N0018918RQ012-0002_-_Questions_and_Answers.docx

N0018918RQ012 – 0002 – Questions and Answers

1. The RFP currently states that an Acquisition, Contracting, and Technical (ACT) fee must be remitted for sales under this award, but does not contain instructions for how the awardee should remit the ACT fee to the government. Can the contracting office identify the method and frequency of this fee remittance?

The ACT fee shall be submitted quarterly via check directly to SPAWAR. POC Information will be in the ordering guide.

2. Does the ACT fee apply to option period purchases on the Unlimited Deployment Program?

Proposed prices must be inclusive of the 1% Acquisition, Contracting, and Technical (ACT) fee on everything except for the renewal of technical support (SULS). Renewal means the continuation of technical support (SULS) in the subsequent coverage periods following the initial support period.

3. The Instructions to Offerors includes a provision for multiple offers presenting alternative terms and conditions, line items, and/or commercial items [52.212-1(e) - page 12]. However, the instructions on page 15 of the RFP (Volume II – Price Proposal) state that “alternate proposals are not authorized.” Furthermore, this solicitation is scoped for specifically named Oracle products, the basis of award is Lowest Price Technically Acceptable, and the government is not allowing exceptions or changes to the terms and conditions provided in the RFP. Can the contracting office provide official clarification regarding if multiple offers are allowed, and if so, what variety it expects from vendors who may make multiple offers on this RFP?

Solicitation revised. Multiple offers are not authorized.

4. The Instructions to Offerors includes a provision for the government to make multiple awards on any item or group of items in the RFP, “unless the offeror qualifies the offer by specific limitations.” However, the presolicitation notice for this opportunity indicated that the government intends to make a single award on the vehicle, and the Type of Contract (General Information, page 3) identified in the RFP lists a single award intent. The single award intent is also mentioned in several other sections of the RFP. Does the government intend to change or evolve this strategy to a multiple award acquisition?

The government intends to make a single award resulting from this solicitation.

a. We are developing pricing for this opportunity based on an “all or nothing” strategy, meaning that we do not intend to accept a partial award from the government. We intend to include a formal statement to that effect as part of our RFP response. Will qualifying our offer with a specific “all or nothing” limitation negatively impact our offer’s ranking during the government’s review period?

The government intends to make a single award resulting from this solicitation.

5. Attachment 6 states that the “the contractor shall be responsible for providing an order management and automated reporting tool to facilitate order by Navy users, workflow related to those orders based on Navy order, subsequent report of sales/deployment activity, and the cumulative Navy installed base”. Does this refer to Navy customers only? If so, will USMC users not utilize the portal? Or should this be changed to Department of Navy?

The solicitation will be modified to change all instances of Navy to DON. USMC should have access to the tool to facilitate requirements.

6. How will the initial “installed base” and final “installed base” of the Department of Navy Oracle Unlimited Deployment Program be determined? Will the “Portal” be considered the authoritative tool to accurately account for the total number of licenses that were consumed via the UDP to determine the final “installed base”? If yes, what are the automated reporting requirements of the “Portal”?

The Government’s data will be the authoritative source. The Government’s data will be based on the transactions cataloged by the reseller. Reporting requirements are found in the QSR.

7. Are the Catalog prices eligible for adjustment if Oracle list prices change, to include escalation, permitting DON’s agreement, while continuing to provide the agreed upon discount rates?

Catalog prices will be fixed upon contract award.

8. Is the DON’s intent to allow additional spot discounting on Catalog products through Oracle promotions offered to individual customers without being required to lower the general Catalog Price Hold to that additional discount?

Yes. SPOT discounting should not affect the general Catalog Price Hold.

9. Is the awarded contractor required to provide a Report of Sales to the Government Project Officer and PCO in electronic format within thirty (30) days following completion of the quarterly reporting period? If so, will the Department of Navy be providing the standard reporting format as an Attachment for this solicitation?

Yes. The format will be based upon the DOD ESI QSR.

10. Since the current Department of Navy Oracle ESLA contract ends June 12, 2018, will a transition plan be provided by the Government to the new awardee since the new ESLA’s effective date is projected for 31 May 2018, per the Ordering Guide?

Transition will be handled by the project office.

11. We are unable to locate specific terms in the RFP that dictate an acceptable process for handling Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Does the government intend to mandate how the contract awardee handles PII that may be acquired during the course of this award?

Vendors shall follow SECNAV INSTRUCTION 5211.5E, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY (DON) PRIVACY PROGRAM, 28 DECEMBER 2005 and report suspected cases of breaches to the project office via form OPNAV 5211/13 within one hour of being aware of the breach.

12. The RFP identifies the Term of Contract (General Information, page 3) as 60 months from date of award; our interpretation of this statement is that the government intends to make a holistic, 5-year award for this contract rather than a 1-year award with 4 option year periods. However, there is also “option period” language scattered throughout the RFP. Can the contracting office officially confirm the government’s intent on the Term of this award?

There will be no option periods in the base IDIQ contract. The first order will contain option periods and pricing is required for those option periods in order for the first order to be awarded.

13. Is the Department of the Navy utilizing multi-year appropriations to fund the Unlimited Deployment Program?

No.

