Amendment04_Section L - Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors.docx

L1.0 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION

This section provides general guidance, as well as specific instructions on format and content, for preparing proposals. The Government intends to award a 100% Small Business Set-Aside Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) single award contract for the three (3) Basic Center Operations (BCO) technical domain areas, Cybersecurity (CS), Defense Systems (DS), and Homeland Defense (HD). However, the Government reserves the right not to award any contracts at all in accordance with the evaluation criteria or based on the SSA's determination that it is in the Government's best interest. The Government also may not award based on the quality of the proposals and prices submitted, and the availability of funds.

This BCO ID/IQ acquisition is for the award of an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF), Cost Reimbursable, and Firm Fixed Price (FFP) six (6) year single award contract, with an estimated ceiling value of $99.1M. The Government contemplates awarding without discussions but reserves the right to hold discussions if in the best interest of the Government. The ordering period will include a two (2) year base period, and two (2), two (2) year options, for a total ordering period of six (6) years with a 6 month extension of services option.

This acquisition contains a Small Business (SB) Set-aside for North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541715 with an employee size standard of 1,000.

The Offeror's proposal must include all information requested and must be submitted in accordance with these instructions. Compliance with these instructions is mandatory and failure to furnish a complete proposal, at the time of proposal submission, may result in the proposal being unacceptable to the Government and may eliminate the Offeror from further consideration for award. It is the Offeror's responsibility to ensure the completeness of the proposal submitted. With respect to cost/price proposals, the burden of proof for credibility rests with each Offeror. Evaluation of a proposal will be conducted consistent with these instructions and the evaluation factors for award. Inconsistencies among the parts of each proposal shall be explained. Any unexplained inconsistency may result in an unfavorable proposal evaluation. Offerors are advised that their proposals are presumed to represent their best efforts and most complete responses to this solicitation. Proposals that simply reiterate the contents of this solicitation, or contain only superficial responses, may be considered unacceptable. Evidence of experience, capability, and qualifications that clearly demonstrate and support the Offeror’s claims are essential. The absence of such evidence will adversely influence the evaluation of the proposal.

If an Offeror believes that the requirements in these instructions contain an error, omission, or are otherwise unsound, the Offeror shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer in writing with supporting rationale prior to the closing date of the RFP, as well as the remedies the Offeror is asking the Contracting Officer to consider as related to the omission or error.

L1.1 POINT OF CONTACT

All questions, concerns, or clarifications shall be addressed to the Contracting Officers listed below. All inquiries must be made in writing and submitted electronically to the Contracting Officer at email address 55CONS.IACBCO.IACBCO@us.af.mil by 4:00 Central Time on Tuesday, 19 November 2019. Offerors will receive a notice of receipt, but if they do not, it is their responsibility to follow-up by contacting the addressees listed below. Emailed written inquiries (questions) will be answered and provided to all Offerors via posting(s) to the Federal Business Opportunities website.

Contracting Officer:

Mr. Michael A Carmody Email: michael.carmody.2@us.af.mil

Contracting Specialist:

Mr. Brandon J Dawson Email: brandon.dawson.8@us.af.mil

L1.2 PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Proposal Volume I Past Performance shall be received via email at the address, 55CONS.IACBCO.IACBCO@us.af.mil not later than 4:00 PM Central Time 30 calendar days after Request for Proposal (RFP) release date identified in Block 5 of the SF33. All other proposal Volumes shall be submitted to 55CONS.IACBCO.IACBCO@us.af.mil, not later than 4:00 PM Central Time 45 calendar days after RFP release which coincides with the date identified in Block 9 of the SF 33. Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the instructions herein. The Offeror shall make a clear statement that its offer is valid for at least 320 days beyond the due date. Late proposals may be rejected from consideration. If any proposal is received late, the Contracting Officer will promptly notify the Offeror that its proposal was received late and whether the proposal will still be considered after applying the analysis set forth at FAR 15.208(b). It is the Offeror’s responsibility to confirm the Government has received the proposal.

Offerors are cautioned to strictly comply with all instructions within this solicitation to ensure submission of a complete proposal. Failure to furnish a complete proposal at the time of proposal submission may result in an unacceptable proposal that the Government eliminates from consideration for award. Any proposal that is received at the designated Government office electronic mail box after the exact time specified for receipt of proposals is “late” and will not be considered unless it was transmitted through an electronic commerce method authorized by the solicitation, it was received at the initial point of entry to the Government infrastructure not later than 5:00 p.m. one working day prior to the date specified for receipt of proposals. The Government will not accept any changes to an Offerors’ proposal(s) after the closing date and time of this solicitation (see FAR 15.208 for further information regarding late proposals).

L1.3 PROPOSAL CLARITY

The proposal shall be clear, concise, and include sufficient detail for effective evaluation and for substantiating the validity of stated claims. The proposal shall not simply rephrase or restate the Government’s requirements, but rather shall provide convincing rationale to address how the Offeror intends to meet the requirements. The Offeror shall assume that the Government has no prior knowledge of the Offeror’s capabilities or experience; and as such, the Government will base its evaluation on the information presented in its proposal. The Offeror is reminded that the Government intends to award this effort based on the initial proposal, as received, without discussion.

