920th Rescue Wing Training BPA Questions_Answers.pdf

Solicitation: FA252125QB017

Project Title: 920th Rescue Wing Training

BPAs, Patrick Space Force Base, FL

Question 1: Is this project considered a new requirement?

Response 1: No, this project is not considered a new requirement

Question 2: If this project is not considered a new requirement, who is the incumbent. What was the contract number?

Response 2: The previous Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) for this specific requirement have expired. 920th Rescue Wing requires new BPAs in place to ensure non-personal instructional services/training opportunities are offered. The previous BPA numbers are as follows:

FA252120A0012, CROPJSERE Training BPA, F3Ea Inc; $4,000,000 Ceiling

FA252120A0013, CROPJSERE Training BPA, Praecore; $4,000,000 Ceiling

FA252120A0014, CROPJSERE Training BPA, Nisga'a Tek; $4,000,000 Ceiling

FA252120A0015, CROPJSERE Training BPA, Metris; $4,000,000 Ceiling

FA252120A0016, CROPJSERE Training BPA, Velocity Training; $4,000,000 Ceiling

Question 3: Based on the combined synopsis/solicitation, is this being solicited via a GSA vehicle, such as GSA MAS? Or can any active government contractors who do not have a GSA

Schedule bid? We ask because of the Note to Offerors section on page 2 that references GSA

Schedule in various ways.

Response 3: This combined synopsis/solicitation is open to all contractors who qualify as a small business under the North American Industry Classification System code 611699 with a size standard of $16.5 Million. As stated on page 2 of the Note to Offerors section, GSA schedule holders / contractors are to provide GSA pricing in accordance with their GSA schedules; however, GSA schedule holders / contractors may also include open-market items not included on their GSA schedules in this response. When providing GSA schedule pricing, contractors must also provide the date of expiration on their GSA schedules.

Question 4: Will any of the BPA calls/orders require training to be conducted on a military installation (e.g., where only instructors, support personnel, syllabus, and materials are provided by the contractor, but the training occurs on ranges and drop zones located on a military installation)?

Response 4: Training could occur on military installations to enable the use of military range/training areas, if required. Descriptions of individual training requirements are provided at the Call or Task Order level and will be provided in the RFQ / solicitation for each unique event.

Question 5: Will the government allow the contractor to facilitate training at no cost on military installations and ranges, provided the contractor serves as the lead planning organization responsible for coordinating and arranging the facilities, airspace, etc?

Response 5: Descriptions of individual training requirements are provided at the Call or Task

Order level and will be provided in the RFQ / solicitation for each unique event. Only when a requirement dictates that a military installation or range be utilized for a training event location will the successful contractor for the Task Order award be permitted to coordinate with local facilities managers to carry out specific training events.

Question 6: Regarding PWS Paragraph 2.2, is it the government’s intent to procure a Syllabus

Binder for each skill requiring training (listed below from Paragraph 3.1.2), or will each order require a unique, tailored curriculum based on the specific training objectives?

a. Medical

b. Technical Rescue

c. Rope Rescue

d. Maritime Recovery

e. Small Unit Tactics

f. Terminal Control Communications

g. Fixed Wing Insertion

h. Mounted Movement

i. Environmental

j. Professional Development/Resiliency

Response 6: Descriptions of individual training requirements are provided at the Call or Task

Order level and will be provided in the RFQ / solicitation for each unique event.

Question 7: PWS Paragraph 2.4. Is there a minimum and/or maximum for class size?

Response 7: Descriptions of individual training requirements are provided at the Call or Task

Order level and will be provided in the RFQ / solicitation for each unique event. Min - 4 and

Max – 40, with an average class size ranging from 8-20 personnel. This number may not be the maximum number of participants in an event, but only class size during an event.

Question 8: For PWS Paragraphs 3.1–3.4, will the government consider an offeror’s proposal for future calls if the offeror provides only a subset of the requirements in their proprietary Full

Mission Profile (FMP) Course?

Example: An offeror may have the facility, personnel, equipment, and materials to deliver an

FMP Course in an alpine environment, complete with drop zones and Tier-1/Special Mission

Unit Ground Forces, SOF JTACs (I and E), pilots, OPFOR, and role players with moulage to conduct training in communications, small unit tactics, fixed wing insertion, Tactical Combat

Casualty Care (TCCC), etc. However, this course would not fulfill the maritime training requirements or include the urban, desert, and jungle environments

Response 8: Yes. Descriptions of individual training requirements are provided at the Call or

Task Order level and will be provided in the RFQ / solicitation for each unique event. If a BPA holder / contractor does not have the capability to provide a specific subset of training, they are not expected to provide a response to the Task Order or Call RFQ that is outside of their competencies.

