MASTER_Answers_to_Bidders_Questions_06.04.pdf

Attachment L.3: Bidders’ Questions Answers Solicitation N00024-19-R-6316

[Contractor to provide information in columns of the Bidders’ Questions Form.]

QUESTION

NO.

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GENERAL

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STATEMENT REQUIRING CLARIFICATION

OR QUESTION ANSWER

1 4/30/2019 N/A SOW Does the scope of the solicitation include airborne drone/UAV system support? Is it stated in the RFP documents?

The primary intent of the Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Family of Systems (FoS) IDIQ-MAC is to support USV programs and not airborne drone or unmanned air vehicles. However, several of the functional areas listed in Section C.4 mention that solutions developed under the IDIQ-MAC may also be applicable to unmanned air vehicles or unmanned underwater vehicles.

2 5/1/2019 Section L, Organizational Conflict of

Interest (OCI)

If an offeror responds to the Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MUSV), Large Unmanned Surface

Vessel (LUSV), or any other Unmanned Surface Vehicle/Vessel (USV) solicitations would that preclude the offeror from responding to this USV FoS solicitation?

Responding to solicitations for USV platforms (e.g. MCM USV craft, MUSV or LUSV) would not preclude an offeror from responding or receiving an award to this USV FoS solicitation. However, Offerors are reminded that certain existing contractual arrangements may preclude, restrict or limit participation, in whole or in part, as either a subcontractor or as a prime contractor for orders issued under the USV FoS.

3 5/2/2019 N/A How does the Government intend to use this Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Multiple Award Contract (IDIQ-MAC)?

The Government intends to use this IDIQ-MAC as the primary contractual method to procure supplies and services used to design, develop, fabricate, prototype, integrate, test, maintain, and support multiple variants of Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) systems and subsystems within the USV Family of Systems (FoS). The Government intends to award MACs to multiple vendors.

The Government will then compete individual tasks within the pool of MAC holders through competitive Requests for Proposal (RFPs) and award Task and/or Delivery Orders under the IDIQ-

MAC.

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OR QUESTION ANSWER

4 5/2/2019 N/A What is the Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MCM USV)?

The MCM USV acquisition is a combination of several MCM USV-related programs and projects, and addresses the development and production of the MCM USV craft and Payload Delivery Systems (PDS) to meet Mine Countermeasures Mission Package requirements. It leverages the mature, modular craft developed for the Navy’s Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) program. The Government does not intend to fabricate the MCM USV craft under the IDIQ- MAC, but instead intends to compete this requirement under a separate full and open competition. However, supplies or services related to other elements of the MCM USV program may be ordered under the IDIQ-MAC, including PDS, payloads, non-payload sensors, logistics, sustainment, etc.

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OR QUESTION ANSWER

5 5/2/2019 What is a Payload Delivery System (PDS)? A PDS is an MCM USV Mission Support System, used to provide a physical, electrical, and/or data interface between the MCM USV craft and MCM USV payloads. PDS may include payload launch and recovery systems to facilitate payload operation and/or mission conduct. The Minesweeping PDS employs an included Mk104 acoustic generator and minesweeping cable. The Minehunting PDS includes a Deploy and Retrieve (D&R) rig that provides the capability to employ surface towed sonars from the MCM USV craft. The Mine Neutralization PDS includes the system that launches neutralizers, as well as the communications system to support the relay of information and/or commands to/from a host platform and a deployed neutralizer.

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OR QUESTION ANSWER

05/02/2019 section L, part 5.3, page 101

The solicitation provides instructions for the technical volumes including “Offerors are required to submit a description of experience in one or more of the functional areas as a prime contractor in direct support of DoD or Coast Guard contracts. An Offeror’s description of recent and relevant experience shall reference one but not more than three contracts.” On the same page, the instructions say “Note: Past performance references are not required or desired”

Could you please elaborate on the difference between the description of experience on prior contracts that is requested and a Past Performance reference that is not required or desired?

Past performance (how well an offeror performed) is not being evaluated for award of the IDIQ-MAC. There is no requirement to submit past performance references. The Government is however evaluating each Offeror’s technical experience in the functional areas listed within the RFP. Offerors shall provide information to demonstrate their relevant experience in one or more of the functional areas as a prime. This information includes, at a minimum, the contract number and/or agreement & name of activity supported, period of performance dates, and a description of tasking performed that is relevant to the proposed functional area(s). No information should be submitted from the supported activity regarding how well the Offeror performed on the individual contract.

