DRAFT PWS Government Answers_ATSS IDIQ-R.pdf

ATSS IDIQ-R PWS QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK: GOVERNMENT RESPONSES

1. Question: C‐4.1.7. International Affairs. Is there an annual requirement for all contractors involved with international affairs to be certified and trained in Foreign Export Requirements (FER)?

Response: There is no annual requirement to be certified and trained in Foreign Export Requirements (FER).

2. Feedback: C‐4.2.1. Professional, Scientific, and Technical Studies. Given the very broad scope, please provide detail in the Section L Instructions to Offerors portion of the final solicitation whether we should address all of the listed functional topics, go deep in some of them, or some combination of both. With the likely page limit, it will not be possible to go into depth on all of them.

Response: This feedback was be considered. Please see the instructions of the RFP.

3. Question: Will multiple small businesses have the opportunity to earn an award to support the many different subtasks under the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services task area?

Response: Please see the instructions of the RFP.

4. Question: Is there a potential for biometric identification systems to be procured and/or developed within this task area?

Response: This will be addressed at the individual task order level performance work statement.

5. Question: C‐1.0 Introduction: Sixth bullet in list at top of page, "Planning, Programming, and Budgeting System": May we assume that the reference to "Planning, Programming, and Budgeting System" is the same as “Planning, Programming, Budgeting.”

Response: They are the same.

6. Question: C‐1.0 Introduction: The scope of work includes OUSD(A&S) plus other organizations. May we assume that we can use OUSD(A&S) as the name of the customer when we write our technical approach describing our solution?

7. Question: C‐2.0 Offices: OASD(A) is listed but OASD(S) is not. May we assume that

OASD(S) is in scope for us to support under this contract?

Response: Please see the revised PWS in the RFP.

8. Question: C‐2.0 Offices: "Exceptions may apply" What does "exceptions may apply" mean? That agencies in addition to OUSD(A&S) and the Fourth Estate could be included?

Or that only specific Fourth Estate agencies could be included?

Response: “Exceptions may apply at the discretion of the Contracting Officer and based on evolving mission needs of the DoD” has been removed from the PWS.

9. Question: C‐4.1.1 Administrative Management and General Management Consulting

Services: Should there be a PWS section C‐4.1? The numbering goes from C‐4.0 to C‐ 4.1.1.

Response: C-4.0 numbering has been corrected.

10. Question: C‐4.1.7 International Affairs: Reference last sentence regarding FER. Can the government clarify the full scope of statutory authorities and programs covered by the term "Foreign Export Requirements"?

Response: The term covers but not exclusive to the following regulations, guidelines, directives, instructions and sections of law: FAR, DFAR, SAMM, ITAR, DEF, DoDI 5000 series, DoDI 2010.06, Title 10, Sections, 2341-59, 2350d, 2350a, 2350l, 2358, and Title 22 Sections 2767, and 2796d.

11. Question: C‐4.1.7 International Affairs: Second sentence, beginning with "Evaluate". Does the term "international programs" cover the full range of acquisition and logistics related programs and activities conducted with or for foreign partners or international organizations such as cooperative research and development, international procurement, Defense Exportability Features, multinational logistics, acquisition and logistics related cooperation with NATO, and international materiel standardization?

Response: Yes, it does.

12. Question: C‐4.2.1 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Studies. Does the Government require offerors to demonstrate expertise across all the technical disciplines listed under paragraph C‐4.2.1?

Response: The demonstrated expertise will be addressed in Section L of the RFP.

13. Question: C‐4.2.1 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Studies: The first paragraph mentions OASD(A) but not OASD(S). Will there be any studies conducted for OASD(S)?

Response: Any studies will be addressed at the individual task order level performance work statement.

14. Question: C‐4.2.3 Joint Rapid Acquisitions: "Ensure the protection of PPBE documents and data." What does "ensure the protection" mean?

Response: Often PPBE documents and data contain information that should be handled with discretion, and IAW DoD regulations.

