FA4890-14-R-0024_CN GT_Training_Qs As_2_Feb_15.docx

SOLICITATION No. FA4890-14-R-0024 CN & GT Training Support Services

Who provides the required flight equipment 1.students and 2. Contractor personnel There is no contradiction here. Paragraph 1.1.4 states that the students will already have the required items specified in that paragraph, and paragraph 1.8.1 describes the items that the contractor shall provide the specified items for contractor personnel.

Para 3.2.1

Para 3.3

Question: Will the Government please provide a copy of the current and/or proposed QASP with solicitation documents.

The QASP will be provided with the final RFP.

Question: There is no paragraph 3.4.4.6 , however there is a paragraph 3.5.4.6 that discusses Quality Manual requirements. Please confirm and/or adjust this reference.

The correct PWS reference is paragraph 3.5.4.7.

Question: Do these certified entities comply with the Government requirements?

Question: In case these certified entities do not comply with the Government requirements, do we need to certify the bid entity, the project, or the company at the corporate level?

Offerors shall be compliant in accordance with PWS paragraph 3.1.1. Please note the changes to this paragraph.

Section 52.219-9 of the FAR provides the requirements for a Small Business Subcontracting Plan. Establishment of Small Business goals is defined In FAR 52.219-9(d)(1) as follows: "Goals, expressed in terms of percentages of total planned subcontracting dollars, for the use of small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns as subcontractors. The offeror shall include all subcontracts that contribute to contract performance, and may include a proportionate share of products and services that are normally allocated as indirect costs."

Further, the SBA Final Rule dated 7/16/2013 added 125.3(a)(2) to the Code of Federal Regulations as follows: “Subcontracting goals required under paragraph (c) of this section must be established in terms of the total dollars subcontracted and as a percentage of total subcontract dollars. However, a contracting officer may establish additional goals as a percentage of total contract dollars.”

Question: Given that both the FAR and CFR regulations require Small Business Subcontracting goals as a percentage of subcontracted dollars, will the Small Business goal requirement for this solicitation be modified accordingly to measure Small Business goals as a percentage of subcontracted dollars?

This contract is set aside for small businesses, and FAR 52.219-9 does not apply to small business concerns.

This RFP does not include a Section H paragraph regarding Small Business Subcontracting Goals (that is only included in the Operations and Logistics Support RFP).

Tab Year 1(23 Dec 15-22 Dec 16) Question: Is it the Government’s intention that the contractor should add a tab for each year of the period of performance?

No. The Government has included tabs/worksheets for each year of performance in Table B-1. The updated Table B-1 has been posted to FBO.

Tab Year 1(23 Dec 15-22 Dec 16) Column C & M Question: We have assumed that the columns labeled “Multiplier” on the Labor Table represents hours. Is this a correct assumption? If not, what is the unit of measure?

The multiplier is 1,920 for CONUS (hourly) Rates (based on 4 weeks off (2 weeks of federal holidays and 2 weeks of vacation time)) and 240 for OCONUS (daily) Rates (also based on 4 weeks off per previous). The updated Table B-1 has been posted to FBO.

Tab Year 1(23 Dec 15-22 Dec 16) Column D & N Question: We have assumed that the columns labeled “Percent” on the Labor Table represent an allocation of the hours from the “Multiplier” columns. Is this correct?

The percentage columns have been removed in Table B-1. The updated Table B-1 has been posted to FBO.

Tab Year 1(23 Dec 15-22 Dec 16) Cell A69 Question: We are assuming that the Indirect Rates for “Travel” should include mobilization, demobilization, R&R & other business travel. Is this correct?

Please refer to FAR 31.205-46.

Tab Year 1(23 Dec 15-22 Dec 16) Cell A70 Question: We are assuming that the Indirect Rates for “Materials” should include Health & Safety items, Office Supplies and other misc. costs of doing business. Is this a correct assumption?

Please refer to FAR 31.205-26.

Tab Year 1(23 Dec 15-22 Dec 16) Cell A71 Question: We are assuming that the Indirect Rates for “Subcontracts” should include subcontracted costs that are not included in the labor rates for the Labor Categories provided and the costs associated with executing those contracts. Is this a correct assumption?

Please refer to FAR part 31

Tab Year 1(23 Dec 15-22 Dec 16) Question: May additional rows be added to the Indirect Cost section? For example, if some Labor Categories require a higher DBA rate than others. OR should this be an average of all DBA?

