Questions and Answers to FA7014-11-T-5001

QUESTIONS & RESPONSES FOR

Solicitation FA7014-11-T-5001

Conference Planner, Global Medical Readiness Symposium (GMRS)

Questions as of 31 January 2011

Question 1: Having reviewed this solicitation and PWS in detail I am confused regarding one area. Please reference CLIN 0003 and PWS 2.1.16 page 13: Is the correct interpretation of the CLIN and PWS that the contractor shall arrange for, oversee and insure success for the serving of snacks but not be responsible for paying for them? Please clarify or expand on the thinking behind provision of and payment for light snacks.

Government Response: Conference Planner shall be responsible for arranging, overseeing, and insuring successful food & beverage service outlined in Sections 2.1.16.1 and 2.1.16.2. The Contractor is responsible for these food & beverage cost and should be included their proposal.

Question 2: Should the fixed base price include just management cost of site selection, planning, registration, onsite etc according to the statement of work, or should the price include the affiliate cost of name badges, onsite materials, web-hosting all of the other component parts outlined in the performance work statement or are those pass through cost determined after the selection of the conference planner and venue.

Government Response: Contractor should provide a proposal which is easy to understand and clearly articulates their technical capabilities. In addition, Contractors should provide a sound price breakdown to assist the Government evaluator(s) in determining price reasonableness

Question 3: We would like to request the following regarding solicitation FA7014-11-T-5001 for Conference

Planner, Global Medical Readiness Symposium:

1. Name of the current (or last) contractor

2. Schedule B CLIN pricing for the current (or last) contract. (If not available, please provide the contract’s annual dollar value.) Please include the Contract Number, and the time period that the pricing represents.

3. Abstract/list of bids from the last competition (if available)

Government Response: Contract GS-23F-0092 via Delivery Order FA7014-08-F-A017 was awarded to

Giuffrida Associates Inc with a total value of $790,277.96 covering a 14 Jan 2008 – 30 Sep 2008 Base Year and two individual option periods (1 Oct 2008 – 30 Sep 2009 & 1 Oct 2009 – 30 Sep 2010.) Per

Contracting Officer’s request, you will need to submit a FOIA submission in order to receive pricing abstract and bid competition information. POC is: Gary Holman (Phone: 202-767-7970), location is

Bolling AFB, Anocostia Annex, DC Mr. Holman should be able to guide you with further instructions on distributing the FOIA request.

Question 4: Once the venue contract is negotiated, who signs the contract...the Air Force or the Conference

Planning Company? Also we note in the contract documents for Supplies and Services ODCs you have a not to exceed dollar amount of $37,500 for light refreshments including the ice breaker reception; audio visual equipment and support, printing costs and general administrative supplies. This same NTE number is carried forward in each of the option years on the assumption these costs will remain constant without knowing where the meeting will be and what the costs will be for these items at a venue. We need some clarification on this matter. Is the contractor expected the "eat" any additional costs?

Government Response: The Conference Planning Company will sign the venue contract. Although it is never the Government’s intent to cause a vendor to lose money be aware this contract will be written as

Firm-Fixed Priced with this contract type placing upon the contractor maximum risk and full responsibility for all costs and resulting profit or loss and provides maximum incentive for the contractor to control costs and perform effectively. Market research conducted by the Government suggests this $37,500 to be reasonable however if this cost is unrealistic in the views of potential contractors then elaborate your findings in your proposal.

Question 5: Is the meeting planner limited to a budget of $37,500 for refreshments (for 1000 people for 4 days), AV equipment and services, printing and admin supplies? Can the initial conference dates be changed if no venue has the required conference space and rooms for the time frame noted in the PWS?

Government Response: Reference question #4 above regarding the $37,500 cost. The 4-day (21 April to

13 June) conference window aligns with on-going Air Force mission requirements and the Government is reluctant to switch dates for this initial period of performance even though the timing is not most optimal.

Question 6: Could you please clarify whether it is the Pricing Section of the Quotation that cannot exceed 10 pages double spaced or the pricing and the Technical Proposal together?

Government Response: Each section, Pricing and Technical should not typically exceed 10 pages each.

The Government reserves the right however to evaluate proposals that might exceed the 10 pg limit as long as there’s viable technical and/or pricing data to support it..

Question 7: Since this is a firm fixed price quote, we presume you want us to address the professional services hours required to meet the PWS and price that total. Is that correct?

Government Response: The Professional Services component should be addressed in CLIN’s 0001, 1001, 2001, 3001, & 4001. The Department of Defense has moved from “Labor Hour” type contracts pricing to Firm

Fixed price. Some contractors tend to use the Labor Hour pricing methodology to support their labor pricing.

