Round 5 QAs.docx

Round 5 (R5) Responses to Pre-solicitation Questions Submitted Regarding the TDPC

The responses below complete the Govenrment’s pending pre-solicitation questions that the Government will answer. The Govenrment intends to respond to any additional questions received through amendments to the solicitation. With regards to the TDPC schedule, the Government’s latest schedule has not changed. It is recommended that interested parties hold further questions regarding the TDPC until they have had time to review the solicitation.

R5.1 Question: I wanted to ask you quickly about the TDPC effort, anticipated to be released as an RFP in April. I have heard conflicting reports, and want to verify if this Solicitation will in fact include a small business portion within it, from requirements of the previous ATTPD program? Or, if this will be all full and open? Thanks for your clarification!

R5.1 Answer: The TDPC is a follow-on to both the Training Systems Contract (TSC) LOT II and the Training Systems Contract II (TSC II) LOT II. TSC and TSC II were Multiple Award Contracts to support all NAWCTSD customers for the acquisition of training solutions. The TDPC will competitively solicit for award of an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) Multiple Award Contract (MAC) to serve as a contracting vehicle for NAWCTSD customers. The MAC will be utilized to fulfill future Delivery Order/Task Order (DO/TO) requirements as they materialize. The Government cannot identify, with certainty, what specific future programs or DO/TO requirements will be fulfilled utilizing the TDPC basic MAC. With regards to the TDPC small business utilization approach, the Government anticipates awarding the TDPC as a PARTIAL small business set-aside. Lot I contracts will used for unrestricted competitions. Lot II contracts will be used for acquisitions set aside for small businesses.

R5.2 Question: When ATTPDC was cancelled, I talked with the contract specialist who indicated there would be a small business opportunity under TDPC (59973).

INPUT is not showing that. Could you please confirm whether there will be a small business part to the solicitation? This is important and timely, because INPUT is reporting that a release will be in April.

R5.2 Answer: The Government was unsure of what the number (59973) in the question represented and therefore did not consider the number in the response provided. See R5.1 answer above.

R5.3 Question: Paragraph C.3 of the most recent draft SOW seems to indicate the possibility of the government assessing teams for award to the baseline MAC.

Does the government still intend to only look at the prime contractor's past performance and experience in proposals (along with the prime's master small business plan) or does the government now intend to look for teaming arrangements for the MAC award?

R5.3 Answer: The government will be evaluating the prime contractor only. The solicitation will provide specifics regarding evaluation factors.

R5.4 Question: Is there a breakdown on how many awards will go to small business and large business for the NAWCTSD Training Data Products Contract (TDPC) - N61340-11-R-0010 solicitation. I noticed that the solicitation states Partial Small Business set aside. Any information would be helpful and I appreciate your time.

R5.4 Answer: The Government seeks to award contracts to enough qualified offerors to facilitate future competition at the delivery order level for each functional areas within both LOTs I (unrestricted) and II (set-aside).

R5.5 Question: Can you confirm our assumption that even though we cannot meet all the processes in the Draft SOW (i.e. the Systems Engineering requirements), we would still be competitive in the award based on our current capabilities and past performance on the government contracts? It is our understanding that we would then be able to meet individual DO’s requirements by performing in excess of 50% of the work and teaming with other companies who could then fill the processes we are lacking.

Will Systems Engineering capabilities be required for the majority of the follow-on Dos (approximately 85-90%)?

R5.5 Answer: New policy issued by NAVAIR Headquarters is requiring the Instructional Systems Development Division to adjust their requirements on the TDPC. Systems engineering, along with the accompanying Systems Engineering Technical Review (SETR) process are new requirements being levied on the ISD division. NAWCTSD is in the process of mapping how this new NAVAIR policy impacts NAWCTSD.

Because the TDPC is an 8 year contract, NAWCTSD needed to add it as a requirement. However, NAWCTSD does not expect that all offerors have experience in systems engineering or in SETR. Once NAWCTSD has documented how to apply it, it will hold a training session for all successful offerors and publish a manual on how it will work for each functional area. This is a new requirement for the government team as well. Consequently, NAWCTSD will not be evaluating systems engineering or the SETR process for the TDPC.

NAWCTSD will be discussing this new requirement during the pre-solicitation conference. NAWCTSD has draft ISD processes for systems engineering and SETR, and are beginning the process of socializing them amongst NAVAIR leaders. This is a new set of processes that will have to be adopted by all contractors if doing business with NAWCTSD and NAVAIR. It is also rumored to be an emerging requirement across DOD. While NAWCTSD has not seen the new DOD policy, it knows it is under development. Recommend you attend the pre-solicitation conference. A part of the NAWCTSD brief at the pre-solicitation conference will be about the systems engineering and SETR processes as it applies to ISD.

