27Q0500 CSS QandAs 20260824.pdf

M67854-27-Q-0500 Combined Synopsis Solicitation

Submitted Questions and Answers

Questions were submitted by 3:00 PM Eastern Time, 6 August 2026. Government responses are below in red. Similar questions have been combined and separated with a “/.”

1. PWS Section 4 states that the Contract shall facilitate mentor program events in a hybrid or virtual format as designated in each CLIN, and PWS Section 5 provides that the Contractor shall deliver a program suited to the target audience in accordance with each CLIN. The CLIN structure set out at paragraph 4 of the combined synopsis and solicitation does not designate a delivery format. PWS Section 8.1 identifies a Government provided facility at Marine Corps Base Quantico or Stafford, Virginia as the physical event delivery location for hybrid events, and Attachment 1, Section 1.1 requires that the quoted pricing be inclusive of travel with mentor program services delivers are the destinations specified. Per program cycle, how many events does the Government anticipate being delivered in hybrid format at a Government provided facility, and does the Government anticipate a preference between the Quantico and Stafford locations? As the resulting contract will be firm-fixed-price with travel included in the quote price, this information is necessary for vendors to price travel accurately and on a consistent basis across the base period and the four option years. / Please identify which required program events are anticipated to be virtual and which are anticipated to be hybrid for pricing purposes, or confirm whether the delivery format for each event will be designated after award without changing the applicable CLIN price. / For pricing purposes, should offerors assume that in-person hybrid events may be held at either Marine Corps Base Quantico or the Stafford Tech Parkway Campus, and will the specific location for each event be identified in the applicable schedule or CLIN? / Of the events in PWS §2 (Matching Event, Orientation, Initial Mentor Training, Midpoint Check-In, three to four Career Development Events, Program Completion), which does the Government require to be delivered hybrid at Marine Corps Base Quantico or Stafford, and which may be fully virtual? Since travel must be included in price, quoters need the number of on-site delivery days per contract year.

Please refer to PWS Sections 4 and 8.1.

2. Because a question submission deadline is not identified in the solicitation package, we would also appreciate any guidance on the cutoff date for vendor questions and the anticipated date of the Government’s response. / Will the Government consider extending the quotation due date by two (2) weeks to allow sufficient time for offerors to review the Government’s responses to questions and incorporate any resulting changes into their technical and pricing submissions? / Given the 20 August 2026 due date, will the

Government consider extending the due date if answers are published within ten business days of the deadline?

The Combined Synopsis Solicitation, attachments, and SAM.gov posting have been initially updated as of 4 August 2026 to reflect a Questions deadline as stated above and an extended Quotation deadline as shown on the newly updated Combined Solicitation Synopsis and Attachment 1, Instructions to Offerors.

3. Is there an incumbent contractor currently performing this requirement? If so, what is the incumbent contractor’s name and contract number? / Is this requirement a recompete of a prior contract, or a new requirement? If a recompete, please identify the predecessor or contract number. / Is there a current or previous incumbent for this contract? If so, could you provide the incumbent’s name and contract number? / Has this Mentor Program requirement, or a substantially similar effort, been performed previously under a MARCORSYSCOM contract or task order? If so, please identify the contract number and current or prior contractor. / Is this a follow-on to an existing contract? If so, please identify the incumbent, contract number, and current annual value.

This requirement does not have a current contract.

4. Please confirm whether the requirement anticipates one (1) Mentor Program cohort per contract year. If multiple cohorts may be conducted within a contract year, will they occur sequentially or overlap, requiring concurrent participant management and administrative support? / PWS §2 states the Mentor Program "shall be executed annually" with an active mentoring period of six to nine months. Please confirm the Government requires one cohort per contract year under CLIN X001, and state the Government's preferred cohort length (6, 7, 8, or 9 months).

Please refer to PWS Section 2.

5. The PWS identifies a target audience of 30-45 personnel. Please confirm whether this quantity represents the combined total of mentors and mentees for each annual cohort and, if available, provide the anticipated distribution between mentors, mentees, and situations mentors. / PWS Section 5 identifies a target audience of 30-45 personnel for the core Mentor Program. Please provide any anticipated or historical breakdown of the number of full-partnership mentors, mentees, and situational mentors so offerors can properly size staffing and matching capacity. / PWS Section 2.1.1 references “situational mentors” as a distinct participant category. Please clarify the anticipated proportion or expected count of situation mentors relative to full-partnership mentors and mentees, for staffing and capacity-planning purposes. / I read that the target audience is 30-45