L1.4 RESTRICTIONS ON DISCLOSURE AND USE OF PROPOSAL

The exclusive responsibility for Source Selection will reside with the Government. Proprietary information submitted in response to this solicitation shall be clearly marked as such and will be protected from unauthorized disclosure as required by Subsection 27 of the Procurement Integrity Act as amended (41 U.S.C. 2102) (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) as implemented in the FAR. Any unmarked information will be considered releasable subject to the restrictions of the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552.

L1.5 DISPOSITION OF PROPOSALS

In accordance with FAR Subpart 4.8, Government Contract Files, the Government will retain the “original” electronic copy of all proposals and supplemental documents provided. Unless the Offeror requests otherwise, at the completion of this acquisition the Government will destroy all extra electronic copies of proposals and additional electronic documents submitted. No destruction certificate will be provided.

L1.6 PREAWARD / POSTAWARD DEBRIEFINGS

Debriefings are conducted with the goal of identifying to unsuccessful Offerors where changes can be made to improve proposals for future acquisitions. If you are an unsuccessful Offeror, the Contracting Officer will notify you in accordance with FAR 15.503, Notifications to Unsuccessful Offerors. See FAR 15.505 for Preaward Debriefing of Offerors, and note that at the Offeror’s request this debriefing may be delayed until after award. See FAR 15.506 for Post award Debriefing of Offerors.

L1.7 SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

The Prime Offeror which includes the lead entity in any teaming arrangements shall possess a Top Secret Facility Clearance at proposal. Each partner of a Joint Venture Prime Offeror must possess a Top Secret Facility Clearance at the time of initial proposal submission.

L1.8 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED/PROPERTY/INFORMATION

Government Furnished Property/Information/Equipment for the CS, DS, and HD BCOs are identified in Section J.

L1.9 USE OF CLOUD LAKE TECHNOLOGY, LLC PERSONNEL

Cloud Lake Technology, an independent contractor providing program management and acquisition support to the Department of Defense Information Analysis Center (DoD IAC), assisted the Government in the development of the subject acquisition. Neither the contractor nor its employees will perform as an evaluator or advisor for this source selection. The contractor personnel don’t have access to any Offeror’s proprietary information. The contractor’s personnel involved have completed non-disclosure agreements with the Government to prohibit the unauthorized use or disclosure of proprietary information and the contractor is not allowed to compete for a contract award as either a prime contractor, subcontractor, or teaming partner. If access to an Offeror’s proprietary information is gained as a result of the contractor’s support to DoD IAC a similar agreement(s) between the contractor and the other company(ies) will be executed.

L1.10 BUDGET PROFILE

The projected Full Time Equivalents (FTE) profile for each of the BCOs is estimated to be 12 FTEs per BCO per year and the Government estimate for the total period of performance is approximately $39M. This figure is an estimate derived through an integrated analysis of current IAC BCO data, historical IAC BCO data, and future projections. This profile includes all FTEs associated with the normal annual operation of the individual IAC BCOs. The Government is providing this figure as an estimate only. The Special Task Orders (STO) and Extended Technical Inquiries (ETI) are not guaranteed or budgeted for, and will be provided on the contract as a ceiling of $60.1M over the total period of performance, which is a combination of historical information and future requirements. The total estimated value for the entire IAC BCO ID/IQ is $99.1M.

L2.0 PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

L2.1 ORGANIZATION, COPIES, AND PAGE LIMIT

Any proposal information submitted after this date will be considered nonresponsive and will not be accepted (see FAR 52.215-1).

SubFactor 1 – Transition (Acceptable/Unacceptable)

SubFactor 2 – Operations Approach (Adjectival Rating)

SubFactor 3 – Management Approach (Adjectival Rating)

The Offeror shall submit all Volumes in an electronic “read only” format using Windows-compatible, virus-free software. For Volume III submit Attachment 04 in Section J called IAC BCO Cost/Price Model in electronic format using Windows-compatible Excel. All proposal and proposal related information shall be submitted to 55CONS.IACBCO.IACBCO@us.af.mil.

L2.2 PROPOSAL FORMAT

The proposal shall be limited to the submission of the volumes specified above. Proposals shall not contain classified information. The Offeror shall submit all volumes in an electronic format using Windows-compatible software. The Government does not require any paper or CD-ROM copies for Volumes I, II, III, or IV.

The electronic copies of the proposal shall be submitted in a format readable and usable by Microsoft Office 2010 (MS Word, MS Excel, and PowerPoint with formats of .docx, .xlsx, .pptx) or in PDF format viewable with the standard Adobe Acrobat Reader 9. WinZip shall be the compression/decompression program used if files are required to be compressed. A version of WinZip compatible with the Microsoft Office Windows XP operating system shall be used. Hidden fields, comments and macros shall be omitted. The files shall be consistent and uniformly named to allow for easy distinction by Volume, Tab. Inclusion of company name is preferred. An example of this would be: V-III Cost/Price XYZ Company, or V-III Cost/Price Table 1, or XYZ Co. Vol-III, Tab A. The documents submitted in electronic format to 55CONS.IACBCO.IACBCO@us.af.mil. If the file size is larger than 10MB, it is recommended that the offeror submit the files through multiple emails and number for tracking purposes (ex: email 1/3, email 2/3, email 3/3, etc.). It is the responsibility of the offeror to confirm receipt of all emails and attachments submitted.

