SOW_Q&A_1.pdf

SOW Question Response

Page 18, 3.1.1: Contractor shall be capable of internet and LAN comms with ATR and ATMO.

Does the contractor’s info for these activities have to be on a commercial or government network?

Contractor personnel responsible for contract management functions must have the ability to transmit CDRLs or any other required data to the Government through the Government Share Point system or through email. Any documentation provided to the Government shall be consistent with the software applications defined as the

Government’s IT environment as specified in Statement of Work, paragraph 3.1.1.

Page 20: How much foreign travel?

The amount of Foreign Travel varies depending upon customer requirements.

The historical information will be included in the Technical Library. The Technical Library will be available when the Draft RFP will be released.

Page 37: Is phase in cost plus terms or fixed price? Recommend fixed price.

Historically, previous contracts for these

ATR/ATMO range service requirements have not had a CLIN, nor reimbursed contractors for the transition period as this is seen as a cost of doing business with the

Government.

Page 58, 3.3.4.3.4: Operate the Flight termination system. Does the government or contractor initiate flight termination?

During execution of test and training events, the Government Safety Officer makes the decision to initiate flight termination. The contractor shall assist the Government

Safety Officer with monitoring range clearance, directing range surveillance resources, operating the Range Safety

Control Console, operating the flight termination system, and operating other range safety systems and related equipment as needed to meet requirements spelled out in range test event plans (ATR).

Page 88, 3.3.19 and All SOW 3.3 elements:

Why is there the funding type? note next to the

PWS element title? (RDT&E. WCF) Why do each

PWS elements note the situations to use RDT

Page 88, 3.3.19 and All SOW 3.3 elements:

Why is there the funding type? note next to the

PWS element title? (RDT&E. WCF) Why do each

PWS elements note the situations to use RDT

&E funds and WCF funds?

Funding types are noted next to the SOW element title to ensure there is a clear delineation between the SOW tasking and

Funding Appropriations. SOW tasking is required to be appropriation specific in order to ensure funds are used specifically for the purposes for which they were appropriated;

therefore separate tasking statements are required for each appropriation cited.

Additionally, compliance with 31 USC

§1301, FAR/ DFARS and NAVAIR

Guidance (NAVAIRINST 7040.14D) necessitates segregation of CLIN tasking by appropriation and by work scope/ tasking.

Failure to comply with 31 USC §1301 can lead to violations of 31 USC §1341 (Anti

Deficiency (ADA).

Page 122 3.3.41: Why is this CLIN an option?

Funding?

The 3.3.41 Afloat Training Group (ATG)

Support (Option CLIN) has been established to be in place for potential work supporting the Fleet in the Mayport, FL location. This effort may or may not be required during the period of performance of the resulting contract. The uncertainty of the effort is why it is an Option CLIN. The funding primarily used for this effort will be

Fleet O&M.

Page 128, 3.3.45.6: Provide a daily status report.

What is the reporting system used?

The SOW Section 3.3.47.6 language has been revised to change this from a daily to a weekly report. The Contractors do get data from Computer Maintenance Management

System (CMMS). The Weekly Status Report shows the condition code for all assets

(Vessels, Trailers, PCCU, Towed Targets) at ATMO Det Norfolk V88 (Surface target assets only).

Page 146 labor category info: 5 key personnel are noted with many technical functions, we recommend a senior program engineer be added to the key personnel list.

The Government is still considering both quantity of and type of labor categories that will be identified as Key Personnel.

Will the government direct that teaming subs to primes be exclusive or non-exclusive?

Any subcontractors that are proposed by the prime Offeror to meet SOW requirements must be identified in the

Offeror’s proposal. The RFP will include

NAVAIR clause 5252.215-9505 “Exclusive

Teaming Arrangements That Inhibit

Competition”.

What will the contract type be? CPAF, CPFF, FFP?

The Government anticipates the resulting contract type will be a “C-type” contract with

Cost Plus Fixed Fee line items for Labor and cost reimbursable line items for ODCs, Material and Travel.

Para 3.1.3.5 Budget Letters – Could you explain how the Budget Letter process works and how it will affect the LOE of the contract? We noticed there was a different LOE designation for the

Prime contractor and subcontractors; could you explain how this works relative to our management of workforce relative to the requirements? We noticed also there was a single Materials and ODC line. We assume based on this information the prime will manage purchase of all equipment included through the material and ODC lines.

