A3W SCM Consulting Services_Solicitation QandA.pdf

# RFQ Section Question Answer

1 PWS ‐ Transition In Would the Government please specify if this is a new requirement or incumbent work?

This is a new requirement.

2 PWS ‐ Section II, All

Tasks

Each task has a requirement to "Formalize…deliverables". Would the government please clarify how many deliverables it anticipates per task?

It depends on the solution. One deliverable per counsel/group. Please refer to revised PWS (dated 27

Aug 20).

3 PWS ‐ Place of

Performance

Would the Government please specify the place of performance for this effort?

Would the Government consider Contractor's site with meetings at necessary at

Government sites as necessary (especially given the current COVID‐19 pandemic)?

Place of performance is a combination of the

Pentagon and the Contractor's site, in addition to the five (5) trips per year. A blended arrangement in office/telework may be implemented at the discretion of the Government. Please refer to revised PWS

(dated 27 Aug 20).

4 PWS ‐ Place of

Performance (Travel)

In the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation, Para 5, CLINs, have specific amounts for each year for 5 trips per year. Where are the destination(s) and what are the purpose of these trips? If we are still under limited contact conditions due to COVID‐19, will these trips still be necessary? Can we accomplish them via video‐teleconferencing?

Langley, VA (2 trips); Offutt AFB, NE (2 trips); and

Hanscom AFB, MA (1 trip). Each trip is 2 days. The purpose of the trips is to provide on‐site support to each respective mission partner. Given the current

COVID pandemic, the number of trips may be reduced.

Please refer to revised PWS (dated 27 Aug 20).

5 PWS ‐ Pricing The level of effort in the current Government hour requirement is extremely low given the scope. There five trips required per year in the PWS. The labor required to plan the logistics and travel will eat up a significant number of the limited hours on this contract? Would the Government consider increasing the level of effort to better align with the PWS requirements AND the level of travel (e.g., several FTEs vs 2

PTEs)?

The Government must work within its resources.

Given the current COVID pandemic, the number of trips may be reduced. Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) will not be considered. Please refer to revised PWS (dated

27 Aug 20).

6 PWS ‐ Sections II, III, IV

Our understanding is that the level of effort requirement is that a total of 800 hours in the base year; 250 hrs for the SME Level 1, and 550 hrs. for the consultant. Will the government entertain any proposed adjustments to the hours/labor category requirements detailed in Section 9.c to allow for the performance of tasks required in the PWS, Sections II, III, and IV?

See response to question no. 5. Adjusting the number of hours between SME Level 1 and Consultant will be considered given that the hours align with the offeror's technical approach. Overall costs must not increase. Please refer to revised PWS (dated 27 Aug

20).

7 PWS ‐ Section III, 3.0

Service Summary

SS ‐ 3 indicates "Facilitate 100% of requested EC and Working Group (WG) meetings.

Utilize feedback tools and techniques 100% of the time for all meetings." Given the current FFP type of contract and very low level of effort outlined by the government for the 2PTEs, the performance threshold of 100% of requested EC and WG meetings poses an unreasonable performance expectation. This could amount to dozens of facilitated meetings in addition to all the other requirements which puts an unreasonable burden on the contractor to perform and meet the requirements with low level of effort. Will the government allow contractors to bid additional labor hours to meet this expectation (e.g., and add 52.232‐22 Limitation of funds clause)?

Will the Government consider reducing or eliminating this performance requirement in light of the low level of effort?

Must facilitate 100% of the "requested" meetings. The contractor must facilitate the meeting(s) when requested by the Government. Please refer to revised

PWS (dated 27 Aug 20).

8 PWS ‐ Section III, 3.0

Service Summary

If the government is unable to raise the level of effort, will the government consider making this a Time and Material contract with additional ceiling and FAR 52.232‐22

Limitation of Fund clause?

The contract will remain as Firm‐Fixed Price. Please refer to Solicitation (RFQ) for award basis information.

9 PWS ‐ Charters In the Performance Work Statement, the level of detail suggests that these entities already exist. Is this the case, and if so, how often do they meet, and where?

Some of the entities exist (recently created), others have not. Number of meetings to date is less than 4.

Please refer to revised PWS (dated 27 Aug 20).

