SAQMMA14R0370_QA_09242014.xlsx
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| File | Type | Posted |
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| sf33_e.pdf | ||
| Amendment2.pdf | ||
| Revised_Solicitation_for_VO_HQ_09262014.docx | DOCX document | |
| RFP_VO_Attachment_C_QASPAMEND001.docx | DOCX document | |
| IndustryDayQA.pdf | ||
| IndustryDayAttendeeList.pdf | ||
| VOIndustryDay_SlidesFinal.pdf | ||
| RFP_VO_Attachment_DAMEND001.docx | DOCX document | |
| RFP_VO_Attachment_A(AMEND0001).xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| Amendment1.pdf | ||
| RFP_VO_Attachment_B.pdf | ||
| RFP_VO_Attachment_C_QAS 1 .docx | DOCX document | |
| RFP_VO_Attachment_D 1 .docx | DOCX document | |
| RFP_VO_Attachment_E.pdf | ||
| RFP_VO_HQ_FINAL.docx | DOCX document | |
| RFP_VO_Attachment_A(1).xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet |
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Q&A
| Q&A NO. | QUESTION | SPECIFIC RFP TEXT FOR REFERENCE | RFP SECTION | RFP SUB SECTION NO. | RFP PAGE NO. | SUGGESTED EDITS AND/OR RESOLUTION | GOVERNMENT'S ANSWER |
| 1 | Will the government make the interested vendor list available on FBO? | N/A | L.12 Industry day | 87 | The Federal Service Desk has this: “Buyers may specify the following criteria for solicitations: Will vendors be able to indicate interest in the particular notice? (if yes, buyers may review a list of interested vendors). Will vendors be able to review the listing of interested vendors for a notice? (if yes, vendors may view this list for potential collaboration). | Yes. |
No change in RFP required.
2 Are Offerors required to submit fully-loaded rates for the Scanning Technician? The Offeror shall submit, in the format provided by the Government, Attachment A-Price/Cost Spreadsheet, and Failure to follow this format or to provide complete pricing information for all billable categories may result in the rejection of Offeror’s proposal. L.18.2 and Attachment A L.18.2 and Attachment A 92 The government should add 1880 hours to this labor category. Offerors are required to submit fully loaded labor rates. Since the number of hours is unknown at this time, the Government will not add 1880 hours to this labor category.
No change to RFP.
3 Are timesheet history reports (or labor summary reports) an acceptable alternative to timesheets? Copies of all invoices and corresponding timesheets. Section F F.7.6.4 40 Copies of all invoices and corresponding timesheets. With COR approval, timesheet history report or labor summary report is an acceptable alternative to timesheets. Labor summary reports are an acceptable alternative as long as the reports include all information that an individual daily timesheet would include, such as: daily time record, by individual, labor category, etc.
No change to RFP.
| 4 | Are timesheet history reports (or labor summary reports) an acceptable alternative to timesheets? | The Contractor shall provide copies of timesheets with its invoices… | Section G | G.6 | 47 | With COR approval, timesheet history report or labor summary report is an acceptable alternative to timesheets. | Reference Q&A above. |
| 5 | Attachment A(1) – Pricing Spreadsheet – Table designates columns for salary, fully burdened hourly rate and hours which calculate to the ‘NTE Unit Price’ column. This calculation represents a companies ‘wrap rate’ which is considered sensitive information. To complete the spreadsheet, for subcontractors, can the salary column be left blank (because it is not part of the calculation) and just the hourly rate be filled in? This accomplishes the ‘total cost’ for all elements, but does not require subcontractors to submit sensitive information to Prime for inclusion into overall cost information | Attachment A XLS. Pricing information | L.18.2. Volume I, | Tab B: Cost/Price Schedule | 93 | Only require fully burdened rates from Sub contractors on this spreadsheet (and not salaries) submitted to Prime contractor. | Reference changes to RFP: |
- Added Section L.17.1. Hard and Soft Copies Required (b)(1) and (d).
