Attachment 3. Section L Amendment 01.pdf

Attachment 3 Amendment 01

Section L - Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors

L.1 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

This section provides instructions to the offerors for the preparation and submission of proposals in response to this solicitation for the Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) Follow - On Effort. The Government will conduct this acquisition using Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services RFO Part 12.2 Solicitation, Evaluation, and Award – RFO 12.201 Solicitation Procedures (FAR Overhaul effective date 1 February 2026) and will solicit proposals under a Small Business Set Aside.

Offerors are responsible for carefully reviewing this solicitation and all attachments before submitting a proposal. Failure to comply with any of these instructions may result in the offer being deemed non-responsive and ineligible for award. The Government shall determine the best value where the Technical Capability is more important than Past Performance. Technical Capability, when combined with Past Performance, are significantly more important than Cost/Price.

The Government anticipates awarding a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) for Labor CLINs & Time and Material (T&M) for Other Direct Costs (ODCs) Tools and Travel, and A&AS contract for:

One (1) year base with two (2) one-year option periods, IAW with RFO 52.217-9 (Option to Extend the term of the Contract). The contract will include a six (6) month extension IAW RFO 52.217-8 (Option to Extend Services). This contract action will be a follow- on for Services Engineering Technical Advisory Support (SETA) for DoD Cyber Crime Center (DC3).

1. Base Year: 12 months (6 Sep 2026 – 5 Sep 2027)

2. Option Period 1: 12 months (6 Sep 2027 – 5 Sep 2028)

3. Option Period 2: 12 months (6 Sep 2028 – 5 Sep 2029)

4. Option to Extend Services (RFO 52.217-8): 6 months (6 Sep 2029 – 5 Mar 2030)

Offerors are solely responsible for all costs associated with the preparation and submission of their proposals.

The Government reserves the right to:

• Reject any or all proposals received.

• Waive any minor informality or irregularity in any proposal received.

• Conduct discussions with offerors whose proposals are determined to be within the competitive range.

• Award a contract without discussion. Therefore, offerors are encouraged to submit their best and final offer with their initial proposal.

• Make an award to other than the offeror submitting the lowest-priced proposal.

All information contained in this solicitation is subject to change. Offerors are responsible for monitoring SAM.Gov for any amendments or updates.

All proposals must be submitted electronically to both Point of Contacts listed below.

1.1 POINT OF CONTACT (POC)

The Contracting Officer (CO) and the Contract Specialists (CS) are the sole points of contact for this acquisition. All questions regarding this acquisition shall be in writing via email, citing and being directed to the following:

Contracting Officer:

Joycelyn Roux: joycelyn.roux@us.af.mil

Contract Specialists:

SSgt. Cole Santee: cole.santee@us.af.mil

Questions for the Solicitation must be submitted via email to the CO and CS no later than the due date - 28 April 2026 10:00 A.M EST. All questions be identified with the Solicitation number in the subject line of the email. Responses to questions will be posted on SAM.GOV. Questions received after that date may not be considered.

Please consolidate questions into as few emails as possible. The Government is not obligated to provide responses to all questions submitted by Offerors; however, will consider the questions received by the Solicitation questions submission due date and time, consolidate them, and provide responses to all parties through SAM.GOV.

*Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.

1.2 PRELIMINARY GUIDANCE

Offerors are required to meet all solicitation requirements, including terms and conditions, representations and certifications, and technical requirements, in addition to those identified as evaluation factors or subfactors. Failure to meet a requirement may result in an Offeror being ineligible for award. If an Offeror believes the requirements in these instructions contain an error, omission, or are otherwise unsound, the Offeror shall immediately notify the CO in writing with supporting rationale. Deviations from the instructions will be reviewed by the CO to ensure that no Offeror receives a competitive advantage.

1.3 EXCEPTIONS

Exceptions to this solicitation are not permitted.

