E1_Attachment 5-MDMC Digital Depot Q and A.pdf

1. Will responses to Q&A be consolidated into a single amendment, and when is it expected to be released?

a) Yes, all questions are contained within this response.

2. Please clarify the expected on-site versus telework posture by labor category, including whether any positions are required to be full-time onsite and whether personnel must be physically present to initiate CAC/MCEN processing.

a) Per PWS Sect 1.5.3, place of performance is 814 Radford Blvd, Maintenance Center Bldg. 2200, Albany, GA 31704. Per PWS Sect 1.5.3.1, teleworking will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Personnel do not need to be physically present to initiate CAC/MCEN processing.

For contractors teleworking, we can ship an MCEN laptop to them and coordinate with a local reserve unit a day/time for the contractor to come to their location and load their profile.

3. For Subfactor 3, please confirm the exact expectations for the Implementation Plan, including whether the Government expects coverage of all PWS paragraphs 4.1–4.5.7 or only the highlighted areas.

a) Government expects coverage of all PWS paragraphs 4.1 – 4.5.7. Subfactor 3, first paragraph states “Quoters shall submit an Implementation Plan for PWS paragraphs and subparagraphs for 4.1 – 4.5.7 which shall demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the PWS requirements. The Quoter shall demonstrate a thorough understanding of the efforts necessary to successfully accomplish the requirements of this order.”

4. Please provide a baseline inventory for each in-scope MDMC IT system, including current hosting, environments, user base, major integrations, and operational status. In addition, is there a preferred cloud required to migrate to?

a) User base is Marine Depot Maintenance Command.

System Database Operating

System Preferred Cloud

Status

DMPS Oracle 19c RHEL 8.X Azure GovCloud

IL4

IATB

I-GUIDES Microsoft

SQL 2019

Windows Server 2022

Standalone system.

ATO expires 3/31/2028

MCPALMS Oracle 19c RHEL 8.X Oracle Forms.

ATO expires 5/31/2028. A 3-month extension is being requested.

MCPAS Oracle 19c RHEL 9.X ATO expires 5/31/2028. A 5-month extension is being requested.

TMDE Website Microsoft

SQL 2022

Windows Server 2022

ATO expires 12/31/2027

MDMCPP Microsoft

SQL 2022

Windows Server 2022

Modified RMF step 3 ATO approved for M365 + D365.

5. For MRO, which is identified as being removed by 5/31/2026, please confirm whether sustainment, transition, decommissioning, or data migration activities are in scope during the base period.

a) Sustainment is in scope until decommissioned. The date has slipped from 5/31/2026 to 7/31/2026. PWS has been updated to reflect change.

Transition and data migration are out of scope of this contract.

6. Please identify what transition artifacts the Government will provide at award, including incumbent documentation, SOPs, open backlog/tickets, architecture diagrams, ATO materials, asset inventories, and any expected overlap with the outgoing contractor.

a) At award, vendor will be provided with access to private Microsoft Teams channels which the repository for working documents and SOPs. Final versions are uploaded to eMASS.

7. The RFQ states the Government estimates 13 FTEs. Please provide the Government’s notional staffing mix by role or function, including whether the alternate PM is expected to be separately staffed within that estimate.

a) The Government estimate of 13 FTEs is provided for planning purposes only and should not be interpreted as a mandated staffing structure. Quoters are encouraged to align proposed labor categories to the PWS task areas and clearly demonstrate how their approach effectively supports all required functions. PM is included in the estimated (13) FTEs.

8. Please confirm the expected timeline for base access, CAC issuance, and MCEN account enablement for new personnel.

a) Base access is approved in 1-2 business days on average. CAC issuance can be on the same day or could take a few days depending on contractor’s local Pass & ID availability. Some Pass & ID locations accept walk-ins whereas others only accept appointments. MCEN-N SAARs have historically been processed in 1 business day. Once SAAR is approved, Government will issue GFE the same day. If Contractor is teleworking, Government will ship GFE to contractor’s home address.

9. PWS 4.1.5/4.1.7 references maintaining CMMI Level 3 certification. Please confirm whether a current formal certification is required at time of quote or award, and what supporting evidence the Government expects offerors to provide.

a) CMMI Level 3 certification is not required at time of quote. Acceptable supporting evidence is a <insert vendor name> holds CMMI Level 3 certification in both Development and Services (certificate # 68535 / expires:<insert date

MM/DD/YYYY>).

