Amendment_Two_06-19-2018_FBO.pdf

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing items 8 and 15, and returning or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT 1. CONTRACT ID CODE

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUISITION NUMBER 5. PROJECT NUMBER (If applicable)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6) CODE

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 11/2016)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

FACILITY CODE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended. is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS.

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER

NUMBER IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation data, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15C. DATE SIGNED

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

16C. DATE SIGNED

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

PAGE OF PAGES

6. ISSUED BY CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (X)

CODE

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

Previous edition unusable

Q&A Amendment 2

1. Question: Is there a specific technology or platform the Government prefers for the development of the website mentioned in Bullet 6? And will the website be hosted on the Government's system or within the contractor's system?

Answer: No, it will be hosted on the contractor’s system.

2. Questions: How long will it take for the Government to process Suitability Determinations as set forth in Paragraph “INFORMATION SECURITY AND/OR PHYSICAL ACCESS SECURITY” (As Applicable) - POSITION SENSITIVITY DESIGNATIONS and to which personnel on this contract will this requirement apply?

Answer: Suitability Determinations are needed for anyone accessing government IT systems, networks, or physical space. The background check can take a few weeks and up to a few months depending upon the type of investigation needed. The scope of your background check is determined by the sensitivity of your position.

3. Question: Which contract vendors supported the CGH events that have previously been executed?: i.e. 2018 International Cancer Research Partnership Annual Meeting, 6th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research Global Cancer Research: Addressing Disparities, Locally and Globally, 2nd Regional Centers of Research Excellence Principal Investigator Scientific Strategic Planning Meeting, etc.

Answer:

• 2018 International Cancer Research Partnership Annual Meeting – Leidos Biomedical

• 6th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research Global Cancer Research Addressing Disparities, Locally and Globally – Leidos Biomedical

• 2nd Regional Centers of Research Excellence Principal Investigator Scientific Strategic Planning Meeting, etc. – SCG, Inc.

4. Question: Can the government please confirm if there are any vendors currently performing any areas of task 1 - task 4 of the statement of work for CGH?

Answer: Yes. All tasks are currently being performed on different mechanisms. This is a new requirement, which groups all of the task area requirements together.

5. Question: Are we to submit loaded or unloaded rates for the IDIQ as a whole. We assume loaded rates are needed for the Sample Tasks.

Answer: Loaded rates may be used for Fixed Firm Price orders. Unloaded rates need to be used for anything that is cost-reimbursement.

6. Question: Is there an incumbent on this contract? If not, could the Government please share who has been performing the services captured in this scope of work?

Answer: Please see questions 3 and 4.

7. Question: Does the Government anticipate an extension to the deadline, given that the questions deadline of June 15 is only one week from the proposal due date? We are concerned that this timeline does not allow for appropriate time to integrate all answers to questions into proposal responses.

Answer: No, the deadline will not be extended due to programmatic need.

8. Question: What is the approximate task order volume anticipated under this contract?

Answer: The number of Task Orders is unknown. The total value of all Task Orders will not exceed the programmatic maximum ceiling of $7,261,330.53.

9. Question: Of the anticipated volume, how many conferences are expected, and how many training sessions/events are expected?

Answer: As this is an IDIQ, balance of activities being tasked over the period of performance is unknown and will be solicited at the IDIQ level.

10. Question: Is it expected that each of the five Task Areas will be equally represented under task orders? If not, what is the expected breakdown by percentage of the task orders to be issued under each Task Area?

Answer: As this is an IDIQ, balance of activities being tasked over the period of performance is unknown and will be solicited at the IDIQ level.

11. Question: PG 68, Past Performances: When bidding as a team, are all team members subject to the requirement of submitting three recently completed contracts and all current contracts as past performance information? Or are we to submit three recently completed contracts as a team, as well as all current contracts for the prime contractor?

Answer: Please submit past performance information for each Team Member.

12. Question: PG 80, Page Limitations: Are there any page limitations for the sample task order responses? We understand that these responses are excluded from the 20-page limit of the Technical Proposal.

Answer: Please see question 60.

