Questions - Answers Matrix (Edit 1 - Resumes).xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 94 KB Posted
- Attached to
- Hospital Communications Support
- Solicitation number
- RFQHT001426QE048
- Issued by
-
Defense Health Agency
About this file
This is a Questions and Answers Matrix documenting over 140 questions and responses regarding RFQ HT001426QE048 for Hospital Communications Support services at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC). The solicitation seeks a firm-fixed-price contract for seven full-time equivalent positions including graphic designers, editors, writers/authors, video production specialists, public relations, and executive secretariat support. The contract is a small-business set-aside (SBA) with an estimated value of $5.7 million covering the base period plus two option years. The quotation deadline is October 28, 2026, at 3:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time, with anticipated award on or before December 1, 2026, the contract start date. Performance is 100-percent on-site at WRNMMC with normal duty hours from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. Invoicing will be monthly based on actual hours worked within the fixed-price structure, with 1,912 productive hours annually per FTE. Subcontractors must also be small businesses, and proposed subcontractor experience is permissible for evaluation purposes.
Evaluation will follow a gated methodology with Factor 1 (Technical Approach) rated acceptable/unacceptable as an initial gate, followed by trade-off analysis between Factor 2 (Past Performance, evaluated by confidence level) and Factor 3 (Price). Responses must include a three-page Technical Approach narrative, a separately submitted Quality Control Plan outside the page limit, completed SF 1449 pricing forms, a completed Hospital Communications Support Pricing Matrix, and two to three past-performance references using the revised Past Performance Questionnaire for HT001426QE048 or CPARS evaluations. Personnel resumes are not required until after award. The government will provide all equipment and software including Adobe Creative Cloud, video cameras, audio and lighting equipment, editing workstations, computers, and office facilities. Service Contract Labor Standards do not apply. No security clearances are required; personnel must complete Tier II public trust background investigations and obtain CAC credentials before beginning work, with the government initiating investigations after award. Health requirements include standard vaccinations (TDAP, MMR, flu, hepatitis B, tuberculosis screening) at contractor expense. This is a follow-on to expired contracts HT001421F0188 and HT0014-22-P-0017; all seven incumbent positions are currently filled. The Defense Health Agency is the awarding agency, and questions should be submitted to philip.b.atwell.ctr@health.mil.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| REV Pricing Matrix HT001426QE048.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| REV Instructions to Offerors HT001426QE048.docx | DOCX document | |
| REV Past Performance Questionnaire HT001426QE048.docx | DOCX document | |
| REV RFQ Document HT001426QE048.docx | DOCX document | |
| Solicitation - HT001426QE048.pdf | ||
| Evaluation Factors for Award - HT001426QE048.docx | DOCX document | |
| Past Performance Questionnaire HT001426QE048.docx | DOCX document | |
| Solicitation - HT001426QE048 Amendment 1.pdf | ||
| Hospital Communications Support Pricing Matrix - HT001426QE048.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| RFQ Document HT001426QE048.docx | DOCX document | |
| PWS - HT001426QE048.docx | DOCX document | |
| Instructions to Offerors HT001426QE048.docx | DOCX document |
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| Ques | Question Description | Answer | PWS Reference/Note |
| 1 | Before proceeding, could you please confirm whether this requirement includes any bonding requirements, such as a bid bond, performance bond, or payment bond? | There are no bonding requirements. | |
| 2 | If bonding is required, could you also advise on the required bond amount or percentage and when the bond documentation must be submitted? | Bonding is not required. | |
| 3 | Question period after Amendment 0001.Amendment 0001 extends the quotation due date to October 28, 2026. The Instructions to Offerors state that questions are due October 7, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. EST. Please confirm whether the question deadline remains October 7 or has also been extended. (Amendment 0001; Instructions to Offerors ¶4.) | Due date for offers extended, question deadline remained at October 7, 2026. | |
| 4 | Quality Control Plan submission.The PWS says a Quality Control Plan (QCP) will be provided with the proposal as an evaluation factor, while the Instructions describe a Technical Approach narrative limited to three pages. Is a separate QCP required with the quotation? If so, is it outside the three-page limit, and is a prescribed format or page limit applicable? (PWS §1.10.1 and CDRL A001; Instructions to Offerors, Factor 1.) | The Quality Control Plan (QCP) is required to be submitted with the proposal in accordance with PWS paragraph 1.10.1 and CDRL A001. The QCP is submitted as a separate attachment and is excluded from the three-page Technical Approach limitation. The current PWS does not specify a separate QCP page limit or formatting requirement. QCP should be submitted as a separate attachment and does not count toward the three-page limit for the Technical Approach. | |
| 5 | Personnel documentation with the quote. The PWS lists seven FTE positions but reserves the Key Personnel section. Must the quotation identify and include résumés, letters of availability, education evidence, or portfolios for any or all proposed staff? If yes, please specify which roles and whether these materials count toward the three-page Technical Approach limit. (PWS §§1.12, 5.2–5.3; Instructions to Offerors, Factor 1.) | No. | |
| 6 | Individual subcontractor personnel. May the prime contractor furnish the seven on-site positions through qualified individual subcontractors, subject to all applicable labor, access, supervision, and PWS requirements, or must any positions be filled by the prime contractor’s direct employees? (PWS §§1.1, 1.11, 1.14.2, 5.4.1.) | Yes. But any subcontractor must also meet the requirement of being a small business. | |
| 7 | Service Contract Labor Standards. Please identify the Service Contract Labor Standards clauses and wage determination, if any, applicable to this requirement, including the labor classifications relevant to the six listed categories. If no wage determination applies, please clarify how offerors should price any applicable wage and fringe obligations. (Solicitation labor clauses; PWS §5.3.) | Not Applicable. | |
