Responses_to_Questions_N0018919QG051.docx

Visual Information Services – Groton, CT Solicitation # N0018919QG051

Questions

1. Will the government provide the current contract number and annual contract value?

Response: N0018917PG005 with an annual contract value of $302,569.80.

2. Are we to assume the current contractor owns all the equipment listed in the contractor inventory requirements?

Response: The contract has changed; shifting this burden to the contractor.

3. Paragraph 1.2, 1.2.1. Is the onsite managerial support a full time position or can this person also be a photographer?

Response: The intent is for the contractor to provide one FTE to do both the managerial support and act as a photographer.

4. What is the current level of staffing?

Response: Current level of staffing is 3.

5. Paragraph 1.2.1.6.2, states a DD Form 254 will be issued. Typically, the government will provide a draft DD Form 254 with the solicitation so the contractor will know what type of classified work to expect. Will the government provide what types of classified material will be handled and how many work orders historically has required someone to have a SECRET security clearance?

Response: DD254 attachment will be provided. The resultant contract requires all personnel to have a SECRET security clearance.

5. Paragraph 1.2.2.1.1, 1.2.2.2.1, 1.2.2.3.1, Qualifications. Do the current employees meet all the required qualifications?

Response: Yes.

6. Paragraph 1.3, Quality Assurance, it appears the government did not provide the QASP and matrix as a separate attachment, will the government please provide?

Response: Attachment will be provided.

7. Paragraph 5.10.4, Non-Duty Hours Photography. Historically how many after hours photography work orders are completed annually?

Response: Less than 5 annually.

8. The government provided technical exhibit 2 workload estimates, however, the numbers provided do not accurately reflect the work done. Will the government please provide a better breakdown of the workload? For example, Graphic Presentations appears to include everything that the graphics person may do, but it does not reflect how many posters, how many fold outs, how many flyers, etc… that are done. Since each takes a different level of effort this information is required so that staffing requirements can be fully met.

Response: We have always managed the contract with one Graphics Designer/Illustrator. Many times the contractor has had to employ the two photographers to assist with the Graphics Presentations. If the workload exceeds the 3 FTE manning, the COR would determine what work would not be accepted. The intent of the workload estimate is to give prospective bidders an idea of the products desired.

9. As with the same with the paragraph above, the photo deliverables also need to be broken down further so that we can ensure we properly staff this effort.

Response: See answer to #8.

10. Instructions to Quoters, Part 1 Facilities Clearance states the quoter shall provide proof/verification it possesses a current Secret FCL. However, the next sentence states verification must be obtained within 30 days of the RFQ’s closing date. Will the government please clarify this requirement?

Response: Proof of a current Secret FCL is required.

11. If a company is in the process of obtaining their Facility Clearance and anticipate receiving prior to the contract start date, will the government allow them to submit a bid?

Response: Current Secret FCL is required at time of submission of quote.

12. Part 2 Staffing Plan/Resumes and Portfolio: Are the positions required within the solicitation currently filled? If so, are they subject to Executive Order 13495 for displaced workers?

Since the government is asking for resumes for all positions are, we to assume incumbent personnel are not eligible for re-hire? If so, is the government trying to determine if a contractor is able to fill vacant positions by providing resumes?

FAR 52.222-17 instructs offerors to provide “a right of first refusal of employment” and further states offerors “shall make a bona fide express offer of employment”. In order to be compliant with solicitation instructions and the specific FAR Clause, we respectfully request the names and positions of the current workforce or removal of resume requirements due to this being a “requirements” contract.

These requirements highly favor the incumbent contractor and provide an unfair advantage. Most contractors will hire 95% of the incumbent personnel with few exceptions due to the executive order that requires follow-on service contractors to give incumbent personnel the right of first refusal for employment on the follow-on contract. Further, if a contractor does not retain the incumbent management, the government will lose the institutional knowledge of the workforce. Will the government remove these requirements?

Response: The positions are currently filled and are subject to Executive Order 13495.

Incumbent personnel are eligible for re-hire. Yes, the government is trying to determine if a contractor is able to fill vacant positions by providing resumes.

No, we cannot provide names, positions or contact information prior to award. The current vendor is required to provide a certified list of all its service employees (including subcontractor employees) working under the contract to the contracting officer not less than 30 days before completion of the current contract to the successor vendor.

13. The government did not provide an Area Wage Determination, please provide.

Response: Wage Determination will be provided.

