C Section L - M.docx

RFP: FA8773-22-R-0005

SECTION L

INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS OR RESPONDENTS

L.1. SPECIAL NOTICE TO OFFERORS.

L.1 This is a best value source selection conducted in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.3 and DoD Source Selection Procedures, as supplemented. The Government intends to make an award to each and all qualifying offerors that submit a technically acceptable proposal. A technically acceptable proposal is one that conforms to all the material requirements of this Request for Proposal (RFP) including responsibility, past experience, past performance, and conformance with all other requirements described herein.

L.1.1. The exclusive responsibility for Source Selection will reside with the Government. Proprietary information submitted in response to this solicitation shall be clearly marked as such and will be protected from unauthorized disclosures as required by Subsection 27 of the Office of Procurements Policy Act as amended (41 U.S.C. 423) and as implemented by the FAR. Any unmarked proprietary information will be considered releasable under the restrictions of the Freedom of Information Act. As part of this source selection, offerors are advised that the Government will utilize AMIC-contracted system engineering and technical assistance personnel (XXXXX). All individuals involved in this acquisition have executed a Non-Disclosure Agreement. Offerors may, at their discretion, contact XXXXX to execute company-to-company agreements for the protection of the offeror’s proprietary information. Offerors are not required to provide the agreement in the offeror’s proposal.

L.1.2. Offerors shall follow the instructions contained herein. Offerors are required to meet all solicitation requirements, including terms and conditions, representations and certifications, and technical requirements, in additional to those identified as evaluation factors. Failure to meet all requirements may result in an offeror being ineligible for award. The following evaluation factors will be used to evaluate each proposal:

L.1.2.1. VOLUME I – CONTRACT & RESPONSIBILITY DOCUMENTATION

Contract Documents (SF 33 & SF 30s) Insurance Certificate Responsibility InformationResponsibility Matters Financial/Other Resources.

Accounting System Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI)

L.1.2.2. VOLUME II – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Offeror Company Information Team Structure Teaming Agreements Joint Venture Agreement (if applicable) Subcontractor/Teaming Member Consent Letter

L.1.2.3. VOLUME III – PAST EXPERIENCE

Work Samples Work Sample Cover Sheet Work Sample Qualifications Attachment 9 - Self-Scoring Matrix Cross Reference Matrix

L.1.2.4. VOLUME IV - PAST PERFORMANCE

Past Performance Submissions Past Performance Information (PPI) Sheet Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) Subcontractor/Teaming Member Consent Letter Organizational Structure Change History Specific Content

L.1.3. In this procurement, as fully delineated in M.1.2, the Government will select the Highest Technically Rated Offerors (HTRO) that, based upon the results of Technical Evaluations, offer the Government Technically Acceptable proposals which conform to the requirements of this RFP.

L.2. GENERAL INFORMATION

L.2.1. This requirement is solicited as a partial set-aside, under NAICS 541330 Engineering Services, Except Military and Aerospace Equipment and Military Weapons in accordance with FAR 19.502-4 Partial set-asides of multiple award contracts, where a portion of the requirement will be set-aside for Small Business and a portion of the requirement may be set-aside for other socio-economic small business set-asides in accordance with agency procedures and the EC2 Ordering Guide.

L.2.2. Communications. The below are the sole points of contact (POCs) for this acquisition. Offerors shall address any questions or concerns to all of the personnel listed below. Source selection information will be transmitted to Offerors electronically (i.e. via email or through the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (PIEE) Solicitation module). If transmitted via email, the transmission shall be sent and received encrypted and must include “Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 & 3.104” in the Subject line.

L.2.3. Question Submission. All questions must be submitted via email to the POC’s listed above using the Attachment 12 Question-Answer Matrix no later than 4:00 pm EDT on 163 May 2022. Questions will not be answered over the phone or be accepted by any other means. Questions received after this date will be addressed at the sole discretion of the Government. All questions impacting the solicitation will be answered in an amendment. The Government assumes no responsibility for non-delivery due to problems with email servers, and no extensions will be granted for these issues.

L.2.3. Amendments. Offerors shall acknowledge awareness of all amendments to the solicitation by signing and dating Page 1 of each Standard Form (SF) 30, Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract. Failure to acknowledge all any amendments to the solicitation by the SF30 may result in the Offeror being deemed nonresponsive. Award CANNOT be made to a nonresponsive Offeror.

L.2.4. Proposal Accuracy. The proposal shall be clear, concise, and shall include sufficient detail for effective evaluation and for substantiating the validity of stated claims. Offerors shall assume that the Government has no prior knowledge of their experience and will base its evaluation on the information presented in the Offeror's proposal. Offerors shall not submit elaborate brochures or documentation, binding, detailed artwork, or other embellishments. Offerors are additionally cautioned to strictly comply with all instructions within this solicitation to ensure submission of a complete proposal. Failure to furnish a complete proposal at the time of proposal submission may result in an unacceptable proposal that the Government eliminates from consideration for award. The Government will not accept any changes to the offeror’s proposals after the closing date of this solicitation (see FAR 15.208 for further information regarding late proposals.) The offeror must accept the terms and conditions of the RFP. Offerors cannot redline or condition proposals. Offeror statements of exception or assumption may result in elimination from consideration for award.

