Questions_and_Answers_June_4.docx

1. Page 47/72, Section L2.1.6. "Questions/comments are due no later than." Does not provide the actual date. Can GSA provide a due date for questions?

A. Updated to include the questions due date, consistent with the FBO notice, for 3 PM ET on May 24.

2. Page 50/72, Section L2.3.4. No address provided for submitting the hard copies. Can GSA provide an address for submitting hard copies?

A. Address now provided.

3. Section L.5.3.1.a. in the RFP states, "If an offeror submits past performance information for an ID/IQ and/or BPA contract, then the offeror must identify a specific TO under that specific ID/IQ and/or BPA contract." Would two relevant task orders under the same contract be considered two references or a single reference?

A. Two references.

4. Section M.2.3.2. states, "To be determined Very Relevant, the past performance effort must have a value of not less than $1M annually and include at least three of the relevancy areas listed below. To be determined relevant, the past performance effort must have a value of not less than $1M annually and include at least two of the following relevancy areas. If the past performance effort is less than $1M annually or does not include at least two of the following relevancy areas, it will be determined Not Relevant." Is relevancy rated for each individual contract/task order or rated on all five references combined? It is rare contracts for this diverse set of capabilities would fall under a single task order.

A. Relevancy is rated for each individual contract/task order. The point made in this question is valid, however, as under this contract it is expected to be rare for a particular task order to cover multiple relevancy areas. Considering this, the Government has reduced the requirements for a Relevant or Very Relevant rating. A Relevant rating now requires experience in one relevancy area instead of two, and a Very Relevant rating requires experience in two relevancy areas instead of three.

5. Does the Government request that the offeror to provide a technical approach for TO 1 and TO 2? Section M does not provide evaluation criteria for a response to them. If yes, please direct where this should be located in the offeror’s response and an update section M that provides evaluation criteria?

A. The Government is not requesting a separate technical approach for TO 1. However, staffing for TO 1 and TO 2 is included within Subfactor 2 – Staffing Plan.

6. Should any subcontractors used under this IDIQ be mapped into the Labor Categories provided in Section B and invoiced as such? What about for portions of work that can be completed as firm fixed price (FFP)?

A. Subcontractor labor should be mapped to the labor categories provided in Section B. The contract allows for issuance of T&M and FFP orders or a combination thereof. If a portion of the work can be completed as FFP, then the contractor should price that portion of the work as FFP.

7. Do we need to provide labor category descriptions as support for categories priced in Section B as part of the Staffing Plan? Are they to be included in the Cost Volume?

A. Per Subfactor 2 – Staffing Plan, the staffing plan must include the level of education, experience, and special skills/certifications for that labor category. This is included in the Technical Volume.

8. Section C – 4.5.1 Deliverable Table: This table identifies a Transition Plan that is due with the Proposal. What type of Transition Plan is this: Technology Transition from Contractor to the Government for a specific technology or Transition from Incumbent to the winning Offeror on this Solicitation? Which volume is it to be provided?

A. Amendment 2 removes the reference to a transition plan.

9. Section C, Section 4.5.1 Deliverable Table. This table identifies a Quality Control Plan due at the pre-performance conference; however, both TO01 and TO02 have a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) and a QASP Surveillance Objectives, Measure, and Expectations document attached, but neither SOW for the TOs has any mention of these requirements. Please advise what, if any, quality documentation needs to be submitted with the proposal.

A. No quality documentation needs to be submitted with the proposal.

10. Section C - 5.4 – Contractor Performance – can a definition be provided of “key personnel”? Do any resumes need to be provided as part of the proposal? If so, which volume are they to be included and is there a desired format?

A. Amendment 2 updates Subfactor 2 – Staffing Plan to require resumes for key personnel as identified by the offeror to be provided as part of the Technical Volume. Resumes are not included in the page count.

11. Section C - 6.1.1 – Proper Credentials – What does a Contractor need to do to ensure that their subcontractors have the proper credentials to work in the country? Will written confirmation from the subcontractor confirming that they request proper credentials on all employees prior to hiring them fulfill this requirement? Prime Contractors do not typically ask for this type of documentation as part of awarding a subcontract nor do they manage subcontract personnel from human resources perspectives.

A. Yes, written confirmation from the subcontractor confirming that they requested proper credentials on all employees prior to hire will fulfill this requirement.