15. Feedback: C‐5.2 Quality Control (QC) Please consider adding "Program" to the title

Response: Suggestion included.

16. Question: C‐5.2 Quality Control (QX): "A, comprehensive inspection system of all the scheduled and unscheduled services required by each task order." What are "scheduled and unscheduled services"?

Response: “Scheduled and unscheduled services" will be addressed on individual task orders, if applicable.

17. Question: Is the schedule still holding firm with the RFP being issued on 15 April and the contract award on 15 June?

Response: Please see beta.SAM.gov for all updates.

18. Question: Will a draft RFP be released to include sections L&M?

Response: Yes, the draft RFP will include sections L&M.

19. Question: The draft PWS contains extensive acquisition requirements and little sustainment requirements. Is the PWS going to be updated to contain additional sustainment requirements?

Response: The most updated PWS will be included in the RFP.

20. Question: Will all bidders be required to respond to all Task Areas?

21. Feedback: During Industry Day, the government presented draft Labor Expertise levels of

Advanced, Intermediate, and Basic (reference industry day slide 17). These expertise levels identify only a particular degree level and do not include any other objective and specific qualifications such as years of experience or specialized certifications. As a result, the descriptions, as provided, leave room for a significant amount of interpretation as to what an executive level is, or what a mid-level is, and this could result in the Government receiving labor services of widely varying competencies; for example, “Advanced” level staff that are not truly as advanced as the government would expect. In order to encourage greater consistency in the experience and expertise associated with each expertise level, would the government please consider adding minimum years of experience associated with each expertise level? This will protect the government and ensure that both the government and offerors alike have a consistent, objective understanding of the types of resources expected of each expertise level.

Response: Please see the RFP.

22. Question: Is the government considering two pools for award; a large and small businesses? If so, will they be based on task order dollar value or task area(s)?

Response: There will be a small business reserve pool and an unrestricted pool. The determination if a task order is reserved or not is dependent on the task area.

23. Question: What is the anticipated SB goals for the IDIQ? Will it follow the SBA socio-economic goals or will they be based on the agency goals?

24. Question: Will the Government consider years of experience in lieu of educational requirements?

Response: This will be addressed at the individual task order level performance work

25. Feedback: Will the Government consider placing Section C-4.2.2 “Data Science, Data

Analytics, Data Governance, and Automation” under Section C-4.1.1 Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services given that small businesses are currently performing and delivering these services for A&S customers today?

Response: Market research will be conducted for small business capability before task orders are placed under the ATSS vehicle.

26. Question: Will the Government allow offices not listed in Section C-2.0 Offices to use the vehicle?

27. Question: Will small businesses be allowed to respond to all task areas?

28. Question: Will small businesses be required to address each of the 43 sub-bullets in

Section C-4.2.1, or just a subsection (for example, 20 of 43)?

29. Question: Will the Government be releasing a draft RFP with Sections L & M for industry review and feedback?

Response: Yes, the Government be releasing a draft RFP with Sections L & M for industry review and feedback.

30. Question: The scope of work for the ATSS draft PWS states this work will support

OUSD(A&S), OUSD(R&E), and other DoD sponsored mission requirements. However, the Section 4 PWS tasks only discuss subordinate offices of OUSD(A&S) such as ASD(A), ASD(S), and the JRAC. Which of these PWS tasks support OUSD(R&E) and what offices within OUSD(R&E) do these support?

Response: OUSD(R&E) may use the ATSS IDIQ for future requirements that align with the scope and technical areas of the ATSS IDIQ performance work statement.

31. Question: The Government says “The requirements contained herein specify the tasks required to support OUSD(A&S) in specific areas and may also be beneficial to other Fourth Estate agencies/organizations.”. Will the government please clarify if “other Fourth Estate agencies/organizations” that require support under this contract may also include agencies/organizations outside of DoD?

Response: This vehicle is not planned to be available for use by agencies/organizations outside of DoD.

