QA 6-22-20112 Kim - Edits by Chuck and Kim 6-27-2012v3.docx

Questions and Answers

Resulting from Solicitation

HSFEEM-12-R-0008

for Course Development Services, 27 June 2012

1. Reference to the subject solicitation Section M.1 EVALUATION _ GENERAL and Past Performance, clarifications are requested about the following statement.

"Company experience is considered to be the accomplishment of work which is comparable in nature, size and complexity to the immediate requirement. All information submitted shall be directly relatable experience of the "Proposing Entity" which has been designated as that organizational element responsible for executing the proposal and for performing under the proposed award."

Question: Regarding the "proposing entity'", would Government only consider Prime or a Joint Venture formed by the Prime to execute this project. Or Government would consider experience of a proposed subcontractor under a teaming arrangement?

ANSWER: See the “NOTE” paragraph on page L-7 of the RFP. Prime or Joint Venture, or teaming arrangement is acceptable, as long as the Prime contractor performs at least 51% of the work in accordance with FAR clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, and is a certified 8(a) company.

2. Question: Similarly, would the Government consider "Past Performance of the "proposing entity" (Prime or a JV led by Prime) or Past Performance from a subcontractor would also be considered?

ANSWER Yes, past performance of a proposed subcontractor will be considered.

3. Question: Section L.6 states that the page limit does not apply to the Quality Control Plan. Does the page limit apply to the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)?

ANSWER: Yes.

4. Question: Section L.6 states, “The QASP shall be customized and site specific to the NETC requirements.” Are the NETC requirements those contained in the solicitation, or is there another resource offerors should use to customize the QASP to NETC?

ANSWER: The NETC requirements are those contained in the solicitation.

5. Question: In light of the fact that this is an IDIQ procurement and the particular projects and associated costs, schedules, etc., are not yet determined, please clarify the requirement to include the proposed subcontract price, the offeror’s cost or price analysis thereof, performance and delivery schedule, and subcontract type.

ANSWER: This information is not required. Delete in Section L.6 C. 2. b., starting at “Additionally, the offer…..through #4”. See revised solicitation (27 June 2012)

6. Question: The solicitation requires offerors to identify proposed subject matter experts to be engaged and define the purpose of having subject matter experts. However, the Performance Work Statement states that the Government may provide a list of recommended subject matter experts and/or provide minimum requirements for subject matter experts. Please clarify the information on subject matter experts the Government requires to be submitted as part of the proposal.

ANSWER: It is the contractor’s responsibility to identify Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). The government will provide a list of minimum qualifications and credentials for SMEs for the specific course development(s). (See Section L.6.B., Volume 1, Section 1, Staffing Plan, paragraph 2, of the revised solicitation.)

7. Question: Section L.6 states that the Past Performance Narrative shall be limited to five pages. Is the narrative of each contract limited to five pages, or is the entire Past Performance Narrative section limited to five pages?

ANSWER: The narrative of each contract is limited to five pages.

8. Question: Is there a limit to the number of contracts offerors may describe in the Corporate Experience and/or Past Performance Narrative sections?

ANSWER: There is no limit to the number of contracts offerors may describe in the Corporate Experience and/or Past Performance Narrative sections. The narrative of each contract is limited to five pages. Only five (5) Past Performance questionnaires, one per contract, will be accepted.

9. Question: Will the Government provide offerors with a copy of the EMI Curriculum Management System Guidebook and the NFA curriculum planning and management guide?

ANSWER: The NFA Curriculum Management Guide designates the processes and business flow for NFA staff managing and monitoring development projects, it will not provide any helpful information regarding individual development project requirements. At this writing, the NFA uses the Government Printing Office (GPO) Style guide for course materials, course materials are developed in MS Word and PowerPoint (See Attachments J and K in the revised 27 June 2012 solicitation for samples of standard Instructor Led course materials for the Instructor Guide and Student manual).

The EMI Curriculum Management System Guidebook will be made available to the offeror(s) along with access to a contractor website that will provide various course development and revision guidelines and templates. The EMI Developer’s Resource web page is located at http://training.fema.gov/DevRes/.

10. Question: Will the Government or the offeror bear the cost for printing/producing print-based materials, hosting web-based materials, etc.? If the offeror bears the cost, should the offeror provide associated pricing in the business proposal?

