Alliant_2_Unrestricted_Questions_ _Responses_No._4_16AUG2016.pdf

Alliant 2 Unrestricted Questions & Responses #4 16AUG2016 Solicitation # QTA0016JCA0003

Alliant 2 Unrestricted Official RFP Questions & Responses #4

Note to Interested Offerors: The Alliant 2 acquisition team provides the following questions and responses to clarify common questions and address common concerns that have arisen since the RFP issuance on 24 June 2016.

Please check the Alliant 2 FedBizOpps website on a daily basis for important announcements regarding the RFP.

Please note that the Government cannot furnish specific advice on individual offers nor respond to questions which are outside the scope of the RFP or which are otherwise unintelligible.

Offerors are encouraged to thoroughly read the plain language of the RFP for guidance in addressing questions or concerns.

QUESTION TOPICS

● GENERAL

● RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

● PAST PERFORMANCE

● RESPONSIBILITY REVIEW

● PRICING

GENERAL

QUESTION 1: Can we submit the original A2SB J.P-2 and J.P-3 completed templates in the A2 Unrestricted proposal since the forms are materially the same between the two solicitations? It would be easier for a small business to create many similar proposal sections only once and use them in both solicitations.

RESPONSE: You are welcome, as a small business, to place an offer on each of the two solicitations if you choose. However, be aware that the Alliant 2 Small Business procurement is a separate and distinct procurement from Alliant 2 Unrestricted; therefore, submitting the Alliant 2 Small Business J.P forms will not be applicable or accepted on the Alliant 2 Unrestricted procurement.

QUESTION 2: For DVD+R testing purposes, what version of MS Office and Adobe Acrobat does the GSA use?

RESPONSE: MS Office 2010, and Adobe Acrobat XI Pro.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

QUESTION 3: When there are multiple FPDS-NG reports that make up the total contract value and/or the total period of performance, would the government accept up to 10 FPDS-NG reports in Volume 2 or does the government want all FPDS-NG reports?

RESPONSE: The Offeror may provide the latest, most recent FPDS Report for each of the Task Orders cited instead of every FPDS Report generated for each Task Order.

QUESTION 4: Can an offeror use one of the Task Orders on a LET from a “collection of task orders” that is used on a PSC relevant experience?

RESPONSE: Yes, you can submit a maximum of one LET from the entire PSC “collection of task orders.” However, it is the entire “collection of task orders” that must be presented as a single PSC project for the LET, not just the individual Task Order(s) because you are not permitted to unbundle the “collection of task orders.”

QUESTION 5: If the Contracting Officer elects to have the COR sign the template because they are in a better position to verify the technical aspect of the citation, will that be acceptable if COR email notification is provided to the CO by the COR that they have signed the LET template on their behalf? Should the Offeror submit a copy of the actual email with our bid?

RESPONSE: The J.P-2/J.P-3 forms require the Contracting Officer’s name and contact information; however, the signature of the CO, or COR in lieu of the Contracting Officer, is acceptable. The current cognizant Contracting Officer email to the COR is not needed (although acceptable supporting documentation) with the J.P-2/J.P-3 whenever the COR is signing the form. The RFP instructions request the COR to copy the CO on the J.P-2/J.P-3 forms. A retired or former Contracting Officer not having cognizance over the Project/Order may not sign the J.P-2/J.P-3 forms.

QUESTION 6: May an Offeror use a task order contract on a BPA/IDIQ as a project if the task order met the requirements while at the same time combine other task orders issued under that same BPA/IDIQ to create another project, not including the task being presented independently as described above?

RESPONSE: Yes, a BPA/IDIQ may utilize individual Task Orders as a Project, while also have other different Task Orders as part of a collection of Task Orders for another Project. Remember, a Task Order can only be used one time for a PSC. For example, if one Task Order is submitted as a single project, it cannot be used again within a “collection of Task Orders.” The Offeror is reminded that the J.P-2 form permits one PSC and one Funding Agency ID to be entered per form. Therefore, a Project, consisting of a collection of Task Orders, must cite the same Funding Agency ID for all Orders within that collection. The claimed PSC should be consistent for all Orders within the collection, unless confirmed otherwise by the CO/COR on the J.P-2. The collection of Task Orders cannot be unbundled for individual task orders to be reused to satisfy other Relevant Experience Projects.

QUESTION 7: If the offeror is demonstrating experience through a series of task orders against an Indefinite Delivery task order contract (that are well defined, for a specific purpose(s), and task orders are issued on a recurring basis) who should the offeror use as the Contracting Officer if different task orders have different named contracting officers?

