5Feb08.doc

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

RFP FA8530-08-R-21758

5 Feb 08

Question: RFP Reference L -900(2)(G) PAGE 101 / Excel PRIME pricing files. Referenced Clause contains: “Offeror must submit separate Labor Rate Spreadsheets for the prime contractor and all critical subcontractors which, when taken as a whole, must reflect a labor rate for each of the labor categories identified. It is incumbent upon the Offeror to ensure that his team has proposed rates for all labor categories. Offeror must submit a labor hour and material percentage breakout spreadsheet. The percentages for FP/LH labor breakout, T&M labor breakout, CR labor breakout, and for material cost breakout must each add up to 100% (i.e., T&M must add up to 100%, FP/LH must add up to 100%, CR must add up to 100%, and material must add up to 100%).” Additionally, at M-900(c)(iv), other information is provided.

The combination of the above noted RFP references seem to indicate that the Government is requesting separate and unique allocations of man hours across subcontractors for (1) T&M; (2) FP; and (3) CR rate tables. However the Government provided excel file at the first worksheet –Labor Workload and Material Distribution – seems to allow for only one such distribution. We recommend only one Labor Workload and Material Distribution apply to all contract types.

Answer: Answer to be provided in the immediate future.

Question: RFP Reference: L-900, 2. Organization, g. Volume IV-Cost/Price Volume, i. General Instructions 4th Paragraph. The RFP Reference paragraph includes the following [emphasis added]:

Each Offeror shall submit the cost/price volume in hard copy and in electronic (Microsoft Excel) format. The Excel worksheets provided shall contain mathematical formulas which will be locked by the Government to prevent alteration. Do not provide “values only” or limit/protect the files to “read only” format. Refer to Prime Contractor Pricing Submission (RFP Attachment 9) and Subcontractor Pricing Submission (RFP Attachment 10) for cost model worksheet formats. The paper and electronic copies shall be identical in all respects. The Government will provide a listing of the file names and the content of each file. Scanned PDF files are not acceptable.

Since Attachments 9/10 only require labor rates, factors and percentages; and, since these labor rates, factors and percentages are developed by the offeror; we are not sure what is meant by “formulas which will be locked by the Government” in this paragraph? Also, the Attachments provided with the RFP did not contain any formulas which could be locked by the Government. We recommend this paragraph be revised to eliminate the reference to formulas.

Answer: If there are no formulas in the spreadsheets, this language is self-deleting.

Question: RFP Reference: H-901(f)(3) at page 25. The referenced clause includes –

If a CR D/TO (this includes LH D/TOs) is contemplated as a result of issuance of an RFOP, contractors will be required to prepare proposals citing a proposed ceiling price for labor and an estimate of material, travel, and other direct costs. Proposals shall identify the labor categories, the number of hours, and the proposed labor rates for each category.

The referenced clause does not allow for any proposed “Fee”. Is this an oversight, or is it the Government’s intention to request task order proposals for efforts on a non-fee basis? Recommend the paragraph be changed to “…contractors will be required to prepare proposals citing a proposed ceiling price for labor and an estimate of material, travel, and other direct costs” plus fee.

Answer: This was an oversight. An RFP amendment will be issued to incorporate the following statement in this clause: Each RFOP for a CR type D/TO will identify the type fee arrangement to be used (i.e., award fee, incentive fee, or fixed fee), and the fee will be proposed and negotiated at the D/TO level.

Question: RFP Reference: H-910. Subject clause allows for additional subcontractors at designated points, at a rate not to exceed the initial contract averages. Can a contractor assume that the limitations on rates in place at the fiscal year in which the addition is requested will apply, or does the composite of all fiscal years apply as a limitation?

We recommend removing the average rate restrictions from clause H-910. If not removed, please detail how the average labor category rate will be calculated for each teammate addition window.

Answer: RFP Amendment 0001 revised this clause to set the limit at the median rate, not the average rate. This requirement will not be removed. This question, in numerous iterations, has been considered and answered by the Government and will not be addressed again.

