21Q0004 Questions and Answers FINAL.pdf

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES REQUIREMENT

AMENDMENT 0001 TO M95494-21-Q-0004

1. Question: What Contractors support this office?

Answer: A multitude of Contractors support the Requiring Activity for which this particular requirement has been solicited for.

2. Question: Who is the incumbent contractor? Please provide name and contract number.

Answer: This procurement is a follow-on to Purchase Order M95494-16-P- 0001, which was awarded to Significance Inc.

3. Question: Can the incumbent contractor bid on this effort?

Answer: Any Offeror who meets the set-aside requirements for this procurement contained within the solicitation specifically page one

(1) block ten (10) of the SF-1449 and page 26 section 1.7 “Quotation Submission Instructions”, is eligible to submit a quotation.

4. Question: What is the historical Level of Effort to support this scope of work?

Answer: The historical level-of-effort is 3 FTEs, or 5,760 hours per 12-month period of performance.

5. Question: How is it different?

Answer: The current requirement’s level-of-effort is 1 FTE, or 1,920 hours more than the previous requirement.

6. Question: What is the budget profile for this effort?

Answer: The anticipated award will be use Operations and Maintenance (O&M) funding, for purposes of obligation.

7. Question: What is the Government Level of Effort estimate for this procurement?

Answer: The Government’s estimated level-of effort is 7,680 hours per 12-month period of performance (base year and Option Years 1-4).

8. Question: Please clarify whether or not the Government is specifying certain roles/positions as key?

Answer: See Amendment 01 section 13.0.

9. Question: Is the scope of the previous effort the same or different than the contemplated contract?

Answer: The scope of the current Purchase Order has carried into the PWS contained within solicitation M95494-21-Q-0004 and has added tasks related to the Defense Agencies Initiative (DAI).

10. Question: Will the successful contractor be supplied with Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) to include a computer, phone, desk, etc. to accomplish the work?

Answer: See Amendment 01 sections 8.1.

11. Question: How many desks are available in the Pentagon for the Contractor team?

Answer: See Amendment 01 section 8.1.

12. Question: What information/data is entailed in the daily report Marine Corps Appropriation Report Deliverable #6?

Answer: See Amendment 01 section 5.1.3.

13. Question: With no specific level of effort requested within the Solicitation for Marine Corps Budget Execution Analysis, Reporting and Audit Support, it is impossible for any Offeror other that the incumbent to effectively determine an appropriate staffing level given the high-level descriptions of tasks required.

Respectfully request the Government specify the level of effort required to accomplish this work.

Answer: The Government’s estimated level-of effort is 7,680 hours per 12-month period of performance (base year and Option Years 1-4).

14. Question: In order to ensure there is a level playing field for competitive process for this procurement, please clarify the number of Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) required in each of the two labor categories and which personnel are considered Key, therefore requiring resumes and letters of commitment.

Answer: The Government estimates that 3 Senior Financial Consultants and 1 Junior Financial Consultant, which are key personnel, will be required.

15. Question: “Offerors shall provide Key Contractor Personnel and their signed letter of commitment to perform on the contract.”

Further, on page 31, Factor 2: Management Approach, Element 1:

Staffing Plan, part 3), the government refers to: “The Offeror’s Key Personnel will be evaluated to determine the extent to which the key personnel possess the expertise, qualifications and experienced (sic) needed to fulfill and execute their primary role and function under this contract, as it relates to the PWS. 4) In addition, the proposed Key Personnel will be evaluated to determine the amount of effort each Key Personnel will commit to this effort. Letters of commitment are required for all key personnel and must be signed by the Offeror and Key Person. (emphasis added) However, on page 16, section 13.0 states that the government requirement is “Preferred Personnel”. With so many references to Key Personnel in both the instructions to offerors and the evaluation factors, will the government clarify that the requirement on page 16 should be for Key Personnel?

Recommend making all references to personnel consistent and calling them Key Personnel.

Answer: See Amendment 01 section 13.0.

16. Question: Offeror shall complete representations and certifications in their System for Award Management (SAM) and include in its quote, its representation and certifications for FAR 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment.

What Volume should the Offeror include this information in? Will it count in the total page count? Recommend including it Volume 3 Price Quote

Answer: See Amendment 01 section 1.7. This counts toward the total page count.