RESPONSE: The Offeror may choose any cognizant Contracting Officer from the collection of Task Orders to sign the J.P-2/J.P-3, however, if the PSC cited on Orders is not consistent with the claimed PSC Group, the Offeror must follow the procedures outlined in RFP Section L.5.2.2.1.1. Also, be aware that the J.P-2 form permits only one Funding Agency ID to be entered per form.

QUESTION 8: (a) If prospective SOWs are written vaguely and do not specifically identify leading edge technology activities that are being performed, would it be acceptable to highlight a general statement in the SOW such as “Complete specific projects as assigned”? (b) May an Offeror submit a contract/order deliverable as the reference to show that the work was performed?

RESPONSE: No, to both questions. (a) Citing “Complete specific projects as assigned” as a LET cannot be used as it is too nebulous to attribute to an IT Service. (b) The Government will not evaluate project deliverables.

QUESTION 9: There is no place on the J.P-2 form for contractors to indicate if they are the Prime Contractor. How does the Government want the Offeror to indicate and claim it performed a project(s) as Prime?

RESPONSE: Attach the FPDS-NG Report showing Vendor Name which denotes the Prime Contractor for the project.

QUESTION 10: Will the government allow Project Identifiers (Attachment J.P-3, Part 1. Project Identification, 8th row) on the signed template to be hand corrected after the CO has signed and returned the completed LET template? The RFP Section L.5.1.2 Paragraph 7 states "The Project Identifier (LET 1-1 through LET 10-3) in the Document Verification and Self Scoring Worksheet must mirror the same Project Identifier selected in the Relevant Experience (Leading Edge Technology) Project Template found in the RFP."

RESPONSE: No. Once the original is signed, and you subsequently require a change, you must create and submit a newly revised J.P form to the CO for signature.

QUESTION 11: Are signatures required from the same cognizant Government officials for both Attachments J.P-2 and J.P-5 when they are for the same project?

RESPONSE: No, the same CO/COR need not sign; however, if they are different signatories, each must have the current cognizance over the Project. For example, it is acceptable for the CO to sign the J.P-2, and the COR, who is the assessing official on the project, to sign the J.P-5.

QUESTION 12: For a collection of Task Orders submitted, are individual PSCs required per task order or will an overall PSC be sufficient whether in FPDS-NG Report or acknowledged by the CO per section M?

RESPONSE: The J.P-2 permits one PSC Code to be entered per form. The claimed PSC should be consistent for all Orders within the collection. The collection of Task Orders cannot be unbundled for individual task orders to be reused to satisfy other Relevant Experience Projects.

QUESTION 13: If the Offeror is submitting a "bundle" of task orders, should we submit all FPDS-NG Report forms, followed by all Award forms, etc? Or should we follow this order for each individual task order? Where should we list every task order? Could we provide an excel list of every Task Order covered?

RESPONSE: All award documents and most recent FPDS-NG Report for every Task Order is needed within a single PDF file. The list of Task Orders are to be provided on the J.P-2.

QUESTION 14: (a) Please clarify if we are to provide Funding Agency Name or Funding Agency ID. (b) How do we determine the funding agency when it is not recorded in the FPDS- NG and not stated on the award document? (c) Some of the Federal Agencies listed as an approved Independent Agency in the Draft RFP Attachment J.P-3 Top Level Agencies List do not utilize FPDS-NG. Shouldn’t we get credit for those all those agencies too?

RESPONSE: (a) The Funding Agency ID is always required; however, if the Offeror also includes the Funding Agency Name along with the Funding Agency ID#, that is acceptable. (b) Every federal agency does have a Funding Agency ID# and it must be on the FPDS-NG. (c) As a reminder, the Draft RFP is not the controlling document of this official procurement.

QUESTION 15: Can Offerors provide Funding Agency ID verification via a signed J.P-2 form or other documentation in lieu of a FPDS-NG Report in the case of qualified group related/relevant projects that have a classified customer?

RESPONSE: No. Section L.5.2.2.2 requires the Funding Agency ID is on the FPDS-NG Report.

QUESTION 16: Please confirm whether work executed for Federally Funded non-profit organizations would constitute a unique Federal Customer?

RESPONSE: No. Federally funded non-profit organizations are not considered federal agencies. It appears you are referring to providing work as a hired contractor under a federal grant. Grants are not contracts. A similar question asking if grants were acceptable was previously addressed in Q&R # 3, Question 23.

