SF30_(CO_Signed).pdf

NSN 7540-01-152-8070 STANDARD FORM 30. (Rev. 10-83) Previous Edition unusable Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

Page of Pages AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT 1. Contract ID Code

2. AMENDMENT MODIFICATION NO. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (if applicable)

6. ISSUED BY CODE 7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than item 6) CODE

(x) 9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (NO., Street, Country, State and ZIP Code)

CODE FACILITY CODE

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of offers is extended, is not extended.

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing items 8 and 15, and returning ______ copies of amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OR OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment your desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required)

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS. IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

Check One

A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE

CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return _______ copies to the issuing office.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible)

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

15C. DATE SIGNED

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

16C. DATE SIGNED

Veronica.Price Inserted Text

Veronica.Price Inserted Text xxxx

Attachment Page

PAGE 2 OF 8 EDIES17R00200001

U.S. Department of Education

Institute for Education Sciences

National Center for Education, Evaluation and Regional Assistance

Design and Feasibility of an Impact Study of Magnet Schools

Solicitation # ED-IES-17-R-0020

Clarification Questions and Answers

Clarification Questions U. S. Department of Education Responses Bullets, tables, figures, and graphics Is it acceptable to use single-spacing for bullets, tables, figures, and graphics? These would take up a large amount of space if prepared with double spacing (for example, organization charts, timelines, staff commitment tables, GANTT charts, and the complete list of ED projects) which would reduce the information that bidders can provide to ED about important features of their technical approach.

It is acceptable to use single-spacing for bullets, tables, figures, and graphics. It is acceptable to use font smaller than 12 point in tables, figures, and graphics. However, the font in tables, figures, and graphics must be 10 point or larger.

Is it acceptable to use a smaller font for tables, figures, and graphics in the technical proposal? Some figures, tables, and graphics are not amenable to 12 point font or would take up a large amount of space if prepared in 12 point font (for example, organization charts, timelines, staff commitment tables, GANTT charts, and the complete list of ED projects) which would reduce the information that bidders can provide to ED about important features of their technical approach.

Do boxes and tables in the proposal need to be double-spaced? Or can they be made single-spaced?

Would it be acceptable for figures and tables to be single spaced, and in 10-point font?

Resume length Can IES please clarify whether the length of the resumes should be no more than 3 pages (see page 83 of the proposal instructions) or 4 pages (see page 85)?

The length of the resumes should be no more than 4 pages. It is acceptable for resumes to be single-spaced.

On page 83 of the RFP, you say key staff resumes should be no more than 3 pages

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long, but on page 85 it says no more than 4 pages. What is the page limit for key staff resumes?

Page 83 of the solicitation states that résumés of key staff must be no more than 3 pages each, while page 85 states that résumés must be no more than 4 pages each.

Please clarify the page limit for résumés.

Can resumes be single-spaced?

Should resumes be 3 or 4 pages long? The requirement is listed both ways in the RFP (pages 83 and 85).

Technical proposal page limit and additional formatting questions We assume the abstract and table of contents are not included in the 50-page limit for the technical proposal. Could ED confirm that this is the case?

The abstract and table of contents are not included in the 50-page limit for the technical proposal.

Is it acceptable for the abstract and table of contents to be single-spaced?

The abstract and the table of contents may be single-spaced.

May offerors provide a transmittal letter that is not included in the page count?

It is acceptable for offerors to include a transmittal letter that is not included in the page count.

On page 85, the instructions call for bidders to submit a complete list of contracts or grants with the Department of Education (ED) that are current or ended after 11/1/2011.

This list will take up a substantial amount of space for firms that have many contracts and/or grants with ED. Is it acceptable to include this list in an appendix that is not included in the 50-page limit?

The complete list of offeror contracts or grants with the U.S. Department of Education that are current or ended after 11/1/2011, may be included in an appendix that is not included in the 50-page limit.

With regard to the requirement that technical proposals must not exceed 50 double spaced pages, may footnotes be single spaced?

It is acceptable to single-space footnotes.

Are offerors limited to submitting three past performance questionnaires? a. If limited to

No, offerors are not limited to submitting three, relevant past performance questionnaires.

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three, please confirm that subcontractors’ references may be included in the three performance questionnaires that offerors submit.

Subcontractors’ references may be included in the three performance questionnaires that offerors submit.

TWG payment On page 45 you specify that the contractor with pay an honorarium to the TWG members but you do not specify an amount.

Is there a specified amount for the TWG honorarium?

For budgeting purposes, offerors shall assume a maximum of $1,000 per person per day

On page 12, section 4.2, the RFP indicates that the “consultant shall pay the travel, per diem, and honorarium expenses of the TWG members”, does this mean that the contractor cannot include this expense in the proposal budget?

On page 45, the RFP (Page 13 in the Performance Work Statement) states that the contractor shall pay the travel, per diem, and honorarium expenses of the TWG members. Offerors must include these costs in their proposed budget.

Personnel security In completing Attachment D, Contractor Personnel Listing, is the contractor expected to only include key personnel in the table or all personnel assigned to this project, key and non-key? Also, is the contractor required to provide of TWG members information as well?

In completing Attachment D, offerors must include all personnel assigned to the project (whether key or non-key staff). Offerors are not expected to have letters of commitment for TWG members at the time of award. Thus, offerors are not required to include TWG member information in Attachment D.

In completing Attachment E, Security Clearance Application initiation, is the contractor expected to only include key personnel in the table or all personnel assigned to this project, key and non-key?

Also, is the contractor required to provide of TWG members information as well?

In completing Attachment E, offerors must include all personnel assigned to the project (whether key or non-key staff). Offerors are not expected to have letters of commitment for TWG members at the time of award. Thus, offerors are not required to include TWG member information in Attachment E.

