Revised_Section_L_v2.docx

HSHQDC-15-R-00050

SECTION L

SECTION L—INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

Section Table of Contents

L.1 Contract Clauses/Provisions Incorporated by Reference:

a. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Clauses/Provisions:

Clause Number

Title

Date

(Feb 2009) and Alternate I Feb 2009

b. Homeland Security Acquisition Regulation (HSAR) Clauses/Provisions:

L.2 Contract Clauses/Provisions Incorporated in Full Text:

a. FAR Clauses/Provisions:

1. FAR 52.216-1—Type of Contract (Apr 1984)

The Government contemplates award of a hybrid cost-reimbursement contract consisting of Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF), Cost-Plus-Award-Fee (CPAF) line items resulting from this solicitation.

The proposed contract will also include Indefinite-Delivery-Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) type line items for WFO and Analytic Tasks Programs. These line items will allow the Government to issue CPFF (either completion or term type) orders for the performance of specific work sent to DHS from other Federal agencies.

2. FAR 52.233-2 Service of Protest (Sep 2006)

a. Protests, as defined in Section 33.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, that are filed directly with an agency, and copies of any protests that are filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), shall be served on the Contracting Officer (addressed as follows) by obtaining written and dated acknowledgement of receipt from:

Department of Homeland Security Office of Procurement Operations Science and Technology Acquisition Division ATTN: Mr. Aaron H. Ford, Procuring Contracting Officer 245 Murray Lane, SW Washington, DC 20528

b. The copy of any protest shall be received in the office designated above within one day of filing a protest with the GAO.

3. FAR 52.252-1 Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998)

This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):

http://farsite.hill.af.mil/vffara.htm http://farsite.hill.af.mil/vfhsara.htm

4. FAR 52.252-3 Alterations in Solicitation (Apr 1984)

Portions of this solicitation are altered as follows: NONE

5. FAR 52.252-5 Authorized Deviations in Provisions (Apr 1984)

a. The use in this solicitation of any Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR Chapter 1) provision with an authorized deviation is indicated by the addition of “(DEVIATION)” after the date of the provision.

b. The use in this solicitation of any Homeland Security Acquisition Regulation (HSAR) (48 CFR Chapter 30) provision with an authorized deviation is indicated by the addition of “(DEVIATION)” after the name of the regulation.

a. After initial submission of offers, the Offeror agrees to submit any subsequently requested additional cost or pricing data if the Contracting Officer notifies the Offeror that—

i. Only one offer was received; and

ii. Additional Cost or Pricing Data is required in order to determine whether the price is fair and reasonable or to comply with the statutory requirements for certified cost or pricing data (FAR 15.403-3)

b. Requirement for submission of additional cost or pricing data. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this provision, the Offeror shall submit additional cost or pricing data as follows:

1. If the Contracting Officer notifies the Offeror that additional cost or pricing data are required in accordance with paragraph (a) of this clause, the data shall be certified unless an exception applies (FAR 15.403-1(b))

2. Exceptions from certified cost or pricing data. In lieu of submitting certified cost or pricing data, the Offeror may submit a written request for exception by submitting the information described in the following paragraphs. The Contracting Officer may require additional supporting information, but only to the extent necessary to determine whether an exception should be granted, and whether the price is fair and reasonable.

i. Identification of the law or regulation establishing the price offered. If the price is controlled by law by periodic rulings, reviews, or similar actions of a governmental body, attach a copy of the controlling document, unless it was previously submitted to the contracting office.

ii. Commercial item exception. For a commercial item exception, the Offeror shall submit, at minimum, information on prices at which the same item or similar items have been sold in the commercial market that is adequate for evaluating the reasonableness of the price for this acquisition. Such information may include—

A. For catalog items, a copy of the identification of the catalog and its date, or the appropriate pages for the offered items, or a statement that the catalog is on file in the buying office to which the proposal is being submitted. Provide a copy or describe current discount policies and price lists (published or unpublished), e.g., wholesale, original equipment manufacturer, or reseller. Also explain the basis of each offered price and its relationship to the established catalog price, including how the proposed price relates to the price of recent sales in quantities similar to the proposed quantities.

B. For market-priced items, the source and date or period of the market quotation or other basis for market price, the base amount, and applicable discounts. In addition, describe the nature of the market; or

C. For items included on an active Federal Supply Service Multiple Award Schedule contract, proof that an exception has been granted for the schedule item.

