M00264-15-T-1064_Questions_and_Answers.docx

Questions & Answers Request For Quote M00264-15-T-1064 M0008315SUFLT01 Foreign Language Training July 23, 2015

Question 1: The Washington Language Center LLC’s GSA contract (GS10F027AA) authorizes to bill for language instructors at an hourly rate. This is typical of commercial language training companies. For this year-long assignment, you are requiring that we quote this work on a monthly basis for training provided, to cover a year. Please amend the requirement to permit bids on the basis of an hourly rate for the language training hours.

Answer 1: This contract is being awarded for a year basis (12 months long) and the quote must be provided for the full year. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring all employees maintain fully trained employees to meet the task order requirements. In addition, MCIA specific training will be required on a monthly basis. However, this training is only available through MCIA and shall be provided monthly to all Marines and Civilian personnel. With that, vendors submit invoices to the government monthly in sync with specific training courses.

The vendor is responsible for individual breakout of hourly rate payments within their company.

Ex, Basic Spanish at 132.87 an hour for 40 hours equals $5,314.80 Question 2: Our foreign language instructors come from international backgrounds, and as a small business, it would be an extreme financial burden for us to provide clearances for them, if in fact it is possible, as many of them are simply not citizens. In addition, it is doubtful that a company can provide these clearances in the short turn-around required. Please eliminate the requirement for staff and facility clearances.

Answer2: MCIA has provided escorts to foreign language instructors from previous short term classes taught here at MCIA that did not have the proper clearances. For this long term contract, this is not something that could not be eliminated to work here permanently at our facility.

Question 3: The RFP does not provide for covering ODCs, the direct costs for textbooks, copies and other language study materials that a vendor would incur in performing this contract. Please amend the RFQ to allow the vendor to bill for direct costs for training materials for student use.

Answer 3: All costs for textbooks, copies and other language study materials are to be covered by the vendor with the allotted money per the contract. Once a curriculum has been developed and reviewed by the vendor, MCIA would provide payment for any additional materials.

Question 4: Please extend the offer due date at least one week beyond July 6 to allow sufficient time to receive amendments and craft a final quote response.

Answer 4: The due date has been extended until July 16, 2015.

Question 5: What languages will MCIA require under this contract?

Answer 5: At this time MCIA does not require any other additional languages other than the ones stated per the contract.

Question 6: How many classes does MCIA anticipate during the course of the year, including languages, target levels, duration, likely number of hours per day, etc.?

Answer 6: We anticipate the vendor to provide instruction of multiple language courses throughout the year that target basic, intermediate, and advanced levels for two hour sessions a day.

Question 7: Because of the distance to Quantico from Washington, Maryland and No. VA, we have regularly paid mileage to our instructors to compensate them for the long distance traveled to teach at MCIA Quantico. As a result, our teachers have not quit mid-training and we finish each class for MCIA successfully. Please add mileage or travel cost reimbursement to ODCs for this contract.

Answer 7: Travel/mileage expenses should be incorporated into the contract price. These will not be reimbursed as a separate Line Item.

Question 8: If I may ask you, for the above solicitation, for what languages do you need linguists and where?

Answer 8: We are looking for instructors to teach French, Spanish, Arabic, Korean, Chinese-Mandarin and Russian here on Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA.

Question 9: Is a separate class needed for beginner, intermediate and expert for every language: French, Spanish, Arabic, Korean, Chinese-Mandarin and Russian? So a total of 18 classes/instructors?

Answer 9: Yes, separate classes are need for beginner, intermediate and advance levels. However, an instructor should be able to teach at all three levels. This equals a total of 18 class with 5 instructors.

Question 10: I have completed form DD254 and several of my instructors have TS/SCI clearance. The instructors are US Citizens and possess an in-scope, favorable, Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI). Can you confirm whether this makes us eligible?

Answer 10: No, Not only must your instructor have TS/SCI clearances, but your company must have a facility clearance at TS/SCI cleared.

Question 11: Are we required to fill all positions, or may we propose instructors for some of the languages?

Answer 11: You need to be able to fill all positions required in the PWS.

Question 12: Has a contractor performed similar work to this for the government in the past?

If available, please provide the incumbent contract number.

If you are unable to provide a contract number, is it safe to assume this is a new requirement for the government?

Answer 12: Yes, we have had a vendor perform this type of work in the past, but this is a new contract.

Question 13: Recognizing that this was originally released through GSA, what, besides price, do you expect to be included in the submission?

Answer 13: Provide a gist of what and how the vendor wishes to meet training all levels of training and levels, i.e., maybe a layout of course breakout.

Question 14: How should the proposal be submitted, electronically, hard copy or both?

Answer 14: Your quote should be emailed to colleen.powers@usmc.mil. No hard copies are necessary.

Question 15: What is the anticipated student load? How many students per language do you expect to train during the course of the year? How many hours of instruction are anticipated by language?

Answer 15: Due to operational commitment, we expect the number of students to change throughout the year depending on the courses being taught. At any given time we have 60 personnel that would need training. Hours of instruction would be 2 hours a day for basic, intermediate, and advance training per language.

Question 16: Is there a preference for class size maximum?

Answer 16: No more than 8 students

Question 17: How many instructors of each language do you anticipate needing?

Answer 17: One instructor for each language. Instructors are expected to teach basic, intermediate, and advanced levels.

Question 18: Given the short suspense and need for the above clarifications, would you consider extending the due date one week?

Answer 18: Yes.

Question 19: Will you also be asking for resumes and letters of commitment?

Answer 19: Yes.