L2.2.1 PAGE LIMITATIONS

Page limitations shall be treated as maximums. If exceeded, the excess pages will not be read or considered in the evaluation of the proposal. For electronic submission, no hidden fields, macros and comments will be read. All information shall be written clearly and be easily accessible. Page limitations may also be placed on Evaluation Notices (ENs), if required. The page limitations for ENs, if any, will be identified in the correspondence forwarding the ENs to the Offerors. Each volume shall contain a detailed table of contents to delineate what is in the respective volume, which will not be counted in the page limits. Pages shall be numbered sequentially starting with page one (1) for all pages that count against the page count for each volume. The following will not be counted in the maximum page limits: cover pages, tabs, certifications, Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), small business participation plan, verification of Department of Labor Equal Employment Opportunity Clearance, subcontracting plan/teaming agreements, cross-reference matrix, glossaries, any labor category and skill set descriptions, past performance consent letters, joint venture agreements, letters evidencing cleared facilities, acronym list, evidence of ownership/access of facilities, and the Past Performance Relevance Evaluation Matrix for Performance Work Statement (PWS) Scope Excel file.

L2.2.2 PAGE SIZE

Page size shall be 8.5 x 11 inches, not including foldouts. Pages shall be single-spaced. Except for the reproduced sections of the solicitation document including Section J attachments, the text size shall be no less than Times New Roman 10 point, single column, normal proportional spacing and one inch (1”) margins (top, bottom, left and right). Headers and footers can be within the one inch (1”) margin. Pages shall be numbered sequentially starting with page one (1) for each volume. Page color for each page of the proposal submission shall be white or ivory.

L2.2.3 TABLES, CHARTS, GRAPHS, AND FIGURES

Legible tables, charts, graphs and figures shall be used wherever practical to depict organizations, systems and/or task layout, schedules and plans. For tables, charts, graphs and figures, the text shall be no smaller than Times New Roman or Arial 8 point font. Any tables, charts, graphs and or figures containing smaller than 8 point font will be disregarded. Elaborate brochures or documentation, binding, detailed artwork, or other embellishments are unnecessary and are not desired.

L2.2.4 CROSS-REFERENCE MATRIX

Each volume shall be written on a standalone basis so that its contents may be evaluated without cross-reference to other volumes of the proposal. Cross-referencing within a proposal volume is permitted where its use would conserve space without impairing clarity. The cross-reference matrix will not count against the page limitations for their respective volumes.

L2.2.5 TAB INDEXING

Tab indexing shall be used to identify separate sections of each volume. Tabs/indexes will not count against the page limitations for their respective volume.

L2.2.6 GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Each volume shall contain a glossary of all abbreviations, acronyms and terms used, with corresponding explanation or definition for each. Glossaries do not count against the page limitations for their respective volumes.

L3.0 PAST PERFORMANCE (FACTOR 1) - VOLUME I

L3.1 INSTRUCTIONS

The Offeror shall provide past performance information for evaluation. Failure to provide the information may result in the Offeror being removed from consideration for award.

The Offeror shall submit at least three (3) and no more than five (5) Past Performance contract references. To be eligible to receive an overall “Satisfactory” or "Substantial" past performance confidence rating, the Prime Offeror must provide at least three (3) of its own Past Performance contract references (Past Performance Information Sheet) out of the five (5) overall Past Performance contract references and cover at least four (4) of the nine (9) technical focus areas listed below. Together, the Offerors’ Team (to include both the Prime and subcontractors/teaming partners/joint venture partners) past performances must cover at least 6 of the 9 TFAs listed below. If the Offeror fails to meet this requirement, no further evaluation will be conducted.

Technical Focus Areas: 1) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP), 2) Cyber Security, 3) Modeling and Simulation, 4) C4ISR, 5) Survivability and Vulnerability, 6) RMQSI, 7) Autonomous Weapon Systems, 8) Biometrics, and 9) Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) Defense.

The Government will evaluate past performance through an integrated analysis that the Government identifies in the Offeror’s recent and relevant performance record. Each Offeror will receive a single overall Performance Confidence Assessment rating, as defined in Section M. In evaluating the Offeror’s past performance record the Government will use various sources which may include but may not be limited to the Past Performance Information Sheets submitted, information contained in the CPARS, questionnaires, and interviews. Past Performance Information submitted, either Government or commercial, must be for the same business entity proposing to perform the IAC BCO requirements. This rule applies to the proposed Prime Offerors as well as to proposed subcontractors/teaming members/joint venture partners. The Past Performance of each entity of a Joint Venture will be evaluated as a Prime Offeror. An Offeror with no past performance experience should submit the Volume with an explanation that they have no recent or relevant experience. In the case where an Offeror does not have a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available, the Offeror will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on past performance.

L3.2 CONTENT OF PAST PERFORMANCE VOLUME I

The Offeror’s Past Performance Volume shall contain the following and be within the specified page constraints.

L3.2.1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Table of Contents shall list all documents contained in the Past Performance Volume.

