4_-_Section_L_Proposal-Requirements_LPTA_Commercial.pdf

Attachment 4

LOWEST PRICE TECHNICALLY ACCEPTABLE (LPTA) PROCESS

SECTION L - PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

I. Proposal Format

A. General: The following instructions cover the preparation and submittal of the offeror’s proposal for this solicitation. Offerors must follow the instructions contained herein. Offerors are cautioned that any noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the RFP may cause their proposal to be determined not eligible for award.

Proposals received are subject to the requirements specified in FAR 52.212-1, unless otherwise tailored in the Addendum to the solicitation. Proposals must be received by AFMETCAL/WNMK, 813 Irving Wick Dr. W, Horton Building, Heath OH 43056, Attention: Kathryn Vaccaro, no later than the date and time specified in Block 9 on the face page of the RFP.

B. Communications: Exchanges of source selection information between Government and offerors will be controlled by the Contracting Officer. Initial proposals submitted via email are not permissible. Source selection information will be transmitted via direct mailing or AMRDEC SAFE at https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/. Offers submitted in electronic forms other than through AMRDEC Safe are not permissible and will not be considered.

Instructions for AMRDEC SAFE follow:

AMRDEC SAFE Instructions:

1. To send files through AMRDEC SAFE, access http://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe. Select “Click Here” under the “Non-CAC Users” (i.e. Guest) option. Once the page redirects to the package upload form, fill in all the required fields: Your Name; Your Email Address; Confirm Your Email Address; Description of File(s); File(s) – Click the “Browse” button to select your file(s) (you may add up to 25 files per package, so long as the total file size does not exceed 2 GB); and Email address to give access to – enter kathryn.vaccaro@us.af.mil then click “Add”, enter michael.hickey.2@us.af.mil, then click “Add”. Under Email Setting, select “Encrypt email message when possible”, “Notify me when file(s) downloads are COMPLETED” (You (the sender) will receive a notification via email when a recipient has successfully downloaded the files you have sent through SAFE), and select “Require CAC for pick-up (so that recipients have to log in with a CAC to download the files.) Click the “Upload” button to upload the files and submit the package. You will need to check your email to verify your email address before the recipients will be notified. After the package has been uploaded and verified, each recipient will receive a link to the package download page as well as a password. These passwords are unique for each recipient (not the package), and will be disabled once SAFE detects that the user successfully downloaded each file within the package.

Forwarding recipient and send notification emails to anyone except the AMRDEC SAFE Team is strictly forbidden. For complete instructions on sending files via AMRDEC SAFE, please refer to https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/guide.aspx.

2. Files shall be submitted in a format readable by Microsoft (MS) Word 2016 or earlier, MS Excel 2016 or earlier, MS PowerPoint 2016 or earlier, or Adobe Portable Documentation Format (PDF). If submitting a PDF file, the Offeror shall create the file to enable textual search and copy functions. Macros or other embedded objects or features within files will be disabled as part of regular security precautions.

3. Uploaded files must be timestamped by the offer due date and time. Offerors shall allow sufficient time for receipt of electronic submissions by the due date and time. Offerors bare the risk for receipt of offers being untimely.

Exchanges of source selection information, after submission of the initial proposal package, between the Government and offerors, will be controlled by the Contracting Officer. Email may be used to transmit such information, only if the email can be sent encrypted, and must include “Source Selection Information – See FAR

2.101 and 3.104” in the subject line of the email. Otherwise, all source selection information will be transmitted via direct mailing or AMRDEC SAFE. In order to facilitate the sending and receiving of encrypted emails, offerors must use MS Outlook email configured to support encryption or a different email product that is S/MIME compatible and configured to support encryption. If you intend to submit your post proposal source selection https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/ https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/guide.aspx information via encrypted email, you will need to contact the Buyer/Contracting Officer indicated on the face page of the solicitation prior to that first submittal in order to exchange certificates used for encryption. When submitting source selection information via email, file suppression utilities, to include but not limited to zip files, will not be accepted. Before you can exchange encrypted email you first need to swap certificates one time. Instructions follow:

ENCRYPTING EMAILS

Before you can exchange an encrypted email, you first need to swap “certificates” one time.

To do this:

Send a digitally signed message to the end user.

Have the user respond with a digitally signed email.

You should now be able to encrypt any messages to that user.

Right-click the name in the “From” box, and then click “Add to Contacts” on the shortcut menu.

If you already have a contact entry for this person, select “Update new information” from this contact to the existing one. To insure the process is working correctly, the offeror needs to send a test encrypted message first (without including any source selection information).

When you are ready to send an encrypted email, insure encryption is selected and include “Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104” in the subject line of the email.

C. Funding: The Government reserves the right to cancel this solicitation, either before or after the closing date. In the event the Government cancels this solicitation, the Government has no obligation to reimburse any Offeror for any costs incurred in responding to this solicitation.

II. Volume Organization

A. General:. Proposals shall be submitted to the Government in two (2) separate volumes as set forth below:

PAGE NUMBER

VOLUME LIMITS OF COPIES DESCRIPTION

I 75 1 hard or electronic copy Completed RFP and Pricing II 50 1 hard or electronic copy Written Technical Proposal

In addition to the page limitations set forth above, proposal volumes shall comply with the following format:

1. A cover letter shall accompany the volumes and will contain the following information: RFP number and the offeror’s name, address, country and facility code, CAGE code, DUNS number, TIN and business size. This information shall also include the name, title, telephone number and email address of the company point of contact (POC) able to contractually obligate and negotiate with the Government. Include all requested acknowledgments and statements and a completed copy of Online Representations and Certifications. This can be accomplished by registering in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.govu and completing the Online Representations and Certifications. All prospective awardees are required to register at SAM and to maintain an active registration during the life of the contract.

