Amendment 3 OBAA - Adding Solicitation of Calls.pdf

Amendment 3

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT TITLE: Manufacturing Research and

Technology Development

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: FA8650-21-S-5001

This amendment updates the original BAA with the following changes:

This BAA is now a hybrid solicitation consisting of:

• Part One – Current Two Step Open BAA: Submission of White Papers and Potential Proposals

• (NEW) Part Two – One Step Solicitation of Calls: Submission of Proposals

The following is the process for any Calls solicited under the subject BAA:

VIII. One Step Solicitation of Calls (One Step Process)

1. Call Announcement Information (Also referred to as a Call):

a. Overview: As needed, Call announcements may be issued by the

Government in the official U.S. government website for federal awards https://SAM.gov under FA8650-21-S-5001 at any time during the effectivity of the BAA. Each Call will identify a project that fits within the Program Description of the BAA. A Call will request technical and cost proposals. A unique Statement of Objectives (SOO) will be included with the

Call. A Call will specify proposal due date.

Proposals submitted for individual Calls shall be in accordance with this announcement unless deviations are authorized in the Call.

2. Proposal Submission Information:

Note: If you intend to submit a proposal for an assistance instrument, go to Attachment 8 which discusses how to find the assistance opportunity, prepare the cover page, and complete the certification. This section also provides the process for electronic submission of proposals for assistance instruments that may be submitted in addition to BAA Section IV Paragraph 3.a.(5).

a. General Instructions:

(1) Proposal submission consists of offerors submitting a technical and cost proposal generally within 45 calendar days of the Call issuance.

After receipt, proposals will be reviewed in accordance with the award criteria in Section 3(a) below. Proposals will be categorized and subsequently selected for negotiations.

(2) Offerors should apply the restrictive notice prescribed in FAR

52.215-1(e) Instructions to Offerors—Competitive Acquisition. Offerors should consider proposal instructions contained in the Broad Agency

Announcement (BAA) Guide for Industry, which can be accessed on line at:

https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/HQ/BAA%20Ind%20Gui de%202020.pdf?ver=7AivkWvoUoptKgypgCuIvw%3d%3d.

This guide is specifically designed to assist the offeror in understanding the BAA proposal process.

(3) Technical/management and cost/business volumes should be submitted in separate volumes and must be valid for 180 days.

(4) Proposals must reference the announcement number FA8650-21-S-5001 and Call Number.

(5) Offerors must include the cost file(s) spreadsheets, which must be in Microsoft Excel format and include the formulas for calculating cost element bases (i.e., G&A, O/H, etc.)

(6) Offerors are advised that only Contracting Officers are legally authorized to contractually bind or otherwise commit the Government.

(7) The cost of preparing proposals in response to Calls issued under this BAA is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting or any other award; however, it may be an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost as specified in FAR 31.205-18.

(8) No classified technical proposals or cost volumes are expected, unless otherwise specified within the Call. Offerors are encouraged to keep all elements of the proposal package unclassified. In the rare case where an offeror has a need to submit a classified appendix, please contact the technical POC for delivery instructions.

b. Technical/Management Proposal:

(1) Page Limitations: The following describes proposal page limitations:

a) The Technical/Management Proposal shall be limited to 25 pages. Technical/Management proposals and Statements of Work must be provided in Microsoft Word. Signed pages may be submitted in Adobe.

b) Font shall be standard 11-point business font Arial.

c) Character spacing must be “normal,” not condensed in any manner.

d) Pages shall be 1-1/2 line-spaced (must use standard line spacing 1.5 lines function in Microsoft Word), 8.5 by 11 inches, with at least one-inch margins on both sides, top and bottom.

e) All text, including text in tables and charts, must adhere to all font size and line spacing requirements listed herein. Font and line spacing requirements do not have to be followed for illustrations, flowcharts, drawings, and diagrams. These exceptions shall not be used to circumvent formatting requirements and page count limitations by including lengthy narratives in such items.

f) Pages shall be numbered starting with the cover page being Page1, and the last page being no greater than Page 25. The cover page shall not contain any technical information, but only basic information such as the date, proposer’s company name, point of contact, proposal title, and ROM. The page limitation covers all information including indices, photographs, foldouts (counted as 1 page for each 8.5 by 11 portion) tables, charts, appendices, attachments, resumes, etc.

g) The proposal page limit does not include the offeror’s proposed Statement of Work (SOW); however, the same formatting rules apply to the SOW, which is limited to 10 pages.

h) Please Note: The Government will check the proposal and SOW for conformance to the stated requirements.

