MARS_III _FA9300-14-R-0004_QandA_24_Dec_14.docx

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

HEADQUARTERS AIR FORCE TEST CENTER (AFMC)

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE CALIFORNIA

24 Dec 2014

MEMORANDUM FOR INTERESTED PARTIES

FROM: AFTC/PZRB

SUBJECT: FA9300-14-R-0004, Questions and Answers

1. Can the Government please clarify if this is a new requirement or a re-compete of an existing requirement and contract? If it is a re-compete of an existing requirement can the Government please provide the name of the current contract?

Response: This is a recompete for Management Administrative and Resources Services (MARS II), FA9300-12-C-0001

2. Can the Government please clarify the relationship, if any, between MARS III and MARS II?

Response: MARS II and MARS III are very similar. Some of the work on MARS II was removed and MARS III adds new work under CLIN X007.

3. Can the Government please provide the expected funding profile by FY for the period of performance?

Response: Actual dollar figures cannot be release, as this would give the government’s position away; however, there are funds currently budgeted/available to cover all CLINS 0001 through 0011 for FY15.

4. Does the Government have an anticipated/recommended staffing profile by PWS task for the effort that will be used to evaluate proposals for technical acceptance? If so, can the Government please make it available to industry?

Response: This is a performance based contract; therefore, it is up to the contractor to determine how many staff members would be required to complete the job. Please use the estimated workload within the RFP to determine your staffing needs.

5. The PWS states, “The contractor shall provide management and administrative support functions to assist in the day-to-day operations of the divisions, branches, and individual projects in support of primary PWS tasks.” The PWS requirement could be interpreted to mean that this is task is in conjunction with the other PWS tasks, not as a standalone activity as indicated by having a separate CLIN (0001).

Please confirm PWS task 2.0 is envisioned as a wholly separate activity from the other tasks and not a task that is accomplished by the resources performing “primary PWS tasks”.

Response: CLIN 0001 covers tasks not separately priced elsewhere, such as a program manager, etc.

6. The PWS requires the contractor to provide all necessary supplies for the graphics department support. However, there is no ODC CLIN contained in the SF1449 Continuation sheet. Please clarify where the Government requires contractors to include pricing for graphics materials.

Response: There is not a separate ODC CLIN on this contract. An offeror is expected to look at the workload estimates provided within the RFP and include all graphics materials in their FFP proposal under CLIN X006.

7. The PWS requires initiation of up to 150 NDAs for all contracts and SBIR companies. To aid in transition planning, please clarify if an NDA from the MARS III prime contractor is sufficient for the entire team or if an NDA will be required between SBIR companies and MARS III subcontractors as well. (Ref: PWS 14.12 pg 19 of 45)

Response: An NDA is only required at the prime level.

8. For the Technical Proposal, the RFP states, “…limited to no more than 10 pages per contract submitted.”

Please confirm this is intended to mean the Technical Proposal should be no more than 10 pages in total, not including front matter such as a table of contents, glossary, or list of acronyms. (Ref: Instructions to offerors Para b., Page 11 of 77)

Response: RFP is not specific in what is included in the 10 pages. As such, the Transition Plan requested in Subfactor 1 shall not exceed 10 pages total, including front matter such as a table of contents, glossary, or list of acronyms should the offeror include those items.

9. The Evaluation Criteria states, “The Transition Plan provides sufficient details outlining the methodology for transitioning new personnel into support positions by day one of the contract with minimum disruption of ongoing support requirements…”

If this is a re-compete of an on-going effort, please clarify if the Government envisions a transition period between contract award and departure of the incumbent service provider. (Ref: Evaluation Criteria Subfactor 1: Transition Plan, Pg 20 of 77)

Response: The transition period will be from date of contract award to contract start date; however, there is no separate CLIN for the transition period.

10. Does the Government envision a period of time between award notification and ATP? (Ref:

Evaluation Criteria SUBFACTOR 1: Transition Plan, Pg 20 of 77)

Response: The government envisions at least 30 days between contract award and contract start to allow the awardee to transition; however, there is no separate CLIN for the transition period.

