Guidance_for_Proposal_Submission.docx

Guidance for Submitting Proposals for FA8108-14-R-0001

The information provided here is not intended to become a back and forth discussion between Government and Industry. The opportunity for open discussion was during industry days, the pre-solicitation conference and Q&A phases of this acquisition. The information provided here is solely for the purpose to provide additional guidance for Offerors as they prepare their proposals. This document is not an attachment to the RFP nor will it become an attachment to the final contract.

1. Are the CDRL’s currently supposed to be watermarked “draft”? Will these be the CDRL’s associated with the final basic contracts?

Answer: Yes, they will become final at the time of contract award when the Government signs the CDRL’s, these Government signed CDRL’s will then be attached to the basic contracts.

Yes, the CDRL’s listed in RFP Attachment 3 will be the CDRL’s associated with the final basic contracts.

2. What are the Government’s Small Business Utilization Goals by socio-economic category for the CFT Contract Vehicle?

Answer: As noted in the original Q&A # 206, the Government has set goals that are released yearly by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). Those goals are updated yearly and can be found here: http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/statistics/sbProgramGoals.shtml#

Small business subcontracting goals are based on total contract dollars. Subsequently, they are measured by the percentages of dollars spent subcontracting to small businesses (inclusive of all socio-economic categories) in the performance of the contract.

Also, for reference, see Q&A #315.

3. A SB offeror submits a proposal for the LB and SB suites. Between the time of submission and contract award (December 2015), the SB offeror is awarded contracts that cause it to exceed the 1,500 employee ceiling mandated by NAICS 336411. As per FAR 52.219-28 (e) the offeror “…shall make the representation required by paragraph (b) of this clause by validating or updating all its representations in the Representations and Certifications section of the System for Award Management (SAM) and its other data in SAM, as necessary, to ensure that they reflect the Contractor's current status. The Contractor shall notify the contracting office in writing within the timeframes specified in paragraph (b) of this clause that the data have been validated or updated, and provide the date of the validation or update.”

We interpret this to mean that the notional offeror in question would have to update its SAM entry between proposal submission and award (e.g. October 10, 2015) to no longer be a SB under NAICS 366411, that the CFT Contracting Officer would validate SAM representations and certifications prior to award, and that the offeror would only be eligible for a LB CFT award. Please confirm our understanding is correct.

Answer: Yes

4. Same situation as 3, above, except the offeror has only submitted a proposal for SB award. In this case, as the offeror is now a LB, the Contracting Officer would not make a SB award to the contractor, even though they were a SB when they submitted their CFT proposal. Please confirm our understanding is correct.

Answer: Yes

5. In the Past Performance Information (PPI) tool, under the “Business Relationships” tab the contractor is supposed to enter the Percent of Work for each team member. Given that the contract will be task order based, and the “number of task orders and customers supported in CFT is fluid” [from CFT Q&A # 12], how can the work share percent be determined during the solicitation? Is the contractor to estimate work share based on a hypothetical task order?

Answer: The estimate given should be based on percentage of the work you expect each major sub to perform as a whole on the total IDIQ effort.

6. In the PPI tool, also under the “Business Relationships” tab, the Place of Work is required. Is this the primary location where the work was performed?

Answer: Yes

7. Offerors are required to provide a single OCONUS rate (inclusive of all ODCs) for work to be performed anywhere in the world. The recommended Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) benefits and uplifts differ greatly for different areas of the world. Depending on an Offerors assumptions regarding locations, their OCONUS rates could be too high or too low. Will the Government please provide an updated list of historical OCONUS locations under the CFT program, and the corresponding percentage of work historically performed at each location?

Answer: As noted in the original Q&A # 201, the Government can provide a list of historical countries the CFT program has supported since 2008. The list of the OCONUS countries are as follows: England, Germany, Guam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, South Korea, Honduras, Egypt, Japan, Italy and Spain. These are just historical countries to provide a baseline for building Not-to-exceed (NTE) rates. There is no guarantee all of these countries will have work under this contract. There is also no guarantee these are the only countries where OCONUS work will be performed.

