Q_and_A_Two_N00033-14-R-3135_final.pdf

MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND

Operation and Maintenance of USNS STOCKHAM AND FIVE BOBO Class Vessels

RFP N00033-14-R-3135

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS – PART TWO

The following questions and answers are provided for informational purposes only and DO

NOT constitute an amendment to the solicitation. Any changes to the solicitation deemed necessary as a result of any questions answered herein will be incorporated via amendment.

Question 21: In paragraph 1.8.5 of Section C it does not state if all of the mariners need to be trained or not. In the past the requirement was 14 personnel trained in Helo Fire Fighting. And other courses were all mariners. Please confirm the number of personnel needing to be trained.

In this same paragraph under Basic CBRD it states to see paragraph C-1.8.13. Paragraph C-

1.8.13 describes the CBRD officer requirements.

Answer 21: The word “All” will be added to begin paragraph C-1.8.5 via Amendment 0003.

All mariners are required to have this training. However, as C-1.8.6 points out, mariners with previous training in these above subjects are eligible to complete a MSC Readiness Refresher course every five (5) years.

The reference in the third bullet of Paragraph C-1.8.5 has been changed to read “C-1.8.12.” See

Amendment 002.

Question 22: In section L-15.B.III offerors are required to submit a draft Property Control Plan that meets the requirements of section 15 of the Technical Manual. Our existing Property Control

System is supported by eleven attachments/references, one of which is the P485 which is 948 pages long – does MSC require all attachments/references to be included with the submission of the Draft Property Control System?

Answer 22: Offerors should summarize any information from attachments/references to its draft

Property Control Plan that it believes is relevant to fulfill the requirements of section 15 of the

Technical Manual, and provide any such information in an abbreviated format, (no longer than 5 pages) as part of the draft Property Control Plan submitted with its offer.

Question 23: Section C - 1.7.7.1, Deductions for Shoreside Personnel, stipulates a penalty for noncompliance to offered services/manpower however, it does not inform how this penalty is quantified since the shoreside labor pricing is not a separate line item in the pricing forms and who will/how can shortages be determined on partially allocated contributors. Please advise.

Answer 23: Section C-1.7.7.1 was previously revised in Amendment 002.

Contract deductions will be appropriate to the decreased level of service and will be determined on a case-by-case basis in accordance with FAR 52.246-4.

Question 24: Section C - 1.4.8 - Medical Supplies - Please provide a copy of, or electronic access to, the latest AMAL 5500.

Answer 24: This document will be provided at contract award.

Question 25: Section C - 1.7.4.1 - Travel to/from Diego Garcia - Is this cost a reimbursable item?

Answer 25: No. Per C-1.7.4 “All crew travel and per diem associated with crew rotations shall be included in the Contractor’s fixed rate.”

Question 26: Section C - 1.8.3 - Cost of Training - Due to the complexities of the mariner labor agreements, it will be very difficult to include an accurate cost for training in the Contractor’s fixed rate. MSC-required crew training, including travel, would be better handled as a reimbursable item so that actual costs will be borne by the Government, instead of inflated costs to cover training schedules that are impossible to predict.

Answer 26: Please see answers to questions 3 and 19 previously provided.

Question 27: Section L - 14 (b) and (g) - Submission of Offers - Please provide clarification.

Also, we assume “2013” in (g) is “2014.”

(b) With respect to FAR 52.215-1(d), unless offeror inserts a shorter period in Block 12, SF-33, by submission of an offer, offeror agrees that its offer, including any timely revisions thereto, shall remain valid until the Government makes award under this solicitation. The foregoing does not preclude an offeror from withdrawing its offer prior to award.

(g) Offers must arrive prior to the closing date and time and remain firm until 30

September 2013. Offerors are cautioned that delays in the delivery of mail are not unusual.

United States Postal Services (USPS) Express Mail requires a minimum of two (2) days to reach MSC. Delays by private couriers (FEDEX, DHL, etc.) are also not unusual.

Answer 27: This issue was addressed in Amendment 001.

Question 28: Section L-15 - General Proposal Requirements - C. Volume 3: Past Performance

Data and Price Proposal - II. Small Business Participation - Please provide MSC’s small business participation goals for the current and upcoming fiscal years.

Answer 28: MSC’s policy and that of the U.S. Government to provide maximum practicable opportunities in its acquisitions to small business concerns. The small business participation plan required in L-15.C.II. allows the offeror to show how it will maximize opportunities for small business and should not be predicated on MSC small business goals.

