QandA.pdf

Q: 5B mentions this effort requires a TS/Sensitive Compartmented Information facility clearance and Secret safeguarding capability and later says “if applicable.” Will the SOO clarify the work within the TS/SCI requirements?

A: The access, safe guarding, and classification of any documentation, data, work products or information systems will be assigned on a task-by-task basis, and be consistent with the applicable Security Classification Guides.

Q: I am confirming that resumes are included in the 30 page limit. Some past proposals (including SLAKE) have the resume section counted separately, allowing us to better present our innovative solutions using the 30 pages, and allowing for full page resumes instead of bio snippets for the performers.

A: Yes, resumes are included in the 30 page limit.

Q: Section IV.2.b.i.g indicates a page limit of 8 pages for the SOW. In a closely related past proposal (SLAKE), it took a full 12 pages to meet similar required information giving the font and spacing requirements. This means the SOW would wind up being an abbreviated form of the SOO and may not have room for required items like the deliverables. Would the government be willing to grant some relief in the number of pages?

A: The program office technical point of contact has decided that 8 pages will suffice in allowing offerors an opportunity to provide their solution to the MASS BAA.

Q: Please clarify that is it acceptable to submit the SF 424 Form as an appendix to Volume II Cost/Business.

A: The Security Program Questionnaire should be included in the technical/management volume, and will be included in the page limitations.

Q: We are having issues correlating the “funding type” to the SOO “corresponding tasks”. Will the government remove this requirement, or provide more explanation/insight as to how to connect the funding type to the SOO corresponding tasks?

A: The overwhelming majority of the funding is expected to be 3600 money, addressing tasks within the 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3 categories. In rare exceptions, the government may accept and/or convert other funds if task-specific missions require it.

Q: The BAA and “draft” DD 254 make clear that a Top Secret Facility-Security-Clearance (FCL) is required (which Sumaria possesses) and that accredited SECRET or TOP SECRET safeguarding is required prior to a prime-contractor being given access to classified information (commensurate with the respective level of accreditation of the facility). Must the safeguarding be "in-place" at time of proposal submittal - or can a new award's DD 254 be used by a successful offeror as a sponsorship for the company's currently unaccredited safeguarding space?

A: On a task-by-task basis, all printed classified material stored outside of government facilities will be stored either in-place at the prime contractor's DD254 approved facilities, at other approved facilities accessible to the contractor and with whom a DD254 has been established under the contract, or on-site at facilities under the control of AFRL or its government partners. The safeguarding capability need not be in place at the time of proposal submittal. Failure to obtain approved access to appropriate secure storage may be a determinative factor in the contract award process.

Q: I would like to ask a question about teaming on this vehicle. Can teammates be added after award, or do all have to be established at time of award?

A: To answer your question, yes teaming arrangements can be added after contract award, however, in order for the Government to gain a full understanding of your proposed solution/approach, it is recommended to have a full firm contract teaming arrangement presented at proposal receipt, and that the proposal includes your best solution to the MASS BAA SOO.

Q: Para 4.3 Advanced Demonstration alludes to the idea that the 4.3.2 Prototype demonstration will be done OCONUS. Please confirm that such demonstrations will be OCONUS, and if so, how many, where, and how long for each demonstration. The same request holds true to CONUS demonstrations - where, how many, how long.

A: There is no specific intent to demonstrate R&D software/hardware prototypes at specific OCONUS sites at the time of the solicitation, but AFRL/RY will seek and consider appropriate venues to demonstrate relevant capabilities. The duration of contractor participation would be whatever is minimally sufficient to demonstrate the relevant technologies and achieve the task-specific goals.

Q: Para 9. DELIVERABLES - Please break out what is expected of deliverables, Hardware in particular.

Is SUAS considered a deliverable by the contractor or GFE by the government?

A: Specific deliverables will be enumerated on a task-by-task basis in accordance with the R&D objectives being addressed in the task.

Q: Para 4.2 SUAS. Please confirm the assumption that only SUAS will be used for this project.

A: For specific tasks in which SUAS are appropriate for demonstration of knowledge management or sensor resource command and control, AFRL SUAS assets will be the primary demonstration platforms.

On a task-by-task basis, other government-owned or government-leased equipment may be of the most advantage to the government to mitigate cost or schedule risk.

Q: What size SUAS is envisioned here to support the project. Fixed wing preferred?

A: AFRL has a small fleet of 20+ SUAS fixed wing platforms: BAT 4, Silver Fox D2, T-16, and Penguin

Q: Any plan for quadcopter/hexacopter type of SUAS?

A: AFRL does not currently use multi-rotor SUAS aircraft but may opt for that category of SUAS if it is advantageous or required to achieve task-specific R&D objectives.

Q: Para 4.2.1 states "Maintain flight currency for Government-owned unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) platforms as required for each project..." Is the SUAS provided by the government for this project? If so, what make/model SUAS is it? Quantity available for demonstrations? Are the data links and Piccolo Command Center provided by the government?

A: It is anticipated that only Government-owned small uncrewed air systems (SUAS) will be used for relevant airborne testing of communications and control of airborne platforms to achieve project-specific objectives. AFRL SUAS inventories vary but typically have included small fixed wing platforms in DoD categories Groups 1-3. For systems ancitipcated to be in the AFRL SUAS inventory for the period of performance of this contract, AFRL provides data links and command centers as required on a task-by-task basis.

Q: Para 4.3.3 Advanced Demonstration - alludes to "Deliver prototypes and developed systems..." Is there a quantity? What a deliverable is on the program is not clear. Please clarify.

