Attachment P8.pdf

Attachment P8

COMET Solicitation N00421-20-R-0003 AMENDMENT 0001 – Q&As

2 September 2020 – 11 September 2020

Question 1): Section 3.1.2.1 & 3.1.2.2 Regarding work locations, specifically the off-site locations discussed,

3.1.2.2 refer to the space we have to provide for off site personnel and need to be able to host & conduct meetings at the Secret level. If this is the case, we’d have to request additional “offices” being added to our FCL and that safeguarding is approved at those locations. Even if we are storing classified material at those additional locations, it still has to be set up with safeguarding approval for the meetings. The spaces that “host” the classified meetings would have to be void of the unclassified telephones and VTC mentioned in 3.1.2.2. Can the government please confirm if the all the required clearances at additional locations are to be obtained by the proposal submission date.

Answer 1): Solicitation Section C paragraph 3.1.2.2 has been revised.

Question 2): Ref 3.2.4. Will classified work be performed in our off site locations or only onsite at the government locations? If work will be performed from non-government facilities (i.e., the off site ones in MD and VA), then that would open us up to needing to get approved for a Classified Information System which takes MONTHS to get approved. This would not be a quick process.

Regarding Classified safeguarding for classified hardware - Would we be required to have a safe to store laptops processing/storing classified information and any additional classified hardware/specs.

Answer 2): In accordance with the BID DD254 attached to the solicitation, it is expected that the contractor will be required to provide adequate storage at their facility for classified hardware. Measurements for classified hardware are included in the BID DD254. If the awardee does not have the required clearance levels upon contract award, “the contract award may be made prior to the issuance of a facility clearance; however, the contractor shall not be afforded access to classified information at their facility until the facility clearance has been granted.” Additionally, the final DD254 will require approval and attachment to the contract via an official contract modification.

Question 3): In Section L, Paragraph 3.5.2 (pages 119, 121, and 124), there are two rows of hours for Software

Developer (Navy Maintenance Systems), Senior, 15-1252 and two rows for Software Developer (Performance Tools), Senior, 15-1252 that are not labeled as KEY. All four rows have zero hours associated to them. Are those rows meant to be assigned to the two KEY labor categories identified in 3.4.1.6.2.31 and 3.4.1.6.2.32? Non-key variations of those labor categories are not defined in Paragraph 3.4.1.

Answer 3): These rows in Section L, Paragraph 3.5.2 for Software Developer (Navy Maintenance Systems), Senior and Software Developer (Performance Tools), Senior have been eliminated as they do not have any hours associated with them.

Question 4): In Section L, Paragraph 3.5.2.2 (page 121), there are 2,766 hours (0.28 FTE) for Training and

Development Specialist, Senior that are labelled as KEY for Offsite - St. Inigoes, MD. There is also a full FTE (9600 hours) for the same KEY labor category for Onsite - St. Inigoes, MD (page 119). This would result in 1.28 FTE for that key labor category and raise the number of keys above the 9 keys defined in Section C - Paragraph 3.4.1.1. Are the 2,766 hours identified on page 121 meant to be for the non-key variation of that labor category identified in Paragraph 3.4.1.6.2.37?

Answer 4): The Training and Development Specialist, Senior labeled as KEY for Offsite – St. Inigoes, MD with 2,766 total hours in Section L should be the non-KEY variation of LCAT 3.4.1.6.2.37. This change has been made to the tables accordingly.

Question 5): Since a large portion of the SOW covers Navy and Marine Corps support through NAVSEA's 3-M system, would the government consider adding "Marine", "Ocean", and "Chemical" Engineering to the allowable disciplines in Paragraph 3.4.1.2.1.1 on Page 37?

Answer 5): The Government has added Marine Engineering, Ocean Engineering, and Chemical Engineering to the allowable disciplines in Paragraph 3.4.1.2.1.1.

Question 6): With up to three locations for the same labor category with partial FTE coverage as defined in

Section L, Paragraph 3.5.2, can the same individual be bid for multiple locations for the same labor category as long as they do not exceed 1920 hours per year?

Answer 6): It is up to the Offeror to determine their staffing strategy to meet the hourly requirements of the

Solicitation. For example, if the Offeror has a person working in the Patuxent River, MD region that works partially on-site and partially off-site without exceeding 1,920 hours per year, that is allowable.

Question 7): Given that the Workforce in the RFP is being judged on the Key Resumes and is the second most important subfactor for the Technical Evaluation, would the Government expand the resume page limit to 3 pages per resume to allow space for more fully presenting the Key personnel qualifications?