L3.2.2 ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE CHANGE HISTORY

Many companies have acquired, been acquired by, or otherwise merged with other companies, and/or reorganized their divisions, business groups, subsidiary companies, etc. In some cases these changes could have taken place during the time of performance of relevant past efforts or between the conclusion of the relevant past efforts and the time of this solicitation. As a result, it could be difficult for the Government to determine what past performance is relevant to the Offeror for this acquisition. To facilitate this relevancy determination, include in this proposal volume a "roadmap" describing all such changes in the organization of your company. As part of this explanation, show how these changes impact the relevance of any efforts you identify for past performance evaluation/ performance confidence assessment. Since the Government intends to consider past performance information provided by other sources as well as that provided by the Offeror(s), your "roadmap" should be both specifically applicable to the efforts you identify and general enough to apply to efforts on which the Government receives information from other sources. This information is required from the Offeror subcontractors/ teaming members as necessary to aid in the understanding of the proposal.

L3.2.3 PAST PERFORMANCE SUMMARY

This summary shall describe the role and efforts to be performed by the Prime Offeror and each subcontractor/teaming member for which past performance information is provided.

L3.2.4 PAST PERFORMANCE INFORMATION SHEET

A Past Performance Information Sheet is included as an attachment under Section J, for Section L, and is required for every Past Performance contract reference submitted. All Offerors shall submit information on contracts considered most relevant in demonstrating their ability to perform across the technical focus areas that make up the IAC BCO requirements (see Section M3.2). Past performance on ID/IQ type contracts shall be submitted at the delivery/task order level, unless performance is only assessed for the ID/IQ contract as a whole. Each delivery/task order submitted will be counted as one contract. For instances where performance is assessed only for the ID/IQ contract as a whole the Offeror shall explain that performance on individual orders is not assessed and identify the single point of contact that can verify the Offeror’s performance record under that ID/IQ type contract. In instances in which performance is not assessed at either level, Offerors shall submit past performance information at the delivery/task order level. Include rationale supporting your assertion of relevance, but note the Government is not bound by the Offeror's opinion of relevancy. Clearly link the past performance information to the relevancy criteria specified in the Past Performance area of Section M. Offerors are required to explain what aspects of the contracts submitted for review are deemed relevant to the 22 technical focus areas. Where problems existed, clearly demonstrate what management actions were employed in overcoming the problems and the effect(s) those actions had rectifying the problem and improving performance. The Offeror shall submit information in accordance with the Past Performance Information Sheet format.

The "Past Performance Relevance Evaluation Matrix for PWS Scope" shall be submitted not as a Word file with the Past Performance Information Sheet Word document, but rather as one separate Excel file per Offeror. The Excel file matrix shall be in the exact same format as the Word table, with each contract for which an Information Sheet was submitted having an individual matrix (worksheet/tab) in the Excel file. For each contract's matrix, each representative task area performed on that contract per technical focus area shall be noted by the Offeror by inserting a value of "1" in the appropriate cell. The Excel file shall also include one aggregate worksheet as described below.

L3.2.4.1 The Offeror shall include the Attachment 05 under Section J, as a worksheet in the single Past Performance Relevance Matrix Excel file, called "IAC BCO PP Relevance Evaluation Matrix" that represents the aggregate roll-up of all its individual contract matrices/worksheets in the file. The value in each cell of the Aggregate Matrix shall be the sum of the values in the corresponding cell of the individual contract matrices (worksheets/tabs). The Past Performance Relevance Evaluation Matrix for Performance Work Statement (PWS) Scope Excel file is not counted toward your page count but will be included as a part of the Past Performance Volume.

L3.2.4.2 The Offeror must submit the most recent available CPARS related to Past Performance contract reference submittals as a separate attachment to Volume I (Past Performance) (per L2.2.1 CPARS do not count toward your Past Performance Volume I page count).

L3.2.5 PAST PERFORMANCE QUESTIONNAIRE

The Past Performance Questionnaire is included as Attachment 05 under Section J. Although it will become part of the past performance content the completed Questionnaires shall not be submitted with the rest of the Past Performance Volume. The Offeror shall distribute the questionnaires to each POC listed on the Past Performance Information Sheet. Once completed by the Government POC identified for the past performance the Questionnaire shall be considered source selection information and shall be submitted by the Government POC directly to the Government contact(s) listed in this paragraph for the IAC BCO acquisition. For each questionnaire distributed include a letter, printed on company letterhead, containing substantially the same information as that provided in the Questionnaire Cover Letter sample included as Attachment 05 under Section J. To avoid potential conflicts, Offerors are exempt from sending Past Performance Questionnaires to other potential competitors of this acquisition. In this situation, it is the Offeror’s responsibility to find an alternative method of providing the Government the same or similar information. The Offeror shall send Past Performance Questionnaire to at least these two points of contact (POC): Program/Project Manager and Procuring Contracting Officer. If the Offeror knows that the Program/Project Manager or Procuring Contracting Officer can’t provide a Past Performance Questionnaire to the IAC BCO Contracting Officer then a questionnaire must be from one or more of the following individuals: Contracting Officer Representative (COR), Alternate COR (ACOR), other Government Technical POC, or the Contract Administrator. Completed Past Performance Questionnaires should be submitted directly to the IAC BCO Contracting Officer by the Government POC not later than the due date for the past performance proposal volume. Each of the Offeror’s points of contact (POC) shall e-mail the Past Performance Questionnaire to the Contracting Officer at 55CONS.IACBCO.IACBCO@us.af.mil. If a Government POC is having difficulty with sending the documents via email please contact Mr. Michael A Carmody 402-232-0915 or Mr. Brandon J Dawson at 402-294-2370.

