RFP_NIHES201401-_Amendment_No._3_-_5-20-15.pdf

RFP No. NIHES201401 – Clinical Research Support Services for NIEHS Amendment No. 3 - dated May 20, 2015

Questions and Answers regarding Solicitation NIHES201401

1. RFP page 100, Section 4 “Requirements for Certified Cost or Pricing Data and Data Other than Certified Cost or Pricing Data, FAR Clause 52.215-20 (October 2010)”: We assume Certified Cost or Pricing Data is not required? Please confirm. According to the FAR 15.403-1 (b) (1) – “The contracting officer shall not require cost or pricing data to support any action … when the contracting officer determines that prices agreed upon are based on adequate price competition.” The FAR prohibition exists in recognition of the additional Bid and Proposal costs that contractors must incur to meet this request and therefore pass on to the taxpayer in indirect costs.

NIEHS RESPONSE: Please note that offerors are required to provide documentation to support the proposed costs. It is usually our practice to request a certificate of current cost or pricing data once negotiations are complete and a source selection has been determined.

2. RFP page 6, Article B.2 Prices/Cost: Is this to be a true IDIQ Contract where the awarded IDIQ will have $0 value, and Task Orders will be released for pricing, then award? Or is this to be a true Work Assignment IDIQ where the contract will be funded $XX and work assignments issued and the contractor will “draw down” against the contract value?

NIEHS RESPONSE: The contract awarded will be an IDIQ contract where Task Orders will be issued for pricing and then awarded.

3. RFP page 77, Section L.15.E.b: Technical Instructions, states” Offerors must submit separate, stand-alone technical proposals for the general, "umbrella" contract and the two Model Studies referenced in Section J, Attachment 3. Detailed, separate work plans must be submitted indicating how each aspect of the statement of work for the umbrella contract and the two Model Studies is to be accomplished.” We interpret this as meaning that Offerors should submit three separate technical proposal volumes; one for the “umbrella” contract, one for model #1, and one for model #2. Is this an acceptable format for submission?

NIEHS RESPONSE: Reference Amendment No. 2 to the solicitation.

4. RFP page 98, Section L.2.c.2: Proposal Cover Sheet, states “Proposed cost and/or price; profit or fee (as applicable); and total for the umbrella contract and the two Model Studies…” We interpret this as meaning that Offerors should submit one business volume with the combination of the umbrella contract and the two Model Studies. Is this an acceptable format for submission?

NIEHS RESPONSE: The business proposal should be one volume to include a separate section for the umbrella contract and a separate section for the two model studies. Each section must be clearly labeled. The two model studies should be costed individually. Also reference Amendment No. 2 to the solicitation.

5. Please confirm that the Prime Contractor is the only one required to submit Attachment 13:

Breakdown of Proposed Estimated Cost (plus fee) w/Excel Spreadsheet and that subcontractors are not required to complete this spreadsheet for submission.

NIEHS RESPONSE: We do expect to see a detailed cost breakdown for proposed subcontracts.

6. Under the Packaging and Delivery Instructions, please confirm that Offerors must submit 1 original and 7 copies of each technical volume (one set for the “umbrella” contract, one set for model #1, and one set for model #2.

NIEHS RESPONSE: Reference Amendment No. 2. One original and 7 copies of the technical proposal must be provided.

7. Under the Packaging and Delivery Instructions, please confirm that Offerors must submit 1 original and 6 copies of the business volume, which will include Offerors response to the “umbrella” contract, model #1, and model #2.

NIEHS RESPONSE: Offerors must submit 1 original and 6 copies of the business proposal.

8. Under the Packaging and Delivery Instructions, Offerors are asked to submit 30 password protected disks. Please confirm that CD-Roms are acceptable.

NIEHS RESPONSE: Yes CD-Roms are acceptable and must be password protected with the password Clinical2015.

9. Given that three technical proposals are required in a six-week period, would NIEHS consider granting an extension?

NIEHS RESPONSE: The due date for receipt of proposals as outlined in the solicitation is not changed from 4:00pm on June 3, 2015.

NOTE: The due date for receipt of proposals is not changed. The proposal must acknowledge receipt of this amendment per instructions in block 11 of Standard Form (SF) 30.