15R00012_Questions_ _Answers.pdf

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

RFP #DTFH70-15-R-00012

August 27, 2015

1. Incumbent Contractor: If a contract is currently in place for these services, can the government please identify the Incumbent Contractor, Contract Number, Contract Award, and Period of Performance, as appropriate? Do they have first right of refusal?

KMEA, Inc., an 8(a) contractor. Current Five-year IDIQ Contract #DTFH70-11-D-00001was awarded for a maximum of $5 million, from January 1, 2011 thru December 31, 2015. Current fiscal year’s dollar value of the contract is $596,634.43. No first right of refusal offered. The current competitive solicitation is open for Women Owned Small Business only.

2. What is the due date for submission of proposal/bid? September 21, 2015 at 1400 PST.

3. What is the specified amount of time provided for the newly awarded Contractor for the phase-in transition? Since the incumbent employees will be transferred to the new contract, we expect all phase in activities be completed by January 1, 2016.

4. It is noted that electronic entry devices will be provided for the Contractor’s employees. Will such devices be billed to the Contractor? No

5. The "Unburdened Hourly Rates" in B.8 do not match the rates in the Wage Determination Guide provided in J.3 Attachment No. 3. Can you please clarify? The rationale for adding 2% to the minimum wage determination is to pay the contractor employees at a higher rate than the Wage Determinations.

6. Section M, M.1, paragraph d. indicates Management Capability "shall be used to evaluate offers:" However, Section L, L.3, I does not require "management." Can you please clarify? Section L.3 I. Technical and Management Proposal states requirement of a Staffing Plan (Evaluation Factor 1.A).

Factor 1.A. lists information you need to provide to address Management Capability in providing services under the resultant contract.

7. Incumbent Employees - Length of Service in J.1 and J.2: J.2 ATTACHMENT NO. 2:

Is changed as follows:

Accounting Clerk III – 15 years of service Accounting Clerk III – 12.5 years of service Engineering Technician III – 2.4 years of service

8. Generally, how much time is a contractor given to locate personnel for new task orders? The clause 1.5

Replacement of Contractor Personnel allows 7 days for replacement personnel. The 7 day timeframe will be for all personnel, whether new or a replacement.

9. Once personnel resumes are submitted to FHWA and subsequently approved, how long does the clearance process take before they can report to work? Once a complete security package is received by the WFL Security Liaison, it takes up to 3 weeks to receive a security clearance. Any delays due to incomplete security documents/information or non-response for the personnel isn’t calculated into the time above.

10. Does FHWA allow the contractor to gain clearance approvals for backup personnel? No. If backup personnel is required, the COR must approve the resume, then notify the WFL Security Liaison and Contractor. Once the Liaison receives the COR notification, the contractor can submit the security package.

11. Reviewing Attachment 2 it appears there must have been task orders in place for several of the positions listed due to the years of service listed. Does Attachment 1 (sample order for price evaluation purposes) represent the historical level of effort for this contract? Yes

12. There are many more labor categories to be priced out than reflected in attachments 1 and 2; do you anticipate awarding additional task orders in the upcoming period of performance for these additional categories? We understand there are other labor categories, we request you only bid on what is currently requested.

13. The page count is as follows: 3 pages for a staffing plan and 5 pages for a Quality Control Plan for a total of 8 pages. Is this correct? Yes

14. If you do not have CPARS you are considered technically acceptable for factor B…. Is this correct? Yes

15. Is there a Collective Bargaining Agreement in play? No

16. Regarding section C.1.4.3, it does not state the length of time for training a new employee. What is the average time period for training? It depends on the employee, but a new employee is expected to be fully trained within a month of hire.

17. In section C.1.8.1, it does not clearly state how an employee will know whether information being viewed is proprietary. Is such information marked in some way to inform the employee? All FHWA projects or activities the employee is working on would be considered proprietary, as stated “Employees shall not divulge or release data or information developed or obtained under performance of this contract”.

18. Pertaining to section C.1.8.3, who will administer training? Training will be by a FHWA computer program, which the contractor must ensure is completed by their employee.

19. There is conflicting information between sections C.1.11.2 and C.1.11.4. Should key personnel information be submitted with the proposal or upon award? Yes. As stated in C.1.11.3, “The Key Personnel/subcontractor(s) under this Contract are:”, at which time the key personnel, by name, will be entered here in the final contract.

20. Pertaining to paragraph 3 of section C.3.3.1, is the Contractor to bill for the entire day of work for any employee who shows up or only for the hours worked? Yes. The contractor bills for only hours worked, on-site, by the employee.

21. What does the inspection system consist of pertaining to section E.4.1? A system of inspection proposed by the contractor to ensure the employee is providing services, workmanship, and material furnished in an acceptable manner. Refer to Section M- Evaluation Factors for Award.

22. On Part 1, Section B, Page B-3, there is no LINE NO. '1-44 for Procurement Technician - Overtime", but it is on all the remaining option years. Was this intentional, or an oversight? No, it is on the following page. Please read thru.

23. Do all employees need training? All new employees need training, and there are also training required on an annual basis, the same as the FHWA government employees must complete.

24. Is a Facility Clearance required? Yes

25. Part 1, Section B, Page B-7 – Line Items 4-43 through 4-48 are duplicates of Line Items 4-41 through 4-

44. Are we correct in assuming that line items 4-43 through 4-48 should be ignored? Yes. Part 1, Section B, Page B-7 – Line Items 4-43 through 4-48 are to be deleted as they are duplicates.

26. Part 1, Section B – Supplies or Services and Prices/Cost – The tables are lengthy because of the number of labor categories making the typing of the required information into an Adobe document difficult. May the bidder convert Part 1 to an Excel table as long as the same format of the Adobe document is maintained? Yes

27. There is no procurement technician labor category or labor rate shown in Wage Determination No.

2005-2441, Rv 16, dated 07/08/15 and the labor category is not shown in the Dept. Of Labor’s SCA Directory of Occupations, Fifth Edition. Should the Procurement Technician be mapped to another SCA Labor Category; or, upon award, will the contractor be expected to request an authorization of an additional classification and wage rate (SF 1444)? This position received authorization from DOL as a SCA labor classification for use in the current contract in 2012.

28. Part IV, Section L, Page L-4 – Section L.3, II. Price – The following statement is made: “Filled out Price

Schedule in Section B. for base year and option years, and submit computation of hourly wage rates for each position and each option year.” Does this mean that bidders are to submit a breakdown of the Burdened Hourly Rate showing how the rate was calculated for each labor category; or, is just the completion of Section B sufficient? A breakdown of the burdened hourly rate is required to allow cost analysis of hourly rate.