Attch_F_-_Questions_and_Answers.docx

NASS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SOLICITATION DU208WP-14-R-0002

1. 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?

Response: This is a follow-on requirement. The current contract number is DU208WP-14-C-01; six-month value is $469,342.

1. Is the incumbent still eligible to bid as a prime for this contract?

Response: The firms are eligible to compete in the 8(a) program.

1. Do we need resumes to submit for the required key personnel? If yes, should resumes be included as part of an Appendix? If no, can resumes still be included as part of an Appendix?

Response: Yes, they are required for key personnel and may be included as part of an appendix.

1. 1.4 Description of Services, first bullet: is the contractor expected to update the "Business Requirements Document" to be compliant with HUD's Requirements Definition Document of the Planning Phase of PPM 2.0 methodology?

Response: Yes.

1. 1.4 Description of Services, seventh bullet: does HUD expect "requirements analysis" to mean business process analysis and re-engineering?

Response: No.

1. 5.2 Task 2: does HUD expect the contractor to work in conjunction with a dedicated technical developer to achieve all tasks associated with system development?

Response: Yes, the Contractor is expected to be pro-active and work with a dedicated technical developer staff to ensure that all tasks associated with system development are completed.

1. 5.5.1, Task 5, second paragraph: does the term data matrix refer to a document that equates to a Technical Design Document l as per the PPM 2.0 of the Execution and Control Phase?

Response: No. It does not apply.

1. Could HUD please distinguish between the flowchart requested in 1.1.1 and the Plan for oversight in 1.2.1?

Response: No response because it is unclear. Could not identify the sections referenced.

1. Will an offeror be able to use the past performance of its sub-contractor partner?

Response: Past Performance information shall be provided in accordance with the requirements set forth in the solicitation and attachments.

1. Will an offeror be able to use the past performance of a joint venture partner or a mentor if the firm is in a formal mentor/protégé relationship?

Response: Past Performance information shall be provided in accordance with the requirements set forth in the solicitation and attachments.

1. This solicitation does not require submission of certified cost or pricing data, however the government may conduct a price realism analysis, which may also be used in evaluating your understanding of the government’s requirements under one or more of the factors. Supporting cost information shall be provided to enable the government to determine that your company has a complete understanding of the requirements to be performed under this contract". Can HUD be more specific about which type of cost information shall be provided to HUD?

Response: Enough detail for the Government to measure a vendor's understanding of the contract requirements and/or to assess the risk inherent in a vendor's proposal; some examples may be proposed labor categories, skill mix, and hours.

1. Will HUD accept key personnel who will be proposed that are not full time to the contract?

Response: At least one key person must be full time. How contractors choose to staff during the normal work day is up to them. The government expects full-time coverage; this is not based on an individual basis.

1. Will HUD reimburse for any travel cost if contractor has to perform work at any of the field district offices or at a public housing authority outside the Washington DC area?

Response: No travel is required on this contract. All work will be performed on-site. Paragraph 1.6 removed.

1. Can the Government provide tasks for the 60-day transition-in period tasks that offerors should include in the scope and pricing of their responses?

Response: No. This is a transition period to become familiar with the requirements for the purpose of commencing full performance of services by the end of the contract transition in period. This is also a time for the development of plans, procedures and methods for the assumption of all on-going work.

1. Can the Government provide for evaluation purposes estimated hours by labor category for each task in this RFP?

Response: No, the Government is requesting performance-based proposals by which vendors offer solutions.

1. Can the Government provide examples of contract deliverables under each task in this solicitation?

Response: Contract deliverables are available for viewing Monday to Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM at the HUD-PIH, Real Estate Assessment Office located at 550 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC.

1. Will the Government consider providing offerors weights (relative importance) associated with each of the stated evaluation factors - Technical Approach, Management Plan, Past Performance, and Price?

Response: No weights will be assigned.

1. Does the Government intend this contract to be awarded on a best-value or lowest-cost-technically-acceptable basis?

Response: Best Value

1. Will the Government consider awarding any of this work on T&M basis, and if so, which tasks?

Response: No

1. If awarded, will the new contractor have access to prior year’s deliverables?

Response: Yes.

1. The scope of work refers to MicroStrategy analysis and MicroStrategy Data Warehouse. Is it critical for the contractor to have “MicroStrategy” experience or would the Government consider experience with other comparable business intelligence tools equally sufficient?

Response: MicroStrategy is the preferred method because reports are MicroStrategy based. It is critical for the contractor to be well versed and have MicroStrategy experience.

1. This solicitation was posted and cancelled a few times (in 2012 and 2013) due to changes in business requirements. Does the Government anticipate additional changes in scope of work?

Response: No

1. Does the Government consider it critical that the contractor have prior knowledge and experience of PHAS scoring methodology and approach?

Response: PHAS scoring methodology and approach are helpful but not critical.

1. How many resources does the incumbent provide to the Government under this contract currently?

Response: Not relevant; the Government desires performance-based proposals/solutions from vendors.