Question 9: PWS Paragraphs 3.1 – 3.4. Is it necessary for all offerors to be able to provide training, materials, and personnel across all specified training environments, or can an offeror focus on providing expertise in the environments and skill areas where they best meet the government’s requirements.

Response 9: Descriptions of individual training requirements are provided at the Call or Task

Order level and will be provided in the RFQ / solicitation for each unique event. If a BPA holder

/ contractor does not have the capability to provide a specific subset of training, they are not expected to provide a response to the Task Order or Call RFQ that is outside of their competencies.

Question 10: Regarding the "Responsible Prospective Contractors" section on page 6 of the solicitation, to better assess the financial readiness required:

a. What is the government’s anticipated average monetary value, duration, and personnel scale for each call?

Response 10.a: The Government requirement fluctuates greatly depending on unit requirements for training, number of participants, timing, locations, and unit funding constraints. BPAs are utilized when requirements are not clearly defined at the onset of the agreement and/or not regularly scheduled. See FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition

Procedures for additional information related to the use of BPAs.

The anticipated BPA award will indicate a maximum Unit call value (under GPC thresholds – currently $25,000 per call) and any order over the GPC call limit will be competitively awarded using Task Orders. These Task Orders will be competitively solicited using Request for Quotes and will define the separate training events as each event arises. All evaluation criteria will be disclosed in the RFQ and the RFQ will rely on all terms and conditions established in the BPA.

10.b: What is the expected frequency of calls and orders issued during a typical performance year, or historically?

Response 10.b: Answered above.

10.c: Could the government provide the highest monetary value of a single call previously issued by the 920th Rescue Wing to support these training requirements?

Response 10.c: Historically BPA Calls using GPC cannot exceed the GPC Limit

*currently $25,000 using the BPA) and Task Orders have been under $200,000 each.

Future requirements may be significantly different.

Question 11: Will the customer confirm that the only requirements of the Technical are to provide a syllabus for each area in section 3 of the PWS?

Response 11: Descriptions of individual training requirements are provided at the Call or Task

Order level and will be provided in the RFQ / solicitation for each unique event. Responses to this RFQ for the basic BPA require enough detail to establish contractor capability to provide training in the indicated competencies.

Question 12: Is there a page limit for each syllabus?

Response 12: No limit.

Question 13: The customer states that, "In order for this organization to establish a BPA, we request that you furnish us with a price list." However, it is unclear what the price list is to be made up of. Will the customer please provide the list of LCATs/ contractor personnel that we are to provide a price for? Is the customer asking for a daily rate? A meal rate? A classroom rate? A per course rate?

Response 13: The price list should consist of a daily rate for the personnel necessary to perform the services included in section 3 (pg. 14-27) of the PWS.

Question 14: Will this be a multiple award BPA, or will this be a single award?

Response 14: Multiple Award BPA.

Question 15: Will the customer please provide the most current SOCOM DIRECTIVE 350-29?

Response 15: Yes, if required.

Question 16: Does the customer require contractors to respond to all areas of section 3 of the

PWS, or just the areas the contractor has the greatest strengths and wishes to perform in?

Response 16: Descriptions of individual training requirements are provided at the Call or Task

Order level and will be provided in the RFQ / solicitation for each unique event. If a BPA holder

/ contractor does not have the capability to provide a specific subset of training, they are not expected to provide a response to the Task Order or Call RFQ that is outside of their competencies. The contractor can focus on providing expertise in the environments and skill areas where they best meet the government’s requirements.

Question 17: Will the customer please explain whether the items in 2.3-2.212 (i.e classroom, videographer, isocaloric diets) are applicable to every single call, or is it dependent on each call order? If so, does this need to be included in the pricelist?

Response 17: Descriptions of individual training requirements are provided at the Call or Task

Order level and will be provided in the RFQ / solicitation for each unique event.

Question 18: Will any of the requests on the BPA be for over 25K and if so how will that be handled?

Response 18: If there are any requests from the customer that are expected to exceed $25k, the

Contracting Officer will send out a RFQ to all or some of the BPA holders depending on the acquisition strategy for that specific requirement. Instructions on how to respond to that specific requirement will be provided on the RFQ.

Question 19: Will the customer please consider an extension to the proposal due date, given that this RFP was released with less than 30 days for preparing our responses?

Response 19: Please see the most recent amendment extending the proposal due date to 5

December 2024 at 1400 EST.

Question 20: What specific instructor to student ratios are required for each type of training

(e.g., medical, rescue, tactical)?

Response 20: The instructor to student ratios will vary for each training event requirement.

Question 21: Is the government providing ALL the training equipment such as dive gear, skis, rappelling, parachutes, medical, etc.

Response 21: Yes.

Question 22: For environmental training (e.g., jungle, desert, urban), what control or preparation requirements are expected for safety?

