Q&A_19JAN2018.pdf

SOURCE SELECTION SENSISTIVE INFORMATION (SEE FAR 2.101 AND 3.104)

H92240-18-Q-2007 Direct Support Operators Course (DSOC)

Questions & Answers

19JAN2018

1. How should the offeror confirm receipt of its proposal?

A1: The Government will provide a reply email confirming receipt of each proposal received.

2. Please clarify whether the response is to be provided in a single volume with four major sections (Administrative Information, Technical, Experience, and Pricing) or two volumes with the pricing in the second volume.

A2: Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the instructions contained in the combined synopsis/solicitation. Please see FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors— Commercial Items ADDENDUM section of the combined synopsis/solicitation for detail.

Offerors are reminded that individual emails (with attachments) may not exceed 10MB, and submission with .zip files are not acceptable.

3. Are the letters of intent excluded from the Technical Volume page count?

A3: The requirement for detailed resumes and Letters of Intent has been moved from the TECHNICAL Section to the EXPERIENCE Section—please see Amendment 01 to the combined synopsis-solicitation. Any Letters of Intent, certificates, certifications, degrees, diplomas, or other pedigree are excluded from the EXPERIENCE section’s page limitation.

4. Is each Task Order (TO) limited to a maximum of $150,000?

A4: Based upon historical data and current market research, the Government estimates no single task order will be awarded for more than the constraints identified in 52.216-19.

However, this is just an estimate.

5. Are surge classes to be priced at the ELIN rate for that option year?

A5: Any surge classes will be priced at the same ELIN rate for the corresponding ordering period.

6. Are we correct in assuming that this statement means that General Instructors are not required to have specific NSWC experience in addition to the required Special Operations experience?

A6: Yes, you are correct. The Lead Instructors are required to have five (5) years of relevant Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) special operations experience. The

General Instructors are required to have three (3) years of relevant special operations experience which may or may not be NSWC specific. All instructors must possess an understanding of Combat Support (CS) personnel.

7. Does the Government have a preferred media for the delivered student guidebooks, e.g., digital or hard-copy, bound book? How many copies is the Contractor expected to deliver of the student guidebooks NLT 15 working days after contract award?

A7: Guidebooks will be hardcopy (25 total, 1 per student), student grading and graduation certificates can be digital.

8. Does the travel ELIN include the travel required to bring the contract instructors from their Home of Record (HOR) to the training site? Does the travel ELIN include travel required during the conduct of a DSOC course, such as travel from JEB Little Creek to Ft. Pickett? Does the government anticipate travel for contract instructors outside of the

PWS?

A8: The travel ELIN represents the total estimated cost for all contractor travel (lodging, per diem, airfare, etc.) required to successfully perform the requirements of the associated Performance Work Statement in support of an individual DSOC class. The travel costs, and payment thereof, are subject to the constraints and limitations identified in PWS paragraph 7.0. The Government does not anticipate any contractor travel outside the performance of the PWS.

9. As this is expected to be a FFP contract, please clarify how Contractor travel will be handled on the contract, i.e., will Contractor travel be billed as direct charge to the government?

A9: See A8. Contractor travel will be billed as a direct charge to the contract in the same manner and process as the other ELINs, subject to the constraints and limitations identified in PWS paragraph 7.0.

10. Is the contractor required to write and submit the Operational Risk Mitigation (ORMs) forms?

A10: No, government will provide signed ORM’s

11. What are the contractor’s responsibilities related to GFP/GFE/GFI?

A11: None. The Government will provide all the equipment, berthing, weapons, ammunition and medical support for each DSOC student.

12. Does a minimum of five (5) instructors have to be present at every DSOC training event?

A12: Yes.

13. Are the DFAR representations and certifications required, or do we list them only if they have not been done? If none have been completed, can a vendor still apply?

A13: Offeror must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) with completed FAR and DFARS representations and certifications to be eligible for consideration for award. Regarding FAR 52.212-3 OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS--COMMERCIAL ITEMS (Nov 2017), the offeror shall complete only paragraphs (b) of this provision if the Offeror has completed the annual representations and certification electronically via the System for Award Management (SAM) Web site accessed through http://www.acquisition.gov . If the Offeror has not completed the annual representations and certifications electronically, the Offeror shall complete only paragraphs (c) through (p) of this provision and submit with quote.

14. Will the government provide automation support capabilities to facilitate course instruction? Projectors and computers as an example.