MARCORSYSCOM and Portfolio Acquisition Executive Marine Corps personnel. I want to get clarity that this includes both mentors and mentees. Does it? / Could you please clarify the anticipated total number of participants in the program overall? Approximately how many mentors and mentees are expected to participate in each program cohort? / Can the Government provide historical Mentor Program metrics, including the number of mentors, mentees, and situational mentors, completed mentor/mentee pairings, and average Career Development Event attendance during the most recent program cycle? / PWS §5 identifies a target audience of 30–45 personnel. Is that 30–45 total participants (mentors plus mentees), 30–45 mentees each with a matched mentor, or 30–45 mentees plus an additional mentor population? Quoters need the maximum number of mentors, mentees, and situational mentors to price a firm-fixed-price cohort. / Approximately how many situational mentors does the Government expect per cohort, and how many situational-mentoring engagements should be planned for? / How many cohorts has the MARCORSYSCOM Mentor Program run to date, and what were the application, match, and completion counts for the most recent cohort? / PWS §2.4.2 requires refresher materials for returning mentors. Approximately what share of mentors in the next cohort is expected to be returning rather than new? / Will the Government furnish any existing program artifacts as GFI — prior application forms, mentoring partnership agreement, goal templates, orientation materials, participant handbook, or lessons-learned/after-action reports? / Will the Government provide the prior cohort's participant feedback or evaluation results to inform curriculum design?

The target audience of 30-45 personnel is the combined total of mentors, mentees, and situational mentors for each annual cohort. The Contractor should expect an equal number of mentors and mentees. Situational mentors may make up 5-15 participants depending on the number of mentor/mentee matches established. The Government is not providing any additional historical program metrics.

6. Will Career Development Events and other in-person program events be scheduled during normal Government business hours, or should offerors anticipate evening, weekend, or alternate work schedules?

All events will be scheduled during normal Government business hours.

7. For hybrid events held at Government facilities, will Government personnel operate and manage the in-room audio/visual equipment, or is the Contractor expected to provide on-site technical support beyond connecting and operating the Contractor-provided laptop, software, and meeting platform? / For hybrid events at Government facilities, will the Government provide any AV technical support staff, or is the Contractor solely responsible for ensuring an equitable in-person/virtual experience (including camera, microphones, and simultaneous facilitation)?

Consistent with PWS Section 1.1, the Contractor is responsible for the overall execution and technical facilitation of all events. Please also refer to PWS Section 8.2.

8. Is there an anticipated annual quantity or historical usage for the optional Stand-Alone Mentoring Skills Workshops and New Supervisor Mentoring options? / PWS Section 3.2 describes New Supervisor Mentoring Options but does not specify an expected participant count, cohort size, or number of sessions per year. Please provide an estimated volume or scope the Government anticipates ordering under CLIN 0003 so offerors can price this option consistently. / CLIN X003, New Supervisor Mentoring Options, shows a quantity of 12 "Months." How many new-supervisor cohorts, participants, and events per year should quoters price against a 12-month unit of measure?

The Government is not providing historical program metrics.

The quantity represents an estimated maximum for evaluation purposes. Workshops will be ordered as needed.

9. The PWS requires a Program Coordinator and qualified facilitators but does not fully define the division of responsibilities between these roles throughout the mentoring cycle.

Please clarify whether facilitators are expected to provide ongoing mentoring, coaching, participant support, or consultation between scheduled events, or whether those ongoing responsibilities are assigned to the Program Coordinator.

The Government requires a single, designated Program Coordinator to serve as the central administrative Point of Contact (POC) for the Government’s Technical POC and program participants.

This administrative requirement does not preclude qualified facilitators or instructors from directly contacting participants. The Contractor retains the operational flexibility to determine how its internal staff (Program Coordinator and Facilitators) coordinate to meet these administrative and instructional requirements.

10. Other than the Initial Mentor Training, which may not exceed two (2) hours, and Career Development Events, which may range from one (1) to four (4) hours, does the Government have preferred durations for the Structured Matching Event, Program Orientation, Midpoint Formal Check-In, Program Completion/Celebration, Stand-Alone Mentoring Skills Workshops, and New Supervisor Mentoring options? / Is the Midpoint Formal Check-In (PWS §2.4.3) expected to be a single group event, individual one-on-one sessions with each participant, or the quoter's choice?

Please refer to Evaluation Factor 2.2b, Mentor Program Curriculum & Master Schedule.

11. The PWS requires at least three (3) informal check-ins during each active mentoring period.

Please clarify whether these check-ins may be conducted by email, telephone, or virtual meeting, whether they must include both members of each mentoring pair, and whether there is an expected duration or minimum content for each check-in. / PWS §2.4.4 requires at least three informal check-ins per active mentoring period. Are these expected to be individual contacts with each participant, or group/cohort-level touchpoints?

Please refer to PWS Section 2.4.

12. For Firm-Fixed-Price development, should offerors price four (4) Career Development Events per annual Mentor Program cycle, or should offerors assume three (3) events with the fourth event subject to separate authorization?

The “three (3) to four (4)” range for Career Development Events outlined in PWS Section

2.5 is a design parameter intended to provide offerors with the flexibility to propose the optimal program structure.

13. The PWS requires recordings of the Program Orientation and the Initial Mentor Training for absent participants. Please clarify whether the Contractor must host and retain these recordings, and if so, the required retention period and approved method for providing participant access. / PWS §2.7.3 and §2.7.5 require recordings of orientation and mentor training to be made available to absent participants. Where should recordings be hosted

— contractor platform, Government SharePoint, or Government-furnished repository — given CUI handling constraints?

The proposed methodology and platform must be fully compliant with all requirements for protecting Government information, as stated in PWS Section 12.3.

