N00173-21-R-NA03 QA 7.16.2021.pdf

Question

Name of Document Affected

Affected Section, Page, and Paragraph

Question Answer

1 RFP

L-2 Proposal Volume

Requirements, sub-para (2) Page

Count, page 69

RFP states: "(2) Page Count: Page limits should be treated as the maximum. If exceeded, the excess pages will not be read, will not be considered, and will not be included in the evaluation of the Offerors proposal. When both sides of a sheet display printed material, it shall be counted as two (2) pages. Each page shall be counted except for the following: cover pages, table of contents, cross reference tables, tabs, glossaries, acronym lists, subcontractor/teaming agreements, past performance questionnaires, CPARS reports, transmittal letters, staffing plans, transition plans for the sixty (60) day transition period, resumes, and letters of commitments."

Q: The RFP indicates specific page count limits (10 pages each) for separate Management, Staffing and Transition Plans. This seems to be a discrepancy. Can Government please advise?

The Management, Staffing, and Transition Plans each have a 10 page limit. See corresponding Amendment 0001 for the update to L-2, subparagraph (2) Page Count, which removes Staffing and Transition plans from the sentence in question.

2 RFP

L-3 Technical Proposal, Factor I:

Subfactor 3:

Personnel

Qualifications, subsection #2

RFP states: "The Offeror and its subcontractors shall provide a mapping of any company-specific labor categories to the Government labor categories defined in Attachment J-3.This mapping shall include a description, similar in detail to the Government labor categories noted in Attachment J-3, Personnel Qualifications, of the requirements/qualifications associated with each company-specific labor category contained in the Offeror’s Staffing Plan, including company-specific labor categories proposed by subcontractors.

Offerors are cautioned that the lack of supporting qualifications, detail, etc. to support the company specific proposed labor category, and/or unclear traceability to corporate labor categories with Government-specific labor categories may result in a Deficiency in the Technical Factor rating, disqualifying the Offeror’s proposal from an award".

Q: Do Offerors need to provide this data if we use/accept the Government Labor categories and descriptions as provided in Attachment J-3?

If an offeror's proposed, company-specific labor categories and descriptions exactly match the categories and descriptions in Attachment J-3, mapping is not necessary and the offeror can state that there are no differences or deviations.

Offerors should note, however, that insufficient information could disqualify them.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS, JULY 16, 2021

N00173-21-R-NA03

Name of Document Affected

Affected Section, Page, and Paragraph

Question Answer

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS, JULY 16, 2021

N00173-21-R-NA03

3 RFP

L-3 Technical Proposal, Factor I:

Subfactor 3:

Management

Capability, page 73 subsection #3 and

#8

RFP states: "3. The Offeror’s proposal shall provide a narrative description of your management strategy to manage this effort successfully including organizational structure, staffing plan, and transition plan for the sixty (60) day transition period and critical management systems. 8. The Offeror’s proposal shall detail the Offeror’s strategy for ensuring a smooth and effective transition between the Offeror’s proposed personnel and the incumbent’s personnel into the ongoing system development, maintenance, and operations efforts. The transition period lasts sixty (60) days and begins upon contract award.".

Q: There are specific call outs for the separate 10-page Staffing and Transition Plans on page 74. Does the Government intend that all details are to be described in these two plans and not in the Management Capability section?

Each plan (Staffing, Transition, and Management) is a separate requirement and each has a 10-page limit. Staffing and Transition Plans should be described in their own plan according to their corresponding subsection. #3 under Management Capability (Management Plan) was updated to remove references to Staffing and Transition Plans, and the former #8 was removed and is now listed as

(f) under Transition Plan. Please see corresponding Amendment 0001.

4 RFP

L-3 Technical Proposal, Factor I:

Subfactor 3:

Management

Capability, pages 73 subparas #6 and #7

RFP states: "6.The Offeror’s proposal shall detail the Offeror’s management plan, which should include a description of how the different tasks can be effectively and efficiently managed with minimum demands upon Government personnel. It should include, as applicable:

management experience and involvement, quality control, risk management, systems engineering, hardware development, configuration management and subcontract management...and 7. The Offeror shall also provide a narrative description of its management experience on projects with scientific, engineering and technical efforts similar to those required in the SOW. This description should clearly demonstrate how the contractor’s management plan defines the company’s management efforts resulted in its ability to meet performance requirements, cost, and schedule goals on projects of similar size and complexity"

Qa: There are no guidelines for the separate Management Plan. Should these subsections be considered the guidelines/requirements for the separate 10-page Management Plan and therefore not be included in the Management Capability Subfactor?

Qb: Are there any other subpars that the Government wishes to see addressed in the separate Management Plan?