The Contractor shall consider all OCONUS possibilities and build their Not-to-Exceed (NTE) rates accordingly. The Government is aware some countries have higher/lower costs of doing business (i.e. taxes, passports, employee retention, etc...) for Contractors. However, it is the Contractors responsibility to understand the operating business environments for all potential OCONUS locations and build their NTE rates accordingly. At the task order level, Contractors will be provided the opportunity to discount their NTE rates and propose precise billable rates (fixed hourly rates) specific to the OCONUS region where the work is being performed.

This specific question refers to Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) benefits, which includes Danger Pay. Please reference Section B of the RFP for directions in regards to Danger Pay. Danger Pay is not the same, as the ODC’s required to be included in NTE rates as listed in Section L.

8. Reference: RFP Attachment 8, Section L, ITO Attachment 1.1 Past Performance Information (PPI) for Offerors. Is it compliant for an Offeror to provide past performance information on a relevant IDIQ contract, citing multiple task orders on this contract to show relevance to the CFT Program?

Answer: The PPI should be for the overall IDIQ. In your description of the work on this IDIQ you should include all pertinent types of info relating to your work on the IDIQ, this may or may not be down to the task order level.

9. Reference: RFP Attachment 8, Section L, ITO Attachment 1.1 Past Performance Information (PPI) for Offerors. The Government asks the Offeror to, “Explain how your performance on this contract is relevant for each applicable factor or subfactor, as instructed under Past Performance in Section M of the RFP.” How is the Government expecting to see Subfactor 4- Scenarios addressed as it pertains to Past Performance? Is the expectation for the Offeror to demonstrate the use of relevant plans for the cited contract?

Answer: Scenarios are not part of the Past Performance factor. They should not be addressed.

10. Some CFT sites/locations are organized under union CBAs. If Offerors include the possibility of CBAs in the development of proposed ceiling rates, these rates would be abnormally high. Therefore, will the Government exclude consideration of CBAs during the development of Offeror's proposed Ceiling Rates?

Answer: The Government has stated in Section L, “Fully burdened (loaded) composite labor rates proposed in the attached Labor Category Rate Matrix shall be considered maximum (ceiling) rates representing a composite of prime and subcontractor rates. As firm, fixed priced rates proposed rates shall be in accordance with the Service Contract Labor Standards (SCLS) as applicable or the contractor’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).”

As stated, in Q&A #246, CFT contractors perform work for a small percentage of sites/task orders covered under a CBA. Sites covered under a CBA could run approximately 10% higher than sites covered under the CFT NWD, this is provided as informational only and is not to be taken as a firm number.

Furthermore, H-1 ‘Process and Criteria for Issuing Task Orders’ paragraph (9) states, “Offerors shall propose IAW with their NTE rates established in the Labor Category Rate Matrix, Attachment 2 to the basic contract. If a task order period of performance crosses either the basic period or an option period of the basic contract, contractors can expect the instructions for proposal preparation for the task order will clearly state how the NTE rates will be evaluated. Any price proposal that contains rates that exceed basic contract NTEs for any period requested in the task order solicitation will be ineligible for award unless otherwise specified by the PCO. In rare circumstances, the PCO may determine that it is in the best interest of both the Government and the Contractor to allow Contractors to exceed their NTE rates for a particular effort which will be clearly delineated in the instructions for proposal preparation for the task order.”

Therefore, at the task order level the PCO will conduct specific market research for the sites/locations covered under a CBA. During market research, the PCO will determine whether or not it is reasonable or unreasonable for Offerors to perform the work within their NTE rates. Subsequently, the PCO will determine if Offerors will be allowed to exceed their NTE rates for the subject task order. If the PCO determines that it is reasonable for contractors to propose and effectively perform the CBA covered work IAW their NTE rates this will be a Government requirement delineated during the Fair Opportunity process.

