A00001_Vendor_RFP_Questions__answers.pdf

1. Regarding "Any subcontractor that will perform work within the SECRET level must also have a facility clearance." -- Must the subcontractor also have a facility clearance at the SECRET level in place at the time of proposal submission?

Answer: Refer to Section IV, Paragraph 4.3, Section A.2, second bullet. The subcontractor shall have an approved Facility Clearance at the Secret level prior to award if the subcontractor will be performing work subject to a Secret clearance. If the subcontractor does not have an approved facility clearance at the Secret level prior to award, the subcontractor will not be able to perform work requiring a Secret clearance until the approved facility clearance is obtained. Prime contractors may sponsor proposed subcontractors for a facility clearance.

2. What are the subcontracting restrictions if any?

Answer: Reference Page 111 FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting.

3. Must the prime have an accounting system that has already been DCAA audited?

Answer: No

4. Section 2D/FAR 52.222.42/Page 106 and Q&A:

The table does not show an FTE for Lee's Summit, MO. However the Q&A provided on

September 29 does reference a person/presence in Lee's Summit, MO. Is there an FTE located in

Lee's Summit, MO and if so what LCAT is associated with it?

Answer: There is an FTE located in Lee’s Summit, MO. LCAT? The work associated with the Lee’s Summit location is under section 4.2.2 (Security Program Management

Assistance). It is up to the offeror to determine the labor category.

5. PWS Section 4.2.2.4/Page 63 and Q&A:

Will the contractor staff providing PIV work be located in Burlington or DC?

Answer: Both; OSI anticipates the PIV support in Burlington to be provided via the

Quality Assurance CLIN. There is a very limited requirement in Burlington, with OSI anticipating only a handful (10-15 max per month) PIV cards being issued; it is likely to be far less than that.

6. Can you confirm that the contract # HSSCCG08D00009 held by Alutiiq Business Solutions, LLC is the incumbent contract #?

If not, please provide the correct number.

http://4.2.2.4/Page

Answer: Yes this is the recompete for contract HSSCCG08D00009 with additional services added to the requirement.

7. Reference: Page 66, Section 10.0, Paragraph 1; Page 12, CLIN 0007; Page 67, Section 12.1, Paragraph 1

Section 10.0 states “All services shall be performed at USCIS facilities…”. Does the

Government expect the Program Manager (Section 12.1) and Program Management function s

(Section 5.0) to be performed at a Government facility? If so, where?

Answer: The Government expects the PM (one person) and PM function to be performed off-site.

8. Reference: Page 124, Section 4.1, Paragraph 1; Page 125, Section 4.2, Subfactor 1, Paragraph

Section 4.1 states “Statements of Qualifications for Key Personnel (required vs. a resume” are excluded from the page limitations. 4.2, Subfactor 1 does not require a formal resume. Does the government request the submission of formal resumes for all key personnel?

Answer: The Government does not require formal resumes for Key Personnel, rather the

Government requires that statements of qualification be submitted. The offeror should describe how the Key Personnel meet the qualification requirements.

9. Reference: Page 127, Section B, Paragraph 3

Section B states “Firm Fixed Price and Fixed-unit price CLINS shall not be escalated nor will they be allowed renegotiation”. Some CLINS may include both SCA and Exempt personnel. Can

Exempt employees be escalated even if they are part of a FFP CLIN?

Answer: Escalation refers to SCA personnel. Exempt employee’s rates can be escalated if they are part of a FFP or FUP CLIN.

10. Reference: General; Page 67, Section 12.2, Paragraph

HQ COR, COR, and on-site COR are reference throughout the proposal. Will the government use multiple CORs on this contract?

Answer: Yes

Is there going to be an onsite COR in Vermont? If so, will they be located in South Burlington or

Williston?

Answer: Yes, they will be located in South Burlington.

If there will only be one COR, Section 12.2 on page 67 states the On-Site Supervisors will “serve as the primary point of contact for face-to-face communication between the COR and the contractor…” Is it the government’s intent that both the Washington, DC-based and Burlington, VT-based on-site supervisors have face-to-face communication with the COR?

Answer: Yes, face to face communication will be with the CORs in the respective locations.

11. Reference: Section 6.0, Page 64, Paragraph 1

Section 6.0 states “The contractor shall plan to hire, train additional staff, and have the additional staff working within 60 days of the surge notifications”. Does the 60 day period include EOD and security processing for all newly acquired surge personnel?