13. Question: PG 94, Technical Evaluation Factors: We note unique evaluation criteria for Task Order 1. Are there unique evaluation criteria for Sample Task Orders 1, 2 and 3, or do they follow the general Technical Evaluation Factors on PGs 93-94?

Answer: All sample Tasks will be evaluated using the criteria listed in Section M of the solicitation.

14. Question: PG 10: Is the Contractor expected to produce a transition plan as part of the Technical Proposal response, or will this only occur at the task order level?

Answer: This will occur at the Task Order level.

15. Question: PG 1: The SOW for the Contract Orientation and Kickoff Meeting notes that “no technical proposal is required for this Task Order.” However, PG 94 in the general solicitation denotes unique technical evaluation criteria for Task Order 1. Should the contractor prepare a technical proposal for Task Order 1, as well as all Sample Task Orders (1, 2, and 3)?

Answer: Task Order 1 does not require a technical proposal. All sample Tasks do require a Technical Proposal.

16. Question: Technical Proposal Instructions are noted as NONE. However, the base solicitation requires a narrative for each Sample Task Order. Could the Government clarify whether a technical proposal is required for each Sample Task Order, and if so what the instructions to prepare each will be?

Answer: Task Order 1 does not require a technical proposal. All sample Tasks do require a Technical Proposal.. Please use the instructions listed in Section M of the Solicitation for the Sample Task Order proposals.

17. Question: Evaluation Factors for Award: Instructions under this section refer to the Base IDIQ Solicitation. However, as noted above, the Base IDIQ Solicitation only includes unique evaluation factors for Task Order 1 and not for any of the Sample Task Orders. Are we to employ the general IDIQ evaluation factors as listed on PGs 93-94 in the main solicitation, or are there unique evaluation factors for each Sample Task Order? Could the Government provide the evaluation factors for Sample Task Orders 1, 2, and 3?

Answer: Please see question 16.

18. Question: Will the government consider increasing the page limit for the Base IDIQ Technical Proposal to 25 pages (an additional 5 pages) given the scope of items to be addressed in the SOW and under the Section M. Evaluation Factors?

Answer: Please see question 60.

19. Question: We assume that technical responses are required for TORFP#1 and the Sample Task

Orders as attachments to the Technical Proposal. Is that correct?

20. Question: We assume that four Technical Proposal Cost Summaries are required: one for the TORFP#1 and for each of the three Sample Tasks. Is that correct?

Answer: Cost Proposals are required for Task 1 as well as all sample Tasks. The Cost Proposal should be part of the Business Proposal.

21. Question: We assume the proposal response that addresses this evaluation criteria should be provided in the Methodology section of the Technical Proposal. Is that correct?

Answer: The Technical Proposal will be evaluated using Section M of the Solicitation.

22. Question: We assume the proposal response that addresses this evaluation criteria should be provided in the Qualifications of the Offeror section of the Business Proposal. Is that correct?

Answer: Business Proposals are not evaluated for Technical Criteria. Business Proposals are used to evaluate costs. See page 65 of the solicitation, entitled, Separation of Technical and Business Proposals.

23. Question: To which proposal shall offerors attach the “HHS Section 508 Product Assessment Template”?

Answer: This should be part of the Technical Proposal.

24. Question: There are no priced options. Will the Government please remove this evaluation criteria?

Answer: No, these are flow down clauses as the Task Orders may have options.

25. Question: Will NCI provide offerors with a copy of the trip report to determine the labor involved in completing the report for each traveler?

Answer: Please see question 48.

26. Question: Are the trip reports noted in this task for the same travelers noted in Task Areas 1 and 2? If not, who are the additional travelers and what volume of travelers can be anticipated for these reports?

Answer: Please see question 48.

27. Question: Can the government be more specific about their estimates in the Base SOW?

Answer: No, requirements will be defined at the Task Order level.

28. Question: May we submit T&M pricing for Subcontractors?

Answer: The Subcontract type is an agreement between the Prime and the Subcontractor.

29. Question: May we add the “Sample Task Business Proposal Cover Sheet” to the “Breakdown of Proposed Estimated Cost and Labor Hours”?

Answer: Yes

30. Question: Sample Task 1: For the 21 non-government participants, how many will be traveling from domestic locations and how many will be traveling from international locations.