Also, see Q&A #227 for additional reference.

11. Reference: RFP Attachment 8, Section L, 5.3.1. Section 5.3.1 states, “Request each offeror submit up to five (5) PPQ forms for the prime Contractor and up to three (3) for each significant subcontractor/teaming partner.” Can you confirm that the expectation is for the Offeror to submit a full PPQ (ITO Attach 1.2) with only Section 1 completed to satisfy this requirement?

Answer: You should provide the PPQ to your designated respondent and the respondent should in turn send the complete questionnaire to the Government IAW with the directions in the cover letter and in paragraph 5 of section L.

12. Reference: RFP Attachment 8, Section L, ITO Attachment 1.1 Past Performance Information (PPI) for Offerors. Is it compliant for an Offeror to provide past performance information on a relevant IDIQ contract, citing multiple task orders on this contract to show relevance to the CFT Program?

Answer: Yes. The PPI should be for the overall IDIQ. In your description of the work on this IDIQ you should include all pertinent types of info relating to your work on the IDIQ.

13. Reference: RFP Attachment 8, Section L, ITO Attachment 1.1 Past Performance Information (PPI) for Offerors. The Government asks the Offeror to, “Explain how your performance on this contract is relevant for each applicable factor or subfactor, as instructed under Past Performance in Section M of the RFP.” How is the Government expecting to see Subfactor 4- Scenarios addressed as it pertains to Past Performance? Is the expectation for the Offeror to demonstrate the use of relevant plans for the cited contract?

Answer: Scenarios are not part of the Past Performance factor. They should not be addressed.

14. Reference: Att. 8, Section L L.5.1, L.5.3. There appears to be a conflict in the instructions for Sections 5.1(a)(c) and 5.3.1. Please clarify if it is acceptable for the offerors to include consent letters, the PPI tool, and PPQ only for key or critical subcontractors, teaming partners and/or joint ventures.

Answer: The contractor is required to submit information on their key and critical subcontractors, teaming partners, and/or joint venture partners which will perform the work outlined in the solicitation.

15. Reference: Att. 8, Section L L.5.1. Is past performance in ITO Attach 1.1 required to be submitted for non-Key or Critical subcontractors an Offeror plans to use during execution?

Answer: The contractor is required to submit information on their key and critical subcontractors, teaming partners, and/or joint venture partners which will perform the work outlined in the solicitation.

16. Reference: Att. 8, Section L L.5.1. Are Consent Letters (attach 1.4) required for each subcontractor an Offeror plans to use during execution or only for those subcontractors estimated to be Key and Critical?

Answer: The contractor is required to submit information on their key and critical subcontractors, teaming partners, and/or joint venture partners which will perform the work outlined in the solicitation.

17. In determining proposed subcontracted dollars to include in small business subcontracting plans, should the proposed percentages in actual dollars be based off of the “Total Calculated Price” in Cell D60 of Attachment 2, Labor Category Rate Matrix?

Answer: As noted in Q&A #315, yes, the proposed subcontracting dollars should be based on an offerors total calculated price. As related to this acquisitions subcontracting plan development, the total calculated price is the total contract value.

18. What happens in the event a Deployment Center is utilized?

Answer: The details will be identified at the task order level. This includes how the Government will view and account for travel and Per Diem.

19. Are the offerors required to submit a copy of Section B within Volume V - Contract Documentation although it is not to be completed?

Answer: Yes

20. Reference: 5.3.1. Does the Government require we submit the PPQs with Section 1 completed with our proposal as well as sending them to our client to complete the remaining portions?

Answer: The contractor sends the PPQ with section one completed and the cover letter to the respondent and the respondent sends it to the government according to the cover letter and IAW section 5.0.

21. Section L, 5.3 Relevant Contracts. This Section heading includes a discussion on PPQs, the contract narratives (PPI Tool printout), and Organizational Structure Change History. Are these the only items that should be in Volume III, Past Performance?