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OR QUESTION ANSWER

05/03/2019 Section 5.3, Offeror’s experience

Section 5.3 (Page 101 of 109) of the RFP appears inconsistent regarding the intent for experience claims within the Technical Proposal. The first paragraph states, “Offerors are required to submit a description of experience in one or more of the functional areas as a prime contractor in direct support of DOD or Coast Guard contracts.” The third paragraph states, “The information submitted is intended to provide the Government with evidence of recent and relevant technical experience providing support to the DOD or Coast Guard, as either a Prime Contractor or a

Subcontractor.” Request the Government please confirm that for a given Functional Area, Offerors are allowed to include experience references where they are either a Prime or a Subcontractor to satisfy the

Government’s intent as clarified in the third paragraph of Section 5.3.

Offerors are to include experience references where they are/ were a Prime Contractor only. Section L has been updated in Amendment 0001.

05/06/19 L, 4.0 pg. 99 Proposal Format

Does each functional area (1-6) proposal file require a cover sheet, table of contents and list of acronyms? If required, do these items count toward each 5 page limit?

No, Offerors do not need to submit a coversheet, table of contents and list of acronyms with every functional area proposal file.

05/06/19 C.10.2 pg. 22

L-219-H001

pg. 106

Subcontracting Plan

Submission of

SBSP

Is it the government’s intent for the Offeror to provide a Subcontracting Plan with their prime MAC proposal or with individual task order proposals? If yes, of the

12 submission documents required in section L, please identify which of 12 listed documents should contain the Subcontracting Plan?

Yes, Section 4.3 has been updated to include submission of a Small Business Subcontracting Plan. Section L has been updated in Amendment 0001.

Small Business Subcontracting Plans will be required for individual DO/TO’s as well.

05/06/19 C.10 Teaming and Subcontracting

Can team members or subcontractors be added at the DO/TO level after award of MAC prime contract awards?

Yes, however offers are still required to submit and comply with the requirements of the contract.

05/06/19 5.0 pg. 100 Proposal content The government requires an Executive summary in section 5.0. Are there specific content requirements for the Executive Summary?

No, there are no specific content requirements for the Executive Summary.

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OR QUESTION ANSWER

05/06/19 5.2. pg. 100 Cover Letter The cover letter has a page limit of 2 however, the requirement for this document requires Section K, reps and certs be included which consists of 5 pages.

Will the government increase the page count to cover the requirement of adding section K to this document?

Yes, the page count has been increased in Amendment 0001. UPDATE: The inclusion of Section K in the Cover Letter page count has been removed.

Section K will now be an enclosure with no page count see update in Amendment 0002.

05/06/19 4.3, Page 100 5.5, Page 102

Contractor Information Spreadsheet (Attachment

L.1)

Section 4.3 identifies the Contractor Information Spreadsheet (Attachment L.1) by the filename “Company_Name_CAGE_Teaming” and

Section 5.5 instructs the offerors “to provide prime information with the proposal. Prime Offeror information shall include: …”

Please confirm that the Government intends for Offeror to identify Company Information for the Prime only on Attachment L.1 and not identify the team members.

Attachment L.1 is to identify Prime only information. The naming convention of the Attachment L.1 has been updated in Amendment 0001.

05/08/19 C.9.2, PAGE

Competitive

Ordering Process

Will the government entertain sole awards under the MAC IDIQ for unsolicited proposals provided to the government?

No.

05/08/19 5.3, PAGE 101

of 109

Experience Para 5.3 states, An Offeror’s description of recent and relevant experience shall reference one but not more than three contracts/agreements.

Does the government include Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) as an applicable agreement?

Yes but the agreement must directly be in support of the DOD and Coast Guard in the areas listed in Section C.

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05/08/19 Page 101, Paragraph 3

“The information submitted is intended to provide the Government with evidence of recent and relevant technical experience providing support to the DOD or Coast Guard, as either a Prime Contractor or a Subcontractor”. Are we able to submit past performance write ups in reference to a subcontract where we directly supported the customer in one the six functional areas?

No. Past performance is not being evaluated for award of the IDIQ-MAC and Offerors should not submit past performance references. The Government is however evaluating each Offeror’s technical experience in the functional areas listed within the RFP as Prime Contractor only. Offerors shall provide information to demonstrate their relevant experience in one or more of the functional areas as a prime. This information includes, at a minimum, the contract number and/or agreement & name of activity supported, period of performance dates, and a description of tasking performed that is relevant to the proposed functional area(s). No information should be submitted from the supported activity regarding how well the Offeror performed on the individual contract.