1. The solicitation refers to advanced statistical analysis tasks. Does the Government anticipate that the contractor utilize statistical software solutions, or would Microsoft Excel be sufficient for the required analysis?

Response: Depends on the type of analysis. Microsoft Excel may be sufficient for some analysis but not for more advanced analysis.

1. Can the Government share an indicative estimate of the number of appeals, petitions and waivers filed on a monthly basis?

Response: The number of appeals, petitions and waivers vary depending on the number of PHAS scores released and waivers approved. In calendar year 2013, 147 total requests were received due to the sporadic publication of scores in large batches. Giving the information by month or quarter will not be indicative of when/how many will be received in 2014 due to scores being published twice a month.

1. Will Contractor Team Agreements (CTA) formed under FAR 9.601(1) be recognized as eligible to bid on this solicitation? If yes, do all CTA members have to be an 8(a) firm or just the CTA Team Lead as long as the CTA Team Lead performs 51% of the labor hours and receives 51% of the profits?

Response: The program office requires a qualified prime contractor; there is no prohibition from partnership and/or joint venture.

1. The instructions state that the Past Performance factor's primary emphasis is to assess the past performance of the proposed prime contractor (or in the case of joint ventures or some other teaming arrangement, the primary member of the team). Accordingly, will the Government recognize the past performance of subcontracting partners as part of the evaluation if the subcontracting partner has entered into a teaming agreement with the prime contractor? If yes, does the teaming agreement need to be submitted with the proposal?

Response: Past Performance information shall be provided in accordance with the requirements set forth in the solicitation and attachments.

1. Are a cover sheet and a table of contents included in, or excluded from, the page limitation for all?

Response: Excluded.

1. Is it to be a Single award IDIQ, Single award Fixed Price, Cost-plus Fixed Fee, Multiple award IDIQ or single/multiple award BPA?

Response: Single award IDIQ with fixed unit prices.

1. Is the maintenance (O&M) of the MicroStrategy application and/or the Data Warehouse in the scope of this contract or will that be handled by the PIH IT team?

Response: No. Maintenance of MicroStrategy is performed by MicroStrategy Administrators and Data Warehouse is a HUD DCG (Development Coordinating Group) responsibility.

1. Does all work associated with this contract need to be performed onsite? If not, is there a percentage of resources or specific resource count that would be expected onsite?

Response: All work is to be performed on-site.

1. How many development hours are allocated or expected to be provided per scheduled release by IT. This will allow us to estimate the resources required for analysis and UAT activities per release?

Response: Not relevant. The government desires performance based proposals/solutions from vendors. Hours are not specifically allocated.

1. Will the contractor be expected to maintain and build the SharePoint site, or simply manage and maintain the data residing on the site?

Response: The contractor will be expected to manage and maintain the SharePoint site and data.

1. What testing methodologies and rigor will be completed prior to execution of UAT and will the results of said testing be shared with the UAT Team?

Response: The user acceptance testing is conducted in accordance with the Test Plan and by a group that does not include the team that developed the software. Results are shared. Test scripts must be well written, must encompass all requirements to be tested, must be complete, easy to follow, and must be comprehensive.

1. Will the UAT Team be allowed access to any testing solutions (such as Quality Center) leveraged by the other testing teams or will the UAT Team be expected to provide and maintain its own solution?

Response: The Quality Center is available upon request, but not necessary for UAT.

1. Does HUD plan to utilize the HUD PHA Excel 52723 tool(s) or will the Contractor be expected to develop an enhanced data collection tool?

Response: No plans at this time.

1. Will HUD pay for data products/services when required or does it need to be anticipated now and embedded in the proposed cost?

Response: Product/services need to be anticipated and embedded in the proposed cost.

1. How will NASS system changes and enhancements be ordered and paid for by HUD? Are we required and if so how are we to estimate the scope of potential changes and enhancements?

Response: System changes and enhancements are captured and identified in the Business Requirements Matrix and in the Business Requirements Document (BRD). These changes and enhancements are incorporated as part of the Major/Emergency Release, and are implemented and paid for under a separate IT contract.

1. Will the contractor be required to build a new business intelligence tool or modify the current HUD framework?

Response: The contractor may be required to modify the MicroStrategy tool to suit new reports.

1. How many internal and external users of the NASS system will HUD require?

Response: The system supports 4,000 Public Housing Agencies and 2,000 internal users.

1. Does HUD’s System for Award Management (SAM) feed into NASS or vice versa? Is NASS linked to any other HUD data warehouse systems?

Response: Answer not available.

1. Is there a maximum for this contract? Is there a ceiling per CLIN?

Response: The minimum and maximum quantities are specified under each subCLIN’s description on the SF1449.

1. Is a list of interested vendors available?

Response: No.