Page 40 indicates that Attachment D (Contractor Personnel Listing) and Attachment E (Security Clearance Application Initiation form) are not required to be

Attachment D must be submitted with the technical proposal and Attachment E must be submitted prior to award by the successful offeror who receives the award.

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submitted as part of the offeror’s proposal, but rather will be submitted at the time of award. Page 91 states that Attachment D must be submitted with the proposals. Kindly clarify when these forms should be submitted, and if as part of the proposal submission, in which volume the forms should be submitted.

Can the Department confirm that in accordance with Departmental Directive OM:5-101, "Contractor Employee Personnel Security Screenings" only those individuals in the identified employee positions having access to unclassified sensitive information or preforming duties where children are present must undergo personnel security screening?

Are bidders required to name individuals in their budgets for all positions during the proposal stage or is it possible to have TBA staff positions for lower level and ancillary positions until the best and final stage?

Please see page 89 in the RFP for full details.

Contractor employees must undergo security screening if they are hired to serve 30 calendar days or more on an ED contract or project, and they will:

a. Have an ID badge granting unescorted access to ED facilities;

b. Have ED IT system access;

c. Have access to unclassified sensitive information, such as Privacy Act-protected, personally identifiable, proprietary or other sensitive information and data; or,

d. Perform duties in a school or location where children are present.

It is acceptable for offerors to include unnamed staff in the budget proposal for lower level and ancillary positions.

Additional questions The solicitation for ED-IES-17-R-0020 instructs that we need to submit a cost proposal for the base period as well as both option periods.

Our technical proposal must "show a thorough understanding of the goals and activities of the Performance Work Statement (PWS)." Does our technical proposal need to address goals and activities beyond Task 7 (i.e., option periods 1 and 2)?

Yes, the technical proposal must address all of the tasks (and sub-tasks as appropriate) in the PWS (tasks 1 through 14).

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Can the Department indicate who is recognized as key staff under this solicitation?

ED has not specified key personnel in section H. 20 3452.243-70 of this solicitation due to the expectation that offerors will structure the project leadership in different ways. ED will determine which select personnel are ‘key’ after a review of the technical proposal. For the purpose of fulfilling the General Instructions for the Technical Proposal (page 85), the appendix shall include resumes for all staff playing core project roles including (if applicable) the project director, deputy director, principal investigator, and any other critical role (e.g.

tasker leader).

Do you accept sealed bids from subcontractors who may wish to keep certain financial information confidential from the prime contractor?

Confidential subcontractor information may be submitted directly to the Contracting Officer by proposed subcontractors. However, all prime contractors must include sufficient subcontract supporting cost information and data, for a cost realism analysis to be performed.

Page 86 of the solicitation (Technical Proposal Format and Contents) requires that offerors provide information on Small Business Participation (such as the work to be performed, name and socioeconomic status of each small business, and the percentage of work to be performed by each small business) but no Cost information shall be provided.

The solicitation also requests a Small Business Subcontracting Plan to fulfill the requirements of FAR 19.7, which includes information regarding contract values.

Can IES please confirm that the Small Business Participation information should be submitted in the technical proposal, and the Small Business Subcontracting Plan, as well as

Yes, the small business participation information (without cost <e.g. dollar> information, but with propose percentage information) shall be submitted in the technical proposal, and the Small Business Subcontracting Plan and Attachment B Form shall be submitted in the business proposal (with cost and proposed percentages information).

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Attachment B, Subcontracting Plan Review Form, should be submitted in the business proposal?

For budgeting purposes, can IES clarify the POP for each option period? The table on page 2 indicates that the base period has a duration of 24 months, but the dates (9/25/17 through 10/15/19) cover 25 months.

Similarly, the dates for option I cover 25 months (but the table refers to 24 months), and the dates for option II cover 49 months (but the table refers to 48 months).

The revised periods of performance, reflecting a 9/25/17 start date, are -

Exhibit 1. Contract Periods of Performance

Base Period

Option Period 1

Option Period

Dates 9/25/17 to 10/25/19

1/25/19 to 2/25/21

5/25/20- 5/25/24

Contract Month

Months 1-25

Months 16-41 (Overlaps with Base Period by 9 months)

Months 32-80 (Overlaps with Option Period 1 by 9 months)

Duration 25 months months

48 months

Task 1 & 1.1 follow a different Task and subtask format compared to the other Tasks in the PWS – should Task 1 and 1.1 be thought of as Task 1.1 and 1.2 for budgeting purposes?

Offerors may re-label Task 1 and 1.1 as Task 1.1 and

1.2 for budgeting purposes.

Can we treat tasks 8-10 & 11-14 as unified Options—allowing transfers of cost-reimbursement funding across tasks within an Option? Currently these tasks are listed as separate line items.

ED expects that offerors will carefully budget for each individual task in the Performance Work Statement; and once the contract is awarded, will closely monitor the work conducted so that it is commensurate with the budget expectations.

When will the list of 2017 MSAP awardees be made available to the contractor?

The 2017 applications were due to ED on April 11, 2017. IES has no additional information about the date that the grants will be awarded.

On page 12 of the PWS, third paragraph, the RFP indicates “ Systems developed for this contract shall be hosted in the IES Data

All websites and applications need to be hosted in the IES Data Center. It is possible for contractors to conduct development or programming activities at

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Center. To be hosted in the IES Data Center, all websites and web applications must be developed using ASP.NET” . Is the contractor expected to create all websites and web applications that are then hosted on the IES Data Center?

their own site prior to hosting the websites and applications in the IES Data Center.

US Dept of Education, 550 12th St SW - 7th Floor Washington DC 20202-4230