Response 22: The lead instructor should conduct a daily risk management evaluation/briefing and have appropriate on-site medical personnel with equipment, to include a medical plan.

Question 23: What level of emergency medical services is expected from the contractor?

Emergency Medical Services. Emergency medical services will be provided by the contractor.

Contracting Officer will review planned emergency action plan and inform the contractor of any required improvements. For the requirements of berthing and feeding can the government provide a standard class size.

Response 23: The lead instructor should conduct a daily risk management evaluation/briefing and have appropriate on-site medical personnel with equipment, to include a medical plan.

Standard class size: Min - 4 and Max – 40, with an average class size ranging from 8-20. This number may not be the maximum number of participants in an event, but only class size during an event.

Question 24: With the specific security protocols and storage standards required for securing weapons and ammunition at training sites, particularly regarding access control, monitoring, and compliance with DAFMAN 21-201, can the government provide; type, nature and quantities of ammunition and weapons? Does every training site need to have that capability?

Response 24: Yes, the government can provide the type, nature, and quantity of weapons. When a contractor is providing the training, the government will request round counts from the contractor for the courses of fire they are planning. Contractor should identify the type and quantity of munitions for their training course.

When storage is necessary, outside of military installations, the contractors should provide 24/7 security for all weapons and munitions, when not in use by the government, IAW DAFMAN 21-

201, DoDM 5100.76, and DoDM-5100.76_DAFMAN 31-101_Volume 2.

All training sites are required to have the ability to store weapons, munitions, and provide 24/7 security whether through Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and/or physical security by armed personnel.

Question 25: Is the contractor responsible for getting the students to the training locations?

Response 25: No

Question 26: What is the period of performance for this contract? i.e. - a block of training or is this training that will be conducted across a year/years?

Response 26: The BPAs will be for 4 years.

Question 27: Can you clarify what “conduct sub-surface recovery at altitude” means?

Response 27: Conducting high altitude diving operations.

Question 28: Is the contractor responsible for providing these services and what is considered an isolated Training Location? 2.11.2. Isolated Training Locations. An onsite chef will provide a

3,500 – 4,500 isocaloric diet consisting of three (3) meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) per day.

Response 28: If no local amenities (grocery stores, restaurants, etc.) are available for subsistence within 20 miles of the training local, then yes.

Question 29: What is the specific class size?

Response 29: Min - 4 and Max – 40, with an average class size ranging from 8-20. This number may not be the maximum number of participants in an event, but only class size during an event.

Question 30: What is the size/number of OPFOR required?

Response 30: Min - 4 with a ratio of student to OPFOR of 3:1, not to exceed 10

Question 31: What are the government’s instructions to interested offerors who wish to submit a response to this effort?

Response 31: Please review attachment 3 of the SAM posting titled “FA252124QB017 920

Training BPA Combined Synopsis Solicitation.” All questions pertaining to how interested offerors should submit a response to this Request for Quotations is found in the document.

Question 32: What documents does the government require interested offerors to submit for consideration of an initial BPA award? ie: corporate data, corporate capabilities statement, past performance?

Response 32: Please review attachment 3 of the SAM posting titled “FA252124QB017 920

Training BPA Combined Synopsis Solicitation.” All questions pertaining to what is required by government as it pertains to the response of this RFQ is found in the document.

Question 33: Will the government provide a sample class size and minimum instructor to student ratio for price evaluation?

Response 33: Min - 4 and Max – 40, with an average class size ranging from 8-20. This number may not be the maximum number of participants in an event, but only class size during an event.

Question 34: Will the government provide a list of Government Furnished Equipment and expected Contract Furnished Equipment for price evaluation?

Response 34: All training equipment will be government furnished.

Question 35: Can an offeror select specific types of training from PWS section 3.1.2 for BPA acceptability?

Response 35: Yes

Question 36: What are the evaluation criteria for technical acceptability?

Response 36: Please review attachment 3 of the SAM posting titled “FA252124QB017 920

Training BPA Combined Synopsis Solicitation.” All questions pertaining to technical acceptability can be found on page 6.

Question 37: Will all payments be made by purchase card (ie credit card) or will payments be made by DFAS?

Response 37: Requirements under $25K will be made using a government purchase card.

Payments over $25K will go through DFAS.

Question 38: For price evaluation / BPA submission, does the government require a bank letter to demonstrate compliance with “Responsible Prospective Contractors”? Are offerors required to have a minimum line of credit to perform services for acceptability?

Response 38: Please review attachment 3 of the SAM posting titled “FA252124QB017 920

Training BPA Combined Synopsis Solicitation.” All questions pertaining to technical acceptability can be found on page 6.

Question 39: Regarding section 2.9 in the PWS, is this expectation that the course is closed to outside personnel or the entire facility closed while the course in session.

Response 39: Closed to outside personnel.