| 8 | Required price submission format. The Instructions require all CLINs to be priced on the SF 1449, while the attached pricing matrix contains base salary, fringe, overhead, G&A, and profit fields. Is the completed pricing matrix mandatory in addition to the SF 1449? If so, how should the matrix identify subcontracted labor costs when there is no employee salary or employer fringe for that individual? (Instructions to Offerors, Price; attached Pricing Matrix.) | Complete revised pricing matrix in addition to the SF 1449. | |
| 9 | Hours and fixed-price invoicing. Each FTE is shown as 1,912 productive hours annually (3,824 hours for two Graphic Designers), but the award is described as firm fixed price. Will invoices be based on monthly fixed CLIN amounts, accepted actual hours, or another method? Please clarify how federal holidays, Government-directed closures, required training, and approved onboarding time affect the annual hour requirement and payment. (SF 1449 CLIN schedule; PWS §§1.7, 3.1.) | MONTHLY AMOUNT ON ACTUAL HOURS. Only approved actual hours shall be invoiced and subsequently paid. UNLESS ASSIGNED TO WORK ON THE HOLIDAY'S NO PAYMENT OF HOURS WILL BE ACCEPTED. | |
| 10 | Daily coverage and contingency support. Please provide the expected daily on-site coverage window for each position. For occasional work outside normal duty hours, is that effort included within the 1,912 annual hours or separately authorized and priced? How much advance notice is normally available? (PWS §§1.7.3–1.7.4.) | The contractor is responsible for conducting business Monday thru Friday except Federal holidays or when the Government facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government directed facility closings. The contractor must at all times maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within the PWS when the Government facility is not closed for the above reasons. | |
| 11 | Transition and access timing. The base period begins December 1, 2026, and the PWS states that background investigation and network access may take two weeks or more. What transition-in period will be available after award, and may onboarding, orientation, and mandatory training be charged under the base-period CLINs before personnel receive CAC/network access? (PWS §§1.6.1, 1.11, 1.16, 3.1.) | THEY NEED TO RECEIVE THEIR CAC BEFORE THEY CAN ACCESS TRAINING | |
| 12 | Government-provided production resources. The PWS identifies Government-provided office space and computers, but it does not specify specialized production resources. Will the Government provide Adobe Creative Cloud or equivalent software licenses, professional cameras, lighting and audio equipment, editing workstations, storage, and approved collaboration systems? Please identify any resources that the contractor must furnish and price. (PWS §§1.2, 3.2–3.4, 4.5, 5.3.) | YES, GOVT WILL PROVIDE ALL THE EQUIPMENT NEEDED. | |
| 13 | Vacancy and fill-rate standards. PWS §5.4 requires 100% of vacant positions to be filled within 30 working days, whereas the Performance Requirements Summary refers to a 75% fill rate and filling vacancies within 30 days. Please clarify the governing standard, whether “days” means calendar or working days, and when the vacancy clock starts. (PWS §5.4; Part 7 PRS items 7–9.) | 30 CALENDAR DAYS | |
| 14 | Health and immunization requirements. The Performance Requirements Summary calls for compliance with health and immunization requirements, but the specific screening and immunization list is not apparent in the PWS. Please provide the applicable requirements, whether they apply to all seven on-site positions, and the timing for completion. (PWS Part 7, PRS item 2.) | AS LONG AS THEY HAVE A HEALTH AND IMMUNIZATION CHART UP TO DATE WITH THE VENDOR ON FILE. NO FILES WILL BE GIVEN TO WRNMMC. | |
| 15 | Past-performance references. For the required two or three same-or-similar references, may an offeror include relevant work performed by a proposed subcontractor or team member? If so, how will the Government assess the proposed subcontractor’s role and the relationship of that experience to the prime offeror? (Instructions to Offerors, Experience and Factor 2.) | Yes, performance will be assessed based on relation to requirement. | |
| 16 | Can the agency confirm the correct past-performance questionnaire? Its heading refers to HT0014-26-Q-E033, rather than this solicitation, and contains wording that appears carried over from another requirement. Can the offeror correct the heading to be the same as the RFQ or wait for another questionnaire? | Offeror can correct the heading to be the same as the RFQ. | |
| 17 | Estimated procurement value. The RFQ announcement states an estimated procurement cost of $5,711,262. Is this figure an informational Government estimate or a not-to-exceed amount for the total evaluated base and option periods? (RFQ announcement; Instructions to Offerors, Factor 3.) | Informational Government estimate. | |
| 18 | Are we able to add short form resumes summary for proposed resources to the response that will not count against the 3 page technical submission? | Resumes are not required until after award. | |
| 19 | The solicitation package includes evaluation language describing Factor 1 – Technical as Acceptable/Unacceptable, followed by a tradeoff between Past Performance and Price for technically acceptable quoters. A separate Evaluation Factors document describes a tradeoff analysis among Technical Approach, Experience, and Price. Please confirm which evaluation methodology will govern the Government's source selection for HT001426QE048 and the relative importance of Factors 1, 2, and 3. | See Revised Instructions to Offerors for updated evaluation methodology. | |
| 20 | Please confirm whether the two-to-three required references may include relevant performance of a proposed first-tier subcontractor/team member when that entity will perform a material portion of the corresponding services. | Yes | |
| 21 | Are there additional files associated with this solicitation, including a pricing worksheet and evaluation criteria, that you could share with us? | See Revised Instructions to Offerors for updated evaluation methodology. | |
| 22 | Incumbent: Is this requirement currently performed under an existing contract? If so, please provide the incumbent contractor's name and the current contract number. | Yes, contracts HT001421F0188 and HT0014-22-P-0017 which expire on 11/30/2026. | |
| 23 | The solicitation's Past Performance Questionnaire template.: Will references for commercial work of the same or similar scope (for example, graphic design, video production, and public relations services for commercial clients) be considered relevant, provided they are completed within the past three years and submitted on the attached Past Performance Questionnaire? | Corrected questionnaire for HT0014-26-Q-E048 posted, completed questionnaires must be included in the quoter's submission. | |