11. The RFP incorporates FAR 52.222-17 Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers (May 2014) by reference and requires this to be flowed down to subcontractors. FAR 52.222-17 states, “Service employee,” as used in this clause, means any person engaged in the performance of a service contract other than any person employed in a bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity, as those terms are defined in 29 CFR part 541.”

If this is an existing requirement, please confirm if any current incumbent resources meet the definition of “Service employee” as defined in 29 CFR part 541.

This is critical to implementing a FAR compliant transition plan because FAR 52.222-17 Para b.2.i states, “The successor Contractor and its subcontractors shall make a bona fide express offer of employment to each service employee as provided herein and shall state the time within which the service employee must accept such offer, but in no case shall the period within which the service employee must accept the offer of employment be less than 10 days.”

This mandatory 10 day period appears to be in conflict with the Government’s desire to complete transition on day one if there is no planned transition period.

(Ref: Addendum, Para 7.c.7 Pg 35 of 79)

Response: Although there is not a separate CLIN for the transition period, the transition period will be from contract award through contract start date. Based on current milestones the awardee will have approximately 30+ days to transition, which allows for the mandatory 10 day period within FAR 52.222-17.

12. The Instructions to Offerors require submission of a Past Performance Questionnaire for each past performance reference as contained in Attachment 7. It does not appear there is an Attachment 7 contained in the solicitation, nor is there any other past performance form other than the Performance Information Form.

(a) Please provide the required Past Performance Questionnaire.

(b) Also, given the upcoming holidays and significant amount of Government POCs out of the office, would AFRL consider moving the due date of the past performance questionnaires from 8 January to 15 January to allow additional time for Government POCs to complete the forms after returning to the office?

Response:

(a) The PPQ is Attachment 5. Instructions to Offerors updated in RFP and Attachment 4 (GFP List), Attachment 5 PPQ included in the Amendment to RFP on FBO website

(b) No the 8 Jan 15 due date remains the same.

13. The current release solicitation is in a locked down PDF format that doesn’t allow copying or filling in. Will the Government provide the SF1449 and basic contract with CLINs in a format that can be electronically filled in? Can the Reps and Certs in the Solicitation Provisions that requiring fill out also be provided in a PDF format that allows filling in?

Response: No editable SF1449 will be provided. Adobe Acrobat Pro has the capability to add text to the form and complete the Reps and Certs. Otherwise it is perfectly acceptable to submit documents with pen and ink fill-ins.

14. General Information Section of RFP. INFORMATION REGARDING SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL. There is not a good address for the instructions for hand carried proposals. It currently says, “Hand carried proposals must be deposited in the bid depository located at 110 W. Ent St., Suite 200, Anywhere AFB, XX”. Can you provide an address and provisions for hand carry delivery of the proposal?

Response: Amendment 0001 corrected this text as written below:

AFTC/PZRB

5 S. Wolfe Ave.

Edwards AFB, CA 93524-1185 Attn: Jared Ayers and Aimee Helm For: FA9300-14-R-0004

15. PART III – Past Performance Information. Is this section is limited to 10 pages total or is this 10 pages for each Performance Information Form (PIF)? Past Performance ii. 1. Currently says “Limited to no more than 10 pages per contract submitted” and in paragraph iv it says “Limit the length of each submission and the number of citations to the limitations set for in paragraphs ??, respectively, of Section L, of this solicitation.” We understand the limit of citations to 3 for the prime and 3 for a subcontractor, but we request clarification on page limitations (if any) for each PIF and the total number of pages in the Past Performance Volume. NOT ANSWERED YET!!

Response: Page limits are defined in 52.212-1 as 10 pages per contract submitted (PIF). This is defined as 10 pages for each contract submitted for past performance. If an offeror elects to submit 3 contracts for past performance, they are authorized 10 pages per contract (i.e. 30 total, not to exceed 10 pages per submission).

16.What is the difference between the paragraph 6, FAR 52.212-03 Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Items (May 2014) and paragraph 7, FAR 52.212-03 Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Items (May 2014), Alternate I, (May 2014)?

Response: The FAR shows Alternate I to add section (c)(11). For the purposes of this RFP you can complete either one within the RFP. With the constraints of our contract writing system, they both needed to be included in the RFP; however, within the RFP they are they identical and both include section (c)(11).

