Amendment 0001 N0018926QD021 Questions and Answers.docx

Amendment 0001 N0018926QD021 Questions and Answers

Question 1: The solicitation does not include a Key Personnel evaluation factor, nor does it contain an explicit instruction to submit resumes or name specific individuals in Volume I. Please confirm: (a) Are offerors required to name proposed personnel for the Program Manager and/or Strategic Operations Planner positions in the proposal? (b) Are resumes required as part of the Volume I submission? If so, do resumes count toward the 16-page limit?

Answer: The solicitation does not include a Key Personnel evaluation factor. As such, resumes are not required as part of Volume I submission.

Question 2: PWS §5.2.2.1 requires the contractor to curate and maintain a Senior Fellow portfolio and provide recommendations for Senior Fellows to the COR. Is the offeror required to identify specific named Senior Fellows — including letters of commitment or letters of intent — as part of the proposal submission? Or is it sufficient to describe the process and criteria by which Senior Fellows will be recruited and vetted post-award?

Answer: It is not required to identify specific named Senior Fellows including letters of commitment or letters of intent as part of the proposal submission. Quoters can describe the process and criteria by which Senior Fellows will be recruited and vetted post-award via the Performance Approach as part of the Volume I Submission.

Question 3: PWS §5.2.2.1 states the contractor shall curate the Senior Fellow portfolio "until a roster of six (6) experienced Senior Fellows has been curated," and the DTC schedule table shows a "Fellow in Training" slot at the first DTC of each contract year. (a) Is there a specific contract milestone or deadline by which the full roster of six (6) experienced Senior Fellows must be assembled? (b) If a Fellow in Training does not achieve "experienced" status within a given contract year, what is the government's expectation for remediation?

Answer: There are currently four (4) Experienced Fellows supporting the DTC program. Each DTC requires services of two (2) Experienced Fellows. After the Fellow in Training successfully completes training at one (1) DTC, they graduate to an ‘Experienced Fellow’. Success is determined by the JPME Branch Chief and JEDD Division Chief based on feedback from end of course surveys.

The table in 5.2.2.1 states there are four (4) DTCs in the base year: Two (2) DTCs utilize two (2) Experienced Fellows and one (1) Fellow in Training, and two (2) DTCs utilize only two (2) Experienced Fellows (no Fellow in Training). The table does not state at which DTC the training must occur in any given year. The training in the Base Year may occur at any of the four (4) Base Year DTCs as long as there is no more than one (1) Fellow in Training at any one DTC. The two (2) Fellows in Training in the Base Year, added to the four (4) current Experienced Fellows will bring the bench to six (6) experienced Senior Fellows by the end of the Base Year.

In Option Years 1-4, one (1) DTC/year will utilize two (2) Experienced Fellows and one (1) Fellow in Training only if the bench drops below six (6) Experienced Fellows. In the years the bench maintains six (6) Experienced Fellows, a Fellow in Training is not required. For estimating purposes, assume there will be one Fellow in Training each Option Year.

A Fellow in Training must meet the same O9/O10 or senior civilian qualifications specified in PWS §5.2.2.1 and shall be reimbursed for services and travel under the same terms as an Experienced Fellow.

Question 4: PWS §5.2.2.1 states that active TS/SCI and SAP clearances are required for each Senior Fellow. (a) Must proposed Senior Fellows already hold active TS/SCI and SAP eligibility at the time of proposal submission, or is it sufficient that they held these clearances during their service and can pursue reinstatement prior to contract performance? (b) Is the contractor responsible for sponsoring clearance reinstatement for retired GO/FOs whose clearances have lapsed, and if so, is that cost reimbursable under the ODC CLIN?

Answer: Briefings and discussions are now being held at the TS/SCI level because the SAP read-in/out process and security requirements at the facilities were proving difficult to navigate. a) Senior Fellows shall possess current TS/SCI clearances prior to contract performance. SAP eligibility for the Senior Fellows is not required. b.) The contractor is responsible for sponsoring clearance reinstatement for retired GO/FOs whose clearances have lapsed and will cost reimbursable under the ODC CLIN?

Question 5: PWS §5.2.2.2 requires the contractor to "curate and maintain a portfolio of SMEs." Is the offeror expected to demonstrate an existing SME portfolio or network as part of the proposal evaluation, or is SME identification a post-award performance obligation? If a sample SME list or initial portfolio is evaluated, does it count toward the 16-page limit?

Answer: A sample SME list or initial portfolio will not be evaluated nor count towards the 16 page limit.

Question 6: The base period of performance begins 1 July 2026. When is the first DTC anticipated to execute during the base year? This information will directly inform our phase-in planning and the timeline for Senior Fellow and SME readiness.

Answer: The first anticipated DTC for execution during the base year is tentatively scheduled for 24-28 August 2026.

Question 7: PWS §15.0 identifies the Program Manager and Strategic Operations Planner as labor categories but does not specify whether these are full-time (40 hours/week) or part-time positions. For pricing and staffing planning purposes: (a) Does the government expect both positions to be filled by dedicated full-time personnel, or may either role be performed on a part-time or fractional basis by personnel who concurrently support other contracts? (b) Is there a minimum weekly hours expectation for either position?

Answer: This is performance based, so it is up to the quoters to determine the labor categories and hours.

Question 8: PWS §9.0 states that telework is at the company's discretion except when classified material handling or on-site activities are required. For the Program Manager and Strategic Operations Planner specifically: (a) Beyond DTC execution days and tasks requiring direct handling of classified materials, does the government have an expected minimum on-site presence (e.g., number of days per week) for either position? (b) Are there recurring standing meetings, weekly syncs, or other government-directed activities that require physical presence at the Pentagon or NIU on a set schedule?

Answer: a) The Program Manager and Strategic Operations Planner need to be physically present in the building to access JWICS +/- 2 weeks of course execution when briefers will send their briefs to the Action Officers. The main thing that ties physical presence to the Pentagon is access to JWICS. Most other coordination can be done remotely. While it is nice to be in the Pentagon to coordinate with Fellows and Guest Speakers in person, it’s not an absolute need, and also does not need to occur on a set schedule. b) Syncs are relatively ad hoc. Senior J-7 Directorate leadership (DD JCDE and DJ-7) asked for interim progress reports at some point during the course planning cycle to keep them informed and offer the opportunity for steering guidance, but there’s no set schedule. DJ-7 IPRs are in person at the Pentagon and the DD JCDE’s IPRs (in Suffolk) are done via SVTC for their convenience.

Question 9: PWS §5.2.2.1 references a 'Fellow in Training' in the DTC schedule table but does not define the term or distinguish it from an 'Experienced Fellow.' Please clarify: (a) What criteria or process determines whether a Senior Fellow is designated as 'in training' versus 'experienced'? (b) Who makes that determination — the contractor, the COR, or the JPME Branch Chief? (c) Must a Fellow in Training meet the same O9/O10 or senior civilian qualifications specified in PWS §5.2.2.1, or is a different qualification standard applicable? (d) Is a Fellow in Training reimbursed for services and travel under the same terms as an Experienced Fellow?

Answer: See answer to question 3.

Question10: Are there any incumbent contractor transition considerations EEC should be aware of? Is the current contract expiring, and if so, what is the current contract # and what is the expected phase-in period overlap with the incumbent?

Answer: There is no incumbent for this requirement. This is a first time requirement.