N6339422R0003 QandA 12082021.pdf

L.3.1(4) Index of Terms. What are the differences between the Glossary of Terms, Abbreviations, and Acronyms and the Index of Terms, and how do you determine these?

As outlined in L.3.1, each proposal shall include a Glossary of Terms, Abbreviations, and Acronyms and an Index of Terms. The Glossary shall include the meaning of the newly introduced, uncommon, or specialized term, abbreviation, and acronym while the Index will include where key words, phrases, or alphanumerical terms, appear in the text of the proposal volume.

Section L.3.5 on page 124- The page limit for management section has been limited to 15 pages, however the government has requested Offerors to include flow charts that “fully describe the processes and procedures that will be implemented to control the quality of support..” Given this requirement for flow charts that need to fully describe processes and procedures in conjunction with the requirements for the Organizational Control Plan and Resource management Plan may the government increase the page limit for the management section?

Section L.3.5, page 124 will be updated to increase the page limit for Factor 3:

Management from 15 to 20 pages.

Section L.3.5 on page 124 Page limit for past performance says 5 pages. May the government clarify whether that requirement is 5 total pages, or 5 pages per past performance?

IAW L.4.2.4 Past Performance shall be proposed in the format found under Attachment 3- Past Performance Information Form which is 5 pages for each past performance reference submitted. Page number will be updated to specify 5 pages per past performance reference via Amendment 2.

The RFP states that Offerors are to bid the hours in the J.8 attachment, however the RFP also states that an offeror does not have to bid the management and support hours (L.4.3.3.1 Direct Labor Notes paragraph (a)). Whereas it is clear in the RFP that should the Offeror not bid Management and Support hours then they will not be allowed to charge those hours in contract execution, please confirm that if an Offeror does not bid the Management and Support hours then their proposal will be considered compliant with the RFP.

Correct. As stated in the RFP L.4.3.3.1 offerors are permitted to propose additional hours for Management and Support. If no additional hours are proposed for Management and Support, no hours will be permitted to be charged in contract execution.

May the government please specify what location(s) by labor category that Offerors should utilize in the pricing of this opportunity?

Pricing of this opportunity should follow Section L.4.3 VOLUME III _ COST PROPOSAL.

Offerors are encouraged to read the update Section M (e) (vii) Direct Labor Rates.

From:

(vii) Direct Labor Rates: The Government will generally employ the following methodology in analyzing proposed direct labor rates:

(1) If Offerors provide a named individual with adequate payroll documentation proposed for the same or similar labor categories in which they are currently employed, the corresponding direct labor rate will be accepted as proposed so long as it is equal to or exceeds the corresponding wage determination (WD) rate if the position is covered by the Service Contract Act (SCA). If it is an SCA-covered position and the payroll documentation contains a rate lower than the WD rate for that area, the proposed rate will be upwardly adjusted to the most recent WD rate.

(2) If Offerors provide a named individual (contingent hire) with an adequate letter of intent reflecting an agreed upon salary and the applicable labor category, the corresponding direct labor rate will be accepted as proposed so long as it is equal to or exceeds the corresponding WD rate if the position is covered by the SCA. If it is an SCA-covered position and the letter of intent contains a rate lower than the WD rate, the proposed rate will be upwardly adjusted to the WD rate.

(3) If both (1) and (2) are inapplicable, the Government will review Offeror-provided information to determine if it sufficiently justifies why the proposed labor rate is what the Offeror could realistically expect to pay to attract and retain qualified personnel. If it does, the corresponding direct labor rate will be accepted as proposed so long as it is equal to or exceeds the corresponding WD rate if the position is covered by the SCA. If the information does not sufficiently justify why the proposed labor rate is what the Offeror could realistically expect to pay to attract and retain qualified personnel, the Government will upwardly adjust the proposed direct labor rate. In this situation, the Government will evaluate the proposed direct labor rates against salary data utilizing the BLS labor categories and percentiles specified in Attachment 4. The Government will use the higher of: (i) the specified national rate (for Contractor Site employees) or applicable Metropolitan Area rate (for Government Site employees) for the corresponding labor category; or (ii) the SCA WD minimum wage rate for the SCA WD applicable to the proposed employee.