- Added Section L.18.12. Volume I, Tab L: Subcontractor Price Analysis.
| 6 | Since the subcontractor buildup of costs is proprietary to that subcontractor, recommend the Government require a sealed package from each of the offeror's proposed subcontractor(s). | Planned subcontracting costs shall be included in the BOE, including cost build-up information such as direct labor and indirect rates for subcontractors | Section L | L.18.3 | 93 | Subcontractor buildup of costs shall be submitted as a sealed package included in the offeror's boxed submission. | Reference Q&A above. |
| 7 | Based on the scope of work and the expected finances required to successfully transition and execute - Is a Bank Line of Credit a requirement for the Prime Offeror, if so what is the required amount? | The Offeror shall provide information to assist the Government in determining whether the Offeror has the necessary financial capacity, financial condition, working capital and other resources to perform the contract. Such information may include, but is not limited to, the following: · Identify significant related parties/extent of parent control: o Financial data for Parent company if it controls cash/credit. o Corporate guarantee when Parent controls cash/credit. | L | L.18.7 | 95, 96 | Yes it should be a requirement - At least $1.5M | A bank line of credit is not required, however, the Offeror may provide a bank line of credit if it is believed to increase the likelihood of successful contract performance. |
No change to RFP.
| 8 | Can DOS use the data in the Business and Cost Proposal based on the Labor Category? This is “proprietary” information for subcontractors and employee privacy is at issue. | (c) If resumes are provided for individuals not presently in the Offeror’s employ, the Offeror’s letter of commitment with those individuals shall be provided with the Offeror’s proposal. Letters of commitment must contain specific salary quotations (not salary ranges), and shall be signed within thirty (30) days prior to the original date for submission of proposals. The letter of commitment for each resume shall not exceed one (1) page in length, printed on single-sided paper. The letter of commitment is not counted toward the resume’s page limit as required in part (e) below. | Reference RFP Section L.17.3 Proprietary Data. | |||||
| No change to RFP. | L.14(c) | Resumes | 87 | Remove the requirement for “specific salary quotations” | ||||
| 9 | Can offeror burden hazardous duty premium pay in accordance with its accounting policies and practices? | Hazardous duty premium pay shall not be burdened with any indirect costs (e.g., overhead, G&A) or fee/profit. | Section B | B.5.d | 9 | Suggested edit: "Unless otherwise demonstrated in the offeror's accounting policies and practices, hazardous duty premium pay shall not be burdened with any indirect costs (e.g., overhead, G&A) or fee/profit." | No. |
No change to RFP.
10 Can the government consider requiring proof of Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certification in order to ensure fair competition? none none none none Reference change to RFP, added Section L.18.12. Volume I, Tab M: SDVOSB Verification and Approval Letter 11 Can the government provide any incumbent employee information, including at minimum the tenure of the incumbent employees? none none none none No.
No change to RFP.
12 Can you tell me if there is an incumbent contractor currently performing work for this requirement? If so, could you please provide their company name and contract number? none none none none The incumbent contractor is Quality Support Inc., contract number SAQMPD06C0036.
No change to RFP.
13 Contractor support is provided at different offices throughout DC and NY. Is the contractor expected to maintain a contract file at each of these sites or is it acceptable that a contract file is accessible at each site? The Contractor shall maintain a comprehensive contract file onsite. Section F F.7.6 40 The Contractor shall maintain a comprehensive contract file that is accessible to the COR onsite. The onsite COR is at the office located at the Visa Office in Washington, D.C.
No change to RFP.
14 Do all of the incumbent personnel already fit the requirements for each labor category and/or will they be eligible for transition to the new contractor? Per Executive Order 13495 (Non-displacement of Qualified Workers Under Service Contracts), the Government recognizes Contractor’s rights of first refusal… F.7.5, Attachment D – Labor Categories F.7.5, Attachment D – Labor Categories 39, Attachment D – Labor Categories Please clarify. The Government assumes that the incumbent Contractor personnel are qualified under the requirements of the new contract. If not, during the contract transition, the Contractor may submit a waiver request and justification for personnel that do not meet the contract's Labor Category qualifications. The justification may be submitted and approved by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).
No change to RFP.
15 Do bidders need to have a facility clearance at time of bid ? or will the client sponsor the winner for a clearance ? none none none none Due to the short procurement timeframe, the Contractor is required to submit proof of an active facilities clearance in order to be eligible for award.