3. The Offeror grants the Contracting Officer or an authorized representative the right to examine, at any time before award, books, records, documents, or other directly pertinent records to verify any request for an exception under this provision, and the reasonableness of price. For items priced using catalog or market prices, or law or regulation, access does not extend to cost or profit information or other data relevant solely to be offered in the catalog or marketplace.

4. Requirements for certified cost or pricing data. If the Offeror is not granted an exception from the requirement to submit certified cost or pricing data, the following applies:

i. The Offeror shall prepare and submit certified cost or pricing data and supporting attachments in accordance with the instructions contained in Table 15-2 of FAR 15.408 which is incorporated by reference with the same force and effect as though it were inserted here in full text. The instructions in Table 15-2 are incorporated as a mandatory format to be used, unless the Contracting Officer and the Offeror agree to a different format.

ii. As soon as practicable after agreement on cost/price, but before contract award (except for unpriced actions such as letter contracts), the Offeror shall submit a Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data, as prescribed by FAR 15.406-2.

c. If the Offeror is the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC), certified cost or pricing data are not required. If the Contracting Officer notifies the CCC that additional data other than certified cost or pricing data are required in accordance with the applicable regulations, the CCC shall obtain and provide the following:

1. Profit rate or fee (as applicable).

2. Analysis provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada to the CCC to determine a fair and reasonable cost/price (comparable to the analysis required at FAR 15.404-1).

3. Data other than certified cost or pricing data necessary to permit a determination by the U.S. Contracting Officer that the proposed price is fair and reasonable [U.S. Contracting Officer to provide description of the data required in accordance with FAR 15.403-3(a)(1) with the notification].

4. As specified in FAR 15.403-3(a)(4), an offeror who does not comply with the requirements to submit certified cost or pricing data that the U.S. Contracting Officer has deemed necessary to determine price reasonableness or cost realism is ineligible for award unless the Head of the Contracting Activity (HCA) determines that it is in the best interests of the Government to make an award to that offeror.

d. If negotiations are conducted, the negotiated price should not exceed the offered price.

L.3.2 Notice of Continuation of Essential Contractor Services:

a. Definitions. Essential contractor service and mission essential functions have the meanings given as follows:

Essential Contractor Services means a service provided by a firm or individual under a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) contract to support mission-essential functions, such as support of vital systems and associated supporting activities including installation and base support services in support of the DHS missions of:

1. Prevent Terrorism and enhance Security—protecting the American people from Terrorist Threats is the highest DHS priority. The DHS counterterrorism responsibilities focus on three goals:

· Prevent Terrorist Attacks;

· Prevent the authorized acquisition, importation, movement, or use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials and capabilities with the United States; and

· Reduce vulnerability of critical infrastructure and key resources, essential leadership, and major events to terrorist attacks and other hazards.

2. Secure and Manage the U.S. Borders—the DHS secures the nation’s air, land, and sea borders to prevent illegal activity while facilitating lawful travel and trade. DHS’s border security and management efforts focus on three interrelated goals:

· Effectively secure U.S. air, land, and sea points of entry;

· Safeguard and streamline lawful trade and travel; and

· Disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal and terrorist organizations.

3. Enforce and Administer U.S. Immigration Laws—DHS is focused on smart and effective enforcement of U.S. immigration laws and streamlining and facilitating the legal immigration process. DHS has fundamentally reformed immigration enforcement, prioritizing the identification and removal of criminal aliens who pose a threat to public safety and targeting employers who knowingly and repeatedly break the law.

4. Safeguard and Secure Cyberspace—DHS is the lead agency for the Federal Government for securing civilian government computer systems, and works with industry and state, local, tribal, and territorial government to secure critical infrastructure and information systems. DHS works to:

· Analyze and reduces cyber threats and vulnerabilities;

· Distribute threat warnings; and

· Coordinate the response to cyber incidents to ensure that our computers, networks, and cyber systems remain safe.

5. Building a Resilient Nation—DHS provides the coordinated, comprehensive Federal response in the event of a terrorist attack, natural disaster, or other large-scale emergency while working with Federal, State, local, and private sector partners to ensure a swift and effective recovery effort. DHS build a ready and resilient nation through the efforts to:

· Bolster information sharing and collaboration

· Provide grants, plans and training to our homeland security and law enforcement partners

· Facilitate rebuilding and recovery along the Gulf Coast

Mission-Essential Functions means those organizational activities that must be performed under all circumstances to achieve DHS missions or responsibilities as determined by the appropriate functional commander or civilian equivalent. Failure to perform these functions would significantly affect DHS’s ability to provide vital services or exercise authority, direction, and control.