32. Question: When will we get a draft RFP with evaluation criteria? It is required for bidders to interview and select the right teammates and should address many of the questions below.

33. Question: When will the final RFP come out?

Response: Please see beta.SAM.gov for all updates.

34. Question: Will the ATSS recompete be a total or partial small business set aside?

35. Question: Which NAICS code or codes will be used?

Response: Currently, NAICS code 541611 and NAICS code 541990.

36. Question: Will Contractor Teaming Arrangements be authorized?

37. Question: Will Joint Ventures be authorized?

38. Question: Will all tasks‐except those set aside—be available to bid by large and small

IDIQ awardees?

39. Question: Will we need to submit one or two proposals? One for small and one for large?

40. Question: Will the same evaluation criteria be used for all proposals?

41. Question: At the industry day the government stated that labor category pricing rates would be required even without an awardable sample task? Is this still the plan? If so, how will pricing realism be addressed with such a broad technical scope that would require a huge pay band for a given labor category. Eg. Given the same minimum years of experience for a senior labor category, a nuclear missile engineer (very hard to find these days and many years of experience) will be at a much higher rate than a tactical missile engineer because of the higher complexity levels of those respective domains.

Response: Yes, the Instructions to Offerors will explain what is required for labor category pricing rates. Pricing evaluation techniques will be included in Section M of the RFP.

42. Question: Can we add propose new labor categories at the task level?

Response: Please see the labor categories language in the RFP.

43. Question: Why not use the Seaport NxG Model with does not evaluate price or cost? Price is evaluated at the task order level where you assess cost reasonable as it is awardable.

Response: The Government is legally required to evaluate cost or price as part of this IDIQ competition. 10 U.S.C. § 2305(a)(3)(A)(ii). There is an exception to this rule when competing a multiple-award IDIQ. However, that exception only applies where the Government intends to award to every technically acceptable offeror. 10 U.S.C. § 2305(a)(3)(C). That exception does not apply to this acquisition since the Government does not intend to award to every technically acceptable offeror. As such, the Government is required to evaluate cost or price at time of IDIQ competition.

44. Question: Will there be any Seed Task Orders included in the final IDIQ solicitation? If yes, which Seed Task Orders will be included in the final IDIQ solicitation?

Response: No, there will not be a seed task order included in the final IDIQ solicitation.

45. Question: Does the Government anticipate any impact or delay of the current solicitation release, and/or award timeline due to COVID-19?

Response: We are doing our best to minimize delays due to COVID-19.

46. Question: Would the government please provide clarification on this question posed during the Industry Day: Will small businesses need to have a DCAA-approved accounting system at time of proposal submission, award, postaward, or not at all? Our accounting system meets the DCAA standards, but we have not been able to have the government audit our system. Additionally, the current national emergency may prevent audits from being conducted in a timely fashion, further limiting the ability of small businesses to bid on this opportunity if the DCAA-approved accounting system is a requirement.

47. Question: Would the government consider releasing a draft of Sections L (RFP instructions) and M (evaluation criteria) prior to RFP release?

Response: Yes, a draft RFP is planned to be released.

48. Question: Section C-4.2.1 mentions “Data Science, Data Analytics and Artificial

Intelligence, and Data Governance” within the bulleted text on page 9, and Section C-4.2.2 is on “Data Science, Data Analytics, Data Governance, and Automation.”Could the government please clarify if there are any significant differences between the tasks requested under these two separate task areas?

Response: C-4.2.1 “Data Science, Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, and Data Governance” is an overall topic area, while C-4.2.2 “Data Science, Data Analytics, Data Governance, and Automation” describes specific Data Science, Data Analytics, Data Governance, and Automation tasks.

49. Question: Section C-4.2.1 mentions “Joint Rapid Acquisitions” within the bulleted text on page 9, and Section C-4.2.3 is also on “Joint Rapid Acquisitions. “Could the government please clarify if there are any significant differences between the tasks requested under these two separate task areas?