ANSWER: The NFA /EMI bears the cost of print and production of course materials, web hosting with materials, and adobe connect sessions.

11. Question: Are the Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements required for just the offeror, or are they also required from any proposed subcontractors?

ANSWER: Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements are required for just the offeror.

12. Question: Are the number of hours in Attachment E, Pricing Worksheet, indicative of the number of hours the Government expects each position to perform on the contract per year?

ANSWER: The hours listed are the Government’s estimated hours for each position to perform on the contract per year.

13. Question: Why is the Government estimating only one hour for some labor categories?

ANSWER: The one hour was used as a multiplier for the spreadsheet in order to evaluate price.

14. Question: What information does the Government require offerors to submit on the nature and extent of subcontract competition?

ANSWER: See revised L.6.C.Volume 2, 2.b.

15. Question: Please clarify the meaning of the “certificate of availability” referenced in Section H.2.2.4.6.

ANSWER: Certificate of Availability is a signed statement from the proposed SME(s) that they are in fact available to work on the Task Order requirements.

16. Question: Does the Government have an estimate of the approximate amount of time performance will occur at the contractor’s facility; in Emmitsburg, MD; and/or at another location?

ANSWER: The NFA customarily requires a start-up meeting, needs assessment meeting, design team meeting, walkthrough and pilot test deliveries of courses to be conducted on campus; each of these meetings can fluctuate from 3 to 5 days with variances of 2, 6 or 10-day course pilot deliveries. An average number of days a project requires an on campus presence would be approximately 19 days on the high end to 11 days on the low end. These are based on average development project timelines and employ the use of electronic project/progress reporting between the COR and contractor.

The EMI customarily requires contractors to participant in person on campus for start-up meetings, focus group meetings and pilot course offerings. When possible, conference calls, webinars and VTC meetings can be substituted for many in person meetings during the course revision/development process as applicable. The exact number of days required for a contractor to be on campus for a specific revision or development effort is dependent on the specific requirements of the effort.

17. Question: Please clarify the meaning of Section H.1. Will the contractor be required to provide meeting facilities on a regular basis?

ANSWER: No, the contractor will not be expected or required to provide meeting facilities on a regular basis.

18. Question: Section I.24 states, “Within days after contract award, the contractor shall submit for approval its IT Security Plan…” Please specify the number of days after contract award.

ANSWER: I.24 (b) (1) Within 30 days after contract award, the contractor shall submit for approval its IT Security Plan, which shall be consistent with and further detail the approach contained in the offeror's proposal. The plan, as approved by the Contracting Officer, shall be incorporated into the contract as a compliance document.

19. Question: The solicitation requires offerors to include in their proposal a copy of the applicable partnering document. Where in the proposal should offerors include this document? Is it subject to the page limitations for the technical proposal?

ANSWER: It should be in the Technical Proposal portion. Where it is located therein is at the offeror’s discretion. Offerors normally provide a table of contents or index referencing where information is located in the proposal.

20. Question: In Section L.6 (page L-6), please clarify the meaning of “methods of operation required on an annual basis.”

ANSWER: The following has been deleted from L.6, B., Volume 1, Section 1, Technical Approach; at a minimum, the offeror shall address the functions and disciplines involved for each objective, skill levels, quantity of resources and methods of operation required on an annual basis. Describe allocation of resources (i.e., distribution of staff, types of labor, categories, subcontractors, proposed contractor owned equipment/vehicles, etc.)

21. Question: Because this is an IDIQ, the quantity and type of resources needed may differ by task order. Please clarify the requirement to address the allocation of resources for each objective.

ANSWER: See revised L.6, B, Volume 1, Section 1, Technical Approach.

22. Question: Upon task order issuance, are offerors limited to the labor categories identified in the IDIQ for each objective?

ANSWER: It may be necessary to revise the labor categories during the course of the IDIQs existence. If this proves to be the case, new labor categories will be listed in the Task Order Proposal Request and IDIQ awardees will be required to quote prices for those labor categories at the time they submit proposals for the Task Orders. For the purposes of the IDIQ competition, offerors are limited to the labor categories listed.

23. Question: PWS Section E refers to written security procedures as outlined in the NETC security policy. Will the Government provide contractors with a copy of this security policy?

ANSWER: Yes. See attached FEMA directives 121-1 and 121-3.

