NIHES2016082_-_Government's_Responses_to_Industry_Questions.pdf

ATTACHMENT VI - NIHES2016082 000001 - GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSES TO INDUSTRY QUESTIONS

Question Number

Reference Question Response

1. General Does an incumbent exists for the Analytical and Technical Support Services - Global Environmental Health (GEH) Program requirement and if so, could you please provide the vendor and the corresponding contract number?

The services being sought are made up from two (2) task orders.

The first task order for analytical and technical support services for the NIEHS WHO Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health Sciences is currently being performed by Educational Services, Incorporated (now known as IMPAQ International) under task order HHSN263201300002I HHSN2730001 in August 2015 in the amount of $64,420.96. The task order was issued from the Public Information and Communication Services (PICS) Multiple-Award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. The task order was extended through July 22, 2016 in the amount of $40,186.28.

The second task order for analytical and technical support services to NIEHS in the areas of global environmental health and climate change and human health is being performed by MDB, Incorporated (GSA schedule contract number: GS-00F-0001S). MDB, Incorporated (GSA schedule contract number: GS-00F-0001S) was awarder order HHSN27300222 under Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) HHSN263201000141B in February 2015 in the amount of $86,907.00. This acquisition was made pursuant to the authority of the Multiple-Award Schedule Program.

The BPA order was extended through June 30, 2016 in the amount of $38,861.33.

2. General Does the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation under solicitation number NIHES2016082 contain requirements similar to a current contract? If possible, please provide the current contract number.

Or, is this a new requirement for the government?

This requirement has similar tasks to the orders performed by the incumbents; however, there are some differences.

Please see response to question 1 above.

3. RFQ, Section L Page 32 of 40 of the Solicitation document specifies that responses are to be submitted in MS Word 2007 format. Will NIEHS accept documents in MS 2010 or higher formats?

Please see amendment 000001; responses are to be submitted in MS Word 2007 format or higher.

4. SOW, General Within the RFQ it states the Place of Performance will be the Contractor’s facility. Phronetik does have a work from home policy

There is no restriction under this contract that would prohibit the Contractor’s employees from working from home, unless that can be applied to several of the listed positions. Is there any restriction under this contract that would prohibit employees from working from home, unless they need to travel to a meeting or other in-person requirement?

they need to travel to a meeting or other in-person requirement.

5. General In my extensive research into FBO, FPDS, and other sources, I have not identified any incumbent for subject effort, and am assuming it to be a brand new requirement. Is this correct?

Please see response to question 1 above.

6. General ……whether there is an incumbent on the subject opportunity.

Please let me know what company is currently completing the work, if you are able to share this information.

Please see response to question 1 above.

7. RFQ, Section L Instructions on pages 33 and 34 of 40 direct submitters to “Provide a list of labor categories and their associated labor hours deemed necessary to perform the STO. This list of labor categories must be a subset of the labor categories that will be incorporated into Section J, Attachment 3.” Attachments 2 and 3 do not contain Section J; Page 23 of 40 does not provide relevant information

Please see amendment 000001 for revisions. Please reference RFQ, Section J. Attachments 2 and 3 are specific Statements of Work for task orders. The list of labor categories will be incorporated into the resulting task orders.

8. RFQ, Section L Please clarify the intended section references on pages 33 and 34. Please see response to question 8 above.

9. RFQ, Section M Evaluation Sub factor 4, page 38 of 40, refers to “experience working with analytical and technical health care industry on IT requirements.” Please confirm that experience with healthcare IT is not required.

Please see amendment 000001 for revisions. This has been revised to state “public health” or “environmental public health” field.

10. RFQ, Section B Would the Government consider a separate CLIN for Other Direct Cost (ODCs) items, such that ODCs (ex: wire transfer fees) are reimbursed by NIEHS on a Cost Reimbursable basis (to include direct and indirect costs, but no fee)?

Individual task orders will be specifically tailored according to the SOW and could include FFP CLINs that differ from the base contract. However, for task orders 1 and 2 the Government requests potential Quoters review the STO SOWs and provide a FFP quote (that encompasses all services, labor, equipment, materials and supervision) to cover the Government’s request.

11. RFQ, Section B In lieu of developing labor category rates inclusive of unknown future ODC’s, offerors would be able propose the lowest labor rates possible with ODC’s invoiced at actual costs. If this is acceptable, would the Government modify the Table in the Solicitation, Article B.2, Prices/Costs?

Please see response to questions 8 and 11 above.