Response: C-4.2.1 “Joint Rapid Acquisitions” is an overall topic area, while C-4.2.3 “Joint Rapid Acquisitions” describes specific Joint Rapid Acquisitions tasks.

50. Feedback: During Industry Day Q&A, the Government indicated consideration would be given to the possibility of using the 541330 NAICS code to establish size standards for small business. However, the draft PWS doesn’t make mention of the NAICS codes applicable to this effort. Has this been evaluated since Industry Day and will there be any changes from the current ATSS NAICS codes of 541611 and 541990? Historically, ATSS seems to have been dominated by more technically oriented work. Of the 19 Task Orders listed in GovWin totaling over $425M, it appears that somewhere between 70‐90% of the work performed was associated with tasks in the technology/mission areas cited under the PWS 4.2 and related services. This suggests a technical/engineering focused NAICS would be appropriate for the ATSS follow‐on. Furthermore, the additional technical requirements in the follow‐on contract work scope and the possibility for TEAMS follow‐on work to be re‐competed through the ATSS vehicle, suggest the next contract may be even more heavily weighted toward the technical requirements, suggesting a move towards a more engineering services focused NAICS code such as 541330 is appropriate. We believe the 541990 NAICS is not the most appropriate NAICS for ATSS technical work, given the exceptions cited in the NAICS definition that include services such specialized design services; computer systems design and related services; management, scientific, and technical consulting services; and scientific research and development services, which seem pertinent to work anticipated under the new contract. Specific examples of the type of work cited as applicable to the 541990 NAICS include: Appraisal services; Marine surveyor services; Arbitration and conciliation services ; Patent broker services;

Commodity inspector services; Pipeline or power line inspection services; Consumer credit counseling services; Weather forecasting services; and Handwriting analysis services, none of which are applicable to the ATSS follow‐on. We believe the PWS tasks more closely align with the 541330 NAICS which includes applying physical laws and principles of engineering in the design, development, and utilization of machines, materials, instruments, structures, processes, and systems; provision of advice; preparation of feasibility studies;

preparation of preliminary and final plans and designs; provision of technical services during the construction or installation phase; inspection and evaluation of engineering projects; and related services. Other contract vehicles for very similar work scope to that expected for ATSS have also employed the 541330 as a primary NAICS code for engineering support services, including WHS TEAMS and GSA OASIS. We also believe the exception for Military and Aerospace Equipment and Military Weapons is appropriate given the nature of OUSD(A&S) weapon system acquisition and sustainment requirements.

+In addition to being more reflective of the type of services anticipated, selection of the 541330 NAICS code would also allow a broader group of small businesses with the right technical qualifications to participate in the competition, providing the Government with increased competition, a more technically diverse small business pool of awardees and the mechanism to award more technical work to small businesses than under the current ATSS contract. As a result, we recommend the Government consider using the 541330 NAICS, with exception for Military and Aerospace Equipment and Military Weapons, for establishing the ATSS small business size standard.

Response: NAICS 541330 was considered, but not determined to be the most appropriate NAICS for ATSS.

51. The Industry Day presentation indicated offerors would be required to hold a current/active

DoD Facility Security Clearance at the SECRET level or above. The draft PWS does not include any language regarding security requirements. Could the Government please clarify if the facility clearance must be in place at the time of proposal submission or time of award?

Response: The Instructions to Offerors will explain what is required.

52. Question: We are considering submitting a proposal as part of an 8a Mentor‐Protégé Joint

Venture. Under the current SBA rules for un‐populated Joint Ventures, the contractors who make up the JV and any subcontractors to the JV perform all the direct labor, rather than the actual JV. Therefore, we believe the individual parties to the JV, as well as any subcontractors, would need a facility clearance rather than the JV itself which has no employees. Please confirm this is correct.

Response: Per the current GAO case law under file number B-416239, the JV itself would need a facility clearance as well.