12. Reference: Page 106/107, Section FAR 52.222-42; Paragraph Equivalent Rate Table

Are the 10 Program Analysts listed at the HQ Washington location expected to be based out of

Washington DC, or will they be located at other locations and report to HQ Washington?

Answer: The proposed Program Analysts may be required to perform at both Washington

DC and other locations, reporting to Washington DC HQ.

13. Reference: Page 125, Section 4.2, Paragraph 2

Section 4.2, Subfactor 1 on page 125 states, “discuss why team members were selected and what role each team member will play…” Is the government referring to why an offeror selected their subcontractors and the role of the subcontractor as part of an offeror’s team (prime/subcontractor relationships), or is the Government making reference to operational teams working on the contract (i.e., personnel security teams, stand-up security teams, etc.)?

Answer: The Government is referring to subcontractors.

14. Reference: Page 106/107, Section FAR 52.222-42; Paragraph Equivalent Rate Table

Will the government provide definitive position descriptions for each labor category listed in the

RFP?

Answer: It is up to the offeror to determine the appropriate labor categories for the work based on the proposed approach.

15. Reference: Page 66, Section 10.0, Paragraph 1; Page 68, Section 12.2, Paragraph 1

Section 10.0 on page 66 states, “Project Management support services are performed at USCIS headquarters and Williston, VT.” Section 12.2 on page 68 states, “a Lead shall be located in both

Washington, DC and South Burlington, VT facilities.” Does the government intend for the

Vermont site lead to be located in Williston, VT or South Burlington, VT?

Answer: For the site Lead referred to on page 68, Section 12.2; A Lead shall be located in both Washington, DC and South Burlington, VT facilities. Project Managers referred to on page 66, Section 10, Paragraph 1 supporting program tasks under section 4.2.1

(Security Program Support) are to be located in Washington DC, although they may support projects in field locations.

16. Reference: Page 66, Section 10.0, Paragraph 2; Page 106/107, Section FAR 52.222-42;

Paragraph Equivalent Rate Table

Section 10.0 identifies Lee’s Summit MO as a Place of Performance, but Lee’s Summit, MO is not identified in the table on pages 106/107. Is this an oversight on behalf of the Government? If not, how does the government intend to provide security support to Lee’s Summit MO?

Answer: Yes, this is an oversight; there is an FTE located in Lee’s Summit, MO. The work associated with the Lee’s Summit location is under section 4.2.2 (Security Program

Management Assistance).

17. Reference: Page 123. Section 4, Paragraph 1

It states “Use 8 ½ by 11 size paper in 11 point Times New Roman text, and be legible.” Will the

Government consider allowing tables on 11X17 foldouts if they count as two pages?

Answer: 11X17 foldouts may be used however they will be counted as two pages. The RFP has been revised to reflect this change.

RFP REFERENCE QUESTION/ COMMENT

18. SF 1449 (PAGE 1) The NAICS Code 541611 identifies the size standard as $14M.

SBA changed the size standard to $15M that took effect 14 July

2014. Please change the size standard accordingly.

Answer: The RFP is revised to reflect the correct size standard.

19. CLINS/SLINS PAGES

4 - 48

It is our understanding that the Government anticipates getting the pricing information on these pages in a MS Excel spreadsheet. Is this correct?

Answer: Offerors can provide pricing (Pages 4-48) on an MS

Excel spreadsheet if it is preferred, however it shall include all the information as described on Pages 4-48. Additional pricing information required is described in Section IV, Paragraph 4.3

Price Factor.

Also, if that understanding is correct, what version of MS Excel should the file conform to?

Answer: Microsoft Word 2010.

20. FULL TIME

EQUIVALENT (FTE)

Please confirm that the Government’s productive hours per FTE is

1,880.

Answer: Correct.

PWS 9.0 TRAVEL (PAGE

65)

Please confirm that the CLINs X008 are cost NTE items?

Answer: Confirmed.

21. SERVICE CONTRACT

ACT

It is understood that the information provided on pages 106 & 107

(FAR 52.222-42) are for informational purposes only. However, when mapping the labor categories to the SCA DOL WD rates they are significantly lower than the cited GS Series, grade and step. Are the GS series, grade and step rates what the Government considers reasonable for this effort (reflective of incumbent staff pay rates)?

Answer: Correct, this information is provided for information only and is not a wage determination. The clause identifies the classes of service employees expected to be employed under the contract and states the wages and fringe benefits payable to each if they were employed by the contracting agency.

22. QUESTION AND

ANSWERS

(#4)

The Questions and Answers #4 provided a percentage allocation by location. Has this allocation been changed, as the mapping of these percentages to the stated locations conflict with the FTE allocations as provided in the FAR 52.222-42 table (pages 106 &

107)?