Question: RFP Reference: H-910. Subject clause contains …

The Government may, at its discretion, allow additional subcontractors to be added at any time if those additional subcontractors are needed for performance of a specific, known requirement. 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.

Questions and Answers 31 Jan 08

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

Should the Government decide to add an additional subcontractor outside of the contract defined subcontractor addition windows, it is assumed that the Government will have a specific requirement and that a sole source might apply. If the requirement is for a PWS task that was not anticipated, and thus not planned for when offerors created their F2AST Teams, and the particular work effort is only available from the apparently specialized provider identified by the Government, then the prime contractors, and thus the Government's customers and their operational warfighter users, could be severely impacted by their limited ability to add the desired subcontractor because of the cap placed on labor rates by the final sentence in the paragraph. In such a scenario, the H-910 clause Average/Median limitation could very well result in inability to add the desired subcontractor, and the quick turn, streamlined contracting benefits of F2AST could be lost - the Government could be required to employ more time-consuming traditional acquisition approaches which would allow use of the labor rates exceeding the cap imposed on F2AST. In such cases, the rate cap imposed would prove counterproductive to the best interests of the Government's customers and to their operational warfighter users.

Recommend that the Government not place any unwarranted labor rate restrictions on subcontractor additions. Alternatively, should the Government decide not to remove such labor rate restrictions, recommend that the Government instead use the DESP II formula which allows Prime contractors to add additional subcontractors in any labor category in which the proposed labor rate does not exceed the maximum subcontractor labor rate that was incorporated at initial contract award for that particular labor category.

Answer: The Government considered different scenarios in formulating this methodology, and it has been determined to be in the Government’s best interests to follow the methodology as set forth in RFP Amendment 0001. As stated in Questions and Answers dated 30 Jan 08, “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. In the event that a labor category is required at the D/TO level for work that cannot be performed by a labor category already on contract, the Government has the ability to add new labor categories and negotiate appropriate rates.”

Question: RFP Reference: H-901 / H-926 / H- 901(I)(3) – page 26 contains: “If any subcontractor proposed under the D/TO intends to subcontract to a lower-tier subcontractor more than 70 percent of the total cost of work to be performed under its subcontract, the prime contractor shall identify in its proposal the amount of the subcontractor’s indirect costs and profit applicable to the work to be performed by the lower-tier subcontractor(s); and a description of the value added by the subcontractor as related to the work to be performed by the lower-tier subcontractor(s).”

This seems to indicate that second tier subcontractors will be necessary and recognized as an acceptable resource in the performance of proposed and awarded task orders.

H – 926(b) - page 34 contains: “F2AST prime contractors must use their own personnel or those of their F2AST Subcontractors to satisfy any service requirement for any D/TO.”

These two clauses could cause confusion in interpretation by contractors. Please provide clarification. Additionally, the Government provided excel pricing files allow for a SUBCONTRACTOR ADD-ON FACTOR for both prime and subcontractor completion. Again in the interest of clarity, please provide further information/explanation of the Government’s specific intentions on these items, to include if the Government would allow exception to either of these clauses in the event of a specific or unique Government requirement or need.

Answer: H-901(i)(3) is addressing instances where vendors are used. “Vendor” is defined in Clause H-926. Clause H-926(b) states that, for service requirements, only the F2AST Prime or F2AST subcontractor can be used to satisfy that service requirement. However, the scope of F2AST encompasses requirements other than services, and vendors may be used to meet those other requirements. The requirements of DFARS 252.215-7003 apply to any type of requirement issued under F2AST.

Question: RFP Reference EXCEL PRICING FILES / RFP. The Government provided pricing files allow for OCONUS Adjustment Factors. We cannot find description of what the government intends to be included within this set of factors. Please provide description of OCONUS Adjustment Factors in the RFP.

