IndustryQandACOSSPreSolicitation.pdf

Questions and Answers

Corporate Operations Support Services (COSS)

Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Panama City Division (PCD)

Pre-Solicitation Conference

22 October 2024 (10:00-11:00 CDST)

Disclaimer: Individual questions submitted in the chat at the conference are combined for efficiency. For further details beyond what is provided below, Offerors should refer to the solicitation. Please watch www.sam.gov for the posting of the solicitation. The Government will not provide any further information until after the solicitation is posted. The Government closed the conference and posting of questions at

11:45am CDT.

Industry Question:

1. Will you send out these slides afterwards?

Government Response:

The slides will be posted on WWW.SAM.GOV.

2. Do companies need Facility Clearance to bid on this opportunity? If so what level of clearance is required?

There is no requirement to provide proof of facility clearance at the time of proposal submission. However, please be advised that at this time, the Government anticipates that performance under this contract will require the Contractor to access

CLASSIFIED information up to and including the Top Secret level, depending on the particular position, at Government facilities.

Please refer to the Department of Defense Contract Security Classification Specification - DD254 attachment of the solicitation once posted on www.beta.sam.gov. The successful Offeror (Prime + Subcontractors) must be ready to perform the requirement at the time of award.

3. Will the IDIQ be awarded to multiple companies or just one?

The IDIQ will be awarded to one prime and their subcontractors.

There will be one IDIQ awarded to one prime contractor.

4. Do you require a DCAA audited accounting system? Do you require a facility clearance?

This is Firm Fixed Price (FFP). A DCAA audited accounting system is not required. Regarding facility clearance – See Government response to question number 2.

5. Will the solicitation be limited to 8(a) companies in the Developmental Stage, or are there any other limitations within the 8(a) program?

Under the 8(a) program, the first four years are considered a development stage and the last five years are considered a transitional stage. The solicitation is not limited to Offerors that are in the developmental stage of the SBA’s 8(a) program.

6. Would there be one IDIQ award or multiple awards?

Government Response: See Government response to question number 3.

7. Is the incumbent eligible to bid on new Solicitation?

Yes

8. Will the government accept CPARs instead of PPQs?

Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs) are not required. Please refer to Sections L and M of the official solicitation for information regarding submission of Past Performance. The Government will provide a template in Section J of the official solicitation for Past Performance References.

9. Can you please share the attendees/interested firms information?

Yes we will be posting the attendance information on www.sam.gov.

10. As this is a FFP IDIQ why is DCAA audit required?

A DCAA audit is not required.

11. Do you need to have SIN 541611 on your GSA Schedule to bid this effort?

This is an 8(a) competitive requirement. The solicitation will be posted on WWW.SAM.GOV under the opportunities portal. This requirement will not be solicited under any GSA schedule. For this effort, Offerors need to be certified in the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) program.

12. Will this be a single or multi award IDIQ?

Please refer to the Government response under number 3.

13. When will the FCL be required? Upon bid submission, by proposal award or by contract start?

Please refer to the answer to Question 2 and the DD254 posted as an attachment once the solicitation is posted. The successful offeror must be ready to perform the requirement at the time of award.

14. Will a Top Secret Facility Clearance be required for the Offeror or will a Secret Level Facility Clearance suffice?

Please refer to the DD254 posted as an attachment once the solicitation is posted. The successful offeror must be ready to perform the requirement at the time of award.

15. Will you sponsor a company for a security clearance?

No. Please refer to the DD254 posted as an attachment once the solicitation is posted. The successful offeror must be ready to perform the requirement at the time of award.

16. Is there a Collective Bargaining Agreement on the current contract?

No

17. Is there a min. size standard for the past performance references?

Past performance references shall include recent, relevant experience within the last five years, as of the solicitation release date, that demonstrate the Offeror’s ability to handle the scope and breadth of the Performance Work Statement.

Currently, the Government does not anticipate a minimum size standard for the past performance references, however, please refer to the solicitation for the official guidance.

18. Has the contracting vehicle for this effort been identified?

This will be awarded as an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) 8(a) competitive procurement. The IDIQ will allow for an indefinite quantity of services over a base year (12 months) with 4 Option periods of 12 months each for a total of 5 years period of performance (POP). The IDIQ also allows for an overall ceiling amount that is not be exceeded. Task Orders will be issued against the IDIQ to provide the funding under Contract Line Item Numbers (CLIN’s).

