Questions_and_Responses_Posted_9_30.pdf

Question No.

Reference Question Response

1 Instructions to Offeror;

Proposal Copies (Page 32 of 89)

This section states that the Business Proposal “must be submitted....as an EXCEL

WORKBOOK”,

however many of the business proposal sections require narrative responses that are typically required in MS Word and PDF formats. Please clarify.

A version of the price build-up should be in excel format for ease of comparison. How the remainder of the business proposal is organized, and in what format, including narrative responses, is up to the offeror.

2 Instructions to Offeror;

Technical Proposal;

3.

Technical Approach (Page 37 of 89)

The requirements for this section indicates that “the proposal shall provide an overview of the functionality, screenshots, detailed requirements, and technical specifications of a system that is compliant with Department standards.”

This requirement implies a significant amount of detail that will require a disproportionate amount of the 50-page double line spaced limit. Can the Department provide additional requirement clarification, and/or exclude this requirement from the page limit for placement in an Appendix?

The page limit for the proposal has been extended to 75 pages. Additionally, the screenshots, detailed requirements, and technical specifications of the system may be in included in an Appendix. An overview of the functionality shall be included in the body of the technical proposal.

3 Instructions to Offeror;

Business Proposal;

Abstract (Page 38 of

The one-page Abstract requirements include four separate requirements (proposal content summary, requirements

The Abstract requirement has been expanded to three double-spaced pages; however the cost summary chart may be single-spaced.

89) acceptance statement, assumptions, and a cost summary chart). Please confirm that the Business Proposal narrative is subject to the double line spacing requirement and consider increasing the page limit to a minimum of three pages.

4 Instructions to Offeror;

Business Proposal;

Price Buildup (Page 39 of 89)

This section references a staff loading chart in the technical proposal, however the technical proposal instructions and evaluation criteria do not reference this chart. Please confirm that the staff loading chart is not a technical proposal requirement and should only be included in the Price Buildup section. If the Department requires staffing summary information in the Technical Proposal, we recommend including a Full-time Equivalent (FTE) for each key personnel in the 1.

Personnel section.

The staff loading chart should be included in the Price Buildup section and is not a technical proposal requirement.

5 Who is the incumbent contractor?

Applied Engineering Management Corporation; the current award number is ED-

IES-11-O-0017

6 A comment from a vendor stating they could meet the requirements of the contract with a partner.

Information on businesses that the Department has worked with in the past can be found on the active contracts list, located at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/con tracts/contracts.html http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/contracts/contracts.html http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/contracts/contracts.html