A14: No.

15. Will the government provide automation to support counseling of students and data collection required to meet the contract needs?

A15: Yes.

16. PWS Para 4.6 states the Training Schedule and Student Guidebooks are required NLT 15 Days after award. PWS Para 5.0 states 5 days after award - Which date is required?

A16: The Training Schedule and Student Guidebooks shall be required NLT 5 days prior to each DSOC class convening date.

17. Will government instructors act as part of the cadre during Direct Support Operators Course (DSOC)?

A17: No. Government instructors are only there to meet the safety requirements of FT Pickett ranges (contractors are forbidden to run ranges at FT Pickett). Government instructors will also be the “go between” between contractors and students in order to address inherently governmental functions such as performance drops, medical issues, emergency leave, etc.

18. Does the current curriculum use a government-owned student guide?

A18: Yes.

19. Are there incumbent instructors you need us to contemplate or hire?

http://www.acquisition.gov/

A19. No.

20. Is there a list of required cadre equipment not provided by the government?

A20: No, it’s the standard land warfare loadout. Contractors should have all safety equipment, including body armor and ballistic helmet

21. Can the government provide the weapons systems the cadre will be qualifying on?

A21: See PWS section 4.0.

22. Can the government provide a list of all radios and vehicles training will be conducted with/on?

A22: See PWS section 4.0.

23. Regarding the Exhibit Line Item Number (ELIN) Pricing Roster (Attachment 2), please clarify the intent of the Optional Ordering Period entries.

A23: The Optional Ordering Period ELIN would be utilized if any DSOC classes are required immediately after the expiration of the Year 5 Ordering Period, not to exceed 6 months. Any surge classes required during the performance of the contract shall be priced at the ELIN prices identified for the ordering period during which the surge occurs.

24. Is this requirement a new or existing requirement?

A24: This is a new solicitation for an existing requirement.

25. Will the Contractor be authorized or required to utilize government berthing/lodging facilities at FT Pickett?

A25: No.

26. Will the Government provide a copy of the current student study guide?

A26: Yes. A copy of the student guidebook will be provided.

27. Please clarify the Government’s lead-time notification expectations for each 30-day course of instruction.

A27: minimum of 14 days.

28. Please clarify the Government’s anticipated training locations.

A28: See PWS paragraph 2.0.

29. Please confirm the contractor is not required to provide/coordinate berthing facilities for the DSOC students.

A29: Confirmed. The contractor is not required to provide and/or coordinate the berthing facilities for the DSOC students.

30. Will the Government TPOC coordinate berthing arrangements for the contractor instructors?

A30: No.

31. Will the Government provide an active-duty HRST Master for the “Basic Fast Rope Instruction” annotated in PWS Section 4.4.1.7?

A31: Yes, we will provide HRST master, Ropes, medic and Facility

32. Will the Government provide an active-duty Boat Coxswain for the “Combat Rubber Raiding Craft Familiarization” annotated in PWS Section 4.4.9?

A32: No, we will have qualified personnel onsite but contractor will teach the familiarization

33. Regarding Attachment 2 (Exhibit Line Item Number (ELIN) Pricing Roster, what is the purpose the “Other Custom Instruction” entries (ELINs A004, B004, C004, D004, E004, and X004)?

A33: The “Other Custom Instruction” ELIN entries are reserved for use in the event the DSOC class size differs significantly from the estimated number of 25 students. The ELINs are designated “TBN” (to be negotiated). The custom costs will be negotiated if needed.

34. Regarding a vendor’s proposed travel costs, all travel is reimbursable based on actual and reasonable travel expenses incurred in support of the PWS. What prevents a vendor from low-bidding their estimated travel costs and potentially winning the contract, only to later submit travel claims higher than their quoted estimates?

A34: Each vendor shall estimate the travel costs necessary to successfully support the requirements of the PWS. The travel estimates provided with a vendor’s quote will be adhered to during the actual performance of the contract. Increases in travel cost reimbursement above the estimates provided as part of a vendor’s quote will be only be entertained if the reason for the increase arises from causes beyond the control of and without the fault or negligence of the vendor. Moreover, at the time of award, the Government will analyze all submitted pricing for reasonableness (too high) and realism (too low). Quotes that offer unreasonable or unrealistic pricing may be rejected as indicative of a lack of understanding of the requirement thereby presenting an unacceptable performance risk.