N0042121R0115 Questions and Answers.pdf

Question

Number Sections Draft RFP Pages Questions from Industry Government Response

1 Section L 109

Page 109 requires a minimum of three (3), with a maximum of five (5) Corporate Experience examples for each sample task an Offeror selects to respond to. Please confirm both prime and subcontractors (regardless of Small/Large size status) will be permitted to provide corporate experience examples.

Corporate Experience is no longer required in Sections L&M.

2 Section I In accordance with 52.244-2 SUBCONTRACTS, please confirm that successful Offerors will be allowed to add subcontractors to support task orders post-award?

Yes, successful Offerors will be allowed to add subcontractors to support the task order award.

Section L, Paragraphs 1.0 &

2.0

Section L Paragraph 2.0, Volume 2: Technical, states: “Offerors shall provide a minimum of three (3), with a maximum of five (5) Corporate Experience examples of previous efforts, performed within the last five (5) years, to substantiate or demonstrate execution of the proposed approach to the sample task selected to respond to.” The instructions do not specify if the corporate experience must be from the “Prime” or

“Subcontractor.” Additionally, Section L Paragraph 1.0 Volume 1: Executive Summary subparagraph (vii) states: “Written consent from principal subcontractors and team members that will allow the Government to coordinate potential past performance and/or cost/price issues with the Offeror.”

Corporate Experience is no longer required in Sections L&M.

Can the government please clarify whether potential subcontractor corporate experience / past performance information is required or desired?

Corporate Experience is no longer required in Sections L&M.

Does the government require any information specific to potential subcontractor(s) on this IDIQ level proposal?

No, the Government does not require any specific information from potential subcontractor(s).

6 Section B

Section B of the previous PSMI IDIQ MAC lists as CLINS those related to “Foreign Cooperative Projects

Services,” spanning every SOW Requirement, which supports NAVAIR’s recent Mission Aligned

Organization (MAO) construct and the National Defense Strategy objective of “Defending allies from military aggression and bolstering partners against coercion, and fairly sharing responsibilities for common defense” as well as the March 2021 Interim National Security Strategic Guidance to “Lead and sustain a stable and open international system, underwritten by strong democratic alliances, partnerships, multilateral institutions, and rule.” These Foreign Cooperative CLINs have enabled PMAs to include TO CLINs that span not only domestic appropriated funding but also International Cooperative and Foreign Military Sales

(FMS) funding. However, these “Foreign Cooperative” CLINs appear to be missing from this follow-on draft RFP. Given MAO’s intent to provide the accountable PMA with the resources and tools, presumably to include contract vehicles, essential to the mission and to facilitate the PMA’s ability to realize higher authority goals and strategies, is the intent of this follow-on PSMI IDIQ MAC to restrict the PMA’s ability to coordinate integrated product support initiatives between domestic and international programs within the

PMA versus the previous vehicle? If not, will International/Foreign Cooperative CLINs be included in this follow-on IDIQ MAC?

The types of appropriations will not be listed in Section B CLINs at the IDIQ MAC Level.

The FMS funding types will be incorporated at the task order level, when required.

Draft RFP N0042121R0115 - Questions and Answers

Submitted 27 September 2021

7 Section L 107 & 108

Page 107: 3.3 Proposal Outline lists three Sample Task as 2.1.1 through 2.1.3 yet page 108 Volume 2:

Technical states: “Each Offeror shall provide a written response to one (1) of the three (3) Sample Tasks below that fits the Offeror’s capabilities. The Offeror’s responses shall adhere to Government requirements delineated in the selected sample task.” Can the government clarify whether the intention for small business vendors to respond to just 1 of the 3 Sample Tasks? If so, recommend updating page 107 Instructions to reflect requirement to only respond to 1 Sample Task with the applicable page counts.

Offerors will be required to respond to two (2) sample tasks. Specific instructions will be provided in the final RFP.

8 Sections L&M

If it is the government’s intention to have small businesses respond to all 3 sample tasks, strongly recommend releasing the 3 Sample Tasks as Drafts at least 2 weeks before final RFP to allow for ample time for small business to formulate a plan (teaming, key writers, proposal outlines) to develop a response. Noting individual Sample Tasks can require significant proposal development time and resources such as Program

Managers, IPS Managers, Proposal Managers and Proposal Writers.

Offerors will be required to respond to two (2) sample tasks. Specific instructions will be provided in the final RFP.

