Q A_GS00P11CYD0018.docx

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Solicitation No.: GS-00P-11-CY-D-00018 Administrative Support Services (GSA/PBS Central Office)

Question 1: We hold GSA MOBIS and IT/70 schedules. Do you anticipate using a GSA schedule for this procurement?

Answer: No. We cannot utilize the GSA Schedule because there is no applicable GSA Schedule. Therefore, the requirement has been advertized as a negotiated procurement in the Small Business set-aside market.

Question 2: Current Contract Value

Answer: The current contract value is $3,685,173.18.

Question 3: If there is an incumbent, what is the existing contract number, award amount, and how many contractor personnel were used to meet the requirement?

Answer: The incumbent contractor is SP Systems. The existing contract number is GS-00P-07-CY-D-0071. The initial contract award amount was for $799,265.25 and has subsequently increased during the life of the contract based on need and budget. There are currently 20 contractor personnel on the contract.

Question 4: Do you know if this will be competed through a GSA schedule or will it be released on FBO?

Answer: We cannot utilize the GSA Schedule because there is no applicable GSA Schedule. As such, the solicitation was released on FBO on January 13, 2011 as a 100% Small Business set-aside negotiated procurement.

Question 5: How often will these program offices need staff? How many orders have been executed in the past? What is the frequency of these requirements, task orders? Weekly, Monthly? Please clarify.

Answer: This is an ongoing requirement. There are currently 20 contractors on the contract. However, program requirements vary depending on need and budget.

Question 6: Is this procurement restricted for small businesses only? What are the qualifying criteria?

Answer: The procurement is a 100% Small Business set-aside with NAICS code 561110 and a small business size standard of $7.0 million annual gross receipts for a period of 3 years.

Question 7: When will the period of performance begin?

Answer: The base period of the contract will run from March 1, 2011 through February 29, 2012.

Question8: What is the base year? March 2011 – December 2012?

Answer: The base period of the contract will run from March 1, 2011 through February 29, 2012.

Question9: What are the option years? January 2012 – December 2012, January 2013 – December 2013?

Answer: March 1, 2012 – February 28, 2013 (Option One); March 1, 2013 – February 28, 2014 (Option Two); March 1, 2014 – February 28, 2015 (Option Three); and March 1, 2015 – February 29, 2016 (Option Four).

Question10: What are the labor categories?

Answer: Refer to Part B, Contract Line Item Numbers and Schedule of Services, Page 32 of the RFP for GSA’s estimated units of labor categories on this solicitation.

Question11: How many administrative assistants are needed?

Answer: The solicitation calls for (9) Secretary IV (Administrative Assistant) positions. The number may vary as Program requirements change depending on need and budget.

Question 12: Does the candidate need a security clearance?

Answer: A “suitable” NACI security clearance is required for all candidates that will perform on this solicitation. Refer to Part D (2) of the RFP Reference to Presidential Directive HSPD-12, Page 32.

Question13: Does the candidate need a Bachelor’s degree?

Answer: A requirement for a Bachelor’s degree is not mandatory for performance on the contract that will result from this solicitation. Secretary Levels I, III and IV (Administrative Assistant) positions require the minimum qualification of a high school diploma/GED and 1-2, 2-4 and more than 4 years of field experience respectively.

Question14: Must a company have the past performance described in the solicitation?

Answer: Yes; however, in the case of an offeror without a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available, the offeror may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on past performance.

Question15: Will the administration or clerical duties for Administrative Support Services for PBS Central Office be done from a remote site?

Answer: No. All contract employees are required to work from the GSA/PBS Central Office location in Washington DC.

Question16: How are these services currently performed?

Answer: The services are currently being performed under an existing contract that will expire on February 28, 2011.

Question17: What is the contract Period of Performance terms? (base and 4 one-year options etc)

Answer: One year base period and four (1) one-year options for a total of five (5) years.

Question18: How was the last contract awarded (Full & Open, Hub Zone set-aside, Small Business set-aside, Sole Source etc)?

Answer: Small Business Set Aside.

Question19: What is the current contract value or ceiling?

Answer: The current contract value is $3,685,173.18.

Question20: Is the solicitation a follow-on or a new requirement?

Answer: The solicitation is a recompete of an existing requirement.

Question21: If it is a follow-on requirement to an existing contract, identify the incumbent and the contract number.

Answer: The solicitation is a recompete of an existing requirement. The incumbent contractor is SP Systems, Inc. The Contract Number is GS-00P-07-CY-D-0071.

Question22: What is the total FTE’s within this opportunity?

Answer: This is an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. Task Orders will be initiated and executed to satisfy requests as they become known. Refer to Part B, Contract Line Item Numbers and Schedule of Services, Page 32 of the RFP for GSA’s estimated units of labor categories on this solicitation.

Question23: The place of performance is Washington DC. Is there a distance limit from the place of performance to be eligible for this contract?

Answer: There is no distance limit from Washington DC on the solicitation. However, physical office location in the Washington metropolitan area as well as proximity to the PBS Central Office at 1800 F Street, NW, Washington DC is desirable. Refer to Part E.2, 3.2 (2) of the RFP.

Question24: When will this contract be awarded?

Answer: Prior to March 1, 2011.

