Industry QA - Amendment 4.pdf

Question Number RFP Location Industry Question Government Response

1 N/A Request to confirm that even though all functional areas are the same from the previous MAC to this MAC, our company is still required to submit a new proposal for the areas we were previously awarded.

Yes, an interested contractor would need to propose on this new MAC requirement/solicitation, even if awarded a contract on the previous MAC. The ordering period has ended on the previous MAC.

2 N/A

Would like to verify that for the subject notice, a company can respond to selected Functional Areas, including responding to selected Hypothetical Tasks, and does not have to respond to all of the Functional Areas. Yes, a company is able to propose on one, a few, most, or all of the Functional Areas within the solicitation. Each Functional Area will be evaluated separately for potential awards.

3 N/A

The first page of the solicitation has the “DRAFT” watermark. Believe this was inadvertent, as the filename indicates “Final” and there’s a firm due date of 7/12/2023. Amendment 0001 posted 6/12/2023 removed the draft watermark, see posted solicitation document file named 6/12/2023 - Amended.

4 N/A

Wanted to point out what appears to be another inadvertent omission – none of the RFP pages are numbered (typically the RFP number and the page number “x of xx” appear in the top right corner of each page), and Section L, in two places, requires that any RFP Questions submitted by prospective Offerors cite the RFP section and the RFP page number. We've working through contract writing system challenges. Page numbers are now added to the solicitation document - see posted solicitation document file named N6660423R0285 - 14 Jun 2023 - Amendment 2.

5 Section I, Page 80 Is GFP DFARS clause 252.245-7004 (Deviation 2022-O0006) (NOV 2021) applicable?

Yes, DFARS 252.245-7004 (Deviation 2022-O0006) (NOV 2021), Reporting, Reutilization, and Disposal, applies. It is added to the solicitation.

6 Section B, Page 8

B/Clause B-215-H001 MAXIMUM RATES (NAVSEA) (OCT 2018), paragraphs (a) and (b) - Maximum Pass Through Rates. The Maximum Pass Through Rates section of this clause requires calculation of maximum pass through cost that is an allowable delivery order cost that is financially unfeasible for a Contractor with a DoD-supporting infrastructure that includes engineering, manufacturing and material indirect/overhead costs and G&A cost. The maximum pass through cost is based on the clause-prescribed calculation and is capped at 10.0%, which also includes fee in the numerator in addition to indirect costs. As an example, for a $2,000,000 delivery order, with $300K of Subcontractor/Material content, $500K of total indirects/overheads and G&A cost, and 10% fee of $200K, based on the required calculation, results in a $700K/$300K = 2.33, or 233%, pass through cost factor. At the 10% max/cap, the maximum allowed is $30K/$300K subcontractor/material content = 10.0% max, rendering $700K - $30K= $670K as unallowable cost. Request the Government delete this section, paragraphs (a) and (b), of the clause.

The Government will not be deleting paragraphs (a) and (b) of this clause. The following example illustrates the calculation of the Pass Through Rate: (see example below in red ).

Pass Through Calculation:

Fee on Subcontracts: 475,000$

Sub Handling 313,000$ G&A on Subs 45,000$

Total Pass Through Costs 833,000$ Total Subcontractor Costs 10,000,000$

Pass Through Rate 8.33%

7 Section B, Page 8

B/Clause B-215-H001 MAXIMUM RATES (NAVSEA) (OCT 2018), paragraph (d) - Other Direct Cost & Travel. Paragraph (d) of this clause states "No fee is allowed on Other Direct Costs or Travel. Indirect cost elements such as G&A and material handling may be applied to ODCs but may not include fee".

The prospective Offeror interprets this to imply that Subcontractor and/or Material cost is considered ODC, by virtue of the "material handling may be applied to ODCs" language of paragraph (d). The prospective Offeror requests confirmation that, notwithstanding this paragraph (d) language that prohibits application of fee to burdened ODC costs, the Government does not view Subcontractor and/or Material cost as ODC, but rather recognizes Material cost (which includes Subcontractor cost for finished assemblies/sub-assemblies as well "piece parts" from Suppliers for Make assemblies ) as a separate and distinct element of cost in accordance with both the Allowable Cost and Payments clause of this RFP, 52.216-7(b)(ii)A-F, which cites Labor, Material/Subcontractor, and ODC as separate/distinct elements of cost, and with FAR Part 31, which cites Labor and Material cost, as well as multiple "Other" costs, as separate and distinct. Please confirm that the Government views Subcontractor/Material cost (all accounted for as "Material" by Contractors) as not being an element of "Other Direct Costs", and therefore remains a fee-bearing element of an Offeror's total cost.

ODCs under CLIN 0008 are in support of CPFF Services CLIN 0004 and pertain to travel and incidental materials/supplies in support of CPFF Services CLIN 0004. Offerors may propose applicable burdens on ODCs (e.g., material handling and applicable G&A on material costs, and applicable G&A on travel costs). No fee shall be applied to these material and travel costs (ODCs) or to any burdens applied to material and travel costs (ODCs). Subcontractor costs and Supplies are separate from ODCs. Offerors may propose sub handling and applicable G&A on subcontractor costs and may burden subcontractor costs with fee. However, if a subcontractor is allocated material and travel costs, then fee is not applied to these material and travel costs.

8 Section H, Page 67

In the Section H Ordering Process text, the solicitation states: “e. Security requirements if applicable. The contract requirement is for a facility clearance at the Secret level and Secret level of safeguarding for classified information/material required at contractor facility, as identified in the DD 254."