10 PWS ‐ Deliverables If we are successful at producing initial deliverables remotely, will the government consider making this a “remote” effort throughout, with the possibility of occasional on site meetings in the future (post COVID)?

A blended on‐site and teleworking will be considered.

Please refer to revised PWS (dated 27 Aug 20).

11 RFQ 9 ‐ Instructions to Offerors

These instructions do not specify the technical proposal instructions (e.g., page count, font size, etc.). Does the government require a technical proposal from bidders? If so, would the government please provide appropriate direction for the technical proposal? Is there any guidance you would like us to follow re: volumes

(e.g. technical, pricing, etc), page count, font size, etc?

Please refer to revised RFQ (combo/solicitation) for clarification on submission requirements under 52.212‐

1, Instructions to Offerors.

12 RFQ 10 ‐ Evaluation

Criteria

The evaluation criteria lists resumes and pricing as evaluation criteria. Would the government please clarify how the resumes will be evaluated (e.g., pass/fail or other)?

Please refer to revised RFQ (combo/solicitation) for clarification on evaluation criteria under 52.212‐2, Evaluation Criteria.

Solicitation FA7014‐20‐Q‐0040 A3W SCM Consulting Services ‐ Questions and Answers ‐ 24 Aug 20 / 1:00 PM EDT

13 RFQ 10 ‐ Evaluation

Criteria

Would the Government please clarify what the ranking is the evaluation criteria? Please refer to revised RFQ (combo/solicitation) for clarification on evaluation criteria under 52.212‐2, Evaluation Criteria.

14 RFQ ‐ Reps & Certs Does the Government require the bidder to complete and submit the Reps and Certs from the solicitation package? Or, is SAM registration acceptable?

Please refer to revised RFQ (combo/solicitation) for submission requirements under 52.212‐1, Instructions to Offerors, specific to 52.212‐3, Offeror

Representations and Certifications.

15 RFQ We would like to confirm our understanding of the response requirements per FAR sub‐part 12.6 and the additional guidance provided. We are tracking that we are to provide 1) representative resumes, 2) pricing, 3) a quality management plan, 4) reps and certs, and 5) a signed DD254. Is anything else required?

Please refer to revised RFQ (combo/solicitation) for clarification on submission requirements under 52.212‐

1, Instructions to Offerors. The Quality Control Plan will not be required until post‐award.

16 RFQ 9 ‐ Instructions to Offerors

The Government is allowing for additional labor categories to support this effort.

Does the Government expect these hours for these new labor categories to come out of the indicated level of effort?

Yes.

17 Overall Will the government consider awarding contractor‐proposed options that enable the government to award unfunded Tasks/CLINS? The limited level of effort on this RFP puts AFW strategic objectives at risk. Allowing optional unfunded tasks/CLINs would enable the vendors to provide and price out some additional tasks/options with deliverables for contractor support under the existing scope. The Government could evaluate these optional tasks/CLINS along with the baseline tasks to determine if they are relevant and potentially valuable to the Government. Should the

Government obtain additional funding it could exercise these optional tasks/CLINS at any time to get the support needed for this important and large strategic change management effort.

Optional unfunded tasks/CLINS will not be considered.

18 Labor Categories ‐

Subject Matter

Expert Level 1

Per the description of the Subject Matter Expert Level 1, this category requires more than 15 years of experience, however, the experience requirement indicates 20 or more years. Will the government please clarify if 15 years or 20 years of experience is the minimum for this position?

A minimum of 15 years will be considered. Please refer to the revised Attachment 4‐‐Labor Category

Description.

19 DD Form 254 Per the draft DD254, the bidder must have a Secret facility clearance. Given that the support is not handling the detailed classified data, will the Government consider making only the Subject Matter Expert Level 1 consultant require Secret clearance at contract award?

Secret facility clearance is required for all. Please refer to the revised Attachment 3‐‐DD 254.

20 DD Form 254 If we are working largely remotely, particularly due to COVID 19 concerns, is a

Common Access Card (CAC) necessary? The level of detail at the executive level is probably sufficiently generic as to not be classified, and if we don’t need a clearance for classified, or a CAC for daily access, can we utilize our corporate email in correspondence, and our existing CACs/military IDs for visiting buildings/meetings, etc?

A CAC will be required. No.