Any pages in excess of the stated page limitation after the format check will not be considered for review purposes.

(2) The Technical/Management proposal(s) shall include a discussion of the nature and scope of the research and the technical approach.

Additional information on prior work in this area, descriptions of available equipment, use of base support (if desired), data and facilities and resumes of personnel who will be participating in this effort should also be included as attachments to the technical proposal. This volume shall include a SOW detailing the technical tasks proposed to be accomplished under the proposed effort and suitable for award incorporation. Do not include any proprietary information in the SOW. Refer to the BAA Guide for Industry referenced above to assist in SOW preparation. In addition to the contractor proposed SOW, a Government generated SOW

Supplemental Requirements attachment containing additional contracting requirements will be included in any resulting awards.

The SOW attachment is included as Attachment 7 to this BAA.

(3) Any questions concerning the technical proposal or SOW preparation shall be referred to the Technical POC.

c. Cost/Business Proposal:

(1) Separate the proposal into a business section and cost section.

a) See Attachment 1 for the Model Contract. Note that the document awarded may include contract line items

(CLINs)/clauses/articles in addition to those in the model, and/or some of the CLIN/clauses/articles in the model may be deleted, depending on the specific circumstances of the individual award. Any additions or deletions will be negotiated with the offeror prior to award.

b) The business section should contain all business aspects to the proposed award, such as type of award, any exceptions to terms and conditions of the announcement including the model contract, any information not technically related, etc. Provide rationale for exceptions.

c) Identify any technical data that will be delivered with less than unlimited rights.

d) Subcontracting Plans: For efforts to exceed $750,000, Subcontracting Plans shall be submitted in the cost/business proposal. Reference FAR 19.704 and DFARS 219.704 for subcontracting plan requirements. Small business concerns are exempt from this requirement. If an IDIQ contract arrangement is anticipated, the basis for the subcontracting plan should reflect the entire ceiling amount.

e) Limitations on Pass-Through Charges: As prescribed in FAR

15.408(n)(1) & 15.408(n)(2), provisions 52.215-22, “Limitations on Pass Through Charges- Identification of

Subcontract Effort (Oct 2009),” apply.

f) Completed Certifications and Representations (Section K) are due with the proposal. Certifications and Representations

(Section K) can be found at Attachment 2. Offerors may also be required to submit updated or supplemental Certifications and

Representations based on the specifics of their proposal.

g) If an offeror proposes the use of Government Furnished Property (GFP), other than GFP identified in the BAA, the offer must specifically identify each piece of GFP in the Cost/Business Proposal in accordance with FAR 45.202. Include the following information in the proposal:

(i) A list describing all Government property that the offeror or its subcontractors propose to use on a rent-free basis. The list shall identify the accountable contract under which the property is held and the authorization for its use (from the contracting officer having cognizance of the property);

(ii) The dates during which the property will be used and, for any property that will be used concurrently in performing two or more awards, the amounts of the respective uses in sufficient detail to support prorating the rent;

(iii) The amount of rent that would otherwise be charged in accordance with FAR 52.245-9, Use and Charges; and

(iv) The voluntary consensus standard or industry leading practices and standards to be used in the management of

Government property, or existing property management plans, methods, practices, or procedures for accounting for property.

(2) Cost Element Breakdown: Clear, concise, and accurate cost proposals reflect the offeror's financial plan for accomplishing the effort contained in the technical proposal. As a part of its cost proposal, the offeror shall submit the information outlined below, together with supporting breakdowns. All direct costs (labor, material, travel, computer, etc.) as well as labor and overhead rates should be provided by contractor fiscal year (CFY). Detailed cost element breakdowns by Government Fiscal Year or calendar year are not required. The supporting schedules may include summary level estimating rationale used to generate the proposed costs. The cost element breakdown should include the following if applicable.

a) Direct Labor: Direct labor should be detailed by number of labor hours by category of labor.

b) Labor and Overhead Rates: Direct labor hours, with their applicable rates, must be broken out and the bases used clearly identified. The source of labor and overhead rates and all pricing factors should be identified. For instance, if a Forward Pricing