9 Sections L&M If government is intended for small businesses to respond to all 3 sample tasks, 60 days is the recommended response timeline.

Offerors will be required to respond to two (2) sample tasks. Specific instructions will be provided in the final RFP.

Sections L, Part

B, Vol 2

Page 109 of the RFP states “Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)/Integrated Master Schedule (IMS): Provide a detailed schedule of events and briefly describe each activity with its inputs and outputs and the interrelationships and interdependencies among the activities. WBS/IMS should be written to a level that clearly demonstrates understanding of the scope of work and interrelations.” The requirement reads as if the government is requesting an IMS. Can the government clarify what is being requested i.e. an IMS or WBS?

WBS/IMS has been replaced with a Milestone Chart.

Sections L, Part

B, Vol 2 If WBS, can further instruction be provided? What level of WBS is being requested? WBS/IMS has been replace with Milestone Chart.

Sections L, Part

B, Vol 2

If IMS, what level of detailed events is being requested? Will the government provide a list of deliverables with the Sample Task?

WBS/IMS has been replace with Milestone Chart.

13 General

Can the government confirm that all primes must hold a secret facility clearance during time of submission of the proposal? Facility security clearances take considerable time and if a prime does not have one already it would not be reasonable to consider an ability to obtain pre or post award.

The facility security clearance is not required at the award of the basic IDIQ. However, Offerors must have an approved facility security clearance to compete at the task order level.

Section L Part B

1.0 Volume 1:

Executive

Summary

The RFP states “A concise abstract of the Offeror’s strategy for each of the evaluation criteria contained in the Solicitation.” Industry experience with abstract format varies. SBIRs are common to have abstracts with a word count limit. Cross-reference matrixes are commonly used to cross-reference responses to the evaluation criteria. Can the government provide an outline for the abstract to ensure Industry provides information within the intended format to be used for the evaluation? Does the government want a cross-reference matrix?

The Government will accept the Offeror's format as long as it does not exceed the maximum page count.

On page 108 of 117 under section 2.0 Volume 2: Technical, the Government states, “Each Offeror shall provide a written response to one (1) of the three (3) Sample Tasks below that fits the Offeror’s capabilities.

The Offeror’s responses shall adhere to Government requirements delineated in the selected sample task.”

1. Can an Offeror respond to multiple Sample Tasks?

10815

Offerors will be required to respond to two (2) sample tasks. Specific instructions will be provided in the final RFP.

2. If an Offeror responds to only 1 of the 3 sample tasks, will that make them ineligible to respond to Task

Orders with requirements that are within the other two sample tasks, or will they be limited based on the capabilities they stated within the one (1) sample task from their proposal?

Qualifications and Substitution clarification, Page 40 subpara (c.) and Section 7.4 Labor Categories (Senior

Positions). Section 7.4 LABOR CATEGORIES states a Senior shall have a MS or MA Degree with at least

10 years recent experience. The Qualification substitution (subpara (c.)) has substitutions for bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Will the government accept as senior, personnel that meet the substitution requirements for a Bachelor (i.e., 6 years additional work or 4 years with associates) plus 4 years additional work experience for the master’s degree?

Unless otherwise noted in the labor category education requirements in Section C, Paragraph 7.4, substitutions pursuant to Section C, Paragraph 7.3(c) will be allowed.

Section 7.3 Personnel Experience and Years of Experience, Page 39 subpara (C.), Would the government add a substitution clause for Journeyman labor category?

Unless otherwise noted in the labor category education requirements in Section C, Paragraph 7.4, substitutions pursuant to Section C, Paragraph 7.3(c) will be allowed.

Section 7.4 Labor

Categories, The requirements of PSMI are largely functional tied to specific programs, systems, and subsystems. The fiscal year 2021 budget proposal included an executive order eliminating “degree requirements for federal jobs when not inherently necessary to provide the duties of the position”. Recommend the government consider a more general approach at the contract level focusing on technical and program experience and when necessary, increase the education/substitution requirements at the task order level.

Unless otherwise noted in the labor category education requirements in Section C, Paragraph 7.4, substitutions pursuant to Section C, Paragraph 7.3(c) will be allowed.

Subcontractors – Would the government clarify if subcontractors should be bid at the contract level or at the task order level?

