Attachment 15 Solicitation Q and A_3252026.docx

Solicitation N6660426R3005 Questions and Answers

Question 1: We did not see a requirement for a contractor facility in any of the solicitation documentation. The previous solicitation only required a Secret FCL and did not require safeguarding. Has the requirement changed and if so where is there a need for Secret Safeguarding?

Answer 1: The requirement for Safeguarding was included in error. The Government has issued RFP amendment 0001 to remove all references to Safeguarding in Section L (Attachment 7). The Government has provided an updated DD254 reflecting the removal of Safeguarding requirements in a forthcoming amendment.

Question 2: Normally in Seaport, the Questions and Answers are listed under a separate tab. In PIEE, would these be on an attached excel spreadsheet in the solicitation package?

Answer 2: The Government will provide responses to Questions and Answers received as an attachment to the RFP posting. The Government will update this periodically as additional questions are received and/or answered.

Question 3: Section B seems to be based upon a Fully Burdened Rate to include Fee, other Surface Warfare Centers seem to list the following: Unit (hours), Labor, Fixed Fee, Total. Will the government makes these changes to ensure section B is aligned with CPFF models? This is important because at the TO level, it seems SLN’s maybe provided and likely should be provided with the overall Labor and Fixed Fee amount. DCAA audits invoices based upon compliance with eh Cost Plus Fixed Fee model, so restructuring Section B would be a big help.

Answer 3: The new contract writing system does not allow us to structure Section B the way it used to be in SeaPort (i.e. a separate column for Cost, fee, and CPFF). To prevent confusion, the Government has provided an updated attachment 12 via RFP Amendment 0001 for Offerors to fill out Section B proposed pricing.

Question 4: Would the government please provide more details regarding how the cost/price volume works, this seems unique to NUWC as other Warfare Centers don’t use this model, more details instructions in what to put in each section would be a big help.

Answer 4: Refer to Solicitation Section L (Attachment 7), 3.3 for Cost proposal volume requirements. Refer to Attachment 12 tab "Instructions to Offerors" for instructions specific to the spreadsheet.

Question 5: How are subcontractors expected to submit using the PIEE system? Subcontractor submission tab is not part of PIEE, it was part of the old SeaPort System, but the current PIEE system does not have that. Please advise.

Answer 5: Subcontractors are required to submit their proposals separately through the PIEE Solicitation Module. See Solicitation Section L (Attachment 7) section 1.0 for PIEE solicitation module information and link to additional resources.

Question 6: What information does the government expect from subcontractors to be submitted, and how should this information be submitted?

Answer 6: Refer to solicitation Section L (Attachment 7).

Question 7: Would the government consider giving an extension to the bid to allow offerors to better understand the requirement?

Answer 7: The Government will not be extending the solicitation response deadline at this time.

Question 8: There is a common misconception that NUWC only awards companies in the Newport region, would the government please confirm that all offerors are eligible regardless of geographical location?

Answer 8: The solicitation does not require a local liaison office. Performance is 100% at Government site at NUWCDIVNPT.

Question 9: Would the government provide an understanding as to why this requirement was released as SDVOSB?

Answer 9: The Government made the decision to set aside this SeaPort-NxG task order solicitation as a 100% SDVOSB set-aside in accordance with FAR 19.106-2.

Question 10: Is FAR 52.222-41, 42, 43 Applicable to this requirement? If so, would the government please provide a statement of equivalent wages, this ensures all offerors submit wages within a similar range, ensuring the positions are filled, and minimizing post award cost variances.

Answer 10: 52.222-41, 42, & 43 are in the SeaPort basic MAC and also apply to this requirement. See Solicitation Attachments 13 & 14 for applicable Wage Determinations.

Question 11: Is FAR 52.237-3 applicable to this requirement?

Answer 11: FAR 52.237-3 is included in the SeaPort basic MAC.

Question 12: Is FAR 9.106 Applicable to this requirement?

Answer 12: As a result of the Revolutionary Far Overhaul, FAR 9.106 is now reserved.

Question 13: If a bidder does not have a DCMA/DCAA audited accounting system, but has a Pre-Award 1408 completed by outside accountant, will the Contracting Officer trigger a DCAA Pre-Award Accounting System Audit, or will offers be denied award since they do not have a DCMA/DCAA audited accounting system? Will this be compliant with FAR 16.301-3 and FAR 9.106.

Answer 13: As a result of the Revolutionary Far Overhaul, FAR 9.106 is now reserved.

Question 14: Will the government provide an amendment related to the above questions and other possible questions?

Answer 14: The Government will provide responses to Questions and Answers received as an attachment to the RFP posting. The Government will update this periodically as additional questions are received and/or answered.

Question 15: Would the government please define who the ombudsman is for this solicitation/bid.

Answer 15: Refer to Solicitation Section I clause FAR 52.216-32.