L.2.5. Request for Proposal (RFP) Discrepancies. If an Offeror believes that the requirements in these instructions contain an error, omission, or are otherwise unsound, the Offeror shall notify the POCs in writing with supporting rationale as well as the remedies the Offeror is asking to be considered. Questions pertaining to the proposal shall be submitted no later than the date and time identified in Paragraph 1.10 below. The Offeror is reminded that the Government intends to award this effort without discussion.

L.2.6. The Government reserves the right to cancel this solicitation, either before or after the closing date. In the event the Government cancels this solicitation, the Government has no obligation to reimburse an offeror for any reason.

L.3. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

L.3.1. Proposals shall be submitted via the PIEE Solicitation module, in accordance with the module procedures no later than 3:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on TBD. The Offeror shall submit each volume in electronic format, unclassified only. Offerors will utilize PIEE and will not rely on any other electronic transmission (including transmission by electronic e-mail). No hard copies of proposals will be accepted (hand delivered or traditional mail). The proposal shall be submitted in a format readable by Microsoft (MS) Office Word, MS Office Excel or Adobe PDF. Offerors shall separate each proposal volume. Each volume must be organized to be consistent with the each section as identified in Table 1 - Proposal Organization. Attachments which are provided in support of a section shall be included in the electronic file for that section. The offeror shall use the following labeling format for their submissions: [Offeror Name] FA877322R0005 [Document/File Name].

L.3.2. PIEE. In the PIEE Solicitation module, the offeror must establish a “Proposal Manager account” in sufficient time to access documents and submit offers. Offerors are strongly encouraged to plan accordingly, submit proposals well in advance of the designated submission deadline, and ensure affirmative receipt of proposals. After successfully submitting the offer, a success message of the submission will be displayed in the Solicitation module and the offer display will collapse. The “message of submission”, a red lined box, will be your confirmation and should state: “The offer was submitted on 2021-09-22 10:51:07 AM EDT (2021-09-22 15:51:07 UTC) by Proposal Manager. Please print this page and maintain for your records.” Please print/save this message for your records.” The Solicitation module automatically tracks the date and time of all submissions. Proposals not received by the designated submission deadline will be regarded as “late” and will not be accepted by the Government, subject to the provisions of FAR 15.208. .

Electronic Reference Documents. All referenced documents for this solicitation can be found on the PIEE Solicitation module at https://piee.eb.mil/. All vendors can view solicitations in the Solicitation module by selecting “SOLICITATION SEARCH” in the Award section or “Solicitation Search” under the SUPPORT section at the bottom of the page. -Search for FA877322R0005 postings. The SAM.gov website will reference back to this module.

L.3.2.1. The Solicitation module is a vendor portal for solicitation within the PIEE platform to automate and secure the process for capturing solicitations, attachments, and responses from industry. The Solicitation module allows vendors to retrieve and respond to solicitations and communicate directly with Solicitation Managers in a secure environment. Vendors choosing to submit an offer/proposal in the Solicitation module must register in PIEE and submit a request for the Proposal Manager role. Training resources are provided below (there are additional resources available online as well.

Overview of PIEE Solicitation module: https://dodprocurementtoolbox.com/cms/sites/default/files/resources/2021-08/Solicitation%20Module%20Overview%2020210414.pdf

Vendor Registration:

https://pieetraining.eb.mil/wbt/xhtml/wbt/portal/overview/vendorRegister.xhtml

Proposal Manager Instructions in the Solicitation module: https://pieetraining.eb.mil/wbt/sol/Proposal_Manager.pdf

All PIEE Solicitation module web based training:

https://pieetraining.eb.mil/wbt/xhtml/wbt/sol/index.xhtml

L.3.3. It is the offeror's responsibility to be fully knowledgeable and capable regarding PIEE. Offerors must not rely on the Government to assist offerors in understanding how to use PIEE or transmit proposals within PIEE. The Government strongly recommends that Oofferors must fully familiarize themselvess, far in advance of the proposal submission deadline, with the system: both for retrieving information and to enable them to submit their offerors in a timely manner. Offerors may contact the CO if the system is "down" or if they are unable to locate any of the referenced material., but it is the offeror's responsibility to plan far ahead of the proposal submission deadline, anticipating potential PIEE connectivity delays.

L.3.4. Proposal Records. In accordance with FAR Subpart 4.8 (Government Contract Files), the Government will retain one electronic copy of all proposals.

L.4. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

L.4.1. The instructions below prescribe the format of proposals. Offerors shall submit their best proposals upfront based on the solicitation provisions. Proposals shall include all of the information requested in the specific instructions. Failure to include all information requested may adversely affect the evaluation. A proposal that is orderly and sufficiently documented will enable the Government to easily understand and perform a thorough and fair evaluation. The Government may incorporate into this contact, by reference or full text, portions of the successful offeror’s proposal submitted in response to this solicitation as revised and supplemented through the final proposal revision.