| 24 | Is any portion of the work eligible for telework, or must all seven positions be performed full-time on site at WRNMMC? | No telework, all work performed on site at WRNMMC. | |
| 25 | Start date and onboarding: If the award is made close to the December 1, 2026 start date, will the Government allow a phased start for personnel whose background investigations or CAC processing are still in progress? | Yes. | |
| 26 | Quality Control Plan: PWS paragraph 1.10.1 states that a QCP will be provided with the proposal as an evaluation factor. Please confirm whether the QCP should be submitted as a separate attachment and whether it counts toward the three-page limit for the Technical Approach. | The Quality Control Plan (QCP) is required to be submitted with the proposal in accordance with PWS paragraph 1.10.1 and CDRL A001. The QCP is submitted as a separate attachment and is excluded from the three-page Technical Approach limitation. The current PWS does not specify a separate QCP page limit or formatting requirement. QCP should be submitted as a separate attachment and does not count toward the three-page limit for the Technical Approach. | |
| 27 | Company identification: The instructions request a DUNS number on the first page of the technical quote. Please confirm that the Unique Entity ID (UEI) may be provided in its place. | Unique Entity ID (UEI) may be provided | |
| 28 | Service Contract Act. The SF 1449 clause list does not include FAR 52.222-41 or a wage determination. Please confirm whether the Service Contract Act applies to any labor category and, if so, provide the applicable wage determination (Montgomery County, MD). | Not Applicable. | |
| 29 | Limitations on subcontracting. FAR 52.219-14 does not appear in the clause list. Please confirm whether 52.219-14 (or its RFO deviation equivalent) applies. | Clause 52.219-14 will be included in the contract. | |
| 30 | Incumbent. Is this a new requirement or a follow-on? If a follow-on, please provide the incumbent contractor and contract number, and confirm whether current contractor staff are performing each position. | This requirement is a follow-on to contracts HT001421F0188 and HT0014-22-P-0017 which expire on 11/30/2026. | |
| 31 | Evaluation basis. The Instructions to Offerors (Addenda to 52.212-2) describe a simplified trade-off using Technical (acceptable/unacceptable), Past Performance and Price. The separate Evaluation Factors for Award document describes Technical Approach, Experience and Price, with Experience rated acceptable/unacceptable. Please confirm which document governs, and confirm that a quoter with no relevant past performance receives a Neutral rating and is not rated Unacceptable. | See Revised Instructions to Offerors for updated evaluation methodology. | |
| 32 | Page limit scope. Please confirm that the 3-page Technical Approach limit excludes the Quality Control Plan, which PWS 1.10.1 requires with the quote, and any cover letter. | See Answer to Question #26. | |
| 33 | Instrument type. The RFQ Document references FAR 13.303 BPAs and FAR 16.7, while the Instructions state that one firm-fixed-price contract will be awarded under FAR 13.5. Please confirm the instrument type. | Contract type will be firm fixed price. | |
| 34 | Pricing Matrix formulas. In the Pricing Matrix, the total cells (J10 on Tabs A, AA and AB, and F10 on Tab B) sum single cells or reference deleted tabs (#REF!), and Tab B is not linked to the compensation tabs. May offerors correct these formulas? Please also confirm that Tabs AC and AD, mentioned in the instructions, are not required for a base plus two option years. | Offerors may correct these formulas. Tabs AC and AD are not required. Revised Pricing Matrix posted. | |
| 35 | Past performance references. Will the Government consider past performance of a proposed subcontractor or of key personnel? And does a quoter with no relevant record receive a Neutral rating under both documents? | Yes | |
| 36 | Telework. PWS 5.3.5 describes the Public Relations Specialist as a hybrid role. Please confirm the expected on-site and telework split for that position, and whether telework is authorized for any other position. | No telework, all work performed on site at WRNMMC. | |
| 37 | Individual names. The Evaluation Factors document asks for "individual names" on the first page of the technical quote. Does this mean the offeror's authorized officials, or proposed personnel for each labor category? | Offeror's authorized official(s). | |
| 38 | Government-furnished equipment. Does the Government furnish the video cameras, lighting, audio equipment and editing software licenses (e.g., Adobe Creative Cloud) needed under PWS 5.3.1 and 5.3.4, as part of the equipment in PWS 3.4? If not, please identify what the contractor must furnish. | Yes. | |
| 39 | Past Performance Questionnaire. The PPQ template references solicitation HT0014-26-Q-E033 and describes the requirement as a "lease." Please confirm that offerors should use it for HT001426QE048 as is. | Revised Past Performance Questionnaire HT0014-26-Q-E048 provided. | |
| 40 | Transition-in. Will Government-furnished CAC processing begin before 1 December 2026 if award is made in November, so that staff are badged on day one? | Yes. | |
| 41 | Technical Approach Page Limitation: The Instructions to Offerors establish a three-page limitation for the Technical Approach. Please confirm whether a cover page and transmittal letter are excluded from the three-page limitation, provided they do not contain substantive technical information. | Cover page and transmittal letter are excluded from the three-page limitation. | |
| 42 | Government Estimated Cost / Market Research Value: The solicitation identifies an estimated cost of approximately $5,711,262. Please confirm whether this amount represents the Government's estimated total value for the Base Period plus Option Year 1 and Option Year 2, or whether it represents the Base Period only. | Informational Government estimate for the base period and two option years. | |
| 43 | Previously Completed Past Performance Questionnaire: This requirement was previously solicited under HT001426QE033, which was subsequently cancelled and resolicited under HT001426QE048. Our past performance client previously completed and signed the Government's Past Performance Questionnaire for the prior solicitation, and we have a copy of the completed and signed PPQ. Please confirm whether we may submit that same previously completed and signed PPQ with our quotation under HT001426QE048, provided the reference and past performance remain current and otherwise meet the requirements of the new solicitation, or whether a new PPQ must be completed and signed specifically for HT001426QE048. | Previously completed and signed PPQ's that meet the requirements of the new solicitation can be submitted. | |