1.4 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION DUE DATE AND TIME

The entire and complete proposal, composed of Volumes I, II, III, and V. shall be submitted in IAW date and time stated in Block 8 of solicitation (21 May 2026 10:00 A.M. EST). With the exception Volume IV Factor II Past Performance shall be submitted (8 May 2026 10:00 A.M.

EST.) Submission must be received prior to or no later the closing dates as stated above, or they will be considered late and will not be evaluated.

1.6 MARKINGS

Offerors shall apply all appropriate markings including those prescribed in accordance with RFO 52.215-1(e), Restriction on Disclosure and Use of Data, and RFO 3.104-4, Disclosure, Protection, and Marking of Contractor Bid or Proposal Information and Source Selection Information. Classified information will not be permitted.

1.7 SOLICITATION RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must be clear, coherent, aligned to requirements, and contain sufficient detail for an effective evaluation of the proposal against the evaluation criteria. Proposals shall cover all aspects of this solicitation and include the Offeror’s approach for providing all personnel, equipment, supplies, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to provide support services to the DC3 requirements as those are set forth in the request for proposals. Offeror proposals must clearly demonstrate how all requirements will be met and must provide convincing rationale and substantiation of all claims.

The proposal shall not simply rephrase or restate the Government’s requirements.

Elaborate brochures or other presentations beyond those sufficient to present a complete effective response to the solicitation are not necessary and not desired.

L.2 PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION

2.1 VOLUMES

The proposal shall be accompanied by a cover letter prepared on company letterhead. The cover letter shall identify all enclosures being transmitted and shall be used only to transmit the proposal and shall include no other information. The cover letter shall be a separate document and will not be counted in the page limitations. Only proposals submitted in accordance with these instructions will be accepted.

Proposal Volume Organization

Volume Volume Title ITO Para Ref

Page Limit

I. Administrative Submission Narrative of Offeror 2 pages Contract Documentation Signed SF -1449 and/or any SF 30s N/A

Security Requirement (DD254) N/A Representations and Certifications, Identification and Assertions N/A

Organizational Conflict of Interest Mitigation Plan (if applicable)

N/A

II. Gate Gate 1: Key Personnel and Security Clearance 4 pages

III. Factor I - Technical Subfactor 1: Technical Approach 10 pages Subfactor 2: Management Approach 2 pages Subfactor 3: Project Staffing Approach 1 page

IV. Factor II - Past Performance 13 pages

V. Factor III - Cost/Price N/A Cost/Price Narrative and Disclosure Documents

2.2 PROPOSAL FORMAT

2.2.1 Page and Font

Text shall be single-spaced with a minimum one-inch margin all around. Pages shall be numbered consecutively with numbering on the bottom right corner of each page. Print shall be a minimum 12-point Times New Roman font size. Headers and Footers may use a font size smaller than 12-point as long as they are easily readable. Bolding, underlining, and italics may be used to identify topic demarcations or points of emphasis. Graphic presentations, including tables, while not subject to the same font size and spacing requirements, shall have spacing and text that is easily readable. Each volume in the proposal shall include a title page and table of contents. The table of contents shall list sections, subsections, and page numbers. Each volume shall contain a glossary of all abbreviations and acronyms used and listing of tables, drawings, diagrams and/or figures. Each acronym used shall be spelled out in the text the first time it appears in each proposal volume.

2.2.2 Page Limitations

Page limitations shall be treated as maximums. The cover letter, title page, table of contents, table of figures, list of tables, and glossary of abbreviations and acronyms for each volume, and resumes do not count against page count limitations. Proposal contents that exceed the stated page limitations will be removed from the proposal by the CO prior to turning the proposal over to the Government evaluation teams and will not be considered in the evaluation.

2.2.3 Electronic Copies

Text and graphics portions of the electronic copies shall be in a format readable by Microsoft (MS) Word, Microsoft Excel, and/or Adobe Acrobat. The Offeror must ensure that the submission is readable in the format specified in the solicitation and has been verified free of computer viruses.