10. Please clarify which software licenses, cloud services, admin tools, database tools, development/test tools, and other platform services will be Government-furnished versus contractor-provided. In addition, is there a preferred cloud required to migrate to?

a) All software licenses, cloud services, admin tools, database tools, development/test tools, and other platform services will be Government-furnished. The preferred cloud to migrate to is Azure GovCloud IL4.

11. Please clarify the distinction between CLIN 0002 Mission Support and CLIN 0003 ODC/Travel, including where software, software support, temporary labor, parts, surge-related purchases, and other reimbursable items should be priced and administered.

a) CLIN 0003 is for travel only. CLIN 0002 supports all unforeseen required software, software support, temporary labor. CLIN 0003 will have a Not-to- Exceed amount set at $20,000.00 and CLIN 0002 will have a Not-to-Exceed amount set at $10,000.00 (see amendment 0001).

12. PWS 1.3.4 requires three competitive quotes for RGS actions unless otherwise justified.

Please confirm whether this applies to every RGS action regardless of dollar value, including urgent surge, overtime, software, and travel requests, and whether any emergency exceptions apply.

a) Travel: 3 competitive quotes does not apply.

Mission Support: Government COTR will be lead to obtain quotes.

13. Attachment 4 states that if Temp Labor is required, Enclosure 1 must be completed.

Please provide Enclosure 1 or confirm that it is not applicable to this RFQ.

a) Not applicable. Attachment four (4) has been amended to remove.

14. PWS 1.3.2 and 1.3.4 direct contractors to “see Section 6” for due date, submittal method, medium, and format, but Section 6 appears to address Travel. Please confirm the required due date, format, routing, and approval process for monthly status/staffing reports and monthly Mission Support reporting.

a) PWS amended to direct quotes to “see Section 5”.

15. Please provide the required WAWF document types, routing DoDAACs, and WAWF point of contact for both FFP and cost-reimbursable CLINs.

a) DFARS 252.232-7006 (WAWF) will be filled out with appropriate routing

DoDAACs for both FFP and cost-reimbursable CLINS at time of award.

16. FAR 52.222-42 appears with blank equivalent-rate fields. Please confirm whether the

Government intends to populate the equivalent federal classifications/rates or whether this clause should be treated as informational only.

a) Quoters are responsible for filling identifying any applicable labor categories in attachment (1). The Government will fill in FAR 52.222-42 at time of award, as applicable.

17. Please confirm whether the site safety plan, monthly safety meetings/inspections, and related VPP/industrial safety requirements apply in full to this primarily IT support effort or whether any tailoring is intended.

a) The site safety plan, monthly safety meetings/inspections, and related VPP/industrial safety requirements apply in full to this primarily IT support effort if any Contractor is working on site at place of performance. If all contractors are approved for telework, this part does not apply. Government will provide a safety plan template (if applicable) to Contractor after award.

18. The inspection/acceptance schedule lists POCs as TBD at award. Please confirm whether a functional acceptance point of contact can be identified before award for proposal planning purposes.

a) Functional acceptance is still being finalized and will be determined at time of award.

19. Please confirm whether the Government expects a separate continuity or essential services staffing approach for after-hours or mission-essential coverage.

a) PWS sect 1.5.2, last line states “Support may be required outside normal duty hours for any mission critical event(s) determined by DID Director or COR that requires immediate attention.” Vendors’ proposal should include how they plan to achieve this.

20. Please allow an extension of two weeks for the proposal submission, to allow time for industry to adjust for answers to questions submitted.

a) The Government has a mission essential award date of 30 April 2026 and intends, to the maximum extent practicable, to keep the closing date as 16 April 2026.

21. Can the prime inherent CMMI Level 3 from a teaming partner?

a) Yes.

22. Can the Prime be working on receiving their CMMI Level 3 and still be eligible to bid?

a) Yes. However, Quoters must have CMMI Level 3 prior to award.

23. Does the Government anticipate badge flips?

a) Vendor discretion.

24. Can the Government clarify how “most advantageous” will be determined given Technical is acceptable/unacceptable and Past Performance is not weighted? (Section 25, Evaluation Criteria)

a) The Government will determine the “most advantageous” quotation using an approach consistent with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12.203(c)(2).