Rate Agreement (FPRA) is in existence, that should be noted, along with the Administrative Contracting Officer’s (ACO's) name and telephone number. If the rates are based on current experience in your organization, provide the historical base used and clearly identify all escalation, by year, applied to derive the proposed rates. If computer usage is determined by a rate, identify the basis used and rationale used to derive the rate.

c) Material/Equipment: List all material/equipment items by type and kind with associated costs and advise if the costs are based on vendor quotes, data and/or engineering estimates;

provide copies of vendor quotes and/or catalog pricing data.

d) Subcontractor Costs: Submit all subcontractor proposals and analyses with your cost proposal (See FAR 15.404-3(b)). If the subcontractor will not submit cost and pricing information to the offeror, this information must be submitted directly to the

Government for analysis. On all subcontracts and interdivisional transfers, provide the method of selection used to determine the subcontractor and the proposed award type of each subcontract.

An explanation shall be provided if the offeror proposes a different amount than that quoted by the subcontractor. The offeror’s proposal must:

(i) Identify principal items/services to be subcontracted.

(ii) Identify prospective subcontractors and the basis on which they were selected. If non-competitive, provide selected source justification.

(iii) Identify the type of contractual business arrangement contemplated for the subcontract and provide rationale

(iv) Identify the basis for the subcontract costs (e.g., firm quote or engineering estimate, etc.).

(v) Identify the cost or pricing data submitted by the subcontractor.

(vi) Provide an analysis of the proposed subcontract in accordance with FAR 15.404-3(b). Provide an analysis concerning the reasonableness, realism and completeness of each subcontractor’s proposal. If the analysis is based on comparison with prior prices, identify the basis on which the prior prices were determined to be reasonable.

The analysis should include, but not be limited to, an analysis of: materials, labor, travel, other direct costs and proposed profit or fee rates.

e) Special Tooling or Test Equipment: When special tooling, and/or test equipment is proposed, attach a brief description of items and indicate if they are solely for the performance of this particular contract or project and if they are or are not already available in the offeror's existing facilities. Indicate quantities, unit prices, whether items are to be purchased or fabricated, whether items are of a severable nature and the basis of the price. These items may be included under Direct Material in the summary format.

f) Consultants: When consultants are proposed to be used in the performance of the award, indicate the specific project or area in which such services are to be used. Identify each consultant, number of hours or days to be used and the consultant's rate per hour or day. State the basis of said rate and give your analysis of the acceptability of the consultant's rate.

g) Travel: Travel costs must be justified and related to the needs of the project. Identify the number of trips, the destination and purpose. Travel costs should be broken out by trip with number of travelers, airfare, per diem, lodging, etc.

h) Computer Use: Detail the amount and kind of computer usage, the cost, and how the costs were derived.

i) Facilities Capital Cost of Money: If Facilities Capital Cost of

Money is proposed, a properly executed DD Form 1861 is required.

j) Project Funding Profile: Offerors should include a project funding profile by Government Fiscal Year (GFY) (1 Oct through 30 Sept) for budgetary purposes. This will enable the

Government to easily identify program funding needs by GFY.

k) If an offeror takes exceptions to the requirements called out in the announcement (e.g., base support, Government-furnished property (GFP), CDRLs), the exceptions should be clearly stated in the cost proposal.

l) Forward Pricing Rate Agreements: Offerors who have forward pricing rate agreements (FPRA’s) should submit them with their proposal.

m) Cost/Business proposals have no page limitations.

d. Proposal Content Summary: You may be ineligible for award if all requirements of this solicitation are not met on the proposal due date.

3. Proposal Review Information:

Note: The Government will suspend white paper submission for project areas identified in the Call. This will be stated in the Call Announcement. If the Government receives a white paper tied to an active Call, the white paper will not be reviewed.

a. Peer or Scientific Review Criteria: Proposals will be reviewed against the criteria listed below. The technical aspect, which is ranked as the first order of priority, shall be reviewed based on the following criteria that are of descending order of importance.

i. Technical:

1. Unique and innovative approach proposed to accomplish the technical objectives. New and creative solutions and/or advance in knowledge, understanding, technology, and the state of the art.

2. The offeror’s understanding of the scope of the technical effort.

3. Soundness of the offeror’s technical approach including whether the proposal identifies major technical risks, clearly defines feasible mitigation efforts, and demonstrates related experience and qualifications of technical personnel.

4. Availability of qualified technical personnel to perform the proposed effort. Availability of facilities (from any appropriate source) to perform the proposed effort.

