1Feb08.doc

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

RFP FA8530-08-R-21758

1 Feb 08

Question: FAR 52.222-46: Evaluation of Compensation for Professional Employees Clause is included as Clause L-94. This clause requires that offerors submit a total compensation plan for evaluation. Do critical subcontractors have to provide a compensation plan? If so, in what volume should it go? Since compensation plans are usually considered company proprietary information, can critical subcontractors submit them directly to the Government?

Answer: Only the prime contractor needs to provide a compensation plan. Offerors are to provide a brief (no more than two pages) description of their compensation plan for professional employees IAW FAR 52.222-46. This is to be included in Volume I with the completed RFP.

Question: The RFP provides specific instructions on Page 102 for media type, accessibility requirements and file format for Volume IV – Cost/Price Volume electronic files. There are no similar instructions for the Volumes I – III. Due to the large number of copies of certifications and plans required in Volume II, we specifically request that scanned PDF files be permitted for this volume. Please clarify.

Answer: Scanned PDF files are acceptable.

Question: Reference 30 January 2008 Q&A Answer: your answer was: “For labor categories that are covered by the Service Contract Act, in the event that the applicable Wage Determination rates are higher than the rates on contract, the Wage Determination rates will be used.”

Since the Government will not identify the locale to be used or the labor categories that are applicable, a contractor could select a state/locale that will have the lowest SCA wage as the basis for rate determination. Will after award the applicable Wage Determinations will be applicable at the Task Order level and rates will be readjusted accordingly (higher or lower) if we understand your answer. Will the Government require contractors/subcontractors to identify states/locales used for labor category pricing?

Answer: Wage Determinations will be accomplished at the D/TO level by the Government, included with the RFP for each applicable D/TO, and will be for the state/locale where the work will be performed by that specific D/TO. Offerors must identify to the Government which labor categories it has proposed as being covered by the SCA and which are not. Offerors are not required to identify states/locales used for labor category pricing.

Question: Attachment 9 and Attachment 10 spreadsheets specifically state, “This spreadsheet may not be modified in any fashion.” However, there are formatting issues which result in inconsistencies to instructions.

The following issues are noted:

· In Attachment 9, on Tab “Labor Workload and Mat’l Dist %s” the format of the cells E6:Q134 and E137:Q137 are not formatted to accept a percentage value. Can the number format of these cells be changed to reflect percentages?

· In Attachment 9, the column widths on Tab “Labor Workload and Mat’l Dist %s” are insufficient to accommodate the entry of a percentage value to 1 decimal place. Can the column width be increased to accommodate these entries?

· In Attachment 9, on Tab “Prime Add-on Factors” the columns for years 2 through 5 result in entries showing the nearest whole number. Can the number format of these cells be changed to accommodate the 4 decimal places specified?

· In Attachment 9, on the Tabs “Prime FP-LH Labor Rates”, Prime T&M Labor Rates”, and “Prime Cost (CR) Labor Rates” the columns for years 2 through 5 result in entries showing the nearest whole number. Can the number format of these cells be changed to accommodate the 2 decimal places specified?

· In Attachment 10 on Tab “Subktr Add-on Factors” the columns for years 2 through 5 result in entries showing the nearest whole number. Can the number format of these cells be changed to accommodate the 4 decimal places specified?

· In Attachment 10 on the Tabs “Subktr FP-LH Labor Rates”, Subcontractor T&M Labor Rates”, and “Subktr Cost (CR) Labor Rates” the columns for years 2 through 5 result in entries showing the nearest whole number. Can the number format of these cells be changed to accommodate the 2 decimal places specified?

Answer: These formatting errors have been corrected. The revised spreadsheets will be provided with RFP Amendment 0001, to be issued in the immediate future.

Question: Instructions in Attachment 4 (at G1.2...in the “Instructions” column) state that the offeror is to provide an Attachment 6 (Support Equipment List) for each teammate. Attachment 6 (near the bottom) says that we are to fill out a single sheet for the whole team. Are we to assume that the instructions included at the bottom of Attachment 6 are correct and you require a single consolidated list of C-130 Peculiar Support Equipment to accompany the consolidated Team Capabilities Matrix.

