Questions_and_Responses_Part_Three_7_Apr_16.docx

Questions and Responses Part Three Solicitation No. PBGC01-RP-16-0011 Benefit Calculation & Valuation (BCV)

NOTE: This is Part Three of Responses of PBGC’S response to the Industry Questions.

119. Question: Section B.2 indicates that there will be two task orders issued immediately follow contract award for the Legacy O&M and the New BCV, but section C.4.3.1 indicates one task order will be issued for the Planning Phase of the New BCV, and subsequent tasks orders will be issues for the remainder of the New BCV modernization, based on proposed phasing. When will Task Order 2 be issued?

Response: PBGC expects to issue two task orders immediately following the contract award. One task order will be issued for O&M of Legacy BCV and another task order will be issued for the Planning Phase for DM&E of the New BCV. During the period of performance of the contract, a second DM&E task order will be issued for continued work on New BCV. Subsequent task orders will be issued through the contract period.

120. Question: Section C.4.3.1 indicates one task order will be issued for the Planning Phase of the New BCV and subsequent tasks orders will be issued for the remainder of the New BCV modernization, based on proposed phasing. Can you clarify the planned issuance of task orders? Is it expected that these will be issued during the Base Period?

Response: PBGC expects to issue two task orders immediately following the contract award. One task order will be issued for O&M of Legacy BCV and another task order will be issued for the Planning Phase for DM&E of the New BCV. During the period of performance of the contract, a second DM&E task order will be issued for continued work on New BCV. Subsequent task orders will be issued through the contract period.

121. Question: The solicitation states that the offeror shall support converting “the electronic version of the documentation” to PBGC’s Intranet. To what documentation does the requirement refer? Also, please confirm that conversion to PBGC’s Intranet means conversion into the PBGC SharePoint site.

Response: Section C.6.10 (3) of the solicitation requires that documentation be loaded into the SharePoint System. See Amendment. 2

122. Question: This section includes the written notification requirement in the last sentence. The current period is 1 day. Due to the labor intensive nature of this work, 1-day notice to extend does not provide the Contractor with adequate time to mobilize resources or extend existing resources. Would PBGC consider extending the notice period to be more consistent with the period for notification of intent to exercise the established options (60 days) contained in Section F.3?

Response: The last sentence in FAR Clause 52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999), will be changed to read as follows:

“The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor within 30 days of contract expiration.” See Amendment 2.

123. Question: Please confirm whether the proposal due date is 12:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) or 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Response: The proposals are due on April 18, 2016 at 12:00PM EDT. See Amendment 2

124. Question: Can we include a Transmittal/Cover Letter? If so, where shall the Transmittal Letter/Cover Letter be placed within the proposal response?

Response: Yes, a Transmittal/Cover Letter can be included as part of the price proposal. See Amendment 2.

125. Question: L.7.3.1 reference states “The first page of Volume 1 shall be the Compliance Traceability Matrix. Any proposal that does not include a fully completed Compliance Traceability Matrix as the first page of Volume 1 shall not be considered for award.” However, L.7.2 reference states “Note: Cover pages, tabs, the Compliance Traceability Matrix and Subcontracting Plan are not included in the page count limit and shall be included as a separate attachment.”

Can you please clarify if Compliance Traceability Matrix needs to appear as the first page in Volume 1 or as a separate attachment? If the Compliance Traceability Matrix is the first page in Volume 1, are Offerors permitted to place a title page (includes trademark and/or confidentiality disclaimers) and Table of Content between the Cover and the Compliance Traceability Matrix without being disqualified for award consideration?

Response: The Compliance Traceability Matrix shall appear as the first page in L.7.3 Volume 1 – Technical Proposal Instructions and not as a separate attachment. Yes, the Offerors are permitted to place a title page (includes trademark and/or confidentiality disclaimers) and Table of Content on the cover of their proposal.