The Budget Letter process serves to identify the Government’s LOE (labor category and labor hour) requirements to meet the tasking in SOW Para Section 3.3. The

Prime Contractor shall determine how to staff the Government’s LOE requirements, with either Prime Contractor employees or with Subcontractor labor, to meet the requirements in an efficient and effective manner. It does not have any impact on the management of the workforce relative to the requirements. Yes, the Prime Contractor will manage the purchase of all equipment and ODC that are incidental to and necessary for contract performance.

Para 1.0 Scope.

Question – The Para indicates that the contractor

(winning bidder) must perform all of the work defined in the SOW. Para 3.4 Labor, indicates an LOE of only 151 FTEs. We assume this LOE represents only the personnel that will work directly for the prime contractor. Therefore, the

151 LOE may not represent adequate numbers of employees to complete the total requirements of the SOW as defined in Para 1.0, Scope.

Could you please clarify how the bidder will define the ability to perform all of the SOW work requirements if they do not know which portions will be performed by the prime versus the subcontractors?

Labor listed in SOW Para 3.4 has been revised to include more specific information on labor categories and hours to perform the work defined in the SOW. Each potential Offeror will need to determine how they will staff the work requirements with the prime versus subcontractor labor and the

Offeror will need to communicate that to the

Government in their proposals.

Para 3.1.1 Compatibility. “The Contractor shall be capable of Internet and LAN communications with ATR and ATMO. Contractor personnel shall be capable of maintaining real-time communications, both voice and data transfer capabilities, with ATR and ATMO during working hours whether at Contractor work site or on travel.”

The above statement could indicate the contract should provide an information management system that enables inter-contractor and contractor to Government communications on a

24/7 basis. Is this a valid assumption?

Yes, this is a valid assumption.

Para 3.1.6 Subcontractors – “The Prime

Contractor has the sole responsibility to determine which SOW requirements to assign to

Subcontractors to ensure optimal technical and cost performance on this contract.”

On the present contract we understand there are approximately 16 subcontractors working at various levels of staffing responding to specifically defined SOW requirements. It would appear that in accordance with the above para

3.1.6 the prime contractor will select a team of subcontractors and assign to them SOW tasking based on their capabilities in order to achieve the optimal technical and cost performance. Are there any restrictions to the subcontractors selected?

There are no restrictions to the subcontractors that may be proposed by the

Prime Offeror. The RFP will include

NAVAIR clause 5252.215-9505

“Exclusive Teaming Arrangements That

Inhibit Competition”.

Para 3.1.6.1 “The Prime Contractor shall obtain the prior approval of the Contracting Officer for any subcontractors that will be providing support under this contract.”

When would this approval of the subcontractors take place? Does this ‘approval’ take place after the award of the contract?

Subcontractors that are proposed by an

Offeror and are evaluated as part of the

Offerors proposal will be inserted in the fill-in section within FAR clause 52.244-2

(Subcontracts). Subcontractors that are added after award will be reviewed by the

Government based on the instructions described within FAR 52.244-2. If approved, the subcontractor will be added to the fill in section of FAR clause 52.244-2.

Para 3.1.7.1.3 “Some of the labor categories defined in SOW Section 3.4 could be difficult to fill during the PoP due to the stricter qualifications, the uniqueness nature of the tasking requirement, or a high demand within the industry for these labor categories. The

Government TPOC/Manager and COR will determine whether the position is likely be difficult to fill in the absence of an incentive and provide a written determination to the Contractor Officer on a case by case basis.

It would appear that the contractor should bid an incentive in their proposal to ensure hiring the possible positions referred to in this para. Does the Government plan to provide this information to the bidders in the RFP?

The Government is not requiring Offerors to bid an incentive in the proposal to assist in attracting hard to fill labor categories.

Para 3.1.8 Transition Strategy – Recommend that transition costs be reimbursable and excluded from the total evaluated price (TEP).

Historically, previous contracts for these

ATR/ATMO range service requirements have not had a CLIN, nor reimbursed contractors for the transition period as this is seen as a cost of doing business with the

Government.

Para 3.1.9 Contract Management – “The

Contractor is expected to manage the SOW and contractual requirements in an effective and efficient manner. The government will not provide facilities on base to perform contract management functions and the government will not pay for any contract management facilities as a direct billable expense. Contract Management activities: the contractor shall perform are the following:

· Overall administration and management of the contract

· Developing management procedures and controls

· Management of Subcontractors

· Recruiting and hiring of qualified personnel to fill direct billable positions in support of the LOE

· Procurement and tracking of materials

Each Offeror shall bill in accordance with its approved Disclosure Statement. The SOW will be revised to clarify Para 3.1.9.