Question25: The solicitation mentions the (NAICS) code 561110 and the size limit standard of $6.5 million. May I request a change in the NAICS code from 561110 to any of the following:

-561330 “Professional Employer Organizations”

- 541519 “Other Computer Related Services” or

- any other NAICS code of value above $10 million or number of employees at 100 or less.

Answer: GSA has determined that the NAICS code 561110 is appropriate for the requirement. Note that the size limit standard has been changed from $6.5 million to $7.0 million.

Question26: Is there an incumbent? If yes, can the incumbent bid on this opportunity?

Answer: SP Systems, Inc. is the incumbent contractor. Any contractor can respond to this RFP so long as it can satisfy the requirements.

Question27: The nature of this work seems to lend itself to hourly wages being guided by the Services Contract Act/Wage Determination. However, I did not see any reference within the SOW nor is there any accompanying information on the SCA/Wage Determination being applied and applicable to this opportunity. Is there a requirement to use SCA/Wage Determination in our costing proposal?

Answer: FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders – Commercial Items are incorporated in the contract by reference. Among the provisions of law or Executive Orders applicable to acquisitions of commercial items are the Service Contracts Act, 1965 and the Wage Determination. Wage Determination No.: 2005-2104, Revision 10, 06/15/2010 shall apply to this RFP.

Question28: Is there page limitations to the Technical Proposal, Volume II. If yes, does the letter of transmittal of the offer, cover page and table of contents count towards such page limitation?

Answer: There is no page limitation requirement on the solicitation.

Question29: Do you require a resume of our Program Manager?

Answer: There is no specific requirement for a Program Manager on the solicitation. It also did not request that offerors submit resumes of Program Managers.

Question30: What is the standard escalation rate for prices? 3 or 4%?

Answer: There is no standard escalation rate for prices. Each offeror has to make a business decision regarding its escalation rate. GSA will negotiate rates escalation with the offerors within the competitive range.

Question31: For the Price Proposal, you mention cover sheet, please clarify.

Answer: Reference to the cover sheet refers to company and document/package identification.

Question32: What are you looking for when you mention loss of time in filling a required support position?

Answer: One of the critical performance measures on this solicitation is the timeliness with which the contractor provides qualified, skilled personnel to initially fill a task order requirement, as well as replace and/or substitute personnel as necessary on the contract.

Question33: When will GSA provide training to the employees and what type of training?

Answer: All employees who work at GSA including contract personnel may periodically be required to take mandatory training including but not limited to annual IT security training, EEO training, training on the official use of government property and safety training. The contractor will be tasked to ensure that contract personnel complete the required training and reporting completion to the COR.

Question34: Who will be evaluating the proposal besides Paris Marshall?

Answer: The Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB) is comprised of GSA program officials who will assist the Contracting Officer in evaluating the proposals in accordance with the evaluation requirements of the RFP. The Contract Specialist for this procurement is not a member of the SSEB for this procurement.

Question35: Must a candidate possess an active security clearance or be clearable? What if there are credit issues?

Answer: A “suitable” NACI security clearance is required for all candidates that will perform on this solicitation. Refer to Part D (2) of the RFP Reference to Presidential Directive HSPD-12, Page 32.

Question36: On the pricing sheet, it states Units meaning personnel like 9 people, 10 people etc. Please clarify.

Answer: The unit of order in the pricing sheet represents the number of contract employees (Secretary Levels). The numbers delineated in the pricing sheet are estimates for proposal evaluation purposes only. Actual units may vary depending on program need and budget.

Question37: You would like to be notified how many days in advance if an employee leaves the assignment? If a company’s rating is below 95%, will that constitute default of a contract? The penalty is 5% of the contractor’s invoice if the performance level is under 95%?

Answer: Part D, Attachment 1(7), Deliverable Schedules of the RFP requires that the contractor notify the Government within 30 days prior to replacement/substitution of contract personnel.

In the event that a contractor’s performance on contract falls below 95%, the Government may take a number of progressive contract administration actions including:

· Requiring reperformance at no additional cost;

· Requiring future conformance;

· Reducing contract price by 5% if services cannot be corrected;

· Reprocuring the services and charging the contractor for the cost of reprocurement;

· Issuing a “Cure Notice”, followed by a “Show Cause” if contractor does not reperform; and

· Terminating the contractor’s services for default.

Question38: Does this fall under the Service Contract Act (SCA)? If so, what DOL wage determination should be used?

Answer: Wage Determination No.: 2005-2104, Revision 10, 06/15/2010

Question39: What GSA Schedule should we be using (or is it up to us)?

Answer: We cannot utilize the GSA Schedule because there is no applicable GSA Schedule. As such, the requirement has been advertized as a negotiated procurement in the Small Business set-aside market.

Question40: Although you state this is a Firm Fixed Price contract, I assume you meant Firm Fixed Price (Labor Hours) where we bill for actual hours worked. Is this correct?

Answer: Firm Fixed Price or Labor Hour task orders may be executed to satisfy actual orders on the Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract that will result from this solicitation.

Question41: Evaluation Criteria, Location:

a. Should this be the Company’s Corporate Offices or can a company’s satellite office count?

b. Can the office be that of a subcontract, team partner or affiliate?

Answer: Refer to Part E.2, 3.2 (2) of the RFP.