Answer: 10 domestic, 11 international Africa

31. Question: Sample Task 1: Will the contractor be required to provide a shuttle for participants between NIH and the lodging venue?

32. Question: Sample Task 1: Will the agenda copies be printed in color or black and white?

Answer: Black and White

33. Question: Sample Task 1: Will NCI require the contractor to print name badges?

34. Question: Sample Task 1: Will NCI require the contractor to print tent cards? If so, how many?

Answer: No

35. Question: Sample Task 1: Will NCI require the contractor to print meeting signs? If so, how many?

Answer: No

36. Question: The Base SOW states, “The contractor shall make logistical arrangements for each event including the coordination of meeting rooms, audiovisual support, advertisement/publicity, and on-site support, as specified in the task order.” Please provide further clarification regarding the event advertisement/publicity which is expected.

Answer: Each Task Order will provide specific publicity needs.

37. Question: The Base SOW states, “Purchase and arrange ground transportation as required (taxi cabs, shuttle service, limousine service, and rental car).” Is prior CO/COR approval required if a sponsored attendee requires a rental car?

38. Question: Is there a page limit for the sample task order responses?

Answer: Yes. The page limit of 20 applies to the technical proposal of the IDIQ. Please note, the technical proposals for the Sample Tasks will have a page limit of 5 each.

39. Question: What is the difference between “other professional personnel” and “additional personnel?”

Answer: Professional Personnel is anyone in a professional role that would be supporting the project. Additional Personnel is any person who does not fit the definition of Key or Professional Personnel.

40. Question: Please advise if the proposals for the sample task orders should include a technical approach (objectives, approach, methods and schedule), personnel, organizational experience/support capabilities, and facilities/equipment sections.

Answer: Yes, all sample Tasks should include a technical approach. The Kick-Off Meeting does not require a technical proposal.

41. Question: Information was not included in the RFP regarding uniform labor categories. Can you confirm if offerors should propose their own mix of labor categories? Is the use of GSA labor categories acceptable?

Answer: The Government will not provide labor categories. The Offeror may submit any category that they feel would best suit the Government’s requirement.

42. Question: The Important Note to Offerors states that an Information Security section should be included in the business proposal. However, under Business Proposal Instructions, this is not listed as a required section. Please confirm if an Information Security section is required in the business proposal.

Answer: Yes, per page 68, Article 13, sub item 14 of the solicitation.

43. Question: Considering the nature of other required business proposal documents (e.g. financial capacity, past performance, etc.), please confirm if offerors are required to submit their annual financial report.

Answer: Per page 91, a copy of the organization’s most recent annual report must be submitted as part of the business proposal.

44. Question: Will the government provide uniform assumptions regarding travel requirements for the overall IDIQ and for individual sample task orders?

Answer: Travel will be defined at the Task Order Level.

45. Question: Will inclusion of either a compliance matrix (1 page) and a 1 page of a non-disclosure be considered in the 20-page limitation for the Tech Approach or will the government not include either or both of these documents in the 20-page Technical Approach page count?”

Answer: Per page 80 of the solicitation, Task Order 1 does not require a technical proposal. All sample Tasks do require a Technical Evaluation.

46. Question: Please clarify what should be included in the technical proposal to address “References to evaluate past performance” as stated in the evaluation criteria. Does the term “references” refer to specific points of contact, or something different?

Answer: Please reference page 68 of the RFP.

47. Question: We understand the font size for the proposal is 10-12 point, but for tables embedded in the proposal, is a 9-font size acceptable?”

Answer: Everything should be in the font size of 10-12.

48. Question: Please advise if trip reports are expected as part of the portfolio analyses task?

Answer: Trip reports are required for any supported International travel on tasks.

49. Question: Is it anticipated that the following components are to be completed during the six-month feasibility study:

• Review of grant applications and analysis of data on overall and subcomponent ratings / literature review of specific technologies for specific technologies of three ACTs areas (how much does this differ from initial literature review?)

• Conduct interviews with NCI staff members associated with each of 3 ACT areas

• Interview 9 PIs of ACT grants (second stage)

Answer: This should be part of the Offeror’s proposal.