Answer: As stated in response to previous questions and answers dated 30 Jan 08, a consolidated list is to be submitted.

Question: The solicitation requires that we include labor rates for CR type contracts. Section H-901(f) further states that the RFOP proposal must include rates which are no higher than the rates established in the contract. Can we assume that these proposed rates are only being used to evaluate and establish the pricing for the D/TO, and that once we invoice the CR type D/TO, that the labor costs billed can utilize our standard Government approved "Billing" rates (i.e. which could be higher than the proposed CR rates)?

Answer: This is correct.

Question: RFP page 93 of 110, Section L-62J seems to require TINA certifiable cost or pricing data. However, this is a competitive solicitation which would not require such certification (i.e., competitive pricing establishes fair and reasonable pricing whereby detailed/certifiable cost data should not be required). Please confirm that we would not be asked to certify prior to ID/IQ award. If the answer is that we will need to certify, then we will need to include additional detailed cost or pricing data beyond the stated requirements of the solicitation in order to be able to certify.

Answer: The requirement for certified cost and pricing data is applicable at the D/TO level only.

Question: RFP page 29 of 110, Section H-910 states that "Prime contractors will not be allowed to add additional F2AST subcontractors in any labor category in which the proposed labor rates exceed the average F2AST subcontractor labor rate that was incorporated at initial contract award for that particular labor category for that particular prime contractor." Please clarify what is meant by "average"? Do you mean a weighted average utilizing the labor workload distribution percentages or a straight average of summing the rates and divide by the number subs plus the prime?

Answer: See Q&A dated 31 Jan 08. As stated in the answer provided therein, the average will not be used. The Government will use the median subcontractor labor rate. The labor weighted distribution will not be used in this calculation. The Prime Contractor’s rate will not be included in the calculation of the median rate.

Question: F2AST RFP Section L-900, Instructions to Offerors, Para 2c –

The Government has requested all offerors submit NLT 30 Jan 08 (via e-mail) a list containing the names, addresses, CAGE Codes, address of cognizant DCMA Office, for both the Prime Contractor and each Critical Subcontractor. Would the Government consider changing this requirement to:

(1) Match the F2AST Proposal Submittal date or

(2) Provide an extension to allow the offerors to provide the best-value mix of Critical Subcontractors to support Government requirements (e.g. 21-days following RFP release), or

(3) Allow for updates to this list throughout the F2AST Proposal timeline.

Answer: Suggestions (1) and (2) are overcome by events. However, contractors will be allowed to update this list up to final proposal submittal.

Question: Reference RFP pages 30 and 31, Section H-914 – Incentive Provisions, paragraphs (a)(1) and (2). This clause states that “the Government shall decrement labor costs in all D/TOs…by 5%.” Will the decrement be taken at the TCL line for each labor rate, at the total labor rate line, or at some other level? Will the decrement be taken on the value of the awarded D/TOs or on invoiced labor? Will the decrement be applied to the prime contractor’s labor costs only or to both prime and subcontractors’ labor costs? Will the decrement be taken on all contract types?

Answer: The decrement will be taken at the total labor line for the full proposal. For FP, T&M, and LH efforts, the decrement will taken on the value of the awarded D/TO. For cost-type orders, the decrement will be taken on the invoiced labor. The decrement will be applied only to the prime contractor’s labor costs. The decrement will be taken on all contract types.

Question: Reference RFP page 31, Section H-914 – Incentive Provision, paragraph (c). For the option years, will D/TOs that are FP type be subject to both the 5% decrement and a decrement for “failing to meet performance objectives in accordance with the inspection of services clause based on the Services Summary in the applicable D/TO?”

Answer: Clause H-914(c) is specific to incentives and decrements that may be applied at the D/TO level. This is separate from the 5% decrement that may be assessed in the option years.