17. Attachment 4, Government Furnished Property (GFP) list does not appear to be in the RFP. Will this be provided?

Response: Provided on www.fbo.gov on 16 Dec 2014.

18. Attachment 5, Past Performance Questionnaire does not appear to be in the RFP. Will this be provided?

Response: Provided on www.fbo.gov on 16 Dec 2014.

19. Can the government require instead of already having a SECRET facility clearance, instead require “the ability to get a Secret facility clearance”, and the govt. then sponsor a SDVOSB for their facility security clearance post award?

Response: A facility clearance is not required to submit a proposal, please provide a reference to where the RFP indicates a SECRET facility clearance is required. Please see the DD 254 for contract security classification specifications.

20. Is a facility clearance required to submit a proposal?

Response: No

21. Do past performance questionnaires need to be submitted at time of proposal submission?

Response: We understand with the holiday’s some past performance questionnaires maybe delayed. Each offeror must do everything they can to encourage their past performance contract POCs to submit the PPQs timely. In the event they are not submitted the government will do its due diligence to contract the POCs provided on the PIFs within the offerors proposal to obtain PPQs. However, in the event the POCs cannot be reached other means may be used to obtain past performance history.

22. How/where do employees perform duties in the event of a commander directed installation shut-down? Will government equipment be furnished to conduct duties? i.e., laptops, virtual network access, cell phones, etc.

Response: In a shut-down no civil servant employees or contractors will be performing duties on this contract as the government will not furnish equipment outside of the government installation.

23. What is the difference between the current MARS requirements and the proposed?

Response: Similar actions; added services under CLIN X007 on MARS III and removed some previous tasks that were on MARS II.

24. How much notice will be given in the event that a CLIN is no longer required?

Response: The government will provide as much notice as possible. Open dialog will be had between the government and contractor in the event services are ordered on a monthly basis and not for an extended period of time. Events like month to month ordering would normally occur during the start of the new fiscal year while under the Continuing Resolution Authority (CRA).

25. When and for how long will Delivery Orders be processed?

Response: Task Orders will be issued for the maximum extent possible, not to exceed 12 month periods, as soon as funds are available. The initial task order will be issued upon award of the basic contract.

26. Will the Government be providing any specific Labor Categories (LCATs) for the CLINs listed in the PWS? The current PWS does not provide detail to establish what labor categories should be included.

Response: This is a performance based contract, the government will not be providing labor categories; however, the Service Contract Act (SCA) Wage Determination is attached to the RFP and should be used to ensure the offeror is paying equal to or greater than the minimum required amounts based on the offerors labor category selections.

27. The Solicitation provides no details on the number of hours per CLIN. In an effort to conduct an equal evaluation of all the submitted proposals, will the Government be providing hours (LOE) for the CLINs listed in the PWS?

Response: The government will not provide LOE for the CLINs listed in the PWS. Workload estimates have been provided for use in an offerors development of their proposal.

28. Will all the LCATs be subject to the SCA WD?

Response: Yes. The SCA WD is the minimum amounts that must be paid. It is up to each offeror to determine what amounts to offer employees in order hire and retain their staff.

29. The government provided Attachment 4: Government Furnished Property list.

(a) Will the contractor be responsible for the maintenance costs of equipment listed?

(b) Will the contractor be responsible for the replacement costs of equipment?

(c) Will the contractor be responsible for the supplies needed for the equipment?

Response:

(a) The items under Attachment 4 fall under FAR 52.245-2. Please read FAR 52.245-2 for a complete breakout of contractor responsibility. In short these items are provided for your use. If the item needs repair or maintenance and the awardee still needs to use it repair or maintenance costs are at the expense of the awardee not the government. The only item on the list that the awardee will not need to maintain is the Cannon Printer, which has a separate service maintenance agreement contract (FA9300-12-M-T001).

(b) If the item breaks due to normal wear and tear, and the awardee still needs one, it would be the awardees responsibility to replace it at their own expense; however, the property with then belong to the awardee. See FAR 52.245-2 for addition details.

(c) Yes, the equipment is being provided to the awardee because the government doesn’t have alternate uses for the equipment. Any supplies needed to use the equipment will be at the expense of the awardee.

30. If the contractor is required to replace equipment, provide service and supplies for the equipment, will the government be providing an age/replacement schedule and current/anticipated usage information for the existing equipment?