05/09/2019 Section L.

5.3 Technical

Proposal

Please reconsider allowing recent/relevant experience in Section L. to include subcontractor performance (as opposed to strictly Prime) in support of DOD or Coast Guard contracts, as it currently limits competition.

The RFP states “Potential Offerors who do not presently have experience providing direct support to the DOD or Coast Guard are advised to consider becoming a Subcontractor to a contract holder in order to gain that experience.” By the RFP definition, this would still be considered subcontracted performance and would not quality as relevant experience (bc it’s not Prime work).

Offerors are to include experience references where they are/ were a Prime Contractor only. Section L has been updated in Amendment 0002.

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OR QUESTION ANSWER

05/10/2019 Section C.1 - Purpose; Page

SOW Is it the government’s intent to use this solicitation as a vehicle to qualify bidders to provide GFE Systems for USV solicitations, including MUSV and LUSV, or will GFE systems for LUSV & MUSV be part of a different contractual vehicle? Said differently, must bidders be qualified under the USV FoS IDIQ-MAC in order provide GFE Systems for MUSV and LUSV?

The Government does not intend to procure items through the USV FoS IDIQ-MAC that will then be used as Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) during the initial ship construction phase of MUSV and LUSV. However, this scope of work is included in this RFP and the Government may issue future TOs/DOs under the USV FoS IDIQ-MAC to procure GFE for the MUSV and LUSV.

In that case, only bidders that are qualified under the USV FoS IDIQ- MAC will be able to compete for said orders.

05/10/2019 K, PAGE 92

of 109

Representation and

Certification

The RFP requires the Contractor to complete and submit Section K, which incorporated FAR 52.225-18 by reference. This provision requires the Contractor to indicate whether the place of manufacture of end products will predominantly be in the U.S. or outside the U.S. Should this representation be made in response to the RFP or for the individually ordered delivery orders or task orders?

Representation should be made for Clause 52.225-18 in the individual DO/TO solicitations, not in this RFP

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OR QUESTION ANSWER

05/10/2019 Sec L, para 5.3 third subparagraph;

Experience descriptions

Amendment 1 deleted experience obtained as a subcontractor from allowed citations that qualify an offeror in a functional area. This seems overly restrictive. Relevant unmanned systems developmental work has been tasked through large, more general contracts (such as OASIS or DTIC IAC MACs) where the performing entity must subcontract to a prime awardee on the contract vehicle. The Section L change precludes such experience being used for functional area qualification. Further, the Government’s suggestion that a company in this positon should strive to be a subcontractor under this new contract in order to qualify in five years is illogical – a subcontract experience is still a subcontract experience five years from now unless the rule itself is expected to change. Why would subcontractor experience be acceptable in five years but not acceptable now? Please revise the prime contractor only language found in the first and third subparagraphs of L.5.3 to allow experience as a subcontractor to be considered for functional area qualification.

Offerors are to include experience references where they are/ were a Prime Contractor only. Section L has been updated in Amendment 0002.

05/10/2019 Sec L, para 5.3; page 101

Experience descriptions

Does relevant tasking performance in support of a Navy program via a contract managed by a sister division within the same corporate parent meet the Government’s criteria for performance as a prime contractor?

Yes.

05/10/2019 Sec A; page 1 Submission deadline

The impact of changes included in Amendment 1 require restarting proposal development across the functional areas. To mitigate the impact, would NAVSEA extend the proposal submission deadline by one week?

Yes, the proposal submission deadline has been extended to 2:00PM local time 11 June 2019 as stated in Amendment 0002.

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05/14/2019 Section C.4, Page 15 – 17

Cyber Security Can the customer define Cyber Security as it applied to the functional areas?

Several of the functional areas in Section C.4 mention that orders released under the IDIQ-MAC may involve cybersecurity support. The Cybersecurity requirements will be identified in each DO/TO level.

05/14/2019 Section C.2 Scope, Page

Para. 1

Place of Performance

Can you be more specific as to the Place of Performance?

The place of performance will be identified in each DO/TO. Work will be accomplished within the continental United States (CONUS) and at outside continental United States (OCONUS) locations as specified on the DO/TOs.

05/14/2019 C.6

SECURITY

REQUIREME

NTS, Page 17 Bullet Point 2

Security Will SIPRNet be required at contractor facility or government?