14. Section 52.212-2 Evaluation—Commercial Items states on page 17 that price will be evaluated “by totaling the Unlimited Deploument [sic] Program (UDP) Pricing Worksheet in Attachment 3 and the discounted license price and discounted technical support (SULS) price at all transaction bands for the Catalog products.” Volume II – Price Proposal states that “for each product listed in the Attachment 7 price lists, the offeror shall provide the OEM part number, description, license list price, maintenance list price, discounted license price and the discounted maintenace [sic] price.” The Catalog Price tab in Attachment 3 is not currently formatted to allow offerors to provide this information, and there are no instructions in the RFP detailing how to accommodate this requirement. Does the contracting office intend for each offeror to provide a net-new Excel file showing the requested information along with Attachment 3 – Pricing Response?

Oracle price lists are provided in PDF format for reference purposes only. Intent is for the vendor to use that information to develop the pricing in Attachment 3 and Attachment 8 provided via amendment 0002.

15. What is the timeline required for the awardee to roll-out the Portal capability and train Department of Navy customers? Does the government have a list of the minimal requirements for the Portal?

Yes. The portal shall function in accordance with the requirements set forth in the ordering guide.

16. Is there a requirement for the contractor to provide centralized administration, in the form of a dedicated Program Manager, to organize, plan, schedule, implement, contract, analyze and report on all elements of the contract? If yes, we recommend the Program Manager be available during normal hours of operation to plan, direct and contract the overall management and operational functions of the contract.

No.

17. Does the anticipated award require UDP/Catalog management deliverables? If so, will these deliverables include due dates (i.e., within 30 days or award, 45 days of award, 90 days of award, etc.)?

No. See Attachment 6.

18. Will this contract require periodic program management reviews, led by the dedicated Program Manager? If yes, we recommend the meetings would review the progress of the contract by reporting the status of sales, sales leakage, marketing and any outstanding issues concerning the contract, among other things.

Yes. Attachment 6 has been updated.

19. Is the contractor required to implement sales leakage prevention processes /approaches for the Department of Navy UDP and Catalog? If yes, recommend the contractor work with the Department of Navy and Oracle to develop, codify, implement and enforce approaches to minimize sales of Oracle products and services outside the UDP and Catalog. The contractor would be responsible for proposing these leakage prevention approaches for review and approval to the Department of Navy Contracting Officer within 30 days of award and implement the approved approaches within 45 days of award. The contractor would be required to maintain, update and keep current the leakage prevention plan throughout the term of the UDP.

No. See Attachment 6.

20. Is the intent for Oracle and the “awardee” to work with the Department of Navy to provide Product Workshops, Technology Days, and other Training offerings to ensure the successful adoption of the Oracle Technology being acquired as well as the products being offered on the UDP and Catalog?

Yes. Updated Attachment 6 Roll-out language includes those requirements.

21. Is the contractor required to apply dedicated reasonable resources to market and advertise this IDIQ (UDP & Catalog), to include advertising the availability and benefits of the UDP/Catalog on the Contractor’s website, advertising this UDP/BPA Catalog at relevant trade shows and participation in relevant Department of Navy sponsored events?

No.

22. Is the contractor required to work with the Department of Navy team to establish a UDP Governance Framework deliverable that will define the business processes, roles & responsibilities, tasks, measurements and timing that will support effective vendor management?

No.

23. Is the contractor required to provide value-added enterprise briefings on topics relevant to Oracle technologies and this UDP/Catalog?

No.

24. Will the contracting office raise the page limit on this response to 75 pages to make sure offerors can provide all relevant information to the government?

No.

25: Volume II; Can the DON provide an example of how it would like the 1% ACT to be calculated?

The ACT fee is calculated on the fully burdened cost of the license and maintenance.

26: Volume II; Oracle does not provide OEM part numbers in the price lists. Would the DON accept a Catalog Price Hold worksheet information without the OEM part numbers?

Yes.

27: Volume II; The RFQ states, “For each product listed in the Attachment 7 price lists, the offeror shall provide the OEM part number, description, license list price, maintenance list price, discounted license price and the discounted maintenance price using the information from the Catalog Price Hold worksheet.” Does the DON have a specific format requirement for this requirement? Will this count against the page limit?

Intent is to provide prices from Attachment 7 in Attachment 3 Pricing Proposal and Attachment 8 Consolidated Pricing Worksheet. Attachment 7 price lists were provided for reference purposes. It is acknowledged that Oracle does not provide OEM part numbers.

28: Instructions to the Offerors 11.d; Are “product samples” nonapplicable to this solicitation?

Product samples are not required by this solicitation.

29: The RFQ states that in Factor 2 (page 15): “For each product listed in the Attachment 7 price lists, the offeror shall provide the OEM part number, description, license list price, maintenance list price, discounted license price and the discounted maintenance price using the information from the Catalog Price Hold worksheet.” The price lists in attachment 7 are all in a pdf format. Does the contracting shop want every line of every price sheet put into an excel or word format and the “discounted license price and the discounted maintenance price” identified for every OEM part#. We will provide a discount level applicable to each price list and for acquisition thresholds. With the short response time, it will be difficult to convert every price list into a modifiable format and provide requested information for every OEM part #. Our company and other small business may require an extension to fully comply if we are required to rebuild every price list in detail.

Price lists have been updated. Price instructions have been updated. Intent is to provide prices from Attachment 7 in Attachment 3 Pricing Proposal and Attachment 8 Consolidated Pricing Worksheet.