QUESTION 17: In a case when the contracting client is different than the funding client(s) and if the FPDS-NG Report shows only contracting client name, how do we show and get credit for the funding client(s)

RESPONSE: Federal Government Customer is determined by the Funding Agency ID # identified within the FPDS-NG Report. The Funding Agency ID # must be indicated in the appropriate box on Attachment J.P-2 Relevant Experience (PSC Group) Project Template.

QUESTION 18: Would GSA permit offerors to use unique Funding Office IDs in FPDS-NG, the line beneath Funding Agency ID, for credit toward Experience with Multiple Federal Government Customers? Would GSA provide scoring allowance for separate customers despite having the same Funding Agency ID?

RESPONSE: No. The Funding Agency ID # as reported on the FPDS-NG Report will be used for validating credit toward Experience with Multiple Federal Government Customers.

Additionally, is it not acceptable to provide funding CLINS from contracts and SOWs to demonstrate additional funding from multiple federal customers.

QUESTION 19: When a single contract funded by multiple agencies, the contracting client is often different than funding client. In these instances, the FPDS entry frequently shows the contracting client’s ID as the funding agency ID as opposed to the multiple funding agencies. If the Offeror is able to demonstrate that multiple funding agencies utilized a single contract, is the Offeror able to receive additional points for each unique Federal Government Customer utilizing that contract under Section L.5.2.2.3?

RESPONSE: No. An Offeror may reference only one FUNDING AGENCY ID code per Project, including a “collection of task orders” that makes up a single project.

PAST PERFORMANCE

QUESTION 20: Can the bidder use the Past Performance survey (J.P-5), in lieu of an Interim CPARS, when a CPARS is not available and current contract performance is less than one year?

RESPONSE: ONLY if a CPARS/PPIRS is not available can the Offeror use the J.P-5. Past performance assessments are required for each PSC Project submitted up to a maximum of seven. (NOTE: CPARS/PPIRS or J.P-5 is not required for LETs.)

QUESTION 21: For Past Performance where PPIRS information does not exist, can vendors provide this sealed package in our hard copy submittal and in the electronic file reference the fact a sealed package was provided?

RESPONSE: No, a sealed envelope submitted by the client or the Offeror specific to the past performance is not acceptable.

PRICING

QUESTION 22: What is the Government's criteria, in regard to years of experience for each of the Knowledge/Skill levels?

RESPONSE: The Government has not established the minimum years of experience for each of the skill levels. These levels are pre-established to maintain standardization of the labor categories between Offerors. The Ordering Contracting Officers, if they choose, may request more details as to the Offeror’s established years of experience per each level at the Task Order level.

QUESTION 23: Are the Direct Labor rate ranges provided in Attachment J.P-6 for only the Government site, or are they meant for both Government site AND Contractor site?

RESPONSE: Both the Government site and the Contractor site.

RESPONSIBILITY REVIEW RFP Section L.5.6 VOLUME 7 – RESPONSIBILITY

QUESTION 24: In Vol 7, we have to complete the GSA 527. In block 59, it says to list your biggest contract in the last 5 years. Our largest contract is $110M, and the block will only allow us to go to 8 places, instead of 9. Is it acceptable to put $99,999,999 in the form, since it is a GSA form that won’t be able to be changed for this solicitation? Same issues for Sections VI and VII, fields E, F, and G will accept a maximum of 8 numerals.

RESPONSE: No. The Offeror may handwrite a value on the form. It is acceptable on GSA Form 527.

QUESTION 25: Form 527 - completed for a specific date, such as 07/31/16, or for a range of years, such as the last 3 years from a date?

RESPONSE: Provide financial data from the past two fiscal years. The GSA Credit & Finance will conduct a pre-approval survey and analysis of a prospective Offeror to ensure that the Offeror is financially viable, solvent and able to fulfill requirements under the Alliant 2 GWAC.

QUESTION 26: Form 527 - (1) Regarding Amount Outstanding – should this entry should ONLY represent balances outstanding on Line of Credit or Term Loans? (2) Amount Owing – should this represent the current balance owed for credit amounts exclusive of applicant’s Line of Credit or Term Loans?

RESPONSE: (1) Amount Outstanding pertains only to Line of Credit Information; (2) Amount Owing pertains only to Term Loan information. Additionally, question 13 on the GSA Form 527 has a printing error. It should read "Have you or any of your affiliates discontinued business operations with outstanding debts?"

(End of Alliant 2 RFP Questions and Responses #4)