Attachment 9 - HTC71125RE129 Vessel Architecture QA Matrix.pdf

CUI

Source Selection Sensitive - See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

Question # Reference Solicitation Document/ Attachment Page # Reference Section

/Paragraph Offeror Question/Comment Government Response

Combined Synopsis/

Solicitation HTC711-25-R-E129.pdf

1-2 Paragraph 7

Combined Synopsis_Solicitation HTC711-25-R- E129.pdf states, “7. Provisions FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial, and FAR 52.212- 2 apply to this acquisition. Addenda to 52.212-1 and 52.212-2 also apply. Offerors must include a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3 (DEVIATION 2025-O0003 and 2025-O0004) with their offer.” Are offeror’s existing current, accurate, and complete representations and certifications within SAM.gov sufficient for this requirement, or would the government like offerors to submit separate FAR 52.212-3 (DEVIATION 2025-O0003 and 2025- O0004) reps and certs with offers?

The Offeror shall complete only paragraph (b) of this provision if the Offeror has completed the annual representations and certification electronically in the System for Award Management (SAM) accessed through https://www.sam.gov. If the Offeror has not completed the annual representations and certifications electronically, the Offeror shall complete only paragraphs (c) through (v) of this provision.

2 Solicitation

HTC711-25-R-E129

The Solicitation "Instructions, Conditions, & Notices to Offerors or Quoters", D.iv. states "Volume 4 - Price (No Page Limit). This volume shall contain the offeror's Price Proposal, in the form of an Excel spreadsheet and all backup documentation used to support the prices." What "backup documentation" is required?

Backup documents would include any additional documents (e.g., assumptions or basis of estimate) that the offeror is using to support their proposed prices.

VESSEL ARCHITECTURE

HTC71125RE129

RFP Q&A

3 Attachment 7 - PWS 7-8 Section 3.2

PWS Page 8 states "The contractor shall provide the following as it relates to the updating and creation of vessels: • Maintaining of approximately 330 ships (+/- 10%) • Addition of approximately five new ships yearly • Updating of approximately 35 ships yearly" However, the Solicitation requires contractors submit a firm fixed price proposal for 12 months of performance. Given this is an indeterminate requirement, how can contractors accurately estimate a level of effort and associated fixed price proposal? If the Government insists on using a fixed price contract for a period of performance, we request the Government specify the precise basis of estimate, either in terms of number of personnel hours required, or the specific quantities of vessels, drawings, sheets, and other such data to be provided on an annual (12 month) basis.

PWS paragraph 3.2 outlines the anticipated annual workload, encompassing the maintenance of approximately 330 ships, the addition of approximately 5 new ships, and the updating of approximately 35 ships.

Recognizing the inherent variability in these projections, the Government has specified a tolerance of +/- 10% for the maintenance of approximately 330 ships, enabling offerors to provide a firm-fixed price based on these estimates. This contract has a limitation of 5 new adds/35 updates per year. Given this we would not exceed these prescribed amounts.

4 RFP, Attachment 7 - PWS Contract Type following as it relates to the updating and creation of vessels: • Maintaining of approximately 330 ships (+/- 10%) • Addition of approximately five new ships yearly • Updating of approximately 35 ships yearly" However, the Solicitation requires contractors submit a firm fixed price proposal for 12 months of performance. FAR 16.501 states "The appropriate type of indefinite-delivery contract may be used to acquire supplies and/or services when the exact times and/or exact quantities of future deliveries are not known at the time of contract award." FAR 13.103 states "However, when a reasonable basis for firm pricing does not exist, other contract types should be considered, and negotiations should be directed toward selecting a contract type (or combination of types) that will appropriately tie profit to contractor performance."

As this requirement is explicitly indeterminate, why hasn't the Government established an indefinite quantity contract for this requirement? Will the Government consider the use of an IDIQ type contract for this requirement?

While the PWS describes the potential scope of work, the Government has defined a specific set of requirements for the 12-month period covered by this solicitation, for which a Firm-Fixed-Price is appropriate.

The Government is not considering the use of an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for this requirement. Offerors should submit proposals based on the requirements as defined in the solicitation.

5 RFP, Attachment 7 - PWS following as it relates to the updating and creation of vessels: • Maintaining of approximately 330 ships (+/- 10%) • Addition of approximately five new ships yearly • Updating of approximately 35 ships yearly" However, the Solicitation requires contractors submit a firm fixed price proposal for 12 months of performance. Because ships may vary in complexity, the level of effort associated with preparing ICODES data for a given ship will vary. Offerors cannot accurately bid a fixed price requirement when the level of effort is indeterminate and may vary so significantly, particularly when the number of ships to be added or updated are only approximate. Request the Government clarify the basis of estimate so offerors can bid with a common set of assumptions, or otherwise change to an IDIQ type contract.