Response: See response to Question 29 above.

31. Attachment 4 referenced on page 79 of 79, “Government Furnished Property (GFP) List” cannot be found in the solicitation. Can the Government please provide the list?

Response: This was provided on www.fbo.gov on 16 Dec 2014.

32. Please clarify the number of workspaces and computers to be provided to the contractor.

Response: The government will provide the appropriate number of workstations needed by the awardee to accommodate the workforce.

33. What will the phase-in period be for the newly selected contractor? (i.e. 30 days, 45 days)

Response: The phase-in period will be from the date of contract award through contract start date. Based on current milestones the transition period will be 30+ days.

34. Page 11 of 77 Section vii referenced the “Past Performance Questionnaire in Attachment 7”. This attachment cannot be found in the solicitation. Can the government please provide?

Response: The government is unable to locate the wording mentioned in your question; however, the Past Performance Questionnaire is Attachment 5 and was uploaded on www.fbo.gov on 16 Dec 2014.

35. Please provide Table 5 as referenced in Section C.a. on page 20 of 77 so that the definition of “substantial Confidence, Satisfactory Confidence, Limited Confidence…” may be received and understood.

Response: As written in the RFP, please see DoD Source Selection Procedures for Table 5. The table can be located on page 19 of the procedures at: http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/policy/policyvault/USA007183-10-DPAP.pdf

36. Why is the government not executing remaining option years for the current contract and going through the competitive process before all years have been exercised?

Response: There were numerous cuts made on the current contract during the life of the contract due to insourcing. The government elected to recompete the requirement to make additional cuts needed and to add additional work required.

37. Was the contract previously the MIST contract, if yes, why was the name changed?

Response: The MIST contract was broken out into more than one requirement several years ago. MARS was a portion of that requirement and therefore renamed as it was not all inclusive to the MIST requirement.

38. Does processing of NDA’s require a security clearance?

Response: No

39. Section 1.0 on page 4 of 45 calls the PWS the “Position Work Statement”, yet we see no description of position. Please provide the positions to be filled.

Response: The wording is an administrative error. The definition of PWS is “Performance Work Statement” not “Position Work Statement”. This will be corrected on Amendment 0001 to the RFP.

40. As a small service disabled veteran small business we are committed to providing a comprehensive proposal. To do so, we need the government to provide a level of effort for each CLIN. We are concerned that small and service disabled contractors accept too much risk where pricing is based on approximate ranges (that vary significantly for most of the line items). Can the government please explain how this solicitation allows for an SDVOSB to be successful with the extreme risk involved and how this incorporates SBA rules and regulations?

Response: This is a FFP contract not a LOE contract. The RFP provides workload estimates that are based on historical data and projections of what is to come to the best of the government’s knowledge. Offerors should look at this information when considering the development of their proposal. This effort was previously a SDVOSB set-aside as a FFP contract, and the approach on the new effort has been coordinated with the Edwards Small Business Office.

41. If the incumbent contractor is allowed to propose for this solicitation, it seems they would have a better understanding of how to staff and price this solicitation. Please explain why this to a fair and reasonable approach for all interested parties?

Response: This is an understood advantage to being an incumbent within industry. Regarding fair and reasonable approach for all interested parties, all parties have been provided the same information regarding workload estimates. Each offerors approach maybe different and could be innovative. Base on the information provided in the RFP each offeror should be able to develop a fair and reasonable competitive price.

42. Please provide the historic time and material hours associated with this work.

Response: This contract has always been a FFP performance based service contract. Time and material hours associated with this work could vary based on an offerors approach.

43. Please provide a rough order of magnitude (ROM) for this effort.

Response: The RFP provides workload estimates within the PWS.

44. This in reference to CLIN’s 0001 through 0011. Please clarify statement made at the pre-proposal conference regarding funding. The statement was funds are available for the remainder of FY15. Does that mean all CLIN’S are funded through the end of the Fiscal Year (30 Sep 15), or does that mean all CLIN’S are funded through 31 March 2016?

Response: Funding is available for all CLINs 0001 through 0011 for FY15, meaning through 30 Sep 2015. Funding in FY16 is based on availability of funds pending either CRA or an approved budget signed by the President.

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