Reference change to RFP:
- Added Section L.18.12. Volume I, Tab N: Facilities Clearance.
| 16 | Does the Offeror have to complete the full Section K Reps & Certs and submit, or can we update our records in the System for Award Management (SAM) database and simply provide a statement stating as such, maybe providing a screenshot as well. | Representations and Certifications for this solicitation must be completed and provided for this Section. | L | L.18.4 | 95 | N/A | Reference change to RFP, revised Section L.18.4. Volume I, Tab D: Section K, Representations & Certifications. |
| 17 | Does this RFP cover services to KCC? The Kentucky site is not mentioned anywhere except in one element of the QASP. | Customer feedback — The COR will work with the Contractor to establish mechanisms for collecting feedback from NVC and KCC customers. | Att C | 5 | 4 | none | Reference revised RFP Attachment C- QASP. |
| 18 | During Industry Day, it was communicated by Government representatives that there are incumbent employees with highly-specialized experience who have many years of legacy knowledge. This is reinforced by the required experience of the Key Personnel Management Consultant positions: “At least 15 years of consular or Foreign Service experience, including interpreting and applying complex regulatory material for minimum of 10 years.” In order to give the winning bidder the full ability to retain these vital incumbent employees after award, would the Government please consider making the only Key Personnel required for the proposal the Contract Program Manager? This change will ensure that the winning bidder has not made any commitments to other candidates for the Management Consultant and/or Training Coordinator positions and therefore will be able to fully consider the incumbent personnel post award. | H.4 Key Personnel | H.4 | 50 | Make the Contract Program Manager the only Key Personnel required for the proposal. | No. Please be aware that the Training Coordinator position is a new requirement. |
No change to RFP.
19 How does the DOS define "official correspondence"? All official correspondence between the Contractor and the Government. Section F F.7.6.5 40 none Reference change to the RFP:
- Changed Section F.7.6. Contract File (5) 20 How many Past Performances are required? The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s (Prime Contractor only) demonstrated past performance to assess the ability to deliver quality products and services similar to the solicitation requirements in each of the following areas: 1) managing the contracted effort, 2) meeting technical and security requirements, 3) demonstrated systematic improvements, 4) controlling contract cost, and 5) the relevancy and recency of the information, source of the information, context of the data, and general trends in the Contractor’s performance will be considered. L L.19.4 100 N/A Reference changes to the RFP:
- Changed Section L.19.4 Volume II, Tab D, Factor 3: Past Performance
- Changed Section M.5.2 Past Performance Factor 3
| 21 | Please specify how many past performance references you would like and outline all specific information you would like provided. | [Requesting information not provided.] | Section L | L.19.4 | 99 | Please specify how many past performance references you would like and outline all specific information you would like provided. | Reference Q&A above. |
| 22 | How will bidders have access to the CA Intranet site and its corresponding documents while preparing proposals? | The Contractor will adhere to all current information on the CA Intranet Site. | C | 1.4 | 15-16 | none | Access to the CA Intranet site will be provided after contract award. |
| 23 | In the schedule of deliverables in Section F - It states that Monthly Status Reports are due Monthly. Can you clarify? | The Government may require the Contractor to provide monthly status reports and regularly scheduled management briefings. | F | 7.3 | none | none | Reference change to the RFP in Section F.7.3. Monthly Status Reports and Management Briefings |
| 24 | Is an IT Plan required to be submitted for this contract? It is not listed as a contract deliverable but is included in Section I.20 as a clause incorporated by full text. | IT Security Plan. The Contractor shall develop, provide, implement, and maintain and IT Security Plan. Pg 76 (c) Within 30 days after contract award, the Contract shall submit the IT Security Plan to the Contracting Officer and COR for acceptance. | I.20 | I.20 DOSAR 652.239-71 | 75-77 | If an IT plan is required, please provide additional context or details for the IT plan to be submitted for this contract. | Reference changes to RFP: |
- Changed Section F.7 CONTRACT REPORTS AND SCHEDULE- Table 1 Deliverables Schedule
- Added Section: F.7.9. IT Security Plan
| 25 | Please clarify the RFP IT Security Plan requirements for proposal submission, IT system accreditation within 6 months of contract award, and annual recertification. | Section I | Section I.20 | Section I.20 (c), (d) System accreditation w/in 6 months, (e) annual verification. | pp. 75 – 77 | Request clarification of applicability of this clause and these requirements if bidder proposes to use only existing DoState IT systems and equipment. | Reference Q&A above. |
| 26 | Please clarify that past performance submission can only be from the Prime Contractor. It would seem appropriate that if you are asking for the percentage allocation among subcontractors and some resumes can be from a sub that you would want to see the submission of Past Performance(s) from major subcontractors. (usually 20% of the total offer) | L.19.4 states “The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s (Prime Contractor only) demonstrated…” and M.5.2 states: “Again, Subcontractors will not be considered in evaluating this Factor.” | L and M | 19.4 and 5.2 | none | none | Past Performance will be evaluated for the Prime Contractor only. |
No change to the RFP required.