14. PWS Section 2.1.2 references platform security requirements as being defined in “Section 14.3” of the PWS; however, platform/data security requirements appear to be addressed in Section 12.3 (Data Security and Platform Hosting), as Section 14 (Standards of Performance ) contains no subjections. Please confirm the correct PWS section reference for platform security requirements. / PWS §2.1.2 states "Platform security requirements are defined in Section 14.3 of this PWS." PWS §14 is Standards of Performance and contains no §14.3; platform and data security appear at §12.3. Please confirm the intended reference is PWS §12.3.

Please refer to PWS Section 2.1.2.

15. Instructions to Offerors Section 1.0 states that price, past performance, and Matrix A may be submitted as appendices outside the 15-page technical response. Please confirm whether Matrix B and any submitted platform Terms and Conditions/EULA documentation may also be submitted as appendices, or whether they count toward the 15-page limit. / Attachment 1, Section 1.0 permits Matrix A to be submitted as an appendix outside the 15-page technical response limit. Please confirm whether Matrix B (Key Personnel Qualifications) may likewise be submitted as an appendix or must be counted within the 15-page limit. / Attachment 1 §1.0 exempts price, past performance, and Matrix A from the 15-page technical limit. Is Matrix B: Key Personnel Qualifications also excluded from the 15-page count? Attachment 1 does not list it as an appendix. / Are the following also excluded from the 15-page count: cover page, table of contents, acronym list, Section 508 conformance documentation (ACR/VPAT), and platform Terms and Conditions/EULAs? / Terms and Conditions, EULAs, and/or binding service agreements can be lengthy documents. Will the Government consider excluding these from the 15-page count? / Can the offeror provide the Terms and Conditions, EULAs, and/or binding service agreements via links in the technical volume to the applicable web pages with this information, or provide the documents as additional appendices?

Matrix B shall be included in the Offeror’s 15-page response. The Platform Terms and Conditions/EULA documentation may be submitted as an appendix. Offerors may exclude any Table of Contents or acronym lists from the 15-page requirement. Please refer to Attachment 1, Section 1.

16. Beyond NIST SP 800-171 alignment referenced in PWS Section 12.3, is a specific CMMC certification level or SPRS score required for the Contractor or for a third-party mentoring platform vendor supporting this requirement?

Please refer to the Combined Synopsis Solicitation

17. FAR clause 52.222-43 (Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Labor Standards Price Adjustment) is included in the solicitation. Does a Department of Labor Wage Determination apply to any labor categories proposed under this requirement, and if so, which classification applies to Program Coordinator and Lead Facilitator-type roles? / Are FAR 52.222-41/42 (Service Contract Labor Standards) and 52.222-43 applicable to this effort? If so, which wage determination number and locality apply, and which labor categories does the Government consider non-exempt? Professional and management development training under NAICS 611430 is frequently performed by exempt bona fide professional employees, and confirmation materially affects pricing.

If the Contractor will be using non-exempt employees under the contract, then the Wage Determination applies. Additionally, please refer to the Combined Synopsis Solicitation.

18. CLIN 0002 (and corresponding option year CLINs) is quantified as “12 Each.” Please confirm whether this quantity represents a firm ordering ceiling the Government intends to exercise, or an estimated quantity for evaluation purposes only, with actual workshop orders issued individually against the CLIN. / CLIN 0002 (and corresponding option-year CLINs) is structured as “12 Each” for Stand-Alone Mentoring Skills Workshops. Please clarify whether the Government anticipates ordering up to twelve discrete workshops per year, a single annual subscription-style offering, or another quantity structure. / CLIN X002, Stand-Alone Mentoring Skills Workshops, shows a quantity of 12 "Each." Is that 12 workshops per contract year? Please state the assumed length, delivery mode (virtual or hybrid), and maximum participants per workshop for pricing purposes.

This is an estimated quantity for evaluation purposes.

19. Instructions to Offerors Section 1.3 allows past performance references for the offeror and “principal subcontractors.” Please confirm whether a proposed technology subcontractor (e.g., a mentoring platform vendor) may submit a past performance reference specific to platform administration and security compliance, separate from the offeror’s program administration references. / Attachment 1 limit offerors to no more than three recent (within three years) relevant efforts. Please confirm whether “relevant” is limited strictly to formal mentor-program administration contracts, or whether broader professional-development/leadership-training efforts of similar scope and complexity will also be considered relevant.

The Contractor shall provide past performance most closely related to the requirement.

20. PWS Section 5 states a target audience of 30-45 personnel per cohort. Is there a minimum guaranteed number of participants, or should offerors plan for variable enrollment within that range?

There is no guaranteed minimum number of participants per cohort.

21. For this firm-fixed-price quotation, does the Government expect labor category rates and hours shown in the price volume, or only total firm-fixed prices by CLIN?

Pricing is to be evaluated at the CLIN level.