Answer: The contents of Volume three is listed in table 2.2 in section L. Volume III is to be sent as five copies and one disk. As a way of clarification the volume should consist of a Title page Team list Table of contents List of tables and figures Glossary Consent letters Client Authorization letters PPI’s /Relevant contract narrative (printed out from the PPI tool) Roadmap of Company

The PPQs (attachment 1.2) with section one filled out and cover letters (attachment 1.3) are to be sent to the contractor’s choice of respondents. The respondent is to return the completed PPQ to the Government as outlined on the cover letter. No PPQ’s should be in the Past Performance Volume. The Government will file them in the volume as they are received.

22. Reference Section L 5.2, you are requesting Early Past Performance Volumes submissions. Since the SF 1447 is the form used to communicate what pool (large or small or both) we are proposing, do you want an SF 1447 submitted with the Early Past Performance Volume, or do you simply want the Proposal Cover and Cover Letter to distinguish that and be submitted in separate boxes/binders?

Answer: Please provide the front page of the 1447 and also distinguish which pool on the proposal cover and cover letter and separate volumes should be provided.

23. Reference Section L, Instructions to offerors, 4.2.7, Subfactor 5: Small Business Subcontracting, Paragraph b. Small Business Participation Plan: All contractors are required to complete a small business participation plan. As CFT is a multiple award IDIQ contract, based on NTE ceiling rates, with all awards and subsequent small business participation driven by actual task order awards. Will the Government explain how an offeror is to calculate the actual dollars associated with the planned work share for each small business partner?

Answer: The Government does understand that the amount of work that will be won at the task order level is unknown. Therefore, the Government expects Offerors to estimate “actual dollars.” The dollars and corresponding percentages of total contract dollars will change throughout the life of contract and will be reported as such (CDRL A002).

24. Reference Section L, Table 2.2. This table references a 5 page limit for the Present/Past Performance Information Sheets, per contract. This statement as part of the Proposal Organization Table intimates that the Offeror is to provide the completed PPQ as part of its Proposal. However, paragraph L.5.2(b) states RESPONDENTS TO THE QUESTIONNAIRES SHALL NOT SEND THE COMPLETED INFORMATION SHEETS BACK TO THE OFFEROR. Since we have access to only page 1 of each PPQ, we plan to include those with an index showing all PPQs that have been submitted to our contract POCs. Please confirm our understanding of the instructions.

Answer: PPI are to be printed out form the tool and included in the volume. PPQs are filled out in section one and forwarded on to the chosen respondent. The respondent then forwards to the government.

25. Volume Organization - Can the government verify Volume Organization for Past Performance Volume as Contract Description, Problem Identification and Resolution, Program Management, Resource Management, Quality Management, Small Business Sub Contracting, and Organizational Change History Roadmap? The following instructions also apply to the organization of this volume and are constrained by the PPI Tool. The instructions provided in Section L and Section M use different terms to describe the requirements, and are not as clear as those provided for the Technical and Price Volumes. Would the government please clarify the requirements, captured below?

a. Section L provides specific instructions for Volume Organization for the Technical Volume (L.4.2.2) and the Price Volume (L.6.13), but does not provide specific instructions for Volume Organization for the Past Performance Volume.

b. Section L, 5.3.2 states "Categorize the relevance information into the specific technical criteria elements and price assessment used to evaluate the proposal."

c. Section L, ITO Attachment 1.1, point 15, Program Details Tab states:

· "Provide a brief description of the service provided and actual work performed under this contract reference."

· "If applicable: Provide information on performance problems encountered…”

· "Explain how your performance on this contract is relevant for each applicable factor or sub factor, as instructed under Past Performance M of the RFP…"

· Section M.2.3.2 states "Performance confidence is assessed…after evaluating aspects of the Offeror’s recent past performance focusing on performance that is relevant to the technical sub factors and price factor."