As stated in the Government's response to Question 4, the Government has defined a specific set of requirements for the 12-month period covered by the solicitation. The Government is not considering the use of an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for this requirement.

Contractors are responsible for reviewing all RFP documentation and developing their own independent level-of-effort estimates based on their expertise and experience in providing similar services.

Please specify the level of effort contractors are bid to in order to establish a fixed price for this work. The Government cannot require contractors to bid a fixed price for "approximate" or otherwise indeterminate level of effort.

Contractors are responsible for reviewing all RFP documentation and developing their own independent level-of-effort estimates based on their expertise and experience. The Government believes that contractors can accurately estimate the effort required to meet these defined requirements, even if the total number of records fluctuates within a reasonable range.

FAR 16.103 requires "Each contract file shall include documentation to show why the particular contract type was selected. This shall be documented in the acquisition plan, or in the contract file if a written acquisition plan is not required by agency procedures."

Given the requirement is indeterminate (i.e. an "approximate" number of vessel records is required to be created or updated by the contractor), what is the Government's basis for the selection of a fixed price contract based on 12 months of performance, irrespective of the workload that may be demanded?

The Government has determined that a fixed-price contract is the most appropriate contract type for this requirement because the tasks required to support the ICODES Vessel Library are well-defined. Attachment 7 - PWS outlines a clear scope of work, including specific activities such as gathering vessel information, surveying vessels, creating ICODES drawings, and creating/validating trim and stability data. The PWS also sets expectations for deliverable quality through the Service Delivery Summary (Section 4.11), further mitigating the risk associated with the variable workload.

Who is the incumbent contractor or other contractor currently responsible for creating and/or updating vessel data in ICODES?

Currently there is no contractor providing updated/creation of vessel data inside of ICODES.

9 Attachment 7 - PWS 8 Section 3.2

For the purposes of establishing a basis of estimate for a fixed price bid, are the "approximately" items on page 8 of the PWS (i.e. "approximately 330 ships maintained, five added, 35 updated) the maximum required of the Contractor in a given year?

Yes. This would be the maximum planning number per year for additions and updates. The 10% +/- only applies to the maintenance of ships.

For the purposes of establishing a basis of estimate for a fixed price bid, how many vessels per year are to be surveyed?

The current process for determining vessels to be surveyed consists of the customer(Army, Navy, Marines) to prioritize vessel needs. This list would then be provided to the contractor in priority order not to exceed predetermined totals in PWS. IAW the PWS, 3.2.2.1 DELIVERY OF

NEW AND UPDATED VESSEL INFORMATION; 3.2.2.3 SURVEYING

OF VESSEL; 3.2.2.8 CREATION OF ICODES DRAWINGS, this goes back to the 5 and 35 (total of 40: 5 new added vessels and 35 vessel updates) would lead to the possibility of 40 total surveys pending MEO discretion to gather supporting detail or verify data IAW this PWS.

For the purposes of establishing a basis of estimate for a fixed price bid, what are the locations of the vessels to be surveyed?

Exact location is unknown as it would depend on the vessels location at time of request and or planned survey time. Contractor should plan for both CONUS and OCONUS trips.

For the purposes of establishing a basis of estimate for a fixed price bid, what is the duration of required surveys?

Duration of surveys time may vary. Numbers are approximate but it is estimated that each survey would average 60 +/- hours per vessel or not to exceed 7 days (average 8 hour day).

For the purposes of establishing a basis of estimate for a fixed price bid, how many contractor personnel are needed to conduct a survey?

The number of contractor personnel needed will be dependent upon their own unique technical approach.

14 Attachment 7 - PWS 12 Section 3.3.1

PWS 3.3.1 states "The MEO shall validate, and stamp finalized ship drawings." Is a Professional Engineer's stamp required for final drawings, or is this some other type of certification?

Yes, a professional stamp is required for all final drawings.

Please confirm the format of the vessel trim and stability data that will be provided to contractors for creation of trim and stability files.

SDA or SH2 file formats

Please provide a sample data set of a "create" vessel data package so offerors may accurately consider the level of effort required.

For the ICODES CAD files this can be one of or a combination of the following process:

For the ICODES T&S format this can be one of or a combination of the following process:

Please provide a sample data set of a "update" vessel data package so offerors may accurately consider the level of effort required.

The level of effort for an update is minimized in 90%+ of the cases but the process can be similar to the create.

For the ICODES CAD files this can be one of or a combination of the following process:

For the ICODES T&S format this can be one of or a combination of the following process:

Please provide a sample data set of a current vessel data record in ICODES so offerors may accurately consider the level of effort required.

