Responses_to_Q A_Part_1.pdf

Please be advised that the information in this document consitutes Part 1 of the Q&A. Part 2 of the Q&A will be released shortly with an amendment to the RFP.

QUESTIONS ANSWERS

The "Notice Type" in the FBO Solicitation is listed as a Sources

Sought. This usually means a Request for Information (RFI) or

Sources Sought (SS) from companies or teams that can perform the work. Is this an Sources Sought/ Request for Information or a

Request for Proposal?

Notice type was corrected. This is a

Request for Proposal.

As we review the remainder of the Solicitation, it reads like a final

RFP with a due date for a complete proposal on November 30, 2015. Is this a final Request for Proposal?

Yes.

Is this a follow‐on requirement? If so, could you please provide the incumbent contract number for this opportunity? If not, is this a new requirement?

Yes.

HC1047‐07‐D‐0001

Would you please confirm if this is an entirely new effort or is there an incumbent currently providing the services?

This is not a new effort. Yes there is an incumbent currently providing the services.

B pg 7 ‐Where the type of CLIN states "COST" ‐ should that be interpreted to mean in accordance with FAR 16.302, which refers to "a cost‐reimbursement contract in which the contractor receives no fee" (appropriate for R&D type contracts with non‐ profits organizations)?

No.

H.13 pg 106; L.1 (j) pg 105; L.4.4.2.2 (f) .pg 64 ‐ The description of

ODCs in H.13 differs from that in L.1 (j) and L.4.4.2.2 (f), which both define ODCs as "materials, equipment, travel, training, shipping, freight, relocation, and other services necessary to provide the required services." Note that travel has its own CLIN.

Please clarify that it is not the Government's intent for the contractor to provide labor as part of an ODC CLIN.

No, that is not the intent.

C‐9 pg 48 ‐ Please indentify the anticipated start date of the contract to ensure appropriate pricing of the provided labor categories is submitted.

March, 2016.

Period of Performance‐C.9 indicates that the period of performance will be 365 calendar days from the start of the contract with four 12 month option years.

Question: Please provide the estimated start date of the contract so that pricing will be based on a common start date for the purposes of applying escalation

March, 2016.

H.11 (j)pg 64 ‐ This states "Free" instead of "Fee". Please confirm this is intended to read "fee"

Will correct via Amendment. It should say

"FEE."

Section K, Page 91 of 125. FAR 52.204‐8. The Government listed the NAICS code for this solicitation as 541330. Is the applicable limit $15M or $38.5M?

$15m.

L.3.2 states: "Each page shall be counted as one page except for title/cover pages, acronym lists, table of contents, glossaries, resumes, and blank pages, which shall not be counted against the page limitations."

L.3.3.4.2 states: "The Offeror shall provide a cross‐reference matrix indicating/linking by Government Document Name (RFP, PWS, etc.) and by specification page/paragraph number, with the corresponding proposal paragraph in that section which addresses the referenced item."

Question:

Is it correct to assume that the cross reference matrix is not counted in the page limitations?

Yes.

L.3.3.2 This paragraph states that displays shall not exceed 11 by

17 inches in size.

Question: Does the 11x17 display count as a single page?

Yes.

L.4.4.2 cites Part C as Other Information, and L.4.6 cites Part D as

Other Information. Question: Is it correct to assume that "Other Information" falls under L.4.4 Volume IV ‐

Cost/Price and L.4.6 should read L.4.4.2.3 Part C ‐ Other

Information?

L.4.4.2 Part C Other Information refers to the Cost and Price volume only; L.4.6 applies to all other information.

L.4.4.2 cites Part D as "Reserved for Final Proposal Revisions" whereas the instructions for Final Proposal Revisions (FPR) is cited under L.4.6.3.

Question: Is it correct to assume that "Final Proposal Revisions

(FPR)" falls under L.4.4 Volume IV ‐ Cost/Price and L.4.6.3 should read L.4.4.2.4 Part D‐ "Reserved for Final Proposal Revisions"?

L.4.4.2 Part C Other Information refers to the Cost and Price volume only; L.4.6 applies to all other information.

L‐4.4.2 pg 111; L‐4.6 pg. 114 ‐ Is it the Government's intent that

Section L 4.6 Part D should be included in the Cost/Price volume?