Question: Reference RFP page 100, Section L-900.2.f.i. The second paragraph states that offerors must provide targets for SDB participation and “…may provide for participation by a prime contractor, joint venture partner, teaming arrangement member, or subcontractor; however, the targets for subcontractors must be listed separately.” Does this mean that an offeror’s target may include subcontractors’ targets? Example: A prime offeror’s target of $100 may include a $60 target for the prime (i.e., the prime contractor subcontracts $60 directly to SDBs) and a $40 target for a subcontractor (e.g., one of our large business subcontractors further subcontracts work to SDBs)?

Answer: Subcontractors’ targets are not included in the prime contractor’s targets. As stated in the clause, subcontractor targets must be listed separately.

Question: Reference RFP page 48, Section I-214, 52.219-8 – Utilization of Small Business Concerns; and Section I-215, 52.219-9 – Small Business Subcontracting Plan. Can a prime contractor’s small business subcontracting goals include subcontractors’ goals?

Answer: No. The subcontracting goals are specific to the prime contractor.

Question: Reference RFP Attachment 8, Present/Past Performance FACTS Sheet, Section O. Please clarify how offerors should fill in the column for the performance location of the proposed effort in the table that appears on the last page of the FACTS Sheet. The example provided states “Facility.” Should offerors list the facility locations of the prime and all critical subcontractors proposed or the performance locations that appear in the F2AST RFP?

Answer: As stated in Questions and Answers dated 30 Jan 08, the FACTS Sheet will be revised to remove the column “Fill-in for the Proposed Effort.”

Question: Many Q & As have focused on the following reference: F2AST RFP page 29, Section H-910, Consent to Add Subcontractors. The clause states: “Prime contractors will not be allowed to add additional F2AST subcontractors in any labor category in which the proposed labor rates exceed the average F2AST subcontractor labor rate that was incorporated at initial contract award for that particular labor category for that particular prime contractor.”

We recommend the wording be changed to read as follows:

“Prime contractors will not be allowed to add additional F2AST subcontractors in any labor category in which the proposed labor rates exceed the average F2AST subcontractor labor rate that was incorporated at initial contract award for that particular labor category for all prime contractors.”

With this change, the benefit to the Government is keeping added subcontractor billing rates from escalating above those submitted for evaluation and subsequent award and satisfying the concerns of the many potential offerors.

Answer: This recommendation has been reviewed but will not be incorporated.

Question: In Reference to F2AST Past Performance Q&A concerning additional contract information:

“Include relevant information concerning the offeror’s compliance with FAR 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns and/or FAR 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, if these clauses are or were contained in any of the five (5) contract efforts identified in Section II, Performance Information, of the offeror’s proposal. If they were not included in these five (5) contracts, submit this information on two (2) additional contracts which contained these clauses.”

Do we provide the information concerning the two additional contracts compliance with FAR 52.219-8 and/or FAR 52.219-9 as a separate FACTS Sheet or as a word document listing the contract number, summary contract information, points of contract, and the relevent FAR 52.219-8 and -9 compliance information. Do those contracts need to meet the relevancy requirements of the 5 contracts to this effort or just answer the FAR 52.219 information?

Answer: The two additional contracts are only to be provided if none of the five contracts for which FACTS Sheets are submitted contain FAR 52.219-8 and/or FAR 52.219-9. Narrative responses will suffice as these two additional contracts do not need to meet the relevancy requirements.

Question: I understand that F2AST will have up to 10 prime contract awards. Can you tell me if this is still current?

Answer: As stated in the Questions and Answers dated 28 Jan 08, and as briefed at the Requirements Symposium (Nov 07), the Government anticipates award of approximately 10 prime contracts (could be more, could be fewer). The number of awards is the discretion of the source selection authority.

Question: Reference: L-66, Single or Multiple Awards, does the Government envision issuing fewer than 10 awards under this solicitation?

Answer: Please see answer above.

Question: Reference: OCONUS efforts under this RFP. Should an OCONUS effort require the contractor to obtain an export license, will the turnaround time for the proposal and performance under individual D/TOs be extended to accommodate this situation, and/or will the Government grant an exemption?

Answer: This would be determined at the D/TO level. It is possible that the circumstances of a specific requirement would require a longer proposal response time. The required response time will be included with the RFOP for each requirement.