Answer 7): The Government has modified the resume page limit to allow for three (3) pages per resume.

Question 8): For CDRL A021 – Government Property Inventory Report, blocks 12 and 15 contain a due date of

“10 DPT EOC.” Does this mean 10 Days Prior To End of Contract, and is this CDRL due only at the close of the projected 5-year period of performance?

Answer 8): Yes, DPT EOC means Days Prior to End of Contract. In CDRLs, EOC could represent End of the 5-year ordering period OR end of the Task Order, whichever is most appropriate based on the work being performed.

Question 9): The P6 requires an indication of whether the labor category is full- or part-time status (F or P) in column E of the CPFF LOE for years 1-5. Should the offeror assume that full-time equals 1,920 hours per year per person and anything less than 1,920 would be considered part-time?

Answer 9): Yes, the work year (AKA full time equivalent) is defined in Section L of the solicitation. Section

L, Part B, Price/Cost Proposal paragraph 3.5.2 CPFF Labor Hours states "A work-year is defined as 1,920 hours exclusive of holidays and leave." The Offeror should assume that 1,920 hours is full-time (F), and anything less than 1,920 hours is considered part-time (P).

Question 10): (Section L, 2.3) Does the Prime include their POC information and their Subcontractor(s) information in one email request for the Drop Off Request Code or do the individual Subcontractors need to submit their own separate email request. Please clarify.

Answer 10): Per Section L, Part A, paragraph 2.3, the Prime Contractor will submit one email specifying the

Prime's POC and each Subcontractor's POC. The Prime and Subcontractor points of contact will receive an email that contains their unique “Drop-Off Request Code.”

Question 11): (Section L, Part B, Volume 3) If the Offeror is using a subcontractor that is not proposing/submitting as CPFF subcontractor, but T&M subcontractor, does the subcontractor need to provide all of the items listed under Volume 3.

Answer 11): Yes, all subcontractors shall provide all of the items listed under Volume 3.

Question 12): (Section C, PWS, 3.1.2.2) Will the Government allow the successful offeror to acquire the 2 locations 30 days after contract award date?

Answer 12): Solicitation Section C paragraph 3.1.2.2 has been revised.

Question 13): (Section C, PWS, 3.2.2.3) Please change the Key Personnel requirement from proposal submission to At Time of Award of Task Order. As a Small Business, we would not have these Key Personnel sitting idle before an award would be made. Or provide a transition period of 30 days to provide the Key Personnel staff.

Answer 13): The Solicitation remains unchanged. The Government needs to validate that the key personnel will have the required security clearances in the proposal evaluation process.

Question 14): (Section L, 3.4) Under 3.4 Each Volume needs to contain the information listed. Is the Annex 1 and Annex 2 considered a Volume? Should they also be 2 separate files with required information listed under 3.4?

Answer 14): Annex 1 and Annex 2 are considered Volumes and each shall have the required information listed under 3.4.

Question 15): (Section L, 3.2) The Volume Table that is listed in this section, can each Volume have multiple files as some volumes requirements need multiple files.

Answer 15): Yes, each volume may have multiple files; however, the page limitations still apply.

Question 16): (Section L, Part B, Volume 2, 2.1.3) Does the Offeror and or Subcontractor have to list all of the RFP SOW Sections and have a Contract Reference for each RFP SOW Section listed in the RFP

SOW?

Answer 16): A CRM should be submitted with each past performance reference contract. Each CRM should cross reference how the provided contract aligns to the RFP SOW. It is up to the Offeror to determine what contract references are provided with consideration to Section M, Part B, Paragraph 2.0 Past Performance.

Question 17): (Section L, Part B, Volume 2, 2.1.4) Does the Government mean All CPARs to be submitted in Offeror’s Volume 2 and Not CPAQs as the CPAQs will be sent from Assessing Official to the RFP Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist. Please clarify.

Answer 17): It is the Government's intention that all CPARs be submitted in Offeror's Volume 2. Section L, Part B paragraph 2.1.4 of the Solicitation has been revised.

Question 18): (Section L, Part B, Volume 3, 3.1.1. c) under 3.1.1, c., Signed Representation and Certifications, is this Section K of the Solicitation? Acknowledgements and or SAM, is this a statement that our Representations and Certifications are updated and accurate?

Answer 18): Yes, this is Section K of the Solicitation. The Government is expecting a statement confirming that the Offeror’s signed Representations, Certifications, and Acknowledgements and/or System for Award Management (SAM) are complete and accurate.

