Amendment 2 -NCS Vanguard 2 0.pdf

OMB No 0990-0115

1. CONTRACT ID CODE PAGE OF PAGES

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT N/A 1 5

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

02 (two) See block 16C, below N/A N/A

6. ISSUED BY CODE N/A 7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6)

CODE N/A

National Institutes of Health The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Contracts Management Branch, Office of Acquisitions 6100 Executive Blvd., Room 7A-07, MSC 7510 Bethesda, MD 20892-7510

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No. Street, County, State and ZIP: Code) () 9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

TO ALL PROSPECTIVE OFFERORS

NIH-NICHD-NCS-2012-14

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

May 17, 2012

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

CODE FACILITY CODE

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended, is not extended.

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning one (1) copy of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATA SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and data specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required)

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

() A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.) SET

FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return copy to the issuing office.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

PURPOSE: To amend RFP NIH-NICHD-NCS-2012-14 to provide responses to questions received regarding this RFP. See the amendment Continuation pages.

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print) 16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

Fred Ettehadieh Contracting Officer, OA,NICHD, NIH, DHHS

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 15C. DATE SIGNED 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 16C. DATE SIGNED

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

BY __________________/S/_____________________

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

05/29/2012

NSN 7540-01-152-8070 30-105 STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 10-83)

PREVIOUS EDITION UNUSABLE Computer Generated Prescribed by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

RFP NIH-NICHD-NCS-2012-14

Amendment No. 02 (two) CONTINUATION PAGES

Responses to Questions Received Regarding this RFP

1. Question: For an existing National Children’s Study (NCS) Study Center that will want to be part of the Regional Operating Centers (ROC), do we put in a Base Proposal along with Task Order No. 2 if we are wanting to be completely involved in the NCS (and just make clear that we want to partner with one or more organizations that want to be a ROC)?

1. Response: The RFP seeks proposals from prime offerors. The prime offerors may partner with other organizations.

2. Question: Does the prime organization develop the Base Contract and Task Order No.1, and the subcontractor develops Task Order No.2?

2. Response: The prime offeror is responsible for development and submission of the entire proposal.

3. Question: Does the entire package (i.e. Base, Task Order No.1, Task Order No.2) need to come from the developer of the Base; meaning when we partner with a ROC offeror, does the entire package come in one bundle?

3. Response: Yes, the prime offeror is responsible for submission of the proposal. This includes the Base, Task Order No.1 and Task Order No.2.

4. Question: The relation between Task Order No.1 entity and the Task Order No.2 entity is not clear; the RFP suggests that the Task Order No.1 entity is the ROC that would oversee a Study Center (SC) operations; that SC operations would include data collection, retention and outreach; what I am puzzled over is the relationship between these two entities re staffing;

4. Response: The RFP seeks proposals from prime offerors who have the responsibility for all tasks.

5. Question: Does the Government envision the ROC being in charge of these staffing hires, background investigations and performance reviews of the staffing of the SCs? I note the same language in Task Order No.2 requirements; what I am concerned with is that if our center partners with a business research organization that interprets the contract language as they do all staff hires, etc, that this essentially removes the SCs from local control of the staffing;

5. Response: This is a new RFP and prime offerors will be responsible for background investigations, training, supervision, and performance reviews.

6. Question: What is the relation between the prime offeror and subcontractor data management?

6. Response: The Government does not have privity over subcontractors. The decision is up to the prime contractor.

7. Question: Will subcontracts be allowed for the data collection?

7. Response: Yes but only for consultative and support services such as Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) compliance. Primary offerors would be responsible for all aspects of data collection including hiring, training and supervision of all personnel directly involved in data collection.

8. Question: Is the Statement of Work (SOW) in attachment 3 the outline for information wanted in the Base IDIQ Contract?

8. Response: RFP Attachment 3 includes 3 documents, containing the SOW and deliverables for Base IDIQ Contract, Task Order No.1, and Task Order No.2.

9. Question: Do offerors include the staffing plan and Project Management Plan (PMP) inside the Base IDIQ Contract, Task Order No.1, and Task Oder 2, or do we submit it as an attachment?

9. Response: Include the Staffing Plan and PMP inside the Base contract, Task Order No.1 and Task Order No.2.

10.a. Question: Should offerors propose formative research work to be completed?

10.a. Response: No.

10.b. Question: Should Offerors just outline their capacity to conduct formative research?

10.b. Response: Yes

11. Question: Should formative research work be budgeted within the proposal?

11. Response: No

12. Question: The Statement of Work (SOW) items 7.0 Laboratory Analysis and Biologic Specimens, and 8.0 Laboratory Analysis of Environmental Samples states that biological and environmental analysis will be done. How should this be budgeted?

12. Response: A cost proposal is not required for the SOW items 7.0 Laboratory Analysis and Biologic Specimens, and 8.0 Laboratory Analysis of Environmental Samples because there are no task orders issued now in this RFP for these activities.

