Guidance for the Request for Information.docx

RFI ATTACHMENT 2

Guidance for the Request for Information (RFI)

**As stated, all information within is for RFI purposes. No contract will be awarded pursuant to this RFI. Read all information within for additional information. **

As part of the RFI, the Government is seeking to obtain concerns or questions related to the PWS, the instructions to offerors (technical approach), and evaluation criteria. Following is an abbreviated section of the Instructions to Offerors. The instructions are related only to the Technical Approach, as related back to the PWS. Reminder that this is not a solicitation and proposals are not being accepted.

As provided in the RFI, paragraph 5g., use the following Draft Instructions (technical approach), along with the draft PWS, to address any concerns or questions you have, as it pertains to creating a proposal.

DRAFT INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS (ABBR SECTION)

All sections of an Offeror’s proposal would need to make direct reference to the PWS specification paragraph numbers. A proposed technical approach (and methods) must be presented in a clear and logical order based on the offerors understanding of the instructions (technical approach). Statements such as “will comply”, “meets the intent of”, or “we intend to meet the requirements” and the like, would not suffice.

**TECHNICAL APPROACH**

Offerors shall submit a technical approach that demonstrates techniques, methods, and processes that would successfully accomplish the objective specified in the referenced PWS (specifically “how” the objectives will be accomplished), namely:

a. Providing a contractor-owned, contractor-operated electronic system as evidenced by screenshots of existing capabilities. (refer to PWS section 4.1)

b. Providing general programmatic support (refer to PWS section 5.2.1)

c. Conducting Stakeholders Meeting (refer to PWS section 5.2.2.1)

d. Conducting Vision Setting (refer to PWS section 5.2.2.2)

e. Conducting Pre-Application Screening (refer to PWS section 5.2.2.3)

f. Conducting Programmatic Review (refer to PWS section 5.2.3)

g. Providing training to reviewers and panel members (refer to PWS section 5.2.6)

h. Providing administrative support (refer to PWS section 5.3)

Offerors shall submit a Transition-In Plan for 90 days of incoming transition support from contract to contract. The Offeror shall submit this plan within Volume II. The transition-in plan is not subject to the page limitations.

The Offeror shall submit a Transition-In Plan that demonstrates full performance (as outlined by the tasks in the PWS) on the day after the end of the transition-in period. The Transition-In Plan shall address the following tasks:

· Obtaining Ft. Detrick ID and Common Access Card (CAC) for appropriate personnel, scheduling and completing Government required training and certification in accordance with the AT/ OPSEC requirements listed in PWS Section 3.0;

· Orientation phase and program to introduce Government personnel, programs, and users to the Contractor's team, tools, methodologies, and business processes;

· Coordination with Government representatives, Review, evaluation, and transition of incumbent support services;

· Transition of historic data to new Contractor system;

· Transfer of hardware warranties and software licenses (if applicable);

· Transfer of all necessary business and/or technical documentation;

· Distribution of Contractor purchased Government owned assets, including facilities, equipment, furniture, phone lines, computer equipment, etc.;

· Transfer of Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) and Government Furnished Information (GFI), and GFE inventory management assistance.

ESTIMATED LEVEL OF SUPPORT

Below is a list of estimated figures to assist the contractor with assessing their ability to execute the magnitude of the requirements for this contract. The actual numbers will fluctuate each fiscal year based on appropriations, number of research programs to be managed, number of PA’s and BAA’s released, and complexity of the funding mechanism.

Estimates (each fiscal year):

Anticipated number of programs: 12-30 (number of funded programs may vary each year) Anticipated number if FOAs: 50-120 (typically 2-6 FOAs per program) Anticipated number of pre-applications to FOAs: 10,000-15,000 [includes Letters of Intent (not reviewed) and preproposals (reviewed for full application invitation)] Anticipated number of full research applications to FOAs: 5,000-10,000 (typically 50-1,500 per program) Anticipate one Vision Setting meeting and 1-2 Programmatic Review meetings per year per program

(End of Instructions to Offerors)