22. Given the Period of Performance begins 1 November 2026, what is the Government’s anticipated award date, and is a transition or mobilization period expected between award and the first Program Orientation? / What is the desired start date for the program? I know an initial meeting would happen to schedule things out, but I am curious if there is a preference on your end. / When will the decision for the award be announced? / Period of performance begins 1 November 2026. What is the anticipated award date, and by what date does the Government expect the first cohort's Program Orientation to occur? / How many days after award will the Post-Award Planning Conference be held, and how many days after that conference is the Master Program Schedule due?

Consistent with Evaluation Factor 2.2b, the Government is not prescribing a mandatory start date. Please refer to PWS Section 9.

23. Could you please advise if there is a specified budget or government estimate for this requirement. / Does the Government have a target or ceiling budget for the base year it is able to disclose?

No response.

24. Is mentor matching expected to be provided for all program participants, or only for a specific subject of individuals?

The Contractor shall match mentors and mentees. Situational mentors are not required to have a specific match as they are intended to be used on an ad hoc basis for specific situations.

25. Would the contractor be responsible for matching each mentor with a mentee, or is a different matching structure anticipated?

The Contractor is responsible for 1:1 matching for mentee and mentors. The Contractor may propose alternate matching structures such as group mentoring for the optional “New Supervisor Mentoring Options.”

26. When the mentor/mentees are matched, is the training for them individual, group, or cohort?

Please refer to PWS Sections 2.5, 2.7, and 5. The Government expects the Contractor to provide programming to attendees using the minimum amount of sessions necessary to support the identified population.

27. What is the length of the program? (6 months, 1 year, etc.)

Please refer to PWS Section 2.

28. Also, can it be live, online, or asynchronous?

Please refer to PWS Sections 2.4 and 4.

29. A point of clarification – Will the career development opportunities be open to others on the base in addition to the mentees/mentors, but with limited spaces? / PWS §2.5 requires three to four Career Development Events sized for 20–30 attendees, open to the general workforce, while PWS §13.2 sets a minimum enrollment of 12. Please confirm 30 is the maximum capacity quoters should price and support.

Please refer to PWS Sections 2.5, 5, and 13.2.

30. If a Government shutdown were to happen, how might it impact this program?

31. What is the preferred document format for this submission? / What is the required file format for submission (Word, PDF, or either)? Are separate files acceptable for the technical response, Matrix A, Matrix B, past performance, and price? / Is there a minimum font size, font type, margin, or line-spacing requirement? Are tables, graphics, and matrices permitted to use a smaller font than body text? / What is the maximum total email attachment size the usmc.mil addresses will accept, and is a file-transfer link (e.g., DoD SAFE) acceptable if the package exceeds that limit?

Please refer to Attachment 1, Instructions to Offerors, Submission of Quotations and Section 1.0.

32. For the Career Development Events described in PWS Section 2.5, does the Government have any existing preferred or previously-approved topic list, or is the offeror’s proposed topic selection given full weight in evaluation as written?

Please refer to PWS Section 2.5 and Attachment 2, Evaluation Procedures, Section 2.2b.

33. Please confirm whether an offeror may satisfy Evaluation Procedure 2.2h (“catalog or detailed description” of COTS offerings) entirely through newly developed workshop descriptions submitted with the quotation, with no pre-existing, publicly marketed catalog required at the time of submission.

Please refer to the PWS and Combined Synopsis Solicitation.

34. PWS Section 12.1 states that the contractor personnel are not required to hold a security clearance and need only a T-1/NACI background investigation for CUI access. Please confirm whether this standard applies uniformly to all mentor-program personnel (Program Coordinator, Lead Facilitator, and any situational or support staff), or only to specific roles. / PWS §12.1 requires a completed T-1/NACI background investigation for personnel accessing CUI. Will the Government sponsor and fund those investigations, or must the contractor obtain them? If contractor-obtained, how should that cost be priced?

This applies to all Contractor personnel. The Government will not sponsor or fund investigations.

35. Please confirm the anticipated timeline for base/facility access processing (DBIDS registration or MARCORSYSCOM facility bade) relative to the Program Orientation, given the interval between anticipated award and the 1 November period-of-performance start date. / Will the Government sponsor DBIDS registration and MARCORSYSCOM facility badging for contractor facilitators? What lead time should quoters plan for Vendor Screening Form submission and DBIDS issuance before the first on-site event?

Contractor personnel are not expected to receive permanent base badges or CACs. For each on-site visit, the assigned facilitator must obtain a temporary visitor pass from the base Visitor Control Center (VCC). The Government recommends awardee individuals complete pre-registration requirements as early as possible. Contractor personnel should either obtain their visitor pass the day prior or allow at least 90 minutes for processing and travel times. Offerors must refer to the official base access requirements and monitor potential delays via the MCB Quantico website:

https://www.quantico.marines.mil/Info/Base-Access/.

For command-level building access, the Contractor shall provide the names of on-site personnel to the Technical POC NLT five (5) business days prior to the event. Command security will process these building badges on-site.

36. PWS Section 2.1.1 assigns application collection and analysis to the Contractor, while PWS Section 6.2 assigns “advertise the program to personnel” to the Government. Please https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.quantico.marines.mil%2FInfo%2FBase-Access%2F clarify the specific division of responsibility between Government advertising/promotion and Contractor-run application intake and outreach.