In accordance with this authority, the Contracting Officer has broad discretion in establishing evaluation procedures, which are not subject to FAR Parts 15 or 14.

Quotations will be evaluated on a comparative basis. Technical capability will be evaluated on an acceptable/unacceptable basis, informed by the review of submitted resumes and the overall technical approach.Pricing will be evaluated for reasonableness and balance through the submitted technical and pricing package. While Past Performance is not a weighted factor, the Government reserves the right to consider available information, if relevant, as part of its overall assessment of risk. The award will be made to the quoter whose quotation is determined to be most advantageous to the Government, based on a comparative assessment of technically acceptable quotations and price, with the

Government exercising broad discretion to select the solution that represents the best overall value.

25. Can the Government clarify whether a waiver will be considered for the CMMI Level 3 requirement, as obtaining and maintaining this certification can be cost prohibitive for small businesses and may limit competition?

a) A waiver will not be considered.

26. Can the Government confirm whether a subcontractor or teaming partner’s CMMI Level

3 certification will satisfy the requirement, particularly to support small business participation while still meeting capability needs?

a) See response to question 21.

27. Can the Government clarify whether all contractor personnel are required to perform work on-site, or if a percentage of the workforce may operate from an off-site location or contractor facility?

a) See response to question 2.

28. If off-site performance is permitted, are there any restrictions or requirements (e.g., security, network access, or approval processes) that would apply?

a) No known restrictions.

29. The security requirements indicate that the company must ensure personnel are properly cleared to access designated base(s)/worksite(s), is there a specific level of clearance that needs to be held/obtained (e.g. Secret, Top Secret) beyond the background check?

a) System Administrators and developers require a Tier 3 investigation per PWS

1.5.8. Cybersecurity billet(s) require a Secret clearance per PWS Sect 1.5.7. All others shall pass a T1 invesitgation.

30. Can the Government confirm the seven (7) “MDMC IT systems” listed within the PWS are the limit of scope for integrations? Are additional integrations to be required for operational technology? If so, what technologies?

a) Support services in this PWS include (7) MDMC IT systems listed at the bottom of PWS page 1. Top of PWS page 2 also include fifteen (15) support services which include Manufacturing Execution System integration and Operational Technology integration.

31. For each system in scope (DMPS, I GUIDES, MCPALMS, MCPAS, TMDE Website, MDMC Power Platform, etc.), what are the top 3 outcomes expected in the first 90/180/365 days?

a) Three outcomes expected in the first 90/180/365 are not tasked within the PWS.

32. For the MRO removal date, what contractor support is needed for the transition (e.g., data extraction and delivery, records archiving/retention, interface cutover/updates, user communications, knowledge transfer)?

a) See response to question 5.

33. Can the Government provide an explicit out-of-scope list (e.g, new feature development

vs. sustainment, OT hardware changes, vendor management) for each system?

a) No, a scope determination will be completed on an as needed basis for any new feature development vs. sustainment, OT hardware changes, and vendor management.

34. Does the Government currently have an existing middleware solution in place to support integrations? If so, please identify the solution. If not, are there approved or preferred third party connectors, or any vendors that are restricted?

a) The Government does not have an existing middleware solution in place to support integrations. There are no preferred third part connectors. Any solution proposed requires cybersecurity approval.

35. For each integration, can the Government identify whether the interface must be bi-directional or one-way?

a) All systems have a bi-directional interface except for I-GUIDES which is a standalone system.

36. For each integration, can the Government identify the frequency with which data must be exchanged (real-time, event based, daily, weekly, monthly, etc.)?

a) Interface frequency varies between live and 1x daily.

37. For each integration, can the Government identify the data types to be exchanged (e.g., digital work orders, E-BOM, M-BOM, CAD, documents, metadata, change workflows)?

a) Government will share this information iteratively post award.

38. Can the Government identify whether there are scenarios in which one system should be considered the system of record?

a) All MDMC IT systems are systems of record. All (7) MDMC IT systems have an approved Privacy Impact Assessment. None of the systems require a System of Record Notice (SORN).

39. Are there any existing network separations, firewalls, or air gapped environments that could impact integration design?

a) Yes.

