13R000002_Reponse_to_Questions__Comments_Posting_No_1.pdf

U.S. Department of Transportation Response to the Questions & Comments Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Posting #1

RFP: DTPH56-13-R-000002 Page 1 of 8

These are Questions and Answers related to Solicitation DTPH56-13-R-000002, PHMSA’s Administrative Support Service Contract

This is Posting #1 (response to questions & comments), posted on FedBizOpps on

January 3, 2013.

There are a total of 25 questions in the posting.

Note that similar questions received have been grouped below.

Question 1:

Is there an incumbent currently providing these services? If so, who? Are they eligible to bid as a prime for this contract?

Answer 1:

The current incumbent who is providing the administrative support services for Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is Unispec Enterprises, Inc.

Unispec is eligible to respond to the solicitation as a prime since they are 8(a) business under NAICS code 561110.

Question 2:

How many FTE's are expected to be provided by the contractor? Per labor category?

Answer 2:

PHMSA anticipates that the contractor will provide between 40 to 52 contractor employees as follows:

• Executive Assistant(s) – 12 (approximately)

• Senior Administrative Assistant (s) – 24 (approximately)

• Administrative Assistant II (s) – 14 (approximately)

• Administrative Assistant I (s) – 2 (approximately)

Questions 3:

Could you tell us current contract number?

Answer 3:

The current contract number is DTPH56-08-C-000003.

Question 4:

Is there a “ballpark” RFP release date?

Answer 4:

PHMSA estimates the RFP will be posted on FedBizOpps the last week of January 2013.

RFP: DTPH56-13-R-000002 Page 2 of 8

Question 5:

Is there a “ballpark” contract award date?

Answer 5:

PHMSA estimates the contract will be awarded in late April 2013.

Question 6:

Could you provide a breakdown of positions by office location?

Answer 6:

Please find below a breakdown of positions by office location.

ANTICIPATED Task Order 1 -- Base Year Anticipated Labor Category Executive Assistant (Washington, DC / PH) Executive Assistant (PHMSA/Deputy Administrator & CSO) Executive Assistant (Washington, DC / PH & PHG) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PH-20) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHA-20, CFO) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHA-30) Administrative Assistant I (Washington, DC / PH & PHG)

ANTICIPATED Task Order 2 -- Base Year Anticipated Labor Category *Program Manager (Washington, DC / PHMSA) Executive Assistant (Washington, DC / PHH-30) Executive Assistant (Washington, DC / PHH-1) Executive Assistant (Washington, DC / PHH-1) Executive Assistant (Washington, DC / PHC) Executive Assistant (Washington, DC / PHH-60) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHH-10) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHH-20) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHH-41 SI) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHH-50) Senior Administrative Assistant (West Trenton, NJ / PHH-42) Senior Administrative Assistant (Des Plaines, IL / PHH-43) Senior Administrative Assistant (Ontario, CA / PHH-44) Senior Administrative Assistant (Houston, TX / PHH-45) Senior Administrative Assistant (Atlanta, GA / PHH-46)

RFP: DTPH56-13-R-000002 Page 3 of 8

ANTICIPATED Task Order 3 -- Base Year Anticipated Labor Category Executive Assistant (Washington, DC /PHH) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHH -- HMIS) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHH -- HMIS) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHH -- HMIS) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHH - HazMat Registration Program) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHH - HazMat Registration Program) Administrative Assistant II (Washington, DC / PHH -- HMIS) Administrative Assistant II (Washington, DC / PHH -- HMIS) Administrative Assistant II (Washington, DC / PHH - HazMat Registration Program)

