Amendment 3_RFP_25-004_11222024.pdf

100 Stellarator Road Princeton, NJ 08543 USA

AMENDMENT 3

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) 25-004

November 22,2024

TO: Potential Offerors for RFP No. 25-004

SUBJECT: Amendment No. 3 Includes:

A. Revision to the Statement of Work:

The updates were to sections 2.0, 4.2.4 and 6.0.

a. Section 2.0 - Added the following - DOE Acquisition Guide Chapter 70.42.102: Management and Operating Contractors’ Audit Coverage of Cost-Reimbursement Subcontracts.

b. Section 4.2.4 corrected "inscription" to encryption

c. Section 6.0 Added the last sentence - Work papers must be properly indexed and must cross-reference the audit report and any potential findings

B. Questions asked and answered session period.

1. Statement of Work Audit Closeout Services, Subcontractor 4.2.1 (p. 5 of 12): The solicitation states that “Annually, the Subcontractor shall certify that staff assigned to each audit shall meet staff qualifications and continuing professional education requirements prescribed by Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS) and the IPPF. Additionally, if requested by the PTR or their designee, the Subcontractor shall provide documentation to support each certification.”

Would PPPL please clarify how the vendor should plan to support compliance with the GAGAS and IPPF qualification and education requirements?

Documentation of Compliance: In accordance with the solicitation's request, the vendor should plan to provide documentation supporting the staff qualifications and CPE requirements, if requested by the PTR or their designee. This could include copies of certifications, transcripts from CPE courses, or other documentation that validates compliance with GAGAS and IPPF standards.

2. Statement of Work Audit Closeout Services, Reports 5.1.1 (p. 7 of 12): The section notes that “The Subcontractor shall produce a report expressing an opinion (when GAGAS applies).”

Would PPPL please confirm whether it anticipates all three audit types defined under the services will require an opinion and a report?

PPPL confirms that the requirement for an opinion and report varies depending on the type of audit:

https://www.pppl.gov/

TO: RFP24-054

SUBJECT:Amendment No. 1 Page 2

• Pre-Award Audits: For pre-award audits, the subcontractor is expected to produce a report that includes findings.

The report should document the relevant findings related to the contractor's financial systems or pricing proposal but does not need to express a formal opinion.

• Interim Audits: For interim audits, the subcontractor should produce a report that includes both findings and recommendations. These reports should address the progress of the contract or project, but no formal opinion is required at this stage.

• Forward Pricing Audits: For forward pricing audits, an opinion is required. The subcontractor should provide a formal audit opinion as part of the report, in accordance with GAGAS, on the contractor’s pricing proposals for future contracts.

• Closeout Audits: Similarly, for closeout audits, an opinion is required. The subcontractor must provide an opinion on the final costs, compliance, and any unresolved issues related to the contract, as per GAGAS.

3. Statement of Work Audit Closeout Services, Qualifications 7.0 (p. 9 of 12): The section defines the qualifications, experience and continuing professional education requirements.

Would PPPL please clarify whether there are specific qualifications for each labor category?

Below is an example of specific qualifications for each category:

Personnel years of experience and responsibilities by level

Levels

Approximate Years of Experience

Responsibilities

Partner Principal Managing Director

12-25+

• Retains authority to execute contracts, commit resources, and make decisions for the firm

• Ensures compliance with firm policies, methods, and professional standards

• Participates in project meetings

• Point of contact for resolving changes or questions related to fieldwork

• Holds ultimate responsibility for accuracy of audit reports and compliance with GAGAS standards

• Signature authority for final audit reports

Senior Manager Director Senior Consultant -

SME

7-15+

• Organizes and directs overall engagement performance

• Develops, maintains, and monitors work plans

• Ensures goals and objectives are accomplished on time and within budget

• Manages staff assigned to audits

• Performs quality assurance inspections as needed

• Provides updates on engagement progress

• Performs first or second-line review

• Reviews and approves audit supporting documentation

• Assists in drafting final report and reviews final report

• Ensures deliverables are timely and meet GAGAS quality standards

Experienced Manager Manager

5-10+

• Acts as a center point of communication for the client and the team

• Ensures goals and objectives are accomplished within time and budget

• Monitors project performance and coordinates project activities

• Monitors and reports project costs and level of effort of project staff

• Supervises and reviews the work product prepared by junior personnel

• Prepares draft and final audit reports

Senior Associate Associate Staff

2-5

• Participates in planning of engagement

• Performs testing (i.e. vouching, reconciliations, etc.)

