Questions and Responses DTNH22-12-R-00525.pdf

QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES

SPECIAL CRASH INVESTIGATIONS (SCI) EASTERN, CENTRAL & WESTERN REGION

SOLICITATION # DTNH22-12-R-00525

1. What is the anticipated start date for award for Eastern, Central & Western Region?

Response: The anticipated start date for award for Eastern, Central & Western Region is August 1, 2012.

2. Is there a cost for EDS training other than the investigators' time and travel that should be budgeted?

Response: There is no other cost for EDS training except for time and travel.

3. Can you estimate the number of cases as they have been distributed among regions 5, 6, 7 in past years?

Response: Refer back to section C.4 General Requirements of the solicitation

4. What is the estimated number of remote vs. on-scene investigations?

Response: Using historical data and anticipating future requirements, an estimate of the total number of remote vs. on-site crash investigations to be conducted, per year, for the following regions:

Eastern Region – 5 cases Central Region – 5 cases Western Region – 5 cases

5. On page 16, it states that "The government will provide field equipment, office computer equipment, and data communication lines at each of the SCI Region offices." Does this mean that NHTSA will pay for the cost of the T1 directly, or should it be included in the budget?

Response: NHTSA will pay for the cost of the T1directly.

6. Does the agency intend to provide any guidance on this proposal concerning the level of staffing effort required, other than to indicate that 65 on-site cases are to be completed?

Response: See amendment 0001, posted 6/14/12

7. For CLINs 0001 thru 0003 a level of effort is not provided. Will the Government provide the estimated level of effort for all regions?

Response: See amendment 0001, posted 6/14/12

8. For CLINs 0004 thru 0006 the estimated quantity is not provided. Will the

Government provide the estimated quantity for each region?

Response: See amendment 0002, posted 6/21/12

9. For CLINs 0004 thru 0006 on the Price Schedule, the ODC item description is listed followed by a column for “Estimated QTY”, followed by a column “Indirect Cost

Rate”, followed by the last column “Total Indirect Costs”. What figure should go into the column “Total Indirect Costs”? The total of “Estimated Qty” plus the “Indirect Cost Rate “or just the “Total Indirect Cost”?

Response: Refer to section B.2 of the solicitation.

10. Paragraph C.4 states that “all proposed staff shall be located at the designated field office”. Can the Clerical position be located in an office other than the designated field office?

Response: The clerical position should not be located in an office other than the designated field office.

11. Paragraph M.2 states – “Proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria as they apply to conducting in-depth crash investigations in the Eastern Region for the continuous in-depth study of crashes that are of special interest to NHTSA.” Is Eastern Region a typographical error? Should it read in the “appropriate Regions”?

Please clarify?

Response: This is a typographical error. This should read, “Proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria as they apply to conducting in-depth crash investigations in the three (3) geographic regions of the country for the continuous in-depth study of crashes that are of special interest of NHTSA.”

12. Referencing Section M.5 of the solicitation, what are the defined values for the Basic

Training Assessment and the Communication Line Assessment?

Response: Basic Training Assessment/Communication Line Assessment should not have been included in the solicitation. Please Disregard.

13. With regards to Amendment number 0001, clarify as to whether or not Sections

M.5.1 through M.5.6 are to replace the entirety of Section M.5 from the original Solicitation (to include all the Contract Pricing Sheets contained therein (all of pages 70 to 75)), or should Sections M.5.1 through M.5.6 be added onto the existing Section M.5?

Response: Sections M.5.1 – M.5.6 are to be added onto section M.5 (Evaluation Price Calculation)

14. While it is clear that a single contractor can submit a bid for all three SCI regions, please clarify as to whether or not a single contractor can be awarded and operate more than one of the three SCI regions

Response: A single contractor can be awarded more than one of the SCI teams as long as the offeror can demonstrate the necessary resources to operate more than one of the three SCI teams.

Background regarding questions 15, 16, and 17:

Pages 12, 16, and 44 of the Request for Proposals (RFP) indicate, to varying degrees, that the government will provide and maintain all computer and communications equipment pursuant to the operation of the secure Electronic Data System (EDS). It is also anticipated that the Volpe staff will require remote access to the EDS, and that the contractor will not be responsible for the costs associated with the T1 line or any needed remote access line(s).

15. Would NHTSA please confirm this understanding or clarify?

Response: NHTSA confirms the understanding is correct.

16. What, if any, equipment or services must the contractor(s) provide in order to set-up, maintain, and/or operate the EDS?

Response: From time to time Volpe may require someone to assist Volpe in setting up equipment in Region’s Office, pack up equipment and ship to Volpe, or to assist Volpe staff with equipment and software upgrades. These are normally minimal amounts of hours. All equipment will be provided by NHTSA\Volpe.

17. What equipment or services (including estimated level-of-effort) does NHTSA anticipate are associated with “COMMUNICATION LINE ASESSMENT” as indicated on page 70 of the RFP?

Response: COMMUNICATION LINE ASSESSMENT was deleted in Amendment 0001.

Background regarding questions 18 and 19:

Page 13 of the RFP stated that “Due to the EDS and data security requirements, all proposed staff shall be located at the designated field office.

18. Please confirm that the statement on page 13 is limited to technical staff performing the technical aspects of the work, and that it does not necessarily pertain to business administration staff and/or sub-contractors?