| 44 | Incumbent Staffing: Please confirm whether all seven FTE positions identified in the current solicitation are presently filled by incumbent personnel. If not, please identify which labor categories are currently vacant. | All positions are filled. | |
| 45 | Is the $5,711,262.00 estimate for the base period, or for the base period plus both option years? | The Independent Government Estimate includes the base period plus two option years. | |
| 46 | Is this requirement currently performed under an existing contract? | Yes, contracts HT001421F0188 and HT0014-22-P-0017 which expire on 11/30/2026. | |
| 47 | Should each reference send the Past Performance Questionnaire to you directly, or return it with my quote? | Please return Past Performance Questionnaires with your quote. | |
| 48 | If the prime offeror does not have recent corporate past performance specifically involving hospital communications, graphic design, public relations, publications, writing/editing, or multimedia/video production, may the offeror demonstrate relevant experience through: 1. The recent and relevant experience/past performance of a proposed subcontractor or teaming partner; and/or 2. The individual experience and qualifications of proposed key personnel who have performed the required communications functions on similar efforts? | Both the recent and relevant experience/past performance of subcontractors or teaming partner; and/or individual experience and qualifications of proposed key personnel who have performed the required communications functions on similar efforts are acceptable. | |
| 49 | If so, please clarify how subcontractor/team-member experience and key-personnel experience will be evaluated under Factor 2 and whether either may be used to satisfy the solicitation's request for recent and relevant past performance references. | Subcontractor/team-member experience and key-personnel experience will be evaluated under Factor 2 based on its revelvancy to requirements within the Performance Work Statement. | |
| 50 | May a quoter with no relevant corporate past performance submit an eligible quotation and receive a Neutral Confidence rating, notwithstanding the Instructions to Offerors requirement to provide two to three same or similar references? | Yes. | |
| 51 | If a quoter has no relevant corporate past performance, must it still submit completed Past Performance Questionnaires or reference information? | Provide relevant reference information. | |
| 52 | Under Factor 2, may the Government consider the relevant experience of proposed subcontractors, teammates, or key personnel? If so, what documentation is required? | See Revised Instructions to Offerors for updated evaluation methodology. | |
| 53 | Must the Quality Control Plan be included within the three-page Technical Approach limit, or may it be submitted as a separate attachment? | QCP should be a separate attachment. | |
| 54 | Should offerors complete both the SF-1449 and the Excel Pricing Matrix for all base-year and option-year CLINs? | Yes. | |
| 55 | Prior questions and answers. The earlier notice for this requirement, RFQ HT001426QE033, included a posted document titled Answers to Questions HT001426QE033. The HT001426QE048 package does not include one. Do the answers posted under HT001426QE033 apply to this solicitation? | Answers to HT001426QE048 will be posted separately. | |
| 56 | Evaluation approach. The Instructions to Offerors (Addenda to Clause 52.212-2) describe a simplified trade-off in which Factor 1 (Technical) is rated Acceptable or Unacceptable and Factor 2 (Past Performance) is approximately equal to Factor 3 (Price). Paragraph 3.2 assigns "Neutral Confidence" to a quoter without a record of relevant past performance. The Evaluation Factors for Award document describes a trade-off among Technical Approach, Experience, and Price, and lists an unknown performance record under both Acceptable and Unacceptable. Which document governs the evaluation, and will an offeror with no relevant record, or with fewer than the two references required, be rated Neutral rather than Unacceptable? | See Revised Instructions to Offerors for updated evaluation methodology. | |
| 57 | Whose past performance counts. Will the Government consider the past performance of a proposed subcontractor, a joint venture member, an affiliate, or the proposed personnel, or only contracts performed by the offeror itself? | Yes. | |
| 58 | Past Performance Questionnaire. The attached questionnaire references HT0014-26-Q-E033, describes the requirement as the lease of Hospital Communications Support, and asks about a fabrication and installation phase. Will a corrected questionnaire be issued, or may offerors use the form as issued? | A corrected questionnaire for HT001426QE048 will be issued. | |
| 59 | Price submission. The Instructions to Offerors state that pricing for all CLINs is to be submitted using the attached SF 1449, and the package also includes the Hospital Communications Support Pricing Matrix. Should offerors submit both the completed SF 1449 and the completed Pricing Matrix? | Yes. | |
| 60 | Limitations on subcontracting. The RFQ Document states an estimated cost of $5,711,262.00, and the SF 1449 clause list includes FAR 52.219-6 (Deviation 2026-O0038) but not FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting. Will FAR 52.219-14, or its Deviation 2026-O0038 equivalent, be included in the resulting contract? | FAR 52.219-14 will be included in the contract. | |
| 61 | Service Contract Act. No wage determination is attached, and FAR 52.222-41 is not in the clause list. Does the Service Contract Act apply to any of the six labor categories, and if so, which wage determination governs? | Not Applicable. | |
| 62 | Security. PWS 6.1 states that all work under this contract is unclassified, and PWS 6.2.1 designates the positions Tier II, non-critical sensitive. PWS 4.3 (Secret Facility Clearance) and PWS 1.17.2 (Security Requirements) are marked Reserved. Does any position require a Secret personnel clearance, or does the offeror require a facility clearance? If so, must it be in place at quote submission, at award, or before the December 1, 2026 start? | No. | |
| 63 | Equipment and software. Under PWS 3.4, the Government will provide "telephones, computers, and other items necessary to maintain an office environment." The qualifications in PWS 5.3.1 include "Demonstrated mastery of Adobe Creative Suite," and those in PWS 5.3.4 include "Expertise in operating a range of professional video cameras, audio recording equipment, and lighting setups." PWS 1.9 (Other Direct Costs) is marked Reserved. Will the Government furnish the Adobe software licenses and the video, audio, and lighting equipment, or should offerors include them in the hourly rates? | GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE. | |