The Government does not have a preference. However, subcontractors that are included as a part of the proposal package for evaluation at the IDIQ level will be evaluated and added at the time of the IDIQ award; therefore, no evaluation at the task order level is required. Offerors are allowed to propose subcontractors at the task order level that were not proposed at the IDIQ MAC level. At the TO Level, the prime must follow the guidance in FAR Part 44.

20 70 Page 70 5252.211-9502 GOVERNMENT INSTALLATION WORK SCHEDULE (NAVAIR)(DEC 2014).

Recommend the government add Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

Clause 5252.211-9502 GOVERNMENT INSTALLATION WORK SCHEDULE

(NAVAIR)(DEC 2014) will be removed from the final RFP. The federal holidays are outlined in Section C, Paragraph 3.1.4.1.2 and takes precedence.

21 107

3.0 PROPOSAL CONTENT AND VOLUMES Page 107 row 2 TECHNICAL indicates a suggested/max page count of 35/55 which includes 10/15 pages per sample task. Section 2.0 VOLUME 2: TECHNICAL states “Each Offeror shall provide a written response to one (1) of the three (3) Sample Tasks.” Would the government confirm “Each Offeror shall provide a written response to one (1) of the three (3) Sample

Tasks” and the required page count for the proposal?

Offerors will be required to respond to two (2) sample tasks. Specific instructions will be provided in the final RFP.

22 109 Section 2.2 Management Approach, Page 109, Is the government asking for a Management Approach for the chosen sample task or is this a contract level management approach?

Management Approach is separate from the Sample Tasks under the Technical Factor

"Understanding the Work." Responses to the Management Approach is for the IDIQ contract.

10815 Offerors will be required to respond to two (2) sample tasks. Specific instructions will be provided in the final RFP.

23 109

2.0 VOLUME 2: TECHNICAL Page 109 last para (before 2.1) states “Examples of previous efforts can be narratives within the sample task with supporting attachments to the proposal (Statement of Work, Performance Work Statements including Contract Number, Task Order Number and etc.) in Annex B.

Supporting documents are not limited to SOWs/PWSs, but will be required to remain within the page count.”

The table in 3.0 PROPOSAL CONTENT AND VOLUMES limits the Annex B to 2 pages per corporate experience. Statements of work and Performance Work Statements are seldom limited to 2 pages. Would the government consider increasing the page limit for supporting documentation?

Annex B will be removed from the final RFP.

Requirements for Junior positions require a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree. The substitution for a Bachelor’s Degree is either 6 years of additional experience or an Associates

Degree plus 4 years of experience. Therefore, an individual hired into a Junior position without a Bachelor’s

Degree would require up to 8 years of experience or an Associates degree with 6 years of experience. These requirements are overly stringent and will limit opportunities for younger individuals to enter the workforce.

Since many individuals hired into these positions are either recent college graduates with no experience or recently separated enlisted military with limited years of experience and no degree, request that the government reconsider the requirements to make it possible to hire Junior individuals with a Bachelors degree and no experience or individuals with 2 years relevant experience without a degree.

Unless otherwise noted in the labor category education requirements in Section C, Paragraph 7.4, substitutions pursuant to Section C, Paragraph 7.3(c) will be allowed.

Key Personnel requirements are listed in several clauses throughout the solicitation but are not addressed in

Section L Instructions to Offerors or Section 7.0 Minimum Personnel Requirements. Will the identification of key personnel be required in the final Request for Proposal (RFP)?

Key Personnel will not be identified in the final RFP, but will be identified at the task order level, depending on the requirement.

26 Section 7.3 40

Section 7.0, Item 7.3 (c) Qualification Substitution, describes allowable experience substitutions for degrees. Would there be any consideration for Senior NCOs who have very extensive technical experience but lack a degree to also allow a H.S. diploma or equivalency as a qualifying substitution?

Unless otherwise noted in the labor category education requirements in Section C, Paragraph 7.4, substitutions pursuant to Section C, Paragraph 7.3(c) will be allowed.

27 Section 3.3 107

The page count listed in the table on page 107 allocates 10 pages per sample task and lists the total page count of Volume 2 at 35 pages, but Section 2.0 on page 108 states that Offerors only need to answer 1 sample task. Will the page count be adjusted to reflect answering only 1 sample task?

Offerors will be required to respond to two (2) sample tasks. Specific instructions will be provided in the final RFP.

Part B, 1.0

Executive

Summary

Will Representations and Certifications and Principal Subcontractor Consent Letters be included in the

Volume 1 page count (10 pages maximum)?