The Government has added two “Optional” columns for Offerors to accommodate various disclosed practices of price build up for labor. See RFP paragraph L-9.1.1. However, the Government is not allowing for additional rows to be added to the Indirect Rate(s) sections.

Tab Year 1(23 Dec 15-22 Dec 16) Section G&A Cost in Indirect Rates Question: The formula for G&A is multiplying the G&A rate by the Multiplier instead of the OH Cost. We assume that this should be using the OH Cost column. Is this a correct assumption?

The Government has reviewed any cells containing a formula and believes all items reference the correct cells.

Please note that per RFP L-9.1, “…the burden of providing mathematically accurate and complete pricing proposals (total overall evaluated price) using the format provided in Section B, Table B-1 rests with each Offeror).”

Tab Year 1(23 Dec 15-22 Dec 16) Total for Indirect Rates section Question: The formula for the Total of Indirect Rates is adding across the whole row and includes the multiplier in the total. We are assuming that the multiplier column should not be included in the total. Is this a correct assumption?

The Government has reviewed any cells containing a formula and believes all items reference the correct cells.

Please note that per RFP L-9.1, “…the burden of providing mathematically accurate and complete pricing proposals (total overall evaluated price) using the format provided in Section B, Table B-1 rests with each Offeror).”

Tab Year 1(23 Dec 15-22 Dec 16) Cell L63 Question: The formula for the Total CONUS labor adds the column for the Total cost of OCONUS labor. We are assuming that this should be pulling from Column I, Total Cost CONUS. Is this a correct assumption?

The Government has reviewed any cells containing a formula and believes all items reference the correct cells.

Please note that per RFP L-9.1, “…the burden of providing mathematically accurate and complete pricing proposals (total overall evaluated price) using the format provided in Section B, Table B-1 rests with each Offeror).”

Tab Year 1(23 Dec 15-22 Dec 16) & PWS Paragraph 2.5.1 Duty Hours states:-”If required, the Contractor shall provide service and support for 24 hours a day/7 days per week as directed by the responsible CO or written designee.”

Question: As stated in the Pricing instructions, OCONUS rates are daily unit rates. Is this daily unit rate to be priced assuming a 10 hour workday, 12 hour workday, 24 hour workday? Please provide direction.

The Government will not provide the number of hours per day expected for the OCONUS (daily) labor rates. This is a performance-based requirement; therefore, the Government expects that offerors will propose varying approaches and therefore propose varying hours based on those approaches.

Tab Year 1(23 Dec 15-22 Dec 16) Column B Question: We have assumed that the columns labeled “Multiplier” on the Indirect Rate(s) Table represents the combined totals of the CONUS and OCONUS Labor Rate Table for all rows in the Indirect Rate(s) Table. Is this correct?

No. The information in the Indirect Rate(s) section of each worksheet is independent of the labor section.

Section L-5.3.6 of the most recent draft RFP states a requirement to provide ISO registration verification - identical to the previous (23 Dec) draft ("L-5.3.6 Pages Not Included in Page Count. The organizational chart, acronym list, ISO registration verification, ..."). In the previously released Q&A, Question 48 and other ISO Registration-related questions were answered, " The Government is still considering its approach for ISO registration vs. ISO compliance."

The way this requirement is stated in the Training RFP (#-24) is not consistent with the way the identical requirement is (and was previously) stated in the Ops/Log RFP (#23).

In the Ops/Log RFP (#-23), the ISO 9001 registration requirement is specifically stated in 4 places:

1) L-5.3.6 (consistent with #24), but also...

2) the table in L-7.3 (Tech Volume requirements),

3) L-7.3.1.3 (QMS requirements, part of Tech Vol), and

4) M-3.2.1.3 (QMS evaluation methodology).

For the Training Support Services ID/IQ, Offerors shall comply with PWS paragraph 3.1.1, which is different than this same paragraph in the Operations and Logistics Support ID/IQ.

a) What is the rationale for making this a total Small Business set-aside award, vice Full & Open and SBSA multiple award like Operations & Logistics?

b) For the past 3 years the approach for the Training award has been a mixed award (Large and Small businesses). Why the last minute change to a total Small Business set-aside award?

a) Market research proved that there are capable small businesses to do a Small Business Set-Aside.

b) The Government, specifically ACC AMIC, determined that it was in the best interest of the Government to conduct their own Market Research and not rely on data that is over three years old.