Questions_and_Answers_17_November_2015.docx

Questions and Answers N00421-15-R-0007 17 November 2015

Q1. Amendment 0004 provides conflicting instructions on proposal content. Per Amendment 0004, Section 3.0 PROPOSAL CONTENT AND VOLUMES states that "Proposal pages beyond the specified maximum limit will not be reviewed as part of the evaluation"; however, the changes in the amendment to the table now state "recommended page limit." Please reconcile if pages beyond the recommended page limit in the table will or will not be reviewed as part of the evaluation.

A1. Please see Amendment 0005 posted on 17 November 2015.

Q2. 3.1 The offeror shall submit three (3) summaries of past performance similar in size, scope, and/or complexity, which are ongoing or were completed within the last five (5) years for the prime contractor (if a teaming arrangement is being used, then three (3) past performance summaries shall be submitted for each "team member"), and one (1) past performance summary for each "principal subcontractor", and one (1) past performance summary for each "critical team member", if any. (Definitions for "team member", "principal subcontractor", and "critical team member" can be found under Section L, Part A - General Instructions, 1.0 General.) Commercial contracts may be included. All summaries should be efforts that were performed as a prime contractor. These summaries shall provide the following:

For purposes of this solicitation, a "critical function" is any task that will be performed by key personnel in the performance of the resulting contract.

Team member" is defined as those entities that make up a joint venture or any other partnership or teaming arrangement formed for the purpose of responding to this solicitation.

The way we interpret this, is the following.

1) If we have 5 subs, all of which we have signed Teaming Agreements for the purpose of responding to this solicitation with (and are therefore a "team member") so that is the prime, plus 5 subs, which is 18 past performance references

2) If we have 3 subs that are bidding key personnel, that is an additional either 3 or 4 references (3 for the subs, and possibly one additional for the prime, since we also have key personnel)

3) That is a total of 21 or 22 past performance references. To us, that seems very unusual whether it is 10 pages for all 22 or 10 pages each for over 200 pages.

Are we mis-interpreting the definition of a 'team member'. And therefore all of those additional references are not required?

If those are not required, but we still have 3 sub-contractors that are bidding key personnel, how many references are required for the subcontractors that are bidding the Key Personnel? That could still be a total (3 for the prime, and one each for the subs with key personnel ) 6 or 7 references (or even more if we have more than 3 subs each bidding one key personnel, there are a total of 10 Key personnel for this solicitation)

A2. Please see Amendment 0004 posted to FBO on 16 November 2015 for clarification.

Q3. And finally we don't understand if the page count limitation is per reference or total.

A3. The page count limitation for Volume 3 is the total page count for that Volume.

Q4. Section M evaluation information states that in cases where the offeror has no past performance information the offeror will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on the factor of past performance and a neutral rating will be applied. However, the revised paragraph 3.1 requirements included in Amendment 0003 require offerors, team members, principal subcontractors and critical team members (if any) to each submit a specific number of past performance summaries. Will the government revise paragraph 3.1 to allow offerors to submit three (3) past performance summaries in their proposals which could be the past performance summary of the offeror and/or any member of the proposed team?

A4. Please see Amendment 0004 posted to FBO on 16 November 2015 for clarification.

Q5. Would the Government consider revising Amendment 0003, paragraph 3.1 summary of past performance submission requirements to read as follows:

3.1 The offeror shall submit a total of three (3) summaries of past performance similar in size, scope, and/or complexity, which are ongoing or were completed within the last five (5) years for itself and/or its principal subcontractors and critical team members, if any. Commercial contracts may be included. All summaries should be efforts that were performed by the prime contractor. These summaries shall provide the following:

A5. Please see Amendment 0004 posted to FBO on 16 November 2015 for clarification.

Q6. I would like to inquire on the above solicitation. I have reviewed the amendments made and posted on 11/16/2015. Has this solicitation been awarded? Are vendors still being allowed to bid? Is there a closing date?

A6. Closing date is 23 November 2015 at 3pm EST. Please continue to monitor FBO for any additional information and updates.