Attachment_B_Business_Evaluation_Plan_.pdf

Source Selection Information-See FAR 3.104 Procurement Sensitive

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Risk MAP

Program Management

(PM)

Business Evaluation Plan

As of 12-20-2012

(Attachment B)

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Table of Contents

I. PURPOSE

II. SCOPE

III. OVERVIEW

IV. RESPONSIBILITIES

V. TERMINATION OF APPOINTMENTS

VI. DEFINITIONS

A. CLARIFICATIONS

B. DEFICIENCIES

C. WEAKNESSES

VII. EVALUATION PROCESS

VIII. EVALUATION PROCEDURES

IX. PROPOSAL REVISIONS

X. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

APPENDIX A--BUSINESS/ EVALUATION CHECKLIST

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I. PURPOSE

This Business Evaluation Plan (BEP) is for use by the Source Evaluation Board

("SEB" or "Board") in conducting the evaluation of Business Proposals submitted in response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency Request for Proposals for the Program Management portion of the Risk MAP Program (HSFE60-12-R-

0001). This BEP provides the necessary guidance for evaluation of Business

Proposals and presentation of findings, both oral and written, to the Source

Evaluation Board (SEB). Adherence to this plan will result in compliance with

Sections L and M of the solicitation and the Federal Acquisition Regulation

(FAR).

II. SCOPE

Evaluation of the business portion of the Offerors’ proposals will be completed based on the requirements of Section L of the RFP, this BEP, and the FAR, and will result in the following:

verification of completeness and consistency of the proposals;

verification of valid and responsive terms and conditions;

assessment of cost realism and reasonableness;

determination of responsibility;

assessment of other business factors of the proposal (e.g., Representations and Certifications); and, determining that the proposed hourly and indirect rates are both Fair and

Reasonable.

III. OVERVIEW

FEMA will utilize the procedures in FAR Part 15,Contracting by Negotiation, to conduct this acquisition.

FAR Part 15 procedures encompass the use of a structured process that involves a source selection organization responsible for the evaluation of all proposals and selection of a source for contract award. The source selection organization will include a SEB, Business Evaluation Committee (BEC) and a Source Selection

Official.

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IV. RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities of all personnel involved in the source selection process, including the BEC, are specifically listed in the Source Selection Plan (SSP), to which this BEP is an attachment. The Source Selection Organization is limited to those individuals officially appointed by the Source Selection Official (SSO).

V. TERMINATION OF APPOINTMENTS

BEC members are reminded that their responsibilities and obligations under the source selection process remain in effect until the BEC is disbanded by the SSO.

The Committee may remain in full force until a contract is awarded and any resulting protests are resolved.

VI. DEFINITIONS

A. Clarifications

The CO can request, orally or in writing, clarifications of minor informalities, irregularities, or clerical mistakes from Offerors at any time during the evaluation process. Clarifications may be conducted to enhance

Government understanding of proposals; allow reasonable interpretation of the proposal; or facilitate the Government’s evaluation process. Such communications shall not be used to cure proposal deficiencies or material omissions, materially alter the technical or cost elements of the proposal, and/or otherwise revise the proposal. The CO may request clarifications without entering into discussions; however, the FAR requires that if any clarification request prejudices the interests of other Offerors, the CO must conduct discussions with all Offerors in the competitive range.

B. Deficiencies

“Deficiency” is a material failure of a proposal to meet a Government requirement or a combination of significant weaknesses in a proposal that increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance to an unacceptable level.

C. Weakness

“Weakness” means a flaw in the proposal that increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance.

VII. EVALUATION PROCESS

Section L of the RFP contains instructions to Offerors for the preparation of their proposals. The business proposal is required to include sufficient information to

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PPaaggee 55 ooff 99 allow for the comprehensive evaluation of the costs proposed by the Offeror.

The Government will use various price analysis techniques and procedures and cost realism to ensure a fair and reasonable price.

Examples of price analysis techniques include, but are not limited to, the following:

A. Comparison of proposed prices received in response to the solicitation.

Normally, adequate price competition establishes price reasonableness

(see FAR 15.403-1(c)(1)).

B. Comparison of previously proposed prices and previous Government and commercial contract prices with current proposed prices for the same or similar items, if both the validity of the comparison and the reasonableness of the previous price(s) can be established.

C. Use of parametric estimating methods/application of rough yardsticks

(such as dollars per pound or per horsepower, or other units) to highlight significant inconsistencies that warrant additional pricing inquiry.

D. Comparison with competitive published price lists, published market prices of commodities, similar indexes, and discount or rebate arrangements.

E. Comparison of proposed prices with independent Government cost estimates.

F. Comparison of proposed prices with prices obtained through market research for the same or similar items.

G. Analysis of pricing information provided by the offeror.

Section L of the Solicitation requires the Offeror to price the work to be performed as outlined in the Technical Evaluation Plan. Other than Cost and

Pricing information is required to support the proposed price. Labor categories, Labor Hours and Labor mix will be included in the technical proposal and the

SEB will evaluate those elements and inform the BEC in writing, whether or not any adjustments are necessary to reflect the SEB’s best estimate of the Labor

Hours and Mix necessary to accomplish the work to be performed under the contract. The BEC shall check the offeror’s proposal for accuracy.

Proposed rates will be accepted on an interim basis until a post award audit has been completed to verify the proposed rates. This audit must be completed by the

Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) or some other entity acceptable to DHS http://www.acqnet.gov/far/current/html/Subpart%2015_4.html#wp1208385

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PPaaggee 66 ooff 99 and FEMA. Any rates questioned in the audit will be reviewed and either accepted by the Contracting Officer, or retroactively re-negotiated.