L.4.2. Proposal Format

L.4.2.1. Volume’s Format: Offerors must submit 4 separate volumes named: Volume I -- Contract and Responsibility Documentation; Volume II – Executive Summary, Volume III – Past Experience, and Volume IV – Past Performance.

L.4.2.2. Cover Page: Each volume must include a cover page with the following information:

a. Volume number and name of volume

b. Solicitation number and title

c. Offeror’s name, address, and Points of Contact (Primary and an Alternate)

d. Telephone numbers and e-mail addresses for all POCs

e. Date of proposal and validity date

f. CAGE Code

g. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

h. Tax Identification Number (TIN)

L.4.2.3. Table of Contents. Each volume shall contain a more detailed Table of Contents to delineate the subparagraphs within that volume. Tables of Contents do not count against the page limitations for their respective volumes.

L.4.3. General Page Instructions. A page is defined as each face of a sheet of paper containing information. Page size shall be 8.5 x 11 inches unless stated otherwise within this document. Pages shall be single spaced, and the text size shall be no less than 11-point Times New Roman Font unless stated otherwise within this document. All proposal text shall be written in English. Offerors shall use at least 1-inch margins on the top and bottom and ¾-inch side margins unless stated otherwise within this document. Pages on each separate electronic file shall be numbered sequentially. These page size and format restrictions shall apply to responses to ENs if determined necessary.

L.4.4. Page Limitations. Page limitations shall be treated as maximums. If exceeded, the excess pages will not be read or considered in the evaluation of the proposal. Each page shall be counted except the following: cover pages, tables of contents, and glossaries. If evaluation notices (EN) are determined necessary, page limits will be placed on EN responses.

L.4.5. Table, Chart, and other graphics Instructions. Legible tables, charts, graphics, figures, etc. may be used. These displays shall be uncomplicated, legible, and shall not exceed 11 x 17 inches in size. 11 x 17 may only be used for large tables and charts; they shall not be used for pages of text. Text shall be no less than 10-point Times New Roman Font, and margins shall be no less than ½ inch on all sides unless stated otherwise within this document.

L.4.6. Proposal Markings. Proposals shall be marked in accordance with FAR 52.215-1(e), Restriction on Disclosure and Use of Data, and FAR 3.104-4, Disclosure, Protection, and Marking of Contractor Bid or Proposal Information and Source Selection Information. Offerors shall not include proprietary markings on attachments and documents that will become a part of the contract (i.e., Volume IV documents).

L.4.7. Cross-Referencing. To the greatest extent possible, Eeach volume shall be written on a stand-alone basis so that its contents may be evaluated with no cross referencing to other volumes of the proposal. Information required for proposal evaluation which is not found in its designated volume and/or section will be assumed to have been omitted from the proposal.

L.4.8. Glossary of Abbreviations and Acronyms. Each volume shall contain a glossary of all abbreviations, acronyms used with an explanation for each. Glossaries do not count against the page limitations for their respective volumes.

L.4.9. Proposal Organization. The Offeror shall prepare the proposal as set forth in the Table 1 - Proposal Organization. The volume folders and section files shall be as defined in this table, all of which shall be within the required page limits specified in the table.

L.5. Table 1 - Proposal Organization

I

Contract and Responsibility Documentation

II

Executive Summary

III

Past Experience

IV

Past Performance

NOTE: In accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2305(a)(3)(C)(i), Cost/Price will be evaluated for each individual task order. As a result, Cost/Price information will not be requested within this proposal.

VOLUME I ‑ Contract and Responsibility Documentation L.6. Volume 1 Organization. This volume shall be organized according to Table 1 - Proposal Organization.

L.6.1. Volume 1 Cover Page: Volume I must include a cover page with the following information:

a. Volume number and name of volume

b. Solicitation number and title

c. Offeror’s name, address, and Points of Contact (Primary and an Alternate)

d. Telephone numbers and e-mail addresses for all POCs

e. Date of proposal and validity date

f. CAGE Code

g. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

h. Tax Identification Number (TIN)

L.6.2. Table of Contents. Volume I’s Table of Contents shall be broken down at a minimum with Table 1 – Proposal Organization’s Volume I to help delineate each component included in the Contract and Responsibility Documentation Proposal. Offerors file the Table of Contents after the Volume I Cover Page. Tables of Contents do not count against the page limitations for the respective volume.

L.6.3. Responsibility Information. To assist the Contracting Officer in making the responsibility determination prior to contract award, in accordance with FAR 9.1, Responsible Prospective Contractors, (as supplemented by the DFARS 209.1), the information in sections L.6.4 through L.6.7.3 below is required.

L.6.4. Standard Form (SF) 33, Solicitation, Offer and Award: Offerors shall complete blocks 15A through 18 and file the SF 33 after the Table of Contents in Volume I. This will not count against this volume’s page limitation.

L.6.5. Standard Form (SF) 30, Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract: Offerors shall complete blocks 15A through 15C for any amendments and file the SF 30(s) after the SF 33 in Volume I. This will not count against this volume’s page limitation.