126. Question: O&M pricing is required to be provided in Attachment 29, but there are no labor categories included, implying that offerors are expected to provide fixed priced for the base year and the four option years. Is this understanding correct? If so, is PBGC planning to provide more detail concerning the current level of support that is being provided to support the five BCV applications? Section C.4.1 list types of support tasks but does not identify the expected volume of work.

Response: No, offerors are expected to provide a fixed price for O&M for the period of only one year as detailed in Attachment 29. Based on historical data, the BCV O&M staff consisted of a senior project manager, project manager, operations lead, several business analysts, two developers, and testers. The volume of work would require all of those resources except the senior project manager to be full time.

127. Question: Contractor requests clarification on the content in the response to L.7.5 and L.7.6. The instructions make explicit reference to a price proposal. Is that all that the contractor should provide in the response in this section.

Response: The offeror shall submit the signed form SF33 (see L.7.4.), submit a price proposal which shall include prices for a base year and four option years for all labor categories set forth in Section B - Pricing Schedule table (see B.6, page 9); additionally, the offeror shall provide the pricing in response to the sample task order 1 for O&M (see L.7.5), and the sample task order 2 for DM&E (see L.37.6).

128. Question: Attachment 29 indicates that O&M scope includes support of the five BCV applications described in Attachment 16. Attachment 16 describes other systems as well. Are those systems also expected to be supported as part of O&M? Similarly, there are other legacy applications, such as PVCS that are currently being used to maintain the existing BCV applications. Are those legacy applications expected to be used and/or maintained? If so, is there a list and description of those additional applications?

Response: Attachment 29 is being used as a sample price proposal for only the five applications that make up BCV. The sample task order should not include the entire Legacy BCV. Also please reference sections C.4.1 and C.4.6.3 for services that should be accomplished for the five applications only. The TRMD tools should not be included in the sample task order.

Attachment 16 gives descriptions of Legacy BCV, as well descriptions of system information for other systems outside Legacy BCV. These other systems will not be supported by the BCV Team. PVCS is a third party tool; therefore no maintenance of this tool is required.

129. Question: Supervisors may no longer be available or the contact information may not be recalled. Would PBGC remove this requirement or limit to the most recent/current position?

Response: PBGC will remove this requirement. Please See Amendment 2.

130. Question: the instructions for Volume 2 – Sample Task Order 1 state to “submit a response to sample task order 1 for O&M.” Is the response instruction for only a price proposal in accordance to Attachment 29 given that Volume 2 is titled “Price Proposal” in Section L.7 (page 89)?

Response: The offeror shall submit the signed form SF33 (see L.7.4.), submit a price proposal which shall include prices for a base year and four option years for all labor categories set forth in Section B - Pricing Schedule table (see B.6, page 9); additionally, the offeror shall provide the pricing in response to the sample task order 1 for O&M (see L.7.5), and the sample task order 2 for DM&E (see L.37.6).

131. Question: the instructions for Volume 2 – Sample Task Order 2 state to “submit a response to sample task order 2 for DME”. Is the response instruction for only a price proposal in accordance to Attachment 27 and 28 given that Volume 2 is titled “Price Proposal” in Section L.7 (page 89)?

Response: The offeror shall submit the signed form SF33 (see L.7.4.), submit a price proposal which shall include prices for a base year and four option years for all labor categories set forth in Section B - Pricing Schedule table (see B.6, page 9); additionally, the offeror shall provide the pricing in response to the sample task order 1 for O&M (see L.7.5), and the sample task order 2 for DM&E (see L.37.6).

132. Question: Does the Government have existing relationships with a FedRAMP cloud vendor that the contractor should/must use or need to coordinate with?

Response: No, the Government does not have a relationship at this time. There are no stipulations that the contractor should use a specific FedRamp cloud vendor for this contract.

133. Question: Will the Government allow the Contractor to provide remote resources for development, help desk, and other like services?