Question 8: Also we do not see references requested anywhere in the document…does this mean you do not need past performance references?

Government Response: The Technical Capability portion of the Solicitation states the Contractor shall provide various levels man-power, audio/visual, conference management support, etc… Past Performance reference information is not required however prospective contractors are encouraged to submit past performance data as this information might support the Governments technical evaluation efforts.

Questions as of 2 February 2011

Question 9: Will a registration fee be used to offset the cost of the event?

Government Response: This conference is not charging a fee to the attendees.

Question 10: I understand the event has already been booked for May 2011 and for the option years, in Orlando at the Wyndham. Does this give the incumbent the advantage in costing out the proposal?

Government Response: The Government does not currently have a contract for the Global Medical Readiness

Symposium as Solicitation FA7014-11-T-50001 attempts to secure services. Each proposal will be evaluated based on the Solicitations Lowest Priced Technically Acceptable standards.

Question 11: If the contractor has to sign the hotel contract, who has the facility under contract now?

Government Response: Reference question 3. The Government last had a contract in place up until 30

September 2010?

Question 12: Can a copy of the hotel contract or MOU agreement be provided?

Government Response: Assume this question involves the previous contract the Government had in place up until 30 September 2010? If so, refer to question 3.

Question 13: The 2011 hotel block is open and taking reservations. This will effect 2011 costing out labor and travel for this task.

Government Response: Ambiguous question…no response provided.

Question 14: I also understand many exhibitors have already signed up. Has a fee been developed?

Government Response: This conference is not charging a fee to the DoD attendees. However, exhibitors who elect to attend the Global Medical Readiness Symposium are welcome to contact the selected Conference

Planner to coordiante their respective display space. Understand this is not a cost to be included in the cost of this proposal.

Question 15: Are the cost of light refreshments to cover all 1000 attendees on the contract?

Government Response: Reference questions 4 & 5..

Question 16: How many years has this event been conducted? Is there any history available?

Government Response: Reference question 3.

Question 17: Was this contract considered for an 8-a set-a side?

Government Response: The Governments acquisition strategy was reviewed and approved by the Small

Business Administration on 11 Jan 2011. This requirement is set-aside for 100% small business.

Question 18: How will the cost of the Ice Breaker Social be covered? I do not see any direct references to a conference fee in the PWS. Or the need to process credit cards for payment.

Government Response: This conference is not charging a fee to the attendees.

Question 20: Will the contract cover the travel cost for site visits for the proposed locations for the option years?.

Government Response: Travel cost has been covered in CLIN 0002, 1002, 2002, 3002, & 4002.

Question 21: Once these questions are addressed will there be an extension for submitting the proposal?

Government Response: No extension on the proposal will be made upon posting this final set of questions on

FBO. The original response date 9 Feb 2011 remains unchanged.

Question 22: Please see the attached AF161-205, REG. I am not sure this will apply to this event. But it has been my experience all AF events must be approved prior to obtaining contractor support. If this event has been approved, can a copy be provided? Also will this apply? The Air Force requires its components sponsoring a formal conference to pay for the entire costs from their O&M budgets without attempting to recover costs through registration fees. (AFI 65-601v1, paragraph 4.42. reference I.D.1.) The Air

Force has not yet changed its instruction, but AF position is to collect conference fees in accordance with the DoD

FMR. Air Force agencies wishing to collect conference fees should coordinate with their FM for further guidance.

Government Response: According to AFI 61-205, SPONSORING OR CO-SPONSORING, CONDUCTING, AND PRESENTING DOD-RELATED SCIENTIFIC PAPERS AT UNCLASSIFIED AND CLASSIFIED

CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIA, AND OTHER SIMILAR MEETINGS, Incorporating Change 1, 29 August

2006, paragraph 3.10.2., "When an Air Force activity uses the services of a contractor or association to conduct a conference or symposium, the company or association may recover its costs and a reasonable profit from fees paid by the attendees." This conference is not charging a fee to the attendees. In fact, the only mention of fees in the Performance Work Statement is in paragraph 2.1.19. It refers to any fees that may be charged by the venue to vendors and exhibitors that may desire to set up product displays. Because the conference planner will sign the contract for the event location, they would need to assist vendors and exhibitors collecting fees required by the symposium venue. Again, this conference is not charging a fee to the attendees. There will be no attempt to recover costs through registration fees. Finally, proper approval for this conference was obtained in accordance with AFI 65-601, Budget Guidance and Procedures.