| 27 | Is the government willing to reconsider only evaluating the Prime Contractor’s demonstrated past performance and consider evaluating the Sub Contractor’s past performance as well? | L.19.4 | none | none | none | none | Reference Q&A above. |
| 28 | Will the Government reconsider allowing offeror’s to submit subcontractor past performance for evaluation? Doing so would allow the Government to more effectively evaluate all team members experience and show evidence of all team members’ experience supporting contracts similar in size, scope, complexity and relevance to this effort. | The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s (Prime Contractor only) demonstrated past performance to assess the ability to deliver quality products and services similar to the solicitation requirements in each of the following areas: 1) managing the contracted effort, 2) meeting technical and security requirements, 3) demonstrated systematic improvements, 4) controlling contract cost, and 5) the relevancy and recency of the information, source of the information, context of the data, and general trends in the Contractor’s performance will be considered. |
AND
| Again, Subcontractors will not be considered in evaluating this Factor. In the case of an Offeror without available past performance records, the Offeror will receive a rating of “Unknown” which is considered a “Neutral” rating. | L.19.4 and M.5.2 | Tab D, Factor 3: Past Performance AND Past Performance Factor 3 | Pg 99 and 104 | Offerors are permitted to reference subcontractor past performances in order to prove collective team experience supporting the customer and experience supporting similar relevant contracts | Reference Q&A above. | |||
| 29 | Is there a current “self-service reporting/ dashboard capability in place? If so please provide the name of the system/ software employed. | The Contractor is encouraged to provide a self-service reporting/dashboard capability so that the COR, VO managers, and other CA/VO executives can review reports, performance statistics, and other management data as needed without Contractor intervention. | Section F.7 | Section F.7 | p. 36 | Provide name of existing system/ software in use. | No, there is no "self-service reporting/ dashboard capability" in place. |
No change to RFP.
30 Is this a FFP type contract or a Labor Hour contract? General. The Government shall pay the Contract as full compensation for all work required, performed and accepted under this contract, inclusive of costs and expenses, the firm-fixed price stated in Section B of this contract. PG 92: The ceiling price for each CLIN is the unit price multiplied by twelve (12) months. G.5. (a), L.18.2. G.5. (a), L.18.2. Volume I, Tab BL Cost/Price Schedule 46, 92 Please confirm this contract is a Labor Hour contract. Reference RFP Section B.2. CONTRACT TYPE "The Government anticipates awarding a single hybrid-type contract with Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs) for support under Fixed-Price fully loaded hourly labor rates and Cost-Reimbursable (CR) CLINs for Government-approved travel and other direct costs (ODCs) such as materials and/or supplies."
Reference change to RFP:
- Replaced Section G.5 with DOSAR 652.232-71 VOUCHER SUBMISSION (COST-REIMBURSEMENT) (AUG 1999) 31 Management Consultants are being requested to be identified as key personnel - 19 in all (5 before award and 14 after award). Are some of these to be part time? An FTE is defined as 1880 in the RFP. 19 times 1,880 equals 35,720. The number of hours listed in Section B and Attachment A request a total 16,920 per year for Management Consultants. Can you please clarify? B and H; Att A Base Year Chart and 4 1 and 50-51 none Seven out of 12 positions are estimated Part-Time (1,040 hours), hours may fluctuate in the future, depending on the need.