See Amendment 0001 for updated Subfactor 3, Management Capability, which now clearly delineates the criteria required for the Management Plan.

Name of Document Affected

Affected Section, Page, and Paragraph

Question Answer

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS, JULY 16, 2021

N00173-21-R-NA03

5 RFP

L-6 VOLUME IV -

COST PROPOSAL

Table 4 - LCATs, Skill Mix and Labor Hours, page 79

Under Labor Categories, the government states on the 5th line down "Senior Scientist (1 Key, 5 Non-Key), and has a corresponding value of hours listed at 6,650.

Q: Given the assumption of 1900 hours per FTE, the not to exceed total hours of 42,750 hours, should column 1 for that category read "Senior Scientist (1 Key, 1.5 Non-Key)?

No, 1 key and 5 non-key are correct. The number of hours listed is 6650. This equals 3.5 FTE to be distributed among 6 individuals.

6 RFP

L-6 VOLUME IV -

COST

PROPOSAL, page 78, para 2

Para 2 states "Therefore, Offerors are instructed to propose 42,750 labor hours for each CLIN, comprising of CLINs 0001, 1001, 2001, 3001, and 4001. NRL anticipates, at a minimum, twenty-three (23) full time equivalent (FTE) individuals in support of this SOW…". Assuming 1900 hours per FTE, the level of 42,750 would not reach the minimum FTE of 23.

Q: Can the Government elaborate whether it intends to stick with 42,750 hours and modify the FTE or clarify the man-hours that are being used for an FTE.

NRL anticipates 42,750 labor hours per year according to Table 4. The Section L reference to 23 FTEs has been removed (see amendment). The Government wants to see that an offeror can staff to meet 42,750 labor hours per year according to the labor categories given.

7 RFP

Section L-3 (1), Page 71, Subfactor

1: Technical Understanding, Paragraph 2

Paragraph 2 of Subfactor 1: Technical Understanding states, "The Offeror's proposed personnel, both key and non-key, as well as all subcontractors, shall be located in the Washington, DC area and available to work on site daily at any NRL location in the Washington, DC area."

Q: Is it the Government's intent that personnel and subcontractors outside of the Washington, DC area supporting the current contract effort will not be eligible to support the follow-on effort, or does the Government allow for exceptions for certain personnel and subcontractors?

This particular sentence has been revised to, "The offeror’s proposed personnel, both key and non-key, as well as all subcontractors, shall be available to work on site in the Washington DC area, as required for specific projects."

Please see Amendment 0001.

Name of Document Affected

Affected Section, Page, and Paragraph

Question Answer

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS, JULY 16, 2021

N00173-21-R-NA03

8 RFP

Section L-6 (1), Pages 77 & 78 -

Table 3; and Page 79 - "Material CLIN's 0002, 1002,…" and "ODC CLIN's

0003, 1003,…"

The note beneath Table 3 on Page 78 reads: "*The values provided by the Government in the table above are not inclusive of Offeror indirect costs. Offerors are instructed to propose accordingly."

The sections labeled "Material CLIN's 0002, 1002, …" and "ODC CLIN's 0003, 1003, ..." contain the statements, "Offerors are instructed to propose exactly $3,750,000 for each Material CLIN" and "Offerors are instructed to propose exactly $75,000 for each ODC CLIN".

Q: Can the Government please clarify if Offerors may propose applicable indirect costs on the stated plug amounts of $3,750,000 and $75,000 for Material and ODC?

Offerors shall only propose the stated plug amounts of $3,750,000 and $75,000 for Material and ODC, respectively. Amendment 0001 now clarifies this under Table 3.

9 RFP

Section L-2 (5), Page 70, "Cost or Price Analysis of Subcontractors"

The paragraph entitled "Cost or Price Analysis of Subcontractors" on Page 70 reads as follows: "....Subcontractors are deemed “major” if the subcontractor is providing effort that makes up $15M OR more than 10% of the prime contractor’s proposed price. Subcontractor proposals are not required for those subcontractors that do not meet this threshold. All subcontractors shall provide separate, chapter-structured cost proposals comprised of costs exhibits using Attachment J-8 that support the proposed subcontractor pricing."

Qa: Can the Government please clarify what type of substantiating data is required for proposed subcontractors that do not meet the threshold of $15M OR more than 10% of the prime contractor's proposed price, since the paragraph states that subcontractor proposals are not required for those subcontractors.

Qb: Is Attachment J-8 still required for those subcontractors not meeting the threshold, since the paragraph states that "All subcontractors shall provide separate, chapter-structured cost proposals comprised of costs exhibits using Attachment J-8...".

Only major subcontractors must submit a cost proposal using Attachment J-8 as well as substantiating data. This section has been revised. See Amendment 0001.