Q_A4ESS.pdf

FACE Educational Support Services

Q&A for 140A2325Q0251, renumbered to 140A2326Q0003

1. Is there an incumbent for this work, and if so, who is it? LSG Educational Services LLC

2. What is the total funded amount for this work, including the $225,000 ($45k/year) allotted for travel expenses? Attachment 2 As identified on page 4 of the solicitation this requirement is being solicited using FAR 13.5. It is the bidder’s responsibility to provide a FFP quote for services to be rendered. Travel is in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR), pages 12-13 of the PWS.

3. Are we allowed to use more than one person in the listed labor categories? Attachment 2 The Government has identified the total hours to be provided; it is up to the bidder to ensure those hours are fulfilled.

4. Are the number of hours listed the maximum allowable for each labor category? Attachment 2 Yes

5. Can the BIE clarify which specific FACE/Early Childhood Programs or sites are within the scope of this contract? PWS The Education Support Services contract will encompass all Bureau-funded FACE sites operating under the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) Early Childhood Programs Office.

This includes approximately 55 active FACE sites nationwide, each implementing integrated Prekindergarten, Adult Education, and Family Enrichment (Home-Based) components.

Additionally, new FACE sites may be added overtime throughout the contract period. The contractor shall be required to provide the same level of support, training, and technical assistance to any newly approved sites as to existing ones. The contractor’s scope also extends to data collection and reporting support for the Infant and Toddler (IDEA Part C/B) program, as directed by the BIE Early Childhood Lead.

6. Does the BIE anticipate changes in FACE program requirements or sites during the contract period? PWS Yes. The BIE anticipates ongoing programmatic and site-level changes during the contract period. Because FACE is an ever-evolving program aligned to national standards, curricula, and early childhood best practices, adjustments are expected to ensure the program remains in full compliance with federal, state, and BIE early childhood and home-based service requirements.

These may include:

• Updates to FACE program requirements, reporting timelines, or data collection tools;

• Modifications to the number or location of FACE sites based on Tribal participation, program performance, or new approvals; and

• Integration of revised standards, curricula, or assessment systems that reflect current early childhood and family engagement practices.

The contractor shall remain flexible and responsive to these ongoing updates to ensure continuous, compliant support to all active and newly added sites.

7. Who is the contractor that created the current system(s) used? Refer to question 1.

8. How many resumes does the Government require, if any, at the time of proposal submission?

Resumes for each position, not to exceed 2 pages, should be provided with quote submission.

9. 5 positions are listed in the pricing schedule. Are these positions and hours estimates that we can modify or are we to price exactly to this? Refer to questions 4.

10. 5 positions are specified in the PWS and 5 positions are specified in the Pricing Schedule.

Only 1 of the 5 positions matches exactly. Please clarify Positions are the same.

11. The solicitation specifies a Data Analyst/Evaluation Specialist that is not listed in either the PWS or the Pricing Schedule. Please clarify. Listed as position 3 in both PS (Data Analyst/Eval Spec)) and PWS (Data Analyst(s)).

12. This SOW specifies software development tasks but no contractor roles specified contain software development skills. Please clarify.

This contract does not include full-scale software development or the creation of new standalone applications. All work shall be performed using existing and approved Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) or Department of the Interior (DOI) platforms, such as Power BI, SharePoint, FormAssembly, and Power Apps.

Contractor personnel must, however, possess sufficient technical and system engineering expertise to:

• Configure, integrate, and optimize existing data systems;

• Develop light scripts, connectors, or automations necessary for interoperability;

• Support data migration, testing, and modernization efforts under BIE direction;

• Maintain compliance with FedRAMP, FISMA, and Section 508; and

• Provide ongoing data collection, validation, and analytics support for both FACE and

Infant & Toddler programs.

If the contractor identifies a need to transition to an alternative or enhanced system, they shall prepare a written technical recommendation and impact analysis for BIE review. Any system transition or new platform adoption shall occur only upon written approval and direction from BIE.

13. 5 positions are specified. 4 are listed as plural. Is there a potential for more than one of each? Refer to question 3.

14. Is maintenance and development of PowerBi, PowerBI Apps, and form assembly assumed to be performed by the Data Analysts?

Yes. The Data Analysts and Sr. Data System Engineer will be responsible for the maintenance, enhancement, configuration, and improvement of:

• Power BI dashboards, data models, and apps used for FACE and Infant & Toddler reporting;

• FormAssembly forms and workflows used for program data collection; and

• Related permissions, integrations, and compliance with BIE’s data governance and

IT-security standards.

In addition, the contractor shall:

• Identify and recommend potential enhancements or transitions to alternative FedRAMP-approved platforms when these would improve functionality, user experience, or compliance;

• Provide technical documentation, cost estimates, and risk assessments to accompany such recommendations;

• Assist with planning, testing, and implementation of any approved system changes or migrations under BIE’s direction; and

• Ensure that all modifications maintain data integrity, continuity, and compliance across both the FACE and Infant & Toddler programs.

15. The Page Limitation table specifies 10 pages maximum for the Technical Capability and

Transition plan. The subsequent 5 lines below this specify up to 5 pages of additional material specific to the FACE program of early childhood development, skills, and testing.

Are the 5 subsequent pages contain in the 10 pages of the Technical or are they additional pages for a total of 15 pages? Contained within, the subsequent lines are specific questions related to the Technical Capability and Transition Plan.

16. Can past performances come from subcontractors? No

17. Where can I find those last two pages? There was a misnumbering on the solicitation, correction is pages 1 of 21.

18. Under the heading of “Technical Capability,” we find this requirement: “The offeror shall have seven (7) or more years background and experience working with BIA/BIE funded schools, provide the number of years.” Can this requirement be met by a Subject Matter Expert hired by the offeror? Or does the offeror itself (as a legal entity) need to have 7 or more years working with BIA/BIE funded schools? Applies to the SME hired by the offeror.