Solicitation_DTFH6115R00009 _Amendment_2.pdf

DTFH6115R00009

Amendment 2

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

C.4.1 TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

DELETE: More information on Transportation Planning is available by visiting:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/index.htm

INSERT: More information on Transportation Planning is available by visiting:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/

C.4.2 TRANSPORTATION ENVIRONMENT

DELETE: More information on Transportation Human Environment is available by visiting:

INSERT: More information on Transportation Human Environment is available by visiting:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/

L.3 PROPOSAL CONTENT AND CONFIGURATION

Part I – Price Information

DELETE: (a) The pricing information provides an overall price by the Offeror’s team, and the details and assumptions that are included in the Offeror’s price. Offerors shall submit:

INSERT: (a) The pricing information provides an overall price by the Offeror’s team, and the details and assumptions that are included in the Offeror’s price.

RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS – DTFH6115R00009

Question 1: Can FHWA grant an extension of the proposal submission deadline?

Response 1: The FHWA will not be extending the due date for proposal submissions at this time.

Question 2: Does Attachment J.7 contain the only price-related data to be submitted in Volume II, Part 1?

Response 2: Yes.

Question 3: Are specific persons’ names to be associated with the stated Labor Categories used in

Attachment J.7 or are rates to be filled in for the Categories alone?

Response 3: Specific names should not be listed; Rates are to be filled in per the Labor Category.

Question 4: The Categories in Attachment J.7 include the designations of High, Mid and Low. Are these words meant to distinguish between pay rates or some other characteristic, such as experience, level of expertise, seniority within an organization, etc.?

Response 4: The designations of high, mid, and low should distinguish the level of experience, which should in turn substantiate the differences in the pay rates.

Question 5: Does the word High in Section G.11 have the same meaning as in Attachment J.7?

Response 5: Yes.

Question 6: If the word High in Section G.11 refers to pay rate or experience, does NHI consider only the highest paid or most experienced SMEs to be Key Personnel, and not the other SMEs and instructors?

Response 6: The “high” categorization is based on level of experience. Key personnel for this requirement are Program Manager/Subject Matter Expert - High and the Instructional Systems Designer(s) – High as identified in Section G.11 of the solicitation.

Question 7: Part II of Volume I requires key personnel resumes. Please identify key personnel – is it the same list as noted in Attachment J7?

Response 7: Key personnel for this requirement are Program Manager/Subject Matter Expert - High and the Instructional Systems Designer(s) – High as identified in Section G.11 of the solicitation.

Question 8: Section H.13, Organizational Conflict of Interest and Limitation on Future Contracting, prohibits the prime from competing on “all related work during the performance of a task order and for 3 years after the end date of this order….” In past awards, the limitation on future contracting language applied in situations where the prime has access to confidential information and/or would have a competitive advantage due to its work under the applicable IDIQ. Is FHWA willing to consider adding language to this section to limit the restriction on future contracting to situations when the information is not publicly available and could give a competitive advantage to the Contractor?

Response 8: No, this will be handled on a case by case basis.

Question 9: Are the limitations on future contracting contained in H.13 applicable to subconsultants?

Response 9: Yes.

Question 10: Should the rates shown in Attachment J7: Schedule of Rates be fully burdened/loaded rates?

Response 10: Yes.

Question 11: Is the FHWA expecting to see rates for every classification shown in Attachment J7?

Several of those classifications either do not align with staff as we propose them for this effort or would not be present in all three levels (High, Medium, Low). Should we “force” staff into each of the classifications to be able to fully complete the table? Does the Government expect every prime contractor/team to have every classification shown on J7 on their Team?

Response 11: Propose one fully burdened hourly rate for each labor category.

Question 12: As this is an IDIQ Contract with multiple awards, it is not possible to predict the dollar value received or the specific work that would be completed. As such, dollar values requested in Attachment J11 cannot be provided with any degree of accuracy. In lieu of actual dollar values, is it acceptable to estimate the percentage for work that would be completed by small business concerns based upon the composition of the Team and some assumption related to the type of work secured and show only those percentages without specific dollar values?