| 64 | Quote contents. PWS 1.10.1 states that a Quality Control Plan "will be provided with the contractor's proposal as an evaluation factor," while the Instructions to Offerors list Technical Approach, Experience, and Price. Is a Quality Control Plan required with the quote, and if so, does it count toward the three-page Technical Approach limit? Are resumes, portfolios, or showreels required with the quote? | See Answer to Question #26. | |
| 65 | Submission time. The Instructions to Offerors state a deadline of October 28, 2026, 3:00 PM EST, and the SAM.gov notice lists 3:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time. Please confirm that quotes are due by 3:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time on October 28, 2026. | 3:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time on October 28, 2026 but will extended when this is posted. | |
| 66 | Invoicing. What invoicing frequency will apply to the resulting contract (for example, monthly in arrears through WAWF)? | Monthly. | |
| 67 | For Factor 2 – Past Performance, may an offeror submit relevant past performance from a proposed subcontractor or teaming partner that will perform a material portion of the requirement? | Yes. | |
| 68 | May offerors submit ongoing contracts as past-performance references if relevant performance occurred within the required three-year period? | Yes. | |
| 69 | Please confirm whether offerors must submit both the Past Performance Questionnaire and a separate past-performance narrative/reference sheet, or whether the completed questionnaire satisfies the requirement. | Completed questionnaire satisfies the requirement. | |
| 70 | The PWS states that a Quality Control Plan (QCP) will be provided with the proposal. Please confirm whether the QCP is required with the quotation and whether it is excluded from the three-page Technical Approach limit. | See Answer to Question #26. | |
| 71 | PWS 1.10.1 states the Quality Control Plan (QCP) "will be provided with the contractor's proposal as an evaluation factor." Does the QCP count against the three-page Technical Approach limit, or may it be submitted as a separate attachment without a page limit? | See Answer to Question #26. | |
| 72 | The Past Performance Questionnaire header references solicitation HT0014-26-Q-E033 and "the lease of Hospital Communications Support." Please confirm this is the correct template for HT001426QE048. Also, for ongoing Federal contracts with CPARS evaluations on record, may offerors rely on CPARS in lieu of a returned questionnaire? | A separate Past Performance Questionnaire for HT001426QE048 will be provided. CPARS evaluations are acceptable in lieu of a returned questionnaire. | |
| 73 | The Instructions to Offerors state Factor 1 (Technical) is evaluated Acceptable/Unacceptable, followed by a trade-off between Factor 2 (Past Performance) and Factor 3 (Price), while the Evaluation Factors for Award document describes a trade-off among technical approach, experience, and price. Please confirm which evaluation methodology governs. | See Revised Instructions to Offerors for updated evaluation methodology. | |
| 74 | Please confirm that the Quality Control Plan (CDRL A001) will be evaluated under Factor 1 (Technical), since the Evaluation Factors for Award document does not address it. | See Answer to Question #26. | |
| 75 | Is this requirement currently performed under an existing contract or order? If so, please identify the incumbent contractor and contract number, and whether incumbent personnel information will be made available to offerors. | Yes, contracts HT001421F0188 and HT0014-22-P-0017 which expire on 11/30/2026. | |
| 76 | Part 7, Attachment 6 (Estimated Workload Data) is blank. Can the Government provide historical workload, for example monthly graphic design requests, publications in the repository, and video products per year, to support staffing and pricing? | Not Applicable. | |
| 77 | The Price instruction requires pricing for all CLINs on the SF 1449, and a Pricing Matrix workbook is also attached. Should quoters submit the completed Pricing Matrix in addition to the SF 1449? | Yes. | |
| 78 | The RFQ Document cites FAR 13.303 Blanket Purchase Agreements, while the Evaluation Factors state one firm-fixed-price contract will be awarded. Which instrument will the Government award? | Firm-Fixed-Price Contract. | |
| 79 | Is there an incumbent contract number for this requirement, and would the Government share it? | Yes, contracts HT001421F0188 and HT0014-22-P-0017 which expire on 11/30/2026. | |
| 80 | The Instructions rate Experience Acceptable or Unacceptable in a three-factor trade-off, while the Evaluation Factors rate Past Performance by confidence against Price. Which evaluation basis governs this award? | All three will be looked at and a best value to the Government evaluation made. | |
| 81 | Section 1.10.1 states a Quality Control Plan will be provided with the proposal. Does the Quality Control Plan count toward the three-page Technical Approach limit? | No. | |
| 82 | The Experience instruction asks for services completed within three years, while the questionnaire allows an on-going status. Will on-going contracts with performance in the past three years be accepted as references? | Yes. | |
| 83 | Confirm whether an SCA wage determination applies to this requirement, and if so, provide it or point us to where it can be found? If no SCA wage determination applies to this acquisition, confirmation of that would also be appreciated. | Not applicable. | |
| 84 | Confirm whether a small-business prime may use qualified subcontractors or a teaming arrangement for portions of the communications / executive-secretariat staffing | Yes. | |
| 85 | Confirm whether all proposed personnel must be direct employees of the prime at the time of quotation. | or the proposed small business sub | |
| 86 | Confirm whether an active SAM.gov registration is required at quotation submission or only prior to award. | An active SAM.gov registration is required at quotation submission. | |
| 87 | Confirm whether the full quotation may be submitted electronically by email and, if so, to which contracting address. | Yes, email address is philip.b.atwell.ctr@health.mil. | |
| 88 | None. | ||
| 89 | The PWS states that a Quality Control Plan (QCP) will be provided with the contractor’s proposal as an evaluation factor; however, the Instructions to Offerors identify only Technical, Past Performance, and Price, and limit the Technical Approach narrative to three pages. Please confirm whether a QCP is required with the quotation. If so, please confirm whether the QCP is included within or excluded from the three-page Technical Approach limit. | See Answer to Question #26. | |