40. Which company/companies are currently performing efforts for MDMC either partially or fully across this scope of work?

a) Historically, sustainment support for MDMC legacy information technology systems and applications was executed across multiple contract vehicles, each providing distinct and narrowly defined functional support. Task Order M67004- 22-F-3002 under the ITSS – MDMC CLIN provided system patching; Task Order M67004-24-D-0002 supported Dynamics 365 configuration; Task Order M67004- 25-F-5037 delivered cybersecurity services; and C2 Alaska M67004-24-P-4006 provided system administration support. These efforts were focused on maintaining existing, siloed systems within a legacy environment.

Current requirements, however, reflect a fundamental and material shift in both mission objectives and technical scope. In support of the Digital Depot Transformation, MDMC has significantly reduced legacy sustainment activities and redirected resources toward enterprise-wide modernization capabilities, including centralized data architecture, advanced manufacturing enablement, and forward-deployed operational support. Unlike prior efforts, which maintained discrete systems, the current requirement is centered on integrating data, reducing system redundancies, and enabling real-time transmission of digital technical data to support distributed manufacturing in contested environments. Additionally, alignment with the Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer’s Operational Cattle Drive initiative further drives the need to rationalize and streamline the IT portfolio, replacing legacy constructs with an enterprise-level solution.

As a result of these changes, the nature of the work has evolved from discrete sustainment functions to a fundamentally different, integrated capability focused on digital transformation and operational enablement. The scope, complexity, and technical objectives are no longer comparable to the prior contracts.

41. Can the Government clarify which activities are considered routine and therefore included in the firm-fixed-price (FFP) scope, versus which activities must be performed under MS as RGS-authorized work? In particular, please provide examples of what “MDMC IT system software” activities are considered MS vs. routine.

a) All activities under the PWS shall be included in the FFP Structure. MS/RGS will have an associated NTE amount applied.

42. Can the Government clarify the requirement of the overtime clause given the intent to award as a firm-fixed-price (FFP) labor contract?

a) Government included OT in case of extended requirements for work hours. If applicable, OT hours can be captured via modification or applied to MS CLIN 0002.

43. For each labor category, what level of on-site presence is required versus telework “case-by-case”?

a) See response to question 2.

44. Can the Government confirm whether any positions require privileged access on day one

(e.g., admin/root, elevated roles, production access)? If so, please identify the applicable labor categories/roles.

a) See response to question 29.

45. Can the Government confirm whether the Capability Maturity Model Integration

(CMMI) Level 3 certification requirement applies only to the prime contractor, or whether it also flows down to major subcontractors?

a) Prime is responsible for PWS task 4.1.5 that states “Contractor shall maintain CMMI level 3 certification.” One (prime or subcontractor) must maintain certification to comply with the task.

46. Can the Government confirm the required Impact Level (IL) for the development (dev), test, and production (prod) environments to be accredited/authorized to operate at? Does the required IL vary by environment and/or by data type? If so, please specify the required IL mapping by environment and data type.

a) Impact level is IL2 for development environment and IL 4/5 for test and production environments.

47. Can the Government specify where each environment (Dev/Test/Prod) is expected to be hosted (e.g., on-prem, within a Government-managed cloud, or within a contractor-managed cloud)? Please confirm whether the intention is for the contractor to be responsible for funding ongoing hosting/compute/storage/network costs (Government-provided vs contractor-provided) as a RGS.

a) All (7) systems are currently hosted in a USMC datacenter located in Kansas City, MO with the exception MDMCPP and DMPS which are hosted in Azure GovCloud IL 4/5.

Contractor managed clouds are not authorized.

Contractor is not responsible for Cloud costs including hosting, computing, storage, and network costs.

Government will cover all Cloud hosting and subscription costs.

48. Can the Government clarify who requires access to each environment (Dev/Test/Prod) (e.g., Government users, contractor staff, third-party vendors), from where access will occur (on-site, remote), with what authentication/network constraints (e.g., CAC, VPN), and any role-based access control (RBAC) requirements (e.g., admin, developer, read-only)?

a) Only contractor staff require access to the development environment.

Contractor staff and Government functional analysts require access to the test environment and production environment.

Access will be via CAC, VPN (for those teleworking), and an alternate token issued by the Government. Each system has a unique RBAC. This will be provided to Contractor after award.

