FAI_Pre-Proposal_Conference_Minutes_040313.docx

FAI Pre-Proposal Conference April 3, 2013, 10:00am-11:00am GSA Auditorium (18 th and F St) Meeting Minutes

The notes below capture the presentations, discussions, and action items from the FAI Pre-Proposal Conference. Note: where appropriate, corrections to answers given during the conference are given.

Meeting commenced at 10am.

FAI Training Delivery IDQ Pre-Proposal Conference, presented by Ryan J. Vear

· Slide 1

· Ryan welcomed the audience and thanked everyone for coming

· No recording of the presentation

· All materials will be posted later this week

· Slide 2

· Asked audience to hold questions until the end

· Contents of presentation do not change the RFP

· No answers to questions asked will change or modify the RFP

· Slide 3

· Part of strategic sourcing initiative

· Require tier discounts across the life of the contract

· All courses will be uploaded into FAITAS (FAI LMS)

· Government anticipates awarding to multiple vendors

· Looking into file size restrictions

· Slide 4

· Set asides for small business concerns only

· Requirements posted on FAI.gov

· Home screen -> community ->policies and legislation -> OMB policy on Acq WF ->bottom of page link to competencies

· No level III COR courses

· Slide5

· Section is unrestricted

· Competencies are also posted on FAI.gov

· Slide 6

· Some are restricted (CLINs 48-52) for small business set aside

· Slide 7

· CLINs 54-55 are unrestricted

· Slide 8

· Required by all vendors who submit a proposal

· Slide 9

· FAC-C courses are not included in the RFP, and will not be added later on

· Will be subject to separate contractual action

· Slide 10

· Level III courses are not included n the RFP

· CLINS 3-9 provide for future certification changes over the life of the contract

· Electives (CLINS 10-16) only need to submit pricing for these, not courses

· Slide 11

· RFP allows vendors who have not had previous FAI verification to submit process with proposal

· PPM courses are based on competencies and not number of days

· Vendors must submit for current comp model not draft version on FAI.gov

· Slide 12

· Creating an IDIQ

· Agencies will be utilizing the contract as a direct acquisition

· Reference FAR 16.505 Fair Opportunity

· Agencies may select their own acquisition strategy; will not be dictated from FAI/GSA

· Vendors decision whether or not they want to participate in a Fair Opportunity

· FAI will be publishing an ordering guide

· Outline how to use the contract

· GSA will manage the IDIQ contract and its use

· Monthly order status report will give GSA a pulse on the contract

· Slide 13

· CLINs that are small business set aside only were detailed on the slide

· No preference for any specific category of Small Business category

· Small business may submit a proposal for all CLINs or just small business CLINs or just unrestricted CLINs

· Question and Answer Section

· Q1: Ed of LMI: What extent will it be a mandatory contract usage?

· Unaware of plans to make it mandatory

· Electives, are they seeking pricing without requirements specified?

· Will not require course development; electives will be based on competencies

· Q2: Neil John of Pearson: How will the assessments be administered?

· End-of-course survey Assessments will be administered by FAI through FAITAS; Examinations are typically paper based

· Q3: Bruno of BW: will you publish a list of Attendees?

· Yes, we can publish the list

· Q4: Richard of BMRA: section 1.1.5, What is the affiliation between the set-aside portion and the other categories in terms of requirement to submit quotes?

· Yes, must submit pricing for all required CLINS, failure to do so will make proposal non-responsive, but will not have to bid in Fair Opportunity process

· Q5: Management Concepts: We submitted questions in advance, but were not answered.

· Pulled out questions that were repeated by vendors; questions not addressed today will be addressed in an amendment

· Unnamed/undetermined courses listed in P/PM, pricing differentiation is only based on location, but delivery method, etc may require various prices.

· Vendors can offer discounts at ordering level; evaluation criteria is listed in section 10 of RFP (best value trade off)

· Q6: Debbie Hoffman of Centre Consulting: If a member of consortium, will we be considered valid for all CLINs?

· Will look into this answer; submission for verification will be looked at as to whether or not it

· CORRECTION: The only verification required is for the FAC-P/PM Levels 1, 2, and 3 CLINs, not for the P/PM Certification TBD CLINs.

· Q7: John of Management Concepts: 9.1.15, page limit restrictions: are talking 45 pages or 140 pages (volume 1)?

· Will look into page count.

· CORRECTION: Page count updated.

· Q8: Dave Houseman of Houseman & Associates: Will electives not have to align with competencies (referenced a footnote)?

· Will look into it.

· CORRECTION: Footnote updated.

· Q9: Chuck of Houseman & Associates: for electives, are exams required?

· Up to ordering agency

· Key personnel qualifications are too general, should the resumes be written to demonstrate instructor capability or technical knowledge?

· Will look into that

· CORRECTION: No change.

· Q10: Federal leadership Institute: Target number of awards? Open and SB?

· No open target, but adequate competition at fair opportunity level

· Q11: Acquisition strategy at order level?

· Agency determined

· Q12: Management Concepts: PPM certification courses that are not named, will they require FAI verification?

· Will address in amendment

· CORRECTION: For FAI developed courses, verification will not be required; however, verification may be required for agency specific courses

· Q13: Learning Tree: Partnering with other vendors will only be for unrestricted, correct?

· Prime cannot be a large business for the restricted portion

· Q14: Neil Johnson of Pearson: Can a small with a large subcontractor qualify of the restricted CLIN?

· Yes as long as in compliance with FAR part 19

· Q15: Randy King of DoD Contractors.org : Date limits switch between business days and calendar days, in one section listed 30 calendar days in the head line than 30 business days throughout (in reference to welcoming letters)

· Look into it

· CORRECTION: Changes reflected in the RFP.

· Q16: Brian Sellers of FAC Academy: On the IDIQ, will the government be evaluating prices on a CLIN basis or entire proposal?

· Answer will be coming out in an amendment

· CORRECTION: Please see question 55 in Amendment 1.

· Q17: Management Concepts: FTO has a # of course titles that are set aside and unrestricted, how can a large business provide a complete solution?

· Will be answered in an amendment

· CORRECTION: The same set-aside and unrestricted requirements shall be honored in the FTO. This may result in only a partial solution. For example, a Large Business may only propose the P/PM, emergency contracting, and Capitol Hill Workshop CLINs. Conversely, a Small Business Concern may submit a proposal for all CLINs, if it wishes.

· Q18: Susan Barron of ESI: Should subcontracting plan be submitted in accordance with Pricing table or FTO?

· The IDIQ overall; will look into the question

· CORRECTION: The Subcontracting Plan shall be submitted in accordance with the IDIQ Contract.

· Q19: SF 1499, what is the goal?

· The percentage on the SF1449 refers to the approximate percentage of the entire RFP that has been set-aside for small business concerns. The Goal for the Subcontracting Plan is listed in the Subcontracting Plan portion of the RFP. Will the list of attendees include the business size?

· Yes

· Q20: Bruno: What is your target date to make the awards?

· Hesitant to give a date, because they always change; typical evaluation time for a contract of this time. Maybe mid-July, but not a promise

· Q21: will the equipment to host/service be provided?

· For pricing purposes, vendors are to assume that those will not be provided for the equipment; can discount if agency provides

· Q22: John of Management Concepts: What is the timeframe of the excel spreadsheet?

· Very soon (EOW)

Meeting adjourned at 11:00am.

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