L.3 VOLUME I, ADMINISTRATIVE SUBMISSION

Contractor/offeror shall ensure Volume I have:

3.1 Completed SF 1449 (Solicitation, Offer, and Award) and signed SF 30 (Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract acknowledging all amendments.

3.2 Completed DD Form 254 (Department of Defense Contract Security Classification Specification). Contractor is required to minimally hold an active facility clearance level of TOP SECRET with safeguarding at SECRET. Offeror shall complete the DD 254 (Block 6 and 8). See attached DD Form 254 Attachment 2 of solicitation for details. To be eligible for award, an Offeror must have the required clearance at the receipt of proposal submission. Sponsorship will not be granted.

3.3 Identification and Assertions: All contractors are required to submit Identification and Assertions IAW Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation (DFARS) 252.227-7014 if applicable.

3.4 Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI) Mitigation Plan (if applicable): Offerors are required to identify any actual or potential Conflict of Interest. The successful Offeror shall prepare an OCI Mitigation Plan, if applicable. If no actual or potential conflict of interest exists, the Offeror shall state as such in this volume.

L.4 VOLUME II. GATE SUBMITTAL

Gate 1: Key Personnel and Security Clearance:

One (1) Key Personnel is required - within the eight (8) FTEs total for the base year, identify one (1) Senior Cybersecurity Engineer as the Key Personnel/team lead.

One (1) Key Personnel is required for each of the Option Years (OYs) - OY1, OY2, and RFO 52.217-8 – out of the five (5) FTEs, identify one (1) Senior Cybersecurity Engineer as Key Personnel/team lead.

In the event the Key Personnel is different on the option years - please submit the resume at time of change if is applicable for the option year(s).

Offerors must submit a resume for proposed Key Personnel only as defined in Appendix A of the SOW and follow instructions outlined in the Section L of the solicitation. At the time of proposal submission, proposed Key Personnel must possess a current and active Top Secret (TS) security clearance. Proposals that do not include resumes demonstrating this requirement and who have not followed the Section L instructions for submitting security clearances for Key Personnel will be considered technically unacceptable and will not be evaluated further.

Resumes will be no more than 2 pages each (per 2.2.2 above, resumes are not counted against overall proposal page length).

Offerors must address how the proposed Key Personnel meet the specified qualifications (1 page).

Provide succession plan for Key Personnel, outlining how the Offeror will ensure continuity of operations in the event of a vacancy (1 page).

All labor categories must have a top-secret clearance.

Instructions for submitting clearance:

Email ONLY DC3 Security office at BTO.SECURITY.OFFICE@us.af.mil the following information.

o Ensure to Provide the Person(s): Name, Social Security Number, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Clearance Level, Type of Investigation, Date Investigation Closed, Technical Point of Contact, Please include the purpose of Submission: (DC3 SETA Follow On GATE

– Clearance Verification)

Email Confirmation of Security Clearance Submission to:

o Joycelyn Roux @ joycely.roux@us.af.mil and o SSgt. Cole Santee: cole.santee@us.af.mil

L.5 VOLUME III, FACTOR I – TECHNICAL

Technical proposal shall be provided electronically:

4.1 Factor I Technical shall consist of:

Subfactor 1: Technical Approach

Subfactor 2: Management Approach

Subfactor 3: Project Staffing Approach

4.1.1 Subfactor 1 - Technical Approach: The Technical Approach section of offeror’s proposal is critical to demonstrating the offeror’s understanding of the DC3 mission and the offeror’s ability to successfully execute the requirements outlined in this SOW. The offeror shall submit documentation illustrating their approach to satisfy the requirements of this solicitation.

Offeror’s response should be clear, coherent, concise, and prepared in sufficient detail for effective evaluation of the offeror’s proposal against the evaluation criteria. This documentation shall cover all aspects of this solicitation and include the offeror’s approach and clearly demonstrate how the offeror intends to accomplish the requirements and must include convincing rationale and substantiation of all claims directly addressing the following key areas.