Please refer to PWS Section 6. The Contractor is responsible for providing the Government with program information so that the Government can conduct advertising (e.g. application process instructions, program descriptions, advertising material, etc.).

Please refer to PWS Section 2.1.

37. For events conducted via Microsoft Teams or Zoom for Government, will the Government provision and issue the meeting/tenant account, or is the Contractor expected to provision these independently under its own licensing?

The Contractor is responsible for providing its own meeting platform and all associated licensing per PWS Sections 1.1 and 4.

38. If an offeror proposes a proprietary online application or learning platform, what is the anticipated Government review and approval timeline for the associate Terms & Conditions/EULA relative to the contract award and 1 November 2026 period-of-performance start date?

Terms and Conditions, End User License Agreements, or other binding service agreements will be evaluated as part of the offeror’s submission. Please refer to Attachment 1, Instructions to Offerors, Section 1.2.

39. PWS Section 12.3 requires NIST SP 800-171 compliance and CONUS data residency for any external platform that will hold participant data. Please confirm whether the Government will require a formal NIST SP 800-171 assessment or System Security Plan review prior to platform use.

Please refer to the Combined Synopsis Solicitation.

40. Please confirm whether the commercial hotspot provided by the Government for hybrid events is the sole internet source the Contractor may use, or whether the Contractor may bring its own backup connectivity.

The Government-provided hotspot is the primary internet source. The Contractor may bring its own backup connectivity at its own expense; however, all connections must adhere to command security policies.

41. Matrix B evaluates the offeror’s commitment to qualification standards rather than named individuals. Please confirm whether the Government expects any form of letter or commitment, or whether completion of Matrix B itself constitutes the required commitment.

A separate letter of commitment is not required. The offeror's commitment is documented by their completion and submission of Matrix B.

42. Will answers be issued as a formal amendment to M67854-27-Q-0500 and released to all interested parties.

43. Will the Government acknowledge receipt of quotations?

Please request a Government acknowledgement of receipt upon quote submission, if needed.

44. Should the quotation be marked as containing CUI or as contractor proprietary, and does the Government require encrypted transmission?

Any contractor proprietary information or CUI shall be marked as such. The Government does not require encrypted transmission for quote submission.

45. Are quoters required to submit the SF 1449 / a signed offer sheet, or completed FAR/DFARS representations and certifications beyond active SAM registration?

These are not required for submitting a quote.

46. Does the Government intend to make a single award?

Yes.

47. Does the Government intend to award without discussions, or does it anticipate clarifications or a competitive range?

The Government will make discussion and clarification determinations upon evaluation of submissions.

48. Attachment 1 §1.2 directs quoters to map Matrix B to "the specific qualification requirements outlined in PWS Section 7 and Evaluation Procedure 2.2f." PWS §7 states only that facilitators shall possess "the technical expertise and adult-learning experience necessary," and does not establish minimum years, degrees, or certifications. Does the Government have minimum qualification requirements it intends to apply, or is the quoter to define and commit to its own minimum standards?

The PWS establishes the Government's high-level requirement. The offeror is responsible for defining and committing to its own specific, minimum qualification standards in Matrix B.

49. Attachment 2 §2.2f is titled "Key Personnel Qualifications" and covers the Program Coordinator and Lead Facilitators. The Matrix A row for the same characteristic is titled "Facilitator Qualifications." Please confirm the two refer to the same evaluated characteristic and that Matrix A row 2.2f should be completed for key personnel qualifications.

Yes, they refer to the same evaluated characteristic.

50. QASP PRS 5 requires notification of requested schedule changes "in accordance with PWS Section 12.3." Contractor-requested schedule changes appear at PWS §13.3. Please confirm the intended reference is PWS §13.3.

Please refer to QASP PRS 5.

51. The CLIN structure lists CLIN 3001 as "Mentor Program PWS Section 2 IAW PWS 3.2," while the corresponding base and option-year CLINs (0001, 1001, 2001, 4001) read "Mentor Program IAW PWS Section 2." Please confirm CLIN 3001 is intended to match the other Mentor Program CLINs.

52. Attachment 2 §2.2i states that quoters need not submit Terms and Conditions or EULAs for Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Attachment 1 §1.2 does not carry that exception. Please confirm the Attachment 2 exception governs.

The Government confirms the exception as stated in Attachment to, 2.2i.

53. The CSS lists FAR 52.217-3 (Evaluation Exclusive of Options), 52.217-4 (Evaluation of Options Exercised at Time of Contract Award), and 52.217-5 (Evaluation of Options) together. Which evaluation-of-options approach will the Government apply? Specifically, will option-year and optional-CLIN pricing be included in the total evaluated price? / The CSS incorporates FAR 52.219-6 (Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside) by reference and also includes FAR 52.219-30 (WOSB set-aside). Please confirm 52.219-30 governs and that 52.219-6 is included in error or as a general reference. / The CSS clause list does not include DFARS 252.204-7012, 252.204-7019, 252.204-7020, or 252.204-7021, yet the PWS requires safeguarding of CUI and NIST SP 800-171 compliance. Please confirm which of these clauses apply, and whether a current SPRS assessment score or CMMC certification level is required at time of quote or at award.

