Q&A_2.1.17.pdf

HSHQDC-17-R-B0003 Amendment 3 Questions and Answers

Question 1: I am hoping to find out if there is an incumbent contractor currently performing these services or if this is a new requirement. If there is an incumbent, could you please provide the contract number?

Answer 1: There is not an incumbent contractor currently performing these services.

Question 2: The FebBizOpps January 12, 2017 update said the white papers are due on Feb 9, 2017. However, the BAA Program Portal still has the due date as 1/27/17. Will be Portal be closed prior to 2/9/17 and prevent us from submitting the White Paper after 1/27/17?

Answer 2: The due date for white papers is February 9, 2017. The BAA Portal will be updated to allow submitting white papers through February 9, 2017. There may be a delay in the BAA Portal updates, so please check FBO for the latest information on this BAA.

Question 3: In the BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA) HSHQDC-16-R-B0004 document, section 4.3 it is stated that "It is anticipated awards made for each Call issued against this BAA will be in the form of cost reimbursement type contracts." Do you estimate that potentially a firm-fixed price can be awarded as well?

Answer 3: Per Section 4.3 of BAA HSHQDC-16-R-B0004, a fixed-price contract may be awarded should the situation warrant. Please note, after selection of a proposal for award, if an offeror does not have an adequate accounting system, the Government may request a review of an offeror’s accounting system to allow for the award of a cost-reimbursement type contract.

Question 4: Is it the intention of the DHS S&T Program Office to award projects in all TTAs at the same time? In reviewing the solicitation projects requirements, with this program structure, the milestones of the projects will overlap and likely limit the integration of technology being developed in TTA1 and 2 into TTA1 projects.

Answer 4: The Government may make awards in one or more TTAs or none, based on the quality of white papers received and the proposals resulting from the white paper evaluations. It has been anticipated that there can be conflicts in the schedule between TTA work efforts, but the Government will not delay the development of valued technology in a TTA due to the development schedule in another TTA. More specifically, an algorithm development under TTA 2 or a component development under TTA 3 must be integrated and demonstrated in an operationally viable X-ray baggage screening platform. That could be a TTA 1 system or an existing OEM system.

Question 5: Would your Agency sign a NDA with our company before we submit our white paper? The technology that we will be presenting is not sold anywhere in the world nor do many people know about it.

Answer 5: Federal employees who would have access to white papers are not allowed to sign separate NDAs, but are prohibited from disclosing proprietary information by existing laws and regulations. Please mark any proprietary portions of your white paper as proprietary. Our support contractors for this project are provided by Noblis. Anyone submitting a white paper must execute a NDA with Noblis prior to white paper submission in accordance with Section

HSHQDC-17-R-B0003 Amendment 3 Questions and Answers

11.4 of HSHQDC-16-R-B0004. This NDA prohibits Noblis support contractors from disclosing proprietary information.