ATTACHMENT 12 - CSC III Questions and Answers AMEND 01.docx

Question Government’s Response

1. Does an offeror need to have CMMC Level 2 (Self) certification at time of award?

Reference: RFP, DFARS 252.204-7025

Yes. DFARS provision 252.204-7025 included in the solicitation states, “The CMMC level required by this solicitation is:

CMMC Level 2 (Self). This CMMC level…is required prior to award”.

2. Which volume should the offeror’s response to DFARS 252.204-7025 be placed?

Reference: RFP, Instructions to Offerors

This must be included in Volume V – Contract Documentation. The addendum to FAR 52.212-1 has been updated accordingly.

3. Which proposal volume should the offeror’s response to DFARS 252.237-7024 be placed?

This must be included in Volume V – Contract Documentation. The addendum to FAR 52.212-1 has been updated accordingly.

4.

(a) What is the size limitation for e-mail submissions?

(b) Can offerors submit multiple emails and/or compressed (zipped) files, provided each volume remains its own file?

Emails must be no greater than 20 Megabytes (MB) per e-mail.

Offers may submit multiple e-mails if file attachments cause an e-mail to exceed 20MB. Volumes must be their own separate file. Do not send a compressed (zipped) file. Please indicate the number of e-mails sent in the subject line (1 of 2, 2 of 2, etc.) and within the body of each email list the title of the attachments included with the e-mail. The Government recommends requesting receipt of the number of e-mails sent and total number of attachments sent.

5. In the RFP under the Technical and Management Approach, subfactor 2, it states that "Offerors must brief their approach to integration and migration services as required by PWS Section 6.1.7". Did the Government mean PWS Section 6.1.8?

Yes; the RFP has been corrected to refer to PWS section 6.1.8.

6. For SLIN 0002B, the example product is CISCO FPR-9300-ASA. DISA’s technical requirements for SLIN 0002B were derived from the exact technical specifications of the example product including the example product’s modular component architecture (Chassis and Modules). This is manifest in DISA’s B-table SLIN 0002B039 and SLIN’s 0002B046 thru 0002B051 (Service Modules). DISA requires Offerors to include a price for each SLIN (e.g., SLIN 0002B01 thru 0002B072) and Offerors are not allowed to use NSP pricing for any SLIN.

Reference: PWS Appendix 5 - PWS Technical Requirements; Attachment 2 – Price Workbook

See questions and responses in 6a through 6c.

6a. Can DISA further explain how Offerors should interpret and propose to DISA’s requirement for SLIN 0002B? Should Offerors propose products that meet the exact component-level architecture defined in DISA’s B-Table AND DISA’s technical requirements?

The products listed in PWS Appendix 5 were provided as examples. The products the offeror proposes to use under this contract must meet the minimum technical requirements and features identified in PWS Appendix 5. A standard SLIN structure was chosen for offerors to use for price proposals. If a proposed solution does not include all SLIN items listed in the price workbook, the offeror may mark that item as N/A (not applicable) or NSP (not separately priced). Offerors may not add line items or mark an item as N/C (no charge). The RFP has been updated accordingly.

6b. Can DISA further explain how Offerors should interpret and propose products that meet the exact component-level architecture defined in DISA’s B-Table OR DISA’s technical requirements for a SLIN?

Products proposed must meet the technical requirements identified in PWS Appendix 5.

6c. Which criterion will DISA use to determine compliance: the B-table’s Component Level Architecture SLINs and pricing OR the Technical specification in Appendix 5?

The technical specification in Appendix 5. See the addendum to FAR 52.212-1, Volume II – Technical and Management Approach, Subfactor 1.

7. There are multiple SLINs with example products, specifications, and SLINs that are currently not available for sale, and some example products will no longer be available for sale within the next 90 days. How does DISA want offerors to articulate these conditions and remain responsive?

Reference: PWS Appendix 5 - PWS Technical Requirements

The products in PWS Appendix 5 are provided as examples. Offerors may propose any solution that meets the technical requirements and fulfills the role and are not required to propose the exact example product.

8. For Travel SLIN 2001C001 and 2001C002, should travel be priced as a standalone reimbursable/CEILING CLIN/SLIN (e.g., actuals per JTR) or baked into other rates? Will the Government clarify the intended pricing construct?

Reference: Attachment 2 – Price Workbook

Travel SLINs will be priced on order and billed as actuals. For the purposes of price proposals, the Government has changed the evaluation quantities for SLIN 2001C to “0” and entered “n/a” in the price workbook.

9. Do cover pages count toward each volume’s page limitation?

Under the RFP Administrative requirements, it states that cover pages will not be considered when calculating page limits.

10. Is it permissible to include a cross-reference matrix in addition to the master Table of Contents? If yes, will it count towards page count limitations?

