N0017325RML01_A0001 QA.pdf

NRL High Assurance Computer Systems Security RFP N0017325RML01 Questions & Answers

# Document/Section Section Contractor Question Contract Specialist Answer

1 Solicitation -

N0017325RML01

Section L-4 (pg 52) The RFP states that “Due to file size limitations, it is recommended that Offerors submit proposals in separate e-mails.” Would the Government please clarify the maximum file size restriction?

There is no maximum file size, but per Microsoft Outlook’s limitation of 20MB per email, multiple emails may be necessary.

DOD Safe is also an option for Proposal Submission.

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Section L-6, p. 53, footnote **

The footnote states "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, staffing plans, resumes and letter of commitments."" Please confirm that the required List of Tables and Drawings also does not count against the 50-page limit.

Per L-7, Volume I – Technical Proposal (b), page 54, the (a) table of contents,

(b) list of tables and drawings, and (c) glossary, do not count against the 50-page limit.

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Section L-6, p. 53, paragraph (a)

For page count purposes, do 11x17 inch pages count as one page or two?

11x17 pages count as one page but can only be used for pages solely dedicated to tables, charts, graphs, and figures.

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Section L-6 and L-7, Volume II, Factor 4 - Past

The Proposal Organization Instructions state that past performance questionnaires and CPARS reports are excluded from page counts.

Yes, the government will accept Past Performance Questionnaires and CPARS

Performance (pgs 53 and 56)

The instructions for Volume II require that past performance questionnaires and CPARS reports to be included between the introduction and the Previous Contracting Narratives, which are included in the page count.

Will the Government allow Offerors to include past performance questionnaires and CPARS reports after Previous Contracting Narratives for ease of page numbering?

report to be included after Previous Contracting Narratives.

5 Solicitation -

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Section L-7, Volume I, Factor 3- Staffing and Personnel Qualifications, Staffing Approach,(e) Staffing Plan, (page 55)

The solicitation requires Offerors to use Attachment 5 - Personnel Qualifications to summarize proposed personnel and current resources to address the needs for the first task order. Please confirm that Attachment 5 - Personnel Qualifications is excluded from the 50 page limit for the Technical Proposal.

Attachment 5 is for informational purposes only.

Offerors should utilize Attachment 5 to assist with proposing personnel and current resources IAW the required/desired qualifications in Attachment 5.

6 Solicitation -

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Volume III, Factor 5, page 57, paragraph 3

"The RFP states ""The final Small Business Participation Commitment Document (Attachment 8 - Small Business Commitment Document ) will be incorporated into the contract award. In accordance with DFARS 215.304(c)(i), small business participation is an evaluation factor under Section M-3, Factor 5 of this solicitation for both other than small and small business Offerors.""

Is completion of the Small Business Participation Commitment Document required at the proposal stage. If so, are we required to use the form in Attachment 8 or can

Attachment 8 is the required form for this factor and is required at the proposal stage.

we incorporate the requested information into our Small Business Participation Plan Volume III. "

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Volume III, Factor 5, page 57, paragraph 5

What are the small business goals for this procurement? The Small Business Goals for this procurement are detailed on RFP .pdf page 71 under Factor 5 – Small Business Participation

8 Solicitation -

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Volume V, Factor 7, page 58, Cost or Pricing Data Requirement

The RFP states "IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE

GOVERNMENT’S COST REALISM ANALYSIS,

OFFERORS ARE INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE THEIR

ACTUAL INCURRED DIRECT AND INDIRECT

LABOR RATES FOR THE PAST THREE

CONTRACTOR FISCAL YEARS. SALARY DATA

FOR PERSONNEL PROPOSED MAY BE SUBMITTED

IN LIEU OF CORPORATE LABOR RATES IF

CORPORATE LABOR STRUCTURE DOES NOT

SUPPORT.” If corporate labor structure does not support incurred direct labor rates, is there guidance on how offerors should handle contingent hires with an approved/signed offer letter?

Salary data may be submitted in lieu of corporate labor rates for contingent hires.

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Section L-7, Volume V, paragraph 2 (pg 58)

The RFP states that "it is the responsibility of the Prime Contractor to ensure that ALL SUBCONTRACTORS provide information at the same level of detail regardless of the subcontract pricing arrangement.” This would include substantiating data for every cost element proposed and providing historical indirect rate information

See Amendment 0001, page 58 of the RFP for additional details regarding this question which defines and projections, which can be particularly difficult and burdensome for very small small business subcontractors (not accustomed to cost-type contracting) to provide in a timely manner, especially if these small businesses are not covered by CAS. Would the Government consider removing the narrative requirements for small business subcontractors under a certain subcontract value or subcontract type?

parameters for Subcontractors.