19. Will contact information for incumbent be provided to support transition being poised for small business 8(a), minor?

Incumbent information is provided in slide number 23 of the pre-solicitation conference presentation. The incumbent is Kiliuda Consulting, LLC.

20. Being poised for small business 8(a), minority, set aside what plans do you have to include all interested/qualified vendors? In other words how will collaboration be encouraged?

The conference is to elicit/encourage the interest of prospective contractors in pursuing the task. Prospective contractors are provided a list of attendees (i.e. email addresses etc.) in order to facilitate potential teaming opportunities. The pre-solicitation conference also increases competition amongst 8(a) companies, allows a better understanding of the requirement, and ensures that all potential Offerors receive information at the same time.

21. Are Joint venture 8(a)'s allowed?

Yes

22. A participant list for this meeting will be sent?

Government response:

Yes we will be posting the attendance information on www.sam.gov.

23. Having the information day virtually places teaming at a disadvantage. Goal is an excellent product created by small business - how will that be ensured by the USN?

Virtual conferences decrease costs of attendance (ie. Cost of hotels, plane tickets etc.) and help keep pace with the rapidly accelerating pace of technological change. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 1.102-4(e) specifically charges acquisition officials with encouraging business process innovations and promotes the use of a wide variety of strategies and practices to ensure that mission requirements are met.

24. When assessing the expected hours for the base and Option years, there appears to be a significant increase in scope from the historical IDIQ and TOs. Can the Government please provide more details around this increase in scope – and in what function area(s) the increase is expected?

Please refer to the solicitation for the released version of the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

25. Can the Government please share additional information on how many Key Personnel there will be and what LCATs are considered Key Personnel?

Please refer to the solicitation. The Government will not be providing personnel recommendations or LCATs. The Government will provide historical/estimated projected hours per task area of the overall Performance Work Statement (PWS) for the IDIQ in the solicitation. Offerors must determine how they will staff the requirement based on details provided in the solicitation.

26. Can the Government please provide additional details on what the scope areas of TO 1 will be, and whether this will be required to be separately priced as part of the initial IDIQ proposal?

The solicitation will provide the Performance Work Statement (PWS). If multiple Task Orders are required, the Government will provide price summary spreadsheet templates for Offeror proposals for both the IDIQ and the Task Orders. The solicitation will provide the instructions for the required documentation and submittals.

27. Can the Government please provide details on how many task orders are expected to be issued under the IDIQ in each – base and option year?

Please refer to the solicitation for the final details regarding Task Orders.

28. Will the Government please confirm that affiliate past performance will be considered as prime past performance?

Subcontractor past performance will not be considered as Prime past performance. Offeror shall submit one additional past performance reference for each subcontractor proposed to perform more than 15% of the total labor hours, if available. Offeror shall describe how the past performance references are relevant including details about how it is similar in scope and complexity to this solicitation’s PWS. Further details will be provided in the solicitation.

28. Will the Government please confirm that the most recent CPARs will be accepted in lieu of PPQs?

Please refer to the answer to Question 8.

29. Will the Government please consider reducing the percentage of performance for subcontractors required to provide past performance references from 30% to 20%?

The Government intends to utilize 15% as the percentage of past performance for subcontractors. Please refer to the official solicitation.

30. Will the Government please consider modifying the past performance requirements to reflect – up to five past performance references, with at least 1 reference coming from the prime offeror?

The Government will not limit past performance references to five. In addition to three prime Offeror past performance references, Offerors shall submit one additional past performance reference for each subcontractor proposed to perform more than 15% of the total labor hours, if available. Please refer to the official solicitation.

31. Will the Government please confirm that for JV offerors at least one of the past performance references must be provided by the protégé firm?

A protégé would be considered part of the Prime Offeror (Joint Venture) and therefore at least one past performance for the protégé should be provided if available. Please refer to the official solicitation for past performance requirements for Prime offerors.

Industry Questions:

32. Will the Government provide a historical staffing level of effort?

An estimated number of hours/ tasking will be provided in the solicitation.

33. Will the Government please provide job descriptions for all LCATs as well as all required certifications and trainings?

Please refer the Government response under question number 25.

34. Will the Government please provide a breakdown of the expected/anticipated LOE by LCAT and quantity?

Please refer to response under question number 25.

35. Will the Government please provide a plug/NTE for ODCs?

Government response

The unburdened ODC amounts will be provided in the solicitation.