Response: Correct, all proposed personnel who will fulfill the functional areas out lined in the price schedule shall be located at the designated Region Office.

19. In addition, please confirm that the intent of the statement on page 13 (provided above) pertains primarily to the EDS, and that it would not require an investigator and/or program manager to perform all of his/her work at the designated field office (i.e., telecommuting is permitted)?

Response: The statement pertains to any work needed to be performed at the Region office, including EDS. Telecommuting is the contractor’s company policy.

20. Page 20 of the RFP indicated that “the contractor shall be prepared to present at least two crash investigation briefings annually to NHTSA, industry, or other interested parties, as requested by the COTR.” Can the NHTSA provide an anticipated level-of-effort to perform these tasks?

Response: Level of effort is one full day of meeting at NHTSA Headquarters in Washington, DC or industry offices or a location determined by the COTR.

21. On page 33 of the RFP, under Section G.6., “Limitation of Funds “, it states “The amount presently available for payment by the government and allocated to this contract is $ TBD.” Will NHTSA provide an actual value?

Response: NHTSA will provide the actual value at the time of award.

Background regarding questions 22 and 23:

Page 14 of the RFP stated that:

“Using historical data and anticipating future requirements, an estimate of the total number of on-site crash investigations to be conducted, per year, for the following regions:

Eastern Region – 80 cases Central Region – 65 cases

Western Region – 65 cases.”

Amendment 0001 stated that its purpose “is to add price evaluation sheets to section M (Evaluation Factors for Award) for the Eastern, Central & Western Region.” The amendment included information for each of the three regions regarding three labor categories and estimated hours.

22. Can NHTSA clarify why the Central and Western Regions have different estimated hours for the same number of cases?

Response: This was a typographical error; the correct number of cases for Western Region is 55.

23. Does this information indicate the expected level-of-effort required to perform the work in each region?

Response: No, this is NHTSA’s estimated level-of-effort.

24. What is the selection/registration process for investigators for NASS EDS training, who is eligible for training registration?

Response: There is no registration process. All proposed personnel who will fulfill the functional areas out lined in the price schedule are eligible and shall be trained in

NASS EDS.

25. Contractors are to obtain cooperation form a variety of entities including law enforcement, hospitals and medical examiners. Will NHTSA assist in obtaining cooperation by authorizing release of information?

Response: NHTSA cannot authorize release of information in possession of law enforcement agencies, insurance companies, etc…

26. Will NHTSA provide a sample of a written report that supplements the NASS electronic report?

Response: Final Case Reports are published and available on the NHTSA website:

http://www-nass.nhtsa.dot.gov/BIN/logon.exe/airmislogon

27. Does NHTSA maintain a current, national directory of relevant points of contact of such agencies?

Response: NHTSA does not maintain national directory of relevant points of contacts of such agencies.

28. Is there a specific format for investigator notebooks (e.g. forms, etc.)? If yes, is this provided by NHTSA or will NHTSA provide specifications?

Response: The question referred to on page 44, section H.7.e, the government is unsure of what the term, “notebook” means.

29. Who is the responsible agency for paying for background investigations on our contractor employees? Will contractor staff be credentialed?

Response: NHTSA will conduct background investigations on investigators as part of the Federal Contractor Identification process and NHTSA will bear this cost.

Contractors will only be provided with a Federal Contractor Identification.

30. What quality standards has NHTSA used for the previous contract? Is there a specific

NHTSA PRS/AQL for the contract?

Response: The quality standards are established in section C.5.4

31. Should Technical and Business proposals be submitted on separate CD-ROMs? E.g.

5 CD-ROMs for Technical Submission and 5 for Business Proposal Submission?

Response: Refer to sections L.6.2 and L.6.3 of the RFP.

32. Will NHTSA consider an extension of the proposal due date?

Response: NHTSA will not consider an extension of the proposal due date.

http://www-nass.nhtsa.dot.gov/BIN/logon.exe/airmislogon

33. If the contractor pays for extension of the secure connection can investigators be located in multiple offices?

Response: No, all proposed personnel who will fulfill the functional areas out lined in the price schedule shall be located at the designated Region Office. Per C.4 General Requirements page 13.

34. Recognizing that the offeror conducts Forensic Investigations in support of litigation, the offeror is considering a response to this RFP by forming a wholly owned LLC out of which the work would be performed. The offeror would also lease a number of employees to the LLC. The leased employees would work solely for this DOT/NHTSA project as dedicated resources, for the duration of the contract and any extensions. Would this be a permissible business model under which to perform on the contract, within the limitations defined in H.3 of the solicitation?

Response: The proposed business model does not appear to prevent a potential conflict of interest. Therefore, this would not be a permissible business model.

35. Section H.8.c states “Contractor shall not accept as a staff member anyone who intends to start or continue police, insurance, automobile manufacturers or investigative activities as a second profession during his or her involvement with the SCI program.” For an offeror that has a company that does investigation for insurance companies, attorneys, corporations, and, city, state and federal agencies.

Specifically, a division that includes vehicle accident reconstruction, biomechanical injury analysis and mechanical/product investigations. Does Section H.8.c mean that an offeror cannot be awarded a SCI contract?

Response: When responding to the RFP, the offeror must demonstrate that their company and or employees do not represent a conflict of interest, sited under section H.8 Special Conditions of the RFP.