Amendment_0001.pdf

RFP HSCG23-17-R-PIC101

Amendment 0001

July 12, 2017

This amendment is issued to:

(a) Answer and/or clarify questions received and

(b) Makes changes to the RFP.

This RFP is hereby extended to 1400 ET on July 31, 2017.

On page 2, Year 2 “CLIN: 10000 (ORDERING PERIOD 1) Description: ‐ Training Support Services – The Contractor shall provide all the tools, parts, materials and labor necessary to provide contractor training support services for the USCG Training Center Yorktown IAW the attached PWS.”

On page 3, Year 3 (ORDERING PERIOD 2) CLIN: 20000 Description: ‐ Training Support Services – The Contractor shall provide all the tools, parts, materials and labor necessary to provide contractor training support services for the USCG Training Center Yorktown IAW the attached PWS.

On page 3, Year 4 (ORDERING PERIOD 3) CLIN: 30000 Description: ‐ Training Support Services – The Contractor shall provide all the tools, parts, materials and labor necessary to provide contractor training support services for the USCG Training Center Yorktown IAW the attached PWS.

On page 3, Year 5 (ORDERING PERIOD 4) CLIN: 40000 Description: ‐ Training Support Services – The Contractor shall provide all the tools, parts, materials and labor necessary to provide contractor training support services for the USCG Training Center Yorktown IAW the attached PWS.

Question #1:

Can you please provide additional details for this CLIN? What additional training support services should be included in the line items referenced that are not covered within the individual course offerings and their CLINs?

Response: CLIN 10000, 20000, 30000 and 40000 are just headers. There are no additional training support services. The requirements are in the PWS as stated.

Question #2:

If there are specific training support services that require a level of effort from the contractor and therefore a cost provided for the out years, should there be a CLIN for year one that covers the same services?

On page 8, 1.3.2.2 Course Specific Instructor Qualifications “…1.3.2.2.1 ICS‐402 Advanced Liaison Officer Course Additional Instructor Qualifications

1.3.2.2.3.1 Successfully obtained certification as a NIMS or NIIMS Type 1 or 2 Incident Commander or Type 1 Liaison Officer using guidelines as noted in PWS 6.14, or PWS 6.28 or PWS 6.29.”

Response: There are no additional training support services. The requirements are in the PWS as stated.

Question #3:

The position of Liaison Officer was not “typed” under the NWCG, FEMA, or other nationally recognized Qualifications systems so attaining that position under PWS 6.14 or PWS 6.29 is not possible. Would the government consider a modification to the requirements that would permit qualification using PWS 6.14 or PWS 6.28 while still ensuring the skills necessary to successfully perform at the type 1 or 2 complexity level?

Could the following modification meet the needs of the government while enabling certification through the nationally recognized qualification paths?

Response: Modification made as requested.

Section 1.3.2.2.3.1 modified to read “Successfully obtained certification as a NIMS or NIIMS Type 1 or 2 Incident Commander or Type 1 Liaison Officer using guidelines as noted in PWS 6.29, or Successfully obtained certification as a NIMS or NIIMS Type 1 or 2 Incident Commander or successfully obtained certification as a Liaison Officer as noted in PWS 6.14 or PWS 6.28 who is qualified and capable of successfully fulfilling the requirements of the Liaison Officer position at the type 1 or type 2 complexity level”.

On page 10, ICS‐620 Area Command Course Additional Instructor Qualifications

1.3.2.2.6.3 Successfully conducted over 20 Position Specific ICS training courses at the NIMS or NIIMS Type 1 and Area Command level in the role as the lead instructor

Question #4:

The number of position specific training courses refers to “NIIMS Type 1 and Area Command level” but they cannot be both. Is the correct word “or”?

Response: changed “and” to “or” Section 1.3.2.2.6.3 is modified to change “and” to “or”

Page 12, 1.10 KICK‐OFF MEETING “…The Contractor shall attend a Kick‐Off Meeting with the Contracting Officer, the COR and other designated representatives at the Government’s facility within seven (7) business days after award of the contract. The purpose of this meeting is review project timelines, milestones and contract objectives.”

Question #5:

Please provide the address for the government’s facility where the kickoff meeting must take place.

Response: The kickoff meeting will be held at United States Coast Guard 2703 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE Washington, DC 20593

Question #6:

Based on travel costs, can a provision be added to enable a teleconference in place of a face to face meeting?

Response: Kick Off meetings are usually done face to face unless there are extenuating reasons.

On page 18, COURSE COMPLETION AND CRITIQUES “..5.2.4 The Contractor shall submit to the COR a course completion report as part of the status report (PWS 1.12) within fifteen (15) days after the end of each class convening. The report shall include, as a minimum, a student roster, student critiques, and instructor comments/observations.”