Para 3.1.10.9 – “The contractor shall provide specialized training by on-the-job (OJT) cross-training of additional personnel to ensure continuing operational capability on the vessels, targets, systems, equipment, and processes covered by this SOW.”

Will the Government determine the jobs that will be cross-utilized into another task area or will the contractor select the job positions that will be cross-trained and cross-utilized?

The Contractor shall determine if cross-training particular positions are a benefit to the program.

Para 3.1.11 Safety and Health –

Para 3.4, Labor, does not identify a position that would perform the tasking of this para. We assume these tasks would be performed by an employee priced within our G&A rates? Please clarify if this is a correct interpretation?

Each Offeror shall bill in accordance with its approved Disclosure Statement.

Para 3.3.23 ATR Quality Assurance & Quality

Control (RDT&E, WCF)

This SOW requirement appears to be another area where the LOE in SOW Para 3.4 does not define a position description to staff this tasks.

Will quality assurance be a requirement addressed under the LOE or will it be an overhead position? Or, will our quality control effort be considered an integral part of other positions supporting the related technical areas of the SOW.

The Labor listed in draft SOW Para 3.4 was incomplete. Additional LOE Labor categories and hours will be added to the

RFP. Each Labor Category identified in

SOW Para 3.4 will be associated with a

SOW Para 3.3 to clarify whether this requirement will be addressed under the

LOE, or will be an overhead position, or whether it will be considered an integral part of other positions supporting the related technical areas of the SOW.

3.3.49 General Operations Manager (GOM) –

Why isn’t the GOM position shown in the labor table?

The GOM position will be added to the labor table.

Paragraph 3.1.4.4.1 states that “In the event that the Contractor is restricted from entry to the worksite or must leave the worksite due to non-controllable events or emergencies such as severe weather and power outages or scheduled events that inhibit/delay entry to the workplace or that require the Contractor to leave the worksite such as base security exercises or antiterrorism force protection conditions, etc., the Contractor shall not charge the non-work time as direct labor to the contract.”

Can the Government provide additional information which better quantifies these events/impacts based on recent experience? For example, average number of events per year, average duration, number of employees affected, etc. Or does “Contractor shall not charge …direct labor..” mean charge to DBA vs RBA?

The historical information will be included in the Technical Library. The Technical Library will be available when the Draft RFP will be released.

Will the RFP specify “plug numbers” for

Materials, Other Direct Costs and Travel CLINs?

Yes, the RFP will specify “plug numbers” for

Materials, Other Direct Costs and Travel

CLINs

Will the RFP specify labor escalation rates to be used by all Offerors for the period of performance?

No. The Government will not specify labor escalation rates in the RFP for Offerors to use in preparation of their proposal.

Offerors will be required to propose Labor escalation rates over the period of performance in addition to the basis or rationale for those proposed escalation rates.

Paragraph 3.1.4.5 Overtime and Hazardous Duty

Pay. Will the RFP specify the number of OT hours that should be proposed for each period of performance?

Yes. For proposal purposes the number of

Regular and OT hours required for each applicable labor category will be provided in the revision to SOW Para 3.4 Labor.

Paragraph 3.1.5.3 ODC states that “ODC’s may include general and administrative expenses but shall not include profit.” Does this profit restriction apply to other CLINs such as Materials and Travel?

The Government intends to clarify the SOW to not allow profit on ODCs to include material and travel.

Paragraph 3.3.51 Aircraft Support Services states “The Contractor shall provide fixed and rotary wing air support to meet ATR and ATMO requirements for logistic flights to transport personnel and equipment to offsite locations, to meet operational requirements during the conduct of customer test and training events, and to meet maintenance requirements during the calibration of range instrumentation systems.”

Will the RFP provide workload or other data to ensure Offerors are proposing to a common baseline?

The historical information will be included in the Technical Library. The Technical Library will be available when the Draft RFP will be released.

Paragraph 3.4.1 Labor Category Descriptions.

Can the Government provide compensation data for the labor category descriptions listed?

It is the Government’s intent to provide direct rate information for the incumbent

SCA workforce in the RFP. This may come in the form of a range of rates for each SCA labor category, an average rate per category or some other variation in an effort to assist Offerors in the preparation of their

Cost/Price proposal.

There are two Engineering Tech positions shown in Para 3.4 located in Key West. Is Key West operations supposed as part of this contract?

The current version of the SOW, section

3.3.41, addresses Countermeasures Pod

Support (Option CLIN) and Section 3.3.41.2

Operational Support describes the portion of the work taking place in Key West. There are currently three Engineering Technicians identified to support that potential effort. If the Option CLIN gets exercised, those labor categories will be needed.