R5.6 Question: [Potential offeror] would respectfully request that the following definitions of the guidelines for determining Complex/Non -Complex work in paragraph 1.4 within the current Training Data Products Contract (TDPC) draft SOW dated 4 February 2011 be reviewed and revised in order to make the LOT II criteria less restrictive and ensure that small business with these capabilities are provided opportunities to compete.

R5.6 Answer: Assignment of materialized requirements to Functional Areas under LOT I or II is at the discretion of the DO/TO Contracting Officer. The assignment will be based on the Contracting Officer’s determination whether a reasonable expectation exists that offers from two or more responsible small business concerns would be received and those offers would be competitive in terms of market prices, quality, and delivery. In making this determination, the Government will use a standardized process to determine the complexity of the work and capabilities of small businesses. The definitions of complex and non-complex are identified in the Statement of Work paragraph 1.4 “Guidelines for Defining Work Complexity.” In cases where a requirement cuts across multiple Functional Areas (e.g. a requirement that includes Analysis and Design (Functional Area 1) and Development and Production (Functional Area 2)) the determination will be limited to only those contract holders awarded the right to compete for all the Functional Areas included in the requirement. In the example given, the determination would only include contractors awarded the right to compete for both Functional Areas 1 and 2. NAWCTSD will further expand on this area at the pre-proposal conference.

R5.7 Question: Our assumption is we will still have to write the traditional portions of a proposal covering past performance, pricing and or rates, sub-contracting management, and small business sub-contracting and management. Is this a correct assumption?

R5.7 Answer: The government has tailored those areas to fit our RFP requirements. Details will be presented in the RFP Sections L and M. We anticipate the RFP to be posted shortly.

R5.8 Question: Our assumption on past performance is you are only interested in the Prime Bidder, not subs. Is this a correct assumption?

R5.8 Answer: Prime only. No subcontractors.

R5.9 Question: Will the Orals be conducted along with submittal of the written portions of the proposal, or will they be later after the written portions are evaluated?

R5.9 Answer: Details will be presented in the RFP Sections L and M. We anticipate the RFP to be posted shortly.

R5.10 Question: Will you require submittal of the Orals slides prior to the actual conduct of Orals? If so, can you provide an estimate of the schedule for slides submittal?

R5.10 Answer: Details will be presented in the RFP Sections L and M. We anticipate the RFP to be posted shortly.

R5.11 Question: Will you publish a format or template for the Orals slides and an estimated timeline for the conduct of the briefing?

R5.11 Answer: Details will be presented in the RFP Sections L and M. We anticipate the RFP to be posted shortly.

R5.12 Question: It is our assumption we will brief, take a break of some duration, and then enter a Q&A session. Is this a correct assumption?

R5.12 Answer: Details will be presented in the RFP Sections L and M. We anticipate the RFP to be posted shortly.

R5.13 Question: Can you tell us what the limit for Industry participants will be for the Orals? We recommend 10 to participate in the Q&A session.

R5.13 Answer: Details will be presented in the RFP Sections L and M. We anticipate the RFP to be posted shortly.

R5.14 Question: Since the work on TDPC has been organized into three functional areas, (Front-end analysis, Development, & Production, and Sustainment) can we expect to cover all areas in one briefing or will we need to plan to conduct three separate Orals briefings if we plan to propose to all three functional areas.

R5.14 Answer: Details will be presented in the RFP Sections L and M. We anticipate the RFP to be posted shortly.

R5.15 Question: If we plan to propose to all three functional areas, will we have to submit separate past performance, sub-contracting, and small business sub-contracting and management plans for each functional area?

R5.15 Answer: Details will be presented in the RFP Sections L and M. We anticipate the RFP to be posted shortly.

R5.16 Question: Is it possible to gain insight into the potential task order opportunities under TDPC?

R5.16 Answer: The Government cannot identify, with certainty, what specific future programs or DO/TO requirements will be fulfilled utilizing the TDPC basic MAC. Once awarded, delivery or task order requirements will be publicized in accordance with NAWCTSD policy at that time.

R5.17 Question: Is there a listing of the programs/task orders awarded under TSC II with the dollar amounts? As it is with all contractors bidding TDPC, we are trying to identify the potential work/customers/projects that may be forthcoming. Much of the time this information is provided as part of the library. Not sure if there is a website that lists this info, as I’m sure much of it is public record.

R5.17 Answer: Listing of orders issued as of the last quarter in 2010 is as follows:

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