| 90 | Please confirm whether resumes are required with the quotation for the seven proposed FTE positions. If resumes are required, are they excluded from the three-page Technical Approach page limitation? | Resumes are not required until after award. | |
| 91 | Please confirm whether offerors are required to identify specific proposed personnel at the time of quotation, or whether the Government will evaluate the contractor’s staffing/recruiting approach and verify individual qualifications following award. | OFFERORS ARE REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC PROPOSED PERSONNEL AFTER AWARD. | |
| 92 | Please clarify the Government-furnished equipment and software that will be available to contractor personnel, including Government workstations, Adobe Creative Cloud or other design/editing software, video/photo production equipment, telephones, and access to required communication and content-management systems. | Government will provide equipment and software to contract personnel. | |
| 93 | For the Producer and Director (Video Production) and Graphic Designer positions, please clarify whether the contractor is expected to furnish professional cameras, lighting, audio equipment, storage media, editing workstations, or other production equipment. | Government will provide. | |
| 94 | Please confirm the normal duty hours expected for each FTE and whether all seven positions are expected to perform 100 percent onsite at WRNMMC. | NORMAL DUTY HOURS ARE FROM -0800 -1630 AND ALL POSITIONS ARE ON SITE. | |
| 95 | The PWS identifies occasional support outside normal duty hours for contingency activations or exercises. Please clarify the anticipated frequency and duration of after-hours support and whether such support is included within the firm-fixed-price CLINs or may be separately authorized. | AFTER HOURS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED UNLESS CTR HAS NOT REACHED THEIR 40 HOURS FOR THE WEEK. NO SEPARATE CLIN WILL BE PROVIDED. | |
| 96 | Please confirm the productive-hour assumptions underlying each FTE/CLIN and whether the Government has established an annual productive-hour requirement for pricing purposes. | 1,912 hours per man-year. | |
| 97 | Please confirm whether the seven FTE positions must remain continuously staffed during employee leave and absences and, if so, whether the contractor is expected to provide qualified backfill personnel. | No backfill needed. | |
| 98 | For Past Performance Questionnaires, should completed questionnaires be returned directly to the Contract Specialist by the reference, or included by the offeror with its quotation? | Included with the quote. | |
| 99 | May an offeror submit past performance performed as a subcontractor where the work is relevant in scope, magnitude, and complexity? | Yes. | |
| 100 | May the past performance of proposed subcontractors or teaming partners be submitted and evaluated as part of the offeror’s past performance? If so, how will such experience be considered relative to the prime offeror’s experience? | Yes, experience will be considered for the prime and sub based on relevance to the requirement. | |
| 101 | The solicitation requires two, but no more than three, past performance references within the past three years. Please confirm that ongoing contracts with performance occurring during the three-year period are eligible. | Yes. | |
| 102 | Please confirm that portfolios, work samples, or links to graphic design and video products are not required with the quotation. If permitted, please clarify whether such materials would be evaluated under Factor 1. | Not required. | |
| 103 | Please clarify whether travel, materials, printing/production costs, and other direct costs are anticipated under this requirement or whether all such costs should be incorporated into the firm-fixed-price labor CLINs. | No. | |
| 104 | The RFQ announcement describes the response as a capabilities statement, while the Instructions to Offerors require a technical quotation, past-performance questionnaires, SF 1449 pricing, and other quotation information. Please confirm the complete contents required for a compliant quotation submission. | ||
| 105 | Must offerors submit both the completed SF 1449 and the Hospital Communications Support Pricing Matrix? | Yes. | |
| 106 | The pricing workbook instructions reference tabs A, AA, AB, AC, and AD, but the requirement contains only a base year and two option years, and the supplied workbook contains only tabs A, AA, AB, and B. Please provide a corrected workbook or confirm which tabs offerors must complete. | Revised Pricing Matrix posted. | |
| 107 | The pricing workbook contains apparent #REF! errors and total formulas that do not sum all labor-category rows. Please provide a corrected Government-issued workbook. If a corrected workbook will not be issued, may offerors repair these formulas without being considered to have altered the required template? | Revised Pricing Matrix posted. | |
| 108 | Are resumes and graphic-design portfolios, writing samples, or video showreels required with the quotation? If so, please identify the required materials and confirm whether they are excluded from the three-page Technical Approach limitation. | Resumes are not required until after award. | |
| 109 | Must all seven proposed personnel be identified at quotation submission, or may the awardee recruit and identify personnel after award, subject to Government review of the PWS qualifications? If proposed personnel must be identified, are letters of commitment required? | AFTER AWARD | |
| 110 | The PWS identifies WRNMMC as the place of performance. Is any limited hybrid or remote performance authorized for designated production, editing, or administrative tasks, or must all seven positions perform onsite full-time? | 100% On-Site. | |
| 111 | Please provide the normal daily duty hours and the anticipated frequency and duration of after-hours contingency support. Are the 1,912 productive hours per FTE intended to include all after-hours support? May the contractor flex employee schedules within the workweek, or should offerors include overtime or premium-pay assumptions in their firm-fixed prices? | 0800-1630 and no to all after-hour support | |
| 112 | For Factor 2, may offerors submit corporate or team past performance that includes relevant work performed by a proposed subcontractor? If subcontractor past performance is permitted, please confirm how the Government will evaluate its relevance in relation to the subcontractor's proposed workshare and responsibilities. | Yes, will be evaluated in relation to the requirement. | |
| 113 | When determining whether a past-performance reference is similar in magnitude, will the Government compare the reference's annual dollar value to the estimated annual value of this requirement, or compare its total contract value to the total evaluated value of the base and option periods? | Best value, not solely on price. | |