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Section L - Volume V -

COST OR PRICING

DATA REQUIREMENT

(pg 58)

Offerors with DCMA ACO approved forward pricing rates must use these rates for pricing purposes and must also provide their FPRA or FPRR as supporting documentation in accordance with the instructions in Section L - Volume V - COST OR PRICING DATA REQUIREMENT. Will the Government, therefore, remove the requirement to provide actual incurred direct labor rates or salary data for the past three years for offerors with approved forward pricing rates?

No, this requirement will not be removed or revised.

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Section L - Volume V -

COST OR PRICING

DATA REQUIREMENT

and Indirect Rates (pg 58 and 60)

The COST OR PRICING DATA REQUIREMENT on page 58 instructs offerors to provide their actual incurred direct and indirect labor rates for the past three contractor fiscal years. However, the Indirect Rates section on page 60 states that historical indirect rate information must be provided only if an Offeror does not have an agreement with DCAA regarding forward pricing of provisional billing rates. Will the Government remove the requirement to provide historical fiscal year and actual incurred data on page 60, or make it the same as page 58 instructions?

The relevant sections of pages 58 and 60 are not contradictory. Per page 58, offerors must provide their actual incurred direct and indirect labor rates for the past three contract fiscal years. Page 60 further notes that for future projections/proposed rates, offerors shall include their latest indirect cost projections (showing details of computation of these rates) unless the offeror has forward pricing or provisional billing rates that will be proposed and submitted.

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Section L - Volume V -

COST OR PRICING

DATA REQUIREMENT

and Indirect Rates (pg 58 and 60)

Per Section L-Volume V, the government is instructing all subcontractors to provide information at the same level of detail as the prime contractor. Many subcontractors are small businesses that may not have the resources to produce and may not be able to meet the burden of documentation required to submit the proposal (three-year fiscal history, incurred direct, and direct labor costs, per page 58), especially as performers of Time and Material type of contracts. Will the Government remove the requirement to provide historical actual incurred indirect labor rates?

See answer above

13 Solicitation -

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Section L-7, Volume V, TO LOE, (pgs 59-60)

The provided LOE for Offerors to price against does not include a Facility Security Officer. The solicitation requires TS cleared personnel as well as a DD254 at the TS level. Based on this requirement, will the Government add .25 FTEs for this position to the LOE in order to both support clearance requirements on this contract and standardize pricing across Offerors.

The government will not add any additional LOE for this effort. Per page 55 of the RFP, the proposal should contain only the personnel needed for the first task order as identified in attachment 5.

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Section L - Volume V - Indirect Rates (pg 60)

The Indirect Rates section states, "The Offeror shall submit a copy of the latest signed forward pricing rate agreement including all applicable rates". If the Offeror does not have an FPRA, will the Government accept an

FPRR?

The Government will accept an FPRR

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Section L - Volume V - Indirect Rates (pg 60)

If the offeror has an FPRR for indirect rates and provisional billing rates, then the offeror should not need to provide the latest indirect cost projections and three years of incurred indirects, since the FPRR helps facilitate procurement of goods and services at fair and reasonable prices by providing the most current pricing data available to DoD. Will the Government please remove this requirement for offerors with an FPRR or an FPRA?

If an offeror has FPRR and/or provisional billing rates, the offeror does not need to provide the latest indirect cost projections;

however, the past three years of incurred indirects must still be provided.

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Section L - Volume V - Verification of Accounting System (pg 61)

Will the Government please confirm that only Prime Offerors are required to provide verification of Accounting Systems?

Confirmed

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Section L - Volume V - Financial Capability (pg 61)

Will the Government please confirm that only Prime Offerors are required to provide Financial Capability?

Confirmed

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Section L - Volume V - Uncompensated Overtime (pg 61)

Will the Government please confirm that if a subcontractor is not proposing any labor hours subject to an adjusted hourly rate, and not proposing uncompensated overtime, that they do not need to submit its policy on uncompensated overtime?

Confirmed

19 Attachment 7 Cost Proposal Format

“LABOR BUILD-UP

TEMPLATE” tab

This tab appears to list escalation by Fiscal Year. Given that many offerors do not escalate at the start of their, or the Government’s, Fiscal Years, will the Government consider updating these labels from “Escalation FY26, Escalation FY27, etc.” to “Escalation Year 1, Escalation Year 2, and Escalation Year 3” to allow for more uniformity across proposals, and consistency with the labelling of the “SUMMARY TEMPLATE” tab?

The government will accept both of the following format:

Escalation Y1, Y2…, or Escalation FY26, FY27….

20 Attachment 7 Cost Proposal Format

"LABOR BUILD-UP

TEMPLATE" tab

Will the Government please confirm only three of the four provided escalation columns are required, given the Task Order’s three-year Period of Performance?

Confirmed