Response 12: Yes.

Question 13: Are the Prime Contractor and all Subcontractors required to complete the Section K Reps and Certs, Attachment J6, and Attachment J12 and include those documents with the proposal?

Response 13: Section K, Representation and Certifications - Required from the Prime Contractor Attachment J.6 - Required from both the Prime Contractor and the Subcontractor(s).

Attachment J.12 - Required from both the Prime Contractor and the Subcontractor(s).

Question 14: Are Letters of Commitment required to be included in the proposal for each subcontractor?

Response 14: No.

Question 15: Does the “Acknowledgement of Support Disclaimer” found in Section H.14 (Page 36) apply only to deliverables under the contract or does it apply to this proposal submission?

Response 15: The Acknowledgement of Support Disclaimer is applicable to deliverables.

Question 16: Page 58 Under Part I Price Information, Sub (a) ends with “Offerors shall submit:” but does not identify what should be submitted. Is text missing? Should that statement not be included? Please clarify.

Response 16: The “Offerors shall submit” statement is an oversight which should have been deleted. It should read: “The pricing information provides an overall price by the Offeror’s team, and the details and assumptions that are included in the Offeror’s price.”

Question 17: Is the requirement for the identification of Key Personnel as discussed in Section G.11 (Page 32) addressed through the Master Staffing Matrix required under Part II Staffing (page 58)?

Response 17: Key personnel should be addressed in the staffing proposal narrative and the Master Staffing Matrix.

Question 18: If a contractor completes the annual Reps and Certs through the SAM System (Page 47) are they required to do anything further beyond stating such in their proposal? And are all proposed subcontractors required to complete the same?

Response 18: A completed copy of Section K is not required from offerors which are registered and have completed their representations and certifications in the System for Award Management. Representations and certifications are not required from subcontractors.

Question 19: Does the FHWA have a preference in how the hardcopy proposal is bound?

Response 19: Three-ring binder.

Question 20: Since the Solicitation originally allowed for approximately 1 month preparation time between the submission of questions (and receipt of responses) and the proposal due date, will the current due date for the proposal be revised to allow a similar amount of time to react to the responses?

Response 20: See Response 1.

Question 21: The links on pages 4 of 64 and 5 of 64 are not work. Please advise.

Response 21: The link for Page 4 of 64 is as follows: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/ The link for Page 5 of 64 is as follows: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/

Question 22: Do the subcontractors to a prime who is submitting a response to this solicitation need to submit the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form (attachment 6), Non-Disclosure Agreement (no. 12), and a Section K?

Response 22: See Response 13.

Question 23: Do subcontractors/and or individual consultants need to complete the Standard Form LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Attachment J.6)?

Response 23: See Response 13 .

Question 24: Clause G.11 on page 32 lists two Key Personnel: Program Manager/Subject Matter Expert

– High, and Instructor Systems Designer – High. The instructions for Part II – Staffing Proposal/Key Personnel Resumes (page 58) indicates “The Offeror shall provide names, titles, and description of the duties of personnel who are designated as Key Personnel assigned to the contract per clause G.11… Resumes shall be submitted only for the key personnel…Offerors shall provide a Master Staffing Matrix, which denotes those key personnel and the staffing levels proposed, and capabilities/credentials…” Please confirm that Part II – Staffing Proposal/Key Personnel Resumes, may include resumes for proposed subject matter experts and other critical staff, beyond the two Key Personnel positions listed in clause G.11, and that the Master Staffing Matrix may include information for proposed subject matter experts and other critical staff.

Response 24: Yes, however, the narrative is limited to five pages and resumes are limited to two pages per submitted resume.

Question 25: Section H.13 Organizational Conflict of Interest and Limitation on Future Contracting:

After reviewing the detailed task requirements, we do not anticipate that we would receive, have access to or participate in the development of proprietary or source selection information (e.g. cost or pricing information, budget information or analyses, specifications or work statements etc.) or perform evaluation services in support of this contract. Will FHWA consider revising this clause as the type of information referenced will not be included in the work to be performed?

Response 25: See Response 8.