L3.2.6 ALTERNATE PAST PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT FORMS

If an evaluation method other than a CPARS has been used in conducting performance assessments (e.g. an Award Fee notification letter and a subcontractor’s prime Contractor performance evaluation) this should be noted on the Past Performance Information Sheet submitted with the contract number, phone number and email address of the individual that can be contacted to obtain this past performance information.

L3.2.7 CONSENT/CLIENT AUTHORIZATION LETTER

Past performance information concerning subcontractors/teaming partners/joint venture partners cannot be disclosed to a private party without the subcontractor, or teaming partner, or joint venture’s consent. Because the Offeror is a private party, the Government will need consent from the appropriate subcontractor/teaming partners/joint venture before disclosing subcontractor/teaming partner/joint venture partner’s past performance information to the Offeror during any exchanges. In an effort to assist the Government in assessing your past performance record a consent letter, similar to that included as an Attachment in Section J, should be completed by each subcontractor/teaming partner/joint venture partners identified in your past performance proposal. The completed consent letter(s) submitted as part of the Past Performance Volume will not be considered in the page count. Should the Offeror not submit a completed consent letter for a subcontractor/teaming partner/joint venture partner, the Government will not disclose/discuss the applicable past performance information other than with that prospective subcontractor, teaming partner, or joint venture partner being reviewed. If there is a concern with the proposed subcontractor’s/teaming partner’s/joint venture partner’s past performance, the Offeror can be notified, but no details may be discussed without the subcontractor’s, teaming partner’s, or joint venture partner’s consent.

L3.3 RECENCY, RELEVANCY, AND QUALITY OF PAST PERFORMANCE VOLUME

For a description of the criteria the Government will consider in determining recency, relevancy, and quality of past performance, see Section M. Offerors shall include their rationale why the contract, or a specific portion of the contract submitted, is relevant for consideration in demonstrating their ability to perform the BCO requirements. The Government is not bound by the Offeror’s opinion of relevancy. The Government may contact references other than those identified by the Offeror, and use the information received, to evaluate the Offeror's past performance. Types of past performance work that incorporate technical focus will be considered more relevant than types of work that do not.

L3.4 DETERMINATION OF RESPONSIBILITY

Even though the assessment of Past Performance as a specific evaluation factor is separate and distinct from the Determination of Responsibility required by FAR 9.1, Responsible Prospective Contractors, information obtained as part of the proposal evaluation process will be used to support the Determination of Responsibility for the successful Offeror. Offerors shall identify the point of contact of the cognizant Federal agency having the necessary information to complete a pre-award survey and/or validate the status of the contractor’s accounting systems, financial competence, etc. (if requested) pursuant to FAR Subpart 9.1 and 42.1. If the Contracting Officer determines that a small business not to be responsible, the contracting officer shall follow FAR 9.104-3(d)(1).

L4.0 TECHNICAL CAPABILITY (FACTOR 2) – VOLUME II

L4.1 GENERAL

The purpose of the Technical Capability Volume is to provide the Government the ability to evaluate the technical experience and capability of the Offeror to perform the DoD IAC BCO requirements. The Offeror’s Technical Capability Volume II proposal shall be specific and complete. The Offeror’s Technical Capability Volume II shall provide, as specifically as possible, the actual methodologies that will be used with the necessary materials, equipment and facilities, and how the IAC BCO requirements will be accomplished/satisfied. The Offeror is encouraged to cite directly applicable past or present performance where such experience clarifies proposal content. All the requirements specified in the solicitation are mandatory. Through proposal submission, the Offeror represents that it will fulfill the requirements specified in the solicitation; therefore, it is not necessary or desirable for an Offeror to state this in the proposal. Offerors shall not merely reiterate the objectives or reformulate the requirements specified in the solicitation, or simply copy information from an on-line source, but rather demonstrate a clear and concise approach to meet the requirements. The Technical Capability Volume II Proposal shall not include price information or classified information. At a minimum, the Technical Capability Volume II proposal shall consist of the following sections:

Operations Approach – Subfactor 2 Management Approach – Subfactor 3

L4.2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The purpose of this section is to provide the Government evaluators with a clear and concise introduction to the content and structure of the Technical Capability Volume II proposal. This should be a "big picture" explanation and provide the Offeror’s overall approach and supporting rationale for the performance/management of the IAC BCOs task requirements. Offerors shall provide an Organizational Chart or the Offeror’s proposed performance/management structure that defines the functional relationships, areas of responsibility, and lines of control/authority among the organizational elements, including proposed subcontractors/ teaming partners/ joint venture partners. For planned subcontractors/ teaming partners/ joint venture partners the Offeror shall identify the subcontractors/ teaming partners/ joint venture partners and provide a brief description of the work expected to be performed, basis for selecting them, and other information required for consent to subcontract, in accordance with FAR 44.202-1. The format of the Executive Summary is at the discretion of the Offeror. Material presented in the Executive Summary will not be considered towards meeting the requirements for any other volumes of the proposal.