54. PWS §12.3 references compliance with "all Federal and DoW requirements." Please confirm this refers to Department of War/Department of Defense requirements and identify any command-specific policy the quoter should cite.

55. CLIN X004, Deliverables, shows a quantity of 9 "NSP." Please confirm the nine PWS §9 deliverables are not separately priced and that quoters should enter "NSP" rather than a dollar value.

Confirmed.

56. For hybrid events, what is the expected in-person versus virtual attendance split, and what is the seating capacity of the Government facility that will be provided?

The Government facility will be sized to accommodate the number of participants registered for in person attendance for the session. Offerors shall assume 60% of attendees attending in person. Offerors are advised that actual in-person attendance will fluctuate based on participant duty locations and scheduling conflicts.

57. PWS §9.7 makes the contractor responsible for shipping and postage. Does the Government anticipate any physical material distribution, or may quoters price an all-digital materials approach?

This is at the determination of the Contractor. Please refer to Evaluation Factor 2.2g.

58. How should quoters invoice CLIN X001 against a 12-month unit of measure when the active cohort runs six to nine months — monthly in twelfths, or on a milestone/deliverable basis?

Invoicing shall be on a monthly basis spread evenly throughout the 12-month units as there are requirements that will take place outside of the active cohort.

59. Will the Government exercise CLINs X002 and X003 at time of award, or later during the period of performance?

The exercise of CLINs X002 and X003 may be at time of award or throughout Period of Performance.

60. Who is the current Technical POC's expected level of engagement — e.g., estimated Government hours per month for approvals, roster provision, and status meetings?

Please refer to PWS Sections 6 and 9 as well as the QASP.

61. PWS §2.1.2 permits either an online application platform or an equivalent secure electronic process. Does the Government have a preference? Specifically, would the Government prefer intake through a Government-furnished capability (e.g., MCSC SharePoint list or Microsoft Forms on the .mil tenant) to avoid contractor hosting of participant data?

Please refer to PWS Sections 2.1.1, 2.1.2, and 12.3.

62. If a contractor-hosted platform is quoted, is FedRAMP authorization required, or is documented compliance with NIST SP 800-171 and CONUS-only hosting sufficient?

FedRAMP authorization is not required.

63. What specific data elements does the Government consider CUI in this program? Are participant name, Government email address, position/grade, supervisor, career goals, and biography treated as CUI, PII, or both?

Please refer PWS Section 12.1.

64. PWS §12.3 states that "all data collected via the platform remains the property of the U.S.

Government." Please confirm this applies to participant-generated program data and not to the contractor's pre-existing or commercially licensed curriculum, instruments, templates, or platform software, which would be delivered under a commercial license consistent with FAR Part 12 and 27.

65. Does the Government require a Privacy Impact Assessment, System of Records Notice coverage, or Authority to Operate/Interim ATO action before participant data may be collected? If so, who is responsible and what is the expected timeline?

The Government does not require a Privacy Impact Assessment, System of Records Notice coverage, or Authority to Operate/Interim ATO action.

66. PWS §4 requires the contractor to provide a Microsoft Teams or Zoom for Government link. Can Government participants on the .mil network reliably join a contractor-hosted commercial Microsoft Teams meeting as external guests? If not, will the Government host meetings on its tenant and furnish the links, or does the Government require the contractor to procure Zoom for Government?

PWS Section 4 permits the use of Microsoft Teams or Zoom for Government. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring their proposed platform functions successfully to meet all PWS requirements.

Offerors are advised that standard commercial, business, and standard Government Community Cloud (GCC) Microsoft Teams accounts often experience severe cross-tenant authentication and hardware access limitations (such as blocked webcams and audio) when accessed by participants on the secure .mil network.

To ensure compatibility with Government security firewalls, the Contractor is advised to utilize a Microsoft Teams GCC High license, or a Zoom for Government platform. The Contractor is solely responsible for providing a platform that is fully compatible with the Government's network.

67. How many read-only administrative accounts will the Government require on a contractor-provided platform, and will Government personnel access it from .mil networks or Government-furnished equipment?

Please refer to PWS Section 2.1.2.

68. Is a completed Accessibility Conformance Report (VPAT 2.5 or later) required with the quote, or is a narrative Section 508 description sufficient?

Please refer to Attachment 1, Section 1.2.

69. Does the Government require the contractor's digital materials to be validated against a specific Section 508 testing standard (e.g., WCAG 2.1 AA, DHS Trusted Tester)?

70. Matrix B provides rows for one Program Coordinator and "Lead Facilitator 1," plus blank rows. How many Lead Facilitator roles does the Government expect quoters to commit to? May quoters add rows for additional facilitator roles?

The Contractor may provide information for facilitator roles they wish to be evaluated.

71. Are the Program Coordinator and Lead Facilitator designated key personnel subject to substitution approval after award? If so, what substitution notice and approval process applies?

Key Personnel are for evaluation purposes and will not be designated on the contract.