50. Question: Section G.3.b. of the Solicitation is written as if the contract will be multiple award vs.

single award. Specifically, see the section that currently states: “Contractors are not required to propose on all TORFPs. Those eligible Contractors that decide not to submit a proposal shall advise the Contracting Officer, in writing, of their intention not to submit a proposal on or before the closing date and time established in the TORFP. An election not to propose on a given TORFP will not negatively affect or prohibit a Contractor from competing on future TORFPs.

However, it may affect the Contractor's eligibility for continuations or extensions of the resultant Task Order. “Please clarify the process and responsibilities in the context of a single award contract.

Answer: This solicitation will result in a single award IDIQ contract. The information above means that the IDIQ holder does not have to bid on Task Orders if they do not want to.

51. Question: Section G.3.c. written as if the contract will be multiple award vs. single award. Please clarify the process and responsibilities in the context of a single award contract.

Answer: This solicitation will result in a single award IDIQ contract.

52. Question: Section H.10 of the RFP states that “Contractor will create and/or manage a public website, which includes NIH-hosted social media sites, web applications, and mobile web sites.”

Please clarify which task/subtasks of the Statement of Work this activity falls under. Please provide more details about website hosting, content management system, web content production and management, etc.

Answer: Specific requests will be contained in task orders.

53. Question: The instructions indicate that proposals will be “printed/copied double-sided, on at least 30 percent post-consumer fiber paper…” However, the Attachment entitled, PACKAGING AND DELIVERY OF PROPOSAL indicates that offerors should submit proposals through the NIH electronic Contract Proposal Submission (eCPS) Website. Please clarify if hard copy proposals are required in addition to the eCPS submission.

Answer: Hard copies will not be accepted. Please follow the instructions under Attachment 1.

54. Question: Please confirm that a separate Attachment titled, TECHNICAL PROPOSAL COST SUMMARY, is required for each of the four task orders (kick off task order 1 and the sample task orders 1-3) but is not required for the base IDIQ SOW response.

Answer: A cost proposal is required, but should be part of the business proposal for each Task

Order. Please provide a detailed budget for each sample task order and the required Task Order

1 Kick-Off Meeting, including costs of supplies and all other categories such as labor costs and other direct costs. For the IDIQ SOW, describe any additional anticipated costs in the business proposal that are not captured in the sample task orders. For example, in the business proposal, describe additional cost information that may impact future task orders awarded under any resultant Base IDIQ contract (e.g. additional labor categories with associated labor rates, proposed escalation for labor rates, etc.) that is not already addressed in the business proposal for the sample task order(s).

55. Question: Please clarify the Past Performance Information required on page 68 and the Pertinent Contracts section on page 90. The former asks for "A list of the last 3 contracts completed during the past Five years and ALL CONTRACTS currently being performed that are similar in nature to the solicitation work scope." While the later asks for "Pertinent contracts is defined as a listing of each related contract completed within the last three years or currently in process." The data elements required under each of the separate sections are also similar, but not precisely the same—please clarify the data to be submitted.

Answer: Yes, use the information listed on page 68 of the solicitation. Please provide a list of the last 3 contracts completed during the past Five years and ALL CONTRACTS currently being performed that are similar in nature to the solicitation work scope. .

56. Question: This section reads “As outlined in Section L- Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors, offerors shall submit a technical proposal that addresses the Statement of Work (SOW) for the IDIQ base contract with a separate section that addresses the Statements of Work (SOW) for the Sample Task Order(s). The technical discussion included in the technical proposal should respond to the items set forth below: Statement of Work (objectives, approach, methods, schedule), Personnel (Director, Other professional personnel, additional personnel, resumes), Other Considerations.” Are the task order technical responses required to follow the same outline noted above or is this only for the technical response to the base contact base contract?

57. Question: The Sample Task Orders indicate that there are no instructions for each of the Sample Task Order technical proposals. Is there a suggested page length or page limit for the Sample Task Order technical proposals?

Answer: Please follow the technical instructions on page 80 of the solicitation as well as question 60 which explains the page limits.