Question 29: Technical Manual - Section 5 - Please advise if these ships are certified for unmanned engine room operation (ACCU).

Answer 29: USNS STOCKHAM is ACCU certified. BOBO class vessels are not.

Question 30: In section 1.7.4.1 third paragraph reference is made to a Rotator Flight that leaves

Norfolk with a destination Diego Garcia twice a month. Please advise how many seats are available for contractors to use and what is the lead time is to reserve passage on these flights.

Answer 30: For more information about AMC Norfolk, call (toll-free) 1-877-417-1695, or visit the Web site at: www.airtermnorva.navy.mil.

Question 31: In section 1.7.9 Merchant Marine Cadets wages, travel, subsistence and quarters are reimbursable; at what rates are the cadet’s meals and quarters reimbursed?

Answer 31: Cadet meals and quarters will be reimbursed at the same rates identified in paragraphs C-1.3.2.1.

Question 32: In section 2.7.2.2.2 Port Engineer & Administrative Assistant’s travel CONUS is not reimbursable; what is the anticipated location of the industrial assistance CONUS so that projection of costs may be made; are the Port Engineers & Administrative Assistants required to mess and berth aboard the vessel as in OCONUS?

Answer 32: The Government anticipates, without guarantee, that each ship will have one availability on the East Coast/Gulf Coast during this contract should all option periods be exercised. Port Engineers and Administrative Assistants are not required to mess or berth on onboard the vessel. Expenses for these individuals are not reimbursable.

Question 33: In section 3.8.2 Expenses associated with the issuance of Common Access Cards

(CAC) are fixed price, how many crewmembers are to be required to maintain these cards? (I.E.

on other PM3 contracts 4 individuals were required to carry these cards)

Answer 33: Please see sections C-3.8 – 3.8.2 for personnel required to maintain CACs.

Question 34: In section L-14.(e).(1) technical proposal pages are referenced in the technical trade-off sub-factors; (L-15.B.(c) B.I.A and B; these sub-paragraphs numbers referenced could not be found, please advise.

Answer 34: Please see Amendment 0002.

Question 35: In Technical Manual Section 19 the Non-flagship subtotal for the Steward Dept.

should be 5 versus 3; Crew totals for all phases are correct and tie to Crewing Information in pricing forms.

Answer 35: Please see Amendment 0003.

Question 36: Section C-3.4.4 describes the minimum qualifications for a Port Engineer. One of the requirements is “A minimum of four (4) years' experience serving aboard ocean-going ships as a either a Chief Engineer or First Assistant Engineer AND a combination of education and experience that provides an equivalent level of knowledge of ship operations and maintenance and repair management.”

Did the government mean to use the word “AND” when describing the combination of education and experience? It would seem that “OR” would be a more appropriate choice for this requirement. A recently retired military member could easily have a combination of education and experience to meet this requirement but the use of the word “AND” precludes any potential

Port Engineer who has not gone to sea as a commercial Chief Engineer or First Asst. Engineer.

Answer 36: Please see Amendment 0003.

Question 37: Can you please indicate the amount of ammunition that is carried aboard these ships?

Answer 37: The net explosive weight of ammo on these ships varies from approximately

300,000 to approximately 750,000 pounds. Also see Section C-1.1.17.

Question 38: On the tabs for BOBO FOS Flag and BOBO FOS Non-Flag, there is only one line included for Able Seamen. There are several types of AB’s that have different pay rates. The pricing form does not allow for a mix between the two. Could this be adjusted?

Answer 38: No. Offerors shall use their discretion to determine the type(s) of ABs they will require in the performance of the contract and to provide a single rate (which may be blended) on pricing Form A. The Government will not consider adjustments to this rate if a contractor changes the type(s) of ABs utilized on the contract after contract award.

Question 39: For the Stockham, Section 19 of the Technical Manual lists an Electronics

Officer/Technician, while the Form C for FOS and ROS list an Electronics Officer. For the

Stockham, the current rating is QMED/Electronics Technician to fill this billet. Can the title be updated on the Form C to match the Technical Manual?

Answer 39: The Technical Manual and Form C have been corrected. See Amendment 003.

Question 40: For BOBO ROS-5 and Stockham ROS-5 there is a discrepancy in the manning levels. The Form C includes 1 QMED, but the Technical manual includes 1 GUDE. Can this discrepancy be corrected?

Answer 40: Form C has been corrected. See Amendment 003.

