Questions and Answers.docx

Questions and Answers

1. Reference Combined Synopsis/Solicitation Document page 2, FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items (JUL 2015), Technical Volume and Price Volume.

-Are offerors permitted to submit these documents as PDF files?

Answer: Yes

2. Reference PWS page 3, paragraph 1.1.3.2 Publicly Available Information (PAI) Tools. This paragraph states, “the contractor will select, configure, install, and train on best-in-class, commercial-proprietary media exploitation and diligence technologies to enable classified ISR capabilities, and mission prosecution capabilities.”

-What PAI tool is currently being used to meet this requirement?

Answer: The tool suite includes Air Force PAI toolkit, OpenIO, and Vannevar Labs (demo). AFPAITK is ACC funded currently.

3. Reference PWS page 3, paragraph 1.1.3.2 Publicly Available Information (PAI) Tools. This paragraph states, “the contractor will select, configure, install, and train on best-in-class, commercial-proprietary media exploitation and diligence technologies to enable classified ISR capabilities, and mission prosecution capabilities.”

-How many PAI licenses are required?

Answer: 9 PAI licenses are required.

4.Please confirm that offerors are to propose whatever number of licenses offerors believe are needed to meet the requirement for the PAI Tool(s).

Answer: Yes

5.Please confirm that offerors are permitted to propose multiple PAI Tools.

Answer: Yes

6.Please confirm that offerors are permitted to include resumes and Letters of Commitment for proposed Key Personnel, and that these items do not count against the 20-page limit.

Answer: In reference to the Technical Volume for FAR 52.212-1, adding resumes and Letters of Commitment would be included within the 20-page limit.

7.Specific to unpopulated Joint Ventures, please confirm that evidence of a Top Secret FCL from both entities is sufficient to meet the requirement of an active TS FCL (Reference: GSA Polaris and OASIS+ Acquisitions).

Answer: FCL level required is Top Secret. The liaisons must be SCI eligible to be read in at DMAFB in order to have SCIF access and fulfill classified duties.

8.Specific to unpopulated Joint Ventures, please confirm that offerors should include information for both entities as subcontractors, in addition to the JV’s information as the prime contractor on the draft DD254.

Answer: Yes, include all information for both entities as subcontractors, in addition to the JV’s information as the prime contractor on the draft DD254.

9.Does the Government intend to evaluate the efficacy of proposed PAI Tools? There is no mention of how proposed tools will be evaluated to determine whether they legitimately meet the Government’s requirements as defined in PWS 1.1.3.2.

Answer: No there will be no evaluation of the PAI tools by the Government.

10.Is this a new opportunity, or is there an incumbent?

Answer: No, and there is an incumbent.

11.If there is an incumbent, who is the company?

Answer: Barbaricum

12.Does the completed Attachment 5 - DD-254 count toward the 20 pages allowed for the Technical Volume? As a blank DD-254 is three pages, recommend allowing the completed DD-254 be submitted as a Appendix that does not count against the Technical Volume page count.

Answer: No

13.Will the government allow administrative elements of the written proposal, such as the cover page and table of contents, to be excluded from the page count of each written volume?

Answer: No

14.Section 1.a. of the Evaluation criteria and PWS Paragraph 1.2.14.21.1 indicate that the Offeror’s Facility Clearance (FCL) must be at the Top Secret (TS/SCI) level. Per DD-254, Facility Clearance levels are Top Secret, Secret, and Confidential; SCI eligibility is determined at the personnel security level. Please confirm that the FCL level required is Top Secret (not SCI).

Answer: FCL level required is Top Secret. The liaisons must be SCI eligible to be read in at DMAFB in order to have SCIF access and fulfill classified duties.

15.Do you currently use an existing social media tool suite? If so, what are current social media tools being used?

Answer: The tool suite includes Air Force PAI toolkit, OpenIO, and Vannevar Labs (demo). AFPAITK is ACC funded currently.

16. For PWS Paragraph 1.1.3.2 is the contractor responsible for procuring commercial proprietary technologies? If so, can you provide an estimate of the number and/or type of licenses needed.

Answer: Yes, the contractor is responsible for procuring commercial proprietary technologies. The number and type of licenses is dependent on what the offerors believe are needed to meet the PAI tool requirement and as previously specified in the Q&A as 9 licenses: to provide leading-edge commercial proprietary due diligence analysis, market-leading social media exploitation software applications, and geolocation-based entity resolution solutions which enable construction and verification of targets' patterns of life.

17. For PWS Paragraph 1.1.3.3 can you provide an estimate to the anticipated number of requests and potential frequency of these requests? Or are they more ad hoc, and occur occasionally?

Answer: These types of requests to support an outside theater are more ad hoc and usually requested if the effects of adversary activity could potentially impact the USSOUTHCOM AOR. The contractor will get requests for a similar type of in-depth research and target development more frequently (quarterly) for targets within the AOR but could fluctuate based on current operations or AOC, 12AF (AFSOUTH), and USSOUTHCOM lines of effort.

