M0026425Q0121 Amendment 001 Attachment QA Doc.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 24 KB Posted
- Attached to
- Genealogical Support Services Federal contract opportunity
- Solicitation number
- M00264-25-Q-0121
- Issued by
- United States Marine Corps
About this file
This document is an Amendment 001 Questions & Answers (Q&A) file for a Genealogical Support Services solicitation (M00264-25-Q-0121) issued by the United States Marine Corps. The solicitation seeks a contractor to provide genealogical research and family member location services, including DNA kit management, swabbing, and shipping. Key modifications include clarifying past performance requirements (allowing one to three similar contracts in the last five years), removing ad buying and paid marketing language, and specifying contractor responsibilities for DNA kit follow-up, swab procurement, and pre-paid shipping labels.
The Q&A document addresses multiple technical and procedural details, such as swab specifications (Filtered Air Breathable cotton-tipped applicators from Harmony Supplies), DNA kit handling protocols, and genealogist credential requirements. The base period involves 1,000 DNA kits, with option years increasing to 1,200 kits. Contractors must purchase swabs and shipping labels, with the government providing pouches and instructions through AFDIL (Armed Forces DNA Lab). Genealogists on the team are required to have credentials from ICAPGen or BCG, with at least key personnel meeting this qualification.
View the file
Other files for this federal contract opportunity
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| RFQ Attachment 1 Pricing Template (Amendment 001 Revised).xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| M00264-25-Q-0121 Amendment 001.docx | DOCX document | |
| RFQ Attachment 1 Pricing Template.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| M00264-25-Q-0121.docx | DOCX document | |
| RFQ Attachment 2 Past Performance Reference.docx | DOCX document | |
| RFQ Attachment 3 Assessor Past Performance Questionnaire.docx | DOCX document |
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Sheet1
| M00264-25-Q-0121 Amendment 001 Questions & Answers | ||
| Solicitation Section | Comment/Question | Government Response |
| Past Performance | Per available contract data, over the past five years, the government has only awarded three contracts with similar (150+ annual cases) scope (genealogical research + family member locating) for as this contract. These contracts were all awarded to three different contractors, and are all in progress. The government has NEVER issued an contract award for assembling and shipping FRS kits. Therefore the past performance requirement of three government contracts in the past five years for similar size and scope is very restrictive and no vendor will be able to meet. While private sector is not noted as an allowable past performance, the private sector rarely if at all purchases these services in mass quantities. Please consider lowering the PAST PERFORMANCE to one similar contract in progress or completed. | FAR 52.212-1 Addendum, Factor 2 Past Performance of the solicitation has been revised to specify that quoters may provide "no more than three (3) contracts within the last five (5) years (projects may be ongoing) that are relevant to the work described in the solicitation…" |
As stated in the solicitation, "If a quoter submits no record of past performance information or references submitted are not sufficiently relevant, and the Government has no or insufficient information available regarding the quoter’s past performance, that quoter will receive a Neutral/Unknown Confident rating (i.e. the quoter is evaluated neither positive nor negative) for past performance."
| Section II - Evaluation Factors | |||
| Volume II - Factor 1: Staffing Plan 1.c. | (p. 15) "proposed staff meets or exceeds requirement for specialized experience in ad buying, paid marketing, etc. and has prior experience." Please provide further information on specific duties for ad buying and paid marketing requirements in conjunction with this PWS. | The solicitation has been revised to remove language regarding ad buying and paid marketing and replaced with genealogy services. Please see updates to FAR 52.212-2 Addendum section II Evaluation Factors, Staffing Plan, paragraph 1(c). | |
| PWS - 5.5 | (page 6) Who is responsible for follow-up protocols regarding DNA Kits not being returned? The government or the Contractor? If contractor which CLIN should the costs and labor hours be allocated to? | The contractor will follow up with family members for phase 1 (30 days) and phase 2 (90 days). The government will be responsible for final follow up with family members after six months on kits not returned. Please see updated PWS section 5.5. | |
| PWS - 3.1.g (p. 3) |
Schedule of Supplies (p. 8) Pricing Spreadsheet In regards to the swabs / swabbing:
- page 3 mentions the swabs will "be provided by Harmony Supplies." Can you clarify if we are to purchase them, or the government is providing them to us via Harmony Supplies.
- page 8 the (SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES / SERVICES) reference "SWABBING" (which is an action) in CLIN 0003, 1003, 2003, 3003, and 4003. Is this for the purchase of swabs, please clarify what the number 6 units pertains / refers to.
NOTE: If three swabs are being supplied to each FRS donor, the quantity for the base year should be 3,000 (1000 FRS Kits x 3), and each subsequent year 3,600 (1200 FRS Kits x 3). The contractor will need to purchase the swabs from a viable supply source. The Harmony Supplies swab is a specific type of swabbed used to best collect DNA from the donor. Filtered Air Breathable (FAB_SWAB) cotton Tipped Applicator is used.