The Offeror shall provide with its offer a written plan describing how it will continue to perform the essential Contractor services identified in attachment __, Mission Essential Contractor Services, dated ____, during periods of crisis. The offeror shall:

1. Identify provisions made for the acquisition of essential personnel and resources, if necessary, for continuity of operations for up to 30 days or until normal operations can be resumed;

2. Address in the plan, at a minimum--

i. Challenges associated with maintaining essential contractor services during an extended event, such as pandemic that occurs in repeated waves;

ii. The time lapse associated with the initiation of the acquisition of essential personnel and resources and their actual availability on site;

iii. The components, processes, and requirements for the identification, training, and preparedness of personnel who are capable of relocating to alternate facilities or performing work from home;

iv. Any established alert and notification procedures for mobilizing identified “essential contractor service” personnel; and

v. The approach for communicating expectations to contractor employees regarding their roles and responsibilities during a crisis.

a. Technical, Past Performance, Cost/Price, and Contract Administration Volumes of the Offeror’s proposal shall be based on the requirements contained within this solicitation. The Offeror shall submit all information that is required by this solicitation.

b. The Offeror shall not submit the Department of Defense Form 254 (DD Form 254) entitled “Security Classification Specification” as part of its proposal response to this solicitation. The DD Form 254 will, however, become a material part of any resultant contract.

c. Documents, exhibits, and other attachments that form a part of this solicitation and will become part of any resultant contract are identified in Section J of the solicitation. Documents and attachments, which form a part of this solicitation, but will not become a part of any resultant contract, should not be submitted with the Offeror’s proposal. Those documents and attachments to be excluded from the proposal are as follows:

· Section L—Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors

· Section M—Evaluation and Award Factors

d. Offerors are required to submit sufficient information concerning all evaluation factors to enable the Government personnel to fully assess the capabilities of the Offeror to perform all requirements. The proposal must be sufficient in detail and scope to enable evaluation and provide the evaluators with a clear understanding of the Offeror’s approach, expertise, experience, and capability as required by this solicitation. All proposals must clearly and convincingly demonstrate that the Offeror has a thorough understanding of all requirements; and has valid and practical solutions for all requirements and potential risk areas. The Offeror shall not alter or rearrange the solicitation. The burden of proof for all substantiation within the proposal rests with the Offeror. Offerors are advised that the Government may incorporate any part of the Offeror’s proposal deemed beneficial to the Government into the final contract award. With the exception of Volume III (Cost/Price), no cost/price should appear in any other volume.

e. In presenting material in the proposal, the Offeror is advised that the quality of the information is more important than quantity. Clarity, brevity, and logical organization should be emphasized during proposal preparation. It is the responsibility of the Offeror to present enough information to allow the various technical/work efforts, support, management approaches, as well as cost/price, to be meaningfully evaluated. Unsubstantiated statements that the prospective Offeror understands, can or will comply with the specifications, or paraphrasing the requirements or parts thereof are considered inadequate and may render a rating of unacceptable.

f. The Offeror must include any data necessary to illustrate the adequacy of the various assumptions, approaches, and solutions to problems. There is no need to repeat information in more than one volume. The detailed information must be included in the most logical place and summarized and referenced in other areas if an overlap exists. Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or other presentation beyond that sufficient to present a complete and effective proposal is neither necessary nor desired.

g. Offerors must comply with the specific information submission requirements found below under Volumes I (Technical), II (Past Performance), III (Cost/Price), and IV (Contract Administration) sections of this Section L. Failure of the Offeror to comply with all aspects of the solicitation requirements located within Section L may, at the Government’s discretion, render the proposal unacceptable, and the Offeror may be eliminated from competition for award.

