Amendment__4_RFP-NIAID-DMID-NIHAI2016059.pdf

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AMENDMENT #4 (Q&A)

RFP-NIAID-DMID-NIHAI2016059

“PRE-CLINICAL MODELS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES”

AMENDMENT No. 4

This Amendment lists questions submitted by interested parties and the responses provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

The responses are offered for information only and do not modify or become part of this solicitation.

Amendment Number: Four (4)

Amendment Issue Date: June 10, 2016

Proposal Due Date: Wednesday, July 13, 2016 5:00 PM EST

(UNCHANGED)

Issued By:

Brian A. Madgey

Contracting Officer Office of Acquisitions, DEA National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institutes of Health 5601 Fishers Lane, Room 3D47

MSC 9821

Rockville, Maryland 20852-9821

Point of Contact:

Brian Madgey., Contracting Officer

Email: madgeyba@mail.nih.gov.

Offerors must acknowledge receipt of the final posting of Amendment #4, on each copy of the proposal submitted. Failure to receive your acknowledgment of this Amendment may result in the rejection of your proposal.

The hour and date specified for receipt of proposals HAS NOT been extended.

THE CUTOFF DATE FOR QUESTIONS IS JUNE 29, 2016.

THE FOLLOWING PAGES PROVIDE ANSWERS CONCERNING A NUMBER OF INQUIRIES WE HAVE

RECEIVED FOR THE ABOVE NUMBERED SOLICITATION:

mailto:madgeyba@mail.nih.gov.

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Question No.

Reference Question / Response

1. Part III – Section J – Attachment 5: Additional Technical Proposal Instructions

Question: In Section 3: Technical Plan/Approach for each Task Area- Do we provide an example of a response for a Task Order solicitation in Section 3, or do we provide an example of a response to a Task Order solicitation in Attachment 6?

Response: The sample Task Orders are provided to assess the Offeror’s capabilities to conduct and fulfill the requirements of the Statement of Work for projects of similar scope and size to be issued under contracts awarded in response to this solicitation. Offerors are to include in their proposals a response that specifies the methods by which each Sample Task Order will be accomplished and the project management plan, with associated costs. Offerors should refer to the Additional Technical Proposal Instructions (attachment #5) and Additional Business Proposal Instructions for guidance regarding preparation of their proposals. These additional Technical Proposal instructions reflect the requirements of the solicitation and provide specific instructions and formatting for the Technical Proposal.

As stated in the Additional Technical Proposal Instructions (Attachment # 5) Offerors are advised to give careful considerations to the Statement of Work, all reference materials, and attachments, the Technical Evaluation Criteria in Section M of this solicitation, and the solicitation as a whole in the development of their Technical Proposals.

2. Part III – Section J – Attachment 5: Additional Technical Proposal Instructions & Attachment 7: Additional Business Proposal Instructions and Uniform Cost Assumptions

Question: If we are able to provide an example Task Order response (new, existing or on-going), should we provide both the Technical Proposal and the Business Proposal, or is the Technical Proposal sufficient?

Response: Please read through the submission instructions and attachments in the solicitation.

3. Part III – Section J –

Attachment 6a: Sample Task Order A01.

Question: Since we have many pathogen/small animal models, should we provide examples of two or more responses to different Task Order solicitations in Attachment 6?

Response: There is no added value in submitting more than one sample task order in a single Task Area.

4. Part III – Section J – Attachment 6a: Sample Task Order A01.

Question: Can a selected infectious agent for Sample Task Order A01 be a mouse–adapted strain of an agent known to cause human disease?

Response: Yes

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5. Part III – Section J – Attachment 6a: Sample Task Order A01.

Question: The Sample Task Order A01 indicates 200 animals and up to 10 products tested. Does this mean 200 animals per product?

Response: No, it means 200 animals total.

6. Part III – Section J – Attachment 6d: Sample Task Order C02

Question: The Sample Task Order C02 indicates 40 animals. Can more than this number of non-traditional animals be used – as appropriate to the model?