58. Question: In sample Task Order 1, please clarify the number of invited participants to the FY2018 conference. The Background and Task Order Statement of Work section indicates that there are a total of 11 RCRES, of which 5 are part of the new cohort, and that CGH will “invite two researchers from each RCRE of the new cohort to this conference,” and “one financial management and one human subjects/regulatory affairs person from each RCRE to this conference. The total number of non-federal invited investigators is twenty-one.” Are the additional invited personnel self-paid?

59. Question: With the understanding that this procurement will result in a single awardee, will the resulting contract include the issuance of a Task Order to account for the winning contractor's efforts related to the contract reporting requirements and the development of new task orders?

If not, where will the costs associated with these activities be charged and ultimately billed?

Answer: No. See answer to question 61.

60. Question: Which interpretation is correct?

• Are Sample Task Order narrative responses to be included with our IDIQ base response in the Technical Proposal volume, with all sections herein subject to a 20-page total limit?

• Or are Sample Task Order narrative responses considered their own Technical Proposal volumes and thus each would be subject to a 20-page limit, which would lead to four 20-page limited volumes for a maximum technical narrative response of 80 pages (Base IDIQ Technical, Sample Task Order 1 Technical, Sample Task Order 2 Technical, and Sample Task Order 3 Technical)?

Answer: The page limits have been updated. The Technical page limit of the IDIQ technical proposal will be set at 20 pages. The page limit of the Sample Task Order Technical Proposals will be set at 5 pages each.

61. Question: In several places in the solicitation (for instance in Article C.2 Reporting Requirements and in Article F.2 Deliveries), several reports are required at the IDIQ Level. Would these reports be required if there are no Task Orders (TOs) open at the time? If they are required, how would we be reimbursed for preparing the reports? If the reports are required when no TO are open, would you consider having an Administrative TO for such costs?

Answer: Most reports are not required if a Task Order has not been issued. The costs should be built into the Offeror’s indirect structure. NCI does not issue Administrative Task Orders.

62. Question: Under Instructions to Offerors, paragraph 2. a.1., Contract Type and General Clauses on page 63 it mentions that task orders can be a mixture of fixed price/cost-reimbursement.

Because there are a number of cost questions for Sample Task Order I, which are listed below, would you consider a fixed price portion for the labor and a cost-reimbursement portion for the travel and conference costs?

Answer: A task order for meetings or training will define the participants, so it may be able to be defined as fixed priced or it may specify that the response may allow cost reimbursable portions.

63. Question: Sample Task Order I conference/travel pricing questions include:

a. We realize that the awardee will be given the Name and Country Organization and

Contact Information for the Government Sponsored TraveIers once the Task Order is awarded. However, for budget purposes can we assume that there will be only 21 non-federal invited investigators that will require travel from this Task Order? If this is the case, please provide a list of how many people from which countries or which states we will need to provide travel costs. If this is not the case, please provide more information for costing purposes.

b. As you know, flight costs can change from season to season and from day to day, as well as the lodging costs as outlined in the Federal Travel Regulations. This is a good reason to have the travel costs as a cost-reimbursable cost. If that is not possible, would you provide a month when the conference is expected to occur?

c. Can we assume that all audio/visual equipment will be provided by the government?

Will transcription services be required?

Answer: Responses should include the assumptions made in the response. Also, please see question 30.

64. Question: There seems to be some confusion on the page number for the Technical Proposal. In Attachment 1 it says that the 20 pages for the Technical Proposal does not include any sample task order proposals and the proposal for Task Order #1. In response to Question 3 provided in Amendment One, it is unclear whether the page count for the Technical Proposal includes or excludes the sample task order proposal and the proposal for Task Order #1. Please clarify whether the total page limit for the Technical Proposal is 20 pages or 80 pages, excluding the Appendices, Resumes, etc.? In other words, are the Base Technical Proposal and the sample task orders 1-3 part of the Technical Proposal with a page count of either 20 or 80 pages or are the sample task orders 1-3 considered Appendices?

Answer: Task Order 1, the Kick-Off Task Order, does not require a Technical Proposal. All other sample Task Orders as well as the BASE IDIQ require a Technical Proposal. Please see question 60 for page limit questions.