Yes; a cross-reference matrix may be included. Like the table of contents and glossary, it will not count towards a page limit.

11. Can the page count for the SCRM plan be increased to 25 pages?

No. The SCRM plan must be 20 pages or less.

12. For Volume V (Contract Documentation), may offerors submit a single consolidated PDF containing all required signed forms (e.g., SF33 and other signed attachments), or must each form be provided as a separate file?

Reference: RFP, Instructions to Offerors

Yes, the information requested for Volume V may be submitted as a single, consolidated PDF.

13.

(a) Is 12-point Times New Roman font acceptable for text and 10-point Arial Narrow font acceptable for Tables and Graphics in the Offeror’s Executive Summary, Small Business Participation, Price Narrative, Contract Documentation, and SCRM Plan?

(b) Will the Government please provide a font type or size for Vols 1, 3 – 6?

Reference: RFP, Instructions to Offerors

If not stated elsewhere in the solicitation, font sizes must be no smaller than 11. The Government has no font-type preference for proposal documents. Offerors should use their own judgement to ensure their proposal documents appear professional and legible.

Since offerors have no control over how OEM’s format their data sheets, the OEM data sheets may be provided in the standard format provided by the OEM.

14. For Emerging Tech SLINs (nnnnZ), what pricing is required at proposal submission (e.g., fixed placeholder price, NTE ceiling, $0, or ‘TBD’ to be negotiated at call order)?

Reference: Attachment 2 – Price Workbook Emerging Tech SLINs will be priced per solution when adding them to the contract. For the purposes of price proposals, the Government has added a value of “n/a” into the price workbook for these SLINs.

15. What is the Government’s expectation for variable value items in Non-Capacity? For instance, how does the offeror price items for “2002A004 Lost Item – Jumbo - Over $100000 Value” or “2002B007 Early Return for Non-Reusable Items – Jumbo - Over $100000” when the values are unknown until the SLIN is exercised?

Reference: Attachment 2 – Price Workbook

SLIN 2002, Restitution, will be priced on a call order basis. For the purposes of price proposals, the Government has added a value of “n/a” into the price workbook for SLIN 2002 and 2004E (both variable value items).

16. For Capacity Services offerings under CSC III, does the Government anticipate contractor-owned equipment to be deployed broadly across mission partner locations, or primarily within DISA Host and Compute Centers or other centralized infrastructure environments?

Reference: PWS section 6.1

The Government anticipates contractor-owned equipment will be deployed broadly across DISA and Mission Partner locations.

17. For contractor-owned infrastructure deployed under Capacity Services, does the Government anticipate exercising purchase options at the end of the period of performance, or will contractors be responsible for removal of equipment unless otherwise negotiated through call orders?

Reference: PWS section 6.1.9

The Government does not anticipate exercising purchase options at the end of the period of performance. The contractor must remove their equipment at the end of the period of performance.

18. For Gold, Silver, and Bronze service tiers, does the Government expect contractors to maintain dedicated field engineering resources near supported sites, or may contractors utilize partner or subcontractor resources to meet required response timelines?

Reference: PWS section 6.1.5.1

The Government has no explicit requirement for contractors to maintain dedicated field engineering resources, however; the contractor must meet the performance standards in the PWS.

19. Are contractors expected to maintain staging or integration facilities for equipment configuration prior to deployment, or will staging activities be coordinated with Government facilities or OEM partners on a per-call-order basis?

Reference: PWS section 6.1.8 and 6.4.3

The PWS does not dictate a requirement for the contractor to maintain staging or integration facilities, however; the contractor must meet the performance standards in the PWS. All equipment installation and associated activities are coordinated on a call-order basis.

20. Will any Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) be provided under CSC III for integration, upgrade, or relocation activities, or should offerors assume all equipment be contractor-provided unless otherwise specified in a call order?

Reference: PWS section 11 The Government will issue GFP to the contractor for configuration or engineering services (see attachment 10).

21. For Lost Item SLINs referenced in the pricing workbook, is contractor liability limited to equipment under contractor custody and control, or does liability extend to equipment that has been delivered and accepted by the Government?

Reference: PWS section 12.6 See PWS paragraph 6.2.4 for further information on restitution scenarios. These SLINs can be used when a contractor’s asset is lost by the Government, while in the Government’s possession.

22. Are there specific interoperability requirements for the contractor’s Call Order Management System with DISA enterprise systems, or is the system expected to function as a standalone contractor-managed solution?

Reference: PWS section 6.4.1 The Call Order Management System is expected to function as a standalone contractor-managed solution. Interoperability with DISA enterprise solutions is not a requirement.

23. Will the Government provide representative historical data from CSC II regarding typical call order size (e.g. equipment value and labor hours) to assist offerors in developing realistic operational and financial assumptions?

The evaluation quantities included in the pricing workbook were derived from historical data.

