RFI_-_C-12_CLS_Small_Business_Subcontracting_Concerns_9-3-15.docx

Contractor Logistic Support (CLS) for C-12 Aircraft

Request for Information (RFI) for Small Business Concerns

The Government has received several questions regarding the small business concerns for the C-12 CLS follow on. The draft RFP posted on 17 Jul 2015 has the following information included:

“H-1 SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS AND INCENTIVES (APR 2012)

a) This clause does not apply to small businesses. The magnitude of this contract may require many business concerns to team, partner, and/or subcontract with other business concerns (large and small). The Government has set a small business subcontracting requirement of at least 20% of the obligated dollars for this contract. All large business prime contractors are required to meet and maintain the small business subcontracting requirement throughout the life of the contract. The higher of the contractor proposed small business subcontracting target or the Government requirement will be considered the small business subcontract requirement.

Small Business subcontracting requirements will be expressed in terms of percent of contract value in addition to percent of subcontracted amount. Large businesses are required to subcontract 20% of the total contract value for the C-12 acquisition to small businesses. First-tier (subcontractor one level below prime contractor) awards may be considered in meeting or exceeding requirements. No lower tier will be considered. The small business subcontracting requirement will be reviewed annually and rated as an element of the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting Systems (CPARS). IAW DFARS 219.705-4, any small business goal that is not a positive goal shall be justified. The contractor's expressed targets will be incorporated into and become part of the contract. The contractor will be required to provide reports on SDB subcontractor participation in accordance with FAR clause 52.219-25.

For this contract, the Offerer has proposed a small business subcontract target of Taken from Proposal %of the total obligated dollars for this contract.

Data regarding each Contractor's subcontractor performance will be obtained in a Small Business Participation Report as follows: after contract award, prime contractors shall report its achievement in meeting subcontracting requirements through submission of documentation supporting actual total contract dollars subcontracted to small business concerns. This Small Business Participation Report shall include information in Small Business Participation Report and be submitted as directed in Reporting Requirements so that the Government can determine the extent of compliance by the prime contractor. Additional reporting is required in accordance with DFARS 252.219-7003, which requires the Contractor to report annually its achievement in meeting subcontracting requirements through submission of the Individual Subcontract Report (ISR) and the Summary Subcontract Report (SSR) using the web-based Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS) http://www.esrs.gov.

b) If it is determined that a prime contractor is not meeting the requirement specified in paragraph (a) at the time of submission of the Small Business Participation Report, the contractor shall be required to submit a "get well plan" to the Air Force within 30 calendar days thereafter. The "get well plan" shall set forth the remedial actions the contractor intends to take to meet the Small Business Subcontracting Requirement within the next 6 months. This "get well plan" must be approved by the Contracting Officer.

c) The Contractor's performance in failing to meet, meeting, or exceeding proposed subcontracting requirement in paragraph (a) above, will be reflected in the annual contract CPARS and the Government's determination on exercise of options.

d) Failure to meet the subcontracting requirements of the contract may have a negative impact on the CPAR rating. It may also negatively impact the determination of the Government to exercise options on this contract and may be handled as any other contract breach. Conversely, exceeding the small business participation and subcontracting plan requirements may result in a favorable CPARS rating and have a positive impact on past performance ratings.”

The Government respectfully requests that interested offerors provide additional information as follows:

“The Government has set a small business subcontracting requirement of at least 20% of the obligated dollars for this contract.”

1) Do interested offerors believe 20% is achievable?

2) If no, what are the reasons a 20% goal is unachievable?

3) If no, please provide a more appropriate percentage goal of how small business subcontracting opportunities can be accomplished.

Please provide the responses to the PCO at melissa.mitchell.7@us.af.mil by COB 11 Sep 2015.