5. The potential to transition the research and development deliverables to future Government needs. Any proposed restriction on technical data or computer software will be considered.

ii. Cost/Price: The cost/price criterion includes the realism of the proposed cost. Cost/Price is a substantial factor, but ranked as the second order of priority.

b. Review and Selection Process:

i. Categories: Based on the Peer or Scientific Review, each proposal will be categorized as Selectable or Not Selectable (see definitions below). The selection will be based on the Peer or Scientific Review, as well as importance to agency programs and funding availability.

1. Selectable: Proposals are recommended for acceptance if sufficient funding is available

2. Not Selectable: Even though funding exists, the proposal should not be funded as submitted based on technical review.

Note: The Government reserves the right to award some, all, or none of a proposal. When the Government elects to award only a part of a proposal, the selected part may be categorized as

Selectable, though the proposal as a whole may not merit such a categorization.

ii. No other criteria will be used unless otherwise indicated within the applicable Call.

iii. Prior to award of a potentially successful offer, the Contracting Officer will make a determination regarding price reasonableness.

4. Award Administration Information

a. Award Notices: Offerors will be notified whether their proposal is recommended for award TBD within Call. The notification is not to be construed to mean that any contract or assistance award is assured, as availability of funds and successful negotiations are prerequisites to any award.

b. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: See Section I.

Restrictions include: contract potentially security classification of Secret;

OPSEC; and Export Control. TBD within each Call.

c. Reporting: See attached DD Forms 1423-1 (CDRLs). Specific CDRLs TBD within each Call.

5. Other Information

a. Acquisition of Commercial Items: Based upon market research, the

Government is not using the policies contained in Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items, in this solicitation. However, interested offerors may identify to the Contracting Officer their interest and capability to satisfy the Government’s requirement with a commercial item within 15 days of this notice.

b. Support Contractors: Only Government employees will participate in

Peer or Scientific Reviews. Offerors are advised that employees of commercial firms under award to the Government may be used to administratively process proposals, monitor award performance, or perform other administrative duties requiring access to other contractors' proprietary information. These support awards include nondisclosure agreements prohibiting their contractor employees from disclosing any information submitted by other contractors or using such information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished.

c. Feedback Sessions:

i. Contracts: When requested, Feedback Sessions will be provided

IAW FAR 35.008(d), but that the procedures will be reasonably modified IAW FAR 15.502. The process will follow the time guidelines outlined in the award notice described in Paragraph VIII.4.a

ii. Assistance Instruments: When requested, an informal feedback session will be provided. The process will follow the time guidelines outlined in the award notice described in Paragraph VIII.4.a

d. Item Unique Identification and Valuation. It is DoD policy that contractors shall be required to identify the Government’s unit acquisition cost for all deliverable end items for which Item Unique Identification applies.

Therefore, proposals must clearly break out the unit acquisition cost for any deliverable items. See DFARS 211.274-3, Policy for Valuation, for more information. (Per DoD, “fully burdened unit costs” to the Government would include all direct, indirect, G&A costs, and an appropriate portion of fee). For more information, see the following website:

http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/pdi/uid/index.html.

e. Pre-Award Clearance: Pursuant to FAR 22.805, a preaward clearance must be obtained from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment

Standards Administration, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program’s (OFCCP) prior to award of a contract (or subcontract) of $10,000,000 or more unless the contractor is listed in OFCCP’s National Preaward Registry https://ofccp.dol-esa.gov/preaward/pa reg.html. Award may be delayed if you are not currently listed in the registry and the contracting officer must request a preaward clearance from the OFCCP.

f. Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters: Any contract or assistance award that exceeds $600,000; and when offeror checked “has” in paragraph (b) of the provision FAR 52.209-7, shall contain the clause/article, FAR 52.209-9 “Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters.”

6. Additional Applicable Information: All other information within the 2-Step Open sections of the BAA shall be applicable to Calls unless otherwise indicated within the Call itself.

**Please address contracting questions to the Contracting POCs:

Primary: Ms. Caitlin Frost, AFRL/RXKMM, 2130 8th Street, Wright- Patterson AFB, OH 45433, 937-713-9842, caitlin.frost@us.af.mil.

Alternate: Mr. Mark Wade, AFRL/RXKMM, 2130 8th Street, Wright- Patterson AFB, OH 45433, 937-713-9868, mark.wade.1@us.af.mil.

mailto:mark.wade.1@us.af.mil