17. Question: The Offeror shall disclose any potential or actual organizational conflicts of interest (OCIs) that your firm (to include subcontractors) may have with the requirements of the PWS/solicitation. Include a description of the OCI(s) and the action(s) taken, if any, to avoid, mitigate, or neutralize the OCIs. A negative response is required.

What Volume should the Offeror include this information in? Will it count in the total page count? Recommend including it Volume 3 Price Quote.

Answer: See Amendment 01 section 1.7. This counts toward the total page count.

18. Question: The Government requires a minimum acceptance period of at least 90 calendar days. Offerors may specify a longer acceptance period than the Government’s minimum requirement. A response allowing less than the Government’s minimum acceptance period may be rejected.

What Volume should the Offeror include this information in? Will it count in the total page count? Recommend including it Volume 3 Price Quote Answer: See Amendment 01 section 1.6. This counts toward the total page count.

19. Question: Are cover pages, cover letters, acronym listing and table of contents excluded from the page count in each volume?

Recommend the government allow Offerors to provide this information in each volume and make it exclusive of the page count Answer: See Amendment 01 section 1.7(iv.).

20. Question: Is there an incumbent for this effort? If so, what is the contract number?

Answer: See response to question number two (2) above.

21. Question: Given some of the answers to questions could change our technical submission and key personnel presented, would the government extend the proposal submission by 1 week?

Answer: The quotation due date has changed to 10:00 AM EST on 24 February 2021 (local time, Washington DC).

22. Question: The PWS mentions that there are two preferred labor categories, however in the Staffing plan, it mentions that key personnel resumes should be included in the proposal, but does not define who is included. Who is considered to be key personnel?

Answer: See Amendment 01 section 13.0.

23. Question: In consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic, will the government consider working remotely?

Answer: See Amendment 01 section 7.1.

24. Question: Will the Government allow for the substitution of 5 years experience in lieu of a degree for education requirements?

Answer: Qualifications as stated in the PWS are preferred and not required.

25. Question: PWS 5.1.1, 5.1.2, and 5.1.3 each mention required reports to be delivered during contract performance. Are there standardized formats for the reports requested?

Answer: See Amendment 01 section 11.0.

26. Question: PWS 8.2 mentions that the Contractor must provide laptops for all personnel, but does not define what equipment is acceptable. Is there a list of laptops that are approved for use on the MCEN?

Answer: See Amendment 01 section 8.2.

27. Question: Can the Offeror submit a zipped file if the size is over

10MB?

Answer: See Amendment 01 section 1.8.

28. Question: Would the government consider increasing past performance references to 4 references as long as it is within the 10 page limit?

Answer: No, the maximum number of references remains unchanged.

29. Question: The pricing volume instructions don't mention what information subcontractors should submit. Can subcontractors submit separate pricing?

Answer: No, prime contractors and subcontractors are not to submit separate subcontractor pricing.

30. Question: What constitutes a man year IRT number of hours?

Answer: The number of hours that constitutes a man year is incumbent on the Contractor.

31. Question: Could you please tell me if the Presolicitation posted as solicitation number M95494 will be a follow-on requirement to any work performed currently or in the past, or will this be a new requirement?

Answer: The solicited requirement is a follow-on requirement to the work currently performed under the current Purchase Order.

32. Question: If possible, can you please provide the most recent contract or task order number?

Answer: See response to question number two (2) above.

33. Question: Is there any chance the government would consider making the set aside for a women owned small business?

Answer: The socio-economic category set-aside indicated within the solicitation will remain unchanged.

34. Question: If we form a JV with a small business that has clearance, are we eligible to participate on this opportunity?

Answer: Any Offeror who meets the set-aside requirements for this procurement contained within the solicitation, specifically page one

(1) block ten (10) of the SF-1449 and page 26 section 1.7 “Quotation Submission Instructions”, is eligible to submit a quotation.

35. Question: Since Interim FCL and secret are accepted before Period of Performance start, will the Government sponsor individual and Facility clearances on contract award?

Answer: After contract award, for the successful Offeror, the Government may issue clearances for qualified individuals and facilities.

36. Question: Will the lack of clearance work to our disadvantage in the evaluation process?

Answer: The Government will not advise what may constitute as an advantage or disadvantage.