QandA 5.31.2022.docx

N00173-22-R-KN01

Questions and Answers Date: 5/31/2022

Question 1: Would you have some time to discuss as we can provide some value added input that may be of assistance as you continue to develop the acquisition.

Answer 1: In accordance with the solicitation addenda to FAR 52.212-1, Proposal Submission Instructions, Inquiries Concerning the RFP (pages 26-27), “The Government will consider all correspondence, but will not issue individual responses; instead, if appropriate, a solicitation amendment and/or responses will be issued via www.sam.gov. No questions will be accepted via phone. Individual meetings with firms will not be scheduled. Voicemails with questions and/or requests for meetings will not receive a response.”

Question 2: Are you entertaining the possibility of putting this work on the VETS 2 vehicle or are you looking to establish your own IDIQ for this work?

Answer 2: As stated in the solicitation addenda to FAR 52.212-4, Type of Contract (page 4), “The Government contemplates award of a single award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle with firm-fixed-price (FFP) and/or time-and-material type task orders.” The Government will not be using the VETS 2 vehicle.

Question 3: In relation to Facility Clearance requirements for this effort. Our personnel are cleared at this time, however, the “company” does not have an active FCL with DCSA at present. Can you clarify if we would be eligible to bid on this effort?

Answer 3: In accordance with the solicitation addenda to FAR 52.212-1, Proposal Submission Instructions, Security Requirements (pages 26), “prospective offerors shall have the required facility clearance in accordance with attached DD254 at the time of proposal and, at a minimum, key personnel available with final DoD granted personnel security clearances required for performance of the contract.” NRL is unable to sponsor facility clearances for this requirement.

Question 4: Can the Prime Contractor to use the Sub-Contractor’s Facility Clearance (FCL) until the Prime Contractor’s FCL is approved?

Answer 4: No – the prime contractor receiving the award must have the FCL as required by the solicitation in the addenda to FAR 52.212-1, Proposal Submission Instructions, Security Requirements (pages 26).

Question 5: Does the government allow Contractor Teaming Agreement (CTA) between a SDVOSB managing member, who currently do not have Facility Clearance (FCL) and 8(a) member, who has FCL to respond to this solicitation?

Answer 5: No. The National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual requires that the prime contractor “must have a favorable entity eligibility determination at the same or higher classification level as its subcontractors” even “where all access to classified information will be limited to subcontractors.” 32 CFR 117.9(a)(5). Contractor Teaming Arrangements are allowable; however, there is no portion of the work under this requirement that would be considered unclassified. Therefore, both members of the CTA must have a current FCL at the time of submission of the proposal in accordance with the solicitation in the addenda to FAR 52.212-1, Proposal Submission Instructions, Security Requirements (pages 26).

Question 6: Is this a multi-award IDIQ? If so how many awards are planned to be issued for this IDIQ?

Answer 6: Please read the solicitation carefully. This information is provided in the addenda to FAR 52.212-4, Type of Contract (Page 4), which states: “The Government contemplates award of a single award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle with firm-fixed-price (FFP) and/or time-and-material type task orders.”

Question 7: Is this a new scope or existing work? If existing work, could you provide us the current contract number(s) and the incumbent(s) names?

Answer 7: This is considered a recompete of N00173-16-F-6701, and includes additional scope of R&D support to assist NRL MMD research scientists that perform scientific computing and software development with IT best practices, configuration management, issue tracking, and source code versioning control in a complex R&D environment. The incumbent is Information Management Resources Inc. (CAGE: 0W5J0).

Question 8: Are non-key personnel certifications required on Day 1 or is there a grace period (i.e., 90 days)? (RFP/Factor 2, Page 30, Para. 1-Staffing Approach)

Answer 8: 2. Non-key personnel are expected to meet the Personnel Qualifications on the first day of full performance

Question 9: The three (3) Key Personnel listed in 2a differs from the table in 2b where the Sr. Windows Admin is highlighted as Key. We assume that the table is incorrect. Can the Government please confirm? (RFP/Factor 2, Page 31, Para. 2a-Key Personnel)

Answer 9: Corrected this error. Please see Amendment A0001.

Question 10: Under what circumstances and how often will telework typically be approved? (PWS, Page 2, Para. 5-Performance Requirements)

Answer 10: 1. Local Telework to meet technical support requirements will be considered on a short term and limited basis, and is otherwise not authorized.