Avoid simply restating requirements; instead, demonstrate how you will accomplish the tasks.

4.1.1.1 Thoroughly detail offeror’s approach to providing DC3 Support, specifically addressing sections 2.5.1 and section 2.6.1 of the SOW. Explain how you will provide engineering and technical analysis support, process improvement and transition planning, cyber operations analysis, developmental technical project support (R&D), and technical project management.

Demonstrate the offeror’s understanding of relevant DoD and AF guidance and outline the offeror’s proposed methods for ensuring the reliability, maintainability, and affordability of DC3 systems. Provide concrete examples of how the offeror will leverage the offeror’s expertise to rapidly modernize or update DC3 systems using prototype agile delivery models.

4.1.1.2 Proposal should highlight offeror’s commitment to quality control and the offeror’s understanding of the importance of adhering to established standards and regulations. Describe the offeror’s approach to quality control and explain how you will ensure that all services are performed IAW this SOW, applicable laws and regulations, and best commercial practices. Detail the offeror’s plan for proactively identifying and preventing defective services and explain how you will ensure the continuous improvement of the offeror’s performance throughout the contract period.

4.1.2 Subfactor 2 - Management Approach: The contractor shall provide a plan that demonstrates the capability to staff, recruit, retain and replace personnel with the experience required to perform the full rate of tasks defined in the SOW. Management/staffing approach/plan should include proposed organizational structure (including key personnel, project staffing) and the processes and procedures necessary to ensure all required personnel resources are provided to successfully accomplish program requirements. Approach to fully support contract requirements during authorized staff abases while employees are temporarily away from work for more than 30 calendar days. The contractor shall articulate their approach for a stable workforce throughout the duration of the contract, by maintaining a 10% or less employee turnover rate.

4.1.3 Subfactor 3 - Project Staffing Approach:

Offerors must address how the proposed project staffing meets the specified qualifications.

4.1.3.1 Staffing Approach/Plan: Proposal must clearly demonstrate the offeror’s understanding of the personnel requirements outlined in Section 2.0 in the SOW. Describe the offeror’s approach to identifying and assigning qualified personnel to each role and explain how you will ensure that all personnel meet the minimum qualifications and security clearance requirements. Detail the offeror’s strategy for fostering a cohesive and effective team and explain how you will ensure that all team members possess the necessary skills and experience to successfully execute the requirements of this SOW.

4.1.3.2 Describe the offerors approach to identifying the following required FTEs IAW the SOW: Key Personnel for the Base Year - eight (8) FTEs; for OY1, OY2, and RFO 52.217-8 -five (5) FTEs: (Labor Categories: Senior Cybersecurity Engineer(s) (one (1) minimum) and Mid-level Cyber Security Engineers) Proposal must clearly demonstrate an understanding of this staffing reduction in the option years and how the staffing will be adjusted accordingly in the transition into option year one (1) and two (2).

L.6. VOLUME IV: FACTOR II - Past Performance:

Offerors will provide no more than three (3) past performance examples that directly supported cyber operations, law enforcement activities, or counterintelligence within the past five (5) years.

5.1 Offerors must complete Solicitation Attachment 5 – Past Performance Questionnaire to detail and summarize the past performance information requested in this subsection. Offerors may provide three (3) total relevant past performance examples of contract efforts performed with similar size, scope, and complexity (i.e. complete Solicitation Attachment 5 – Past Performance Questionnaire three (3) times). An Offeror’s proposal shall provide examples of past performance that indicates a high expectation that the offeror will successfully perform the required effort. Past Performance examples must have been performed within the past five (5) years.

5.2 Relevant past performance is defined as efforts performed in the past five (5) years that directly relate to the functional areas and key tasks(s) of the Statement of Work (SOW) which are similar to the size, scope, and complexity for this effort.

5.3 Recent past performance is defined as efforts must have at least twelve (12) months of continuous active contract performance within the last five (5) years from the date of issuance of this solicitation. Offerors shall submit information on contracts deemed relevant in demonstrating the ability to perform the full range of capabilities for primary tasks within the

SOW.