49. Can the Government confirm whether Dev/Test/Prod environments must be fully isolated (e.g., separate accounts/subscriptions/tenants; separate virtual private cloud (VPC)/virtual network (VNet) or equivalent network segmentation; separate continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines; and segregated secrets/keys)? If so, please specify the minimum required isolation boundaries and any exceptions.

a) There are no restrictions currently.

50. Can the Government describe what the Production environment will run and who will use it, including the types of applications/services (web, APIs, microservices, batch/ETL, data platform), AI/ML workloads (training vs inference, any GPU/accelerator needs), expected integrations (upstream/downstream systems, message buses, identity), and the peak vs average usage patterns (concurrent users, transaction volumes, data throughput) so we can size compute/storage/network appropriately?

a) Unknown currently.

51. Can the government confirm who is responsible for providing, licensing, operating, and evidencing the required security tools and services across Dev/Test/Prod environments (e.g., HP Fortify, ACAS, Microsoft Defender), and whether the licenses are Government-furnished or contractor-furnished?

a) Government will provide HP Fortify license, ACAS, and Microsoft Defender to Contractor after award.

52. What is the required cadence for release and change control, given promotions to Test/Prod must be at PM/A-PM-approved times and changes are managed via Remedy?

a) Quality is more important than speed. After award, Government will provide the change management policy to the Contractor. Promotion is event driven, not based on a rigid timeline.

53. Per the requirement to “provide training upon request”, is the contractor expected to develop and maintain a formal end user training strategy and develop associated training resources? If so, please specify training formats (e.g., train-the-trainer, on-demand, live, hybrid), and whether the contractor is expected to develop or provide a training or knowledge hub.

a) PWS task 4.3.10 states Contractor shall provide training upon request by DID Dir or COR. This task doesn’t mandate a specific format or knowledge hub.

54. Can the Government confirm whether the daily backup / 30-day retention / recovery-on-request requirements apply to Dev and Test environments in addition to Prod? If so, please specify the required Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO) for each environment.

a) PWS task 3.13 only applies to production environment.

PWS task 4.3.23 states “Contractor shall complete a backup recovery within 1 business day upon request.”

55. Please confirm whether the Government has existing on-premises servers/infrastructure that will be used for this requirement, or whether the contractor is required to provision/maintain servers for this effort. Please clarify whether the contractor is expected to provide any server administration/management activities (e.g., patching, monitoring, backups, security hardening).

a) Government has existing on-premisis and Azure GovCloud servers that will be used for this requirement.

PWS has tasks for patching (ex: 4.3.15) and backups (ex: 4.3.13 and 4.3.23).

56. Can the government identify the programming languages and frameworks currently used across all in-scope systems (including all existing code repositories)?

a) I-GUIDES and MRO are COTS.

MDMCPP is leveraging D365 PSA module.

MCPALMS leverages Oracle Forms with C language.

MCPAS is Java.

DMPS language is TBD.

TMDE Website leverages C language.

57. Does the Government require the use of any specific development frameworks/platforms (e.g., .NET, Java/Spring, Node.js, Python frameworks) and/or adherence to any coding standards (e.g., style guides, secure coding baseline)? If so, please identify the applicable standards.

a) PWS does not mandate a specific development framework/platform.

USMC Style Guide is published at https://www.marines.mil/Style-Guide/. This Style Guide is encouraged but not mandatory for MDMC IT systems.

58. Is the contractor expected to support any legacy languages or vendor-specific stacks as part of the maintenance and enhancement of legacy systems and applications?

a) Yes. MCPALMS uses Oracle Forms.

https://www.marines.mil/Style-Guide/

59. Which specific documents must be updated within 3 business days after changes are promoted to prod (e.g., design docs, configuration baselines, release notes, user guides, runbooks, security artifacts)?

a) ATO artifacts shall be updated within 3 business days after change is promoted to production. Artifacts include but are not limited to: PPSM, System Diagram, control plans, etc.

User Guides, SOPs, and other administrative documents shall be updated as appropriate within 3 business days after changes are promoted to production.

60. Can the Government identify which extract, transform, and load (ETL) tools and languages are currently used and/or Government‑approved for this requirement? Will the contractor be expected to provide tools?

a) Government will provide post award. See response to question 6.

Government shall provide tools.

