Q As-_22_July.docx

Q&As- 22 July

107. Section C-1.8.4 Cost of MSC/Navy Required Training states that “All costs associated with MSC/Navy required training, including travel, are not reimbursable and shall be included in the Contractor’s fixed price per diem.” Based on language in current agreements found in Attachment B-training wages are payable to re-establish compliance. We believe it would be to the benefit of MSC to make all costs including wages associated with MSC/Navy required training reimbursable so that offeror’s fixed price per diems are not overinflated due to individual bidder assumptions.

A. Beginning in 2015, PM3 determined that it would be in the Government’s best interest to include travel and training costs in the competitive process as part of the fixed per diem price. Attachment B (Wage Determination) sets minimum wage and fringe rates to be paid under the resultant contract. However, the Government is not a party to any of the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreements negotiated between Contractors and its unions. Note that Sections H-15 states in part, “the terms of the CBA between the contractor and the union are neither considered to be a part of the contract nor shall they form the basis of any claim or request for equitable adjustment (REA).”

108. Does the training completed with the current operator convey to a new operator? Meaning, if a new operator continues to use the crew that is already assigned to these vessels, does the training that the crew has completed carry over to a new operator?

A. Periodicity requirements vary based on the type of training. Some training is required “once in the life” of the contract (i.e. Shipboard Primary Equipment Training), while other training is tied to a specific time period (i.e. Information Assurance Awareness Training – “once in every fiscal year and the Readiness Refresher Course – “every five (5) years)”. Training that has a period not tied to the contract itself can carry over to another contract if within the validity period.

109. What mechanism does MSC have in place to ensure compliance with training requirements?

A. It is not MSC’s responsibility to ensure compliance. It is the contractor’s responsibility to ensure compliance. However, MSC may review training records during onboard ship inspections to verify the contractor is fulfilling contract requirements. Some types of training also require monthly reports that will enable MSC to verify the contractor is meeting its requirements.

110. Section 15.5.1(b) of the Tech Manual states the following, “The Financial Liability Investigation of Property Loss Report (DD200) shall be submitted for all items of Government Property declared lost, damaged or destroyed in accordance with Section 15.14, which states the following, “This report and section is applicable to reimbursable type items such as Reimbursable DMP with a unit price greater than $1,000.00. When such property is lost, damaged or destroyed, the Contractor shall submit a DD Form 200.”

This seems to contradict the following section of the Tech Manual: Section 15.7.5 states the following, “All reimbursable replacements for property will require with the invoice an approved DD Form 200 for Maritime Equipment, Sensitive and Damage Control items.”

Our question is, why was the underlined section above (for Maritime Equipment, Sensitive and Damage Control items) added to Section 15.7.5 if a DD200 is required for all items of Government Property as stated in the first underlined paragraph?

A. Regardless of unit price, a DD200 is required to be submitted on all GFE declared as LOST, DAMAGE, DESTROYED or STOLEN.

111. Could you please confirm that Price proposals are to be included in Volume 1 of the proposal? We do not understand why the details of the Price Proposal are included in Section L-14 (B) while all of the other information for Volume 1 seems to be in Section L-14 (A).

A. The submittal requirements for Volume I and II are clearly specified under Section L-13.B. L-14(A) lists the items that must be included in the Solicitation Package. L-14(B) designates the evaluation factors.

112. If each surge vessel is going to enter a dock trial period each contract year for five days (Dock Trials Section 1.15), should Form B in category 25213 and Crewing tab line 49 in Evaluated OPTEMPO reflect 25 days for each contract year? The number of days for every other status reflects the entire Surge fleet versus the one 5 day dock trial period shown.

A. On the Crewing tab line 49 and on Form B, Dock Trials are expressed as events (consisting of 5 days per event).

113. Should crew overtime become necessary during a dock trial period-will the overtime be reimbursable?

A. Overtime associated with dock trials is not reimbursable. Dock Trials are priced as a fixed price, lump-sum, all inclusive rate as specified in Section C-1.15 which states: “Any additional costs that may be incurred above this per diem rate should be included in the Contractor’s fixed price per event for dock trials in Section B.”

114. Question #95. - Section L-14 III. Small Business Participation – Please clarify further what is required and considered to be a “written commitment”. Does this mean an executed teaming agreement, if applicable? or, a statement from us as the Prime Contractor for our business relationships with specific small businesses? Please provide clarification so that offerors can ensure they are compliant.

A. Offerors shall provide any documentation to support a firm commitment with a specific small business.

115. Under Amendment 0003, Section C-3.7.3. Familiarization was revised to require the contractor to have specified personnel on board the ships for a “maximum 14-day familiarization period” prior to transfer of each ship. However, Section C-3.7.3.1 requires the Contractor to assemble a team for a “minimum” 14 day familiarization period. Please clarify.

A. Section C-3.7.3.1 will be revised in a forthcoming Amendment to reflect a “maximum” 14 day familiarization.

116. C-1.7.1.2 Repair Availability Manning: This item states that the deck officers are responsible for making hourly rounds 24 hours a day including weekends/Holidays to fulfill security requirements. As there are only two deck officers in the RAV crew provided in Section 19 in the Technical Manual and given that RAV’s can last for weeks or more this seems to be an unrealistic requirement as written. Please provide a clarification.

A. Section 19 of the Technical Manual (Minimum Manning Requirements) reflects a requirement of three (3) deck officers during RAV. This is customary coverage for PM3 ships in RAV status.

117. Section 15-23.d. of the Technical Manual - Government Furnished Property: This section lists General Use Consumables that are Non-Reimbursable. Included in this list are several items annotated with an asterisk that indicates these products are available on MSC Worldwide Contracts. Does this indicate that these products can be purchased through the MSC Contract? If so, are they the reimbursable if we choose to use those particular products? We expect that if we chose to use products not carried by the Government’s independent contracted suppliers they would no longer be reimbursable. Please confirm.

A. The items with asterisks listed in the Technical Manual Section 15.23.d. under the title “GENERAL USE CONSUMABLE – Non-Reimbursable” will be moved to the paragraph entitled “Specific Use Consumables – Reimbursable” in an upcoming Amendment.

118. The answer to Question 100 states that crew familiarization should be included in year one pricing. Given the fact we have not been given a turnover schedule for each ship, how can we determine how many days over which to spread this onetime cost. If there are delays in the turnover and the total.

A. Section C-3.7.3 addresses familiarization and specifies the maximum number of days, prior to ship delivery, various crew billets are required to report to the ships. This should be sufficient information for pricing purposes.

119. If Year-One days of the contract are reduced, then this results in the contractor not being able to fully recover their familiarization costs. The cost for familiarization for the MCOR ships is very expensive. Please provide a turnover schedule by ship. Also, request familiarization be made reimbursable

A. The government anticipates a full year of contract performance commencing with delivery of the first ship. Section F-2 specifies that ships will be delivered on a staggered basis and the turnover/phase-in period is “not to exceed ten calendar days per ship.” For planning purposes, current ship locations are provided in Section F-2. However, because layberth locations are subject to change (ship activations are not predictable and Marine Corps ships (Lot 1 only) are forward deployed)), specific ship delivery locations cannot be provided until 15 days prior to delivery. PM3 determined that it is in the Government’s best interest to include familiarization cost in the competitive process as part of the fixed per diem price.