| 114 | Please confirm whether the cover page and table of contents are excluded from the three-page Technical Approach limitation. Please also confirm that the Quality Control Plan is a separate attachment that does not count against this limitation and identify any page limit applicable to the QCP. | Excluded and QCP is a separate attachment. | |
| 115 | The PWS states that the Government will provide office workspace, computers, telephones, and other office-environment items. Will the Government also provide the cameras, audio and lighting equipment, editing workstations, digital storage, and software licenses, including Adobe Creative Cloud or equivalent tools, required for graphic-design and video-production services? If not, should all such equipment and software costs be included in the firm-fixed price? | Government will provide. | |
| 116 | The attached Past Performance Questionnaire references solicitation HT0014-26-Q-E033 and describes the procurement as a lease. Please provide a corrected questionnaire for HT0014-26-Q-E048 and confirm whether completed questionnaires must be submitted directly to the Government by each reference or included in the quoter's submission. | Corrected questionnaire for HT0014-26-Q-E048 will be posted, completed questionnaires must be included in the quoter's submission. | |
| 117 | The evaluation instructions require a DUNS number on the first page. Since the Unique Entity Identifier has replaced DUNS for federal awards, please confirm that offerors should provide their UEI. | UEI is acceptable. | |
| 118 | Please reconcile the requirement in PWS Section 5.4 to fill vacancies within 30 working days with the 30-day standard in PRS 8. Please also define the measurement period and calculation method the Government will use for the 75 percent fill-rate standard in PRS 7 and the 25 percent turnover standard in PRS 9. | WS §5.4 governs the vacancy-replacement requirement: the contractor shall fill 100 percent of vacant positions with qualified personnel within 30 working days of the vacancy date. PRS #8 will be interpreted consistently and revised, if necessary, to state 30 working days. | |
| 119 | Confirm whether cyber compliance support is within this notice's scope and point me to the public industry engagement or teaming route? | No. | |
| 120 | Is this a WOSB set-aside effort? If so, must the offeror be certified by the SBA as WOSB? | SBA set aside. | |
| 120 | Has the Government considered establishing this solicitation as a HUBZone set-aside? | No. | |
| 121 | Incumbent / requirement history: Is this a new requirement or a follow-on? If a follow-on, please identify the current contract number, the incumbent contractor, and the number of positions currently filled. | Follow-on to contracts HT001421F0188 and HT0014-22-P-0017 which expire on 11/30/2026. | |
| 122 | Governing evaluation criteria: The package contains two versions of the 52.212-2 addendum. The standalone "Evaluation Factors for Award" document rates Experience as Acceptable/Unacceptable, while Section 3.2 of the "Instructions to Offerors" document assigns confidence ratings and conducts a trade-off between Past Performance and Price. Please confirm which version governs. | Section 3.2. | |
| 123 | Quality Control Plan: PWS 1.10.1 and CDRL A001 require a QCP to be provided with the quote. Please confirm whether the QCP is excluded from the three-page Technical Approach limit, and whether a separate page limit or format applies. | See Answer to Question #27. | |
| 124 | Resumes / personnel: Are resumes, named candidates, or letters of commitment required at quote submission, or will the Government verify personnel qualifications after award (PWS 5.2.1)? | Resumes are not required until after award. | |
| 125 | Service Contract Act: Does the Service Contract Act apply to any of the labor categories? If so, please provide the applicable wage determination for Montgomery County, MD. | Not Applicable. | |
| 126 | Pricing matrix: On Tab B, the Total Price formula contains #REF! errors, and the Instructions tab references Tabs AC and AD, which are not in the workbook. Please confirm that offerors may correct the formulas and that only Tabs A, AA, AB, and B need to be completed. Please also confirm whether both the pricing matrix and a priced SF 1449 must be submitted. | Only Tabs A, AA, AB, and B need to be completed. Please submit both the pricing matrix and a priced SF 1449. | |
| 127 | Productive hours: The pricing matrix fixes 1,912 hours per FTE, while the Instructions tab uses 1,920 as an example. Please confirm that 1,912 hours per FTE is to be used. | 1,912 per FTE. | |
| 128 | Past Performance Questionnaire: The PPQ template references solicitation HT0014-26-Q-E033 and describes the procurement as the "lease of Hospital Communications Support." Please confirm that this template applies to HT001426QE048. Please also confirm whether references should return completed PPQs to the offeror (as the template states) or send them directly to the Contracting Office. | Revised Past Performance Questionnaire HT0014-26-Q-E048 provided, return completed PPQ's to Contracting Office. | |
| 129 | Teaming partner past performance: Will the Government consider the past performance of proposed subcontractors, teaming partners, or joint venture members? If so, are there limits on how many of the two to three references may come from a subcontractor? | Yes, no limits. | |
| 130 | Limitations on subcontracting: The clause list includes 52.219-6 (Deviation 2026-00038) but does not appear to include 52.219-14. Please confirm whether limitations on subcontracting apply to this set-aside and, if so, which threshold applies. | 52.219-14 (Limitations on Subcontracting) will be included in the contract. | |
| 131 | Cybersecurity: DFARS 252.204-7012 and 252.204-7024 are incorporated. Since performance is entirely on Government-furnished equipment and networks, will a current NIST SP 800-171 assessment score in SPRS be required for award? | A current NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment in SPRS is required at award | |
| 132 | Acquisition instrument: The RFQ cover document refers to market research, FAR 13.303 BPAs, and a capabilities statement, while the SF 1449 indicates a firm-fixed-price purchase order. Please confirm the intended instrument and that the full quote package described in the Instructions to Offerors is required. | Firm fixed price contract, full quote package required. | |
| 133 | Award and start timing: What is the anticipated award date? May contractor personnel begin performance on 1 December 2026 once a Tier 2 investigation has been initiated, or must the investigation be favorably adjudicated before the start date? Is a phase-in period anticipated? | On or before December 1, 2026, investigations will be phased in as necessary. | |