“1.12 STATUS REPORTS

The Contractor shall submit a status report to the COR via electronic mail within ten (10)business days after completion of each course session. This report shall include a summary of all Contractor work performed, any travel conducted and any Contractor concerns or recommendations for the previous course session.”

Question #7:

The course completion report indicated in 5.2.4 indicates it shall be submitted within 15 days and refers to section 1.12. However, section 1.12 it indicates the status report shall be submitted within 10 business days. Can you please clarify the time frame desired?

Response: changed 1.12 to 15 days.

Section 1.12 modified to read 15 days

On page 19, COURSE COMPLETION AND CRITIQUES “5.2.4.2 Based on feedback received from student critiques, the Contractor shall submit to the COR recommendations for changes to the curriculum for upcoming training sessions. Upon agreement between the Contractor and the Government, the Contractor shall implement the changes to the curriculum and provide an updated version to the Government not later than thirty (30) days prior to the upcoming training session.”

Question #8:

The wording in 5.2.4.2 appears to indicate that the contractor shall analyze the student critiques, develop recommended changes to the curriculum, and after agreement between the contractor and the government, the contractor shall make the changes to the curriculum and provide an updated version of the curriculum to the government within 30 days. However, there is no CLIN that specifically covers this type of work.

Depending on the proposed changes, modifying the instructors’ manuals, student manuals, references, and supporting instructional aids could range from a minor to a major level of effort for the contractor to undertake. Can you please clarify how this level of effort is to be accounted for within the current CLINs and pricing?

Response: Modified – the Government will make all changes to the curriculum.

Section 5.2.4.2 is modified to read “Based on feedback received from student critiques, the Contractor shall submit to the COR recommendations for changes to the curriculum for upcoming training sessions. Upon agreement between the Contractor and the Government, the Government shall implement the changes to the curriculum and provide an updated version to the Contractor not later than thirty (30) days prior to the upcoming training session.”

On page 20, 7.0 DELIVERABLES In the chart that describes the mandatory deliverables that the contractor is responsible for, items #5 and #6 refer to PWS 5.1 however that number is titled “Conduct Training.”

Item #7 refers to PWS 5.2, however that section title is “Course Completion And Critiques.”

Question # 9:

Can the deliverables of “Development of Training Courses” and “Curriculum Revisions and Updates” be described or corrected to make sure we are not missing mandatory elements the government is expecting?

Response: Modified – the Government will make all changes to the curriculum.

Section 7.0 if modified to delete items 5 and 6 from table.

ITEM PWS DELIVERABLE / EVENT DUE BY

1 1.10 Kick‐Off Meeting

NLT seven (7) business days after award of contract

2 1.11 Final Project Plan NLT five (5) business days after Kick‐Off Meeting

3 1.12 Status Reports Within 15 business days of each course completion

4 1.13 Status Meetings As‐needed basis

5 5.2 Conduct Training Per the course schedule provided in each task order.

On page 24, SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

“…Offers shall be limited to 50 pages all inclusive with page numbers in sequential order. The page limits exclude resumes and FAR 52.212‐3 Offeror Representations and Certifications‐Commercial Items. Offers shall be sectioned into three volumes:

Volume 1: Technical Proposal Volume 2: Relevant Past Performance Volume 3: Price Volume One Contents: The Offeror shall provide the following in its Volume One in order to be considered complete: (1) a document entitled "Technical and Management Approach" that contains sufficiently detailed information that demonstrates the Offeror's ability to perform the requirements of the PWS and provide management necessary to perform the requirements of the PWS; (2) the course descriptions and curriculums that are similar or identical to the courses solicited; (3) resumes for all instructors are required and letters of intent for all proposed personnel are desirable; and (4) any exceptions/assumptions taken with regard to the PWS or any other aspect of the RFP or any other information that the Offeror finds necessary and pertinent to their offer.

(emphasis added)

Question # 10:

Can you please confirm that item #2 “the course descriptions and curriculums that are similar or identical to the courses solicited…” is not intended to mean a complete set of the actual curricula but only a brief syllabus or description of the courses?

Response: A brief syllabus and description of the courses is required, not the complete curriculum.

Question # 11:

Can you please confirm that item (2) is being included so the government can draw a comparison between what the offeror is stating they have provided as a training class is equivalent from an Instructional Systems Design (ISD) standpoint and contains the equivalent knowledge skills and abilities to the courses being solicited in this proposal?

Response: The course terminal performance objectives are listed in the PWS. The USCG courses were developed using the curriculum standards in references 6.21 to

6.27. The contractor will be provided the complete curriculum upon the award.

Question # 12:

Given that seven courses are being solicited in this RFP, and that the EMI and USFA syllabuses typically are 3 to 6 pages in length, including those within the 50 page limitation will severely compromise an offeror’s ability to provide a comprehensive project plan and quality assurance description. Can the submission instructions be modified to exclude the “course descriptions and curriculums that are similar or identical to the courses solicited” in addition to the letters of intent (see question #12 below), resumes, and FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items?