h. Throughout these instructions, the Offeror is defined as the Prime Contractor with its CAGE code identified in Block 15A on the Standard Form (SF) 33, Solicitation, Offer, and Award. “Principal Subcontractors” are defined as a subcontractor who provides at least 10% of the proposed total estimated cost for the contract. A “Joint Venture” (JV) is a partnership or teaming arrangement that is formed for the purpose of responding to this solicitation when the Prime Contractor consists of more than one legal entity. “JV Team Members” are the entities that make up a JV. “Critical Subcontractors” are subcontractors that perform a critical function, whether technical or financial, in the performance of the resulting contract. The term entity is used to mean any of the following: Prime, principal subcontractor, critical subcontractor, JV and/or each JV team member or other subcontractor.

i. Offerors are expected to reach a reasonable understanding of the requirements of this solicitation by careful study (particularly Section C—Descriptions/Specifications and Section J—List of Documents, Exhibits, and Other Attachments) and by the application of qualified knowledge and experience. If such a review establishes the need for correction or clarification, such need should immediately be brought to the attention of the Procuring Contracting Officer so that the matter can be resolved and so that, if necessary, official dissemination of such correction or clarification can be made to all Offerors.

j. Evaluation Factors--Offerors are advised that Section M of this solicitation provides the relative importance of the evaluation factors, aspects, and elements. Offerors should review that section thoroughly to gain a complete understanding of the evaluation criteria and associated methodology that will be used for this acquisition.

k. Use of Discussions—Offerors are hereby cautioned that, in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Provision entitled “Instruction to Offerors—Competitive Acquisitions (FAR 52.215-1) and Alternate I, the Government may elect to conduct discussions under the instant acquisition. However, the Government may elect to NOT conduct discussions and therefore strongly encourages that Offerors, when constructing their proposals, provide the Offerors’ best terms from both a cost and technical perspective.

l. Competitive Range—Offerors are hereby advised that, as identified in Section M of this solicitation, that if award is not made on the basis of initial proposals, the Contracting Officer will make the determination as to which proposals are in the “competitive range.” The competitive range shall be determined based upon the results of the evaluation of the initial Technical, Past Performance, Cost/Price, and Contract Administration Volumes of the proposal, considering all evaluation criteria, and shall include the most competitive proposals. The number of proposals within competitive range may also be reduced if the Contracting Officer determines that the number of competitive proposals that might otherwise be included within the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted.

m. Discussions/Final Proposal Revision—Offerors are further advised that, as identified in Section M of this solicitation, that the following will occur if discussions are held with Offerors:

i. If discussions are held, all Offerors selected to participate in discussions shall be advised of weaknesses, risks, and deficiencies in their proposals and shall be offered a reasonable opportunity to correct or resolve such weaknesses, risks, and deficiencies and to submit such technical, past performance, cost and other information (i.e., Earned Value Management System Plan, Small Business Subcontracting Plan), or other revisions to their proposal, that may result from such discussions.

ii. The Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) currently anticipates that discussions may be warranted. However, he may elect, based upon the Government’s evaluation of initial proposals, to NOT initiate discussions with Offerors. If the PCO elects to initiate discussions with Offerors, he may determine the competitive range and may further to elect to conduct either verbal or written discussions, or both. If the PCO elects to conduct discussions, the PCO reserves the right to conduct oral discussions, consisting of presentations of discussion question responses followed by a question-and-answer session. At such time, the PCO will also provide the Offerors with information as to the format, length, and rules which will govern the conduct of the oral presentations of discussion question responses. The content of these presentations will be in response to questions the PCO may submit to the Offeror during the discussion period. The purpose and goal of the presentations of discussion question responses is to clarify and gain a better understanding of questions asked the Offeror by the Government and the Offeror’s responses. The execution of oral discussions will not constitute part of the Offer. Written answers to discussion questions will become part of the proposal only if subsequently specifically referenced in the Final Proposal Revision (FPR). When discussions are completed, the PCO will close discussions and request FPRs.

iii. Subsequent to the conclusion of discussions, Offerors may have the option of providing a complete new Technical Proposal, not to exceed 250 pages, and/or a new Past Performance Proposal and/or providing additional pages to their original Technical and/or Past Performance Proposals with the resulting page count of the Technical Proposal not to exceed 250 pages. There is no page limitation identified for Past Performance Proposal. Offerors may have the option of providing a revised cost proposal in the form of a complete resubmission of the initial cost proposal. Like past performance, there is no page limitation on the cost proposal.

n. Points of Contact for the Solicitation:

Unless otherwise specified, the Department of Homeland Security Procuring Contracting Officer is the sole point of contact for this acquisition:

Mr. Aaron H. Ford Procuring Contracting Officer Office of Procurement Operations Science and Technology Acquisition Division Phone: (202) 254-6302 Email: Aaron.Ford@hq.dhs.gov

o. Multiple Proposals.