L.6.6. Insurance Certificate: Offerors shall submit an insurance certificate that demonstrates their company’s insurance coverage meeting the requirements of FAR Clause 252.217-7012 Liability and Insurance included in Section I of this solicitation and file the insurance certificate after the SF 33 and any SF 30s. This will not count against this volume’s page limitation

L.6.7. Responsibility Matters / Determination: Offerors shall complete and submit a copy of the attached Certification Regarding Responsibility Matters (Attachment 13) and file the form after the insurance certificate. This certification will be used in conjunction with information obtained from Determination of Responsibility Assistant (DORA), the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS), and additional sources, in making a determination of the offerors responsibility.

L.6.7.1. Financial/Other Resources. In accordance with FAR 9.104-1(a), the Offeror shall provide a written statement explaining the Offeror’s ability to obtain required resources to perform the contract requirements. The Offeror shall also provide evidence to support the explanation. Evidence includes, official letter(s) from financial institutions demonstrating that the Offeror has the financial resources required to cover all financial commitment. In accordance with FAR 9.104-1(e), the Offeror shall provide an explanation of the Offeror’s organizational controls and measures. At a minimum, the Offeror shall address their accounting controls, operational controls, quality assurance measures, and safety program. The Offeror shall also provide evidence to support the explanation. Evidence may include a list of organizational policies or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which demonstrates the organizational controls and measures of the Offeror. If a list is provided, the Offeror shall include the title of each policy or SOP, the date of each document, and a brief description of each document. The Offeror shall also define which element of FAR 9.104-1(e) the policy or SOP applies to.

L.6.7.2. Accounting System. IAW FAR 16.301, no cost reimbursement contract may be awarded unless the limitations in FAR 16.301-3 are met. One of the limitations cited under FAR 16.301-3 requires that “the Contractor’s accounting system is adequate for determining costs applicable to the contract or order.” The prime shall provide a current (within three (3) years prior to date of proposal submittal) letter or report from Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA)/ Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) that the Offeror’s accounting system has been approved or is adequate for cost-reimbursement contracts. If the prime does not have a letter or report from DCAA/DCMA from within 3 years, the Offeror shall provide the latest letter or report received and shall provide a statement that the accounting system has not changed since being reviewed. If the accounting system has changed, the Offeror shall provide a DCAA/DCMA certification indicating that the changes have not impacted the approval or adequacy of the accounting system. If the prime does not currently have an accounting system determined as adequate for determining costs applicable to the contract or order, then the prime shall complete and submit Attachment 16 – DCAA Contractor Accounting System Pre-Award Survey, and state that it will work with DCAA/DCMA to obtain the appropriate accounting system approval prior to contract award.

L.6.7.3. Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI). Offerors shall submit an assessment of potential or actual Organizational Conflict of Interest issues, if any, as related to this contract vehicle and future work, as delineated in FAR 9.5. Offerors, including their subcontractors and teaming partners, must provide such assessment, considering OCI issues as they pertain to not only the prime offerors, but also subcontractors and teaming partners. Initial notification shall be made to the Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist as soon as they become known. OCI issues include, but may not be limited to, the inability to render impartial assistance or advice to the Government, the inability to objectively perform contract work, or the unfair competitive advantage created by current or previous contractual efforts with the Government. If an actual or potential OCI exists, the Offeror shall submit a mitigation plan with the proposal. The Contracting Officer will review the submitted mitigation plan and make a determination as to whether the plan adequately resolves the issues and provides adequate protection to both the Offeror and the Government. Submission of mitigation plans are only required if the Offeror is aware of potential or actual OCI issues related to this procurement. If the Offeror believes no potential or actual OCI issues exist, this shall be clearly and unequivocally so stated.

VOLUME II -- Executive Summary L.7. Volume II Organization. This volume shall be organized according to Table 1 - Proposal Organization.

L.7.1. Volume 1 Cover Page: Volume I must include a cover page with the following information:

a. Volume number and name of volume

b. Solicitation number and title

c. Offeror’s name, address, and Points of Contact (Primary and an Alternate)

d. Telephone numbers and e-mail addresses for all POCs

e. Date of proposal and validity date

f. CAGE Code

g. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

h. Tax Identification Number (TIN)

L.7.2. Table of Contents. Volume II’s Table of Contents shall be broken down at a minimum with Table 1 – Proposal Organization’s Volume II to help delineate each component included in the Executive Summary Proposal. Offerors file the Table of Contents after the Volume I Cover Page. Tables of Contents do not count against the page limitations for the respective volume.

L.7.3. Offeror Company Information. The Offeror shall complete Attachment 3. Offeror Company Information, for each legal entity participating in the offer. The Offeror shall provide all information on the form. The proposal validity statement shall be valid for at least 180 calendar days after receipt of proposal. The Offeror shall be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) for the duration of the acquisition. If the Offeror’s SAM.gov registration expires prior to the proposal validity date, the Offeror shall assert its intent to renew the registration. The Offeror shall state what type of Facility Clearance (FCL) it possesses. If none, the Offeror will obtain a facility clearance at the classification level required to bid on resulting Task Orders (TOs); note, the government anticipates the bulk of TOs on this contract to be at the Top-Secret classification level.

