NRC-HQ-11-16-R-0001_Ques-Answers_Round_1_Final_12-7-15.pdf

Operations Center Information Management System (OCIM) Operations and Maintenance Solicitation Number: NRC-HQ-11-16-R-0001

Questions and Answers

Q1) This project includes support for equipment, hardware and software. What percentage of the total effort goes into each of these? (Reference Section C.4, pg. 5)

A1) Hardware Support is 10%; Software support for licensing is 47%; and support for both hardware and software in turnkey systems is 43%

Q2) How many such task orders have been issued in the previous contract duration?

Please provide the value of each of them along with the details of services requested in each of them. (Reference Section G.2, pg. 20)

A2) A total of 16 task orders

• TO1 Base Year O&M - $520,943

• TO2 Base Year subcontracts - $396,360

• TO3 Study for move of Operations Center - $133,780

• TO4 Move of Operations Center - $685,794

• TO5 Study on reengineering the HOO Database - $223,000

• TO6 Option Year 1 and 2 O&M - $938,749

• TO7 Option Year 1 subcontracts - $335,448

• TO8 Option Year 2 subcontracts (partial) - $108,111

• TO9 Option Year 2 subcontracts (partial) - $157,082

• TO10 Assist R4 with voice conferencing install – retracted not issued

• TO11 Option Year 2 subcontracts (partial) and Satellite antenna install - $62,562

• TO12 Option Years 3 and 4 O&M - $960,018

• TO13 Option Year 3 subcontracts (partial) - $81,345

• TO14 Option Year 3 subcontracts (partial) - $255,808

• TO15 Server virtualization study - $125,313

• TO16 Option Year 4 subcontracts and NetAPP de-install/Install - $701,683

Q3) It is requested that the vendors submit 3 past performance questionnaires and 3 for the sub-contractors. If we are using two sub-contractors, can 1 subcontractor submit 2 questionnaires and the other subcontractor submit 1 questionnaire or will the total be 9 past performance forms instead of 6? (Reference Section L.4.2 pg. 80)

A3) Section L.4.2.3 of the solicitation is hereby revised to read as follows:

The offeror may provide up to three (3) past performance references for contracts performed in the past three (3) years by the subcontractor that are similar in nature.

Q4) May the past performance be from non-federal (state government or commercial) customers too? (Reference Section L.4.2 pg. 80)

A4) Yes, relevant past performance can be from non-federal (state government or commercial) customers.

Q5) Is experience in managing agreements for proprietary software from third party vendors very critical to this requirement? In other words, if the prime has minimal experience in managing proprietary software agreements, will this be a non-factor, or a negative factor? (Reference SectionM.3.1, pg. 82)

A5) The NRC will evaluate the offeror’s plan to determine how the offeror will manage agreements for proprietary software from third vendors in support of OCIMS.

Q6) We are an 8(a) company with limited direct experience in the project tasks. When the evaluation is neither favorable or unfavorable, does it mean we get 'ZERO' score for this factor? (Reference Section M.3.2, pg. 83)

A6) Page 83, Paragraph 3: An Offeror without a record of relevant past performance on work similar in size, scope and complexity will be evaluated neither favorably nor unfavorably. The offeror will receive a “Neutral.”

Q7) May our sub-contractors' experience be considered as our team's corporate experience? (Reference Section M.3.4, pg. 83)

A7) The NRC may evaluate the corporate experience of significant subcontractors as deemed appropriate.

Q8) Assuming there is a current contract for these services, how does this ceiling value ($13M) compare to the value of the current contract? If the two values are different, will the Government identify the expected changes to the services between the new contract and the previous contract?

A8) The ceiling of the current contract is $7.5M. The increase in ceiling to $13M is to account for the potential of supporting the 4 NRC Regional sites.

Q9) Is there a current contract for accomplishing the objectives defined in this section? If so, will the Government provide the contract number and the name of the current incumbent contractor?

A9) The current contract number is: NRC-HQ-11-C-07-0015. The incumbent contractor is:

Digital Management Inc.

Q10) (a) Are the items identified in Section C.12 exempt from the statement in Section C.4? (b) In the event of equipment failure which requires vendor repair or replacement of equipment or software listed in Attachment J.1 and J.2, will the costs of repair/replacement be reimbursable under the terms of the contract?

A10) (a) No

(b) Yes

Q11) (a) Will the Government please clarify the use of the word “mixture” in this sentence? (b) If the items specified as “as Government-furnished property” (which include the items listed in Attachments J.1 and J.2) in Section C.12, what equipment and software must be supported by the contractor?

A11) (a)The word “mixture” in C.4 differentiates between maintenance support and software upgrades

(b) All of the equipment and software in Attachments J.1 and J.2 must be supported

Q12) What specific standards are addressed by this statement referenced in Section C.4, first paragraph (pg. 5)? Are there a set of performance standards (e.g., equipment availability, maintenance response times) with which the contractor must comply? If so, what are these standards and/or what are the actual performance levels under the current contract?

A12) Standards and performance levels are provided in Task Orders 1 and 2.