Multiple proposals are not acceptable. Each Offeror shall submit only one proposal which represents their best approach to meeting the requirements of the solicitation.

p. Alternate Proposals.

Alternate proposals are not acceptable.

q. Solicitation, Solicitation-related information, and Amendments.

i. The solicitation, solicitation-related information and amendments will be made available through the Internet at the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website (https://www.fbo.gov). Search Opportunities for solicitation number HSHQDC-15-R-00050.

ii. The solicitation and related information will be listed under the solicitation number and can be downloaded directly to a workstation.

iii. Offerors are hereby notified that, from time to time, that the Government may post additional information to the FBO website relating to this solicitation (e.g., responses to questions, amendments, etc.). It is the Offeror’s responsibility to check the website for any such information.

r. Technical Library.

The NBACC has a technical library that is located at Fort Detrick, in Frederick, Maryland. However, this library is not open to the public and access is restricted to Government personnel. As the facility is restricted to Government personnel only, no Offerors will be available to use this facility.

s. Classified Materials.

No classified material shall be submitted in response to this solicitation under any circumstance.

t. Pre-Award Survey.

The Government reserves the right to conduct a Pre-Award Survey or to require other evidence of technical production, managerial, financial, and similar abilities to perform the required work prior to the award of a contract.

u. Notice of Pre-Proposal Conference:

A pre-proposal conference was held on January 28, 2015 at 1000 hours for the purpose of briefing on the proposal requirements and answering questions regarding the NBACC FFRDC solicitation. This conference was held at DHS facilities at 1120 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington DC, 20528.

v. Submission of Bidder’s Questions.

Offerors may electronically submit questions requesting clarification of solicitation requirements by sending completed Bidder’s Question Submittal Form, Attachment L-1, via email to NBACC_2015@hq.dhs.gov mailbox with a copy to the Procuring Contracting Officer, Mr. Aaron H. Ford, at Aaron.Ford@hq.dhs.gov. All questions should be submitted within 30 days after release of the solicitation in order to allow the Government adequate time to issue responses to all Offerors prior to the date and time set for receipt of proposals. Questions submitted via e-mail must use the subject line: NBACC II BIDDER’S QUESTIONS. Information provided with each question should include the document name, document date, specific page, paragraph, clause, or other definitive citation that requires clarification. Only questions transmitted electronically will receive a response. The Government will continue to accept bidder questions up to the closing date and time of the solicitation; however, time may not permit responses to be issued prior to proposal receipt. It is the Government’s intention that questions and responses will be posted as amendments to the solicitation at the Federal Business Opportunities Online at https://www.fbo.gov. Although every effort will be made, the Government makes no guarantee that all questions will be answered. Further, questions that are received by the Government after the time set forth above may not result in an extension to the proposal due date.

w. Teaming with Government Activities.

Offerors shall not enter into teaming agreements with any Federal Government activities. Proposals containing teaming agreements with Federal Government activities will not be considered for award under this solicitation.

x. Incumbent Contractor Information:

The incumbent Contractor for the NBACC Project is as follows:

Columbus, OH 43201-2693

y. Solicitation Security Classification:

This solicitation is UNCLASSIFIED, although some information contained in the attachments to this solicitation may be classified and/or have restricted information. All employees of the Offeror working on any classified/restricted information portion of the proposal shall have active SECRET clearances. Offerors are required to provide a copy of a properly executed DD Form 254, in order to gain access and to handle any Secret/No Foreign (NOFORN) materials. The form must have Block 10 e. (2) marked “yes” (Non-SCI Intel Information). Classified responses are not allowed in any portion of the proposal.

z. Proposal Delivery Information:

1. The Department of Homeland Security will accept Offerors’ proposals in response to this solicitation via electronic transmission. Electronic proposals submitted to the Procuring Contracting Officer in response to Section L of this solicitation will be accepted by the Government.

2. The submission date for all volumes of the Offeror’s proposal shall be no later than the date and time specified in Block 9 of Standard Form 33 of the solicitation.

Responses not received at the place and time specified in Block 9 of the Standard Form 33 will be considered late as defined by Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.215-1. Responses and response modifications shall not be faxed. Responses and response modifications (which will only be accepted prior to the deadline date for receipt of responses) shall be submitted using electronic media (email) to the Procuring Contracting Officer using the following email: Aaron.Ford@hq.dhs.gov.