53. Question: Can the Government provide an overview of the reasoning behind the changes to the PWS structure from that used in the original RFI and described at industry day? This will help offers better understand changes in Government priorities and areas of emphasis.

Response: The PWS was reorganized based on requirements planning determinations.

54. Question: PWS Pg. 3. The Government indicates that surge or special situations may require support under this contract. Can the Government provide an example of the type of task where this may occur?

Response: Surge or special situations will be addressed at the individual task order level performance work statement.

55. Question: PWS Pg. 4. Please confirm that the acronym RPDS is Retired Personnel Data

System. RPDS is not included in the acronym listing.

Response: The Resources, Personnel, Data, & Security (RPDS) is spelled out in the current

PWS.

56. Question: General. Is the Government placing emphasis on any specific task area?

Response: Not at the IDIQ level. Specific task areas emphasis will be determined at the task order level.

57. Question: General. Will the Government provide a summary of the sample task(s) in advance of the final RFP so offerors may prepare?

58. Question: General. Is support outside of National Capital Region locations anticipated? If so, can the government provide more detail as to what other locations (CONUS or OCONUS) offerors might be required to support?

Response: Places of performance will be addressed at the individual task order level performance work statement.

59. Question: PWS p. 10. The Government has added a specific task area focused on Data Science, Data Analytics, etc. We recognize the SIAC office will have requirements in this area but are there other offices and/or priorities the Government can describe that is driving the focus on this task?

Response: Data science and Data analytics is an expanding task area for the Government, and will be described in more specific detail at the task order level performance work

60. Question: General. On the Industry Day package, Slide 18, the government provided a listing of potential Labor Categories based on the current ATSS program but these were not included with the draft PWS. Will the Government provide a full set of LCATs and descriptions in advance of the final RFP including educational requirements, certifications, and or tools/software application knowledge? Alternatively, can the Government confirm the labor requirements used for the current ATSS program will remain unchanged?

Response: LCATs will be included in the RFP.

61. Question: General. On the Industry Day package, Slide 15, the government detailed that the current ATSS program Small Business competition Pool is primarily in Administrative Management, General Management, Consulting Services, and Financial Management Support. In the draft PWS on p. 5, the Government has aligned the tasks around two primary capability areas, one of which is Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services. Within this capability area, the Government has included tasks 4.1.1 – 4.1.9. Can the government please clarify which, if any, of these subtasks are intended to be set aside for support through the small business pool?

Response: Clarification on the subtasks that are intended to be reserved for support will be in the RFP.

62. Question: General. On the Industry Day package, Slide 48, the government stated that

Current/Active DoD Facility Security Clearance at the SECRET level OR above was one of the Go/No‐Go factors. On Slide 41, the SIAC stated requirements for 30+ TS w/ ability for SCI. Can the government clarify the minimum facility clearance requirements for the

IDIQ?

63. Question: General. There is no mention of Key Personnel (KP) in the draft PWS. Can you provide clarity on expected KP requirements at the IDIQ level? We expect individual TOs to also specify task specific KP requirements.

Response: There are no KP requirements at the IDIQ level. KP requirements will be addressed at the task order level.

64. Question: General. At industry day, the Government indicated that ATSS‐R, as a best in class vehicle, may be utilized by customers outside of OSD. Is this still the intent for the program?

Response: Yes, this is still an intent for the IDIQ.

65. Question: Native American corporations are allowed to use all of their subsidiaries past performance in accordance with FAR Subpart 15.305 (2) (iii) and Small Business Administration (SBA) rules for affiliation for 8(a) entities, as provided under 13 CFR §

121.103. Will the Department of Defense (DoD) Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) follow these guidelines when evaluating past performance under the Analytic and Technical Support Services (ATSS) solicitation?

Response: FAR regulations for evaluation will be followed.

66. Question: Based on the breadth of the PWS and the potential customers within OSD, would the government consider making more than five large business awards?

Response: This feedback has been considered.

67. Question: Will the Task Order competition be separate and distinct between small business awardees and large business awardees?