L.7.4. Team Structure. The Offeror shall identify the team structure it will use to meet Government requirements. The Offeror shall identify the team structure within Attachment 4. Team Structure. The Offeror shall:

(a) Identify the team member’s name, address, CAGE code, and UEI.

(b) Identify the relationship between the prime, each team member.

(c) Identify EC2 Specialty Areas (SA) in which each team member(s) will provide performance.

L.7.5. Teaming Agreements. The Offeror shall provide teaming agreement summary between the Prime Offeror and each team member.

L.7.6. Joint Ventures. If the offeror is a Joint Venture, then the offeror must meet the provisions of 13 CFR 125.8. Offerors that are Joint Ventures, including Mentor-Protégé Joint Ventures, shall provide a copy of their fully-executed JV agreement, including any modifications or attachments thereof (submitted in Volume II, L.7.6), delineating the roles and responsibilities of all JV partners.

L.7.7. Subcontractor/Teaming Member Consent Letter. Past Performance Submissions cannot be disclosed to non-Government parties without the information owner’s consent. If one of the Past Performance Submissions is provided by a team member, the Government will need the team member’s consent before disclosing PPI to the Prime during exchanges. The Subcontractor/Teaming Partner Consent Letter shall be signed by an individual who has the authority to sign for and legally bind the company. Completed Subcontractor/Teaming Partner Consent Letter, Attachment 5 shall be submitted as part of Volume II -- Executive Summary.

VOLUME III –Past Experience L.8. Volume III Organization. This volume shall be organized according to Table 1 - Proposal Organization.

L.8.1 Volume III Cover Page: Volume III must include a cover page with the following information:

a. Volume number and name of volume

b. Solicitation number and title

c. Offeror’s name, address, and Points of Contact (Primary and an Alternate)

d. Telephone numbers and e-mail addresses for all POCs

e. Date of proposal and validity date

f. CAGE Code

g. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

h. Tax Identification Number (TIN)

L.8.2. Table of Contents. Volume III’s Table of Contents shall be broken down at a minimum with Table 1 – Proposal Organization’s Volume III to help delineate each component included in the Past Experience Proposal. Offerors file the Table of Contents after the Volume III Cover Page. Tables of Contents do not count against the page limitations for the respective volume.

L.8.3. Work Sample Table of Contents. Volume III’s Table of Contents shall also itemize the offeror’s list of “work samples” to help segregate each work sample that’s included in the Past Experience Proposal. Tables of Contents do not count against the page limitations for their respective volumes

L.8.4. Self-Scoring Matrix. The Offeror shall complete Attachment 7. Self- Scoring Matrix. Self-scores shall be verifiable using the work samples provided in response to L8.6. Only Column D and the Offeror’s name can be manipulated for scoring/identification purposes. Note: All non-manipulatable cells are password protected to avoid confusion.

L.8.4.1. Scoring: Proposals shall be scored beginning with the O&M Category through the Securely Provision Category on the Self Scoring Matrix. All SAs shall be independently scored in column D of Attachment 7 Self-Scoring Matrix. Scores shall be either zero (0), five (5), or ten (10). A score of 0 is input if no work sample was provided, a score of 5 is inputted if one work sample is provided, or a 10 is inputted if two work samples are provided for each SA. Only 0, 5, or 10 is permitted and the Government will not evaluate any solicitations with any other values in Column D of Attachment 9 - Self-Scoring Matrix. An offeror must achieve a 90% or higher overall score to be deemed Qualified and advanced for Past Performance scoring.

L.8.4.2. The Offeror shall not change, adjust, or manipulate any other cells within the Self-Scoring Matrix.

L.8.4.3. Burden of Proof. The burden of proof for substantiating points in the self-score system rests with the Offeror. The proposal shall contain sufficient data to substantiate the points claimed by the Offeror. All proposal information is subject to verification by the Government. Falsification of any proposal submission, documents, or statements may subject the Offeror to disqualification from this source selection. Please note, the Government is not bound by an Offeror’s relevance assessment or proposed self-score.

L.8.5. Cross Reference Matrix. The Offeror shall provide a Cross Reference Matrix which clearly identifies the exact location of the substantiating data within the work samples. The Cross Reference Matrix shall be completed using Attachment 8 – Cross Reference Matrix. The Offeror shall identify the type of document provided as a work sample in Column E. The Offeror shall include a work sample identifier (i.e., WS1-WS62), EC2 SA, document title, document date, page(s), paragraph(s), table number(s) (if applicable), and block(s) (if applicable) within Column E, Reference. Offerors shall submit references that illustrate experience in EC2 SAs. The purpose of the Cross Reference Matrix is to map the SA to the Work Sample. Each EC2 SA shall receive a separate reference. If the Offeror uses a subsidiary or legal entity as a prime work sample the Offeror shall be sure to include a reference to the objective evidence which demonstrates that they are a legal entity of the parent corporation and affirm that this subsidiary/legal entity will be supporting offeror in the performance of this contract. . Offerors are encouraged to verify the accuracy of each reference. The Offeror shall assume the Government has no prior knowledge of its capabilities, and experience.

