Responses_to_Questions_DTFH61-13-R-00025.pdf

DTFH61-13-R-00025

Questions Regarding RFP

Questions and Responses to RFP: DTFH61-13-R-00025

Q1: Page 62. The RFP states, "For all personnel who are not currently members of the offeror's staff, an original letter of commitment and agreement to serve as planned must be submitted with your proposal." Please clarify if the Government requires letters of commitments for current members of Subcontractors’ staff.

A1: The letters referenced in the question are distinct and serve different purposes. The first, which is designated “letter of commitment,” requires each member of the offeror’s staff to “serve as planned.” (RFP 62). The second, which is not designated as a letter of commitment, requires that “[a] letter or other statement from each proposed consultant and/or subcontractor indicating that they have been approached on the matter of participation in this contract and that they are willing and able to do so in the terms indicated.” (RFP 65).

Q2 : Page 66. The RFP states that each prime offeror shall include within its Volume I a complete copy of its Subcontracting Plan. However, on page 61 under Volume II instructions it states that Part IV – Subcontracting Plan should be included. Can the government provided clarification as to which Volume the Subcontracting Plan should be included in?

A2: The Subcontracting plan should be submitted in Volume II. An amendment to the RFP will be posted to reflect this change.

Q3: Page 62. The RFP states that “a resume shall be submitted for each of the proposed staff members and must be organized and numbered in the same order as the position descriptions listed in Section C.” Please convey on which pages within Section C the position descriptions may be found.

A3: A resume shall be submitted for each of the proposed staff members. However, the second part of this sentence in the RFP will be removed and the RFP will be amended to reflect this change. There are no position descriptions listed in section C as noted.

Q4: Page 63. If an offeror is proposing on both Tasks A & B and certain past performance questionnaires are relevant to both tasks, do we need to ask our clients to send two separately sealed past performance questionnaires for the same referenced project so that they can be submitted in each respective Volume I, Part III?

A4: Yes, please refer to Section L.5.

Q5: Page 62 The solicitation states, “A resume shall be submitted for each of the proposed staff members and must be organized and numbered in the same order as the position descriptions listed in Section C.”

A6: A resume shall be submitted for each of the proposed staff members. However, the second part of this sentence in the RFP will be removed and the RFP will be amended to reflect this. There are no position descriptions listed in section C as noted.

Q6 Page 1 states, “Sealed offers in 6 original hard copies and 6 electronic Compact Disk Copies (CD). Page 59 states, “Separate proposals are required for each Task Area in the format described in Section L.5 below, as they will be evaluated individually.”

Would the Government please clarify that all contractors submitting proposal for both CLINS will be submitting 24 total binders. 12 binders in total for CLIN 0001 technical and pricing and 12 binders in total for CLIN II technical and pricing?

A6 That is correct. The RFP states that “offerors may propose for Task A, Task B, or both.”

(RFP 6)

Q7 Can the Government please provide us with a list of current certified NHI instructors?

A7 The Government does not provide a list of current NHI instructors prior to award.

Q8 Page 60 Solicitation states, “Staffing Proposal/Staffing Matrix/Resumes – not to exceed five pages in narrative, one page for the staffing matrix and two pages per submitted resume.”

Does the one page staffing matrix count as part of our 5 pages in narrative?

A8 The staffing matrix does not count as part of the 5 pages of narrative. This issue will be addressed in a forthcoming amendment.

Q9 Page 60 L.5 Proposal Content and Structure, CLIN 0001, Part III - Past Performance RFP says “Not to exceed 5 pages in description…” Will Government consider expanding length, since 5 past projects may be submitted?

A9 No, the purpose of this requirement is to provide a concise summary of past experience.

Q10: Page 60: “Part II – Staffing Proposal/Staffing Matrix/Resumes – Not to exceed…one page for the matrix…” (emphasis added)

RFP page 63: “Offerors shall provide a Staffing Matrix which list all (emphasis added) proposed positions and personnel and denotes those employees that are proposed as Key Personnel.”

And

“Key Personnel under Task Area B:

• Program Manager

• Instructors (specify specialty area)

• Instructional Systems Design Specialist”

Question A: Does “all proposed positions” include positions other than the Key Personnel listed on page 62, for example Graphic Artist or Programmer?

Question B: Must proposers include as “Key Personnel” instructors for every course?

Question C:: Will the Government allow a Staffing Matrix of more than one page to accommodate all of the positions and personnel?