14. Part 2 Staffing Plan/Resumes and Portfolio: Will the government please provide what they want as part of the required portfolio?

Response: 3 – 7 examples each of photographic work, video work, and graphic presentations.

15. What is the current work order tracking system being used by the government on this contract?

Response: All work is requested and tracked using Technical Exhibit 7.

16. Please provide the name and contact information for all current employees supporting the contract, to ensure we comply with FAR clause 52.222-17 "Non-Displacement of Qualified Workers" and to acquire the necessary documentation for proposal response for those interested in the follow-on contract.

Response: See answer to #12.

17. To ensure the competition for this opportunity is as fair and open as possible within Facility cleared offerors, would the contracting office consider resumes of qualified individuals (capable of obtaining SECRET clearance) as technically acceptable? For contracts that require personnel obtain SECRET, we typically are allowed the opportunity to open investigations and begin the process of obtaining clearances for individuals who can perform the requirements, but are not incumbent staff.

Response: All proposed personnel are required to already possess a Secret clearance.

18. It seems odd that contracting is requiring offerors to provide their own DSS verification letter rather than seeking proof/verification through internal government systems. Do you want us to go into NISS and generate this letter? It is not guaranteed the NISS system will generate the verification letter prior to the response due date.

Response: See FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Quoters – Commercial Items (Addendum), Part 1 Facilities Clearance.

19. The response requirements for Part 4 Price requests that separate pricing information shall be submitted for each period of service, including the FAR 52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES period as well as a total summary for all periods of service. Can you please elaborate on how you'd like this information provided, i.e. is supporting documentation required in addition to a completed SF1449? Please clarify the response expectation.

Response: This is just to reiterate that the total amount of the quote has to be broken down by the period of service, to include the FAR 52.217-8.

20. Is Technical Exhibit 2 Workload Estimates a reflection of annual work completed in the last contract, or do these numbers represent tasks to be accomplished in the upcoming contract?

Response: Technical Exhibit 2 is based on an average of the last three years of work.

21. Can you amend the Workload Estimates to provide the annual work hours performed for Graphics, Studio Photography, and Location Event Photography?

No. See response to #8.

22. How many FTE’s are currently providing support?

Response: See response to #4.

23. Please provide the start dates of all FTEs on the contract so we can accurately determine vacation time.

Response:

24. Please confirm that the contractor is responsible for acquiring, maintaining, and purchasing supplies for only the equipment listed in Exhibit 3, under the tab “Contractor Inventory Requirements”.

Response: Yes. The GFE & NMCI tab on Exhibit 3 was a working copy and should not be part of the solicitation.

25. Can we include all equipment costs in the Base Year, or should we spread them out across the options?

Response: Equipment costs are to be included in the Base Year. Options are dependent on satisfactory contract performance and government need and are not necessarily guaranteed to be exercised.

26. Is the equipment listed in Exhibit 1 and Exhibit 3 under the Tab “GFE and NMCI” provided by the government for the contractor to use?

Response: The equipment listed in Exhibit 1 is available for the contractor to use. The GFE and NMCI tab on Exhibit 3 was a working copy and should not be part of the solicitation.

27. Does the government own/provide all of the camera equipment?

Response: Yes.

28. Why are prices included in Exhibit 1? Are we expected to purchase that equipment?

Response: The prices are provided in case the contractor damages the equipment through misuse.

29. Exhibits 1 and 3 lists three HP Pro Desk computers; the “Contractor Inventory Requirements” tab lists three Dell Inspiron. How are the different computers used?

Response: The three HP Pro Desk computers listed in Exhibit 1 (Exhibit 3 is not applicable) are connected to NMCI and are used by the contractor for communications with authorized users. The three Dell Inspiron computers are not connected to NMCI and are used for producing the VISC products.

30. Will you accept a copy of CPARS evaluation in place of Past Performance questionnaire? Some of our customers are pushing back on Past Performance Questionnaires and asking us to refer Contracting personnel to CPARS.

Response: The government has access to CPARS. However, the Past Performance questionnaire is meant to capture any other feedback (i.e. some contracts based on price threshold is not located on CPARS). Recommend to still send out the Past Performance questionnaires to prior customers.

31. Is there a preference of the type of media to be included in the portfolio section of the proposal? E.g., photography, video, graphics, etc.

Response: No, each is a valuable VISC product.

32. How many portfolio/samples are required?

Response: Between 3 and 7.