L.4.3 SUBFACTOR 1 – TRANSITION

L4.3.1 The Offeror shall provide a Phase-In Transition Plan. All Offerors shall describe their approach to transition from the legacy CS, DS, and HD contracts to full performance using 90-day phase-in periods for each legacy contract. The Offeror shall describe how it will use the phase-in period to mobilize, train, and otherwise prepare to assume complete responsibility for the BCOs. Volume III pricing of CLIN 0001, 002, and 003 shall align with the Offeror’s Phase-In Transition Plan approach.

L4.4 SUBFACTOR 2 – OPERATIONS APPROACH – DEMONSTRATION OF OFFEROR'S CAPABILITY/APPROACH TO:

L4.4.1 The Offeror shall detail its approach to collecting unclassified, controlled unclassified (CUI), and classified STI (ref: PWS Task# 1.5.1).

L4.4.2 The Offeror shall detail its process to ensure that only bona fide STI is uploaded to DTIC's R&E Gateway (ref: PWS Task# 1.5.1).

L4.4.3 The Offeror shall describe its approach to maintain and expand the SME network, to include the proposed timeframe to have a functioning SME network available to provide real-time BCO solutions for technical inquiries, ETIs, and STOs. The Offeror shall describe its approach on how it plans to use the SME network in the performance of BCO tasks (ref: PWS Task# 1.5.2.1).

L4.4.4 The Offeror shall demonstrate its approach to conducting continuous domain knowledge assessment (ref: PWS Task# 1.5.2.2).

L4.4.5 The Offeror shall detail its process for responding to technical inquiries, Extended Technical Inquiries, and STOs. The Offeror shall also describe its capability and capacity to successfully execute the equivalent of at least seven (7) STOs valued over $800k each concurrently, to include leveraging the resources of a multifunctional team and managing subcontractors as necessary (ref: PWS Task# 1.5.2.3).

L4.4.6 The Offeror shall explain its methodology for selecting training courses and describe the way its planned training courses will benefit the DoD S&T community (ref: PWS Task# 1.5.3.4).

L4.4.7 The Offeror shall detail its approach of developing and maintaining CoPs across its TFAs and how the Offeror will measure the effectiveness of the CoPs (ref: PWS Task# 1.5.3.6).

L4.4.8 The Offeror shall provide its approach to increase the DoD S&T community’s awareness of the BCO products and services within each of the three BCO domain areas and how the Offeror will measure the effectiveness of their products and services (ref: PWS Task# 1.5.3.7).

L4.5 SUBFACTOR 3 – MANAGEMENT APPROACH:

L4.5.1 The Offeror shall demonstrate its approach to using subcontractors/ teaming partners/ joint venture partners that will be in place at the time of award. The Offeror shall describe its proposed teaming structure to demonstrate coverage across all 22 TFAs (ref: PWS Task# 1.5.4 and 1.15).

L4.5.2 The Offeror shall detail the staffing approach and practices. As part of the staffing approach, the Offeror shall state the minimum education and experience qualifications of each proposed labor category (ref: PWS Task# 1.5.4, 1.7.1, and 1.14).

L4.5.3 The Offeror shall describe its objectives, strategy, methods, and tactics to ensure products and services are performed and meet the requirements of the PWS (ref: PWS Task# 2.1, 2.2, 2.3).

L4.5.4 The Offeror shall describe its approach to providing program management oversight and its approach to plan, control, monitor, and report cost, schedule and performance metrics (ref: PWS Task# 1.5.4).

L4.5.5 The Offeror shall provide a Small Business Participation Plan describing how the offeror will provide small business concerns (veteran-owned, service-disabled veteran-owed, HUBZone, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business) the maximum practicable opportunity to participate in performing with established procedures pursuant to the terms of their subcontracts with small business concerns.

L5.0 COST/PRICE (FACTOR 3) – VOLUME III

L5.1 All cost/price information shall be addressed within the cost/price volume only. All Offerors shall complete and submit the Section J Attachment 04 (excel spreadsheet), IAC BCOs Cost/Price Model, for the proposed price for CLINs 0001, 0002, 0003, 0004, 1004, 2004, 0007, 1007, 2007, 6007, 0009, 1009, 2009, 6009, 6001, 6002, 6003, 6004, 6005, 6006. Offerors shall submit cost information based on the assumption of a 01 July 2020 start date for transitioning the DSIAC BCO, 15 October 2020 for HDIAC BCO, and 01 July 2021 start date for transitioning the CSIAC BCO. Each Offeror’s proposal should represent its best efforts to respond to the evaluation criteria of this solicitation and the cost/price volume should contain sufficient information for a complete evaluation. The burden of proof for realism of proposed cost/price rests with the Offeror. Cost rates and applications must be verifiable by the cognizant Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) and or Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) office(s). Offerors shall identify the point of contact of the cognizant Federal agency having the necessary information to validate the status of the Offeror’s accounting systems, purchasing system and financial competence (if requested) pursuant to FAR Subpart 9.1 and 42.1.