24. Question: Does the Government have an estimation of the distribution (percentage) of training that will be conducted via the different methods (e.g., classroom-based, web-based) identified in the solicitation?

ANSWER: At the NFA, the projected expectation for course development projects over the next 5 years, depending upon funding levels per year, are:

· Classroom based/ILT - 10 to 15 developments and revisions per year

· Online 4-7 projects per year

For the EMI, the percentage of training that will be conducted by methodology will be identified in the task order or will be determined based on the training objectives from the initial course focus group meeting.

The actual numbers of course revision or development projects is budget driven; estimates could range from 5-20 projects annually. Projects will include resident (classroom training), field (classroom training) and web-based training.

25. Question: Please clarify how the capabilities information requested in the technical approach description is different from the approach and experience information requested.

ANSWER: The differences may be slight or non-existent. The intent is to provide offerors the freedom to make their case that their current capabilities and their past experience make them excellent contenders for the work described in the PWS.

26. Question: Is the contractor permitted to recommend additional or alternative labor categories to those identified in the solicitation?

ANSWER: No.

27. Question: Does the Government anticipate awarding this contract during the 2012 fiscal year?

ANSWER: Yes.

28. Question: Section M indicates that the technical proposal sections are listed in descending order of importance. Is there any order of importance for subsections within the technical proposal sections?

ANSWER: No.

29. Question: SOW, F.3 PRINCIPAL PLACE OF PERFORMANCE The effort under this contract shall be performed at the contractor’s facility and …Emmitsburg, MD. Question: What percentage of work does the government expect to be accomplished at Emmitsburg?

ANSWER: See the answer to question 16.

30. Question: How many awards are expected?

ANSWER: Four or five, but is dependent on the number of proposals received and the results of the evaluations. May be more or less.

31. Question: How many task orders are anticipated to be released annually?

32. Question: D.3 The contractor shall have the capability to deliver effective and high-interest computer-based and internet-based interactive instruction. Question: Please provide the definitions for the different levels of interactivity according to FEMA computer-based/internet-based interactive instruction development standards.

ANSWER: The NFA online levels of interactivity are levels 1-3:

· Level 1 – page-turners,

· Level 2 – simple interaction – matching via drop downs, knowledge checks, video interaction,

· Level 3 – simulations (decision driven). We do not have any Level 4- virtual reality based training.

· EMI online courses primarily utilize Level 2 interactivity, as specified above. A small percentage of courses are developed at the level 1 or 3 interactivity level.

33. Question: Section V. - Any computer- or internet-based course developed under the provisions of this contract and intended for hosting on an NETC Learning Management System (LMS) shall be SCORM compliant. Question: Are the NETC LMSs COTS-based systems or proprietary? If they are COTS systems, which system(s) does FEMA use?

ANSWER: NFA uses SuccessFactors version 1204 (formerly Plateau).

EMI delivers training through two LMSs, an internal LMS for FEMA Employees only, and an external LMS that provides training globally. The internal LMS utilizes a COTS application (Meridian Global), while the external LMS uses an application that has been developed by the government. All EMI online courses will be developed using templates provided on the EMI Developer’s Resource web page (http://training.fema.gov/DevRes/), which will ensure SCORM and accessibility compliance.

34. Question: Are the following items included in the page count?

1. Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) - ANSWER: Yes

1. Teaming Agreements - ANSWER: Yes

1. Letters of Consent - ANSWER: No

35. Question: On page L-6, under “Staffing Plan,” the RFP says, “The plan shall include the number, skill mix, levels of expertise and qualification for the proposed positions.” In the absence of information about course length, number of screens for computer and web-based courses, whether courses are being developed or revised, etc., it is difficult to estimate the number of staff that will be required. Will the government provide additional information to help offerors make an accurate estimation of staffing levels?

ANSWER: No. The allocation of labor resources should be focused on how the contract shall be managed, people recruited and retained; basically, the resources of the offeror to retain or procure the labor categories that will do the Task Order work. Offerors are to provide the Key Personnel that will be used in the management, performance, and oversight of the IDIQ contract as opposed to the personnel who will be performing the specific task orders when they are issued. Staffing levels for this solicitation refer to the offeror’s front office operations to manage the demands of the IDIQ contract, e.g., how the offeror will obtain the labor categories involved in particular task orders. They need not already have those labor categories at hand, only have a convincing and realistic plan for how they would obtain and retain the labor services. Details on labor requirements for specific Task Orders will be provided in future Task Order Proposal Requests (TOPRs).