1. What applications/software was the NASS system written in?

Response: New system Oracle/Java, legacy (pre 2008) ColdFusion Sybase

1. Is the NASS a web-based application?

Response: Yes

1. How and from where does NASS “Gather PHAS indicator assessment results”?

Response: The PHAS system consists of four subsystems that feed information to NASS. The Physical Inspections (PASS) provides the results of physical inspection scores, the Financial and Management (FASS) provides the results of the PHA’s unaudited and audited scores and Management assessment scores. The system also pulls Capital Fund data and generates a score. The scores are then uploaded to NASS where an overall PHAS score is generated.

46. Does someone manually “input” data into NASS Response: No.

Does NASS Automatically/Electronically connect to another system to gather the assessment results?

Response: Yes, using Java JMS queue

1. Is there a Business Intelligence /Dashboard tool already in existence that the contractor will be expected to use? If Yes, what’s the name of it; If No, can the contractor select one of the ones that they are familiar with?

Response: Yes, MicroStrategy.

1. For Special Qualifications and Dashboard requirement, are preferences given to one BI tool versus another?

Response: The preferred tool is MicroStrategy as all reports are MicroStrategy based.

1. What labor categories should we consider from attached WD? Can you provide job descriptions & education needed for categories you are considering from WD to perform this project?

Response: No, the Government desires performance-based proposals/solutions from vendors. Each vendor determines its own labor/skill mix.

1. It appears from SOW the FTE's needed would be at a much higher market value rate. Is this correct?

Response: See the response to question # 51.

1. With respect to Factor 3 - Past Performance, is there a page limit for each past performance?

Response: A limit of 2 pages per reference has been added.

1. Does HUD require that the past performance be based on relevant work performed by the prime or can a past performance be submitted for relevant work that is performed by the subcontractor?

Response: See page 67 of the solicitation.

1. Section C-5.1 refers to BRD as a key Task 1 deliverable. Can you share the latest version of the BRD?

Response: It will be made available at time of award.

1. Task 5 – Does the current BI tool Infrastructure have different schemas and environments for development, testing, and production?

Response: We do have that ability, but most work is done incrementally in prod.

1. Task 5 – Can you provide details on the source of data (e.g. number of tables, number of records) used as input for the BI Tool?

Response: It is in a separate schema, source is from multiple databases in Sybase, Oracle and SQL Server from different program areas. Total volume of data moved is probably close to 500 GB or source. Target we probably have 50-60 different tables.

1. Can you provide the frequency of the data update for the data used as input for the BI tool?

Response: Mostly Daily.

1. In para. 1.7, the Government states the contractor will furnish a Transition-In Plan within 30 days of award. In para. 1.7.1, the govt. states that, as a successor, the contractor shall have sufficient personnel on board, at no additional cost to the Govt. during the 60-days Transition-In period. When does the Transition-In period begin? If it begins at award, what is the purpose of the Transition-In Plan which is not due until 30 days into the period?

Response: Transition plan is necessary and begins at time of award.

1. Will the incumbent be on board for a 60-day Transition-Out period?

Response: Yes.

1. The Govt. will provide office space for a maximum of seven contractor staff at 550 12th St. Does the Govt. expect no more than seven contract staff or should contractors price additional staff at contractor site rates?

Response: See response to question 33.

1. The Govt. MAY provide computers, phone, desk, chair for each contractor staff position identified. Please clarify whether or not the Govt. will provide needed equipment.

Response: The Gov’t will provide all necessary equipment.

1. In the SF1449, the Govt. describes min and max values under column B, but lists the max under Column C quantity. In Attachment B, Pricing Schedule, the Govt. leaves the range, for example, minimum 6, maximum 20 under frequency. Is it correct to assume that, even though one bids fixed unit prices for the deliverables, the staffing plan should reflect sufficient staff to accomplish the maximum quantity of deliverables for evaluation purposes?

Response: Yes. The verbiage under each subCLIN on the SF1449 defines the min and max. Due to the constraints of the contract-writing system used by this agency, the max amount prints under each subCLIN on the SF1449. The verbiage was inserted under each subCLIN to describe the estimated minimums and maximums in order to better provide offerors a realistic estimate of need. Attachment B, Price Schedule, is needed for unit pricing purposes.

1. The contractor is responsible for providing services between the core hours of 8 – 5 EST. Work outside these daily hours is prohibited without Contracting Officer approval. There is not much wiggle room for those who may leave an hour or two early and would like to make up the time within the same week or for those with limited commute options. Receiving CO approval for each instance could become a chore. Are there other acceptable options that do not require approval for each instance?

Response: How contractors choose to staff during the normal work day is up to them and does not require CO approval on a person-by-person basis. The Government expects coverage; this is not based on an individual basis. This statement refers to expected coverage during each workday; for example, no weekend hours are allowed without CO approval.

1. Are there other BI Tools or is Micro-Strategy the only tool?

Response: MicroStrategy is the only tool.

1. Is the contractor responsible for maintaining the SharePoint itself or is the task maintaining the documents and structure within a SharePoint environment?

Response: See response to Question #35.