Answer: See answer to # 21 for volume outline. The contractor is responsible for determining and providing recent and relevant past performance information in the PPI tool. The contractor is also required to relate in the tool what work they did, how that work is relevant and any problems and results of resolutions applied.

26. PWS Section 4.3.2.3 requires the Contractor to physically inspect and evaluate all work tasks accomplished. Can the Government confirm that employees assigned inspection responsibilities in accordance with this section are a direct charge to the task order?

Answer: Overall quality assurance and the inspections associated with maintaining a quality management system that complies with the requirements of Aerospace Standard 9100 are the responsibility of the contractor. It is up to the contractor to determine who performs those functions and what skills will be applicable to those tasks in accordance with the associated skills assigned to any particular task order and the CFT Nationwide Wage Determination. Additionally, each applicable task order may call out certain skills to perform associated work tasks that have inspection capabilities as an inherent part of their job function. Those skills which are determined to be billable slots per the team complement in any task order PWS would be a direct charge to the task order if the assigned work requires inspection.

27. Will the Government provide a complete list of expected PPE?

Answer: The PWS Paragraph 5.1.2 states, “…Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) common to the specialty of work (individual task order PWS will further clarify specialty of work) they are expected to perform (e.g. safety shoes, work boots, safety glasses, ear plugs, goggles, welding gloves, chemical resistant gloves, cut gloves, face shields, hard hats, jackets, booties, coveralls and foul weather gear).”

The Government has provided some of the PPE associated with the job classifications requested for this effort. The Government has also provided all job classifications (Attachment A) associated with this effort. It is the Offerors responsibility to familiarize themselves with those classifications and determine what types of PPE are associated with those job classifications.

28. Reference: RFP Attachment 8, Section L, 6.3.2: Section 6.3.2 states, “Offerors are cautioned to include, but not limited to, all common/standard personal protective equipment (PPE) costs, Defense Base Act costs, recruiting costs, taxes, passports, employee retention costs, workers' compensation costs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) physicals, fit-to-work and annual flight physicals and OSHA training requirements) in all proposed NTE rates.” Will the Government please provide an updated list of historical costs that should be included in the NTE rates?

Answer: Section L 6.3.2. does just that, it provides a list of historical costs that should be included in the NTE rates. This list might not be all encompassing in regards to how an Offeror builds their NTE rates, which is a business decision. Beyond this, it is the Offerors responsibility to read the entirety of the RFP and build their NTE rates accordingly.

29. Is the Certification of Final Indirect Costs IAW FAR 52.242-4 required with the proposal to be submitted 3 Feb or does this apply upon contract closeout?

Answer: This clause is in reference to a Contractors final incurred cost submission. This submission comes 6 months after the end of a Contractors fiscal year.

30. Reference: RFP Attachment 8, Section L, Paragraph 2.6. Section L, Paragraph 2.6 states “The “original” proposal shall be clearly identified. Proposals shall be addressed to the CO and mailed to:

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

Will the Government accept USPS, FedEx, and UPS? Will the Government allow hand delivered proposals to the address listed in Paragraph 2.6? Will somebody from the Government meet us at the gate to accept our proposal?

Answer: The Government will accept any form of mail (i.e. USPS, FedEx, or UPS).

The Government will accept hand delivered proposals to the address listed in Section L, Paragraph 2.6. This address is located on Tinker AFB, so the Offeror must already maintain base access if they want to hand deliver their proposal. If an Offeror does decide to hand deliver their proposal please come to the north end of Building 3 (address listed in Paragraph 2.6) and I will immediately time stamp your proposal to ensure submission is timely. All late offer provisions still apply.

Offerors are still encouraged to mail proposals. The proposal MUST BE TIME STAMPED by the time stated on the face of the RFP (SF 1447, block 9). The Government will not be held responsible for an Offeror who is attempting to hand deliver their proposal and for whatever reason fails to receive a time stamp by the alotted time.

The Government will not meet a prospective Offeror at the base gate entrance to take their proposal.