| 134 | After-hours support: PWS 1.7.4 references occasional support outside normal duty hours. Should offerors include this in the fixed hourly rates, or will such support be handled through separate modification? | No, they would come in and still work a normal duty schedule and NTE the normal 40hr work week. | |
| 135 | Place of performance: Please confirm that all positions are 100 percent on-site at WRNMMC with no telework. | All contractor personnel are required to perform on-site full-time at WRNMMC, with no telework. | |
| 136 | Submission format: Are there page limits for the price and past performance submissions, and is there a maximum email attachment size? Please also confirm the required signed documents (SF 1449, SF 30 acknowledgment of Amendment 0001). | No limit. SF1449 and SF30. | |
| 137 | Governing Evaluation Criteria. The package contains two conflicting evaluation documents. The "Evaluation Factors for Award" document rates Factor 2 (Experience) as Acceptable/Unacceptable, applies a trade-off among all three factors, and references FAR 15.404-1(b). The Addenda to FAR 52.212-1 and 52.212-2 in the "Instructions to Offerors" document rate Factor 1 as Acceptable/Unacceptable, assign Factor 2 (Past Performance) a confidence rating, trade off Past Performance against Price (approximately equal), and reference FAR 13.106-3(a). Please confirm that the Instructions to Offerors addenda govern. | See Revised Instructions to Offerors for updated evaluation methodology. | |
| 138 | Price Submission. The Instructions to Offerors direct offerors to price all CLINs using the SF 1449, and the package also includes a Pricing Matrix requiring salary, fringe, and indirect rate build-ups. Please confirm whether both the completed SF 1449 and the completed Pricing Matrix are required. | Both the completed SF 1449 and the completed Pricing Matrix are required. | |
| 139 | Technical Page Limit. The Technical Approach is limited to three (3) pages. Please confirm whether the following count toward that limit: (a) a cover page or first page containing the required company information; (b) the Quality Control Plan, which PWS 1.10.1 and Technical Exhibit 1 (CDRL A001) state will be provided with the proposal as an evaluation factor; and (c) resumes, portfolios, or letters of commitment. Please also confirm whether those items are required, permitted, or excluded, given that PWS 1.12 (Key Personnel) is Reserved. Please identify any font, margin, or page size requirements. | Resumes are not required until after award. | |
| 140 | First Page Information. The Evaluation Factors require "individual names" and a "DUNS number" on the first page. Please confirm (a) whether "individual names" refers to company points of contact or to proposed contractor personnel, and (b) that the SAM Unique Entity ID (UEI) satisfies the DUNS requirement. | SAM Unique Entity ID (UEI) satisfies the DUNS requirement. | |
| 141 | Recency. References must be for services "completed within the past three (3) years." Please confirm (a) the date from which the three-year window is measured (e.g., the quote due date), (b) whether ongoing contracts qualify and, if so, whether a minimum period of performance is required, and (c) whether a multi-year contract qualifies if a portion of its performance falls within the window. | Due date, ongoing contracts qualify, no minimum period. Multi-year contract qualifies based on relevant portions. | |
| 141 | Relevance. Please confirm (a) whether performance as a subcontractor will be considered, and (b) how magnitude will be assessed, specifically whether relevance is based on annual dollar value, number of FTEs, or both. | Yes, relevance is based on performance. | |
| 141 | Past Performance Questionnaire. The PPQ template references solicitation HT0014-26-Q-E033, describes the acquisition as a "lease" of Hospital Communications Support, and includes a question addressing the "fabrication and installation phase." Please confirm (a) that this is the correct PPQ for HT001426QE048, (b) whether references should return completed PPQs to the offeror for inclusion in the quote or directly to the Contracting Office, (c) whether CPARS records will be considered if a reference does not return a PPQ by 26 October 2026, and (d) whether PPQs count toward any page limit. | Revised PPQ posted. References should return completed PPQs to the offeror for inclusion in the quote, CPARS records will be considered, and completed PPQs do not count toward any page limit. | |
| 141 | Evaluated Periods. The Pricing Matrix Instructions reference Tabs A, AA, AB, AC, and AD, but the workbook contains only Tabs A, AA, and AB. Please confirm that the evaluated periods are the Base Period, Option Year 1, and Option Year 2 only. | Only Base Period, Option Year 1, and Option Year 2 apply. | |
| 141 | Workbook Formulas. We note the following: (a) Tab B cell F10 contains a #REF! error; (b) the totals in Tabs A and AA (cell J10, =SUM(J4:J4)) and Tab AB (cell J10, =SUM(J2:J2)) sum only one row; (c) Tab B cells C3:E8 do not link to the compensation tabs, although the Instructions state they auto-populate; and (d) the Base Period column in Tab B has no total. Please confirm that offerors may correct these formulas, and which figure governs if a discrepancy exists. | Offerors may correct formulas. | |
| 141 | Productive Hours. The Pricing Matrix Instructions define one FTE as 1,920 productive hours, while the CLINs and the matrix fix 1,912 hours per FTE. Please confirm that 1,912 hours per FTE governs. | 1,912 per FTE governs. | |
| Service Contract Labor Standards. No wage determination is attached. Please confirm whether FAR 52.222-41 applies to any labor category and, if so, provide the applicable wage determination. | Not applicable. | ||
| Duty Hours and Emergency Services. PWS 1.7.3 does not specify core duty hours, and PWS 1.7.4 requires occasional support outside normal duty hours. Please identify core hours and confirm how after-hours support is compensated. | Workers would come in and still work a normal duty schedule and NTE the normal 40hr work week. | ||
| Transition-In. PWS 1.6.1.1 references a transition-in period but does not specify its duration. Please provide the anticipated award date and confirm whether personnel may begin work on 01 December 2026 while background investigations and CAC issuance are pending. | Date is 12/1/2026 and will not be able to start work until they receive their CAC | ||
| Health and Immunization. PRS 2 requires compliance with health and immunization requirements, but the PWS does not define them. Please identify the required immunizations or health screenings for non-clinical contractor personnel. | Tuberculosis, mmrv, tdap, flu vac, hep b |
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