Answer: The labor categories and grade levels provided on pages 106 and 107 are Government equivalent rates and are for information purposes only. They do not reflect or change percentage allocation or change any part of the requirement.

It would be helpful if the Government would identify the FTEs and labor categories by location as the staffing information provided is not clear.

Answer: It is up to the offeror to propose based on their solution to performing the work. The pricing schedule includes estimated hours and estimated quantities as an understanding of the scope of work.

23. RFP SECTION IV,

VOLUME II (PAGE 126 &

128)

Section A.2 identifies where the Reps and Certs are to be included. Section B, Section 7 also asks that the Section VI reps and certs be included. Where does the Government want the Reps and Certs to be provided?

Answer: Provide the Reps and Certs and Provisions in Section

A.2. The RFP is corrected to require the Reps, Certs and

Provisions be included in Section A.2 rather than Section B, Section 7.

24. 25.0 PERFORMANCE

REQUIREMENTS

Does the government provide reporting tools to allow the contractor to measure productivity for each of the employees performing each of these tasks?

Answer: With the exception of the Personnel Security support in Burlington, and the PIV unit in Washington DC and

Burlington, the contractor shall provide their own reporting tools.

25. SECTION I – SF 1449

A/22.0 TRANSITION

PLAN, PAGE 74

Will the contractor have to be fully staffed prior to an NTP being granted?

Answer: Refer to page 49, Notice to Proceed which states that

A NTP will not be issued until such time as satisfactory suitability determinations have been received and successfully processed by the USCIS Office of Security and Integrity for those employees the Contractor considers essential for the performance of the contract.

26. 12.2 In areas where there is only one FTE required, will the government insist that these Employees be considered “lead” and then be required to be employed by the Prime?

Answer: The prime contractor will determine who the on-site

“leads” are. Section 12.2 of the PWS refers to the requirement for On-Site Supervisors. The PWS requires Site Leads only in

Washington DC (OSI HQ) and Burlington (PSD).

27. N/A Would the government consider extending the due date to Oct 31 to allow for increased proposal delivery options for the contractor?

Answer: The proposal due date is now extended until

11/03/2014 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time.

28.

4.1.9

Assist the Government with the processing of reinvestigations of current federal or contract personnel; processing of internal selections for the promotion of current

USCIS federal employees; or upgrade investigations (i.e., access to classified

National Security Information); and, processing of contractor transfer requests received from CORs, for the movement of authorized contractors from one USCIS contract to another.

Can you clarify the process to be used for re-investigation and/or adjudication?

Answer: Contractors will be responsible for gathering required documentation to ensure timely submission of periodic reinvestigations and upgrade investigations by the government to

OPM. Contractors will review the required forms to ensure all data elements are correct and complete before forwarding the investigation paperwork to a federal employee for initiation of a background investigation or adjudication.

Additionally, they will research current investigative information and initiate internal agency checks for federal and contractor personnel in support of internal selection and transfer actions to ensure the individual has undergone an investigation commensurate with duties specified for the new position.

29. 22.1 The Contractor's proposal shall include a draft plan for incoming transition from the incumbent to the Contractor

When does the transition period start?

Answer: Refer to the RFP, page 49

Transition paragraph which states that Transition is defined as the time period between contract award and the Notice to Proceed is issued by the Contracting Officer.

A draft transition-in plan shall be submitted within 5 days of award and a final transition in plan within

15 days after award. Paragraphs

22.1 and 24.0 are revised.

30.4.1.5 Generate physical case files and associated

barcode tags for file tracking.

Is there an automated system for the management of electronic file vs.

paper?

31. Ref: page 135: (b) Factor 2 - Past Performance

A risk assessment will be made of an offeror’s potential performance based on the offeror’s and major subcontractors’ (10% of overall contract value) past performance. Past performance evaluation will consider whether the offeror’s (and major subcontractors’) past performance is similar to this acquisition and shows a pattern of consistency in Corporate Commitment, Quality of Service, Timeliness of Performance and Teaming Arrangements. The last portion on teaming arrangement on past performance it is not clear how this will be evaluated or relevant.

Answer: The RFP is correct. Teaming Arrangements refers to subcontracting.

32. Ref: page 106 In the table, there are Proposed Position Titles. Which of these positions is the

Government considering key as the On-Site Supervisors?

Answer: The prime contractor will determine who the on-site supervisors are. Section 12.2 of the PWS refers to the requirement for On-Site Supervisors.