Yes, the Representations and Certifications and Principal Subcontractor Consent Letters should be a part of Volume 1.

Part B, 2.0

Technical 109 Can corporate experience examples include work performed by subcontractors? Corporate Experience is no longer required in Sections L&M.

30 Can an Acronym List be included in the submission? If so, will it count against page count?

Yes, an acronym list can be included in the submission. Yes, all information submitted is limited to the maximum page count per Volumes 1 and 2.

Technical

Volume; Annex

A; Annex B

The Proposal Content and Volumes Table on page 107 The required file naming convention has a "#" in the file name. This is usually not an allowed character in a file name. Would the Government please clarify the file naming convention?

The "#" Represents the number of the file. For example: Vol_2_Tech 2.1.pdf or

Vol_2_Tech 2.1.pdf. Table will be updated to remove "#" from the file naming convention.

32 Section 7.3.c 40

The Patuxent River environment is a bountiful segment of workforce where subject matter experts coming out of the enlisted community (i.e., Master, Senior and Chief Petty Officers) have spent significant years at sea and have not had the opportunity to complete a formal education degree. The table on page 40 does not accommodate High School equivalency with added experience to meet the position requirements. Will the government entertain including H.S. diploma plus experience as a substitution category in support of this effort?

Unless otherwise noted in the labor category education requirements in Section C, Paragraph 7.4, substitutions pursuant to Section C, Paragraph 7.3(c) will be allowed.

33 Section L: Part 2 108

Section L; Part 2; Page 108 states; "Each Offeror shall provide a written response to one (1) of the three (3)

Sample Tasks below that fits the Offeror’s capabilities. The Offeror’s responses shall adhere to Government requirements delineated in the selected sample task." Would the Government please clarify the total page count allowed for Volume 2?

Offerors will be required to respond to two (2) sample tasks. Specific instructions will be provided in the final RFP.

34 Section L 107

The page limit for Volume 1, Executive Summary, is 10 pages and encompasses the eight items listed on page 108. Section K alone exhausts 9 pages. Would the Government consider removing items iii and iv on page 108 from the 10-page limit for this volume?

The Government will keep items iii and iv. However, they will be re-identified with letters b and c, respectively.

b. Completed and signed SF33 for basic solicitation and each amendment, including completion of any clause or provision that requires a fill-in or response.) and

c. Signed Representations, Certifications, and Acknowledgements and/or System for

Award Management (SAM).

35 Section L 108

Item vii – Offerors are instructed to provide written consent from principal subcontractors and team members that allows the Government to coordinate past performance and/or cost/price issues with the

Offeror. Is this only required if we include Corporate Experience examples from principal subcontractors and/or team members?

Corporate Experience is no longer required in Sections L&M.

36 Section L 107

The page limit for each Sample Task is 15 pages and Offerors are instructed to include the seven items in the outline on pages 108-109. Additionally, page 109 instructs Offerors to provide 3-5 Corporate Experience examples within their Sample Task response. In order to provide a thorough and complete response, would the Government consider increasing the page limit for each Sample Task to 20 pages?

Corporate Experience is no longer required in Sections L&M. Refer to the final RFP for instructions on page limits.

37 Section L 107

The page limit for Annex B is 2 pages per Corporate Experience. Page 109 instructs Offerors to include supporting attachments, including, but not limited to, Statements of Work and Performance Work Statements in Annex B. Additionally, it states that supporting documentation is required to remain within the page count. Typically, when this information is required, Annexes do not have a page limit, since SOWs/PWSs are most often more than two pages. Will the Government consider removing the page limitation for Annex

B?

Annex B will be removed from the final RFP.

38 Section L 107

Section L, Part A, 3.0 Proposal content and Volumes, Page 107 states that the page count for Annex B is 2 pages per Corporate Experience. HOWEVER, Section L, Part B, 2.0 Volume 2 Technical states that for the

Corporate Experience “Examples of previous efforts can be narratives within the sample task with supporting attachments to the proposal (Statement of Work, Performance Work Statements including

Contract Number, Task Order Number and etc.)”. Does the 2 page limit include supporting attachments such as SOWs, etc.? Relevant SOWs can be much longer than 2 pages, therefore we recommend that

“supporting attachments to the proposal (Statement of Work, Performance Work Statements including

Contract Number, Task Order Number and etc.)” not be included in the page limit.