36. Question: Does the self-assessment for each project count in the narrative page count (page L-8 under paragraph (1) a.?

ANSWER: Yes

37. Question: The RFP states that we need to demonstrate the ability to identify and recruit subject matter experts. Are vendors expected to submit resumes for all Subject Matter Experts with the proposal or just describe how we would recruit subject matter experts?

ANSWER: Describe how you would recruit and retain them.

38. Question: If resumes for Subject Matter Experts are required, can you identify the topic areas for which you will require outside Subject Matter Experts?

ANSWER: Topic areas will be identified for each Task Order requirement in the Task Order Proposal Requests (TOPRs), therefore, resumes are not required for SMEs.

39. Question: For this submittal, would FEMA/NETC prefer to have only key personnel and representative resumes for the other positions or is the preference to have all the resumes of all personnel that would be working on the project?

ANSWER: Only key personnel and representative resumes for the other positions

40. Question: Please confirm the 150 page limit for the Technical Proposal and that there is no page restriction on the Business Proposal.

ANSWER: See Section L.6 A. 3. The following page limitations are established below for the proposals submitted in response to this solicitation:

Technical Proposal 150 single-sided or 75 double-sided pages Business Proposal No Limit

41. Question: Within the Technical Proposal, are there page restrictions on the subsections within that document such as the Technical Capability or Past Performance Sections?

ANSWER: No. Only restrictions are for 5 pages for each Past Performance narrative and total Technical Proposal is limited to 150 single-sided or 75 double-sided pages.

42. Question: Are there any restrictions as to the total number of resumes?

ANSWER: No.

43. Question: Can the Government elaborate how the offeror provides numbers of personnel, skill mix, levels of expertise, qualifications, duties and responsibilities for the proposed positions for an IDIQ without a specific Task Order requiring specific work? Will the Government remove this requirement for the Staffing Plan?

ANSWER: See v Revised L.6.B., Volume 1, Section 1, Staffing Plan, paragraph 2 The staffing plan shall include a description of how the offeror will recruit, train, retain and otherwise maintain a qualified work force for this requirement as well as the proposed plan to supervise and coordinate its staff. The plan shall include the number, skill mix, levels of expertise and qualification for the proposed positions. Include the duties and responsibilities for each position proposed. In the description of the proposed labor mix demonstrate that the proposed staff will have the necessary skills and expertise necessary for successful contract performance and describe how the offeror proposes to find the required SMEs, and what they propose to do to ensure SME retention throughout the course development effort(s). The offeror should include a record of recruiting and retention success for similar contracts.

44. Question: Can the government state which of the following are requirements for Section 3 – Past Performance that will clarify the relationship between Sections 2 and 3:

· The past performance narratives and self-assessments in Section 3 are for the same contract references provided in Section 2 – ANSWER: Incorrect

· The past performance narratives and self-assessments in Section 3 may include the Section 2 contract references and also provide additional past performance contract references, all of which may receive Questionnaires – ANSWER: Correct

· The past performance references and self-assessments in Section 3 do not include any of the Section 2 contract references and only provide additional past performance contract references, all of which will receive Questionnaires – ANSWER: Incorrect

ANSWER: There need not be a direct relationship between Company Experience and Past Performance. Company experience tells the government what you’ve done. Past Performance questionnaires tell the govenment how well you’ve done it as assessed by your client. Self assessment on past contracts tells the government how well the offeror believes they performed on other contracts.

45. Question: Can the Government verify that the 5 pages are for discussion of ALL the relevant contracts for this Section 3 and includes the Narrative, Self-Assessment and Point of Contact (POC) information?

ANSWER: 5 pages is the limit for each referenced contract.

ANSWER: POC for the client company or government organization with which the offeror has had a business relationship.

47. Question: Is it acceptable to maintain the Section B and Pricing Worksheets type size as provided when placing them into the proposal?

ANSWER: Yes.

ANSWER: NFA- Days required to be on campus for a project may range from 11 to 19 depending upon the length of the course in development. These days are not consecutive or contiguous, these averages are a compilation of days required to perform throughout entire development project. See Question 16 above.

