Q_and_A.docx

Q&A

M6740018Q0057 SMB Training Support Serviced

The following is a list of the potential offeror’s questions and the government’s response to those questions.

1. Who is the incumbent contractor and what is the contract number?

Answer: Incumbent Contractor: ViaGlobal Goup, LLC.

Contract Number: M67400-15-P-0135

2. Please confirm that billeting will be provided for all contractor instructor staff. Will lodging be provided on base for instructors? Will lodging be provided on base for instructor dependents?

Answer: Billeting may be provided on a space available basis for transient personnel arriving on island pending permanent housing arrangements. Permanent on-base housing will not be provided for contractors or their dependents.

3. Page 9, Section 1.6, Is there a break down of which of the qualifications in the paragraph each instructor will need to have?

Answer: The ideal composition is for all 6 instructors to have a Close Quarters Tactics background with (2) having additional advanced sniper training (1) having advanced medical training, (1) having advanced urban reconnaissance and surveillance training, (1) having advanced communication training, and (1) having advanced personnel security detachment training. Details for each qualification is detailed in Section 1.6.

4. Ref. Section 1.1.1: ESTIMATED NUMBER OF REQUIRED INSTRUCTORS:

a) Regarding the Government’s estimated quantity of FTE’s; has the Government included a dedicated managerial, deputy, RSO, or quality assurance billet, or are the estimated quantities for instructor billets only?

Answer: Instructor billets only.

5. Ref. Section 1.3: REQUIRED COURSES:

a) Given the training schedule allows and the Instructor is appropriately certified, will the Government accept personnel “dual-hatting” courses, or must the Instructors be limited to and specialize in a single course?

Answer: Yes. The Government will accep duall hatting.

6. Section 1.3.1: CQT COURSE:

a) The solicitation states “the Contractor shall be responsible for assisting the CQT Lead Instructor.” Can the Government clarify that the Lead Instructor billet is then provided by the Government; specifically, is an Active Duty Marine?

Answer: Yes, Lead Instructor is an Active Duty Marine Cops billet

b) The same question applies to sections 1.3.3 and 1.3.4, specifically, the solicitation includes language to suggest only 1 instructor is required to execute the Urban Sniper Course. Can the Government clarify if and how many active duty instructors are assigned to each course?

Answer: Instructors are assigned to their respective course(s) upon arrival once background and experience level is determined. Number of instructors assigned to each course is determined by the number of students attending that course. The ratio for Urban Sniper is 1:2, Urban R&S 1:6, CQTC 1:4, and VBSS 1:8.

7. Ref. Section 1.6.6: ARMS PROFICIENCY:

a)The solicitation states that Assigned instructor personnel will be provided the opportunity to sustain weapons qualifications at the same time as Military and Government civilian instructors. Will the Government also provide and or fund opportunities for proficiency training in the other disciplines?

Answer: No

8. Ref Section II: PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENT SUMMARY:

a) Will the contractor be allotted a period of time to on-board the staff and conduct an internal training, review & remediation before being formally evaluated by the Government?

Answer: Yes

9. Ref Section 3.1.1.2: GFE:

a) Can the Government clarify that contractor personnel will be authorized to use Government Furnished weapons in order to conduct courses and instructor proficiency training?

Answer: Yes weapons will be issued in order to conduct courses and instructor proficiency training on an as needed basis.

b) Will the government allow contractors to be issued equipment from the Unit’s S4? Specifically, exercise related life support equipment such as sleeping bags or Personal Protective Equipment? If not, will the Government provide clarification on acceptable or comparable equipment to be utilized in such cases?

Answer: No. Field equipment is at the discretion of the contractor.

10. On page 17 of 45 in the solicitation, the Government estimates personnel to meet the training courses requirements, but there is no estimate of personnel for the VBSS course.

a) What is the total FTE estimate of contractor provided instructors by course for base year and all options of this effort?

Answer: The number of instructors per course will vary based on the assigned strength of active duty Marines, qualifications and experience of both active duty and contracted instructors, and number of students attending the course or period of instruction. The Government estimates six full time equivalent instructors.

b) Can the contractor provided instructors “dual hat” to satisfy training requirements provided that they are appropriately qualified in all the training that they are to provide?

Answer: Yes

c) Is it the Government’s intent to provide VBSS instructors and if so, how many and will the Government instructors be “Lead Instructors?”

Answer: Yes, active duty Marines will be instructors and also hold “Lead Instructor” billet. Government contractors will augment the Marine instructors.

11. On Page 24 of 45 in the solicitation the clauses on Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) are confusing:

a) Would the Government please clarify whether it (the Government) prefers or DOES NOT prefer SOFA covered contractors and dependents.

Answer: All contractors in Japan in support of the armed forces will have SOFA status, and this status will be afforded to all accompanying dependents. Contractors will be required to register in the Synchronized Predeployment Tracker (SPOT) and submit all personnel deployments in SPOT prior to travel to Japan for issuance of SOFA letter of authorization.

SPOT website: https://spot.dmdc.mil/privacy.aspx

12. General Questions:

a) As part of a turn-over mitigation plan, will the Government consider additional funding above the estimated value of $108,000 for Instructor R&R travel at appropriate intervals?

Answer: This contract will be firm fixed price for a monthly service. The contractor is responsible for accounting for all costs of operation in the proposal.

b) Can the contractor assume that the Government intends for all contractor provided instructors to reside full time on Okinawa? If so, is there a capability for contractor personnel to reside on base?

Answer: To meet the training schedule and perform against the PWS, contractors will be required to reside on Okinawa.

c) Will the Government consider providing a standardized pricing sheet for all bidders to use for fair pricing?

Answer: No additional format will be provided. Addendum to 52.2121 Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items Table 1 requires the offeror to provide the pricing proposal in Microsoft Excel format. Paragraph b(2) requires: "…a detailed pricing break down that details the calculation used for determining proposed pricing…"

d) Is this effort or its legacy currently being supported by a contractor(s)? If so, for how long?

Answer: There is an incumbent contractor. Please see answer to Question No. 1. The period of the current contract is for 3 years.

e) Is there an incumbent contractor performing this work? If so, will the Government specify what company/companies currently support this training?

Answer: Please see an answer to Question No. 1.

f) Will the Government confirm that vehicles for rent are available on base? If so, can those vehicles be used to satisfy program transportation for contractors?

Answer: Per paragraph 3.2, "The Contractor is responsible for its own transportation/vehicle for camp to camp travel in the performance of services under this contract." There are vehicles available for resale to SOFA personnel as well as rental vehicles. Additionally, all SOFA personnel must complete welcome aboard training and pass a driver's test prior to issuance of SOFA license.

g) Will the Government consider extending the proposal due date by two weeks to allow for interested contractors to acquire commitments related to staffing and logistics so that the contractor may provide a proposal with fewer assumptions, which will thereby provide more quality control and service assurances when the Government evaluates contractor proposals?

Answer: No extension will be granted.