DD254 has been updated. There is no requirement for SIPRnet access at the IDIQ-MAC level. Any requirement for SIPRnet access at a contractor or government facility will be handled at the DO/TO level.

05/14/2019 C.6

SECURITY

REQUIREME

NTS, Page 17 Bullet Points 4

& 5

Security Please clarify the contradiction of the following statements:

Receive and store classified documents only: The contractor shall only receive classified documents for reference purposes. There shall be no generation or derivative classification of classified material at the contractor facility.

Receive, Store, and Generate Classified Information: The contractor shall assist in modernizing systems that are classified.

Techniques to modernize this equipment, testing of this equipment and overall system performance could be classified and the subject to email and written reports. In this capacity, the contractor shall generate and be in receipt of classified material.

Section C and the DD254 have been updated in Amendment 0002.

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OR QUESTION ANSWER

05/14/2019 C.4.5, PAGE

Descriptions and

Specifications

The RFP defines ashore and host platform elements to include “tendering for a USV.” What does this requirement mean?

The IDIQ-MAC may release an order under the Ashore and Host Platform Elements functional area for research, development, technical studies, design and prototyping, etc. in support of a future tendering solution for a USV.

05/15/19 DD254 10(b) Restricted Data

The security requirements section of the solicitation clearly states that access to Restricted Data is required however, item 10(b) on the DD254 is not checked.

Will the government please clarify if box 10(b) of the DD254 should be checked?

10(b) should not be checked. Section C.6 and DD254 have been updated in Amendment 0002.

05/15/19 DD254 Item 14 Item 14 is checked “no.” However, based on the requirements of item 11(j), should Item 14 be checked “yes”?

DD254 has been updated in Amendment 0002. Item 14 is correct.

05/15/19 DD254 Is the contractor required to sign the DD254? The offeror is not required to sign the

DD254. Block 6 a, b, and c shall be filled out by the Offeror.

05/15/19 C.6

SECURITY

REQUIREME

NTS

Please provide clarification on requirement for all personnel associated with the USV contract to possess a DoD SECRET security clearance or only those that require access in performance of official contractual duties.

All contractor personnel associated with this contract must be United States citizens and shall have and maintain a SECRET security clearance at time of contract award through the duration of this contract. Contractor personnel shall comply with all current badging and security procedures required to gain access to any Government site (e.g.dBIDS).

05/15/19 C.6

SECURITY

REQUIREME

NTS

Please provide clarification on the requirement to receive and store classified documents only as below requirement contradicts this requirement.

Section C.6 and DD254 have been updated in Amendment 0002.

05/15/19 DD 254

Section 10: k.

DD 254

Section 10: k.

Please provide clarification on requirement for access to SIPRnet and/or SIPRnet backbone equipment. Will access be authorized only at a Government facility or does the contractor require access to SIPRnet and/or SIPRnet back bone at contractor’s facility.

Section C.6 and DD254 have been updated in Amendment 0002. There is no requirement for SIPRnet at the IDIQ MAC. Any requirements that may arise for SIPRnet would be at the DO/TO level.

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05/15/19 DD 254

Section 11: a.

Please provide clarification on requirements a & c as they contradict each other as to what access will be required in performance of this contract.

Section C.6 and DD254 have been updated in Amendment 0002.

35 05/15/2019 C.6/ Page 17 COMSEC Is the Government willing to sponsor the Prime Contract for a NID?

No

05/15/2019 Sec L, 4.3 (pages 99 &

100) and 5.2 (page 100)

Cover Letter The cover letter is subject to a 10-page limit, yet includes the requirement for a completed Section K.

While Section K is four (4) pages long in the solicitation, it does include various representation and certification clauses incorporated by reference, some of which a contractor may have not addressed in the System for Award Management (SAM). For such clauses the contractor must include the full text version of said clauses in the letter to meet the requirement, but by doing so it may likely drive the contractor’s page count for the cover letter beyond the 10-page limit. Would the Navy consider removing the page limit for the cover letter or relaxing it to a page count that would allow a contractor to address all required representations and certifications in full text, if need be? If not, would the Navy consider having Section K included as stand-alone enclosure?

The inclusion of Section K in the Cover Letter page count has been removed.

Section K will now be an enclosure with no page count. See update in Amendment 0002.