Reference change to the RFP:
- Changed Section H.4 KEY PERSONNEL(b) Additional Key Personnel After Award.
| 32 | Please clarify the number of key personnel required after award – is it 21 or 28? | Total number of key personnel after award: 7+14=28 | H | 4 (b) | 50 - 51 | none | Reference Q&A above. | ||||
| 33 | Please clarify the total number of Key Personnel listed in the tables on pages 50-51. The table on page 50 lists 7 to be submitted with the proposal and the table on page 51 lists 14 Additional Key Personnel After Contract Award, which equals 21 total but the table on page 51 says 28 total key personnel. | Total Number of Key Personnel After Contract Award (includes personnel submitted with proposal and personnel submitted after award) 28 | H.4. (b) | H.4. (b) | 50-51 | Please confirm there are 21 Key Personnel. | Reference Q&A above. | ||||
| 34 | The Additional Key Personnel Table’s Total Number of Key Personnel After Contract Award Quantities need review. The total is 28 but there are only 7 from the Key Personnel (for proposal submission) table and 14 from the Additional Key Personnel (submitted after contract award) table for a total of 21. Please clarify. | none | none | none | none | Reference Q&A above. | H.4(b) | Key Personnel | 51 | Please correct the ‘Total Number of Key Personnel After Contract Award” number. | |
| 35 | The number of resumes required for Management Consultant (5), each one with “at least 15 years of consular or Foreign Service experience” appears to significantly favor the incumbent (or whichever team the incumbent is on), who may be the only company that has staff with that kind of background at the required quantity. This requirement appears to restrict competition, particularly since upon award, the winning team is likely able to “transfer” (rebadge) incumbent staff who meet the qualifications. | “(b) For the purposes of proposal evaluation, the Contractor shall provide resumes only for the Contract Program Manager, Training Coordinator, and five (5) Management Consultants. All Management Consultant positions are deemed key personnel after contract award. After contract award, the Contractor will submit an approved list of “additional Key Personnel” in the form below.” | Section H Key Personnel | H.4 | 50 | We recommend reducing the number of resumes for Management Consultant to 1. | Reference Q&A above. | ||||
| 36 | Please clarify the number of Management Consultants; If 1 FTE=1880 hours, then Schedule B and Table on p. 14 require pricing for 9 FTE Management Consultants. |
Table on p. 51 Requires total Management Consultants (after contract award) = 14, in addition to the 5 submitted in proposal Schedule B requests pricing for 16,920 hours for Management Consultant in CLINs 0001, 1001, 2001, 3001, 4001
Table on p. 14 is consistent with CLIN Structure data for Management Consultants 9 @ 1880 hrs= 16,920 hrs
Table on p. 51 lists 14 Management Consultants required after contract award, for a total of 19 Management Consultants Schedule B CLINs 0001, 1001, 2001, 3001, 4001
C
H.4 – Key Personnel Schedule B
C.1.3
CLIN
Table
H.4 1,2,3,4,6
51 Revise Table labels, hours, FTE numbers or other data to make consistent the number of Management Consultant FTEs with the total number of Key Personnel RFP is clear that 5 Mgt. Conslt. resumes are required for proposal submission; this implies that only 4 additional req’d after contract award
Does the gov’t want pricing for a total of 9 Mgt. Consultants or
| 19? | Five (5) FULL TIME and seven (7) PART TIME Management Consultants are required. Additionally, for Key Personnel requirements, reference response to Q&A above. | |||||||||||
| 37 | The total number of required resumes for Management Consultant both with the proposal and after contract award is 19, which is 10 more than the number in the Cost Spreadsheet. | “(a) The Contractor shall provide the Contract Program Manager, Training Coordinator, and Management Consultants as Key Personnel positions. The Government reserves the right to approve all Key Personnel. The Contract Program Manager shall liaise with DOS staff and have full authority to act on behalf of the Contractor and provide full control over all Contractor operations onsite. (b) For the purposes of proposal evaluation, the Contractor shall provide resumes only for the Contract Program Manager, Training Coordinator, and five (5) Management Consultants. All Management Consultant positions are deemed key personnel after contract award. After contract award, the Contractor will submit an approved list of “additional Key Personnel” in the form below.” | Section H Key Personnel | H.4 | 50-51 | Recommend that the Table on page 51 entitled “Additional Key Personnel” be removed and in its place put a statement that “All personnel assigned to the Management Consultant position are considered Key Personnel. | Reference Q&A above. | |||||