Response: If the solution is hosted outside of the PBGC network, the government cannot stipulate where a vendor performs development work. For systems hosted on the PBGC network, the vendor is expected to perform work on PBGC's network. No assumptions should be made. For work performed on PBGC site, PBGC will provide necessary equipment.

134. Question: Can the Government confirm whether the price proposed for Sample Task Order 1 – O&M will be used for the above referenced O&M Task Order price to be issued concurrently with the IDIQ award of the awarded offeror or is it for evaluation purposes only?

Response: In accordance with section L.7.4 VOLUME 2 - PRICE PROPOSAL FACTOR 5 – PRICE (pg 97 of 106), pricing for Sample Task Order 1- O&M and Sample Task Order 2 – DM&E will be the only basis for price evaluation.

135. Question: In supporting “special projects”, will there be flexibility in the originally proposed LCAT types and rates, or ability to add new LCATS, in order to bring in specialists to meet needs that may not have been anticipated at the time of proposal?

Response: The government does not anticipate the need for additional labor categories for special project work as the special project work will require the same expertise needed for the O&M and DME efforts.

136. Question: Can PBGC explain the difference between Legacy BCV and VDCT, as referenced here, “The development of New BCV shall have two separate development teams working concurrently through parallel development efforts for modernizing the current Valuation Database Construction Tool (VDCT) and modernizing Legacy BCV. Both teams shall be provided by Offeror.” Is PBGC planning on issuing two concurrent task orders as part of the Modernization effort to meet this objective or will both efforts be part of the same phase?

Response: It is anticipated that development work for New BCV and VDCT will be completed under the same task order, but by separate development teams.

137. Question: If offerors were to propose tools as part of the solution that are not currently available to PBGC in-house and that exceed the ODC, how will that be handled? Does ODC include licensing costs?

Response. A new CLIN has been added to include Pre-developed Solution Costs. No, ODC does not include licensing costs. These cost shall be included in the new Pre-developed Solution Costs CLIN.

138. Question: states that “A Task Order for the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) portion of this requirement will be issued concurrently upon award of the IDIQ. This Task Order will include a Base Year Period of Performance only.” Will PBGC use the price proposed for Sample Task Order 1 – O&M to award the O&M Base Year task order award concurrently with the IDIQ award? Or will the O&M Base Year task order need to be priced after IDIQ award?

Response: In accordance with section L.7.4 VOLUME 2 - PRICE PROPOSAL FACTOR 5 – PRICE (pg 97 of 106), pricing for Sample Task Order 1- O&M and Sample Task Order 2 – DM&E will be the only be used for evaluation purposes only.

139. Question: describes the PWS and PRS. Does the government expect to see those items as part of the technical approach section or can they be appendices?

Response: The PWS and PRS shall be a part of the offerors Volume I, Factor 1, Technical Approach. Please see Section L.7.3.1 for more information.

140. Question: It appears that PBGC is using the terms technical approach and PWS interchangeably. Should the PWS actually contain details of the technical approach or should it be capturing the expected results with measurable outcomes?

Response: The PWS shall be submitted as part of the Technical Approach. The offeror shall submit its PWS in accordance with section L. 7.3.1 FACTOR 1 – TECHNICAL APPROACH.

141. Question: Does PBGC wish to utilize an established rate card under an existing GWAC?

Response: Please follow the guidance in paragraph L.7.4 Volume 2 - Price Proposal Factor 5.

142. Question: Can offerors include LCATs and hours for Sample Task Order 2 – DM&E in addition to the 11 LCATs provided by PBGC in Attachment 28?

Response: No. Offerors shall not include additional LCATs in addition to what is included in Attachment 28.

143. Question: PBGC will provide all software licenses those are existing and new s/w based on new architecture. Any s/w hardware cost will not be part the sow contract. Please confirm Response: Yes, the government anticipates purchasing any needed s/w hardware. A new CLIN has been added to include Pre-developed Solution Costs.