Any inconsistency between proposed technical performance and cost/price shall be explained in the proposal. For example, if unique and innovative approaches are the basis for the estimate, the nature of these approaches and their impact on cost/price must be explained. A significant inconsistency, if unexplained, may cause the proposal to be unrealistic, unbalanced or unreasonable. The information requested in the proposal is required to enable the Government to determine that the proposed cost/price is balanced, realistic, fair and reasonable. The amount established by the Government at the time of award for all CLINs to include the Base Period and all Option Periods will establish the maximum ceiling value for each awarded contract.

L5.2 Phase-In Transition (CLIN 0001 (DS), CLIN 0002 (HD), CLIN 0003 (CS)). The Offeror shall propose Cost Plus Fixed-Fee (CPFF) amounts for the efforts required in the assumption of full responsibility of the DSIAC, HDIAC, and CSIAC BCO requirements. If an Offeror proposes no need to transition from another contractor or a shorter than 90 day transition period, the Offeror shall still price out all CLINs based on their proposed cost to perform the initial 90 days of services after contract award. The Offeror’s approach to providing services during the initial 90 day period shall be addressed in Technical Capability Volume II.

L5.3 Basic Center Operations (CLINs 0004, 1004, 2004). The Offeror shall propose Cost Plus Fixed-Fee (CPFF) amounts for the performance of the IAC BCOs for the base and each option period. Note, the exercising of option CLINs is at the sole discretion of the Government and not guaranteed.

L5.4 Specialized Task Orders (STO)/Extended Technical Inquiries Purchased by a Task Order (CLIN 0005/0006). The amount of this CLIN, which will provide the scope for STOs or ETI TOs to be issued against the contract, is specified by the Government as $60M for all six years and can be awarded as either CPFF or Firm Fixed Price-Level of Effort (FFP-LOE). The Offeror shall not include any amount(s) and/or cost detail except for the average rate proposed for ETIs only, that is automatically calculated in the IAC BCOs Cost/Price Model, for each respective year/period for this CLIN in their proposal.

L.5.5 Travel (CLIN 0007, 1007, 2007, 6007). The Offeror shall propose Cost Reimbursable (no fee) for associated BCO travel. Note, the exercising of option CLINs is at the sole discretion of the Government and not guaranteed.

L.5.6 Material/Equipment/Software (CLIN 0009, 1009, 2009, 6009). The Offeror shall propose Cost Reimbursable (no fee) for associated material/equipment/software. Note, the exercising of option CLINs is at the sole discretion of the Government and not guaranteed.

L5.7 Extension of Services, 6 Months (CLINs 6001 - 6006). The Offeror shall propose a CPFF amount for the performance of the Extension of Services for each one month option period in Section B - Supplies or Services and Prices. In the IAC BCOs Price Model submit the total for all 6 months for each task by labor category, hours and amount. Note, the exercising of option CLINs is at the sole discretion of the Government and not guaranteed.

L5.8 ID/IQ BCO MINIMUM ORDERING GUARANTEE

The value of the minimum order guarantee for this ID/IQ is $3,600.00.

L5.9 Labor Basis of Estimates (LBOE). The Offeror shall provide a detailed LBOE for CLINs 0001, 0002, 0003, X004 (including all option years), and 6001 - 6006. The LBOEs shall be detailed enough to substantiate the resources proposed (actual labor categories, not generic labor category title) and as a minimum include the rationale for the skill sets, labor hours, and other direct costs proposed. The Offeror shall provide the information required in the Section J Attachment 04, IAC BCOs Cost/Price Model.

L5.10 Cost Summary. Offerors are advised not to make changes to the IAC BCOs Pricing Model format, other than those required to accommodate individual accounting system requirements. If changes are made to the pricing model, the Offeror making any change(s) must indicate changes have been made and detail/explain the accounting requirement necessitating each change in the IAC BCOs Cost/Price Model, “Loading Factors” Tab. A summary of cost details shall also be provided, to include as a minimum, those described below.

1. Direct Labor. Identify the basis of proposed rates (e.g. actual rates, Forward Pricing Rate Agreements, bidding rates, etc.) and the use of indices such as Salary.com, the Consumer Pricing Index (CPI), Employment Cost Index (ECI), or any other current industry standard pricing practice. If proposed direct labor for a current employee is based on other than actual current payroll data, the Offeror shall explain/support the discrepancy in its proposal and the basis for estimation. For new/contingent hires, the proposed direct labor rate shall be supported by an explanation of how the projected labor cost was derived. If direct labor composite rates are used, provide the calculations used in deriving the composite rates. Each labor category and associated hours shall be proposed in Section J Attachment 04, IAC BCOs Cost/Price Model, (e.g. Scientist, Analyst, Librarian, etc.). Offerors shall provide a narrative description of the related qualifications, duties, and responsibilities. A complete list of the narrative descriptions for the labor categories/job classifications proposed may be included as a separate attachment to the cost proposal. Note, if temporary or part-time labor is proposed, explain the differences between the pay rates for full-time, temporary, or part-time workers and the impact of those differences on the direct rates proposed. Identify all uncompensated labor (straight time and/or overtime) included and explain the impact of uncompensated time on the direct rates proposed.