Question 26: Section H.13 Organizational Conflict of Interest and Limitation on Future Contracting: If the clause cannot be revised, will FHWA instead include this clause only as part of task order proposal requests where Contractors may have access to the proprietary or source selection information due to the nature of the requirements for that specific task order?

Response 26: See Response 8.

Question 27: Section H.13 Organizational Conflict of Interest and Limitation on Future Contracting: Can FHWA provide an example of the type of work the Contractor would be prohibited from competing on if the Contractor received, had access to, or participated in the development of proprietary or source selection information?

Response 27: No. OCI issues will be handled on a case by case basis.

Question 28: Does the Terminated Contracts Requirement in Volume II, Part V, item b, page 60, apply to subcontractors or just to the prime contractor?

Response 28: This requirement is for both the Prime Contractor and the Subcontractor(s).

Question 29: Will FHWA allow for lower-tiered subcontracting especially with respect to small business subcontractors?

Response 29: Yes.

Question 30: Attachment J.7 Schedule of Rates lists 14 labor categories. Will the government provide descriptions and/or requirements for each of these labor categories?

Response 30: See Response 4.

Question 31: Given the broad scope (course design and development through instruction), technical and complex course content, and potential for numerous concurrent work streams, would the government consider amending the key personnel requirements to show 3 key resume positions ( Program Manager (PM), Technical SME, and Instructional Course Designer)?

Response 31: No.

Question 32: Row 14 of Attachment J.7 Schedule of Rates lists “Transportation Subject Matter Expert – High / Project Manager.” Is “Transportation Subject Matter Expert – High / Project Manager” the same as the “Program Manager/Subject Matter Expert – High” position cited in Attachment J.7 Schedule Rates?

Response 32: Yes.

Question 33: Under section L.3 Proposal Content and Configuration it mentions that Part II Staffing Proposal/Key Personnel Resumes not exceed five pages in narrative and not exceed pages per resume. Please confirm that the composition of the following are all included in the five page limit:

• the 2 resumes of the key personnel;

• an outline of the organization or partnering organizations, key personnel, and labor categories;

the team’s hierarchical structure, roles, responsibilities, and lines of communication between team members; and

• the outline of the team’s NHI certification status and IDC Course Status; the Master Staffing Matrix, which denotes the key personnel, capabilities/credentials, level of expertise (senior or junior), and proposed area of instruction; and contingency plan to replace key personnel?

Response 33: Yes.

Question 34: Under Part II Staffing Proposal / Key Personnel Resumes of section L.3 Proposal Content and Configuration it states that: “ the Offeror shall provide a contingency plan to replace key personnel over the life of the contract. The contingency plan must demonstrate that the Offeror has the ability to replace key personnel without any adverse impact on performance. As a part of the contingency plan the offer must demonstrate their recruitment and hiring plan to fill key positions.” Would it be acceptable to demonstrate our ability to fill positions and replace key personnel by providing a list or total number of personnel currently employed with similar skills to the key staff?

Response 34: Yes.

Question 35: Under section C.4 Scope of Work in the RFP it states that: “the contractor shall furnish all necessary facilities, materials, equipment, and personnel and shall perform technical, non-personal services necessary to develop, update, and deliver training as described herein under this IDIQ contract entitled, ‘Transportation Planning and Environment Training.’” It is the expectation that the contractor will provide access to non-DOT training facilities and equipment. Additionally if this is the case, it is expected that the expenses associated with the facilities and equipment is owned by the contractor?

Response 35: Yes, expenses associated with facilities and equipment are part of contractor costs. For deliveries, some costs are the responsibility of hosts. Further information is available at:

http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/training/intro_hosting.aspx#info_hosting_training

Question 36: Under section C.1 Background in the RFP it states that: “traditionally, the NHI offered

Instructor-Led Training (ILT) within a classroom setting. Sensitive to the time and travel constraints of customers and aware of advances in a wide array of instructional technologies, NHI has dramatically expanded their distance learning offerings. These include Web-Based Training (WBT), Web Conference Training (WCT), Videoconference training (VCT), and an assortment of new technologies such as mobile apps and virtual world delivery.” For example the NHI Web Conferencing Help and Resources page cites the use and familiarity with Adobe Connect. What, if any, are the other platforms and technologies that NHI uses and endorses for web-based training, web conference training, videoconference training, and mobile delivery?