5.4 For each contract example identified, the Offeror shall provide at least two of the following Points of Contacts (POCs): Program Manager, Contracting Officer, or Contracting Officer Representative. The Offeror shall provide phone number and e-mail address for each POC identified.

5.5 For each of the contract efforts identified, provide the following narrative information:

a. Description of the contract/task order work statement and effort performed

b. Discussion of how the scope for the contract/task order relates to the solicited effort in scope and complexity

c. Show the relation of the work experience described in the three (3) contract efforts to the corresponding Statement of Work’s task(s)

d. Description of the significant achievements, challenges, or obstacles that were encountered during contract performance and the measures taken to overcome them

5.6 A questionnaire is not required if the identified contracts have an annual rating in CPARS.

Offerors must clearly annotate in Solicitation Attachment 5 – Past Performance Questionnaire that a CPARS rating exists, and the Government will coordinate with the POC to obtain a copy of the report.

5.7 If the Offeror does not have three (3) recent and relevant past performance examples of contract efforts, from which it can provide past performance information, the Offeror shall make such a statement in this section of the proposal.

5.8 In addition to the above, the Government may review any other sources of information for evaluating past performance. Other sources may include, but are not limited to, past performance information retrieved through the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), Electronic Subcontract Reporting System (eSRS) using CAGE/DUNS numbers of team members, and any other known sources not provided by the Offeror.

5.9 While the Government may elect to consider data from other sources, the burden of providing detailed, current, accurate, and complete past performance information rests with the Offeror.

5.10 Offerors shall receive a rating for The Performance Confidence Assessment. The rating is based on the Offeror’s overall record of recency, relevancy, and quality of services assessments.

Offerors will receive one integrated overall Performance Confidence Assessment rating – Past Performance Acceptable or Unacceptable. Note: In the case of an offeror without a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available or so sparse that no meaningful past performance rating can be reasonably lined, the offeror may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on past performance RFO 15.202. Therefore, the offeror shall be determined to have unknown (or "neutral") past performance. In the context of acceptability/unacceptability, a neutral rating shall be considered acceptable.

L.7 VOLUME V - FACTOR III - COST/ PRICE

6.1 General Instructions:

Offerors shall submit data other than certified cost or pricing data in accordance with RFO 15.403-1. This data must support the evaluation of the proposal in accordance with the evaluation criteria in Section M. Proposals must be sufficiently detailed to demonstrate completeness, reasonableness, realism, and balance. Failure to adequately support the Cost/Price Volume may render the proposal ineligible for award.

All cost/price-related content must be confined exclusively to the Cost/Price Volume V. Inclusion of pricing data in other volumes is prohibited.

6.2 Format and Content Requirements

The Cost/Price Volume shall include a Table of Contents referencing page numbers for each section, narrative, and pricing exhibit. This volume shall include the following sections:

Section 1: Introduction Section 2: Subcontractor Summary Section 3: Pricing Support and Narrative Information Section 4: Uniform Pricing Template (UPT) Submission

Offerors shall submit pricing for all Contract Line-Item Numbers (CLINs), covering all labor categories and associated costs. Each proposal shall include:

(Attachment 6 - Price Proposal Format in the Solicitation), showing pricing summary, labor categories, burdened rates, labor hours, and total extended prices.

Clear traceability between rates, pricing summaries, and narrative justifications.

A consolidated rate schedule listing one fully burdened rate per labor category and skill level.

Segregation of pricing by performance period and location.

Pricing must cover the one (1) base year plus two (2) one-year option periods IAW RFO 52.217- 9, Option to Extend the Term of the Contract, plus a six (6)-month extension IAW RFO 52.217- 8, Option to Extend Services.

6.3 Ground Rules and Assumptions

Offerors shall outline all ground rules and assumptions used in pricing the proposal (e.g., contract type, period of performance, delivery schedule, Government Furnished Equipment/Information). All assumptions, qualifications, or scope limitations shall be addressed.