L.8.6. Work Sample Cover Sheet with Work Sample Documentation

L.8.6.1. Work Sample Cover Sheet. A Work Sample Cover Sheet (Attachment 6), shall be completed for each work sample submitted. Offerors shall follow the instructions provided within Attachment 6. Each work sample shall provide at least two (2) Points of Contact (POC). The Government may contact the POC’s provided and the Government reserves the right to contact additional POCs if necessary to validate the work sample. For subcontractor work samples, the Offeror shall provide at least two (2) POCs for the prime company. The Government may contact the prime company POCs provided and the Government reserves the right to contact additional prime company POCs if necessary.

L.8.6.2.Work Samples. The work samples shall consist of only official contract documentation which may include Performance Work Statements (PWS), Statements of Work (SOW), or Contract Data Requirement Lists (CDRLs). When contracts are used for work samples, the Offeror shall, also include the signed cover page associated with the contract (not counted against page limits). If a work sample substantiates multiple SAs then, each SA work effort must be identified within the work sample. Offerors shall only provide official contract documentation. Offerors shall give each work samples an identifier (i.e. WS1-WS62). All pages within the work samples shall be numbered. Work samples shall be in English.

L.8.6.3. There is a limit of 2 work samples per Specialty Area (SA). The Offeror shall submit work sample(s) for each scored EC2 SA of the Self-Scoring Matrix in order to demonstrate their past experience. IDIQ contracts are not an acceptable proof of past experience (or past performance) and shall not be provided as a work sample. However, individual task orders, performed under an IDIQ contract, can be used as a work sample.

L.8.6.4. Multiple contract/task orders issued against a multiple-award IDIQ cannot be combined and counted as one contract reference. Note: Contract/task order for the purpose of evaluating work samples is defined as a singular agreement used to document a mutually binding legal relationship obligating the seller to furnish supplies or services in exchange for the buyer paying for them.

L.8.7.1. Work Sample Qualifications. Work samples shall meet these minimum qualifications:

(a) Be a past or current contracts (including Federal, State, and local government and private) for efforts similar to the Government requirement in accordance with the criteria listed herein.

(b) Performed the work for a minimum of six months in duration and all work must have been completed within the last three years from the date of this RFP’s date of issuance.

(c) Work was accomplished by a legal business entity included in the Team Structure.

L.8.7.1.1. Joint Ventures. If the offeror is a Joint Venture, then the offeror must meet the provisions of 13 CFR 125.8. Offerors that are Joint Ventures, including Mentor-Protégé Joint Ventures, must submit information to fully meet all requirements of the solicitation, including any contract and responsibility determination requirements, past experience, past performance, business systems and certifications of the Joint Venture and that of individual partners of the Joint Venture. It is incumbent upon the JV offeror to affirmatively state in the proposal where it is specifically utilizing and relying upon a specific capability, past performance, experience, business system and certification of the specified partner. In the Self-Scoring Matrix (Attachment 7) and Work Sample Cover Sheet (Attachment 6), the JV offeror will provide supporting information to demonstrate the aggregate JV contribution/experience. From the thirty-one defined categories/specialty areas, the JV must demonstrate the contributions/experience of the protégé member in a minimum of six of the defined categories/specialty areas. Nothing herein requires that a protégé partner’s contribution or experience, solely or individually, meet the same requirements as non-protégé offerors.

L.8.7.1.2. Offerors may also include subsidiaries, or legal entities which fall under the Offeror, with the offeror's affirmation that the subsidiary/legal entity will be supporting the offeror in the performance of this contract.. In order to use subsidiaries or legal entities as a prime work sample, (1) the acquisition of the subsidiary or legal entities shall have been finalized as of the date of this RFPs issuance, and (2) objective evidence shall be included in the Volume IV Organization Structure Change History Section of the RFP to demonstrate that they are now a legal entity of the Offeror. If the criteria above are met, subsidiary or legal entity work samples will be considered prime work samples even if the work occurred prior to the company being acquired. This same approach and documentation requirement applies to any Subcontractor/Teaming Partner work samples.

VOLUME IV - PAST PERFORMANCE

L.9. Volume IV Organization. This volume shall be organized according to Table 1 - Proposal Organization.

L.9.1. Volume IV Cover Page: Volume IV must include a cover page with the following information:

a. Volume number and name of volume

b. Solicitation number and title

c. Offeror’s name, address, and Points of Contact (Primary and an Alternate)

d. Telephone numbers and e-mail addresses for all POCs

e. Date of proposal and validity date

f. CAGE Code

g. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

h. Tax Identification Number (TIN)

L.9.2. Table of Contents. Volume IV’s Table of Contents shall be broken down at a minimum with Table 1 – Proposal Organization’s Volume IV to help delineate each component included in the Past Performance Proposal. Offerors file the Table of Contents after the Volume IV Cover Page. Tables of Contents do not count against the page limitations for the respective volume.