Response: A brief syllabus and description of the courses is required, not the complete curriculum.

On page 24, SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

“…Offers shall be limited to 50 pages all inclusive with page numbers in sequential order. The page limits exclude resumes and FAR 52.212‐3 Offeror Representations and Certifications‐ Commercial Items. Offers shall be sectioned into three volumes:

Volume 1: Technical Proposal Volume 2: Relevant Past Performance Volume 3: Price Volume One Contents: The Offeror shall provide the following in its Volume One in order to be considered complete: (1) a document entitled "Technical and Management Approach" that contains sufficiently detailed information that demonstrates the Offeror's ability to perform the requirements of the PWS and provide management necessary to perform the requirements of the PWS; (2) the course descriptions and curriculums that are similar or identical to the courses solicited; (3) resumes for all instructors are required and letters of intent for all proposed personnel are desirable; and (4) any exceptions/assumptions taken with regard to the PWS or any other aspect of the RFP or any other information that the Offeror finds necessary and pertinent to their offer.

Question #13:

Given that letters of intent are desirable and that our cadre includes almost 30 personnel, which would require almost 30 pages of “letters of intent” subtracted from the 50 page limit, can the submission instructions be modified to exclude the letters of intent in addition to the resumes and FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items?

Response: At this time submission instructions will be not modified. Supply only instructors that will be utilized for the classes.

Page 26, FACTOR 3: PRICE:

“…Values proposed by the offeror in block 24 of the SF 1449, excluding travel values, will be subtotaled to calculate the offeror’s proposed price. The Government will evaluate the offeror’s proposed price to determine price reasonableness.”

Response: Travel will be a separate line item – there will be a not to exceed cost of contractor travel included each task order which is the independent government cost estimate of contractor travel using standard government travel rates.

Question #14:

The “Evaluation Factors” refers to block 24 of the SF 1449. However, this solicitation did not use the SF 1449 form. Can you please clarify?

Response: Disregard reference to SF 1449. The table cited below is hereby incorporated into the RFP which includes a quantity increase in CLINS 10006, 20006, 3006 & 40006.

CLIN DESCRIPTION QUANTITY UNIT UNIT

PRICE

AMOUNT

Training Support Services – The Contractor shall provide all the tools, parts, materials and labor necessary to pro-vide contractor training sup-port services for the USCG Training Center Yorktown IAW the attached PWS.

00001 Conduct ICS-410 Advanced Incident Commander Course

Max Quota

Ea

00002 Conduct ICS-402 Liaison Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

00003 Conduct ICS-403 Public Information Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

00004 Conduct ICS-404 Safety Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

00005 Conduct ICS-430/440 Operations Chief and Planning Section Chief Course Safety Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

00006 Conduct ICS-620 Area Command Course

Max Quota

Ea

00007 Conduct ICS-420 Advanced IMT course

Ea

10000 Training Support Services – The Contractor shall provide all the tools, parts, materials and labor necessary to pro-vide contractor training sup-port services for the USCG

10001 Conduct ICS-410 Advanced

Max Quota

Ea

10002 Conduct ICS-402 Liaison Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

10003 Conduct ICS-403 Public Information Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

10004 Conduct ICS-404 Safety Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

10005 Conduct ICS-430/440 Operations Chief and

Ea

10006 Conduct ICS-620 Area Command Course

Max Quota

Ea

10007 Conduct ICS-420 Advanced IMT course

Max Quota

Ea

20000 Training Support Services – The Contractor shall provide all the tools, parts, materials and labor necessary to pro-vide contractor training sup-port services for the USCG

20001 Conduct ICS-410 Advanced

Max Quota

Ea

20002 Conduct ICS-402 Liaison Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

20003 Conduct ICS-403 Public Information Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

20004 Conduct ICS-404 Safety Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

20005 Conduct ICS-430/440 Operations Chief and

Ea

20006 Conduct ICS-620 Area Command Course

20007 Conduct ICS-420 Advanced IMT course

Max Quota

Ea

30000 Training Support Services – The Contractor shall provide all the tools, parts, materials and labor necessary to pro-vide contractor training sup-port services for the USCG

30001 Conduct ICS-410 Advanced

Max Quota

Ea

30002 Conduct ICS-402 Liaison Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

30003 Conduct ICS-403 Public Information Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

30004 Conduct ICS-404 Safety Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

30005 Conduct ICS-430/440 Operations Chief and

Ea

30006 Conduct ICS-620 Area Command Course

Max Quota

Ea

30007 Conduct ICS-420 Advanced IMT course

Max Quota

Ea

40000 Training Support Services – The Contractor shall provide all the tools, parts, materials and labor necessary to pro-vide contractor training sup-port services for the USCG

40001 Conduct ICS-410 Advanced

Max Quota

Ea

40002 Conduct ICS-402 Liaison Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

40003 Conduct ICS-403 Public Information Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

40004 Conduct ICS-404 Safety Officer Course

Max Quota

Ea

40005 Conduct ICS-430/440 Operations Chief and

40006 Conduct ICS-620 Area Command Course

Max Quota

Ea

40007 Conduct ICS-420 Advanced IMT course

On page 24, SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS “All proposals shall be submitted to the attention of the Contract Specialist, Mark Hopkins, via email at Mark.L.Hopkins@uscg.mil on or before 1400 ET, on July21, 2017.