Question: The Base SOW states "The data requests will be on an ad-hoc basis and are estimated to be in the range of 10-30 reports per year." Can the government be more specific about this estimate?

Answer: The Government will be more specific in the Task Order Solicitations.

65. Question: Our subcontractor wishes to submit a sealed bid. Is that allowable, and how can we do this since the submission is electronic.

Answer: The subcontractor needs to register with the eCPS system. They may submit their subcontract submission separately, but it must clearly be labeled (So NCI knows what Prime Contract Proposal the Sub-Contractor Proposal goes with).

66. Question: Are we to submit loaded or unloaded rates for the BPA as a whole. We assume loaded rates are needed for the Sample Tasks.

Answer: Please see question 5. Please note that this requirement is NOT for a BPA, but rather a single award IDIQ contract.

67. Question: The NAICS code for the solicitation is 541611 with a small business size standard of $15MM. If an organization meets this criteria for 2017 but may not in 2018 calendar year or going forward, are they eligible to bid?

Answer: The Contractor must be considered a small business under 541611 at time of award.

68. Question: In numerous places in the SOW, the contractor is required to "...pay for conferences/meetings/workshops..." Is it expected that the contractor will bear this expense for the event and subsequently invoice the government or is some other mechanism anticipated?

Answer: Yes, the contractor will send an invoice to the Government to cover costs. This needs to be in accordance with the invoice instructions listed in the Base IDIQ or individual Task Orders. Please also view attachment 20.

69. Question: Please clarify whether the "kick off" meeting (TORFP #1) is only for the first year or we should include hours and travels for the start of each contract year?

Answer: There will only be 1 kick off meeting, which will be awarded as Task Order 1, concurrent with the base IDIQ contract.

70. Question: Section F, page 14, since NIST is low (per page 27), please confirm that all the 'if applicable' deliverables (e.g., system security plan) are not required.

Answer: The deliverables are required as the Contractor will be the ones hosting the Website(s).

71. Question: Amendment 0001 Q&A 24 states, “Question: Section F on page 91 states that subcontractors must submit "A complete cost proposal in the same format as the offeror's cost proposal.". Can the Government please clarify what "complete cost proposal" entails? Answer:

The cost proposal must contain a cost breakdown and be in the same format as the prime contractor. Please reference and use Attachment 9, Technical Proposal Cost Summary.

Supporting cost documentation is required for all subcontractor costs proposed”.

Upon further review of Attachment 9, the Special Instructions Item 4 states, “Submit this information as a portion of the Technical Proposal”. Does the government want Attachment 9 to be included in the Technical Volume or the Business Volume?

Answer: The Cost proposals (template provided as Attachment 13) should be submitted as an attachment to the Business Proposals, not the Technical Proposals. However, attachment 9 Technical Proposal Cost Summary will be an attachment to the technical proposal.

72. Question: Technical Base IDIQ Questions:

• Are Organizational Cover Letters/Commitment Letters excluded from the Base IDIQ Technical Proposal page limit?

• Are any contractor staff required to work onsite FT or PT? If so, how many and in what positions/capacities?

• Would the government consider a one-week extension to the proposal due date, to June 29th, to allow adequate time to incorporate answers to questions into technical and business proposal responses?

Answer: No onsite staff is needed. The answers to the other questions are within Amendment 2.

73. Question: Sample Task Order 1 Questions:

• Has the conference room in building 31 been reserved?

• What are the dates of the meeting?

• What time will the meeting begin and end each day (if more than one day)?

• Are the remaining 59 attendees local, non-local, or combination? If any are non-local, will the contractor need to secure additional rooms at the hotel?

• Can supported travelers be reimbursed for airfare expenses or should the contractor purchase tickets directly?

• How many sponsored travelers are international? From which countries?

• Will any other information be on the website besides a registration form?

• Is the contractor responsible for creating artwork for the website, agenda, and participant list?

• Are there any other printing requirements other than the agenda and participant list? Will the government provide folders for the meeting materials or are folders not needed?

• Will name badges be needed?

• What is the Task Period of Performance, or length of time of the Task Order?