Response: The submission instructions are provided as a guideline so that all Offerors are able to develop proposals adhering to the same assumptions. The Offeror is encouraged to adhere to the cost assumptions, but it is not required.

7. Part III – Section J – Attachment 6c: Sample Task Order C01; & Attachment 6d: Sample Task Order C02

Question: Is the offeror required to submit BOTH Sample Task Order C01 and C02 for Task Area C, or can they choose one?

Response: One submission for Task Area C is sufficient.

8. Part III – Section J – Attachment 6a: Sample Task Order A01;

Attachment 6b: Sample Task Order B01;

Attachment 6c: Sample Task Order C01; & Attachment 6d: Sample Task Order C02

Question: If an institution has multiple pathogens from both bacterial and virology researchers to include in the proposed pre-clinical models available, should the contract proposals be divided into two separate proposals?

Response: The proposal should only be divided by Task Area, not by pathogen or agent type. For example, if the Offeror has capability to provide mouse models of bacterial and viral infections, then the Offeror should plan to submit one proposal addressing the requirements for Task Area A only.

9. Part III – Section J – Attachment 6a: Sample Task Order A01;

Attachment 6b: Sample Task Order B01;

Attachment 6c: Sample Task Order C01; & Attachment 6d: Sample Task Order C02

Question: If an Offeror submits a proposal in all three task areas A, B, or C but is only awarded the task A, when a task order request for a model in the other two task B or C areas is solicited by the government, can the task A offeror respond if they can perform the work?

Response: No. Offerors will only be able to respond to task order requests within the pool they are awarded.

10. Part III – Section J – Attachment 6a: Sample Task Order A01;

Attachment 6b: Sample Task Order B01;

Attachment 6c: Sample Task Order C01; & Attachment 6d: Sample Task Order C02

Question: Is it acceptable to provide an existing/ongoing Task Order as an example?

Response: Please follow the guidelines in the solicitation and respond accordingly.

11. Part III – Section J – Attachment 7: Additional Business Proposal

Question: If you have a subcontract in the Offeror proposal, for the business proposal, does the budget need to include a detailed budget for the subcontract or that would be included in the response to the task order only?

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Instructions and Uniform Cost Assumptions

Response: Please refer to SECTION L.2.c.12 on page 82 of the RFP. Item f. states that a complete cost proposal in the same format as the offeror’s cost proposal is required for subcontractors.

12. Part IV – Section L.2.c.10 Small Business Subcontracting Plan

Question: What dollar ceiling should be used when planning the Small Business Subcontracting Plan? The total amount of each proposed Sample Task Order or the $40 million max. ceiling cited on page 4 of the RFP?

Response: The $40 million maximum ceiling.

13. Part IV – Section L.2.c.10 Small Business Subcontracting Plan

Question: There is no mention of the Extent of Small Disadvantaged Business Participation in the RFP. Should language regarding this be included in the Business Proposal?

Response: Small Disadvantaged Business Participation language is listed on page 74 and 75 of the solicitation. HHS has a goal of 5% for Small Disadvantaged Business Participation.

14. Part IV – Section L.2.c.10 Small Business Subcontracting Plan

Question: In past RFP’s, the NIH has included a separate section in the RFP that specifically addresses the ‘Extent of Small Disadvantaged Business Participation. We see this section is not included in this particular RFP and is also not listed as an evaluation factor for Award in Section M. Can you confirm that we do not need to include a separate section in our Business Proposal that discusses “Extent of Small Disadvantaged Business Participation” with targets?

Response: There is not a separate section in this RFP and it is not an evaluation factor

15. Other: Solicitation Attachments

Question: I could not see the links (locations) to the Attachment 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 documents in the solicitation.

Response: Attachments 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 are attached to the end of the solicitation. If you are to open the pdf they begin on page 87 and end at 132.

16. Other: Offeror Eligibility Question: Can a for-profit organization located outside of the US be an applicant in the proposal?

Response: Yes.