13. Question: If information is requested in the Base IDIQ Task Order No.1 and Task Order No. 2. Should the response be located in each place or can the offeror reference the secondary location?

13. Response: Include in each place as directed by the instructions in the RFP.

14. Question: How many pages should the Technical proposal be? Is it a total of 50 with 25 pages for Task Order No.1 and 25 pages for Task Order No. 2 or is the Base Contract 50 pages plus 25 pages for Task Order No.1 and 25 pages for Task Order No. 2 to total 100 pages?

14. Response: Refer to the RFP, Attachment 1. The total number of pages, exclusive of resumes and CVs is 100 pages for the entire proposal. Specifically:

• Base Contract – the page limit should not exceed 50 single spaced pages, exclusive of resumes.

• Task Order No.1 – the page limit should not exceed 25 pages single spaced pages, exclusive of resumes and/or CVs.

• Task Order No.2 – the page limit should not exceed 25 pages single spaced pages, exclusive of resumes and/or CVs.

15. Question: Attachment 4, page 2, 3rd line. Does the $105 Million maximum per contract include Facilities & Administrative (F&A) costs? Or is the $105 Million direct costs only?

15. Response: Yes, it includes F&A Costs.

16. Question: The RFP in the excerpt below refers to NCS data, but doesn’t distinguish between data collected from NCS subjects and data generated from formative research work.

Does the NCS anticipate a distinction insofar as data rights and publication are concerned? Or will formative research data be subject to the same restrictions?

1.3.5 Disclosure Review of NCS Data, Presentations and Manuscripts Prior to any access by persons who have not signed an Affidavit of Nondisclosure including but not limited to publication, the Contractor shall submit to the NCS-PO for disclosure review and approval any presentation, manuscript, data tables, figures or images that feature NCS data that have not undergone disclosure review. This requirement includes materials that do not feature personally identifiable information. The Contractor shall audit compliance with disclosure review of manuscripts, presentations, and other materials to be accessed by persons not party to an NCS Data Use Agreement. These evaluations shall occur at a minimum of every three months. The NCS-PO will also review these materials on a periodic basis.

16. Response: The NCS does not anticipate a distinction between data collected from NCS subjects and formative research work with respect to data rights or publication. The NCS does anticipate a distinction in terms of application of NCS data access and confidentiality policy between data collected from NCS subjects and formative research that does not involve NCS subjects.

17.a. Question: RFP Attachment 4, page 2, item #4 - Does this mean that some of the ROCs might not be doing any data collection, retention or outreach activities? If this is correct, a contractor could receive the Base IDIQ Contract and Task Order No. 1, but might not be responsible for any data collection. Is that correct?

17.a. Response: All organizations awarded an Base IDIQ Contract to serve as a ROC will be awarded both Task Orders 1 & 2.

17.b. Question: On item # 5 – all subsequent task orders will be competed among all contractors awarded contracts. Does that mean that a ROC could be doing some duties on a national scale (not just within their region)?

17.b. Response: Correct, additional Task Orders may be issued on either a single region or multi regional levels. The maximum number of regions any offeror can successfully be awarded would be three but some particular task orders such as lab analysis may be awarded on a system wide basis under certain conditions. Examples of such conditions would be that we no longer have a need to compare technologies or approaches and are seeking consistency and cost efficiency.

18. Question: If we feel that we need to add administrative staff that would normally be paid for by F&A costs (the staff members work on supporting many different investigators and funded projects) but will be working on the NCS 100% - would these staff be considered a direct cost since 100% of their effort would be for the NCS contract?

18. Response: This is in accordance with the offeror’s organization accounting policies and their negotiated indirect cost rate agreement with the Government.

19. Question: RFP Attachment 3, page 13 (Base IDIQ Contract), states “The Contractor shall recruit and hire all field staff and interviewers….” and “Field staff shall report directly to the Contractor. “ Does that mean the ROC cannot contract with other institutions to provide the staff for data collection?

19. Response: A prime offeror may choose to subcontract with other organizations to complete all required tasks. However, the prime contractor must be directly responsible for the hiring, training, and supervision of all data collection staff (field staff and interviewers).

20. Question: RFP Section L-Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors, page 106 provides a list of items needed if subcontractors are proposed. Is this same list of items needed for consultants? If not, what detail/items are needed if consultants are included as part of the RFP?

20. Response: RFP Section L, page 69 provides guidance in reference to proposed additional personnel, including but not limited to consultants.

21. Question: Clarify if Project Management Meetings held by teleconference, RFP, page 3 of Task Order No. 1, item 3, b are held monthly or weekly.

21. Response: Project Management Meetings are to meet on a monthly basis. Therefore, Task Order No.1, item 3, b, Monthly Project Management Meetings first sentence is changed to read as follows: Subsequent to the kick-off meeting, the Contractor shall meet by teleconference with the COR and other NCS and relevant NICHD staff on a monthly basis to discuss technical activities.