Q13) Are the two full-time personnel expected to perform all the tasks identified in the other bullets in section C.5 (pg. 5)? If not, will the Government define the historical level of effort for each of the other tasks in the bullet list?

A13) Support for Bullet - Provide OCIMS system and application assistance to the NRC’s Regional Incident Response Centers (IRCs). Will be determined in subsequent Task Orders if IRC support is required.

The two full-time personnel are expected to perform all of the other tasks

Q14) Will the Government provide an estimate of the total scope of work (e.g., number of task orders, number of contractor personnel, number of Government managers with which the PM interacts) that must be managed by the PM? Does the Government envision that the PM position may be less than full time on this contract? Does the

Government require that the PM be onsite during normal working hours? (Section C.7 pg.

6)

A14)

• We estimate a total of 10 to 15 Task Orders (this is only an estimate and the number of task orders issued is subject to change)

• Two full time on-site contractors and a part time contractor for HOO database support

• The PM will only interact with the NRC COR or the Alternate COR

• The PM position is not full time

• The PM does not have to be on-site

Q15) For periods outside of the normal 12-hour onsite working hours, is it acceptable for contractor personnel to be available by telephone to support after hours issues?

(Reference Section C.7, pg. 6)

A15) Yes it is acceptable for contractor personnel to be available by telephone to support after hours issues, however, if required they must have the ability to come on-site

Q16) (a) Will the Government provide a description of these three systems (HOODB, RAMHQ, and Log Book) (e.g., database type, programming languages, size, number of users supported) to enable offerors to more fully understand the position requirements?

(b) Will the Government provide the historical workload data for support of these systems? (Reference Section C.7 pg. 7)

A16) (a) The three systems use MS SQL as a back end and MS Access as a front end. They are approximately 500 MB and support 5 users

(b) 320 hours a year

Q17) Will the Government provide an estimate of the number of task orders expected to be awarded in the base year of performance, the average length of the period of performance of task orders, and an estimate of the number of full time personnel expected to be required to support these task orders? (Reference Section C.7, pg. 7)

A17) Approximately 4-5 task orders may be awarded during the base year of IDIQ contract.

The average period of performance for each task order is estimated to be one (1) year. Two (2) full time personnel are expected to be required.

Q18) Are the two Senior Network Engineers the two full-time, on-site personnel identified in Section C.5? (Reference Section C.20 pg. 11)

A18) Yes

Q19) Should the Contractor assume in proposing a fixed hourly rate that all required work will be performed at a Government site or should each proposed rate include the cost to perform work at the contractor’s site? (Reference Section F.3, pg. 16)

A19) All work will be performed at the Government site

Q20) Will the Government provide a completed NRC Form 187 for this contract?

A20) Yes

A21) Will the Government accept smaller fonts (e.g., 8 to 10) in graphics and tables presented in the proposal?

A22) Yes. The Government will accept smaller fonts in graphics and tables.

Q23). Will the Government please identify the intended services and level of effort expected from Key Personnel so that the Contractor can ensure that the commitments established for key personnel meet the expected service requirements of the Government? In particular, are the three proposed key personnel expected to perform on a full time basis on task orders under this contract? (Reference Section L.4.2, first paragraph Pgs. 79-80)

A23) The two on-site key personnel are expected to perform on a full time basis. The PM is part time.

Q24) Will the Government please clarify this statement in Section L.4.2, paragraph 3, pg.

81?

A24) Section L.4.2.2, paragraph 3, pg. 81 of the solicitation is revised to read as follows:

“Offerors are advised that they are responsible for completing the cover sheet of the past performance information survey (Attachment No. J.6). The Offeror shall provide the survey to clients, requesting that they complete it and send it back to NRC according to the instructions in that attachment for the contracts listed above.”

Q25) Will the Government please clarify the date by which surveys should be returned?

A25) Past performance instruction is revised to read as follows:

“Accordingly, we ask that you complete the enclosed past performance survey and return it directly to the contracting officer via email to Sandra.Harrell@nrc.gov, no later than December

23, 2015, 3:00 PM EST.”

mailto:Sandra.Harrell@nrc.gov

Q26) Should Offerors include this information within the Technical volume? If so, is this information excluded from the 30-page limit defined in the second paragraph of Section L.4.1?

A26) Yes, the offeror shall include Representations and Certifications with the Technical volume. This information will not count against the 30-page limit defined in the second paragraph of Section L.4.1.

Q27) Since the Technical Volume should not contain any reference to price, should this paragraph title be changed to read “L.4.3 Price (Volume II)”?

A27) The solicitation and title is revised to read as follows:

“L.4.3 Price (Volume II)

Q28) Will the Government please clarify the anticipated nature, extent, and period of performance of task order #1?

A28) This statement is notification that the rates proposed for the base year of the IDIQ Contract will be used in the resulting task order #1. The period of performance will be one (1) base year with four (4) one-year options.

Q29) Should this reference be changed to read “Section C.21”?

A29) The solicitation is revised to read as follows:

“NRC will evaluate if the proposed personnel meet or exceed the personnel requirements as stated in Section C.21.”