Question 16: It is not clear the response to companies that do not have a DCAA compliant system. DCAA says that only a government agency can initiate the audit process. Can we still submit a bid, and if we win kick off the audit process?

Answer 16: Because this requirement is a cost type task order, FAR 16.301-3(a)(2) applies. If, prior to award, the Contracting Officer does not have enough information available through normal channels to determine if a potential contractor is responsible and capable of performing the work, the Contracting Officer may request a pre-award Survey following the procedures of FAR Companion 9.105-1. These surveys are not encouraged as routine practice but rather reserved for situations where commercial sources or other readily available information don't provide sufficient insight into the contractor's abilities.

Refer to Solicitation Section L 3.3 for additional information regarding Cost Proposal requirements. The cost proposal narrative shall fully corroborate every cost element that is proposed. Providing insufficient information to substantiate the reasonableness and realism of the proposed costs may result in the identification of a risk, an upward cost adjustment, and/or in the offer no longer being considered eligible for award. Offeror shall propose realistic costs within its proposal. Offeror bears the sole responsibility to demonstrate that its proposed costs are realistic within its proposal. Offerors shall also demonstrate that their subcontractors have the necessary business systems to perform the contract types being proposed.

Question 17: Thank you for confirming that the contract is SCA. The government please include a ‘Statement of Equivalent Wages, FAR 52.222-42’ this ensures all offerors are offering a minimum set by the FAR.

Answer 17: The Government will add FAR 52.222-42 in a forthcoming modification. The applicable fill-in information will be as follows:

i. NOTE TO CONTRACTORS: EMPLOYEE CLASSES AND EQUIVALENT GOVERNMENT RATES CAN BE FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT WEBSITES – EMPLOYEE CLASSES (DIRECTORY OF OCCUPATIONS): http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/wage/SCADirV5/SCADirectVers5.pdf GOVERNMENT EQUIVALENT GS LEVELS: http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/wage/SCADirV5/Vers5SCAIndex.pdf and OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT: http://www.opm.gov/OCA/10tables/index.asp.

Also see Attachments 13 Rhode Island Wage Determination 2015-4089 Rev. 32 dtd 12.3.2025 and 14 Wage Florida County of Palm Beach Determination 2015-4573 Rev. 30 dtd 12.3.2025

Question 18: Would the government please confirm the total number of Key Personnel. It seems in Attachment 9 that Key personnel can be any number of personnel, but a resume is required to complete those tasks, however, what if one person can complete more than one of those tasks? It may be best for the government to clearly identify which positions are KEY, and which one’s resumes are required for.

Answer 18: Please see Attachment 9 (Personnel Qualifications - Section B(b)) “Identify and provide resumes for a minimum of four (4) Key Personnel inclusive of the STR.”

Question 19: Regarding Subcontractors in PIEE, if a subcontractor submits in PIEE, it looks as an ‘offer’ should the subs name their files and submissions in any way for the government to know?

Answer 19: Subcontractors are required to submit their proposals separately through the PIEE Solicitation Module. See Solicitation Section L (Attachment 7) section 1.0 for PIEE solicitation module information and links to additional resources. It is incumbent on all offerors to identify whether they are proposing as a subcontractor or a prime contractor when submitting their proposal.

Question 20: Other commands have told subcontractors to request a DoD Safe from the KO and label the files referencing the Prime. This is because PIEE confuses a submission as a new ‘bid’ and doesn’t put the sub and prime bids together. Is this the direction the government wants?

Answer 20: Subcontractors are required to submit their proposals separately through the PIEE Solicitation Module. See Solicitation Section L (Attachment 7) section 1.0 for PIEE solicitation module information and link to additional resources

Question 21: Would the government provide the incumbent contractor’s name, contract number and award value?

Answer 21: See Section L NAVSEA Text L-216-H001 TASK ORDER GENERAL INFORMATION (NAVSEA) (JAN 2026) paragraph (a).

Question 22: Would 9-point font be acceptable for general tables and matrices?

The solicitation states that “graphs, graphics, or charts used to supplement the proposal text shall use Times New Roman no smaller than 9-point font size,” and we want to confirm that this applies to tables and matrices as well.

Answer 22: Refer to solicitation Section L (Attachment 7).

Question 23: When populating Attachment 12 - Cost Proposal Spreadsheet_Rev01, it applies escalation to all labor categories. Is it the Government's intent to escalate the WD labor categories as to not require an adjustment in the future. Typically, all escalation on WD labor categories is applied when a new revision is released, and it is incorporated into the contract. Does the Government want us to include the escalation for the WD labor categories or adjust the worksheet to apply escalation to only the exempt positions?

Answer 23: Please see the ‘Midpoint Escalation Demo’ tab in Attachment 12, where it states, ‘Calculation of the mid-point escalation factor for SCLS rates is based on the planned award date.’