Answer: As stated in Questions and Answers dated 30 Jan 08, and as incorporated into RFP Attachments 9 and 10 regarding OCONUS Labor Adjustment Factors: “These factors should incorporate any unique charges allowable for these specific costs. A narrative description of the composition of these factors is to be submitted in Volume IV, Cost/Pricing Volume…”. It is up to each Offeror to determine what is included in their proposed OCONUS Adjustment Factor.

Question: RFP Reference GOVT PROVIDED EXCEL PRICING FILES. Refer to the worksheet in the files for Add on Factors, specifically the portion for Material Add-on Factor. There is no row / line provided for T&M task orders. By definition of T&M, one would expect to see allowance for a factor. Is this an oversight? Additionally, there appears to be no direction within Section L of the RFP regarding the format the government desires for these entries. Please include instructions to use standard practice format for example –1.2345?

Answer: Per FAR 16.601(a)(2), “Materials” includes material handling costs as part of material costs. For purposes of F2AST, any actual material handling costs incurred by the contractor are to be included with the material costs, and not as a separate add-on factor. As stated in RFP Attachments 9 and 10, entries in the Add-on factor spreadsheets are not to extend beyond four decimal places.

Question: Why is there no Material Handling add-on factor for T&M?

Answer: Please see answer provided above.

Question: Reference Prime and Subcontractor excel pricing files. Within the Government provided files, specifically the worksheet provided for various factors (e.g., Overtime) there is an allowance for the first 5 years of the total program. What is the Government’s intention for years 6-10? Recommend the Government add Columns 6-10 for years 6-10.

Answer: This was an oversight on the part of the Government and will be corrected through an RFP Amendment to incorporate add-on factors for years 6 through 10 on RFP Attachments 9 and 10.

Question: Reference: Example Cost Evaluation. It is common practice is to use a Subcontractor add-on factor for external subcontractors and a different add-on factor for internal teammates (different divisions of the prime contractor). For evaluating purposes, will the Government permit us to specify two such values? Recommend the Government allow for internal and external add-on factors.

Answer: No.

Question: Reference Past Performance FACTS Sheets. The RFP requires Contractors to fill out FACTS Sheets for 5 programs relevant to the F2AST PWS. Consequently, there will be 5 FACTS Sheets. The FACTS Sheet requests the following information:

L. Summarize contract issues relative to the number and severity of quality deficiencies recorded/contract discrepancy reports issued, cure notices, show cause letters, termination for default or cause, disputes, claims, latent defects, and corrective actions taken for the contract listed in paragraph B. above based on subcontractor(s) management polices/procedures of the prime.

M. Additionally, for those efforts where the offeror is cognizant of unfavorable and/or marginal past performance ratings/reports in connection to subcontractor management previously assessed by customers or clients, but feel that significant progress has been made but not yet credited or formally documented, provide the program name, contract number, customer location and a narrative explaining “fixes” made to date, or any other information regarding the unfavorable/marginal assessment. This narrative portion is limited to one (1) additional page beyond the FACTS Sheet required page limitation. It is not presumed that the offeror’s performance has been perfect. Rather, the proposal should contain evidence of the offeror’s ability to isolate the root causes of problems and should describe programs or actions taken to resolve those causes. Demonstrated corrective actions (not just planned or promised) and the overall work record will be considered. Problems not addressed by the offeror, but found by the Government during the evaluation of the information in this volume, will be assumed to still exist. Note: In the case of Contractor Performance Assessment Report System (CPARS), if your input has already been provided and the rationale/circumstances have not changed, DO NOT repeat them here.

Based on this information, it is our assumption that the Government is requesting information about problems and resolutions related to managing subcontractors on the example program, i.e, we will answer these requests relative to each one of the five example projects. (Paragraph B is the program description for the subject program for that FACT Sheet.) Please confirm.

Answer: This is correct.

Question: We understand from the prior Questions and Answers that contractors are not to propose separate on-site and off-site rates for F2AST. Please confirm that it is the Government's intent that contractors propose on-site (Government installation) labor rates and if needed, on a D/TO basis, off-site/contractor facility overhead costs will be proposed directly in accordance with the Contractor's disclosed practices.