2. Each volume shall be marked with the RFP number and the offeror’s name and address, and the number of the Volume, i.e. I, II. Proposals shall be in the English language and all monies shall be proposed in United States dollars.

3. Print shall be no less than a font size of 12 and page size shall be 8.5 x 11 inches. Each volume within the proposal shall be separately tabbed and identified and sequentially numbered by volume. Margins shall be no smaller than 1 inch on the top and bottom and 3/4-inch side margins. Elaborate formats, bindings, or color presentations are not desired or required.

4. The page limitation for Volume II, Written Technical Proposal, is 50 pages and includes any charts, graphs, drawings, diagrams, etc. but excludes any cover page, table of contents or list of acronyms (if utilized).

Offerors are cautioned that any pages exceeding the limitation set forth above shall not be read. Unread pages shall be retained in the contract file without being considered in the evaluation of the proposal.

5. Page limitations may be placed on Evaluation Notices (ENs), if issued. The specified limits for EN response will be identified in the letters forwarding the ENs to the offerors.

6. Each page containing proprietary information should be so marked.

7. Each page should contain the following legend at the bottom of each sheet:

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION--SEE FAR 2.101 and 3.104

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

B. Volume I - Completed RFP and Pricing

1. General: Volume I, Completed RFP shall consist of the completed and signed RFP. Volume I shall include any amendments issued, with a cover letter delineating any exceptions taken to the RFP terms and conditions with accompanying rationale. However, offerors are cautioned that any noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the RFP may cause their proposal to be determined not eligible for award. Offerors shall ensure that all clauses and provisions that require “fill in” information are appropriately completed, including the proposed prices associated with the contract line items in the Schedule of the RFP.

2. Pricing Information: All pricing information associated with the contract line items (CLINS) of the RFP shall be addressed in Volume I, Completed RFP – Schedule B. Proposed pricing for each CLIN and the total evaluated price (TEP) shall address the following:

2.1 Price Reasonableness: The Government will review the pricing submissions for reasonableness, completeness and prudence. No presumption of reasonableness shall be attached to the incurrence of costs by a contractor. For a price to be reasonable, it must represent a price to the Government that a prudent person would pay in the conduct of competitive business. If an initial review of the facts results in a challenge of a specific cost by the contracting officer, the burden of proof shall be upon the contractor to establish that such cost is reasonable. Offers should be sufficiently detailed to demonstrate their reasonableness and balance. The burden of proof for credibility and completeness of proposed prices rests with the offeror.

2.2 Unbalanced Pricing: Unbalanced pricing poses an unacceptable risk to the Government and may be a reason to reject an offeror’s proposal. Unbalanced pricing exists when, despite an acceptable total evaluated price, the price of one or more line items is significantly over or understated as indicated by the application of cost and price analysis techniques as described in FAR 15.404. Unrealistically low or high proposed costs or prices, initially or subsequently, may be grounds for eliminating a proposal from competition either on the basis that the offeror does not understand the requirement or has submitted an unrealistic proposal.

2.3 Cost or Pricing Data Requirements - In accordance with FAR 15.403-1(b) data other than certified cost or pricing data may be required to support a determination of price reasonableness. Data beyond that required by this instruction shall not be submitted unless you consider it essential to document or support your position. All data relating to the proposed price, including all required supporting documentation, must be included in this section of the proposal. Under no circumstances shall this data and documentation be included elsewhere in the proposal. If, after receipt of proposals, the Contracting Officer determines that there is insufficient data available to determine price reasonableness and none of the exceptions in FAR 15.403-1 apply, the offeror shall be required to submit additional cost or pricing data.

C. Volume II, Written Technical Proposal

1. General: The written technical proposal shall be clear, concise, and include all the information required by this RFP in sufficient detail for effective evaluation. Information provided in your written technical proposal will be evaluated to assess technical acceptability in accordance with Section M – Evaluation Basis for Award. The proposal should not simply rephrase or restate the Government’s requirements, but rather shall provide convincing rationale to address how the offeror intends to meet these requirements. The written technical proposal shall include a written line-by-line response addressing each paragraph of the Purchase Description and sufficient supporting technical literature to describe the offeror’s proposed approach to performing the requirements set forth in the Purchase Description. Offerors shall assume the Government has no prior knowledge of their capabilities, work processes, facilities, and experience and will base its evaluation on the information presented in the offeror’s technical proposal.

2. Format and Specific Content: All the requirements in the solicitation are mandatory. By your proposal submission, you are representing that your firm will perform all the requirements specified in the solicitation.

Offerors are required to meet all solicitation requirements, such as terms and conditions, representations and certifications, and technical requirements, in addition to those identified as evaluation factors. Offerors must clearly identify any exception to the solicitation terms and conditions and provide complete accompanying rationale. Each exception shall be specifically related to each paragraph and/or specific part of the solicitation to which the exception is taken. Provide rationale in support of the exception and fully explain its impact, if any, on the performance, schedule, price, and specific requirements of the solicitation.

UA. GeneralU: The following instructions cover the preparation and submittal of the offeror’s proposal for this solicitation. Offerors must follow the instructions contained herein. Offerors are cautioned that any noncompliance with the terms and con...