The Offeror shall list and explain any exceptions to the solicitation instructions.

6.4 Estimating Techniques and Methods Ground

The Offeror may use accepted estimating techniques (e.g., cost estimating relationships, parametric models, or analogous historical data). These techniques must be clearly explained in the pricing narrative.

6.5 Rounding

All dollar amounts shall be rounded to the nearest whole cent (e.g. $12.34). Percentages shall be rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent (e.g. 12.34%). Offerors are encouraged to utilize the “Round( )” function in Microsoft Excel to eliminate rounding errors from their proposal, as evidenced in the cost formulas.

6.6 Internal Cost Controls and Accounting System Disclosure (Informational Only)

An approved accounting system is not required. However, Offerors shall briefly describe internal processes used to estimate and support proposed pricing. If available, Offerors may include a DCAA/DCMA adequacy letter for informational purposes.

6.7 Subcontractor Analysis

The Prime Offeror shall evaluate subcontractor pricing for consistency, reasonableness, and relationship to the overall proposal. A pricing summary and narrative shall be submitted for each subcontractor.

Subcontractor pricing narratives may be submitted under separate cover.

6.8 Pricing Support and Narrative

Offerors shall explain the basis for their proposed prices. This includes labor rate build-up (to include direct labor, fringe, indirect, and profit), rationale for escalation, compensation justification for professional labor categories, and relevant benchmarks or methodologies.

Narrative content shall be submitted in Microsoft Word or PDF.

6.9 Proposal Accuracy

Ensure consistency across pricing files and narrative content. All values should be mathematically correct and traceable.

6.10 Narrative Support

Each proposed price element must be accompanied by narrative rationale that clearly supports the value proposed. This includes methodology, assumptions, and relevant benchmarking.

6.11 Compliance

Failure to comply with submission requirements may render the proposal incomplete or noncompliant. Pricing data must be complete, logical, and traceable. All required pricing and supporting documentation shall be submitted only in Volume V.

The Government will evaluate the Cost/Price Volume for completeness, reasonableness, price realism, balance, and Total Evaluated Price (TEP).

6.12 Direct Rates and Indirect Rates

Offerors shall submit one fully burdened labor rate per labor category and skill level. Each rate should be supported by an explanation of how the rate was developed, including relevant components (e.g., fringe, overhead, G&A, and profit). Offerors shall clearly indicate any profit included in their fully burdened rates. This is not a cost audit—support is for price realism assessment only.

6.12.1 Direct Labor Rates

Direct labor rates shall reflect current or projected rates for the performance period. For composite or blended rates, Offerors shall describe the method used, rationale, and source of the rate data.

6.12.2 Indirect Rates

The Government will not evaluate indirect cost pools but may review indirect components to understand the build-up of proposed fully burdened labor rates. If available, Offerors may submit:

6.12.2.1 FPRA documentation

6.12.2.2 PBRs

6.12.2.3 Narrative with historical billing data (e.g., 6 months of actuals)

This information may assist in assessing the realism of fully burdened rates but will not be evaluated separately. For fringe benefits, the Government will assess total compensation using federal government standards, BLS, or similar industry data to evaluate whether the proposed compensation for professional employees is sufficient and competitive.

6.12.3 Escalation Rates

Offerors shall clearly identify labor escalation rates by year. The rationale shall be included in the pricing narrative. Government may use public indices (e.g., CPI, ECI) to assess reasonableness.

6.13 Uniform Pricing Template (UPT) Instructions – Submission Requirements

Offerors shall complete the Government-provided UPT. It must contain live formulas and align with narrative explanations. Offerors may add fields to enhance clarity but must retain structure and traceability. UPTs must remain editable—locked or protected files are unacceptable. The UPT shall represent the Offeror’s official proposed pricing. The Government will rely on the UPT for evaluation of TEP.

END OF SECTION L