QA 03112026.docx

Aircraft Readiness Support (ACRS) Solicitation N0018926R0002 Questions and Answers 03/11/2026

1. Would the Government provide the labor qualifications for the labor category 'Senior Production Controller (GS-13)'? The labor category is listed on the labor rate spreadsheet but is not detailed in the PWS.

Response: Senior Production Controller labor category has been removed from the procurement package.

2. For the Program Manager labor category, will the Government allow substitution of the Bachelor's degree requirement with the following qualifications:

· Ten (10) years of experience in Navy aircraft carrier program management in areas such as advance planning, design, production, progressing, testing, or a combination thereof, including experience with Naval Shipyards, Aircraft Carrier Ship Department operations, Type Commander operations, and SUPSHIP operations; and

· (2) Three (3) years of recent supervisory experience within the last five (5) years, with at least one (1) year equivalent to Civil Service GS-13 or Navy LCDR level, involving direct control or responsibility over subordinate groups working in engineering disciplines; and

· (3) An active Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

Response: Government approves; PWS updated.

3. Would the Government please clarify the following:

A. PWS has following LCATs not listed in Labor Rate Spreadsheet:

· Engineer

· Engineer (Environmental)

· Field Engineer (Mechanical)

· Field Engineer (Electrical)

· Marine Mechanical Engineer

· Assessment Specialist

· Warehouseman

· Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Engineer – removed from procurement package

B. Labor Rate Spreadsheet has following LCATs not listed in PWS:

· Project Engineer, Electronics – Not a required labor category.

· Senior Production Controller – Not a required labor category.

· Ship’s Systems Analyst (Nuclear/Non-Nuclear not Specified) – On PWS under Labor Categories L & M

· Computer Programmer/Analyst (No GS-Level Specified) - GS-13, procurement package updated.

4. In reference to the PWS - The items listed in Section 3.1, Readiness Operations, Subsection VII, Subsection c. do not appear to belong under the categorization of Subsection VII. Instead, they appear to be a separate topic and were meant to be broken out and labelled “Subsection VIII” instead of Subsection c. Can the government please clarify that the line items grouped in Subsection VII, Subsection c. belong in a distinct Subsection sequentially labelled “VIII”.

Response: This is the correct format.

5. The requirement states an offer can submit three past performance citation. My question is “as the Prime, we intend to submit the Past Performance Citations. Additionally, can we submit a single past performance for each subcontractor we intend to propose. As an example, if we have two sub contractors, can we submit our three Past Performance Citations plus one for each subcontractor for a total of 5 Past performance Citations.

Response: Offerors shall only submit a total of three past performance references. Anything beyond three will not be considered.

6. Page 50 (Factor V – Price Proposal) directs offerors to price a 12‑month base, four (4) 12‑month options, six (6) months under FAR 52.217‑8. Page 60 (Evaluation of Factor V – Price) states pricing/evaluation will be based on one (1) 5‑year ordering period plus six (6) months under FAR 52.217‑8. In addition, the CLIN structure reflects a 5‑year contract.

Response: See Amendment 003 for correction.

7. Would the Government provide the labor qualifications for the labor category 'Senior Production Controller (GS-13)'? The labor category is listed on the labor rate spreadsheet but is not detailed in the PWS.

Response: Same as #1 - Senior Production Controller labor category has been removed from the procurement package.

8. Subfactor II – Staffing Approach states: “Approach to meeting Section XVI qualifications for labor categories.” However, PWS Section XVI is titled Data Rights. We believe the correct reference should be PWS Section XVII – Labor Categories. Can the Government confirm whether this is a typographical error and clarify the intended section?”

Response: Government confirmed that Labor Categories are under XVII. Will you please revise the staffing approach wording?

9. Would the Government extend the Q&A period for Offerors to February 20th? This would allow time for clarification or follow-up questions after the initial Q&A responses are posted.

Response: See Amendment 002.

10. Would the Government consider extending the proposal submission deadline to March 9th? This additional time would allow Offerors to incorporate clarifications from the extended Q&A period (requested through February 20th) and ensure accurate, compliant proposals. The extension would also provide sufficient time to integrate any amendments that may be forthcoming.

Response: See Amendment 002.

11. States to submit the final files via email. Is there a file size limitation for submission?

Response: There is not a file size limitation, however, Offerors are to only provide the required/requested information. Offerors shall also confirm receipt of offerors prior to the closing date/time.

12. The Small Business Participation Plan is referenced as Factor III on pages 45 and 48, while Past Performance is referenced as Factor IV. In contrast, Past Performance is referenced as Factor III on pages 54, 57 and 60, and the Small Business Participation Plan is referenced as Factor IV. Could the Government confirm that Factor III - Small Business Participation Plan references on pages 45 and 48 should be Factor III - Past Performance instead?

Response: See correction on Amendment 003.

13. Given the fact that the Small Business Subcontracting Plan contains pricing information, could the Government confirm that the Small Business Subcontracting Plan should be placed in Volume III as Factor VI?

Response: See correction on Amendment 003.

14. On pages 49–50, the instructions for Volume II – Price Proposal state: “Unless completed in System for Award Management (SAM), the offeror should complete Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of Offerors in the RFP.” However, Volume II is also described as being strictly limited to cost information and supporting documentation only, with no non-price content allowed.