3. The method of delivery shall be via electronic media (email). Initial and Final Proposal Revisions shall also be submitted by email. No other method is acceptable.

aa. Disposal of Unsuccessful Proposals:

After the award of the contract, one copy of each unsuccessful proposal will be retained in the official contract files.

ab. Assumption of Management and Operational Control of NBACC FFRDC:

The Government anticipates that the Contractor to assume management and operational responsibility for NBACC on September 30, 2015.

L.4.2. Contents of the Offer:

The Offer consists of and must include the following:

a. Standard Form 33, “Solicitation, Offer, and Award.” Blocks 13 through 18 completed by the Offeror.

b. Solicitation. Offerors must fill in all areas of the solicitation listed as Offeror fill-in.

c. Offeror’s Statement. The Offeror shall include a signed statement, on the Offeror’s letterhead, stating that the accompanying Proposal:

i. Is for all requirements as stated in the solicitation (including all attachments, appendices, and amendments thereto),

ii. Is made without qualification or exception to any terms or conditions appearing in the solicitation; and

iii. Is valid for a period of one-hundred-eighty (180) days from the date established for the receipt of proposals.

In addition, the Statement must contain the following certification regarding classified and other restricted information made available:

I [insert signatory’s name, title, company], hereby certify that [company] will ensure that, if [company] is excluded from the competitive range or not selected for award of this contract, any and all copies, notes, or other materials produced using classified or restricted information provided in connection with Department of Homeland Security Solicitation HSHQDC-14-R-00073 will be destroyed within 120 days from the receipt of notice that [company] was excluded from the competitive range or not selected for award under this solicitation.

d. Volumes I, II, III, and IV of the proposal: Instructions for Volumes I, II, III, and IV are detailed in Section L.4.3 below. IMPORTANT NOTE—Offerors should note the requirement, found in Volume II (Past Performance Proposal) to distribute questionnaires and to notify the contracting officer of past performance references prior to the closing date of this solicitation.

L.4.3 Proposal Requirements:

This section delineates general information and requirements to be followed in the preparation of the Offeror’s proposal.

This solicitation requires a written proposal for the Technical and Cost/Price volumes. The Government will use the information presented in the proposal, including supplemental data and site visits, to evaluate the Offeror’s understanding of the solicitation requirements and the Offeror’s capabilities to meet those requirements. The Offeror shall demonstrate an understanding of the program requirements and the capability to perform the requirements that are outlined in the Statement of Work and associated technical requirements as outlined in Section M of this solicitation.

An Offeror’s proposal shall be sufficiently detailed to enable the Government evaluation board members to make a thorough evaluation, and to arrive at a sound determination as to whether or not the prospective Offeror will be able to perform in accordance with the stated requirements. The Government does not assume the duty to search the data to cure problems it finds in proposals. Failure to conform all requirements of this solicitation may form the basis for rejection of the proposal.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Unsubstantiated statements that the Offeror understands, can or will comply with the specifications, or paraphrasing the requirements or parts thereto are considered inadequate and may render a rating of unacceptable. Furthermore, although legible, neat, and comprehensive proposal(s) are required, elaborate brochures or other presentations beyond that sufficient to present a complete and effective presentation are not desired. Elaborate artwork, expensive visual or other presentation aids are neither necessary nor desired.

The Offeror’s proposal must contain a precise definition of all terms and conditions of the services offered and must address all topics described below. The information provided in the proposal shall appear in the order as outlined herein.

L.4.3.1 Solicitation Response Requirements:

The solicitation response shall be contained in 4 separate volumes as follows:

For each volume, the number of copies required and the applicable page limitations are shown below:

Individual Subcontracting

Reports/SF 294s

Key Terms for Table:

*--Not included in proposal’s total page count.

#-This item is applicable if the Offeror believes that there is an organizational conflict of interest issue that needs to be mitigated. If the Offeror doesn’t believe that an organizational conflict of interest issue exists, then this section would not be applicable and the Offeror should insert a statement declaring so in the applicable section of the Contract Administration Volume of the Proposal

The Technical Proposal shall consist of no more than 250 pages. Offerors are cautioned that no more than the first 250 pages of the Technical Proposal will be evaluated. Any portion of the Technical Proposal which exceeds the 250 page limitation will not be evaluated and will be treated with the same manner as late proposals or modifications in accordance with the Section L provision in this solicitation entitled “Instructions to Offerors-Competitive Acquisitions (FAR 52.215-1). The Technical Proposal should be properly paginated, with the appropriate page number marked on each page.

