Vendor_Questions_and_Answers_Round_Three.docx

Round Three Questions & Answers

1. Page 1, Block 14 of the Amendment 0003 (as identified in block 2 of Amendment) says Final Questions due NLT 0900 11 May 2017, but page 2 says proposals due NLT 0900 01 May 2017. Please clarify.

ANSWER: The correct deadline for final questions was NLT 0900 11 April 2017 with proposals due NLT 0900 01 May 2017. Given the completion of three rounds of questions, no further questions will be accepted at this time.

2. The statement in the answer to #23 that, "FAR 52.222-46(a) clearly requires submission of “salaries and fringe benefits” and not “salary ranges” of the professional employees. Therefore, salary ranges are not permitted in the total compensation plan."

FAR 52.222-46 specifically mentions "ranges" in paragraph (b), "The salary rates or ranges must take into account differences in skills, the complexity of various disciplines, and professional job difficulty."

Since this is an IDIQ, with no key resumes required, the reality is that anyone not already on staff will be hired individually as task orders are won, with a negotiated salary and the standard company benefits package. We have 14 of these COTF analysts on our payroll right now, and they all make a different wage depending on their experience, degrees, certifications, project, etc. (exactly like the guidance in FAR 52.222-46(b))

Is the Government stipulating through this strict requirement to submit exact salaries in the Total Compensation Plan for the 60 different labor categories identified in solicitation attachment I (LCAT Rate Matrix), that there will be no allowable wage negotiations between employer and prospective employee, and further that there should be no consideration for skills, experience, educational degrees in determining salary?

ANSWER: Attachment I Labor Category Rate Matrix requires a maximum hourly rate for each identified labor category. Similarly, the Total Compensation Plan requires the same corresponding maximum hourly rate for each identified labor category. At the task order level, the contractor can quote that maximum hourly rate or a lower hourly rate based on the needed skill level. The government will not publicly release this compensation data.

3. The answer to question #31 states, "A single consolidated Total Compensation Plan shall be submitted by the Prime Contract Offeror that covers all professional employees (from prime contractor and subcontractors) who will work under the contract."

A "single consolidated Total Compensation Plan," as we understand that to mean, can only be constructed if subcontractors share proprietary compensation data with their primes.

Question, is the Government requiring subcontractors to share proprietary compensation data with their primes?

ANSWER: FAR 52.222-46(b) only refers to the submission of a “total compensation plan” and not the separate submission of compensation plans from prime contractors and each subcontractor. Please submit a single consolidated Total Compensation Plan. Only subcontractors who share compensation data for the total compensation plan can have their applicable staff considered as part of the overall proposal. This submitted compensation data will not be subject to public release by the government.

4. From FBO Amendment 7: Description: Amendment 4. Please note that packages 3, 4 and 5 are removed in their entirety and replaced with packages 5 and 6. There are no packages 5 and 6 on the website, will they be provided?

ANSWER: Package 5 does not exist due to system error and will not be provided. Package 6 (Amendment_3 and Questions and Answers - Round Two) has been posted to the fbo.gov website.

5. Amendment 4 page 2/7 Vol III OCI, it is very confusing what you want as nothing is identified for content. Is there specific content the gov’t wants in Vol III?

ANSWER: The specific content the government wants is specified in the Notice of Inclusion of an Organizational Conflict of Interest (FAR 9.507-1) and Organizational Conflict of Interest Section found in Amendment_0002.

6. Amendment 4 page 2/7 Vol II Price, on page 2 there is no mention of a Total Compensation Plan, on page 7/7 a Total Comp Plan is mentioned. Does the gov’t want a Total Comp Plan in Vol II?

ANSWER: Yes, a Total Compensation Plan is required to be submitted as part of Volume II (Price).