72. May subcontractor or 1099 personnel serve as the Program Coordinator or Lead Facilitator, given Matrix B B-2 expressly asks for counts of 1099 contractors and partners?

This is for evaluation purposes only to determine the Offeror’s availability of resources.

73. Attachment 1 §1.2 prohibits resumes and biographies. Please confirm resumes are prohibited in all volumes, including appendices, and that the Government will not request them during clarifications.

74. Is a Common Access Card anticipated for any contractor personnel under this effort, or will DBIDS and visitor processing be sufficient?

Neither a CAC nor DBIDS card is anticipated.

75. PWS §12.1 requires DoD Mandatory CUI training and government-sponsored OPSEC training. Will the Government provide access to the OPSEC training, and is contractor personnel training time chargeable to the contract?

Per PWS 12.1, OPSEC training is government-sponsored and administered. This is a Firm-Fixed Price contract and has no separate CLIN for Contractor training.

76. Given the non-personal services provisions at PWS §11, please confirm that the contractor may collect participant satisfaction data about program content and logistics for its own quality control, while the prohibition at PWS §6.4 and QASP PRS 5 applies to soliciting performance feedback about contractor personnel.

Please refer to PWS Section 6.4, the Government is solely responsible for collecting feedback from participants. The Contractor is prohibited from directly collecting feedback from participants. To protect Marine Corps requirements for participant anonymity and internal assessments, the Contractor will not be provided with direct access to full, raw participant data.

However, this prohibition does not preclude the Contractor from requesting summarized performance feedback directly from the Technical POC (including any significant concerns identified from participant feedback) to inform their quality control process.

Additionally, this prohibition does not prevent the Contractor from administering internal aspects of their Quality Control Plan (QCP) that are based on their own internal business processes and do not require direct data collection from, or surveying of, Government participants.

77. PWS §6.4 states the Government collects evaluation feedback from participants. Will the Government share aggregated results with the contractor for continuous improvement, and on what cadence?

The Government will not to share aggregated participant feedback on a set cadence.

In accordance with the QASP, the Government is responsible for all performance surveillance. If this surveillance reveals a performance issue or concern, the Technical POC will provide the Contractor with timely written notification detailing the specific concern or deficiency relative to the PWS requirements. This notification will serve as the formal communication for the Contractor to address the performance issue using its own internal quality control processes.

78. Attachment 2 §2.2 lists nine Mentor Program Characteristics. Are they equally weighted, or is there a stated order of importance? How will the Government document "meet, exceed, or approximate" determinations? / What is the relative importance of the Mentor Program Characteristics, past performance, and price in the best-value determination?

Please refer to Attachment 2, Section 2.0.

79. Attachment 1 §1.3 requires efforts "performed within three years of quote submission."

Does an ongoing contract that began more than three years ago but has current performance within the last three years qualify as recent?

Yes.

80. May the offeror submit past performance references for a principal subcontractor, and will those references be evaluated with the same weight as prime references? Attachment 1 §1.3 refers to "the offeror's and principal subcontractors' (if any) ability to perform," and confirmation would help quoters allocate their three allowed references. / Attachment 1 §1.3 requires efforts "for mentor program administration with content similar to those required by this solicitation." Will the Government consider closely related leadership-development, coaching, or acquisition-workforce development contracts relevant if they include structured matching, facilitated cohorts, or partnership support components? / Many individuals perform this work as independent contractors. This experience should be relevant. Would the Government consider accepting past performance references based on the relevant project experience of a proposed key person (e.g., a Lead Facilitator) who has performed similar work?

Regarding relevance: Per Attachment 1, Section 1.3, the Contractor is responsible for identifying recent and relevant contracts/efforts for the Government to evaluate.

Regarding the source of past performance: In accordance with Attachment 1, Section 1.3, past performance references must be for contracts performed by the offeror (the prime contractor) or any proposed principal subcontractors.

81. FAR 52.219-14 (DEV 2021-O0008) applies. Please confirm the applicable limitation is that the prime will not pay more than 50 percent of the amount paid by the Government to subcontractors that are not similarly situated entities, and that work performed by similarly situated WOSB subcontractors is excluded from that 50 percent. / Will the Government accept a WOSB prime that performs the required percentage with a non- WOSB subcontractor providing curriculum, facilitation, and analytic support? Are there any restrictions on subcontractor participation in Government-facing events?

Please refer to the definition of “similarly situated entities” provided in FAR 52.219-14

(DEV 2021-O0008).

82. Is a subcontracting plan under FAR 52.219-9 required? (Not expected for a small business award, but confirmation is requested.)

83. Please confirm whether any organizational conflict of interest concerns arise for a quoter that currently provides leadership-development or acquisition-workforce services elsewhere within MARCORSYSCOM or the Portfolio Acquisition Executive–Marine Corps.

84. QASP PRS 1 requires the contractor to sustain 90 percent of mentoring matches throughout the program. How is the denominator calculated — matches at orientation, matches after the partnership-agreement deadline, or matches at the goal-setting deadline?

The total number of signed and Government-approved Mentoring Partnership Agreements submitted per cohort cycle shall serve as the baseline denominator for the 90% match retention rate required under QASP PRS 1.