Due to USCG internet restrictions, electronic mail attachments over 5 MB in size shall not be accepted. Electronic documents submitted shall be compatible with Microsoft Vista.”

Question #1:

Given that the answers to several questions submitted on July 8, 2017, may have a significant impact on the form and content of the response, would the government consider extending the response an extra 7 days to July 28, 2017?

Response: The Government has determined that the RFP will be extended.

Question #2:

Can the files be “zipped” or compressed in the email to minimize size?

Response: You can submit your proposal by sections within the 5MB limit. Offers can also be mailed, as long as it is received by the response date and time.

PWS 1.3.2.2.11.2 states that Lead Instructors for all other Courses (excluding ICS-410 and ICS-620) must have successfully obtained certification as a Type 1 Incident Commander. If, for all courses, including Command Staff and General Staff courses, the Lead Instructor must be a Type 1 Incident Commander, would this requirement exclude a Type 1 Safety Officer from serving as the Lead Instructor for an ICS-404 course?

RESPONSE: The PWS requirement is correct as stated

Since the resumes are excluding from the 50 page proposal limit, is there a requirement that the font size of the resumes be 12?

RESPONSE: Standard font size is 12.

PWS 3.3 states that the government shall provide the current Coast Guard ICS Incident Management Handbook and CG Position Specific Job Aids. Will the government be providing those references as hard copy references to the students or is it the responsibility of the Contractor to print and provide those references as hard copy to the students?

RESPONSE: The government will provide printed copies of the Cost Guard Incident Management Handbook (IMH) and Coast Guard position specific job aids.

PWS 3.1 states that the government shall provide the facilities for the training courses.

PWS 4.0 states that the Contractor shall furnish all facilities, materials, equipment, and services necessary to fulfill the requirements of this contract except for the Government Furnished Resources listed in PWS 3.0. What additional facility requirements does the government anticipate the Contractor providing?

RESPONSE: The Government will provide the facilities for the training courses.

Section 4.0 is modified to delete the word “facilities” in the first sentence.

PWS 4.0 states that the Contractors shall provide standalone computers, LCD projector(s), and LCD screen(s). Does this imply that the training facilities furnished by the Coast Guard will not be equipped with presentation equipment (computer, projector, and/or screen)?

RESPONSE: The contractor shall provide the appropriate equipment for the training.

The facility provided by the Coast Guard may not have this equipment.

PWS 4.0 states that the Contractors shall provide LCD projector(s) and LCD screen(s).

Do the projectors and, specifically, the screens have to be LCD or will any standard projector and, and specifically, screen satisfy the requirement?

RESPONSE: The contractor can provide any standard projector that will provide appropriate visibility for 30 students.

Is the Coast Guard providing the exercise scenarios and associated scenario documents and materials to support each training delivery? If so, are these scenario documents and materials provided electronically to the Contractor for printing or will the Coast Guard provide the hard copies for the training classes?

RESPONSE: The contractor shall provide all printed materials except as noted in PWS3.3. The curriculum includes all the materials to be printed for the course including the exercise scenarios.

Does the Coast Guard have any visual displays and posters included in their curriculum (Planning P, Organization Chart, etc.)? If so, are these visual displays and posters provided electronically to the Contractor for printing or will the Coast Guard provide the hard copies for the training classes?

RESPONSE: The contractor shall provide all printed materials except as noted in PWS

3.3. The curriculum includes all the materials to be printed for the course including the posters.

PWS 1.11 requires a Draft Project Plan in conjunction with the proposal for evaluation purposes. Since this is an IDIQ, what specific requirements does the government expect in the Project Plan?

RESPONSE: The instructors that will be provided for each course.

Will the Coast Guard provide an SF1449 and Continuation Sheets for completion in Volume III, Price?

RESPONSE: Please disregard reference to SF 1449. (Duplicate question)

CLIN 00006 ICS-620 Area Command Course Maximum Quota is 4 in Year 1. The Maximum Quote for all subsequent years of CLIN 6 ICS-620 Area Command Course is 5.

Can you please confirm that the Maximum Quota for CLIN 00006 in Year 1 is 4 or should it be 5?

RESPONSE: The requirement is correct as stated.