• Executes all tasks delegated by managers

• Ensures that deliverables are in compliance with statement of work

• Prepares documentation, reports, and other deliverables for supervisor review

• Develops audit recommendations with team

4. Statement of Work Audit Closeout Services, 1.0 (page 4 of 11): The SOW states all reports and documentation from audits of foreign companies shall be translated into English.

SUBJECT:Amendment No. 1 Page 3

Would PPPL please confirm whether the offeror will be responsible for translating all documentation received, or whether subcontractors are required to provide documentation in English?

All Documents from the Offeror are required to be in English.

5. Statement of Work Audit Closeout Services, 9.0 (page 9 of 11): This section states the subcontractor shall conduct and provide documentation of its independent peer review process of all work performed by the individual auditors, and this review will be provided to DOE, OIG, and PPPL management.

Would PPPL please clarify whether this relates to the quality control procedures performed for the audit (e.g., review of the audit report by an independent QC reviewer) or the firm’s triennial peer review completed by an external CPA firm?

At the request of PPPL’s PTR, the Subcontractor will provide, within five (5) working days of the request, a copy of any work papers, notes or other documentation (paper or electronic format) created in performing audits. The Subcontractor shall deliver complete signed work paper files (hard copies and editable electronic files, both in a format previously approved in writing by PPPL), including the Subcontractor’s internal quality assurance review notes, in final form to the PTR or their designee. Procurement may share work papers with DOE, OIG, and PPPL management, as required. Work papers must be properly indexed and must cross-reference the audit report and any potential findings.

6. On page 9, Section 7 Qualifications state “Bachelors, in accounting, business or related field with a minimum of 2 years of audit experience or the equivalent combination of education and job-related experience.”

One of our personnel who would be excellent on this work has a bachelor’s, master’s, 3 years of auditing experience, and is a Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Associate in Project Management. Their degrees are not in accounting or business.

Would PPPL consider this to be an equivalent combination of education and job-related experience?

Given these qualifications, we may consider this an equivalent combination of education and experience. Please submit the personnel’s resume for further review.

7. Page 3 of the “Instructions for Proposal Preparation_RVI.pdf” list the parts of the quote as:

Part I: Technical

Part II: Minimum Qualifications

Part III: Offeror Proposal Contents and the instructions also state that the pricing form should be included in part I.

The answer above indicates that part III is pricing even though the instructions state that no pricing information should be included in Part III, please clarify.

PART III Pricing should NOT be included in Parts I and II. It should be submitted in its own File labeled as Part III.

8. Please clarify if “G. Financial and Administrative Information” should be included in Part III.

SUBJECT:Amendment No. 1 Page 4

This was addressed in Amendment 2 and was outlined that Financial and Administrative Information is to be included in either Part I or Part II but NOT in Part III. Part III is only pricing,

9. Should Financial and Administrative Information be included in Part I, Part III or Both?

This was addressed in Amendment 2 and was outlined that Financial and Administrative Information is to be included in either Part I or Part II but NOT in Part III. Part III is only pricing.

10. Page 3 of the “Instructions for Proposal Preparation_RVI.pdf” list the parts of the quote as:

Part I: Technical

Part II: Minimum Qualifications

Part III: Offeror Proposal Contents and the instructions also state that the pricing form should be included in part I.

The answer above indicates that part III is pricing even though the instructions state that no pricing information should be included in Part III, please clarify.

PART I of the Instructions for Proposal Preparation has been revised to redact Offeror Information and Pricing form in Part I. Offeror Information and Pricing Form should only be included in Part III.

C. Revision 2 to the Instructions for Proposal Preparation.

Please acknowledge your receipt of this RFP Amendment No. 3 by signing below and returning it with your proposal package.

Reminder: Proposals Due Date: December 4, 2024.

Sincerely, Cheryl Colan Procurement Specialist

Company: ______________________________

Signature: ______________________________

Name: _________________________________

Title: __________________________________

Date: __________________________________