The sample data set will be delivered as a .zip file. To request access, please complete and return Attachment 8 (NDA), and the file will be sent to you via email.

For the purposes of establishing a basis of estimate for a fixed price bid, how many drawings needs to be created or modified per ship?

Typically one drawing will be created/modified per vessel. If sister ships are present, request could total 8 per.

For the purposes of establishing a basis of estimate for a fixed price bid, what is the quantity of sheets in a drawing package for vessel record creation or update?

Typically a drawing package consists of thirteen sections and a cover sheet.

For the purposes of establishing a basis of estimate for a fixed price bid, what are the titles of drawing sheets used in a vessel record?

May include but are not limited to:

Cargo Capacity Plan:

Approved Trim & Stability Booklet As-built General Arrangement Drawing Structural/ Scantling Drawings Cargo Hold Plans:

Lashing Plans:

Tank Top Plans:

Container Stowage Plans:

General Arrangement (GA) Plans:

Updated Cargo Hold Plans (Draft):

New Lashing Point Detail Drawings:

Cargo Securing Manual

Please provide any historical data on prior levels of effort (i.e. labor hours and labor categories) associated with "Create" and "Update" vessel tasks.

Current data requested is not available.

Please provide any historical data on prior levels of effort (i.e. labor hours and labor categories) associated with maintaining vessel record data.

Current data requested is not available.

24 Attachment 7 - PWS Section 3.2.1

PWS 3.2.1 states "Trim and Stability Data: Create and validate Trim and Stability (T&S) Data Files for ICODES Vessels as defined in Appendix Fusing an American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)-accredited MEO." ABS does not accredit MEOs. Please remove this statement.

Requirement states that the T&S data must be received from an ABS accredited source (MEO). It is not stating that ABS must certify the T&S data.

In order for personnel to work on this contract, the MEO will need to implement a Tier 1 investigation, which requires a SECRET Facility Clearance Level (FCL). Request the Government change the requirement to require the MEO have a SECRET FCL.

Please also provide DD-254 associated with this requirement as part of the Solicitation package.

This contract does not require a Secret FCL. A Secret FCL is not required for a Tier 1 investigation.

26 Attachment 7 - PWS Section 6.3.5.3

PWS 6.3.5.3 states "The MEO is not required to maintain an organic forensic capability" but this capability is required by NIST 800-171. Please revise the PWS to require contractors to maintain this capability and compliance with NIST 800-171 requirements.

NIST 800-171 does not apply as the general drawings of the vessel are not considered "CUI".

What is the Government's basis for establishing the $60,000 NTE amount for CLIN 0005?

This is an estimation based on suspected travel ISO vessel surveys.

Do contractors need to be physically on site at Scott AFB or another location to upload data into or otherwise access ICODES, or can this be done fully remotely?

Contractors will not require access to ICODES to deliver data. The data gathered will be delivered electronically to the ICODES developer.

However, contractors will require access to ICODES remotely for testing purposes.

29 RFP & Attachment 7

The RFP indicates an estimate of 5 new, and 35 yearly updates to be covered under this contract. In the RFI discussion, it was determined that there was a significant backlog of work to do as well (32 new, 46 updates). The RFP estimate does not seem to cover the existing backlog, is there any indication of how that will be addressed? Providing a Firm Fixed Price yearly contract against a list of “approximate” tasks, and an unknown backlog approach seems difficult to estimate on our side. Is there an expectation of a fixed workload (5 new/35 updates), and the potential for additional work beyond that estimate? Should optional costs be included for additional work requested beyond the estimated workload? If the workload is expected to be covered by this RFP, can a schedule be provided for how that backlog will be addressed?

The number of 5/35 is in concert with a sister contract for the panning system ICODES. This contract has a limitation of 5 new adds/35 updates per year. Given this we would not exceed the prescribed amounts. We understand this does not overcome the backlog however we must work within the confines of the contract limitations.

30 Attachment 7 - PWS 9 Section 3.2.1

PWS Item 3.2.1 – the bullet point regarding Trim & Stability Data is confusing. We’re unsure what “…using an ABS accredited MEO.” means in this context. We assume this just means the MEO is familiar with the process of submittal and approval of calculations & drawings to ABS.

The meaning is geared toward the T&S data. The T&S data must come from an ABS certified source. It is not stating that ABS must certify the T&S data.

For new ships, it would be beneficial for pricing purposes to understand what a full GFI package would consist of. We assume at a minimum the following documents would be provided:

a. Trim & Stability Booklet and/or Loading Manual

b. Capacity Plan

c. General Arrangement Drawing

i. Can we assume this will be provided in AutoCAD format, or in PDF format?

d. Cargo Securing Manual and/or Cargo Arrangement Plan

Please reference question # 21

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