Question 19): (Section L, Part B, Volume 3, 3.1.2) Under 3.1.2 is the Offeror supposed to complete Section B with all the CLINs, Sub-CLINs and Labor Rates in the actual Solicitation Documents, meaning in pdf format and in excel. Is the Excel file description in 3.1.2, one of the 3 attachments (P3, P6, and P7)?

Answer 19): The Offeror shall submit Section B with all the CLINs, sub-CLINs, and labor rates, along with

Attachments P3, P6 and P7 in M/S Office 2016 Excel format.

Question 20): (Section L, Part B, Volume 3, 3.3.1) Under 3.3.1 is the Subcontractor to complete Attachment P7 and send directly to the Government? Does the Prime Contractor complete all 3 Attachments (P3, P6, and P7). Please clarify.

Answer 20): The Prime Contractor does not complete Attachment P7; which is only for Subcontractors. The

Prime Contractor will complete both Attachment P3 and P6. Attachment P7 should be sent by the subcontractor directly to the Government.

Question 21): (Section L, Part A, 2.0, Page 106) Would the Government allow captions for tables/graphics to also be 10 pt. font?

Answer 21): Section L, Part A, 2.2 has been modified to state "Graphs, tables, and any associated captions for tables/graphics shall be presented in no smaller than a 10 pt font…"

Question 22): (Section L, Part B, 2.1.2, Page 112) Is it the Government's intention that all past performance documents (i.e. Prime past performance information forms, and any subcontractor past performance information forms) all be submitted in one file? Or all as individual/separate files?

Answer 22): The Government does not have a preference. This is up to the Offeror’s discretion.

Question 23): (Section L, Part B, 2.1.2, Page 112) The RFP states, " The Offeror shall submit written consent from its principal subcontractor(s) and JV team member(s) that will allow the Government to coordinate any past performance issues directly with the Offeror." If applicable, should the Offeror submit this written consent as apart of Annex 1? Or which volume does the Government prefer to contain the written consent?

Answer 23): Section L, Part B, paragraph 2.1.2 of the Solicitation has been revised to provide clarity.

Question 24): (Section L, Part B, Volume 3 Cost/Price Proposal) Is it the Government's intent that the Offeror submit a Pricing Narrative in MS Office Word (or Adobe) along with the provided attachments P3, P6 and P7 in MS Office Excel?

If so, does the Pricing Narrative (in MS Office Word or Adobe) need to follow the numbering structure of the RFP? As stated on page 107 of the RFP, "Proposal information must be structured such that its Volume/paragraph number matches the Proposal Instructions Volume/paragraph number provided in section “Part B Specific Instructions." This may be difficult for the pricing volume, as many of the headings listed in Part B for Pricing, are instructional and do not require a response.

Answer 24): The Government does not have a preference between MS Office Word or Adobe for the Cost

Narrative. The Cost Proposal shall be structured in accordance with Section L, Part A, paragraph

3.1. For instructional paragraphs, the Offeror will include the paragraph number and acknowledge the instruction.

Question 25): (Section L, Part B, Volume 2) 3M experience does it have to be Navy 3M or can it be any DoD

Organization?

Answer 25): IAW the Q&As posted to the solicitation on 2 SEPT 2020, Non-Navy Past Performance would apply for examples of training or software development but not for areas like 3M which are Navy

- NAVSEA specific.

Question 26): (Section L, Part B, Volume 1, 1.1.1.1) Sample Task 1, Please provide more details of the

"emerging" environments NOME and NOBLE?

Answer 26): Please see public links:

1) https://www.public.navy.mil/navwar/Documents/List.pdf

2) https://media.defense.gov/2020/May/18/2002302043/-1/-1/1/NPG17.PDF

3) https://www.public.navy.mil/navwar/PEOC4IandSpace/Documents/TearSheets/PMW150_Fa ctSheet_DistroA.pdf

Question 27): (Section L, Part B, Volume 1, 1.1.1.1) Can the government share the current implementation and emerging NOME and NOBLE planned environment?

Answer 27): See answer to Question 26 above.

Question 28): Request a 2 week extension to the proposal due date after the Q&A is posted.

Answer 28): The Government will not be granting a two-week extension to the proposal due date.

https://www.public.navy.mil/navwar/Documents/List.pdf https://media.defense.gov/2020/May/18/2002302043/-1/-1/1/NPG17.PDF https://www.public.navy.mil/navwar/PEOC4IandSpace/Documents/TearSheets/PMW150_FactSheet_DistroA.pdf https://www.public.navy.mil/navwar/PEOC4IandSpace/Documents/TearSheets/PMW150_FactSheet_DistroA.pdf