L.9.3. Past Performance Table of Contents. Volume IV’s Table of Contents shall also itemize the offeror’s list of “past performance submittals” that correspond with the Specialty Areas identified in the PWS, Attachment 1, and the Self Scoring Matrix. This will help the Past Performance proposals in Volume IV to match/align with the Work Sample proposals required by Volume III. Tables of Contents do not count against the page limitations for their respective volumes

L.9.4. Volume IV Organization. This volume shall be organized according to Table 1–Proposal Organization.

L.9.5. Past Performance Submissions. This factor addresses the quality and extend of the offeror’s past performance deemed relevant to the requirements of this solicitation. The Government will use this information submitted by the offeror and may use other sources such as other federal government offices, and commercials sources to assess performance.

L.9.5.1. A Past Performance Submission consists of a 1) Past Performance Information Sheet, and either a 2) Past Performance Questionnaire , or a 3) Contractor Performance Assessment Reports. Past Performance Submissions must reflect work accomplished by a legal entity included in Volume II, Team Structure with a properly executed Teaming Agreement as required by Volume II, Teaming Agreement. Offerors shall only submit Past Performance Submissions that match Work Samples submitted as part of their Past Experience proposal. Offerors shall not submit new contract references for the Past Performance Submission.

L.9.5.2. Past Performance Information (PPI) Sheet. Offerors shall submit Attachment 9, Past Performance Info Sheet for each work sample.

L.9.5.3. Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ). Offerors shall send a PPQ with a PPQ Cover Letter to the Points of Contact (POCs) identified on each of the PPI Sheets. POCs may be the same or different than the POCs identified in Attachment 6, Work Sample Cover Sheet. Offerors shall use the Government provided Past Performance Questionnaire, Attachment 10), which includes the Government provided PPQ Cover Letter. The POC on the PPI and the PPQ shall be the same person. Offerors shall fill in Section I of the PPQ prior to sending the PPQ to the POC. Government/Client completed PPQs must not be submitted to the Offeror. POCs submit completed PPQs directly to the CO per instructions in the PPQ Cover Letter. When completed CPARS or similar reports are submitted to reflect past performance data on a work sample, the PPQ is not required. PPQs shall only be submitted in instances when CPARS information is unavailable (i.e. subcontracted work or initial CPAR report is not finalized)

L.9.5.4. Contractor Performance Assessment Reports (CPARS). For each work sample, the Offeror shall provide all CPARS reports that were completed within the last three years, as of the date of this RFP. Offerors shall clearly mark each evaluation report with the associated work sample identifier (i.e. WS1-WS62).

L.9.6. Organizational Structure Change History. Many companies have acquired, been acquired by, or otherwise merged with other companies, and/or reorganized their divisions, business groups, subsidiary companies, etc. In many cases, these changes have taken place during the time of performance of relevant past efforts or between conclusion of recent past efforts and this source selection. As a result, it is sometimes difficult to determine what Past Performance is relevant to this acquisition. To facilitate this relevancy determination, include in this proposal volume a "roadmap" describing all such changes in the organization of your company, if necessary. A pamphlet or other commercial document describing such reorganizations may be used to describe the changes. As part of this explanation, describe how these changes impact the relevance of any efforts you identify for past performance evaluation/performance confidence assessment. Since the Government intends to consider Past Performance information provided by other sources as well as that provided by the Offeror(s), your "roadmap" should be both specifically applicable to the efforts you identify and general enough to apply to efforts on which the Government receives information from other sources.

L.9.7. Specific Content. Additional information may be included to discuss the Offeror’s efforts to resolve recent contract performance problems encountered on prior contracts as well as past efforts to identify and manage program risk. Merely having problems does not automatically equate to a “Limited Confidence” or “No Confidence” rating, since the problems encountered may have been on a more complex program, or an Offeror may have subsequently demonstrated the ability to overcome the problems encountered. The Offeror is required to clearly its position (i.e., company's response to CAR) and demonstrate management actions employed in overcoming problems and the effects of those actions in terms of improvements achieved or problems rectified. This may facilitate consideration of allow the Offeror to be considered a potentially higher confidence candidate.

SECTION M

EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

M.1. GENERAL INFORMATION

M.1.1 The Government reserves the right to eliminate from consideration for award any or all offerors at any time prior to award of the contract and to award contracts to Offerors submitting proposals that are deemed Technically Acceptable in accordance with the criteria herein. The Government intends to award multiple award IDIQ contracts resulting from this solicitation. This requirement is solicited as a partial set-aside, under NAICS 541330 Engineering Services, Except Military and Aerospace Equipment and Military Weapons in accordance with FAR 19.502-4 Partial set-asides of multiple award contracts. A portion of the requirement will be set-aside for Small Business and a portion of the requirement may be set-aside for other socio-economic small business set-asides in accordance with agency procedures and the EC2 Ordering Guide.