The EMI customarily requires contractors to participant in person on campus for start-up meetings, focus group meetings and pilot course offerings. When possible, conference calls, webinars and VTC meetings can be substituted for many in person meetings during the course revision/development process as applicable. The exact number of days required for a contractor to be on campus for a specific revision or development effort is dependent on the specific requirements of the effort.

ANSWER: The NFA/EMI applies ACE standards for course development and delivery. Furthermore, all courses are eligible for continuing education units through the International Association of Continuing Education Training.

ANSWER: NFA/EMI General guidelines for graphics and videos:

All photographs and graphics should be compressed and optimized for the web. They should be limited to 50KB per screen for ease of viewing for slower connection speeds.

Video, if used, shall comply with Department of Homeland Security Guidelines. These guidelines specify the following:

· Maximum size of 5 megabytes

· If the video is larger than 5 megabytes then the developer must breakdown the video into segments of less than 5 megabytes.

· Use of the Flash Video format (*.flv)

· Limit the bit rate to a maximum of 500 Kbit/s.

· Limit the maximum dimensions of the video to 320 X 240.

If possible, use the “progressive download” delivery option for the Flash video so that those with a slower internet connection will have shorter wait times

ANSWER: NFA training delivery mix/ ratio is approximately:

· 56% resident,

· 25% field, and

· 9% online.

All courses intended for instructor-led training (ILT) are developed for both on- and off-campus delivery, unless:

1) there is a documented need for a geographically diverse student audience, or

2) there is a unique asset at the National Emergency Training Center (simulation labs, burn labs, LRC, field trips, etc.) that cannot be replicated in the field.

EMI training delivery mix/radio is approximately:

· 68% resident

· 22% on-line

· 10% field

Many of the resident courses are also offered in the field as resident courses, EMI refers to these courses as L Course Offerings.

ANSWER: See question 9 above.

ANSWER: EMI utilizes Adobe Connect, with the application’s eLearning module, to conduct synchronous learning at a distance.

ANSWER: The NFA Instructor Guides and Student Manuals are produced in MS Word and Powerpoint.

For EMI, online courses are developed using Dreamweaver templates provided on the EMI Developer’s Resource web page (http://training.fema.gov/DevRes/).

ANSWER: NFA uses SuccessFactors version 1204 (formerly Plateau) for NFA Online.

ANSWER: NFA- SuccessFactors version 1204 (formerly Plateau) is hosted with the vendor and content is provided from the development contractor directly to NFA Online staff. NFA Online staff loads the content-to-content server.

EMI delivers training through two LMSs, an internal LMS for FEMA Employees only, and an external LMS that provides training globally. The internal LMS utilizes a COTS application (Meridian Global), while the external LMS uses an application that has been developed by the government. All EMI online courses will be developed using templates provided on the EMI Developer’s Resource web page (http://training.fema.gov/DevRes/), which will ensure SCORM and accessibility compliance.

ANSWER: See question 60. As this is a performance based acquisition, the government expects all offerors to be have developed through business experience minimum requirements for the labor categories listed.

ANSWER: No. Wage Determination # 2005-2103, Revision No.: 12, Date Of Revision: 06/13/2012 applies to this acquisition.

Section F.3/ Section B/ Attachment E

ANSWER: On site, meaning at the offeror’s location.

Further, if no means of pricing BOTH On- and Off-Site rates, how will the offeror be able to distinguish for the Government's evaluation the difference?

ANSWER: No need to. Use on-site rates, i.e., at the offeror’s location.

ANSWER: No. They should use their own minimum qualifications for the labor categories listed and price accordingly.

Section B.2/ Attachment E

ANSWER: Fixed Rate

As a FAR Part 15 acquisition, the contractor should be allowed to apply the then current indirect burden applicable for its operation for ODCs. Will this adjustment be allowed?

ANSWER: The fixed handling rate will be applied to Travel/ODCs. Other indirects and profit will not be applied.

Section B.2/ Attachment E

ANSWER: Yes, as long as they label it as the “Material Handling Rate" to avoid confusion.

Technical Proposal: 150 single-sided or 75 double-sided pages Business Proposal: No Limit DISCUSSION: The Government specified an overall page limit for the Volume I - Technical Proposal, but did not specify page limits for each section in this volume.

63. Question: Does the Government have any page limitations for these subordinate sections, or must we simply stay within the total page count of 150 pages for the entire volume?

ANSWER: Stay at or within the total page count of 150 pages for the entire Technical Proposal.