Response: Certs and Reps not completed in SAM shall be submitted along with the completed solicitation and signed Amendments.

15. Could the Government please clarify whether any required Representations and Certifications (if not completed in SAM) should be included in Volume II – Price Proposal, or placed in Volume I – Non-Price Proposal to avoid mixing administrative/non-price content with pricing information?

Response: See above response.

16. There are more labor categories in the PWS than there are on the Labor Rate Sheet. Will the Government please update the Labor Rate Spreadsheet attachment to include all labor categories included in the PWS?

Response: Amendment 005 is forthcoming.

17. Will the Government allow the offerors to price all labor categories in the Labor Rate spreadsheet for all locations?

Response: Offerors shall complete the spreadsheet for each location separately as required.

18. Will the Government consider adding an Engineering Administrative Specialist labor category, as in the current SEPS contract, to support the administrative duties required?

Response: The government does not concur.

19. Would the Government please clarify which labor categories in the PWS align to the Wage Determination schedule?

Response: Offerors shall determine which categories align with the appropriate WD to ensure that they are in compliance.

20. Will the Government confirm that the Reimbursement for Transportation and Travel Costs, PWS Section VI, is correct?

Response: Revised VI. REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION AND TRAVEL COSTS section B. Local travel within a 50-mile radius will not be reimbursed.

21. Should the offeror consider the defined acronyms as "common knowledge" for this proposal such that the offer does not need to define them within the proposal submittal?

Response: You should not consider the defined acronyms as "common knowledge." It is always best practice to define an acronym the first time it is used in your proposal.

22. Will the Government please clarify the deliverable numbers, names, and due dates as defined in both the PWS and the Solicitation?

Response: Deliverables (with due dates) will be identified on individual task orders.

23. Will the government consider changing the Factor II Technical Approach Subfactor 1 instructions to: “The offeror shall provide a technical performance and management approach that will successfully accomplish each of the PWS Task Areas." This will ensure offerors provide technical and management approach to all PWS Task Areas.

Response: The solicitation requires the offeror to 'provide a performance and management approach that will successfully accomplish the requirements of the solicitation, including the PWS.' The phrase 'including the PWS' inherently requires offerors to address all Performance Work Statement (PWS) Task Areas as part of a comprehensive and successful approach. Therefore, no change to the solicitation is considered necessary at this time.

24. Can the Government please provide guidance on how the offeror should price HOLA/COLA consistent with State Department guidelines for Overseas positions?

Response: Overseas locations shall have a single rate for each category and shall include all costs associated with that labor rate. HOLA/COLA will not be paid separately.

25. Can the Government please confirm that the Small Business Subcontracting Plan should be submitted as Volume III, Factor VI, as there are inconsistencies in the Instructions to Offerors?

Response: See corrections in Amendment 003.

26. Would the government consider clarifying the minimum CMMC level that is required for DFARS 252.204-7021(d)(1)i) and 252.204-7025 (b)(1) as C3PAO-assessed CMMC Level 2 Certification.

Response: See vendor question and response on #22

27. Can the Government please provide the values for FAR 52.216-19 Order Limitations paragraphs (a) and (d)?

See Amend 0004

28. Will the government consider removing the 1-page limitation for the list of tables, list of figures, list of acronyms, compliance matrix, and table of contents such that we can map all requirements effectively for evaluation?

Response: Amendment 003 increases the page limitation to 5 in lieu of 1.

29. Can the Government confirm whether it is acceptable for an offeror’s evaluated total (calculated using the offeror’s fully burdened labor rates applied to the Government-provided estimated total hours across all labor categories) to exceed the overall IDIQ ceiling, provided that the cumulative value of task orders awarded/issued under the IDIQ will not exceed the ceiling amount?

Response: Yes, but the ceiling that will be shared by all awardees will be the current established ceiling.

30. The revised labor rate spreadsheet increased the estimated total hours by 89,074. In light of this adjustment, is the Government considering an increase to the overall IDIQ ceiling value, or should offerors assume the ceiling remains unchanged/final?

Response: The IDIQ ceiling will not be increased. And to clarify, the government has provided hour estimates for each year, not the overall contract. Offerors are advised that they are to provide a labor rate for each ordering period a total for all ordering periods and an overall total.

31. Can the Government please clarify the minimum CMMC level that is required for DFARS 252.204-7021(d)(1)i) and 252.204-7025 (b)(1)? Would the government consider establishing the level as CMMC Level 2 Joint Surveillance Voluntary Assessment Statement?

Response: The CMMC Joint Surveillance Voluntary Assessment (JSVA) program is primarily focused on Level 2 (covering NIST SP 800-171), allowing contractors to voluntarily have their cybersecurity posture validated by a C3PAO and the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) before mandatory certification.

32. In regard to the following requirement (screenshot below), is the requirement that offerors must provide a Cover Sheet, List of Tables, List of Figures, List of Acronyms, Compliance Matrix, and Table of Contents, all within 5 pages? Under the General Requirements section, it appears the two items that must be submitted are the Cover Pages and Table of Contents – are you able to clarify?

Response; Offeroros who choose to utilize list of tables, list of figures, table of contents etc., for each of use are limited to only 5 pages in total.

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