ANTICIPATED Task Order 4 -- Base Year Anticipated Labor Category

* Deputy Project Manager (Washington, DC) Executive Assistant (Washington, DC / PHC) Executive Assistant (Washington, DC / PHP) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHP) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHP) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / PHP) Senior Administrative Assistant (Oklahoma City, OK / PHP-70) Senior Administrative Assistant (Oklahoma City, OK / PHP-70) Senior Administrative Assistant (Oklahoma City, OK / PHP-70) Administrative Assistant II (West Trenton, NJ / PHP-100) Administrative Assistant II (Atlanta, GA / PHP-200) Administrative Assistant II (Kansas City, MO / PHP-300) P/T Administrative Assistant II (Houston, TX / PHP-400) Administrative Assistant II (Anchorage, AK / PHP-500) Administrative Assistant II (Oklahoma City, OK / PHP-70) PT/Administrative Assistant I (Lakewood, CO / PHP-500)

ANTICIPATED Task Order 5 -- Base Year Anticipated Labor Category Executive Assistant (Washington, DC /HazMat Exemptions and Approvals PHH) Senior Administrative Assistant (Washington, DC / HazMat Exemptions and Approvals) Administrative Assistant II (Washington, DC / HazMat Exemptions and Approvals) Administrative Assistant II (Washington, DC / HazMat Exemptions and Approvals) Administrative Assistant II (Washington, DC / HazMat Exemptions and Approvals) Administrative Assistant II (Washington, DC / HazMat Exemptions and Approvals) Administrative Assistant II (Washington, DC / HazMat Exemptions and Approvals)

RFP: DTPH56-13-R-000002 Page 4 of 8

Question 7:

Is this a new or follow on requirement? If it is a follow on, please let us know the current contract number and contract value?

Answer 7:

This is a follow on requirement. The current contract number is DTPH56-08-C-000003.

The contract value is $17,500,000.00.

Question 8:

Is this Best Value or LPTA?

Answer 8:

The evaluation criteria will be included in the solicitation.

Question 9:

Request clarification regarding the Program Manager worksite. Can the PM worksite be at a contractor site?

Answer 9:

No. In Section C.5.1.1, Program Manager Description; it states that “The Program Manager is a Headquarters position”.

Question 10:

Is the incumbent currently providing services in a manner that is considered satisfactory to the DOT PHMSA?

Answer 10:

Yes.

Question 11:

Who is PHMSA FOIA Officer (name and contact information)?

Answer 11 PHMSA’s FOIA Officer is Marilyn Burke ( marilyn.burke@dot.gov).

Question 12:

The Government shared the draft SOW for this anticipated solicitation. Can the Government also share its anticipated evaluation criteria as the basis for further understanding of this requirement as well as for decision making regarding bid/no bid?

Answer 12:

The solicitation will include the evaluation criteria.

mailto:marilyn.burke@dot.gov

RFP: DTPH56-13-R-000002 Page 5 of 8

Question 13:

Can the Government advise whether the Program and/or Deputy Program Manager positions will be required to be full-time & on-site at the Government’s facilities?

Answer 13:

Program Manager and Deputy Program Manager are full-time (1880 hours per position a year) positions located at US DOT PHMSA Headquarters.

Question 14:

Assuming that Key Personnel are located at either contractor or PHMSA headquarters (or another major PHMSA site), for determining PM/DPM travel requirements, can the Government provide the estimated number of trips per calendar year, by location that these Key Personnel should anticipate making to the remaining PHMSA locations?

Answer 14:

Further information will be provided in the solicitation.

Question 15:

The SOW states that the contractor must have hiring and retention practices in place.

Will Offerors be required to demonstrate, describe or otherwise share their in-place practices in the context of the solicitation response?

Answer 15:

Further information will be provided in the solicitation.

Question 16:

As this is a re-compete solicitation, we are assuming funding has been secured for the anticipated contract to be awarded. Can you confirm that funding is available and secured for this work requirement?

Answer 16:

Funding information will be provided in the solicitation.

Question 17:

Number of meetings/conferences for which it anticipates support will be required on an annual basis?

Answer 17:

Not available at this time.

RFP: DTPH56-13-R-000002 Page 6 of 8

Question 18:

Whether the meeting/conference planning support is to be provided by certified specialists in the meeting/event planning field?

Answer 18:

Certified specialists in the meeting/event planning field are not required.