Does this section represent “Part C” in the pricing volume as “Part

D” in the pricing volume is reserved for Final Proposal Revisions?

L.4.4.2 Part C Other Information refers to the Cost and Price volume only; L.4.6 applies to all other information.

RFP, Section L ‐ In which volume should the Compensation Plan reside?

Part D ‐ Other information.

L‐1.1 j. pg 105; M.5 pg 123 ‐ The provided template is locked for the non‐labor elements (Travel and ODCs). Please clarify whether the Government provided estimates for travel and ODCs are provided as raw costs or fullly burdened?

The Travel and ODC CLINS are billed as actual costs. The numbers provided are a

'Not to Exceed' amount.

L.1.2 pg 105 This Section indicates that "The offer shall be compliant with the requirements as stated in the Performance

Work Statement (PWS)." Please confirm that large business are not to respond to those specific tasks that have been set‐aside for small businesses in the PWS (Section C).

That is correct.

L.3.3.4.2 pg 108 ‐ This states that "The Offeror shall provide a cross‐reference matrix indicating/ linking by Government

Document Name (RFP, PWS, etc.) and by specification page/

Paragraph number, with the corresponding proposal paragraph in that section which addresses the referenced item." Please confirm that the cross reference matrix is not included in page limits.

This confirms that the cross‐reference matrix is not included in page limits.

Section C and Section L.1.1 ‐ Is it correct to assume that a Large

Business proposal should not include a technical approach for any of the tasks identified as Small Business Set‐Asides?

This is correct.

Is it required for Small Businesses to bid on all of the technical task areas with the documents?

No.

Are small business companies required to bid on the entire PWS or only the set aside portions of the PWS?

Small businesses may bid on the requirement as a whole or just the small business set aside portion.

Are small businesses required to provide a proposal that address the full range of the PWS or only the set aside portions?

Small businesses may bid on the requirement as a whole or just the small business set aside portion.

Will the Government look unfavorable if a small business primes the small business section and is on multiple small business teams?

No.

Should the Small Business Technical / Management Volume include information for all of the tasks, some of the tasks, or just the small business set‐aside tasks?

Page 109, section L.4.2.2.1

It should include information sufficient to allow for evaluation of the tasks you are bidding on.

Will the Small Business be able to bid on all of the tasks?Fair

Opportunity. In accordance with the Federal Acquisition

Streamlining Act (FASA) and FAR 16.505(b) or DFARS 216.505‐

70(b)(1) and 216.505‐70(b)(2), the KO will provide all awardees a

"fair opportunity" to be considered for each order in excess of

$2,500, unless the task order has been set aside for a small business concern in accordance with FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(F) or one of the other exceptions at FAR 16.505(b)(2) applies.

Page 62, Section H.11

Proposal Process. Requests for Proposals (RFPs). For unrestricted competitions, the KO solicits proposals from all prime contractors by emailing an RFP to the contract holder's designated contractual point of contact. The contractors will be provided 2 ‐ 14 days to prepare and submit offers, as specified in the RFP, with the amount of days based upon the complexity of the requirement. Each RFP will indicate the proposal due date, applicability of Section 508 standards, and the evaluation criteria including their relative importance. Technical proposals and cost proposals must be submitted by the contractors in writing.

For small business set‐asides, the process delineated above is similar; however, the RFP will only be issued to small business contract holders.

Page 63, Section d

Yes ‐ Small businesses may bid on the requirement as a whole or just the small business set aside portion.

We recognize the six Tasks/Subtasks that are designated for SBSA.

Does the gov't expect that the Small Business proposal address only these six Tasks/Subtasks?

No. If the SB wants to bid on the solicitation as a whole, they may

Will the gov't prefer to have the Small Business prime have current office locations in the National Capital Region, or can the

Small Business description of their approach to establishing an NCR office be equally scored?

It will be equally scored.

Can a Large Business be a teammate on the Full & Open program, and also be a teammate with a Small Business competing for only the SBSA portion?

Yes.

Are small business primes bidding on the set‐aside portions of the

PWS expected to provide a proposal response to the entire PWS?

Or just to the set‐aside tasks noted in the RFP?