No price information shall be submitted in the Technical (Volume I), Past Performance (Volume II), or Contract Administration (Volume IV) Volumes of the Offeror’s Proposal or in the accompanying proposal cover letter for that volume of the proposal. All price information shall be submitted in the Cost/Price Volume (Volume III) of the Offeror’s Proposal. Legibility, clarity, and compliance with the requirements of the solicitation are essential. Failure to provide the requested information may adversely affect the Government’s evaluation of the Offeror. The page count shall include all material with printed matter and figures, including appendices, unless otherwise noted herein. . Those pages excluded from the page count must contain only material pertinent to the page heading.

The cover page for each Proposal Volume shall contain:

· Volume Number and Title (e.g. Volume I—Technical Proposal)

· Request for Proposal Number

· Company Name of the Offeror

· Offeror’s Position on Disclosure of Proposal Data

· Security Classification of the Volume

· Serial Number/Copy Number

All copies of the proposal volumes shall be electronically submitted to the Procuring Contracting Officer at the place and at or before the time specified in Block 9 of the SF 33.

No cost or pricing information shall be included in the Offeror’s forwarding letter or in any part of its submitted volumes, except the Cost/Price Volume. Forwarding letters are merely instruments for transmitting the submitted proposals and will not be evaluated. The forwarding letter shall identify all the enclosures being transmitted, and shall list all Subcontractors identified in the Offeror’s proposal.

In the event that any portion of the proposal is written by anyone who is not a bona fide employee of the firm submitting the proposal, a certificate to this effect shall be furnished which must be signed by an authorized official of the Offeror and shall indicate the person’s name, employment capacity, firm name, relationship of that firm to the Offeror, and which portion of the proposal was written by that person. This certification requirement applies to both the prime and any subcontractors.

The narrative materials in Volumes I and II of the Offeror’s proposal, with the exception of the Key Personnel resumes, shall be typed or printed in a font with a type no smaller than size 12 Times New Roman font on standard 8 ½ by 11 inch paper. Text line spacing shall be 1.5 lines. One inch margins on each side, including top and bottom are required. Text within tables, diagrams, pictorial charts, or graphic material may use 8-point font. Fold out pages may be used for diagrams, charts, or graphic material only and shall not exceed 11 inches by 17 inches. Fold out pages will be counted as two pages. Fold out pages shall only include narrative sufficient to describe the diagram, chart, or graphic material. Every major section, figure, and table shall be numbered.

A date shall be placed on each page of the proposal corresponding to the initial proposal. Any pages that may be revised as a result of discussions (if required) shall contain revision numbers and dates and shall be identified by redline tracked changes.

Every page, except for those marked as blank, will be numbered.

Cover Pages, Title Pages, Table of Contents, Executive Summaries, Lists of Illustrations, Lists of Tables, Tab Pages, Appendices, Glossaries, and Indices will not be included in the total page count. Pages excluded from the page count must contain only material pertinent to the page heading or be blank and marked “Intentionally Left Blank.” Every page, except those marked as blank, shall be numbered. The numbering system shall uniquely identify each page throughout the proposal. (i.e. each page number in each volume or appendix shall only be used once.) If the proposal exceeds the page limit identified, the Government will not evaluate all pages exceeding the specified page count.

L.4.3.1.1 Glossary of Abbreviations and Acronyms:

At the end of each volume of the proposal, the Offeror shall provide a glossary of all abbreviations and acronyms used, with an explanation for each.

The Offeror’s proposal shall be specific, detailed and complete and clearly demonstrate the Offeror has a thorough comprehension of the total technical requirements, the Statement of Work (SOW), and all other requirements contained in this solicitation. Offerors should assume that the Government has no prior knowledge of their facilities and experience, and will base its evaluation on the information presented in the Offeror’s proposals only. The Offeror should not presume that data previously submitted, or presumed to be known (e.g., data or services previously submitted or performed for the Government), will be considered as part of the proposal.