VIII. EVALUATION PROCEDURES

The purpose of conducting a thorough and complete evaluation of the business proposal is to assess accuracy, completeness, cost realism and reasonableness of each proposal, and to assess the other business information furnished in the proposal. Additionally, the results of the business proposal evaluation will be used as an aid in determining each offeror’s understanding of the requirements of the Solicitation. The objective of proposal analysis is to ensure that the final agreed-to price is fair and reasonable.

Evaluators must become thoroughly familiar with all of the material contained in the RFP, especially the requirements specified in Section L of the RFP.

The following sections provide information on the method and manner in which the Government will conduct the analysis and evaluation of the business proposals. These sections are intended to provide guidelines on generally accepted principles, processes, and procedures recommended in the FAR and recognized best practices in the Federal Government.

A. BUSINESS EVALUATION CHECKLIST

The business evaluation checklist in Appendix A to the Business

Evaluation Plan, will be utilized by the BEC to screen proposal for completeness, including the detailed Price information (where required), and required representations and certifications

B. BUSINESS PROPOSAL EVALUATION

Each business proposal will be read thoroughly so that the evaluator gains a complete understanding of what is being proposed and how each requirement is priced. Evaluators will take notes and write down questions as they review each proposal.

The completeness and accuracy of cost information will be reviewed. A determination will be made as to whether each Firm has properly understood the proposal instructions and properly completed the pricing schedule. Each Firm’s proposal will be checked for mathematical correctness.

The price evaluation will consist of the BEC’s analysis of the proposed prices to determine their reasonableness and cost realism.

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Additionally the BEC shall evaluate the following areas:

Efficiency: Offerors providing the same services can have substantially different cost structures, even when they are providing the same services.

Strategy: All Offerors have the same general pricing objectives which are to cover costs and contribute to attaining corporate operational objectives. However, differences in strategies and services may impact pricing.

Mistakes: A simple mathematical error can have a significant effect on contract pricing. Even with computers, mistakes can still be made.

Upon completion of the BEC’s evaluation, the SEB and BEC will convene to share information. At that time, a discussion will occur about the

Offeror’s proposed solution and how that might affect the efficiencies and cost strategies identified by the BEC.

IX. PROPOSAL REVISIONS

Once the CO concludes discussions, if any, the CO will request Offerors to submit final proposal revisions. The BEC will analyze and evaluate final proposal revisions using the same procedures specified above. Evaluation of final proposal revisions will focus on any changes and/or corrections made by the Offerors based on the discussions.

X. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Documentation prepared in support of the evaluation is critical to the overall success of the acquisition. The BEC’s written report(s) will become part of the official contract file and may be released to other Federal Government agencies and private legal firms for use in litigation arising as a result of the RFP. The report shall be a complete, stand-alone document that speaks for the Committee and provides insight into the thought process employed in conducting the business proposal evaluation. FEMA and industry jargon should be avoided in the report to preclude misunderstandings or misinterpretations of the Committee's decision-making rationale.

The Business Evaluation Report will summarize business proposal evaluation results and address the results of any discussions. The report will also address how risks associated with each proposal were determined. The report shall

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PPaaggee 88 ooff 99 include summary spreadsheets or tables for each Firm that compare the initial proposal with any proposal revisions and provide a narrative discussion of the differences between each of the submissions.

A pre-defined format for the BEC Business Evaluation Report is not provided because the method and manner used for presenting the BEC’s findings will be largely based on the information contained in each Firm’s proposal. Although a specific format is not prescribed, the BEC is reminded that the report must thoroughly and completely describe and discuss the actions taken with respect to each proposal and provide a thorough and complete audit trail for each proposal evaluated. The report must stand-alone and speak for the entire BEC and, at minimum, address the following information.

an overview of the intent and purpose of the report description of the evaluation process and procedures followed for conducting the evaluations results of the performance compliance review results of the cost analysis discussion of all analysis techniques procedures and methodologies used and the rationale for their selection description and discussion of each Firm’s proposal and the BEC’s findings relative to each proposal spreadsheets, graphs, and/or tables that present the analysis of the costs proposed by each Offeror summary of the results of the evaluation and the comments and recommendations of the BEC

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APPENDIX A--BUSINESS/ EVALUATION CHECKLIST

Solicitation #: HSFE60-12-R-0001

Firm: ___________________________________ Date: _______________________

1. Was the submission received on or before the time specified in the RFP?

2. Did the Offeror provide [Insert number of originals and copies required] hard copies of the proposal?

3. Were all Representations and Certifications fully and properly prepared in Online

Representation and Certifications Applications (ORCA)? If not, state provision number and the discrepancy.

Provision Number Discrepancy

5. Reference Section L. Proposal Preparation Instructions

a) Did the Offeror submit all of the information required in Section L of the

Solicitation? If not, what was missing?

b) Did the Offeror submit Proposal Costs Sheets in sufficient detail to determine accuracy of proposed rates and the method of allocation for indirect rates for any cost reimbursable CLINs?

b) Did the Offeror take exception to or otherwise deviate from the requirements /clauses/provisions of the RFP or make any conditional assumptions? If so, did the Offeror clearly identify such an exception, justifying the position and explaining the benefits accruing to the

Government as a result of the change(s)?

c) Did Offeror provide a DUNS number?