12. RFQ, Section L, STOs

In the SOW, the two Sample Task Orders provide the Labor Categories and an associated number of hours. Referencing Solicitation Section L.4, Paragraph 4(3)(b) Tab 2 – Response to Sample Task Order, and Solicitation Section M, Subfactor 2 –

Note that the SOWs for the two Sample Task Orders do not provide the Labor Categories or associated number of hours. Paragraph 1 in the STO SOWs is merely a historical background and should be used for informational purposes.

Sample Task Order, does the Government want the offeror to develop its own Basis of Estimate (BOE) for labor required to perform the TO, or should offerors propose the number of hours provided in each of the two SOW Sample Task Orders?

Potential Quoters are to provide their own technical solutions which the Government expects to be of varying degrees.

13. RFQ, Section L, STOs

The two SOW Task Orders do not appear to provide a list of deliverables but do have objectives for performance.

Please see amendment 000001 for revisions to Attachments I and II.

14. RFQ, Section E Solicitation Section E – Inspection and Acceptance, references the COR’s “acceptance or non-acceptance of the deliverables”. Is it the Government’s intention that acceptance and completion of the work will be deemed to have occurred upon provision of the hours awarded, or will a list of specific deliverable items be provided with each Task Order Request For Quote (RFQ)?

Acceptance and completion of the work will be deemed to have occurred upon completion of the receiving report once invoicing has occurred.

15. RFQ, Section E In Solicitation Section E – Inspection and Acceptance, Paragraph c: Please indicate the number of calendar days for the Government’s inspection period.

Please see amendment 000001.

16. SOW TO1 For Task 2.2.1: GEH Newsletter, the SOW notes that “as well as up to one additional feature story per issue as requested”.

Please clarify the number of editions of the newsletter for which an additional story would be required.

Potential Quoters are to assume 4 of 6 annual issues have an additional story.

17. SOW TO1 NIEHS has a Web support contract that provides web design and online archiving services.

Please confirm that the Newsletter tasks related to “layout and graphic design” as well as “produce and maintain an archive of past newsletters” would require only that the GEH contractor interface with NIEHS staff and contractors to ensure these tasks are complete (i.e., the GEH contractor will not provide web design or online archiving services).

Yes, the contractor will interface with NIEHS staff and contractors providing the content to them.

18. SOW TO1 Task 2.2.2: Please indicate the number of webpages (or amount of text) expected to need revision in the period of performance.

Potential Quoters are to assume up to 500 words of text per month or 6000 words for the year.

19. SOW TO1 Task 2.2.4: What duration should be assumed for webinars? Potential Quoters are to assume 60 minute duration.

20. SOW TO1 Task 2.2.4: Will webinars be posted online?

This would require that the contractor includes resources to ensure that all audio and visual files are in full compliance with of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Yes potential Quoters are to assume webinars will have to be 508 compliance.

This would require that the contractor includes resources to ensure that all audio and visual files are in full compliance with of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

21. SOW TO1 Task 2.3.3: The SOW references a GEH Working Group that will No, the contractor will not be required to organize or plan be surveyed for data and strategic planning. Will the contractor be required to organize/host/plan meetings of this group? How frequently do they meet to allow for data to be gathered?

these meetings, but will be required to assist with note taking. Potential Quoters are to assume quarterly meetings but most strategic data gathering will take place annually.

22. SOW TO2 Task 2.1.2: Please provide a link to the tool. If the term “tool” means portal, then this is not yet live. The Government will provide the awardee with an excel spreadsheet of the database if that would be useful.

23. SOW TO2 Task 2.1.2: If text-mining or other specialized software is required, will those be allowable costs under this contract?

All task orders will be issued as FFP orders. The Government’s preference is that the Contractor work with NIEHS IT to use text-mining software already purchased and/or being used.

24. SOW TO2 Task 2.1.2: The scope states the date range for the existing database ends May 2012.

The objective indicates that the update requested would be from April 2014-April 2016.

Is this gap in coverage expected?

Please see amendment 000001 for revision to Attachment

II.

25. SOW TO2 Task 2.1.2: The scope is written in the objective as single update.

Is this an on-going task?

If so, are updates expected monthly, quarterly, or annually?

Updates will be dependent on available funds. Updates are expected annually for now.

26. SOW TO2 Task 2.3.2, bullet 3 states “Attend meetings on behalf of NIEHS project officer, take notes, report back up to 20 hours per year”.

Please indicate the approximate location of such meetings (Washington DC/NIH, RTP/NIEHS, OCONUS) to allow for budgeting of transportation/travel costs.

These would only be in Washington, DC or RTP/NIEHS.

Potential Quoters are to assume 10 hours in each site.