Response 36: The FHWA primarily uses Adobe Connect for Web Conferencing and Adobe Presenter for Web-Based Training. Videoconference training has been delivered using Avaya Live and http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/training/intro_hosting.aspx#info_hosting_training other state systems. Other specifics for delivery mechanism(s) to be used under this Contract would be identified at the Task Order level

Question 37: Will the development, updating, and delivery of training include converting classroom courses to either web and/or mobile delivery?

Response 37: It is anticipated that some classroom courses will be converted to distance learning courses over the life of this contract.

Question 38: Over the past 5 years what has been the average number of updated and new courses per year and proportion of courses that have been instructor classroom vs. instructor web-based vs. self-study online? What is the expected average number of courses per year and proportion split over the next 5 years?

Response 38: Past updated and new courses under the previous IDIQ will not predict volume under this new IDIQ. The volume under the new IDIQ will be based on Government need and available funds.

Question 39: Has FHWA NHI established baseline hours for the development or updating of instructor-led classroom, instructor-led web-based, and self-study online courses? If so, would the government be able to share that information with prospective bidders?

Response 39: Each course development is different. More specifics on the Government’s need of each development and/or delivery will be identified at the task order level.

Question 40: Under the heading “Electronic documents with forms” of section C.6 Requirements for

Sections 504 and 508 Standards, it states: “It has been determined that some of the deliverables to be developed under this contract are subject to the requirements of Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Unless otherwise indicated, by submission of their proposal and acceptance of award, the contractor represents that all required 504 and 508 compliance requirements will be met.” Can the Government provide guidance and examples of acceptable Section 504 compliance measures for course materials?

Response 40: Further information on Section 504 can be found at:

http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/docs/Accommodations.pdf

Question 41: Under section C.4.3 General Work Description it states that “Highly qualified, experienced, and knowledgeable instructors have been the hallmark of NHI training courses. To be truly effective, instructor-led training requires skilled, competent, and credible instructors with relevant, nationwide project level experience. These instructors must be so well versed in their Transportation Planning or Environment specialty area, that upon thoroughly reading an NHI Instructor Guide and reviewing associated course materials, a qualified and experienced instructor could teach an NHI course session within their program area… The NHI instructors are required to take the NHI Instructor Development Course (IDC) —or an approved equivalent instructor-training program--with the aim of becoming certified NHI instructors.” Is it the expectation of the government that successful contractors responding to NHI’s unique and complex transportation and environment curriculum topics and training requirements can get instructors certified after award to meet NHI’s requirements?

Response 41: Yes, instructors will need to become certified after award. Instructors will have one year to complete the Instructor Development Course.

http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/docs/Accommodations.pdf

Question 42: Under section M.3 Best Value Evaluation it states that: “the Government may enter into discussions with any Offeror(s) solely regarding their Small Business Subcontracting Plan (if applicable), for the purpose of improving that plan in the interest of meeting the Government’s socio-economic goals, without developing a competitive range or engaging with all or other Offerors. Offerors subject to this paragraph shall not be allowed to revise any other portion of their proposal.” What are the government’s socio-economic goals and where do they stand on meeting them?

Response 42: The Fiscal Year 2015 small business goals for Department of Transportation Operating Administrations is 44% for small business, 5% for small disadvantaged business (SDB), 5% for women-owned small businesses (WOSB), 3% for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB), and 3% for HUB Zone small businesses. Encouraging small business involvement and increasing their level of participation in Federal contracts is not only a legislative requirement, but is also sound policy, consistent with the U.S.

Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Strategic Plan.