Answer: No, this is not the Government’s intent. It is the Government’s intent that each offeror propose rates that will be used for both on-site and off-site work.

Question: When does the Government anticipate issuing an Amendment to incorporate the changes discussed during the Q&A, and will that Amendment extend the current proposal due date?

Answer: Please see RFP Amendment 0001, posted 5 Feb 08. The proposal due date has been extended via RFP Amendment 0001 to 27 Feb 08.

Question: Regarding RFP Attachment 6, the following items are "P" and "L" numbers which are normally assigned by the using organization Base Supply. Accordingly, there is insufficient information to properly identify the make and manufacturer for the below listed items. Can you provide additional information, such as T.O, Figure and Index?

3920PX65F47322

X65F47322

Dolly, MLG Doors

3920PX67E47654

X67E47654

Dolly, Cargo Floor Panels

4920L0007917510

64WRF301-1-2

Wing Device

4920P402508-1

TO 1C-130H

Template

5120L0033387510 7842909-10

Rewinding Tool

Answer: An answer will be provided in the immediate future.

Question: Can the following items be substituted for the item listed in RFP Attachment 6?

6670009425854

AS37M1

Weighing Kit

Substitution: GEC AN60 and AN30 weighing kits

6630011152398 H52

Meter Conductivity

Substitution: 1152

635000185835 65B365 X-Ray Machine

Substitution: Lorad LPX160

6625004485420 500A

Frequency Meter

Substitution: Fluke MegaOhmeter

6625005571168 97204

Ramp Test Set

Substitution: AN/ARM186 test set

6625006490417 6T4

Stroboscope Model

Substitution: GenRad 1542B

6625006494456 D0165-503-3-1 Analyzer Spectrum

Substitution: TS-148A

6625006495070 43A

Test Set

Substitution: 91348158

6625002242252 4D3573 Multimeter

Substitution: AN/PSM 37

Answer: As stated in Questions and Answers dated 29 Jan 08, “It is necessary to show full compliance with each item on the list. However, for items that the offeror believes are obsolete or believes to have been replaced by newer items, the offeror may substitute the newer items. Any such substitutions must be clearly identified by the offeror.”

Question: The table listing each proposal volume states that Volume I should include the “Completed and Executed Request for Proposal (completed Schedule B)”. Please clarify - what and where is Schedule B?

Answer: Schedule B is pages 4 through 10 of the RFP. Submission of the required pricing spreadsheets (RFP Attachments 9 and 10) will provide the required rate information for Schedule B. Offerors are to complete required portions of the RFP and return the entire RFP, including signed amendments, in Volume I of their proposal.

Question: Paragraph i states that the 11-point Arial font requirement only applies to offeror generated documents, and not to certifications or other documentation not generated by the offeror. Please confirm that the Minimum Capabilities Matrix, C-130 Peculiar GHE Equipment spreadsheet, and the FACTS Sheets are also exempt from the 11-point Arial font requirement.

Answer: As stated in Questions and Answers dated 29 Jan 08, “All RFP attachments that are to be completed and included by the offerors in their proposals are to be submitted in the font and type size in which they were provided by the Government.”

Question: If an organization uses bulk allocations as their normal business practice, can that bulk allocation be captured under separate rate categories or must if be captured within a specific rate (see example)?

If 10 hours of Engineering drives 1 hour of direct Program Support Bulk:

Hours

Rate/Hr Cost

Software Engineer Level 2

$100

$1,000

Bulk Allocation (Program Support)

$75

$75

Total Cost:

$1,075

Can the organization bid two rates:

1.

$100.00

2.

Manager, Finance

$75.00

Or, must they bid:

1.

$107.50

Answer: The contractor should bid whatever labor categories are needed to perform the required effort. Bulk allocations are not acceptable under F2AST.