Final_Q&As_5_July_2018.pdf

3 FTE Disability Evaluation System Program Specialists

FA3010-18-R-0025

5 July 2018

Questions and Answers

Q1. Can you share the reason for the early recompete?

Ans: The requirements for this service changed; therefore, the previous contract (FA3010-18-C-0004) was Terminated for the Convenience of the Government.

Q2. In 52.212-2 Government will award a contract to responsible offeror whose proposal conforms to the solicitation.

The following factors will be used to evaluate offers:

(1) Compliance with solicitation requirements

(2) Past Performance

(3) Price

Is there a technical that should be written for this opportunity or is the government looking at Past Performance and pricing only?

Ans: No. No technical requirement should be written. Reference FAR 52.212-2 in this solicitation for the evaluation factors.

Q3. On Page 33, Paragraph d, Paid annual leave (vacation) states employees accrue “2 hours of annual leave each week for an employee with less than 3 years of service.” This is equivalent to 104 hours (13 days) of vacation time per year. However, Page 7 of the referenced SCA Wage Determination states that employees earn “1 week paid vacation after 1 year of service with a contractor or successor.” Will the Government ensure that the RFP “Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires” is compliant with the SCA Wage Determination?

Ans: The Government does not intend to revise FAR 52.222-42. The accrual values referenced in this solicitation’s FAR 52.222-42 STATEMENT OF EQUIVALENT RATES FOR FEDERAL HIRES (MAY 2014), (Page 33, Paragraph d.) state the equivalent rate of pay and benefits the employee would receive as a Federal hire. The information provided in this clause is for informational purposes only. The contractor is required to comply with Service Contract Act labor standards. This is the responsibility of the contractor.

Q4. Reference Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires (page 33 of 44) – Question: Can the Government identify the GS series and level for the Disability Evaluation System Program Specialist?

Ans: The Federal equivalent position series and level is GS-0301, GS-09.

Q5. Who do the Disability Evaluation System Program Specialists report to/work for? And What is the level of independence the Disability Evaluation System Program Specialists have?

Ans: Regarding questions presented, FAR 37.104 defines characteristics of a Personal Services contract as it pertains to supervision and independence of contract employees. Specificity for level of independence is addressed in paragraph (c)(1)(ii) for independent contractors (such as a contractor employee.

This is a requirement for non-personal services. Performance of the contractor personnel will constitute a non-personal services relationship. It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to manage its non-personal service employees and to guard against any actions that are of the nature of personal services, or give the perception of personal services. The contractor and their employees must comply with all contract requirments to include the Performance Work Statement (PWS) which contains specific requirements for the contractor and their employees. The overall contract will be monitored for compliance with PWS requirements and the contractor will be informed of any occurences of substandard service.

Q6. Is there an incumbent contractor currently performing these services or is this a new requirement?

Ans: No, there is not an incumbent contractor in place. The requirements changed; therefore, this is being solicited as a new requirement.

Q7. Are you able to provide a contract number and the vendor’s name?

Ans: No contract number or vendor currently is in place.

Q8. Is this a re-compete? If so, what is the amount of contract?

Ans: This is a new requirement.

Q9. Is there an incumbent in place?

Ans: No.

Q10. The non-displacement clause is included. Who is the incumbent contractor company and are all positions currently staffed?

Ans: As indicated in Q1, the previous effort was Terminated for the Convenience of the Government as the requirements changed. This clause does not apply. An amendment will be issued on 9 July 2018 to remove this clause. No extension or delay will be made to proposal due date.

Q11. Please provide the Occupational Codes for these positions.

Ans: The Government will not provide an Occupational Code as it is the contractor’s responsibility to determine which service employee classification is required for performance of duties in accordance with the Performance Work Statement. If the contractor feels no available Wage Determination codes meet the requirements in this Performance Work Statement, Contractors should refer to FAR 52.222-41(c)(2) and footnotes on the Wage Determination for further instructions concerning the Department of Labor’s Conformance Process after award of a contract containing a Wage Determination.

Q12. Are the billable hours inclusive of vacation, holiday, and sick-time?

Ans: Reference WAWF clause (DFARS 252.232-7006) in the solicitation. It states, “The Contractor shall only invoice and be paid for actual hours worked. Actual hours worked do not include absences, non-duty days, and hours for continuing medical education.” Contractors should account for vacation, holiday, and sick time in their burdened hourly rate when proposing.

Q13. Will the Government accept proposals submitted in PDF format?

Ans: Yes, proposals may be submitted in PDF format.

Q14. Does the Government have an anticipated date for award?

Ans: The Government anticipates award on or about 15 Aug 2018.

Q15. Is the current contract staff with 3 FTE Disability Evaluation Specialists. If not, how many?

Ans: There is no current staff.

Q16. Should the price and technical information of the proposal be in separate volumes?

Ans: There is no requirement for separate volumes so long as the offeror’s proposal is otherwise clear and fully compliant with all provisions and clauses contained in this solicitation.

Q17. Is there an incumbent? If so, what is the contract # and value?

Ans: There are no incumbents. FA8053-12-D-0043-RC07 (previously completed contract) awarded for $212,425.00 and FA3010-18-C-0004 (terminated contract) awarded for $717,054.40. Note that these previous contracts served different durations in periods of performance.

Q18: In section 52.222-42 STATEMENT OF EQUIVALENT RATES FOR FEDERAL HIRES of the solicitation, page 33, the Employee Class Occupation Title is "Disability Eval Sys Prgm Specialist". This title does not appear in the list of occupational titles within the solicitation package document "Atch2- WD_2015-5147_Rev5_10_Jan18.pdf". Please provide an accurate Occupational Title for this effort.

Ans: Please refer to questions #3 and #11.

Q19. In section 52.222-42 STATEMENT OF EQUIVALENT RATES FOR FEDERAL HIRES of the solicitation, page 33, the "Monetary Wage-Fringe Benefit" is $24.24. Is the $24.24 representing the Monetary Wage ONLY, or is it representing the Monetary Wage INCLUDING Fringe Benefit?

Ans: “Monetary Wage-Fringe Benefit” equals “Monetary Wage minus Fringe Benefit”.

Q20. In section ADDENDUM TO FAR 52.212-1 INSTRUCTION TO OFFERORS—COMMERCIAL ITEMS of the solicitation, page 41, (b) Submission of Offers, the statement "All pages requiring fill-in information must be returned with the offeror’s proposal and must be received by the date/time provided in this solicitation, unless otherwise changed via amendment" appears. Would it be preferred for bidders to submit the entire FA301018R0025 document, so as to not cause any confusion as to the order of the content?

Ans: Offerors may submit in accordance with provisions and clauses contained in this solicitation. ‘Fill-in’ items such as those Representations and Certifications entered into the System for Award

Management (SAM) website may be omitted from the submitted proposal as they will be reviewed via the SAM website.

Q21. The SF1449 Continuation Sheet lists travel as a separate item. Are we to include a price for this item or is this an Other Direct Cost to be billed directly without markup?

Ans: All offerors should propose travel at the full Not To Exceed (NTE) value ($2,000.00) as found in each travel CLIN description. Do not markup these travel items.

Q22. If included, will a cover letter be evaluated as part of our submission?

Ans: No, a cover letter is not required.

Q23. Would including a cover letter render our submission as non-compliant?

Ans: No.

Q24. If included, will resumes and letters of intent for qualified candidates be evaluated as part of our submission?

Ans: No.

Q25. Would including resumes and letters of intent render our submission as non-compliant?

Ans: No.