L.4.3.1.2 Guidance for Electronic Copies of Proposal:

This section is intended to provide information to the Offeror on the electronic format and application software for use in submitting the proposal electronically to the Government as required by this solicitation. The use of software and procedures described in this section will help ensure that the electronic proposals received by the Government will be/are suitable for reading electronically.

L.4.3.1.2.1 Electronic Proposal Format:

The Offeror should submit the required volumes of its proposal using the software that is compatible with the operating system and applications defined in Section L.4.3.1.2.2 below. The Offeror should put as much proposal material as possible into each file, keeping the portions of the proposal that contain the pricing information in a separate files from the portions of the proposal that do not contain pricing information.

The Offeror should submit electronically one set of its proposal to the Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) via email. In its email message, the Offeror shall provide the PCO with the following information:

· HSHQDC-15-R-00050

· Volume #

· Appropriate Security Classification Markings

· Offeror Company, Name, City, State

· Offeror POC

· Offeror POC Phone Number

· Date of Submission

· Format of Files L.4.3.1.2.2 Operating System and Applications:

The proposals will be accessed utilizing Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System. The electronic files shall be submitted on these CD-ROMs. Text shall be prepared using Microsoft Word 2010 compatible applications; and spreadsheets, worksheets, or workbooks shall be prepared using Microsoft Excel 2010 compatible applications. The following file extensions shall be used:

The Offeror is responsible for ensuring electronic proposals are virus-free in accordance with Section 4.3.1.2.3 below. Each volume shall be separated into directories within the electronic files

Graphics, tables, photographs, and other data beyond the capability of Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, and Microsoft (MS) Project may be submitted in Adobe Acrobat format. Electronic cost/price data must be submitted in MS Excel.

Offerors shall not include any special characters (e.g. !, @, #, $, ‘, %, etc.) in the file names of any electronic files.

L.4.3.1.2.3 Virus-Free Electronic Submission:

Offeror’s are responsible for ensuring that its electronic proposal is virus free. The Offeror shall certify, in its proposal cover letter, that all electronic proposal information has been checked for viruses, and specify the software, version, and virus definition used to check the data. With each subsequent submission of proposal information (e.g. response to Evaluation Notices, Final Proposal Revisions, etc.), the Offeror shall ensure and certify that its files are virus-free.

L.4.3.1.2.4 Hyperlinks:

Offerors may use hyperlinks within and among proposal volumes that do not include cost/price information. However, there shall be no links from any volume to Volume II (Cost/Price) or any portion of the proposal that contains cost/price information. Table of Contents hyperlinks shall be created within each document (i.e., each, single electronic file).

L.4.3.1.2.5 Multimedia:

Offeror should not embed sound or video files into the electronic files.

L.4.3.1.2.6 Graphics:

Large files require greater computer system resources and are discouraged. The Offeror is encouraged to:

· Simplify the color palette used in creating figures;

· Minimize the size of graphic files; and

· Avoid scanned images

The following is a list of Section L attachments that the Offeror shall utilize to provide information for this volume:

*NOTE-This item is also concurrently identified as an Attachment under Section J of this solicitation.

The Offeror shall provide the following information to support the Government’s evaluation of the Offeror’s Technical Proposal. The purpose of the Technical Proposal is to demonstrate to the Government that the offeror has a full understanding of all tasks identified in the Statement of Work. The Government will evaluate the proposal in order to determine the Offeror’s understanding of, approach to, and its ability to meet the solicitation requirements. The Government will assess the Offeror’s Technical Proposal with respect to its compliance with the solicitation requirements and the risk associated with the Offeror’s approach. The technical proposal shall specifically address the following factors and subfactors as they relate to this requirement:

Factor 1—Technical and Management Approach:

· Sub-factor A—Management Approach:

· Sub-factor B—Technical Approach

· Sub-factor C—Quality Control and Regulatory Compliance Plans

· Sub-factor D—Transition Approach

Factor 3—Small Business Participation:

NOTE: Factor 2 (Past Performance)/Factor 4 (Earned Value Management System (EVMS) Approach)/and Factor 5 (Cost/Price) will be addressed through either separate proposal volumes (Factor 2 and Factor 5) or through the combination with other required documentation (i.e. Factor 4 is combined with other relevant Contract Administration requirements into Volume IV entitled Contract Administration)

The Offeror shall demonstrate their understanding of the ability to meet all of the functional requirements associated in the Statement of Work by responding to the following:

Factor 1—Technical and Management…