1. Indirect Cost Rates and/or Factors. Identify all indirect cost rates (such as, fringe benefits, labor overhead, material overhead, G&A, etc.) and applicable allocation bases by Operating Fiscal Year (OFY) in Section J, Attachment 04 IAC BCO Cost/Price Model. If indirect composite rates are used, provide the calculations used in deriving the composite rates. Identify the basis of proposed rates in your Cost Volume III proposal (e.g., Forward Pricing Rate Agreement and date of agreement, Forward Pricing Rate Proposal and date of submission, Forward Pricing Rate Recommendation and date approved, bidding rates and the date of submission, actual rates used and the effective date, billing rates and the date of approval, etc.).

1. Travel, Material / Equipment / Software The Offeror shall provide the supporting data that will allow for adequate understanding and evaluation of the proposed Travel, Material / Equipment, and Other Direct Cost (ODC) estimates in Section J Attachment 04, called IAC BCO Cost/Price Model. Offerors are hereby informed that profit will not be allowed on the costs of any materials and/or travel. However, this does not preclude the application of associated burden(s) (e.g. G&A, Material Handling Fee, etc.) associated with those costs.

1. Subcontracts. If subcontractors are proposed, the Prime Offeror shall utilize the IAC BCO Cost/Price Model for their subcontractors. Any subcontractors that are accomplishing more than 10% of the total cost will submit either through the Prime in a sealed envelope or individually by each subcontractor directly to the Government, their cost and pricing information in the format provided for in Section J, Attachment 04 IAC BCO Cost/Price Model. The IAC BCO Cost/Price Model will identify the percent of effort the prime intends to perform and the percent expected to be performed by each subcontractor/teaming member (Reference FAR 52.219-14 and FAR 52.215-22), the proposed subcontractor’s name, task(s) to be performed by the subcontractor, the type of subcontract, value of the subcontract, and pass-through cost added by the Prime. The cost proposals from each subcontractor/teaming member shall include a cost summary provided for in the IAC BCO Cost/Price Model, and shall be submitted not later than the required proposal due date.

L5.11 In addition to the copies required by the proposal instruction table in L2.1, each Offeror shall submit one copy of the cost/price proposal volume to the cognizant Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) office at the same time the copies are delivered to the Contracting Officer. The Offeror and subcontractors shall provide in the IAC BCOs Cost/Price Model the mailing address, telephone, fax number and branch codes for DCAA and the Cognizant Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) office.

L5.12 COMPENSATION

As part of the IAC BCO Cost/Price Table attached in Section J, the Prime Offeror shall submit the plan for total compensation of professional employees pursuant to FAR 52.222-46.

L5.13 PRICE COMPETITION

The Contracting Officer has determined there is a high probability of adequate price competition in this acquisition. Upon examination of the initial offers, the Contracting Officer will review this determination and if, in the Contracting Officer’s opinion, adequate price competition exists, no additional cost information will be requested (unless required for cost realism purposes) and certification under FAR 15.406-2 will not be required. However, if at any time during this competition the Contracting Officer determines that adequate price competition no longer exists; Offerors may be required to submit information to the extent necessary for the Contracting Officer to determine the reasonableness of the price.

L6.0 CONTRACT DOCUMENTATION – VOLUME IV

L6.1 The purpose of this volume is to provide information to the Government for preparing the contract document and supporting file(s). The Offeror's Contract Documentation volume shall include the following sections completed by the Offeror: signed copy of SF 33 cover page, (making sure all amendments have been acknowledged in block 14), FAR clause 52.219-4 from Section I (if applicable), Section K representations and certifications or a copy of the notice that these are available electronically via the System for Award Management (SAM) website, DOL EEO Clearance Request Information, and any other data the Offeror chooses to bring to the attention of the Contracting Officer.

L6.2 The Offeror shall provide the company/division's street address; county and facility code; CAGE code; DUNS code; tax identification number, size of business (large or small); and labor surplus area designation.

L6.3 The Offeror shall make a clear statement that its offer is valid for at least 320 days beyond the due date. The Offeror shall identify those personnel authorized to negotiate on behalf of the company to include their telephone number, mailing address, and e-mail address. The Offeror shall also provide the person to contact in the event the Offeror is awarded a contract (provide, at a minimum, contact’s name, title, phone number, and e-mail address).

L6.4 The Offeror must provide the date of the Offeror's Affirmative Action Plan, expiration date, date of the most recent Pre-Award On-Site Equal Opportunity Review (if any), and name and address of the cognizant U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Federal Compliance Programs Office.

L6.5 The Offeror shall provide the date of the Offeror's most recent Federal Contractor Veterans Employment Report VETS-4212 Report (Reference FAR 22.1303).

L6.6 Department of Labor Equal Employment Opportunity Clearance (EEOC):

In accordance with FAR Subpart 22.805(a), pre-award clearances for contracts and subcontracts of $10 million or more are required unless the Offeror is listed in Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) National Pre-award Registry (http://www.dol-esa.gov/preaward/pa_reg.html). If an Offeror is already listed in OFCCP’s National Pre-award Registry (http://www.dol-esa.