Answer: This is a sample task order and responses are being used to evaluate the understanding of the request by the contractor. All assumptions made in the technical and business proposals should be detailed in the responses.

74. Question: Task 4 states, “Use of Excel, SAS, and other software systems for data analysis.”

What other software systems are envisioned?

Answer: Each TO will specify any software requirements for work being requested.

75. Question: Where will the work be performed? At a Government facility or the Offeror’s location?

Answer: Work will be performed at the contractor site. Meetings or workshop locations will be specified in the TOs. Meetings between the contractor and the NCI COR will be at Shady Grove or by teleconference

76. Question: On page 90, #7 Qualifications of the Offeror, there are items a. General Experience through item e. Pertinent Grants. Should these items be included as part of the technical proposal or the business proposal? As much of this includes performance history, it seems these items would be part of the technical proposal. Can the Government please clarify if section #7 Qualifications of the Offeror should be part of the technical proposal.

Answer: Technical Proposal. This section is under the business proposal instructions of the RFP

77. Question: On page 91, #8 Subcontractors, the Government requests specific information related to any subcontractors, including a commitment letter. Should this information fall in the business proposal or the technical proposal? Given that the requested information does not include any pricing details, it seems to make sense that it should be part of the technical proposal? Can the Government please clarify if section #8 Subcontractors be part of the technical propcosal?

Answer: Technical Proposal. This section is under the business proposal instructions of the RFP

78. Question: Page 79, item 15.c: It is our understanding that the Section 508 Product Assessment Template applies to software and web sites, not electronic documents such as PDF, Excel, or Word documents.

a. Please confirm that no Section 508 Product Assessment Template is required as part of a response to N02CO87002-27.

b. If the template is required, is it expected that vendors will submit, as an example of capabilities, a form filled out for a product or web site produced by the vendor that is similar in design and function to a product or web site described in the RFP?

c. If the template is required, please confirm that the form is considered an attachment/appendix and therefore would not count against the page limitations.

d. Please note that the Section 508 Product Assessment Template itself is not 508-compliant and as such, vendors will submit non-compliant files as part of their proposal packages.

Answer: 508 is required. Please see amendment 1 for the requirements.

79. Question: Page 82, item 2, asks for estimated time to be spent on the project. Given the IDIQ nature of this procurement, for the overall approach to the General SOW is staff percent availability an acceptable substitution?

Answer: Yes, that is acceptable.

80. Question: Page 90, 7b notes not to include experience of individuals involved in the SOW.

Please confirm that the government means past performances of a single individual and does not intend to exclude any contract that an employee of a small business worked on.

Answer: That is correct.

81. Question: Page 94: Evaluation Factors, 4.c.5 includes ‘References to evaluate past performance’.

Page 90 indicates past performances are presented only in the business response.

Please clarify that no past performances information (contact or contract data) is to be provided in the technical volume.

Answer: The technical proposal shall contain references only. The business proposal shall contain all past performance information.

82. Question: Page 94: As the technical proposal and business proposal will be evaluated separately but have some overlapping content, will the government please identify which evaluation factors are expected to be reviewed in each portion of the proposal?

Specifically, Factors 4.C & 4.D (page 94) are requirements in both the technical and business documents. Will the same evaluation factors be used by both review teams?

Answer: The Technical Evaluation will be based off of the Technical Evaluation Factors starting on page 92 of the solicitation.

83. Question: Attachment 3, Base SOW, Page 9, Task 4, Item 5: Please explain what data you are looking for regarding “Trip Reports” and how it relates to data and portfolio analysis. Are you looking for data relating to the cost of an individual’s trip?

Answer: We are asking for cost information on trips in the monthly deliverable noted. The Trip report is a description of goals and achievements for supported International travel. These are filled out by the supported traveler.

84. Question: Attachment 5, TORFP #1, Kickoff Meeting:

a. Is the contractor responsible for preparing the agenda for the Kickoff meeting?

b. Is the contractor responsible for follow-up items such as minutes from the Kickoff meeting?

Answer: Yes, as lead in conjunction with NCI; There are no deliverables for Task Order 1.

Purpose: To answer offerors' questions.

National Cancer Institute Frederick, MD 21701