18. For PWS Paragraph 1.1.5.k can you please clarify the meaning and/or intent? It states "Contractor liaisons must be capable of analytic development of 27 all-source, Government analysts." Are the Contractor Liaisons mentoring the 27 analysts, training the analysts, managing the analysts, or developing products for the analysts?

Answer: The contractor liaisons would be responsible for mentoring, training, and developing products with the all-source analysts throughout the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Division (ISRD), but more so within the Special Threats & Analysis team in the Target Office. The number does fluctuate as members are assigned to/from the ISRD. The contractor liaisons would not be responsible for supervising or rating on members.

19.For PWS Paragraph 1.1.5.1 are Contractor Liaison limited to only using government furnished computers to execute contract aligned activities.

Answer: Yes

20. For PWS Paragraph 1.1.5.1.c is the selection and installation of technologies limited only to those that can go on government furnished computers. If so, do you have available a list, or can one be provided on award of a list of approved technologies that can go on government furnished computers.

Answer: Yes, the installation of technologies would be limited to those that can go on government systems. There are processes to request new applications to be approved for government systems that can be coordinated with the 612 Air Operations Center Weapons System Manager and the 12AF Intelligence Directorate Information Systems (A2Y) office, although it can be a lengthy process.

21. For PWS Paragraph 1.1.5.1.c regarding the selection and installation of technologies, what are the number and type of licenses the contract liaison would be responsible for selecting. Is the CLIN line regarding PAI Tools the anticipated cost of the selected tool or will the contract liaison work with a 612 AOC procurement agent.

Answer: The CLIN is the anticipated cost of the selected toolkit associated with the current contract which was competed back in 2019 and it is up to the individual offeror to propose accordingly.

22. For PWS Paragraph 1.1.5.1.e regarding travel, can you provide an estimate on the frequency of travel events compared to the overall level of effort.

Answer: The frequency of travel depends on current operations and lines of effort across the 612th AOC, 12th Air Force (AFSOUTH), and the Combatant Command. On average, the contractor may travel once a quarter.

23. Can you confirm that the proposal evaluation method for is a Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable model?

Answer: Yes, LPTA will be the evaluation model.

24.Can you please clarify the number of expected personnel (FTEs) to support this effort. The Combined Synopsis/Solicitation contains CLIN pairings (Service+Tool/Travel) to support five (5) FTEs, while the PWS states a requirement for only two (2) Contract Liaisons (i.e. FTEs) with no reference to the overall number of PAI Tools.

Answer: Two Expected Contract Liaisons. The CLIN outlines the anticipated cost of the selected toolkit associated with the current contract which was competed back in 2019 and it is up to the individual offeror to propose accordingly. The total number of tools/licenses is 9 licenses.

25. The Combined Synopsis/Solicitation has CLINs for 5 PAI Tools. Is the intent for the PAI tool to be a single user license tied to the Analytic Support and Liaison Services line, or a transferable "enterprise" license assigned to members associated with the 612 AOC.

Answer: Transferable "enterprise" license assigned to members associated with the 612 AOC with a total of 9 licenses as previously addressed throughout this Q&A.

26.What is the required FCL, TS or TS/SCI? Page 16 of the PWS (para. 1.2.14.21.1) says TS/SCI, which indicates the contractor will be required to service their own TS/SCI clearances.

Answer: FCL level required is Top Secret. The liaisons must be SCI eligible to be read in at DMAFB in order to have SCIF access and fulfill classified duties.

27. Is there a required data safeguarding level (DSL)?

Answer: The SSO has indicated that the question is not applicable. The contractors would only be working on the government systems and would not need to store data elsewhere.

28. Is there an available listing of Government recommended or Government acceptable PAI tools?

Answer: The tool suite includes Air Force PAI toolkit, OpenIO, and Vannevar Labs (demo). AFPAITK is ACC funded currently.

29.What PAI tool is currently being used?

Answer: The tool suite includes Air Force PAI toolkit, OpenIO, and Vannevar Labs (demo). AFPAITK is ACC funded currently.

30.What is the annual price for the PAI tool currently being used?

Answer: USD 194,400.00

31. Due to the tradecraft and targeting aspects of this work, is the Government expecting submission of classified responses from interested Offerors?

Answer: No

32. Is this a follow-on contract?

Answer: Yes

33. If yes, who is the incumbent and what is the contract number?

Answer: Barbaricum and FA487719FA140

34. If this is a follow-on to a previous contract, what aspects of the work are new?

Answer: The new contract requires experience and mentorship in the area of Strategic Competition in addition to targeting, counter terrorism, and counter narcotics. The addition of strategic competition analytic support and mentorship will aid AFSOUTH/612 AOC to confront external state actors, regional malign actors, and VEO and TCO threat networks as ordered by the USSOUTHCOM Commander.

35. Please confirm that there are no requirements in the Offeror's response for past performance examples or past performance questionnaires.

Answer: There are no requirements for past performance examples or past performance questionnaires; however, the government reserves the right to thoroughly examine each offerors past performance IAW 52.212-1.

36. Please confirm that Offerors are not required to submit Key Personnel resumes at the time of response.

Answer: Offerors are not required to submit Key Personnel resumes at the time of response

37. Please confirm that this effort is for 2 FTEs on-site at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.

Answer: Confirmed