24. Will the Government consider revising or removing the mandatory socioeconomic subcategory goals from the subcontracting plan requirements, while retaining the overall 30% small business goal?

Reference: RFP, Instructions to Offerors

No. The socioeconomic subcategory goals were developed based off historical data from the CSC program. However, the solicitation does state, “The offeror must provide detailed explanations when the percentages fall short of the MQRs listed in the solicitation.”

25. PWS section 10.3.2 refers to a table in section 11.2. Should this reference be section 10.2?

Reference: PWS section 10.3.2 Yes; this should read “the table located in section 10.2”.

26. Will the Government issue GFP under the contract? PWS Section 11.1 states that “the Government will provide GFP for this contract as indicated in the GFP attachment”, but there is no GFP attachment included with the solicitation.

Reference: PWS section 11.1

The GFP attachment has been included as Attachment 10.

27. The CSC III Price Workbook and Factor 3: Price instructions requests option pricing for an additional six-month period under FAR clause 52.217-8. Should this six-month period be also listed in FAR clause 52.217-9?

Reference: Attachment 2 – Price Workbook;

FAR 52.217-9; Factor 3: Price No. FAR 52.217-9 is the authority the Government may use to unilaterally exercise an option to extend the term of the contract. FAR 52.217-8 is the authority the Government may use to extend services past the contract’s expiration, not to exceed a total of six months. The Government’s option to extend services past the contract’s expiration is not included under FAR 52.217-9.

28. Please confirm that the Affirmation of Requirement to Inform Employees of Whistleblower Rights is due no later than 60 days prior to expiration of the period of performance for each base year and exercised option periods, as stated in 12.7, but not explicitly stated in CDRL A023.

Reference: PWS, section 12.7; Exhibit A – CDRL

This affirmation is due no later than 60 days prior to expiration of the period of performance for each base year and exercised option periods. CDRL A023 has been updated accordingly.

29. There are many SLINs that have a quantity of “0”. Does the pricing of these SLINs impact the Total Evaluated Price?

Reference: RFP, Instructions to Offerors; Attachment 2 – Price Workbook

The pricing of these SLINs does not affect the Total Evaluated Price. When entering the prices in the Physical Capacity, Virtual Capacity, and Non-Capacity worksheets, the prices entered are multiplied by 0, giving a value of 0 for that SLIN.

30. Will the Government consider revising Attachment 2, CSC III Price Workbook, so that all Offerors are evaluated using a standardized dollar amount for the relocation services and long-distance travel SLINs for price evaluation purposes?

Reference: Attachment 2 – Price Workbook; RFP, Evaluation-Commercial Items

For the purposes of price proposals, the Government has changed the evaluation quantities for SLIN 2001C and 2003 to “0” and entered “n/a” in the price workbook.

31. The B-Table includes Emerging Tech SLINs, which have no requirements. Will the Government confirm that the Emerging Tech SLINs are part of the total evaluated price?

Reference: Attachment 2 – Price Workbook

The Emerging Tech SLINs are not part of the total evaluated price. For the purposes of price proposals, the Government has added a value of “n/a” into the price workbook for these SLINs.

32. The RFP states that the SCRM Plan deliverable is due with the proposal, but the PWS specifies SCRM Plan delivery 10 days after award. Will the Government clarify which requirement takes precedence?

Reference: RFP, Instructions to Offerors;

PWS section 6.9.2.

The SCRM Plan is due with the proposal for the Government’s evaluation and will be incorporated into the contract at award. The PWS and CDRL A015 have been updated to state delivery at contract award (when it is incorporated to the award).

33. The PWS states that the “contractor must clearly identify what make and model is being proposed to satisfy all requirements, including hardware or software required to meet the requirements of this PWS as defined in section 6.1”. Will the Government provide a template to identify equipment make and models?

Reference: PWS, Section 5.5

Section 5.5 of the PWS refers to the capacity assets used in the performance of the contract. When the Government issues a call order, the contractor must identify what equipment will be used to satisfy the requirements of the call order. For the purposes of submitting a proposal, the Government will not provide a template for offerors to complete. Please refer to the addendum to FAR 52.212-1 for instructions on how to prepare and submit the proposal.

34. Will the Government consider assigning a DO or DX DPAS priority rating to this requirement?

Reference: SF 1449 Form, Box 13.a

DPAS rating DO-A7 will apply to this contract and be added to the contract award.

35. The PWS lists up to 254 MP locations where deliveries and return merchandise authorization (RMA) must be supported. Will the Government provide the applicable countries?

Reference: PWS, Section 5.10.4

DISA mission partners may order services from the CSC III contract via call order. A current list of countries where DISA mission partners are located has been included as Attachment 11. This list is provided as supplemental information and is not a guarantee that DISA mission partners located in these countries will order services.

36.