Please see updated PWS section 3.1. and updated Schedule of Supplies/Services.
| Schedule of Supplies (p. 8) | ||
| Pricing Spreadsheet | Please clarify the quantities for shipping / postage in respects to CLIN 0004, 1004, 2004, 3004 and 4004. If 250 Cases are being completed and 4 test kits, requiring 2 labels each (outgoing to donor and return label to AFDIL), a total of 2,000 shipping labels / units of postage are needed for the Base Period, and 2,400 for each subsequent option year. Only quantities of 6 or 8 are listed. Please identify what those quantities are in relation to. | Pre-paid postage envelopes must be procured by the contractor through either USPS, or FedEx with a tracking number. The FAB swabs and swab labels must be purchased by the contractor separately. |
Please see updated RFQ Attachment 1 - Pricing Template
| PWS 3.1.d | (page 3) This section references section 3.1.c, however maternal relatives in section 3.1.b are also eligible for snpDNA. Does the consideration in section 3.1.d also reflect to 3.1.b.? | No , 3.1.d is another type of SNP DNA test, and stands as it's own Family Reference Sample (FRS). They are not as closely related as other maternal relatives but still are a maternal, just not Mitochondrial (mtDNA). |
| PWS 3.1.e | (page 3) a paternal niece is eligible for the snpDNA test. | Yes that is correct; SNP DNA Test |
| General Question | Historically, under past requirements, identification of a Primary (PNOK) and Secondary (SNOK) next of kin have been required. Confirming the identification / contact of an SNOK is not required as part of this requirement. | NO that is incorrect. The SNOK is required to be identified as part of the required services in the resulting contract. Please see updated PWS section 3. |
| Statement of Work Section 17 Performance Requirements Summary Schedule of Supplies/Services Table pg. 8 | Could the Government please clarify the distinction between CLIN X002 (DNA Kits) and CLINs X003 and X004 (Swabbing and Shipping), specifically with respect to the required deliverables and performance expectations under each? | BASE PERIOD CLIN X002- DNA Kits (1000 kits shipped is correct). BASE PERIOD CLIN X003- (Swabs)- This block is based on 6 cases of swabs to purchase. BASE PERIOD CLIN X004 (Shipping)- This block is cost of shipping 6 cases from vendor for swabs purchased. OPTION YEARS CLIN X002- DNA Kits is accurate with 1200; OPTION YEARS CLIN X003 (Swabs)- should reflect 8 cases of swabs to purchase. OPTION YEARS CLIN X004 (Shipping)- should be reflect 8 cases of swabs purchased to be shipped. |
| Statement of Work Section 3 Tasks and Specifications, subsection 3.1 (g) pg. 3 | Can the Government please clarify whether the cost of pre-paid envelopes for DNA kit shipments will be covered by Harmony Supplies, or should this expense be factored into the contractor’s budget? | Pre-paid postage envelopes must be procured by the contractor through either USPS, or FedEx with a tracking number. The contractor shall be responsible for these expenses. |
Addendum Section IV. Volume II Staffing Plan pg. 13 Can the Government please clarify whether all genealogists on the contractor’s team must hold credentials from ICAPGen or BCG, or if it is sufficient for only certain key personnel to maintain these certifications? It is sufficient and acceptable that only key personnel for the genealogist team maintain credentials from ICAPGen or BCG, provided it is a genealogist with the ICAPGen or BCG credentials. Please see updated PWS section 3 as well as FAR 52.212-1 Addendum, Volume II Factor 1, Staffing Plan, paragraph 1(a).
| Addendum Section IV. Volume III Past Performance pg. 14 | Can the Government please confirm whether state or local government contracts, or other non-federal efforts of similar scope, magnitude, and complexity, may be submitted as relevant past performance in Factor 2, and if so, how quoters should address fields such as NAICS code or contract/task order number that do not apply? | Quoters may submit past performance references for state or local contracts, or non-federal efforts similar in scope, magnitude, and complexity. For non-federal past performance efforts, the quoter shall provide the NAICS code that most appropriately fits the preponderance of the contract referenced. |
| Performance Work Statement, Page 3, Paragraph 3.1 (g.) | The performance work statement states that “DNA kits materials will be provided by Harmony Supplies and AFDIL (Armed Forces DNA Lab). The swabs and labels are provided by Harmony Supplies and AFDIL will provide instructions and pouches.” |
Do we order these supplies directly from Harmony Supplies and AFDIL and pay Harmony Supplies and AFDIL? The government (via AFDIL) will provide the pouches to the contractor. There is no cost to the contractor for the pouches.
Please see updated PWS section 3.1.
Performance Work Statement, Page 3, Paragraph 3.1 (g.) The performance work statement states that “DNA kits materials will be provided by Harmony Supplies and AFDIL (Armed Forces DNA Lab). The swabs and labels are provided by Harmony Supplies and AFDIL will provide instructions and pouches.”
Can you please provide the exact part numbers of the supplies needed (DNA Kits and the swabs and labels) to ensure we can provide accurate cost? The part number to order the FAB swabs and labels from Harmony Supplies is as follows:
Swabs Code / SKU: P25-805-1PC-TT-FABUSA. Labels are provided with swab purchase form Harmony Supplies. The SKU has been provided in the amended solicitation.
Please see updated PWS section 3.1.
Performance Work Statement, Page 3, Paragraph 3.1 (g.) The performance work statement states that “DNA kits materials will be provided by Harmony Supplies and AFDIL (Armed Forces DNA Lab). The swabs and labels are provided by Harmony Supplies and AFDIL will provide instructions and pouches.”
Is there a cost involved for the instructions and pouches provided by AFDIL? There is no initial cost to acquire the swab instructions or pouches. The instructions will be provided from the government (via AFDIL) to the contractor, at no cost. However, it will then be the contractor's responsibility to copy and print the instructions in order to provide a copy within each DNA Kit shipment. Pouches will be provided by the government free of charge to the contractor (via AFDIL). Please see updated PWS section 3.1.
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .