Attachment_L.9_(Amendment_5).pdf

Attachment L.9

DTFT60‐13‐R‐00001

Triennial Review Program

Vendor Question Government Response 1 RFP Amendment 3 revised Attachment L.3 to combine “Other

Direct Costs” and “Travel” in one CLIN. Whereas RFP Amendment 1 instructs Offerors to include NTE $100,000 and NTE $300,000 for these two items, separately. In our understanding, offerors should use NTE $400,000 for CLIN 14 in revised Attachment L.3. Is this understanding correct?

Please confirm.

Please see Amendment 4 which overides both Amendment 3 and 1 on the matter. The RTQ was amended to reflect the correct dollar amounts in Amendment 4.

2 Follow‐up with RFP Amendment 3 Q&A.6: RFP Amendment 3 Q&A.6 says “As needed, workshop logistics will be covered under C.5.9 Oversight Program Support and Special Assignments at the task order level. Funding for cost may be from ODC’s .” Does this mean that the labor hours covered under C.5.9 Oversight Program Support and Special Assignments should be billed under CLIN 13? Additionally, what does the “may” mean? Does it mean it is uncertain at this moment?

These will be established on the task order level.

3 Per L.3 and Amendment 3 Q&A. #6, with regard to Workshop pricing, Guides and workshop materials should be billed under CLIN 10, distribution of workshop and training should be billed under CLIN 11, Administrative Support labor hours should be billed under CLIN 13, and other relative costs (meeting room rental fees, refreshments, audio visuals facilities fees, etc.)

should be billed under CLIN 14. Is this understanding correct?

Amendment #4 established "plug in costs" for these CLINS for evaluation purposes. The answer to this question ultimately depends on how each task order may be issued. These issues will be addressed on the task order level.

Triennial Review Program 4 Does FTA realize that the task C.5.9 “Oversight Program

Support and Special Assignments” will require more than one labor category to support? Relatively, how does FTA expect the Offeror to price CLIN 13? Considering that all labor categories have different labor rates, should Offeror utilize a “mixed” labor rate in pricing CLIN 13? Should the Offeror submit a breakdown to illustrate the detailed buildup of the “mixed” labor rate? What proportion of labor hours (from each labor category) should be used to achieve the “mixed” labor rate? Please give instructions to ensure a meaningful pricing and “apple‐to‐apple” evaluation of Offerors’ costs, as the RFP does not provide Level of Effort estimate per labor category for this task. (Same question exists for CLIN 5 and CLIN 9, which also need more than one labor category to support.)

For each CLIN, vendors should use their best estimate for labor category mix, based on their technical approach under this task. The NTE labor hours given in L.3 are given for evaluation purposes.

5 Follow‐up with RFP Amendment 3 Q&A. #7: RFP Page 22 (C.5.7 Workshops) states “Some additional Workshops may be conductedvia webinar, ….” Does this mean the pricing of the 15 Workshops in Attachment L.3 CLIN 11 should be based on on‐site workshops (conducted in a physical existing location), while some “additional” workshop to be conducted via webinar, which will not be reflected in the Attachment L.3?

Yes, however for evaluation purposes only, price CLIN 11 as if they were held on sites workshops.

Triennial Review Program 6 In addition, some of the commercial webinar software requires specific client software to be installed in webinar attendees’ computer, which might be governed by Information Security regulation or relevant government policy if the attendee is Federal Government employee. Has FTA confirmed relevant regulations/policies which may affect FTA staff’s eligibility to attend such webinars? If so, can FTA provide a list of “allowable” or “recommended” webinar software to use? Should Offeror bill the charge of webinar service under ODC’s?

These issues will be vetted and addressed specifically on the task order level if necessary. Note that Adobe Connect Pro is the software allowed for DOT computers. Any expense, if necessary will be estimated under ODC's.

7 Follow‐up with RFP Amendment 3 Q&A. 14: ORCA has been replaced by sam.gov, therefore it’s not possible to obtain Annual Reps and Certs from ORCA screenshot. On sam.gov, there are two kinds of report (FAR Report and FAR&DFARS Report) available for download, as Reps and Certs document.

Which one does FTA expect the Offerors to submit?

Since FTA is not governed by the DFARS. FAR report is required.

8 In addition, the Reps and Certs information on sam.gov is open to public access, therefore FTA can easily access it to view Offeror’s Reps and Certs information. Does Offeror still need to submit its Reps and Certs document in proposal?

Yes. Please submit copies of Reps and Certs.

9 Follow‐up with RFP Amendment 3 Q&A.17: Under which section of Volume 1, should the “Subcontracts” be included?

Program Management section? Or Corporate Capability section? Or FTA allows Offeror to decide best location in Volume I? Please clarify.

The offeror may decide based on their respective technical approach and organizational structure.

Triennial Review Program 10 Follow‐up with RFP Amendment 3 Q&A. 26: Attachment L.3 was revised to give specific modules (CLIN 6: Technical Capability; CLIN 7: Financial Capability; CLIN 8: Procurement), for evaluation purpose only. However, there are other types of module such like DBE, ADA and Title VI, etc., which are not included in revised Attachment L.3. How does FTA intend to evaluate the price of these modules?

These issues will be addressed on the task order level. Again, L.3 is purely for price evaluation purposes. Due to the scope of this RFP, there is not an efficient means of capturing every scenario/ task which may occur. The RTQ (Attachment L.3) is merely representative of what a task MAY look like, and should not be considered an exhaustive collection of all possible scenarios.

11 In addition, the estimate Labor Hours for CLIN 6‐8 are significantly different. (CLIN 6: 60 Labor Hours; CLIN 7: 210 Labor Hours; CLIN 8: 500 Labor Hours) Does FTA realize that this will result in a significant heavier weight on Procurement SME’s labor rate, in the Attachment L.3 Total Price? Does this mean Procurement Enhanced Review Module requires a significantly higher level of effort, in FTA’s estimate?

The three CLINS labor hour distribution is based on the TIER. There will be far fewer Tier 1 and 2 level reviews than Tier 3.

12 Follow‐up with RFP Amendment 3 Q&A. 28: Should Offeror convert Attachment L.3 and Attachment J.4 to EXCEL files in proposal submission? Please confirm.

Excel, Word or PDF are fine.

13 Follow‐up with RFP Amendment 3 Q&A.4: Q&A 4 states “…whereas L.3 is for price evaluation purposes and may be used to establish maximum NTE contract ceiling.” What does the “may” mean? Does it mean it is uncertain at this moment?

The FTA reserves the right to establish a contract ceiling through negotiation with offerors based on information received, which may be based on the information contained in L.3.

14 How does FTA plan to establish the maximum NTE contract ceiling, based upon L.3 which is only for evaluation purpose and will not be incorporated in resultant contract?

(considering the lack of cost information for some Enhanced Review Modules, and the lack of out years’ escalation rate information in L.3)

The FTA reserves the right to establish a contract ceiling through negotiation with offerors based on information received, which may be based on the information contained in L.3.

Triennial Review Program 15 The FTA responses Vendor Comments specific to the draft RFP presented during Vendor Day stated, “The government does anticipate making more than the four awards currently the Triennial Review Contract.” Are the FTA responses such as this one from June 2012 still valid?

The FTA cannot speculate the number of resulting contracts from this

RFP.

16 Follow‐up with RFP Amendment 3 Q&A. 33: Response states, “Vendors are advised to propose realistic rates for the required staff experience needed to accomplish the work described in the SOW .” For CLIN 5 – Corrective Action Support, CLIN 9 ‐ Technical Assistance and CLIN 13 – Oversight Program Support and Special Assignments, which are NTE Labor Hours, the current Attachment L.3 does not allow listing/breakdown for each of the three Key Personnel listed in Amendment No. 1, Attachment L‐4, unless FTA is asking Offeror only for one specific Key Personnel and that specific Labor Category hourly rate from J.4 to be used only. Or does FTA expect to utilize from all three Key Personnel listed in the RFP? Either case, the current SOW does not allow Offeror to determine which category, or categories, of Key Personnel FTA will be required to address any assignment(s) under CLINs 5, 9, and 13.

This level of detail is not required at this time. This resulting contract(s) which may be issued will be IDIQ, therefore, these issues will be addressed on the task order level. Labor category pricing will be established based on attachment J.4.