A10: Answer A: “All proposed positions” includes all positions. (Please refer to Attachment II of the RFP).

Answer B: Key personnel for the Contract are listed in the RFP. Key personnel for specific course delivery will be specified in the Task Order.

Answer C: No, offerors must adhere to the page limitation.

Q11: Question A: Will the Government make ID/IQ awards for CLINs 0001 and 0002 separately?

Question B: Will the Government award ID/IQ to an offeror for only CLIN 0001 or only CLIN 0002, and not the other?

A11: Answer A: Yes. However, if any offeror is awarded both CLIN 0001 and 0002, One ID/IQ with both CLINS will be awarded to the vendor.

Answer B: The Government will award the ID/IQ on one or both CLINs.

Q12: Page 21. RFP: “Unless otherwise indicated, by submission of their Task Order proposal and Acceptance of Task Order ward, the contractor represent that all required 504 and 508 compliance requirements will be met.”

Question: If a “local coordinator” is responsible for facilities, what responsibility does the contractor have for compliance with Section 504, specifically:

• Providing barrier-free accessibility to the facility

• Providing sign language for attendees with hearing disabilities

A12: The vendor is responsible for providing 504 and 508 compliance with regard to electronic course content and delivery. The practical effect of these requirements for teaching is that the instructor should arrange class rooms so that they are wheelchair “friendly” and provide instruction at a pace that can accommodate hearing impaired learners.

Q13: The solicitation states, “Resumes should include academic background; technical skills and qualifications; project management, subject matter expertise or instructional systems design experience; relevant project level experience; and professional affiliations, licenses, designations or national committee appointments.”

Could the Government please clarify if all resumes should contain all of that information, or only contain that information if applicable?

A13: The FHWA will be issuing an amendment which changes this statement to the following:

“All Resumes should include at least an academic background and technical qualifications. Resumes should also include as applicable, project management, subject matter expertise; and professional affiliations, licenses, designations or national committee appointments.”

Q14: Tasks A and B include estimated hours to perform the required services for years 1 through 5.

Do the estimated hours allotted for each of the tasks include a reasonable allowance for travel time hours that would be incurred by the developers and/or instructors?

If the estimated hours do not include travel time hours, is it appropriate to include the estimated travel labor costs within the proposed labor rates?

A14: Offerors are directed to propose in accordance with the hours listed in the RFP. Offerors shall not deviate from these hours.

Q15: Are there subcontracting goals for this contract or should we use the minimums identified in Attachment VIII (Subcontracting Plan Form)?

A15: There are no specific subcontracting goals for this procurement. However, small disadvantaged business participation will be evaluated as delineated in Section M.

Q16: Your RFP states: ”In addition, show each proposed subcontractor’s pricing separately and be sure to show each subcontractor’s pricing elements in the same analytical detail as required for the offerer’s pricing.”

Since we are providing subcontractors pricing separately and to the same detail, are we to distribute the number of hours you specified between all the firms on our team?

A16: The number of hours listed in the RFP is the total number of hours offerors shall propose.

Offerors are directed to propose in accordance with the hours listed. How the prime contractor distributes those hours among the prime/subcontractors is the prime’s business decision.

Q17: The pricing form only has space for one Senior SME/Instructor rate. The market value of a subject matter expert/instructor's time is often dictated by their particular area of expertise. Can we provide multiple rates for the SME and instructor categories if it provides a better overall value to NHI? And, can we then distribute the number of hours among these various SMEs/Instructors?

A17: The offeror is permitted to provided multiple SMEs as appropriate and with rates appropriate for each SME proposed. However, the total number of hours proposed across all SMEs shall be in accordance with the hours listed in the RFP.

Q18: How should escalation be shown for course delivery hours?

A18: Escalation should be shown for labor rates.

Q19: You define “Instructional Systems Design Specialist” as Key Personnel under Task Area B. However, Instructional Systems Design Specialist is not one of the cost categories listed in Task Area B’s pricing form.

Was that your intention? Should we provide pricing for Instructional Systems Design Specialist in our Task Area B pricing?

A19: Yes, ISDs are anticipated under Task Area B for any course revision work (RFP C.6).

The pricing template (Attachment II) will be updated to reflect this change.

Q20: Will you consider an extension to the RFP?

A20: Yes, the RFP will be extended to be due on August 12, 2013. An amendment will be issued to reflect this change on Monday, August 29, 2013.