12. Section C - 6.1.6 – Contractor Consent to Background Checks – Do prime contractors need to perform background checks on all subcontractors working under this IDIQ or can we request written confirmation from the subcontractor that they perform background checks on all employees to fulfill this requirement? Prime Contractors do not typically ask for this type of documentation as part of awarding a subcontract nor do they manage subcontract personnel from human resources perspectives.

A. It is sufficient for prime contractors to request written confirmation from subcontractors that they have performed background checks on all employees.

13. Section C – 7.6 Data Rights: Please clarify the intent of this clause. The government does have unlimited rights in data/software developed under the Contract with Government Funds. However, the remainder of this clause concerning Government ownership and Contracting Officer approval contradicts FAR Clause 52.227-11 Patent Rights – Ownership by the Contractor, DFAR 252.227-7013 Rights in Technical Data – Noncommercial Items and DFAR 252.227-7014 Rights in Noncommercial Computer Software and Noncommercial Software Documentation.

A. This section has been revised to clarify that the definition of unlimited rights applies as defined within the clauses included in the contract.

14. Section 8.3 Other Direct Costs. Can subcontractor FFP costs also be included as acceptable ODCs?

A. Subcontractor labor should be billed under the labor CLIN and not included as ODCs. Other costs can be included as ODCs.

15. Section C, 8.5 – Anti-terrorism training is required for contractor employees. Does this also apply to subcontractor employees?

A. Yes.

16. Section C – 8.8 Personnel Retention – Please clarify. Does the AF want to be notified of every change in personnel or just a change in key personnel?

A. The AF is interested in changes to key personnel.

17. Section L – L2.1.6 Communications – There is a “blank” as to when the Questions/comments are due.

A. This was updated in Amendment 1.

18. Section L – L.2.1.8 Organizational and Consultant Conflict of Interest (OCCI) – Which volume should the information required in this Section L.2.1.8 be included?

A. The RFP was updated (7.1.4 was added) to specify that, if applicable, this should be included in the Contract Documentation Volume.

19. Section L - L.2.1.9 Small Business Set-Aside: Per 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting, At least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern. Please clarify, for this effort is the calculation for each Task Order or at the IDIQ level (a total of all the Task Orders)? Also, if our subcontractors are mapped into our labor rates in Section B, would the small business subcontractors then be counted as part of the “at least 50 percent of the cost of the contract performance”?

A. The calculation is at the IDIQ level. Subcontractors would not be counted as part of the calculation. However, once 81 FR 34243 is implemented in the FAR and FAR 52.219-14 subsequently updated, the Government, through bilateral agreement with the Contractor, may consider incorporating the updated clause into the contract.

20. Section L.2.2.2.2 – Does this mean that the technical volume can have tables/charts/graphs/figures that are sized 11 x 17 inches? Conflicts with the previous paragraph that discusses 8.5 x 11.

A. Amendment 2 removes the reference to tables/charts/figures being 11 x 17 inches.

21. Section L - L2.2.6 Cross Reference Matrix: Does the Cross Reference Matrix need to be completed for the entire proposal? If so, which volume is it placed in? Or is a Cross Reference Matrix required for each volume?

A. Amendment 2 removes the requirement for a Cross Reference Matrix. Subsequent paragraphs within L2.2. have been re-numbered.

22. Section L – L.2.3.4 Hard Copy Proposal Submission: Please provide an address to submit the hard copies of the proposal to, it seems to be cut-off.

A. Address was added via Amendment 1.

23. Section L - L.5.3 Past Performance Information Sheets; L.5.3.1 Instructions: This Section states “The information submitted shall reference at least three efforts for which the offeror performed as the prime.” Is it acceptable to submit efforts in which the offeror was a subcontractor but considered a Technical Lead on the Task Order but not the contract prime? Allowing only prime experience could exclude offers and limit competition. By allowing to use experience as a subcontractor, it would result in more competition. This limitation goes against full and open competition per the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA).

A. Amendment 2 changes this requirement. We would still like to see at least three efforts for the prime offeror, but they do not have to have performed those efforts as a prime contractor.

24. Attachment L1 – Task Order 0001 and 0002 Price Template and Section M2.5. Price Factor. The ODCs and Travel “plug” numbers are noted to not be altered. Do we need to provide back-up to build cost that matches these values (i.e., build basis of estimate for travel that then totals the plug number) and/or can additional funds be added, if deemed necessary, to those plug numbers?

A. Not for the purposes of this RFP. During contract performance the contractor will be required to support ODCs/Travel in accordance with B.4. Dependent on the circumstances, if during contract performance the ODC/Travel amounts are found to be insufficient, the Government may modify the contract to increase these amounts.