61. Can the Government specify which database technologies are in scope (vendor/platform and versions) and what level of database development and administration is expected (e.g., schema changes, stored procedures, data model updates, indexing/query optimization, performance tuning, backup/restore support)?

a) See response to question 4. More information will be provided to Contractor after award.

62. Can the Government confirm the expected ETL frequency/number of executions? For each, please confirm the size, type, and quantity of data to be processed for the ETL activities.

a) Government will provide post award. See response to question 6.

63. Which Government-approved cloud environment(s) are in scope?

a) Azure GovCloud IL4

64. Can the Government confirm whether cloud access must be routed through MCBOSS?

a) DMPS and MDMCPP are not hosted in MCBOSS. There is no requirement to route through MCBOSS.

65. Can the Government specify which cloud cost-optimization levers are permitted within the Government-approved environment(s) (e.g., reserved instances/savings plans, autoscaling policies, rightsizing, storage tiering/lifecycle policies, shutdown schedules) and identify the approval authority and process for implementing such changes (approver(s), required artifacts, and expected turnaround time)?

a) Contractor can propose any cloud cost-optimization levers to COR or DID Dir for review and approval.

66. For the requirement to “migrate data within 30 days upon request,” what Government prerequisites / dependencies must be in place to start the 30‑day clock?

a) A Government Acceptance Testing (GAT) is a prerequisite before migrating data.

67. Are Authority to Operate (ATOs) or Interim Authority to Test (IATTs) in place for the existing in scope systems? If yes, is the Government willing to update ATO packages as integrations are added? For each system, please provide current status (e.g., active/conditional/interim/expired) and next renewal/reassessment date.

a) See response to question 4. ATO status in in the right column.

68. Please confirm a compliant submission includes three (3) cover sheets; one each for the

Technical Package, Price Package, and Past Performance and whether each cover sheet counts toward the applicable page limit, given the RFQ’s direction that each digital sheet is counted toward the maximum page limit.

a) Yes, compliant submission included three (3) cover sheets; one each for the Technical, Price, and Past Performance package. Cover sheets do NOT count towards the applicable page limit.

69. Will the Government consider an extension on the 16 APR deadline for quote submission for vendors to put together a comprehensive response to Q&A?

a) See response to question 20.

70. Can the Government provide a detailed technology stack (including programming languages, databases, framework versions, and server operating systems) for the existing legacy systems listed in Section 1.3?

a) See response to question 4.

71. Section 4.2 states the Contractor shall "provide and maintain" development, test, and production environments. Is the Contractor expected to procure and host these environments on Contractor-owned infrastructure, or will the Government provide the necessary physical servers or cloud infrastructure?

a) Government will provide Azure subscriptions. Contractor shall build out within each environment (development, test, and production) that adheres to cybersecurity requirements.

72. Regarding the 30-day cloud migration requirement in Section 4.4.3, what is the anticipated data volume/size, and which Government-approved Cloud Service Provider(s) (e.g., AWS GovCloud, Azure for Government) are targeted for this migration?

a) Anticipated data volume/size is 15 TB. Since size changes over time, the Contract doesn’t list a ceiling on purpose.

73. The Evaluation Criteria estimates 13 FTEs to cover a vast scope of work, including highly specialized domains like AI support (includes Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Robotics). Does the Government expect or encourage Offerors to utilize reach-back support or part-time Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to fulfill these specialized requirements without exceeding the estimated 13 FTE threshold?

a) See response to question 7.

74. Section 1.3 lists AI and Robotics support as an included service, but Section 4 does not define specific AI/Robotics tasks or deliverables. Can the Government clarify the current maturity level of these initiatives and provide specific use cases or objectives the Contractor will be expected to achieve?

a) AI and Robotics is in scope but is not listed as a specific task or deliverable. This was done on purpose because this is a follow-on action after integration and cloud migration.

75. What specific ETL tools (e.g., Informatica, SSIS, custom scripts) and authoritative data sources are currently utilized within the MDMC environment for the tasks described in Section 4.3.18?

a) Government will provide the contractor full access to each environment and artifacts to understand current state. All interfaces are automated.

76. How many active ATO packages currently exist for the systems under this PWS, what are their respective expiration dates, and does the USMC utilize eMASS as the primary repository for managing these RMF packages?

a) USMC utilizes eMASS for ATO packages.

At award, vendor will be provided access to private Microsoft Teams channels which is our repository for working documents and SOPs. Final versions are uploaded to eMASS

ATO status for each is listed in response to question 4.