144. Question: Are there any performance issue in PBGC? Is the list/count available?

Response: That information is not tracked.

145. Question: Is PBGC open to use offshore, nearshore and offsite development center.

Response: The government cannot stipulate where a vendor performs development work. For systems hosted on the PBGC network, the vendor is expected to perform work on PBGC's network. No assumptions should be made. For work performed on PBGC site, PBGC will provide necessary equipment.

146. Question: This section states that all work required under this contract shall be performed at the Government’s provided site, unless otherwise stated in the individual Task Order or directed by the COR. Two questions. First, is it expected that Contractor shall be able to perform development work off site in its own facilities? Second, if all work is to be done on the PBGC designed site, what assumptions should the Contractor make regarding facilities including administrative support, security, equipment, PCs, network, development and test environments etc.? The Government Furnished Information, Assistance and/or Equipment Section (F.3, page 44) states that “to the extent available, copies of regulations, procedures, policies, other materials, administrative support and/or equipment necessary for the contractor to perform the work required by this contract” This provision is both at the discretion of the COR and subject to availability. Contractor does not have a basis to determine pricing without additional detail and firm obligations regarding the provision of the Government Property. Please provide guidance and further information.

Response: It depends. If the solution is hosted outside of the PBGC network, the government cannot stipulate where a vendor performs development work. For systems hosted on the PBGC network, the vendor is expected to perform work on PBGC's network. No assumptions should be made. For work performed on PBGC site, PBGC will provide necessary equipment.

147. Question: This section includes a provision requiring notification by the Contractor of any non-U.S. citizen and a right of refusal by PBGC to permit participation on the contract and refuse them permission to enter PBGC premises. For clarity, is the Contractor permitted to utilize non-U.S. citizens, without vetting them through PBGC, for development work that does not require access to PBGC sites, networks, data or information (PII)?

Response: All employees providing services to PBGC must be vetted in accordance with PBGC policies.

148. Question: Under this section, if all direct charge resources are required to be either U.S. Citizens or vetted through the process defined in Section H.9, does PBGC have any objection to utilizing non-U.S. locations, which may impact whether a contractor proposes, and therefore would expect to utilize, non-U.S. resources since we must propose rates and responses to the sample task orders?

Response: If the solution is hosted outside of the PBGC network, the government cannot stipulate where a vendor performs development work. For systems hosted on the PBGC network, the vendor is expected to perform work on PBGC's network. No assumptions should be made. For work performed on PBGC site, PBGC will provide necessary equipment.

149. Question: Contractor contemplates the possibility of the use of pre-existing intellectual property which would be considered Restricted Rights software. As such, would PBGC consider including the Alternative III provision addressing Restrictive Rights and markings as part of this provision. Should the Government be amenable to making the change, the change should be made in both sections referenced in this questions.

Response: The offeror may propose a different data rights clause as part of its proposal if it thinks it appropriate. In the event that the Offeror proposes a different Data Rights clause, please include as part of your Exceptions & Deviations. Far Clause 52.227-15 Representation of Limited Rights Data and Restricted Computer Software (Dec 2007), has been added. See Amendment 2.

150. Question: Please provide clarification regarding the following paragraph: 1. Will this initial briefing be conducted within 10 days following the award of the IDIQ contract or award of the initial task order? 2. If the initial briefing will be conducted within 10 days following the award of the IDIQ contract, does the Government expect the meeting to occur in the event the initial task order is not yet awarded?

Response: It is expected that the initial briefing will be conducted 10 days after Task Orders are issued.

151. Question: The submission date for proposal is 4/18 12 PM. Considering the volume of this RFP and work associated with the response, will a two week or more extension be granted?

Response: No extension will be granted.

152. Question: Section L does not make reference to attachments, is there a limit to technical attachments for product information and other necessary data for evaluation?

Response: The page limits apply to the entire RFP submission, except as noted in the solicitation.