Section 3 – Past Performance

64. Question: What is the total number of past performance narratives that may be submitted?

ANSWER: As many as the offeror would like, however only five (5) past performance questionnaires will be accepted by the government.

65. Question: How many of the past performance narratives may be submitted by the prime?

ANSWER: All must be submitted by the Prime, including any sub-contractor Past Performance questionnaires.

66. Question: How many past performance narratives may be submitted by each sub-contractor?

ANSWER: Zero. The prime is responsible for the submission of all narratives, including any relating to any Sub-contractors.

67. Question: What is the name of the Learning Management System (LMS) and the Curriculum Management System (CMS) that EMI/NFA currently uses? Can FEMA provide the LMS and CMS Guidebooks?

ANSWER: NFA Online is the name of USFA’s LMS. LMS Guidebooks are proprietary, however contractors can be provided with a content integration guide that details how SCORM and AICC interact with the LMS.

EMI delivers training through two LMSs, an internal LMS for FEMA Employees only, and an external LMS that provides training globally. The internal LMS utilizes a COTS application (Meridian Global), while the external LMS uses an application that has been developed by the government. EMI does not use a Learning Content Management System (LCMS). A LMS guidebook is not required by developers as all EMI online courses will be developed using templates provided on the EMI Developer’s Resource web page (http://training.fema.gov/DevRes/), which will ensure SCORM and accessibility compliance, and compatibility with our LMSs.

68. Question: What contractor manages the current LMS and CMS? Does FEMA own the LMS and CMS software?

ANSWER: NFA Online is owned by OPM, not FEMA, and is managed by SuccessFactors.

EMI manages its LMSs. Details of LMS management are not relevant to this contract.

69. Question: Does the Government intend to award multiple IDIQ awards, and, if so, how many awards does the Government anticipate making?

ANSWER: Four or five, but is dependent on the number of proposals received and the results of the evaluations. May be more or less.

70. Question: What are the current and future preferred learning technologies preferred and currently used by FEMA to deliver NETC courses?

ANSWER: The NFA is always considering multiple and various alternative technologies to meet the needs of the evolving learning community of first responders and firefighters; some of the technologies discussed are mobile applications, electronic performance support systems (job aids), tablet applications, synchronous and asynchronous training treatments and electronic/digital student course materials for the classroom.

For EMI, developers must receive approval from the EMI Distance Learning Branch Chief to deviate from the use of EMI course templates for online courses.

71. Question: If the offerer uses sub-contractors, will the past performances of the teaming partners be evaluated with equal weight of that of the offerer?

ANSWER: Yes.

72. Question: Will FEMA provide a list of required subject matter experts (SMEs) to leverage or should the offerror propose a complete list of potential SMEs that would be available to provide support?

ANSWER: FEMA will not provide lists of SMEs. Offeror should explain how they intend to procure and retain the services of SMEs for the work described. See answer to question 6 above.

73. Question: FEMA has identified the total number of labor hours it anticipates will be needed every year for certain labor categories identified in the Pricing Worksheets. Does the offeror have the flexibility to adjust the total number of hours for each identified labor category, as well as to add hours to other labor categories that have not been assigned hours by FEMA? For example, 504/508 compliance support staff will be needed, but FEMA has not assigned this labor category hours in the Pricing Worksheets.

ANSWER: No. the offeror does not have the flexibility to adjust the total number of hours for any identified labor category,

74. Question: What other role does the American Council on Education play, other than conducting the independent course reviews?

ANSWER: The NFA/EMI relies on the American Council on Education (ACE) for independent course reviews and college credit recommendation.

75. Question: Are the NFA curriculum target areas limited to: leadership, management, prevention, and professional technical skills? What NFA sub-areas are considered critical by FEMA within the target area called "professional technical skills"?

ANSWER: NFA’s congressionally mandated mission is to improve the professionalism of America’s fire service. This is broadly interpreted to include courses that are difficult to replicate at the state, regional, local, tribal or territorial level because of cost or content. “Technical skills” are generally interpreted as those cognitive and psychomotor skills necessary to improve student performance in such things as the interpretation and application of building and fire codes and standards, the evaluation of pre- and post-incident consequences of fires and other technological and manmade disasters, and fundamental scientific skills such as developing and interpreting chemical formulae. Examples of specific sub-areas are:

· Arson Investigation

· Courtroom Testimony and Procedures

· Hazardous Materials, management and operations

· Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

76. Question: Can FEMA provide an estimate of the number of courses that will need to be reviewed and revised over the five-year period of performance? How many new courses are anticipated over the same period?

