N00421-19-R-0101_SSN_Responses_amnd_02.docx

Q1: Is an incumbent contract or contractor associated to the requirement. If any, please provide the contractor's name and contract number.

A1: This is a new requirement, therefore; there is no incumbent contractor or contract number.

Q2: We don’t have a Facility Clearance (FCL). Would we be able to still bid? We can have Teaming Partner who has FCL and can leverage it until we get our own.

A2: The prime contractor must have a Facility Clearance in order to meet the solicitation requirements.

Q3: Is there any possibility this can be set aside for 8a and/or WOSB ?

A3: The purpose of this sources sought notice is to determine the availability and technical capability of small businesses to provide the required products and/or services. The results of this sources sought will be utilized for market research and acquisition strategy refinement purposes to include determining if any small business set-aside opportunities exist.

Q4: Also about past performances, it will tremendously help, if the following are allowed:

4.1. Can we use Offeror's sub-contracting experiences as valid past performances ?

4.2 Can we use "prime" experiences from Teaming Partners as valid past performance references?

4.3 Also please do not restrict the Past performance to DoD alone (kindly allow from Civilian agencies and Commercial) A4: Past Performance requirements will be addressed in the eventual solicitation. It is anticipated that at time of Proposal, the Offeror will provide a narrative on each Past Performance Information form in the “Contract Effort Description” area that clearly describes how each contract reference has relevant work effort that matches the relevancy definitions specified in the solicitation. Further details to be provided in the solicitation.

Q5: Will there be any industry engagement sessions for this in near future?

A5: There are no planned industry engagement sessions for this requirement.

Q6: Will this be LPTA or Best Value from pricing evaluation perspective?

A6: The Government anticipates to award on Best Value.

Q7: A portion of the PWS includes BI and analytics. Will NAVAIR consider splitting off BI and analytics of the scope since it seems to be inconsistent with the other aspects of the effort?

A7: It is anticipated that the scope of the contract will remain as is.

Q8: Could you please clarify/confirm if Solicitation N00421-19-R-0101 (NAVAIR DIGITAL GROUP TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATION AND INTERGRATION / INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY/ INFORMATION MANAGEMENT/CYBER SECURITY SUPPORT SERVICES) is indeed a small business set aside (SBSA), so that larger firms are precluded from providing responses to this particular sources sought solicitation.

The FBO template did not note the SBSA nature of the solicitation, but the detailed notes did (i.e., “An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice.)

A8: The purpose of this sources sought notice is to determine the availability and technical capability of small businesses to provide the required products and/or services, therefore, large business do not need to respond to this notice.

Q9: You state that you are looking for prior/current prime digital innovation experience performing efforts of similar size and scope... Will you consider Subcontract experience to the extent that Offeror employees were in key management roles of the similar size and scope contracts?

A9: The sources sought requires the corporate experience to be from the prime contractor.

Q10: You state Offerors must have an adequate accounting system... Will you consider Accounting systems that are set up and managed adequately but have not yet been assessed by DCAA with the assumption that DCAA will assess upon contract award?

A10: The Offeror shall provide documentation verifying that it has a DCMA approved Accounting System, or the Offeror must provide verification/justification that it’s Accounting System meets the criteria in DFARS clause 252.242-7006. Further details to be provided in the solicitation.

Q11: You state Secret Safeguarding is a requirement... Will you consider an approach that includes a team-member who has Secret Safeguarding and an acceptable location in the immediate term, and a plan for the Prime Offeror to obtain Secret safeguarding upon award or is it required that the Prime has Secret Safeguarding prior to offer?

A11: The prime contractor must have a Facility Clearance in order to meet the solicitation requirements. It is anticipated that it will not be required that the prime has Secret Safeguarding prior to offer. Further details to be provided in the solicitation.

Q12: Will the RFI become a solicitation to be awarded this year?

A12: Anticipated award is in Fiscal Year 2020.

Q13: Based on responses to past vendor inquiries, it seems the prime contractor is the focus for demonstrating digital innovation experience and performing efforts of similar size and scope. We believe we can respond to that need. However, would digital innovation experience from a partner subcontractor serve any advantage in the selection process, or would the focus be only on the prime offering?

A13: The sources sought requires the corporate experience to be from the prime contractor. Further details regarding the competitive selection process will be provided in the solicitation.

Q14: We additionally reviewed a response concerning accounting system requirements (DCAA assessment/DCMA approval/DFARS), would an adequate system be required to sufficiently respond at this time to the sources sought? Additionally, to clarify, would a compliant system need to be in place at the time of an actual offer or would a vendor be permitted to stand-up a system prior to performance?

A14: Please refer to the answer at A10.

Q15: With all the recent changes at NAVAIR, I am completely unfamiliar with this part of the new organization. Can you help me with who this is, and where I may find new organizational information?

A15: The PWS includes background information on the NAVAIR Digital Group. No other information is available at this time.