Annex B will be removed from the final RFP. Corporate Experience is no longer required in Sections L&M. Refer to the final RFP for the maximum page count.

Section C, 7.3

c) Qualification

Substitution

Will the Government consider updating their substitutions to include a High School equivalency as a number of enlisted personnel getting out of the fleet are skilled at logistics, but might not yet have taken college courses?

Unless otherwise noted in the labor category education requirements in Section C, Paragraph 7.4, substitutions pursuant to Section C, Paragraph 7.3(c) will be allowed.

Section C, 7.4

Labor

Categories -

Logistics

Training

Specialist, Sr.

Will the Government consider adjusting the education requirements to include "relevant technical degree or other" as the current degree areas are too restrictive?

Unless otherwise noted in the labor category education requirements in Section C, Paragraph 7.4, substitutions pursuant to Section C, Paragraph 7.3(c) will be allowed.

Section C, 7.3

c) Qualification

Substitution

Will the Government consider the below substitutions for education, as this is what we commonly see at

NAVAIR?

Degree Requirement Allowable Substitution(s)

High School Diploma / GED

No substitutions permitted.

Associate’s Degree

Two (2) years additional work experience performing duties described in the functional description of the labor category may be substituted for an Associate’s Degree.

Bachelor’s Degree

1. Associate’s Degree plus two (2) years additional work experience performing duties described in the functional description of the labor category may be substituted for a Bachelor’s Degree.

OR

2. Four (4) years additional work experience performing duties described in the functional description of the labor category may be substituted for a Bachelor’s Degree.

Master’s Degree

1. Bachelor’s Degree plus two (2) years additional work experience performing duties described in the functional description of the labor category may be substituted for a Master’s Degree.

OR

2. Associate’s Degree plus four (4) years additional work experience performing duties described in the functional description of the labor category may be substituted for a Master’s Degree.

OR

3. Six (6) years additional work experience performing duties described in the functional description of the labor category may be substituted for a Master’s Degree.

Unless otherwise noted in the labor category education requirements in Section C, Paragraph 7.4, substitutions pursuant to Section C, Paragraph 7.3(c) will be allowed.

Section H

52.219-28

Please confirm that contractors will not be required to recertify their size standard in order to bid on a task order following submission of certification of size during on ramping. Additionally, please confirm that contractors will not need to recertify for award of a task order.

Clause 52.219-28 Post-Award Small Business Program Representation will be replaced with 52.219-28 Alt I Post-Award Small Business Program Representation.

Contractors will certify that they are a small business as required pursuant to instructions set forth in the RFP for on ramping. Thereafter, Contractors will rerepresent its size standard as required by 52.219-28 Alt I Post-Award Small Business Program

Representation.

Section H

5252.211-9502 70 Inconsistency between FAR clause and later listed holidays in Section L. that include 6/19

Clause 5252.211-9502 GOVERNMENT INSTALLATION WORK SCHEDULE

(NAVAIR)(DEC 2014) will be removed from the final RFP. The federal holidays are outlined in Section C, Paragraph 3.1.4.1.2.

Section H

5252.215-9505 71

Please explain if contractors are required to submit teaming arrangements during on ramping or a task order submission? Also, are multiple PSMI MAC primes allowed to team together or is the intention of this clause to limit that ability?

5252.215-9505 EXCLUSIVE TEAMING ARRANGEMENTS WHICH INHIBIT

COMPETITION (NAVAIR)(OCT 2005) will be removed from the final RFP. Teaming arrangements are allowed at the TO level. Primes are allowed to team for proposal submissions.

45 Section L, 2.1.1 106 Recommend requesting "Drop-Off Request Code" no less than 7 days prior to proposal due date. Reasoning is that emails to NMCI and flankspeed can take days to delivery due to firewall between their systems and contractor's systems.

The Government has increased the Drop-Off Request to 10 days.

46 Section L, 3.3 107 Where does the Corporate experience section go and what is the page limit for each one? We are concerned that 2 pages won't be sufficient in order to include a SOW, PWS and an explanation

Corporate Experience is no longer required in Sections L&M. Refer to the final RFP for instructions on page limits.

47 General Will the Government consider utilizing BLS data and adopting a Direct Labor Rate range for positions similar to the Team 3 (PM CSS MAC)? This has led to increased stability on contracts with the workforce and preventing the race to the bottom is costs.

The Government is considering the recommendation to utilize BLS data at the task order level.