Q&A_for_MSC_Readiness_Manual_N32205-17-R-1013.docx

Questions and Answers

1. Paragraph 2.0 states, “Additional content may be added by the government during the performance period.” This is a Firm fixed price, performance based contract. How can the bidder ensure the proposed effort is sufficient to perform if unknown content may be added at a later date?

Answer: Additional content may be added by the Government within the scope of work of contract, additional content added will be added via a bi-lateral modification.

2. Paragraph 2.0 states, “The selected vendor must ensure it has adequate resources for designing, building, copy writing, editing and publishing new Readiness Manual.”

Will the government define what is meant by resources? Is this specific software/applications? If, so please advise, which software/applications are desired.

Answer: Far: 9.104-1(a)(e)and (f) General standards.

i. (a) Have adequate financial resources to perform the contract, or the ability to obtain them.

ii. (e) Have the necessary organization, experience, accounting and operational controls, and technical skills, or the ability to obtain them (including, as appropriate, such elements as production control procedures, property control systems, quality assurance measures, and safety programs applicable to materials to be produced or services to be performed by the prospective contractor and subcontractors).

iii. Have the necessary production, construction, and technical equipment and facilities, or the ability to obtain them.

3. Paragraph 3.0 states, “The period of performance for the Readiness Manual is one year, beginning on 07 Aug 2017 through 07 July 2018.”

Will the government please clarify the period of performance? Is it 12 months or 11 months?

Answer: The period of performance will be for 12 months period, beginning approximately 07 August, 2017 through 07 August 2018. The Solicitation will be amended to reflect the same.

4. Paragraph 5.8 states, “White Papers (as required)”

This is a Firm fixed price, performance based contract. How can the bidder ensure the proposed effort is sufficient to perform if unknown content may be added at a later date?

Answer: The bidders must account for the cost of “White Papers” in their quotes, even though they may or may not be required.

5. Section 52.212-1, paragraph a states, “After receipt of quotes the Government may, with or without notice, negotiate with and, if desired, seek quote revisions from as many or as few quoters as it, in its discretion, deems appropriate.”

Will all bidders be given an equal opportunity to revise quotes?

Answer: The seeking of a quote revision from the quoters will be at the Government’s discretion after receipt of quotes.

6. Paragraph e. Submission Package states, “The quote shall contain the following: The quote must demonstrate an understanding of and ability to meet all of the requirements set forth in the RFQ's performance work statement PWS. The Quoter shall provide sufficient detail to substantiate the validity of all statements.”

Is the bidder required to demonstrate technical understanding and familiarity with Navy and MSC operations, including tactical training experience, afloat training experience, and experience with Defense Readiness Reporting System - Navy (DRRS-N), as well as other readiness aspects? Or is the requirement only the ability to write a technical document.

Answer: A familiarity and a technical understanding of the Navy and MSC operations, including tactical training experience, Afloat training experience, and experience with Defense Readiness Reporting System - Navy (DRRS-N) is required.

7. Paragraph (e) Technical Approach states, “Provide a narrative description of the approach to accomplishing the Specific Tasks/requirements specified in the PWS.”

Is the bidder required to demonstrate technical understanding and familiarity with Navy and MSC operations, including tactical training experience, Afloat training experience, and experience with Defense Readiness Reporting System - Navy (DRRS-N), as well as other readiness aspects? Or is the requirement only the ability to write a technical document.

Answer: A familiarity and a technical understanding of the Navy and MSC operations, including tactical training experience, Afloat training experience, and experience with Defense Readiness Reporting System - Navy (DRRS-N) is required.

8. Paragraph (f) states, “Resumes for proposed personnel shall not exceed 2 pages each.”

Are resumes required? Are proposed resumes Key Personnel? How many resumes are required? What skill sets is the government looking for?

Answer: Resumes are not mandatory, however if resumes are submitted they shall not exceed 2 pages each. The resumes should only be submitted for the top 2 key personnel only. The skill sets are a familiarity and a technical understanding of the Navy and MSC operations, including tactical training experience, afloat training experience, and experience with Defense Readiness Reporting System - Navy (DRRS-N) and technical writing.

9. What is the historical level of effort required to accomplish the manual?

Answer: The historical level of effort is un-known; there is no reference of measurement for this effort.

10. Section 9. FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items states:

a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers:

(i) Technical capability of the item offered to meet the Government requirement;

(ii) Price;

(iii) Past Performance:

Is this a best value evaluation basis? Please provide guidance on what is required for Past Performance.

Answer: The Government will determine which offer will be the most advantageous to the Government utilizing Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable source selection procedures, to include acceptable past performance. This award will be lowest Price technically acceptable.

11. Section “BASIS FOR AWARD” states, “Award will be made to the responsible, technically acceptable quoter, whose quote, conforming to the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation, offers the lowest evaluated price and has an acceptable past performance.”

Is this a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable basis of award? This seems to contradict with Section 9. FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items states. Please clarify.

Answer: This solicitation will result in a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable award.

12. Paragraph 15. SECURITY IDENTIFICATION OF NON-DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS states, “The Vendor will be required to work with business sensitive information in the performance of this PWS.”

Answer: The Vendor will be required to work with business sensitive information in the performance of this PWS. No sensitive or proprietary information of, or in the possession of the Military Sealift Command, or any of its operating units, will be disclosed without the written consent of the Contracting Officer. A non-disclosure agreement concerning information gained or used during performing under this order must be signed prior to starting performance of the Contract. The agreement must be signed by any personnel who have access to sensitive business information and their employer.

The contractor shall comply with all applicable public laws, government regulations, and command procedures regarding privacy.