Since this is a prototyping contract, most MAC contract holders with a Secret facility clearance will subcontract a portion of the effort.

Some of the subcontracted work may be performed by machine shops. Machine Shops rarely have a facility clearance. Does the facility clearance requirement apply to subcontractors, if the data passed to subcontractors is unclassified?

The submitted wording is regarding possible evaluation criteria at the order level. Note that offerers are not required to submit subcontractors and/or vendors in their proposal for this solicitation at the basic contract level. When tasking is posted in order level solicitations, each offeror awarded those specific functional areas will be able to propose subcontractors and/or vendors (machine shops) as preferred.

9 N/A Due to the two holidays within the solicitation period, would it be possible to extend the solicitation response date? The Government has considered the request, and is extending the solicitaiton to 31 July due to the two holidays.

10 N/A Request a 30-day extension to support our efforts to submit a fully compliant Proposal Response to N6660423R0285 expanding to all twelve (12) topic areas See response to Question #9.

11 Section C, Page 39

Clause C-237-H002 SUBSTITUTION OF KEY PERSONNEL (NAVSEA) (OCT 2018) -There does not appear to be a Key Personnel attachment in Section J nor instructions on including resumes in Section L.

Please confirm this clause is not applicable and resumes are not required. The applicability of this clause will be determined at the delivery/order level. Key Personnel resumes are not required at this time.

12 Section L, Page 122 Section L, Paragraph 1.3, Table 1 - Please confirm up front material such as a title pages, tables of contents, and acronym lists are excluded from the page counts listed in Table 1. Title pages, table of contents and acronym lists are excluded from the page count numbers.

13 Section L, Page 121 Section L, Paragraph 1.2(c) - Please confirm the 5 line Designation Indicator information should be included on a title page for each document and that the title page is excluded from designated page counts.

The 5 line Designation Indicator information is to be on the title page, and that page is excluded from the page counts.

14 Section L, Page 121

Section L, Paragraph 1.2(c) - Please confirm the first 2 lines of the 5 line Designation Indicator are identical:

"Controlled By: Vendor XXXX.

Controlled By: Vendor XXXX."

If they are not identical, please provide an update. The first two lines in the inquiry are identical, unless an offeror prefers to add a higher headquarters on one line.

15 Section L, Page 122

Section L, Paragraph 1.3, Table 1 - Table 1 appears to be missing paragraph 3.0. Would the Government consider updating the table to allow Offeror's to number proposals as follows:

Volume III = 3.0 with each Hypothetical Task being 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, etc.

Volume IV = 4.0 with each Past Performance being 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, etc.

Volume V = 5.0

Offers are to follow the Section L 1.3 table, as it ties to the Section L paragraphs. Proposal Volume III and Volume IV both fall under Section 3.0 and have been broken up into subsections per Functional Area.

16 Section L, Page 138

L-219-H001 SUBMISSION OF SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING PLAN (NAVSEA) (JAN 2021)

Offeror shall submit as part of its proposal a subcontracting plan in accordance with the clause entitled "Small Business Subcontracting Plan" (FAR 52.219-9). The plan shall include a five percent (5%) goal for small disadvantaged business concerns or a detailed explanation as to why the goal cannot be included in the plan.

Although our company is a small business (not disadvantaged) under the subject RFP’s NAICS code, does the Government still require (per the clause) submission of a SB Subcontracting Plan with this submission showing how it plans to use small disadvantaged businesses? If proposing as a small business under the RFP's NAICS code, a small business subcontracting plan is not required.

17 Section L, Page 135

In reading section L I noticed that the L-209-H009 OCOI has been included. When briefed at Industry day by the department the slides said that OCOI clause does not apply. The applicibality of the Organizational Conflict of Interest clause will be determined at the order level.

OCOI will not be evaluated at the contract level in this RFP.

In response to question #17, will L-209-H009 be removed from the solicitation?

Yes, L-209-H009 has been removed from the solicitation.

18 Section K, Page 103

To ensure the procurement process encompasses the diverse functional areas covered by this RFP, and considering that they extend beyond ordnance manufacturing, we kindly request the inclusion of an additional, more comprehensive NAICS code (Any of the following:

336999, 541330, 541715) in the RFP to enhance the likelihood of obtaining the best suitable solution.

This multiple-award IDIQ requirement has a broad statement of work, and the chosen NAICS code represents the preponderance (supply tasking). More than one NAICS will not be utilized in this solicitation. Offerors are encouraged to propose based upon the statement of work tasking.

Note: Offerors that are deemed elibigle for award and are awarded a contract under this multiple-award contract will have the opportunity to team at the order level. Teams, at the order level, could be proposed inclusive of other MAC awardees or non-awardees (vendors, subcontractors).

19 Section L, Page 129

Will the government verify that the acronym FIR; stands for Functional Item Requirement or Functional Item Replacement?

This acronym stands for Functional Item Requirement.

20 Section L, Page 124

Please confirm that Offerors are not required to return the DD254 with their proposal submission, rather, they simply need to provide in the Volume a list of locations to include “CAGE codes and addresses for all locations where work will be performed that require classified facilities and safeguarding capabilities”.

Correct, offerors must provide cage codes and addresses for all locations where work will be performed that require classified facilities and safeguarding capabilities. Offerors do not need to submit a DD254.