ANSWER: The NFA average for course development projects over the next 5 years are:

· Classroom based/ILT - 10 to 15 developments and revisions per year

· Online 4-7 projects per year

The actual numbers of course revision or development projects for the EMI is budget driven; estimates could range from 5-20 projects annually. Projects will include resident (classroom training), field (classroom training) and web-based training.

77. Question: How many past performances are requested/required by FEMA?

ANSWER: Maximum of 5 completed questionnaires will be accepted by the government.

DISCUSSION: PWS Section IV, D states, “The contractor shall have the capability to perform full course materials production, to prepare high quality new and revised courses ready for delivery that have been developed consistent with approved course designs (the product of C, above), consistent with current development procedures and requirements of each school and containing state-of-the-art course components and materials.”

78. Question: Can you identify an approximate percentage of new course development that would be required?

ANSWER: The annual NFA average for course development projects over the next 5 years are:

· Classroom based/ILT - 10 to 15 developments and revisions per year

· Online 4-7 projects per year

The actual numbers of new development projects for the EMI is budget driven; estimates could range from 3-10 projects annually. Projects will include resident (classroom training), field (classroom training) and web-based training.

DISCUSSION: PWS Section IV, A states, “The contractor shall have the capability to identify, recruit, and provide to the development process--for any project assigned via government-issued task order-- appropriate subject matter experts with nationally recognized credentials in the field being addressed by the training or education development task order … The government may provide a list of recommended subject matter experts; describe the minimum performance, credential and experiential requirements for subject matter experts; and have final authority to accept or reject subject matter experts from a government-issued development task order.”

79. Question: Can you give examples of the types of nationally recognized credentials that FEMA would be expecting at the task order level?

ANSWER: The NFA does not require national credentials nor does it confer professional credentialling; however, several areas of curriculum at the NFA are supplemented by professional organizations that provide credentialing in specific professions for the Fire Service, some of those associations are:

· Fire Service Instructor I and II (International Fire Service Accreditation Commission [IFSAC] or Professional Qualifications Board [ProBoard].

· Hazardous Materials Technician (IFSAC or ProBoard)

· International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) Certified Fire Investigator

· Advanced Life Support Paramedic or Emergency Medical Technician (National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians)

· Fire Officer I-IV (IFSAC or ProBoard)

· Fire Inspector and Plan Examiner (IFSAC or ProBoard)

The EMI does not require national credentials nor does it confer professional credentialing. Subject matters expert requirements for course development and delivery will be outlined in the task order or SOW or communicated to the contractor during the initial start-up meeting.

DISCUSSION: PWS Section I, states, “Teams of subject matter experts and instructional design staff typically develop courses with course development firms. Project teams made up of a mix of EMI and NFA staff and contractors/subcontractors who are subject matter experts, and media production or instructional design experts, collaborate on designing, developing, pilot testing, evaluating, and revising the course materials.”

PWS Section IV, A states, “These subject matter experts shall have the ability to participate effectively in team decision-making regarding course materials design and development; write and develop high quality lesson plans, instructor presentation materials, and student materials; evaluate the effectiveness of developmental tests and pilot deliveries; and instruct in classrooms or other venues.”

80. Questions: A. For the development of new and/or revised course materials, will FEMA/NFA provide subject matter experts with knowledge of the course topic (i.e., Exercise Evaluation and Improvement Planning Course, NIMS ICS) to facilitate the updating/development of materials?

ANSWER: The NFA maintains SME/Instructor qualification criteria by curriculum area, see example in attachment G, NFA-3. While each curriculum manager/ Training Specialist cultivates professional affiliations with persons who qualify for NFA SME status, it is the responsibility of the contractor to locate and recommend qualified SME’s for each project.

The EMI maintains SME/Instructor qualification criteria by curriculum and emergency management discipline area. It is the responsibility of the contractor to locate and recommend qualified SME’s for each project.

81. Question: Do the subject matter expertise requirements pertain to course design and development work as referenced in PWS Section IV, A? Please clarify.