(a) Given the potential 10-year period of performance (inclusive of options), will the Government clarify on how it intends to address circumstances in which a HUBZone or Economically Disadvantaged teaming partner experiences a change in certification status, ownership structure, size status, or financial condition during contract performance?

(b) If a subcontractor loses its HUBZone or Economically Disadvantaged certification after award, how will this affect the prime contractor’s compliance posture and subcontracting plan evaluation?

(c) Would the Government permit replacement of such a subcontractor without negative performance implications, provided small business participation goals continue to be met?

(d) Does the Government anticipate ongoing certification compliance requirements throughout the full period of performance, or will eligibility be assessed only at time of proposal submission and award?

(a) The Government recognizes that certain circumstances (e.g., a subcontractor losing its certification) may arise during contract performance that are outside the prime contractor’s control. The contractor is not penalized for changes in a subcontractor’s status after contract award, provided that the subcontractor was eligible at the time of the proposal. The contractor must make a good-faith effort to meet the overall goals of the subcontracting plan by pursuing alternative subcontractors, if necessary.

(b) Per FAR 52.219-9, the contractor must demonstrate a good-faith effort to meet the subcontracting plan goals. If the subcontractor’s status changes, the contractor must make a good-faith effort to replace the subcontractor with another qualified small business to maintain compliance with the plan. The prime contractor is not penalized for a subcontractor’s loss of certification that occurs after award, provided the subcontractor was eligible at the time of proposal and award. The contracting officer will evaluate the prime contractor’s efforts to fulfill the goals of the subcontracting plan throughout the period of performance. Failure to demonstrate a good-faith effort could result in penalties, including liquidated damages (FAR 52.219-16).

(c) Yes, the Government would generally permit the replacement of a subcontractor in such circumstances, provided the contractor continues to meet the small business participation goals outlined in the subcontracting plan and the performance objectives outlined in the PWS.

(d) The subcontracting plan is evaluated as part of the proposal, per the RFP instructions. The contracting officer will assess the contractor’s compliance with its subcontracting plan periodically to determine if the contractor made a good faith effort to comply with its subcontracting plan. Reporting requirements and the contracting officer’s assessment are outlined in FAR 19.302 (RFO) and 52.219.9.

37. Do the Section 508 compliance requirements apply solely to the required hardware/ICT deliverables under contract performance, the proposal submission documents, or both?

Reference: RFP, Instructions to Offerors; Evaluation-Commercial Items; PWS section 13

Section 508 compliance requirements apply to the Information and Communication Technology the contractor provides under contract performance, not the proposal documents or materials.

38. Please clarify if the provision or confirmation of a VPAT/Accessibility Conformance Report during performance satisfies the requirement for Section 508 compliance as listed in Section 13 of the PWS (applicable Hardware (HW) and Functional Performance Criteria) and offerors are to solely state whether their solution (for HW and Functional Performance Criteria) is compliant with Section 508? If so, please confirm that such conformance document(s) will be provided during contract performance, at the Government’s request.

Reference: RFP, Instructions to Offerors; Evaluation-Commercial Items; PWS section 13

Submission of an Accessibility Conformance Report will satisfy the requirement for Section 508 compliance. The RFP instructions have been clarified to state that offerors must indicate whether their proposed solution(s) meet the Section 508 standards listed in the PWS and if there are any exceptions proposed.

39. Under PWS section 6.9.2, several controls listed are not aligned with the most recent version of NIST SP 800-53. This section of the PWS also refers to NIST SP 800-35.

(a) Will the Government confirm if the reference to NIST 800-35 is meant to be NIST 800-53.

(b) If so, will the Government update controls listed in the PWS be updated to align to follow the guidance of the most recent version of NIST SP 800‑53?

Reference: PWS section 6.9.2

(a) The reference should be NIST SP 800-53. The PWS has been updated to reflect this change.

(b) The PWS has been updated to align with NIST SP-53, Rev. 5.

40. PWS Section 6.8.1.2 states that “TESA/ASSA accreditation will be initiated by the Contractor within 30 calendar days after the date of contract award.” However, CDRL A014 seems to contradict this by identifying the actual certification as a deliverable due “30 calendar days post-award and within 5 days of certification of new employees.”

(a) Will the Government confirm that the requirement is only for the Contractor to initiate the TESA/ASSA accreditation process within 30 calendar days of contract award, rather than to obtain accreditation within that timeframe?

(b) Additionally, will the Government expand on the requirement “within 5 days of certification of new employees” mentioned in CDRL A014?

Reference: PWS section 6.1.8.2

(a) The table in PWS section 6.8.1 and CDRL A014 has been updated to clarify that the deliverable due 30 calendar days after contract award is the documentation to initiate the TESA/ASSA accreditation process.

(b) The contractor is required to revalidate TESA/ASSA accreditation each year when a new task order is issued.