77. Section 4.3.16 references support for all six SDLC stages. Are the current systems in active development (new features being added), or are they primarily in sustainment/maintenance mode?

a) DMPS and MDMCPP are in active development. The remaining IT systems (MCPALMS, MCPAS, TMDE Website, and I-GUIDES) are in sustainment/maintenance mode.

78. Section 4.3.21 requires daily (Monday–Friday) health monitoring for each system. Is there an existing monitoring/alerting tool in place (e.g., SIEM, Splunk, Dynatrace), or will the Contractor be expected to implement one? Is the tracking mechanism referenced in Section 4.3.20 an existing tool or a new deliverable?

a) Government will provide Splunk license to Contractor after award.

79. The scope includes AI support (Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Robotics) per

Section 1.3. Are there active AI/ML projects underway, and if so, what platforms are being used (e.g., Azure AI, AWS SageMaker, on-prem GPU clusters)? What is the expected scope of Robotics support — physical robotics on the depot floor, or software-defined process automation?

a) There are no active AI/ML projects underway.

PWS page 2 states support services include “AI support (includes Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Robotics.” There is no PWS task on this topic. This was because the requirement was unknown at time of PWS generation. The Government added it in scope because we know it will be needed at a future date.

What this looks like and when we will need it is unknown. If this support is required, Government will request a quote from vendor for this increased support and submit a RGS to the KO request approval to use Mission Support CLIN to fund this additional service.

80. The scope includes "Manufacturing Execution System integration" (§1.3). Which MES platform(s) are deployed or being integrated at the Digital Depot? What Operational Technology (OT) systems/protocols (e.g., OPC-UA, MQTT) are involved in the IoT/OT integration referenced in §1.2

a) For both questions, the answer is unknown at this time.

81. The Government estimates 13 FTEs (Evaluation §II.b), but only identifies two key personnel billets (Project Manager and Cybersecurity, §1.5.7). Can the Government provide the recommended labor category breakdown for the remaining 11 non-key FTEs

— either by skill area or by the PWS task sections they map to? This is critical for competitive and compliant pricing, ensuring a fair and equitable competition.

a) It is the Government’s intent for quoters to propose their own labor category mix and staffing approach necessary to successfully accomplish the requirements of the Performance Work Statement (PWS). Rather than prescribing a specific labor category breakdown for the remaining Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs), the Government expects quoters to leverage their expertise, experience, and understanding of the operating environment to determine the appropriate skill sets and labor distribution. The Government estimate of 13 FTEs is provided for planning purposes only and should not be interpreted as a mandated staffing structure. Quoters are encouraged to align proposed labor categories to the PWS task areas and clearly demonstrate how their approach effectively supports all required functions. Consistent with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12.203(c)(2), the Government will evaluate quotations using streamlined procedures and reserves broad discretion in its evaluation methodology. As such, the evaluation will focus on whether the proposed staffing approach, supported by submitted resumes and the technical/price package, demonstrates an adequate and effective capability to meet PWS requirements.

82. The incumbent contractor is presumably in place. Will the Government facilitate incumbent-to-awardee knowledge transfer or provide any transition documentation (e.g., system architecture diagrams, SOPs, current ATO packages, open Remedy tickets)? What is the incumbent's current staffing profile?

a) See response to question 40.

83. For HP Fortify code scans (§4.3.4), will the Government provide Fortify licenses and access, or is the Contractor expected to procure them? Is Fortify currently deployed within the MCEN environment?

a) Government already procured Fortify license. A Government Furnished Equipment (laptop) connected to MCEN can run a Fortify scan.

84. Would the Government consider extending the response deadline to allow offerors additional time to develop a more comprehensive and compelling response while identifying and onboarding appropriately qualified staff to ensure the highest quality solution?

a) See response to question 20

85. Would the Government consider including a requirement for CMMC Level 2 certification, this will ensure contractors demonstrate adequate cybersecurity maturity and protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in alignment with federal security expectations?

a) No.

86. Would the Government consider using a Time-and-Materials (T&M) pricing structure in lieu of the current approach, given the operational and maintenance nature of the requirement and the absence of defined labor categories (LCATs), to ensure more accurate and realistic pricing?

a) The use of a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) contract structure has been mandated to the maximum extent practicable.