Question 19:

Which incumbent contractor position(s) is currently handling PHMSA travel requirements?

Answer 19:

The incumbent contractor positions that are currently handling PHMSA travel requirements are the Senior Administrative Assistants and the Executive Assistants.

Question 20:

Is there a standard number or set of meetings that PHMSA personnel will be attending?

Answer 20:

Not available at this time.

Question 21:

Is there a standard number of PHMSA personnel for whom travel arrangements are anticipated to be provided?

Answer 21:

Not available at this time.

Question 22:

What type (or position) of Personnel will be traveling?

Answer 22:

Not available at this time.

Question 23:

Is there a specific organization within PHMSA with whom contractor employees will be working when supporting travel requirements?

Answer 23:

No.

Question 24:

Should a new contractor be selected for this requirement, can we assume that there will be some potential for transition of incumbent personnel?

RFP: DTPH56-13-R-000002 Page 7 of 8

Answer 24:

Further information will be provided in the solicitation.

Question 25:

If so, can the Government advise the current number of incumbent personnel that might be available for transition?

Answer 25:

No.

Comments: (The Government will review and take these comments into consideration should a solicitation be issued).

1. We have reviewed the 2008 SOW for the original contract for this requirement. The

SOW is substantively the same except for the Program and Deputy Program Manager positions. In the original SOW, these position requirements regarding supervision, planning, etc. are similar to those found in most government solicitations of this type.

However, in the original solicitation, Qualifications of the PM and DPM were that they have “working knowledge of pertinent sections of the FAR” and “Offerors were to propose additional qualifications if any”. In the current DRAFT SOW, other than general knowledge of the FAR, the Qualifications read like the position description for the incumbent’s project personnel. Our concerns for the PM (similar to the DPM) qualification descriptions are as follows:

a. Over 5 years of direct working experience in DOT (or equivalent Government) program operations and working in organizations such as PHMSA or its equivalent.

i. This does provide for equivalent Government program experience but clearly appears to be skewed toward the DOT working experience. A good Program Manager, especially one with deep experience and appropriate certifications, need not have worked for the DOT or indeed for the Government but must have demonstrated success in managing teams of similar size and projects of similar scope, and in rapidly coming up to speed on organizational requirements.

1. Will the Government consider re-drafting this requirement to provide for a more general scope of qualification that takes into account both commercial and government experience as well as PM certifications?

ii. If the Government chooses to retain the phrase that states “working in organizations such as PHMSA or its equivalent”, will the Government please advise what it means by this phrase?

1. For example, what type of organization is PHMSA? Are bidders to focus on number of locations? Number of personnel (if so, how many PHMSA personnel are working in what types of capacity at each PHMSA location? Other factors of equivalency?

RFP: DTPH56-13-R-000002 Page 8 of 8

2. Again, this is something for which all but the incumbent contractor would require additional information so if the Government intends to retain this phase, we are asking that you please provide all information so that this is quantitative versus qualitative in nature)

b. Working knowledge of DOT PHMSA policies, and procedures, and contract requirements

i. Much as in item 9(a)(i) above, we ask the Government to reconsider this requirement as a strong Program Manager should be able to very quickly come up to speed in these areas for PHMSA just as they would for any other agency or commercial client contract.

1. Working knowledge that is this specifically defined clearly appears to support the incumbent as favored contractor for this solicitation– and if that is the case, why is the government re-competing when it can clearly sole source an 8(a) acquisition if it chooses?

c. Minimum High School education (or equivalent), plus some college education in business-related courses

i. This appears to favor someone already in the position as virtually all solicitations we have seen with a PM and/or DPM requirement have set a standard of a minimum of a BS or BA and some state the desired for a Master’s.

1. If these are critical, key personnel positions, why is the Government setting such a low standard for educational requirement?

2. If this standard is not replaced with a higher standard/requirement, can the government advise which college business related courses it would find preferable for this position?

Note: As stated above the Government will review and take these comments into consideration should a solicitation be issued.