05/15/2019 Sec K (page

96) and L

(page 103), 252.246-7005

Reps and Certs Section K incorporates the provision 252.246-7005 - Notice of Warranty Tracking of Serialized Items

(MAR 2016) by reference. It is also incorporated by reference in Section L. The Contractor reviewed the clause, and it appears that Section L is the appropriate place to incorporate this provision, as it does not appear to be a representation, certification, or other statement by the offeror. As such, would the

Government consider removing this provision from Section K?

Section K has been updated in Amendment 0002 to remove provision 252.246-7005.

05/15/2019 Sec L (pages 103 – 106)

FAR/DFARS

Provisions/

Clauses

For any FAR/DFARS provision or clause in Section L requiring the reporting of information with an offer, where in the proposal should the offeror provide said information?

Section K and Section L FAR/ DFARS Provisions or Clauses will now be an enclosure with no page count. See update in Amendment 0002.

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05/15/2019 Sec K (page

96) and L

(page 103), 252.246-7005

And Sec I (page

57), 252.246-

The draft RFP includes the clauses 252.246-7006

WARRANTY TRACKING OF SERIALIZED

ITEMS (MAR 2016) and

252.246-7005 NOTICE OF WARRANTY

TRACKING OF SERIALIZED ITEMS (MAR 2016).

Both make reference to an attachment entitled “Warranty Tracking Information”. In this attachment, the Contractor is to provide the required information, as defined by the clause and on each contract line item number, subline item number, or exhibit line item number for warranted items. Under 252.246-7005, the offeror is to provide the information in this attachment with its offer, assuming there is any information to provide. Under 252.246-7006, the contractor awarded a contract is to provide the information in the attachment no later than time of award.

The Contractor noted, no such attachment is listed in Section J. Should “Warranty Tracking Information” be listed as an attachment in Section J? Where in its proposal should the contractor provide this attachment?

These clauses have been removed from the IDIQ-MAC and will be addressed at the DO/TO level, if applicable. The update was made in Amendment 0002.

05/15/2019 Sec K (page 96), 252.227-

Section K includes the full text provision, 252.227-

7028 ECHNICAL DATA OR COMPUTER

SOFTWARE PREVIOUSLY DELIVERED TO THE

GOVERNMENT (JUN 1995).

The provision requires the contractor to submit required information as an attachment to its proposal.

Where in its proposal should the contractor provide this attachment, assuming the contractor has said information to submit prior to award?

These clauses have been removed from the IDIQ-MAC and will be addressed at the DO/TO level, if applicable. The update was made in Amendment 0002.

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OR QUESTION ANSWER

05/15/2019 Section C.4, Low Observables and Survivability

Which Functional Area(s) is low observables and/or survivability design, analysis, engineering, or materials addressed?

Efforts related to “survivability design, analysis, engineering, or materials” most closely align to the Logistics and Sustainment functional area. The topic of “low observables” does not distinctly align to any one functional area as currently written. For topics which cross functional area boundaries, the Government may solicit multiple functional areas in a single DO/TO. The Government may solicit a single DO/TO under all functional areas to allow all active IDIQ-MAC holders to propose a solution.

05/30/2019 Section I 52.219-3

Clause paragraph (c)(1) states “Offers received from concerns that are not HUBZone small business concerns shall not be considered.” Please either remove this clause or confirm that offers received from other than HUBZone small business concerns will be considered.

Clause 52.219-3 has been removed from the IDIQ-MAC. The update was made in Amendment 0003.

05/30/2019 Section I 52.215-17 Clause states “The Contractor did not include facilities capital cost of money as a proposed cost of this contract. Therefore, it is an unallowable cost under this contract.” For those Offerors who will be submitting facilities capital cost of money as a proposed cost, please include FAR 52.215-16 instead of 52.215-17.

52.215-16 has been included in the IDIQ-MAC and 52.215-17 has been removed from the IDIQ-MAC. The update was made in Amendment 0003.

06/03/2019 L, 4.3 and L.5.4

SF30 According to the RFP, Section L. 4.3 and L.5.4, the SF33 portion of the proposal is limited to 1 page.

However, standard practice would have us include SF30s for every amendment. Should the page limit be adjusted to 3 to include the addition of the two amendments?

Acknowledge of amendments can be made in Block 14 on the SF33.

06/03/2019 Section L 4.3,page 100/

Section L 5.7,page 102

DD254 What is the Offeror required to submit with regards to the DD254?

The Offeror is expected to fill out Block 6 in the Draft DD254, acknowledging that all requirements on the DD254 will be followed at time of award.