Question 43: Under section M.3 Evaluation Criteria it begins: “In determining which proposal provides the best value to the Government, an integrated evaluation and assessment of offers will be conducted. The evaluation will consist of four factors; Technical Approach, Past Performance, Cost/Price and Small Business Subcontracting Plan (if applicable). Technical Approach is slightly more important than Past Performance, and when the two preceding non-price factors (meaning Technical Approach and Past Performance) are combined, they are approximately equal to price. The Small Business Sub-contracting plan (if applicable) is not weighted.” Based on the above statement, Price has the single largest impact on the evaluation. Is that a correct interpretation of this best value award?

Response 43: No, the technical approach factor is most important.

Question 44: We are a large company without an existing approved master subcontracting plan. In lieu of submitting a master plan, is it acceptable for us to submit an individual small business subcontracting plan that satisfies all the administrative requirements of 52.219.9?

Response 44: Yes.

Question 45: If my company is selected to receive a contract, can we later use additional sub-consultants that are not part of our original submission when responding to an individual task order RFP?

Response 45: Yes, however, the Government must be informed of the contractor’s intent to do so.

Question 46: Is the prime required to submit any cost information besides the team’s Schedule of Rates (using Section J.7 template)?

Response 46: No.

Question 47: Are letters of commitment required from each sub-consultant on our team?

Response 47: See Response 14

Question 48: Are separate CD-ROM disks required for Volume’s I and II? Or, can each CD-ROM disk contain Adobe PDF files of both volumes?

Response 48: Yes, separate CDs are required for volumes I and II.

Question 49: Would a team organization chart printed on a 11 by 17 page count against the 5-page narrative limit for Volume I, Part II?

Response 49: Yes.

Question 50: May we include resumes for team members that are not Key Personnel as defined on G.11, page 32 of the RFP?

Response 50: See Response 24.

Question 51: Do the signed Non-Disclosure Statements (Section H.17 on page 38 and Attachment J.12) need to be submitted as part of the proposal or only after award?

Response 51: Proposal.

Question 52: Part I (a) on page 58 states: “The pricing information provides an overall price by the Offeror’s team, and the details and assumptions that are included in the Offeror’s price.”

Can NHI offer more detail as to what is expected to be included in the price information besides labor rates in Attachment J.7?

Response 52: The Offeror shall include a Schedule of Rates. Completing the pricing structure established in Section J.7. The wage rate may escalate annually but such escalation shall be identified by year in the pricing structure. Offerors shall submit, under a separate tab, all (if any) assumptions or conditions upon which the Price Proposal is based. If applicable, Offerors that are university or educational institutions shall identify and describe proposed policy and estimated amounts for tuition costs relative to use of undergraduate or graduate students.

Question 53: Must price(s) be proposed for a typical course development and/or delivery? If so, will NHI supply a common set of assumptions and person-hours for use by all bidders so that at fair comparison can be made?

Response 53: No.

Question 54: Page 5 describes how well qualified NHI instructors must be, which could be taken to imply that each instructor would be a Key Person. i. Does NHI expect us to list all SMEs and instructors as Key Personnel and then include resumes for all of them?

ii. Stated another way, would we be wrong if we listed all SMEs and instructors as Key Personnel?

Response 54: See Response 7

Question 55: Does a filled-out Attachment J.5 need to be submitted in Volume II, Part 1?

Response 55: No.

Question 56: Part V, Past Performance, states on page 60: “The Offeror shall describe in its proposal no more than five related contract/subcontract past performance descriptions…” Does the word “subcontract” refer to times when the Offeror’s prime firm served as a subcontractor, or does it refer to contracts held by subcontractors on the Offeror’s team, or both?

Response 56: Both

Question 57: As part of Volume II, what information must be submitted for each subcontractor beyond what is shown on page 59 in Part II (a) (“Name and address of the subcontractor or consultant”) and in Attachment J.11 (if required to be submitted)? In particular, do any of the items in Part IV on page 60 need to be submitted for subcontractors?

Response 57: See Responses 13, 28, and 56

Question 58: If a subcontractor will have subcontractors (for example, for the services of instructors for a particular course), what information must be submitted for each of these second-level subcontractors? Would it be the same information required of first-level subcontractors?

Response 58: The Government does not require information for the second-level subcontractors.