To:

(vii) Direct Labor Rates: The Government will generally employ the following methodology in analyzing proposed direct labor rates:

(1) If Offerors provide a named individual with adequate payroll documentation proposed for the same or similar labor categories in which they are currently employed, the corresponding direct labor rate will be accepted as proposed so long as it is equal to or exceeds the corresponding wage determination (WD) rate identified in Attachment 4 if the position is covered by the Service Contract Act (SCA). If it is an SCA-covered position and the payroll documentation contains a rate lower than the WD rate identified in Attachment 4, the proposed rate will be upwardly adjusted to the rate identified in Attachment 4.

(2) If Offerors provide a named individual (contingent hire) with an adequate letter of intent reflecting an agreed upon salary and the applicable labor category, the corresponding direct labor rate will be accepted as proposed so long as it is equal to or exceeds the corresponding WD rate identified in Attachment 4 if the position is covered by the Service Contract Act (SCA). If it is an SCA-covered position and the payroll documentation contains a rate lower than the WD rate identified in Attachment 4, the proposed rate will be upwardly adjusted to the rate identified in Attachment 4.

(3) If both (1) and (2) are inapplicable, the Government will review Offeror-provided information to determine if it sufficiently justifies why the proposed labor rate is what the Offeror could realistically expect to pay to attract and retain qualified personnel. If it does, the corresponding direct labor rate will be accepted as proposed so long as it is equal to or exceeds the corresponding WD rate or rate identified in “BLS Rate” column in Attachment 4, whichever is higher, if the position is covered by the SCA. If the information does not sufficiently justify why the proposed labor rate is what the Offeror could realistically expect to pay to attract and retain qualified personnel, the Government will upwardly adjust the proposed direct labor rate. In this situation, the Government will evaluate the proposed direct labor rates against salary data utilizing the BLS labor categories and percentiles specified in Attachment 4. The Government will use the higher of: (i) the specified national “BLS Rate” column; or (ii) the “SCA Rate” column applicable to the corresponding labor category.

May the government please specify how many hours per labor category should be priced at a government facility versus a contractor’s facility?

No Government Space will be provided. Offerors are to propose Labor Categories at either Contractor Facility or on site depending on how the offeror proposes to support the SOW.

Given the Outlook System capability that the government currently has, the government’s email system is only able to support emails up to 25 MBs, which often results in Offerors having to submit their proposals among several documents (i.e. Volume I Part 1 of 4 ) and via several email submissions. Would the government allow contractors to submit their proposals via DOD SAFE rather than via email, so Offerors would be able to submit their documents in their originally intended integrity with one submission that is timestamped?

Yes, DOD SAFE is also an acceptable way to submit proposals. If DOD SAFE is utilized, the offeror shall submit a request for drop off by 15 December 2021, 1300 EST.

L.3.1 (b) PROPOSAL SUBMISSION will be updated to include utilization of DOD SAFE.

May the RFP be amended to state that only subcontractors being proposed on a cost-reimbursement basis be required to submit to the same level of detail and format as required for the prime contractor?

No offerors are to follow instruction at L.4.3.6 Subcontractor/Consultant Costs

Paragraph 4.1.7 on page 25 with respect to the qualifications, the solicitation uses the word “desired”. On page 29 for Key Position 1: Program Manager, the solicitation states the Program Manager “shall” have a bachelor’s degree. Will NSWC PHD confirm that a bachelor’s degree is “desired” and is not required?

Correct, the degree is desired and not required. Section C, Paragraph 4.1.7 and section L.4.2.2 will be updated to remove “shall.”

DFARS 252.223-7999 is included in the solicitation as a mandatory clause, and no modifications to the clause are permitted. Request confirmation from the Government that the contract awardee will not be subject to any Release of Claims language in the resulting award documents related to compliance with DFARS 252.223-7999. Offerors simply do not yet know the cost ramifications of continued compliance in the future.

Respectfully request the Government confirm in the solicitation that the contract awardee will be able to submit a Request for Equitable Adjustment related to DFARS 252.223- 7999 compliance after award, if needed.

The intended Contract type is cost reimbursable and all allowable and allocable costs are to be charged directly to the contract. If the intended cost are to be a direct charge to ODC, the Offeror should explicitly account for the additional cost.

Offerors may submit Requests for Equitable Adjustments (REAs) after contract award, which will be evaluated in accordance with the terms of the contract.