Forensic Question and Answers.docx

Solicitation Number HQ0682-12-R-0016 (Amendment 2) Forensic Accounting Support Question and Answers August 17, 2012

The purpose of this amendment is to provide answers to questions received after the posting of the solicitation. The solicitation closing date remains unchanged. All proposal packages are due NLT 1:00PM on August 24, 2012

1. Is this a new requirement, or follow on requirement? Is there an incumbent currently performing this work?

Government Response: There is not an incumbent currently performing this work. This is a new requirement.

2. Will the Government provide a 1 week extension on the due dates for Past Performance Questionnaires and proposal submissions to provide adequate time for a complete response to be prepared that includes changes required due to answers to questions?

Government Response: JIEDDO Senior Management has identified this effort as a top priority. Therefore, the due date for this requirement will remain as August 24, 2012 by 1:00pm.

3. L.4 (Third Paragraph) Reference. "Please limit your proposal to 15 pages or less. Resumes, Quality Assurance Plan, Past Performance Plan, Title Page, and Table of Contents do not count towards the 15 page limit".

Q: Can the government clarify what is meant by Past Performance Plan? Please specify if this is separate from the 3 past performance references required under the Technical Proposal Instructions, (bullet at top of page 82). If it is different, please define Past Performance Plan."

Government Response: Past performance plan is not required, please only submit the 3 past performance references as indicated in the solicitation.

4. Section M, A. Item 4. Reference. "Completeness of the Project Management Plan to include logistics, schedule (project timeline), proposed deliverables, lines of authority and any other issues the government should be aware of."

Q: A Project Management Plan is not identified or required in the PWS or Instructions (Section L). Can the government clarify if the offeror is expected to provide a Project Management Plan as part of this proposal? If so, will the Project Management Plan count toward the 15 page or less requirement?

Government Response: Please substitute “Project Approach” for the project management plan outlined in Section M, Item A.4 will be deleted.

5. Which positions aside from the PM, if any, will be required to have a TS/SCI clearance upon contract award?

Government Response: Any employee who requires access to the data stores housed at the COIC for the purpose of meeting the requirements of the contract or the offeror’s technical solution will require TS/SCI clearances.

6. How many people would be expected to work on site at the COIC and how many would be at the contractor provided facility?

Government Response: On a daily basis, minimally one – the Program Manager. Offeror to propose their technical solution requiring other access to the COIC.

7. For the Paralegal positions, would a combination of 5 years of paralegal experience and other research/analysis experience be acceptable in lieu of 5 years purely spent as a paralegal?

Government Response: The paralegal must have 5 years experience as a paralegal (with a specialty in finance and/or international law), and a high proficiency in legal computer-software programs. Must have knowledge of Federal Government and international laws, policies, and initiatives concerning finance, accounting, and banking

8. For the PM position, would a candidate with a background in multi-source intelligence fusion which includes using forensic accounting / threat finance analysis products be acceptable in lieu of a career forensic accountant?

Government Response: The PM must have a forensics accounting background and at least 10 years experience managing projects of similar size, scope, and complexity. A Program Management Professional (PMP) certification or a DAWIA Level 3 certification in Program Management is required. The Forensic Accountant must have at least 10 years experience in the application of forensics accounting supporting actionable intelligence collection. Must have a demonstrated and proven record of success in pursuit of people and networks via financial analysis that has led to the ability to take military, legal, or other action against those entities. Must have knowledge of international financial centers and how they operate. Should have experience with partner nation (multi-national) sanctions, capabilities, and processes. Previous experience needed in international law enforcement, bookkeeping, accounting, or law and an operating knowledge with accounting and computer software packages. Minimum education is a bachelor's degree, in business administration or accounting. These are two distinct requirements.

9. Would the government allow for the PM to attain their PMP/DAWIA Level 3 certification within 90 days of contract award?

Government Response: No.

10. Will contractor personnel, aside from the PM, work at another government facility in the NCR or at the contractor’s facility?

Government Response: It is not a requirement that all contractor personnel perform their functions at this facility on a full time basis. Offeror to propose their technical solution.

11. Will the government please provide an MS Word version of the past performance questionnaire?

Government Response: Please find attached a MS Word version of the past performance questionnaire.

12. There are three "Data Mining and IT Expert" FTEs listed in the level of effort chart, however PWS 4.3 Key Personnel states that the "Data Mining IT Expert" is a key personnel.

Is only one of these three FTE a key person, are there separate key positions for Data Mining (2) and IT Expert (1), or is it some other mix?

Government response: The Project Manager (1), the Forensic Accountants (3), Data Mining IT Expert (3), and the Value Chain Analyst (1) are all considered Key Personnel. Resumes are required for all (8).