Question 41: If in the process of guiding the helicopter in to land on, or take-off from the ship, or if during fueling, loading and securing operations, the crew makes a mistake and the helicopter is damaged, or the personnel on board the helicopter are injured, or both, does the government protect the contractor from lawsuits from the personnel on board the helicopter and is the contractor released from responsibility for damage to the helicopter?

Answer 41: No.

Question 42: How frequently will the vessels be involved in Helicopter Operations?

Answer 42: Helicopter Operations are generally very infrequent. However, operations could increase at the discretion of the Combatant Commander, Fleet and/or MPSRON Staff.

Question 43: Will the Helicopter be kept aboard the vessel(s), or not?

Answer 43: No.

Question 44: What would be the insured value of the Helicopter(s)?

Answer 44: Aircraft values will not be provided however, the following aircraft are certified to land on these ships; H1,H3,H46,H53D,H53E,H60,H65H47,H58,H60 and V22.

Question 45: We are still uncertain as to where past performance data is to be provided.

Sections L-14 (e) and L-14 (e) (5) state that past performance data is to be in Volume 1, while

Section L-15 C. indicates that past performance is to be provided in Volume 3. Please clarify.

Answer 45: Please see Amendment 003.

Question 46: Within Section L-14 (e) (1), it is stated that “A maximum of four pages should be used to respond to the Minimum Technical Requirements Ship Operation Experience (L-

15.B.(c)A.I.) and Ship Maintenance and Repair Experience (L-15.B.(c)A.II.).” Please advise if the max of four pages applies to each section individually (Ship Operation Experience, and Ship

Maintenance and Repair Experience), or both sections combined in a max of four pages.

Answer 46: A maximum of four pages total are allocated to respond to both of the Minimum

Technical Requirements (L-15.B.(c)A.I. and L-15.B.(c)A.II.) combined.

Question 47: Section L-14 (e) (4), states, “There is no page limitation for Volumes (1) or (3).”

With regard to Volume (3), Section L-15 C. I. (d), as amended in Amendment 2, states, “. . . This information may fill box 14 and up to one continuation page.” Also, Attachment I, Past

Performance Data, box 12, states, “. . . but shall not exceed (2) pages in length.” Please clarify.

Answer 47: While Volumes (1) and (3) do not have specific page limits, the data submitted as part of Attachment I, Past Performance Datasheet is limited. Block 14 of each Past Performance

Data Sheet is limited to what can fit on the form and up to one continuation page. Likewise, block 12 of each past performance data sheet submitted is limited to what can fit on the form and up to two additional pages.

Question 48: Section L-15 A. (c) states, “The offeror must maintain a complete Online

Representations and Certifications (ORCA). All other provisions required by the solicitation, but not included in ORCA, are to be completed and submitted with the proposal. Items which are not applicable should be marked “N/A.” ORCA has been replaced by SAM (System for Award

Management). Please confirm that representations and certifications must be maintained in

SAM.

Answer 48: Section L-15.A(c) has been corrected. See Amendment 0003.

Question 49: Section L-15 B. (c) A. I. (a) for Ship Operational Experience states, “The offeror shall describe its experience of at least 10 years of simultaneously operating multiple ocean going ships of no less than 4,500 tons and 10,000 HP within the last 15 years.” Please clarify 10 years, or 15 years.

Answer 49: The offeror must have operated multiple ships for at least 10 simultaneous years within the last 15 years.

Question 50: On March 21, 2014, MSC released a DRAFT Technical Manual for industry review prior to the release of this RFP. On July 25, 2014, when N00033-14-R-3135 was released, the Technical Manual was included as Attachment A. Neither version is dated, and the

RELEASED version does not have a Revision page. This is a 134-page document, so comparison of the DRAFT and RELEASED versions is unreasonable. Can MSC provide a summary of changes, or otherwise attest that no changes occurred to the document between the

DRAFT and RELEASED versions?

Answer 50: Anything issued prior to the release of the RFP was in DRAFT form and should not be relied upon in formulating your offers.

Question 51: Section C-1.8.15 lists several competency/training requirements in MSC systems for Shoreside management. Is this training considered reimbursable for contract initiation and then contractor responsible afterwards? If this is to be for contractors account, please advise acceptable courses/venues to attain required training and costs thereof.

Answer 51: Please see Amendment 003.

Question 52: With numerous question responses still outstanding, especially with respect to pricing forms, and without having Collective Bargaining Agreements, we request an extension to the proposal due date.

Answer 52: Please see Amendment 0003.