Questions Answers 1.pdf

Questions & Answers for BAA 08-024

1) Section V.1. (Evaluation Criteria) states that for large businesses, “the socio-economic merits of each proposal will be evaluated based on the extent of the Offeror’s commitment in providing meaningful subcontracting opportunities for small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, woman-owned small businesses, HUBZone small businesses, veteran-owned small businesses, service disabled veteran-owned small businesses, historically black colleges and universities, and minority institutions.”

What information must offerors submit pursuant to this criterion and where in the proposal should the required information be included?

For large businesses and nonprofit organizations, this information would be provided in the subcontracting plan. This plan can be submitted as a separate part of the proposal.

How will each offeror’s commitment to small businesses be evaluated with regard to the existing evaluation criteria?

Submitted subcontracting plans will be evaluated with respect to the proposed technical approach and how the resulting proposed subcontracting compares to established subcontracting goals for the Department of the Navy.

2) Page 17 – Subcontracting Plans states that plans will be required prior to award. This implies that a plan is not required to be included in the offeror’s proposal. Please clarify when the Government requires the offeror’s small business plan and whether is should be included in the offeror’s proposal submission.

The subcontracting plan is required prior to award, but is not required to be submitted with your proposal. However providing this information with the proposal will help ensure the evaluation of the plan does not hold up any potential award of that proposal.

Please refer to Section VI off the BAA.

3) The evaluation criteria on page 16 lists the realism of the proposed costs and availability of funds as an evaluation criteria, however it does not include the offeror’s evaluated cost. Please explain the relative weight of the offeror’s evaluated cost.

The cost realism evaluation will result in a determination of the most probable cost (i.e., evaluated cost) to the Government for the work to be performed. For evaluation proposes only, the evaluated cost is the higher of either (a) the sum of the Offeror’s proposed total estimated cost and fee or (b) the Government’s determination of the most probable total cost and fee.

4) Are foldout pages permissible? If so, how are they factored into the page count?

A maximum of two Foldout pages not exceeding 11 x 17 inch are permissible for the technical proposal and will each be counted as a single page when determining the proposal page count.

5) Will the Government accept cost data that is in a format other than what is specified on page 9 of the BAA since there is no page limit to the cost volume? This will allow automatically generated cost information to be used by the offerors.

Other formats for the cost proposal will be considered assuming it has the data required on page 13 and 14.

6) The Proposal Content section appears to imply a specified set of required sections. May the Proposer use a different order?

No. The proposal format must follow the specified format in the original BAA.

7) May the Proposer use a different set of section headings so long as the requested information is clearly provided?

No. Section headings must follow the prescribed format stated in the posted BAA.

8) Currently the Assertion of Data Rights appears to be part of the Technical Proposal. This can be lengthy but adds little to the substance of the Technical Proposal. Would you change the requirements so these pages can be excluded from the page count limitations?

No. At a minimum, offerors should provide a summary of any proprietary rights to pre-existing results, prototypes, software, or systems supporting and/or necessary for the use of the research, results, and/or prototype. Any data rights asserted in other parts of the proposal that would impact the rights in this section must be cross-referenced. If there are proprietary rights, the Recipient must explain how these affect its ability to deliver research results and final data. Additionally, Recipient must explain how the program goals are achievable in light of these proprietary limitations. If there are no claims of proprietary rights in pre-existing data, this section shall consist of a statement to that effect. However, the Assertion of Data Rights found in DFARS 252.227-7017 should be attached to the cost proposal. The Government may challenge assertions that are provided in improper format or that do not properly acknowledge earlier federal funding of related research by the offeror.

9) On the current BAA, is the order given for the technical proposal sections in pages 10-12 of the BAA the order ONR would like to see them in the proposals or may we re-order them?

To expedite the government’s evaluation of the proposals submitted under this BAA, the order given for the technical proposal sections should be followed.