Small businesses may bid on the requirement as a whole or just the small business set aside portion.

Ref: Page 34, paragraph 6. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS &

TASKS SET‐ASIDE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES and page 104, Section

L.1.1.d., designate the Subtasks and Task that are Set‐aside for

Small Businesses only.

We are a Small Business and are only interested in proposing against the Small Business Set‐Aside Subtasks and Task, and do not have the qualifications to propose against all of Section C

Performance Work Statement.

It is our interpretation that we can propose only against the designated Small Business Set‐aside designated Subtasks (6.1.3, 6.1.11, 6.2.4, 6.3.4, 6.3.5) and Task (5) at the IDIQ contract level.

Is our interpretation correct?

Yes.

With regard to section C (Descriptions and Specifications), paragraph 6 PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS & TASKS SET ASIDE

FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, on page number 34, line number 33 of the above‐referenced RFP, we note that the list of tasks set‐aside for small businesses only do not include:

* 6.3.1 Subtask 1 Regulatory and Legislative Support;

* 6.3.2 Subtask 2 Spectrum Reallocation Support; and

* 6.3.3 Subtask 3 WRC Support.

As the Performance Requirements listed under these Subtasks are written as able to be performed ideally by small businesses, and as promotion of opportunities for small businesses has been an expressed goal of DISA contracting authorities, we ask:

a) Is their omission an oversight?

b) Can they be included in the schedule of tasks set‐aside for small businesses by way of amendment to the above‐referenced RFP?

a) No, it is not an oversight. b) No. A decision was already made as to which task would be set aside for small businesses.

L.3 and L.4.5 ‐ Table 3.1 cites the Subcontracting Plan and Small

Business Participation Plan as part of Volume V, however, L.4.5 titled "Small Business Participation/Small Business Subcontracting

Plan" is not associated with the instructions for any particular

Volume. Question: Is it correct to assume that both plans should reside in Volume V?

Yes.

L.1.2 pg 105 This Section indicates that "The offer shall be compliant with the requirements as stated in the Performance

Work Statement (PWS)." Please confirm that large business are not to respond to those specific tasks that have been set‐aside for small businesses in the PWS (Section C).

That is correct.

Does the Government have an estimate on how many awards to small business there will be and how many large business awards there will be?

No.

Page 48 of the RFP states, "The primary place of performance for task orders will be the contractor facility with periodic local travel to DSO facilities and within the National Capitol Region." For the small business set‐aside, can we have performers at a facility in another state, outside the local travel area, for tasks that may not require onsite performance at the Government location?

Yes.

L.4.3.5 states: "The offeror shall provide the Past Performance

Questionnaire and Cover Letter, found at RFP, Section J, Attachment herein, to each of the customer Points of Contact identified for each of the relevant past performance efforts.

Question:

Did the Government intend to include a sample cover letter; or is the Offeror's format acceptable?

The offeror's format is acceptable.

M.4.3 states: "Therefore ID/IQ references, including GSA Schedule contracts, will not be considered unless they are associated with task order(s) meeting the recency criteria. Each task order under an ID/IQ contract shall be considered as a separate reference."

Question:

Is it acceptable to use separate delivery orders, and/or multiple related delivery orders under the same IDIQ contract as one past performance reference?

This is acceptable.

L.4.3.5 states: "In order to expedite the assessment process, the

Offeror may compete Sections 1, 2, and 3 of the Past Performance

Questionnaire for the convenience of the POC. The Offeror shall not, however, complete any other section of the Past

Performance Questionnaire."

Section III of the Questionnaire is titled "Past Performance

Questions/Evaluation (Circle your response, and/or provide written responses, when applicable.)"

Question:

Is it the Government's intent that Offerors can complete Section 3 of the Past Performance Questions/Evaluations for the convenience of the POC?

No. This language will be corrected via

Amendment.

Section L.3.1, Page 107 of 125 and Attachment 1 Past

Performance Information. Does the 3 page limit for past performance apply to the past performance information sheet?

Attachment 1 Past Performance Information. Can the offeror remove the paragraph descriptions in G‐N prior to submission?

No.

Would the Government grant an additionally 15 day extension to the proposal?

No.