13. Where is the Place of Performance for each of the recognized Labor Categories, specifically the Attorney and Paralegal (Consultants)?

Government response: Except for the PM, other contractor personnel are not required to work on site unless required for the purpose of completing contractual requirements per the offeror’s proposed technical solution.

14. Section C 5.5 Technical Reports and Briefings, p10 Can the government provide an estimate, or a ceiling on the number of adhoc reports that may be required?

Government response: No.

15. Section I I1.1 Federal Acquisition Regulation Clauses, p 26 Given that this solicitation is a SDVOSB set aside, are the requirements of FAR 52.219-1.-8.-9.-14, and -16 applicable to this solicitation, especially FAR 52.219-9 related to submission of a small business subcontracting plan?

Government Response: The above mentioned clauses are standardized clauses that our agency incorporated into the solicitation. FAR 52.219-1,-6,-8 and -14 are all applicable to small business rules and regulation. However, please omit FAR Clauses 52.219-9 and 52.219-16

17. Section C 4.2, 4.2.1 – 4.2.8 Required Experience, p 7 The paragraph states the Contractor “shall propose experience, education, and skills for each of the following labor categories.” It then provides the requested information in the category descriptions. It is unclear if the Government is asking for the contractor to propose labor categories and qualifications or to respond to the qualifications provided. Based on our experience in Task Force 2010 and other forensic accounting engagements, we believe that the labor category requirements should recognize the difference in experience and skills between senior and journeyman levels. We therefore present the following table of suggested alternative qualifications and labor category requirements is presented for the Government’s consideration.

Government Response: Requirement stands as written. Offeror to provide their solution.

18. Section C 6.1 Type of Contract, p 11 The paragraph states “The Government anticipates award of a Firm Fixed Price contract (travel costs will be billed separately in accordance with the JTR). There is no mention of other direct costs than travel. Are other direct costs such as interpreters, security, cost of DBA insurance, international phones, etc., to be priced, and if so, where is the price to be included?

Government Response: Costs noted would be included as part of the ODC CLIN.

19. What Government owned tools are provided to support the analytical activities expected under this award?

Government Response: Though government owned and other analytical tools are available at this facility subject to acquiring the necessary security and training requirements for their usage, the Target Networks Monthly Report shall describe the tools (e.g., databases, methodologies) the vendor uses to exploit the target information.

20. Paragraph 4 Sentence 7 states that “Organizational Experience and Staffing Plan count towards the 15 page limit.” Can the Government confirm that this Organizational Experience section is intended to be different from the Past Performance Volume 1b?

Government Response: Yes. It is different.

21. Can the government allow for font sizes below 11 pt. for information in tables, charts, and graphics as long as legibility is maintained?

Government Response: No.

22.Section 13.0 states that “travel may be required to the USCENTCOM AOR”, which raises the following questions that affect our pricing plan:

Which personnel are expected to travel? What is the anticipated frequency of travel? Will hazardous duty uplifts, etc. be billed as part of the ODC CLIN? How will additional hours incurred during travel affect the 1920 hour year for an FTE?

Government Response: Travel requirements will be dictated by the contractor’s proposed technical solution. Additional costs to support will be approved in advance and invoiced as ODC costs.

23. Section 7.0 specifies that “government will provide contractor with office space”, but section 6.3 places only the PM on-site at the COIC. This gives rise to the following questions:

Will all of the reports and analysis need to be produced on GFE? What databases at JIEDDO will the analysts have access to? What sources of data outside JIEDDO does the government currently have access to pertaining to this contract that our analysts would be performing data mining on? Is this open source collection or will it all be classified?

Government Response: See question 14 & 19 responses.

24. If work is to occur in a contractor facility, will the government be providing GFE, a DD254, and a SIPRNET connection to that facility?

Government Response: Please omit Attachment 4 (DD254) of this solicitation. The government will issue a DD254 to the winning offeror.

25. Section L.2.f discusses an “oral technical presentation” but provides no instructions on how that is to be prepared or delivered. When is the oral presentation anticipated to occur? Who needs to be present for the oral presentation? What is the time table for the execution of the oral presentation, with regards to how much time for slides, for Q&A, etc.?

Government Response: The government does not intend to hold oral technical presentation. Therefore, please refrain from addressing oral presentation into your RFP.

26. Will employees require a TS clearance/SCI? Are security requirements needed on day one of POP?

Government Response: The entire team will report on day one of the contract. All employees will be required to meet the Moderate-level Public Trust Security requirement per the RFP (Section 9). The Program Manager’s place of work will be the COIC and clearance must be reflected in JPAS and be formally nominated by their company's security office to be indoctrinated into SCI programs. If additional access to the COIC is deemed necessary by the offeror for additional staff, they must also meet the stated security requirements for that of the PM.

End of Questions and Responses