85. Are situational-mentor engagements counted in the PRS 1 90 percent calculation?

Situational-mentor engagements are not included under PRS 1.

86. PRS 1 excludes dissolutions caused by position changes, illness, deployment, and extended leave. Does it also exclude dissolutions caused by participant non-responsiveness or voluntary withdrawal without cause, given the contractor cannot compel participation and cannot approve absences under PWS §2.7?

Dissolutions caused by participant non-responsiveness or voluntary withdrawal without a QASP-defined excusable reason will be counted against the 90% sustainment requirement unless the Technical POC determines there were exceptional circumstances.

Section 2.7 also establishes alternative options for participant absences and PWS Section

2.5 establishes that Career Development Events are recommended but not required for program completion.

The PRS 1 90% threshold is the contractual mechanism that accounts for the fact that a small number of pairings may fail for reasons not explicitly excused.

87. PRS 4 requires all PWS §9 deliverables to be "100% complete and accurate" by the required deadline, but the PWS does not state submission suspense dates for each deliverable. Will deliverable due dates be established at the Post-Award Planning Conference, and will the approved Master Program Schedule become the controlling schedule for PRS 4?

Please refer to PWS Section 9. The Contractor’s compliance with QASP PRS 4 (Deliverable Timeliness) shall be governed strictly by the timelines established in PWS Section 9.

The approved Master Program Schedule (Deliverable 9.3) is the controlling baseline for evaluating the Contractor's compliance with the event-based performance requirements of PWS Section 2.

88. What is the Government's review-and-approval turnaround commitment for the Curriculum Package (PWS §9.5) and Master Program Schedule (PWS §9.3)? A stated Government turnaround is needed so that Government review time does not count against contractor deliverable timeliness.

Please refer to PWS Section 9.

89. Does the Government expect the contractor to submit a written Quality Control Plan, and if so, is it required with the quote or after award?

Submission of the Contractor’s written Quality Control Plan is not required.

90. PWS §2.3 states the contractor shall not require mentees to submit copies of their goal plans. Please confirm the contractor is nonetheless expected to confirm completion of goal-setting by the deadline without collecting the content.

Consistent with PWS Section 2.3, the Contractor is responsible for establishing and communicating a deadline for participants to complete goal-setting, and for providing the necessary templates and guidance to support this activity.

The Contractor is not required or permitted to collect participant goal plans. The Contractor shall not be held contractually responsible for verifying individual participant compliance with the goal-setting deadline.

91. Certificates of completion (PWS §9.9): does the Government require a specific format, command seal, or signature authority, and is contractor use of the MARCORSYSCOM name or emblem authorized for certificates and participant materials?

There is no specific template or format required for the certificates of completion (Deliverable 9.9).

However, pursuant to the Government's approval authority for 'all other participant-facing handouts and resources' please refer to PWS Section 9.5.

Offerors are advised that the use of any official U.S. Marine Corps or MARCORSYSCOM names, seals, or emblems is strictly controlled. The Government will review any proposed use of such emblems on a case-by-case basis to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

92. What application window does the Government expect (open date, duration, and how long before orientation), recognizing that the Government advertises the program under

PWS §6.2?

The Government has not prescribed a mandatory application window.

The offeror's proposed timeline and methodology for the application window will be evaluated under Evaluation Factor 2.2a. The application window will be finalized in deliverable 9.3 Master Program Schedule.

93. Is there a Government-preferred delivery window to avoid — for example, end-of-fiscal-year, budget submission cycles, or command exercise periods?

The Government does not have a pre-determined list of prohibited delivery windows in this solicitation.

Any specific blackout dates or command-specific scheduling constraints shall be discussed and resolved during the Post-Award Planning Conference (Deliverable 9.1).

The final, approved Master Program Schedule (Deliverable 9.3) will serve as the schedule for the program cycle.

94. If award slips past 1 November 2026, will the period of performance shift accordingly, or will the base year be compressed?

The Period of Performance will shift accordingly, should the award date go beyond 1 November 2026.

95. Can the Government confirm that price, past performance, and Matrix A information are not included in the 15 page count requirement?

Please refer to Attachment 1, Section 1.0.

96. Matrix B is in PDF format, and therefore more difficult to edit (e.g., the spaces in the tables to provide a narrative for relevant experience are not very big). Can offerors re-create these this table in their proposal to ensure there is enough space for the required information? Or, can the Government issue a Word version of this table so that it can be more easily manipulated?

Offerors may recreate this table in their proposal.

97. If an offeror includes a cover page and table of contents in the technical volume, are these excluded from the 15 page count requirement?

The Table of Contents may be excluded from the 15-page count requirement. Per Instructions to Offerors Section 1.0 if Offerors elect to include cover letter these will count towards page limit requirements.

98. 2.2.i Digital Compliance states "Vendors are not required to submit Terms and Conditions, EULAs, or binding service agreements for Zoom or Microsoft Teams." If an offeror uses another Microsoft application in its solution, such as Microsoft Forms, are these still required for submission for that particular application?

They…