ANSWER: The NFA/EMI SME’s expertise pertains directly to the subject matter of the specific curriculum for which the project is designated. NFA/EMI SME’s have generally participated in development projects with specific subject area knowledge and expertise. They have participated in the development process to support needs assessment, design, development/ research/writing and instructional delivery but not expressly instructional design or instructional design project management.

82. Question: How is the information in Attachment B “Register of Wage Determinations” intended to be applied?

ANSWER: Attachment B is Wage Determination No. 05-2103 (Rev 11), the current Wage Determination when the soliciation was issued. Attachment B is updated to Wage Determination No.: 2005-2103, Revision No.: 12, Date Of Revision: 06/13/2012.

Service Contract Act (SCA) Wage Determination Requirements ◊ SCA wage determinations apply to Federal Government and District of Columbia contracts, the principal purpose of which is to furnish services through the use of service employees. Each such contract in excess of $2,500 (and the related bid solicitations) are required to contain provisions that specify the monetary wages and fringe benefits to be paid service employees engaged in the contract’s performance.

◊ The SCA wage determinations, issued by the DOL Wage and Hour Division (WHD), set forth the prevailing wages and fringe benefits that prime contractors and subcontractors must pay service employees working on covered contracts.

◊◊ Wages – the minimum monetary compensation required to be paid to the various classes of service employees – are usually listed in the wage determination as hourly wage rates.

◊◊ Fringe benefits are defined in section 2(a) (2) of the SCA as follows:

Such fringe benefits shall include medical or hospital care, pensions on retirement or death, compensation for injuries or illness resulting from occupational activity, or insurance to provide any of the foregoing, unemployment benefits, life insurance, disability and sickness insurance, accident insurance, vacation and holiday pay, costs of apprenticeship or other similar programs and other bona fide fringe benefits not otherwise required by federal, state, or local law to be provided by the contractor or subcontractor.

The various fringe benefits listed in the SCA are illustrative of those which may be included in the wage determination. Which fringe benefits are included in a wage determination depends on the type of wage determination to be issued and the evaluation of source data used to develop the wage determination. Fringe benefits may be provided as monetary compensation (cash payments) in lieu of providing the listed benefits, provided certain records are kept.

The wage determination lists the minimum unburdened rate that a labor category must be paid and makes provision for a minimum Health and welfare rate.

83. Question: Could you provide more explanation regarding Attachment E – number of hours next to each labor category?

ANSWER: The number of hours listed per labor category is the Government’s estimate of the number of labor hours per year for all of the course development labor requirements. Those labor categories which have only 1 hour listed are anticipated to be used, but no history exists to make a good estimate of required hours, therefore to ensure a level playing field for the evaluation of price proposals for the IDIQ competition, only one hour is listed so that offerors may calculate and propose a total fixed price.

84. Question: Please explain why some labor categories have hours, yet other labor categories that may be included on task orders (e.g. Web based courseware dev) have only 1 hour?

ANSWER: See answer to question 83.

85. Question: Will the pricing be defined via attachment E and section B?

ANSWER: Yes.

86. Question: Is this solicitation in support of an existing contractual action with an incumbent, or, a totally new requirement and contract action?

ANSWER: This is a new requirement.

87. Question: Please provide a definition of “High Interest Mediated Presentation” (paragraph D.2.)

88. Question: Does the Government have any requirements, preferences or constraints regarding specific course authoring tools to be utilized?

89. Question: I.24 (b) (2) references submission of an IT Security Plan; however does not clearly explain when it is to be submitted. Please confirm that the draft IT Security Plan is due with the proposal.

ANSWER: See response to question 18.

90. Question: L.6.B, Section 1, Technical approach says “At a minimum, the offeror shall address the functions and disciplines involved for each objective, skill levels, quantity of resources and methods of operation required on an annual basis.” Since this contract is a new requirement and the scope of each task order is yet to be determined, will the government consider removing the phase “quantity of resources”? Alternatively, the government could provide a plug number for the annual number of hours expected for each labor category to enable an “apples-to-apples” comparison.

ANSWER: The government has removed the phrase “quantity of resources”. The government has provided estimated number of hours for all labor categories and for those where no history exists to make a good estimate, a “plug” number of one (1) has been utilized, thus assuring an “apples-to-apples” comparison.

91. Question: Regarding Past Performance Questionnaires (pg L-8) – “Once completed by the references, the Past Performance Questionnaire shall be returned to the offeror in sealed envelopes, taped and signed across the seal.