A: This is not a delivery order contract, but a research and development contract to develop and demonstrate (typcally software) capability at up to TRL 6. Any developed prototype is not expected to be required to be delivered in quantity beyond that required for testing a concept or capability.

Q: A "Top Secret (TS)/Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) facility clearance" is required for this effort. As a TS/SCI Facility Clearance is not a type of Facility Clearance (FCL) recognized by DCSA.

Top Secret is the highest level of Facility Clearance attainable and recognized by DCSA. SCI eligibility is only applicable to personnel security clearances, and TS-cleared FCLs can maintain their employees’ SCI eligibility. Therefore, would the Government consider changing this line to read "This effort requires a Top Secret (TS) facility clearance, Secret safeguarding capability, and employees capable of performing TS/Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) work." or something to that effect?

A: This effort requires access to a facility approved by SSO WPAFB (via contract-specific DD254) for storage of Top Secret material, in addition to Secret safeguarding capability. On a task-by-task basis, work performed will be at the SCI level and contractors performing the work will require TS clearances with the ability to obtain SCI eligibility and access.

Q: BAA Guide Part II, f.3 - This section instructs offerors to address "3) Related Government Contracts and Points of Contact." These instructions are vague, and it is unclear what the government wants to see here. Please provide details on what information the government is looking for. Is there a timeframe for "related contracts"? (e.g. within the past X years). Are we to provide contract numbers, descriptions, size/$$?

A: Please include the following information, as it pertains to 'Related Government Contracts and Points of Contact': Timeframe - Related contracts awarded within the last 3 years; please provide a description of the work that was performed and contract value

Q: BAA Guide Part II, f.5, b) MASS BAA IV.2.b.ii (page 16) - Reference a asks for resumes of personnel "(no names on the resumes)" . Reference b asks for resumes of personnel who will be participating in this effort. Please confirm that the government does not want names on resumes, per Reference a.

A: In accordance with the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Guide for Industry, do not include names on the resumes.

Q: MASS BAA IV.2.b.i.f (page 15) - The Technical /Management proposal is limited to 30 pages.

Paragraph f indicates that the cover page shall be numbered page 1. We assume that the Table of Contents and List of Illustration/Tables required by the BAA Guide will follow the Cover page, making them numbered pages as well. Since the table of contents and list of illustrations/tables are not evaluated items in the proposal, would the government please exclude them from the page count so industry can devote the full 30 pages to presenting our solution?

A: The Table of Contents and List of Illustration/Tables will be included in the numbered pages

Q: MASS BAA, I.5.g.2 - This section requires offerors to submit, at a minimum, a completed Security Program Questionnaire (Attachment 3). In what volume should offerors include Attachment 3? If in the technical/management volume, is it included in the page limitations?

A: The Security Program Questionnaire should be included in the technical/management volume, and will be included in the page limitations.

Q: Please confirm that all additional information referenced in IV.2.b.ii (information on prior work in this area, descriptions of available equipment, use of base support (if desired), data and facilities and resumes) is to be provided as attachments to the proposal.

A: Yes, in accordance with the solicitation, all additional information is to be provided as attachments to the proposal.

Q: Should this information all be presented in a single attachment, or should each be a separate attachment?

A: Each should be a separate attachment.

Q: Are these attachments included in the 30 page limit for the Technical/Management proposal? If not, are there page allocations for each of these attachments?

A: In accordance with the solicitation, all attachments, resumes, charts, indices, etc are included in the 30 page limit.

Q: The AFRL BAA Guide for Industry 2020 includes Schedule and Program Organization as included items under Part II Technical Proposal. As these items are not included in the instructions for this particular BAA, please confirm that they are not required as part of this proposal.

A: Inclusion of both Schedule and Program Organization in the proposal will allow the Government to assess the offeror’s ability adhere to a timeline regarding the completion of major milestones in the SOW and to and help identify the roles and responsibilities in the completion of those milestones.

Q: Are resumes required or is it sufficient for us to complete Attachment 2 – SF424?

A: Resumes should be submitted, in addition to the completion of the SF 424.

Q: Are the biographical sketch(s) required as part of the SF424 bound by the formatting requirements of the Technical Proposal?

A: Yes, the formatting requirements for the technical proposal apply to the biographical sketches required as part of the SF 424.

Q: Is there a page limit for each submitted biographical sketch included as part of the SF424 form?

A: The biographical sketch should not exceed 2 (two) pages.

Q: Should the SOW be provided as separate file or included as an attachment/appendix to the Technical Proposal?

A: The SOW should be provided as an attachment to the technical proposal.

Q: If our submission is over 20 MB, can we split our proposal submission into two emails sent to the Government?

A: The proposal submission should be submitted via DoD SAFE.

Q: For our submission directly to the Contracting Specialist and Contracting Officer do our emails have to be encrypted? If so, is there a deadline to exchange certificates with both the Contracting Specialist and the Contracting Officer?

A: The proposal submission should be submitted via DoD SAFE.

Q: On page 2 of the 1 Step Broad Agency Announcement, the Government says that, “Cost reimbursement contracts require successful offerors to have an accounting system considered adequate for tracking costs applicable to the contract.) Should we include attachments that demonstrate that we have an accounting system that has been certified by the Government as adequate for tracking costs applicable to a cost reimbursable contract?

A: Any information/documentation the offeror can produce that provides evidence of an audit has been performed by DCAA, and as a result of the audit, the accounting system has been deemed adequate is acceptable.

Q: Reference Text: f) Pages shall be numbered starting with the cover page being Page 1, and the last page being no greater than Page 30. 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. Question: For the Technical/Management proposal, will the Government consider including resumes as an appendix that does not count against the 30-page limit?

A: In accordance with the BAA solicitation, resumes are included in the 30 page limitation.