitation states offerors shall submit electronic media CD copies of each volume, however, since many computers do not have CD drives, may Offerors submit electronic copies on a thumb drive instead of CDs?

Reference: RFP Section L.3, Paragraph 4, Page 100

DOL ANSWER: NO. CDs are the only acceptable electronic format.

22. QUESTION: Under Sub-factor 2 Accessibility Competence, the solicitation states the remediated PDF documents may be provided on a CD, however, since many computers do not have CD drives, may Offerors submit the remediated PDFs on a thumb drive instead?

Reference: RFP Section L.3, Sub-factor 2, Paragraph 2, Page 104

DOL ANSWER: No. CDs are the only acceptable electronic format.

23. QUESTION: Given the nature of video production and distribution, it is not possible to price all these levels of work as labor categories, due to requirements such as equipment and studio rentals, technology, captioning, translation, distribution services and other components whose scope cannot be determined until a conceptual approach is chosen. Given this, will the Government allow Offerors to propose these tasks as ODCs instead?

Reference: Sections L and M – PRICING INSTRUCTIONS. Also see IDIQ Questions and Answers Responses, Question 73

DOL ANSWER: Offerors cannot propose labor categories as ODCs. As previously state in response to the Round 1 Question 73, all services related to direct labor shall include an hourly rate and shall not be proposed as ODCs.

Equipment and studio rental, and other non-labor services can be proposed as ODCs.

24. QUESTION: The solicitation states, “Offerors shall ensure that the Past

Performance information is submitted in an original and redacted format.”

Will the Government please specify all information that needs to be redacted from the Past Performance section?

Reference: RFP Section L.3, Factor 6, Paragraph 7, Page 110

DOL ANSWER: Please see revised Section L and M.

25. QUESTION: The Instructions to Offerors section states offeror codes are to be used “throughout Offeror’s proposal in lieu of the company’s name or logo. The code shall be clearly identified on each Volume of your proposal.” Should offeror codes be used to represent the Offeror in the original proposal volumes or the redacted proposal volumes, or both?

Should the redacted proposal have both the code and all names redacted?

Please clarify what needs to be submitted.

Reference: RFP Section L.1, Paragraph 5, Page 97

DOL ANSWER: See revised Section L and M for instructions.

26. QUESTION: For the phase 1 mandatory requirements documentation, will the government provide MS Word and or MS Excel versions for vendors to fill out or is it acceptable to fill in and submit these sections in Adobe PDF?

Reference: RFP Section L.3 Proposal Preparation & Organization; Paragraph 16; Page 101: In relation to the proposal preparation and submission, this question relates to the requirement to utilize MS Word or MS Excel.

DOL ANSWER: Please see revised Section L and M.