M.1.2. Basis for Award. This is a best value source selection conducted in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.3 and DoD Source Selection Procedures, as supplemented. The Government intends to make an award to each and all qualifying offerors that submit a technically acceptable proposal. A technically acceptable proposal is one that conforms to all the material requirements of this Request for Proposal (RFP) including responsibility, past experience, past performance, and conformance with all other requirements described herein. In order to be considered Highly Qualified, the Government must determine (1) the Offeror to be responsible in accordance with FAR 9.104-1; (2) the Offeror’s proposal is technically acceptable by conforming to the solicitation’s requirements (including all information required by Section L of this solicitation); and (3) the Contracting Officer has no reason to believe the Offeror would be likely to offer other than fair and reasonable pricing (price will not be evaluated for contract award).

M.1.3. Source Selection Authority (SSA). The SSA will base the source selection decisions on an assessment of all source selection evaluation criteria (described below). While the Government source selection evaluation team and the SSA will strive for maximum objectivity, the source selection process, by its nature, is subjective; and therefore, professional judgment is implicit throughout the entire process.

M.1.4. On/Off-Ramps. The Government reserves the right to exercise “on-ramps” and “off ramps” provisions as described in Section H of this solicitation to award additional contracts or remove and/or terminate contractors at any point within the ordering period.

M.1.5. Proposals Substantiation. Unsubstantiated and/or misleading claims, for even a single Past Experience evaluation criterion, could result in the Government determining that the Offeror’s proposed self-score is disingenuous and/or artificially inflated and the Offeror’s entire proposal determined unacceptable.

M.1.6. Discussions. Offerors are cautioned to submit their best proposal upfront. The Government intends to award without discussions. However, tThe Government reserves the right to award without discussions and make award based on initial proposals, but may conduct discussions, if the Government determines it to be in its best interests. is necessary. If it is determined to be in the best interest of the Government to hold discussions, the SSA, with CO concurrence, will make a competitive range determination, evaluation notices may be issued to Offerors in the competitive range, responses will be requested from applicable Offerors, and discussions will be opened. The competitive range may include proposals rated as “Unacceptable” at the sole discretion of the Government. Offerors should be aware that a complete understanding as to past experience, past performance, and all other terms and conditions of the proposed contract must exist between the Offeror and the Government at the conclusion of discussions.

M.1.6.1. Final Proposal Revision. If the Government conducts and concludes discussions, the Government will request a Final Proposal Revision (FPR) from all Offerors remaining in the competitive range once discussions are closed. Formal responses to FPRs will be considered in making the award decision.

M.1.6.1.1. Any revision or non-concurrence to contract terms and conditions submitted in the FPR may not be subject to further discussion and may render the offer unacceptable to the Government. This provision is intended to preclude any misunderstandings by the Government, which could result if new or revised terms and conditions are submitted in the FPR that have not been fully disclosed, discussed and understood during discussions. Hence, such new or revised terms and conditions are not solicited and, if submitted in the FPR, may render the offer unacceptable to the Government.

M.1.6.1.2. If, upon submission of the FPR, an Offeror materially changes its proposal such that the factor inputs change their ranking among other Offerors, the Offeror may be removed from consideration for award.

M.1.7. Teaming Arrangements. Teaming arrangements are not restricted. Offerors submitting a proposal as the Prime Offeror in response to this solicitation are permitted to submit a separate proposal under which they would be a Subcontractor, or team member to another prime. Subcontractors are permitted to support multiple primes.

M.1.8. Debriefings. The CO will promptly notify Offerors of any decision to exclude them from the source selection. After notification of exclusion, the Offeror may request and receive a debriefing in accordance with FAR 15.505. Offerors desiring a debriefing shall make their request in accordance with the requirements of FAR 15.505 or 15.506, as applicable. Offerors are entitled to no more than one debriefing.

M.2. ELIGIBILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY

M.2.1. Eligibility. To be eligible for award, Offerors shall meet all solicitation requirements, such as terms and conditions, representations and certifications, and other instructions identified within the solicitation. Offerors shall comply with content required within each of the proposal volumes and sections. Failure to comply with any requirement of the solicitation may result in the Offeror being determined unacceptable and ineligible for award. The Government will review the proposal documentation to ensure all required documentation was provided in response to the solicitation. The Government will rely on the provided documentation to facilitate the Contracting Officer’s determination of Contractor responsiveness.

M.2.2. Responsibility. No award shall be made to an Offeror unless the Contracting Officer determines them to be responsible. To be determined responsible, an Offeror shall meet the general standards described in FAR 9.104-1. To further assist the Contracting Officer in making the responsibility determination prior to contract award (in accordance with FAR 9.1, Responsible Prospective Contractors, as supplemented by the DFARS 209.1), the additional information requested in below sections M.2.3. are required so the Contracting Officer can make this determination. Additionally, the Contracting Officer may also consider any other information provided within any volume of the proposal when making the determination of responsibility.

M.2.3. Responsibility Matters / Determination: Offerors shall complete and submit a copy of the attached Certification Regarding Responsibility Matters, Attachment 13 and file the form after the insurance certificate.