87. Can the Government confirm that the Cover Page, Cover Letter, and Exception/Deviation/Waiver are not included in the 25-page limit?

a) Cover Page, Cover Letter, and Exception/Deviation/Waiver are NOT included in the 25-page limit.

88. The PWS requires 50% key-personnel staffing within 15 calendar days and 100% key + non-key staffing within 30 calendar days of award. Please provide the Government’s estimated total Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) / Level of Effort (LOE) for the base period (CLIN 0001) and any anticipated non-key labor categories or total headcount so Offerors can size the team appropriately.

a) See response to question 7.

89. PWS paragraph 1.5.3.1 states “Teleworking will be considered on a case-by-case basis.”

Please clarify (a) the maximum percentage of positions that may be approved for remote/telework, (b) the approval process and frequency of review, and (c) whether any key personnel (Project Manager or Cybersecurity Analyst) may telework.

a) 100%

b) Submit request to COTR, COR, or DID Dir for approval.

c) Key personnel will be considered for telework.

90. For CLIN 0003 (ODC/Travel - Cost No Fee), please provide the Government’s anticipated annual travel volume, number of TDYs, typical destinations, and any known travel requirements for the base period so Offerors can price the CLIN realistically.

a) CLIN 0003 does not require pricing. A Not-to-Exceed set amount of $20,000.00 will be applied to all quoters for price reasonableness determination.

91. Mission Support (CLIN 0002) is priced as a single “Lot.” Please provide any historical data, estimated annual RGS volume, or notional dollar value the Government expects for Mission Support, Surge, and Overtime during the base period to allow fair pricing of the lot.

a) The Government does not have historical data. A Not-to-Exceed set amount of $10,000.00 will be applied to all quoters for price reasonableness determination.

92. The solicitation states WD 2015-4467 applies and quoters must map every labor category on Attachment 3. Are all positions (including computer-related roles such as Project Manager, Power Platform developers, Cloud Architect, etc.) fully subject to the SCA wage determination, or do the computer-employee exemptions in the WD footnotes apply?

a) No, not all positions are fully subject to the SCA wage determination. Quoters are responsible for identifying their proposed labor categories and mapping them to the appropriate labor category. If proposed labor category is exempted, quoters shall state so on their pricing workbook (attachment 2).

93. For the Cybersecurity key personnel billet, the PWS requires USMC IC4 Validator certification and SECRET clearance. May the Validator certification be obtained after award (similar to the 3-month education waiver allowance), or must it be current at time of proposal submission?

a) The Validator must be certificated at time of proposal submission.

94. PWS 1.3.2 requires monthly “Status and staffing reports” to the COR. Please confirm the exact format, content, and due date for these reports (and any other deliverables referenced in Section 6).

a) PWS sect 5.0, first row states due date of Wednesday of each week by 0800 ET.

PWS, sect 5.1 states “Government will provide Contractor a two-page template.”

Template will be provided after award. See below for paragraph 5.1:

95. The MRO system is scheduled for removal by 5/31/2026 (early in the base period).

Please clarify the expected impact on workload for CLIN 0001 and whether any additional transition support will be required during the first 2 months of performance.

a) See response to question 5.

96. The Implementation Plan referenced throughout the PWS (and required in the technical package) appears to cover PWS paragraphs 4.1–4.57 (Sections 4 - 6). Since those sections are not fully visible in the provided PWS, please confirm the exact content and page numbers of Sections 4, 5, and 6 that the Implementation Plan must address.

a) PWS Section 4 contains tasks being reviewed in Subfactor 3 – implementation plan. PWS Section 5 lists deliverables and PWS Section 6 covers travel. Technical evaluation Subfactor 3 is only on PWS paragraphs and subparagraphs for 4.1 - 4.5.7.

97. Is a filled example or template of Attachment 3 - Pricing Spreadsheet available, or should Offerors create their own using the exact column headers shown in the solicitation?

a) Quoters are responsible for filling out and submitting a completed Attachment 3 using exact column headers.

98. Please provide the previous contract’s total award amount (or most recent exercised value) for the Digital Depot / similar IT support services so Offerors can price CLINs 0001 and 0002 competitively and fairly.

a) The Government will not provide pricing for previous awards. The scope of this requirement has changed so significantly that previous pricing is not relevant.