| 38 | The total estimated ceiling costs per CLIN for the Management Consultant Labor Category equals 16,920 hours or 9 positions using 1880 hrs. per position. However the Key Personnel tables in H.4(b) show a total of 19 Management Consultant positions. Is this an error or is one Management Consultant position not equivalent to 1880 hrs.? | none | none | none | none | Reference Q&A above. | B.4 and H.4(b) | Cost/Price Schedule and Key Personnel | 1-7 and 51 | Clarify if the 19 Management Consultant positions shown in H.4(b) is correct. | ||
| 39 | Please reconcile that number (17) with the number of Management Consultants under B.4 (9) for consistency sake. | CLIN X001, 9 FTEs (16,920 hours) are to be priced for the base and each option period. Under provision H.4 Key Personnel, the Key Personnel for proposal submission includes 5 Management Consultants, plus the submission of 12 Additional Key Personnel after contract award. The sum of all Management Consultants under H.4, i.e., 5 with proposal and 12 post-award equal 17 Management Consultants. | Section B, Cost/Price Schedule | B.4 | 8-Jan | none | Reference Q&A above. | |||||
| 40 | Please clarify – there is no section C.2.1.4 | As indicated in C.2.1.4, the Contractor shall be prepared to assume visa-related work as necessary. This work may be the result of new requirements levied on VO by Congress or DHS or the need to balance the visa workload across multiple sites. | C | 2.6 | 29 | none | Reference change to the RFP: |
- Changed Section C.2.6. Additional Operational Support (CLIN X4) 41 Please clarify document production support services. The market place for document production support services is very competitive. As such, the successful offeror has a vested interest in the Government generated CPARS under this contract. Att C 5; CPARS 3 none Reference change to the RFP Attachment C-QASP:
- Revised Section 5.0 Methods of QA Surveillance, Contractor Performance Assessment Report System (CPARS) 42 Please clarify information about VO/L/C Watch fluctuating or irregular work hours and how many staff work for VO/L/C currently. The Contractor shall provide parking for personnel supporting the VO/L/C Watch due to the fluctuating and irregular work hours and location of the section H 8.4 53 none The VO/L/C Watch has core hours from 8 am to 7 pm. There are two shifts that cover this time period, one starts early (between 7 am -9am) and the other starts later (between 11 am - 1 pm). Sometimes they will have a third shift that may work on a special project.
This contract estimates five (5) part-time Management Consultants to support VO/L/C Watch.
| 43 | Please clarify that contractor staff are required on site during regular business hours with the other times (6:00 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) being either special tasking or flexible working hours? | At a minimum, the Contractor shall provide support at VO HQ and any off-site locations as assigned five (5) days a week, Monday through Friday, for eight (8) hours per day. The hours of operation are from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with regular business hours being from 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Contractor shall provide all categories of support service during the regular business hours. These hours may be extended substantially pursuant to special tasks and as mission dictates. The Contractor shall have the consent of the DOS to schedule flexible work hours between the Department’s core hours of operation (9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.), but shall ensure that each full-time Contractor employee works at least an eight (8) hour day and that smooth and efficient operations are not interrupted. | F | 6 | 36 | none | Reference Q&A above. |
| 44 | Please confirm that CA/VO wants a total of 19 key Management Consultants, each with at least 15 years of consular or FS experience. | Management Consultant experience: At least 15 years of consular or Foreign Service experience, including interpreting and applying complex regulatory material for minimum of 10 years [and CA/VO requires 19 as key] | Att D | 20 | none | Reference Q&A above. | |
| 45 | Please clarify that key personnel resume submission for the proposal only requires the seven (7) resumes listed in the “(proposal submission)” portion of the chart at H.4.(b). | (a) The Offeror shall submit resumes for key personnel that it reasonably expects to perform on the contract. At a minimum, the Offeror shall provide resumes for all key positions listed in RFP SECTION H.4. Key Personnel. | L | 14 | 87 | none | Yes, seven (7) resumes are required for the key personnel proposal submission. |
No change to the RFP required.
46 Records of employee reprimanding are considered part of the employee's personnel file and contain sensitive and confidential information all of which may or may not be applicable or relevant as it pertains to breech of internal controls. Would the Government consider only inclusion of employee reprimanding if and only if it relates to breech of internal controls? Any employee reprimanding and/or records of breech in internal controls for the Government to monitor. Section F F.7.6.7 40 Relevant employee reprimanding and/or records related to breech in internal controls for the Government to monitor. Reference change to the RFP:
- Changed Section F.7.6. Contract File, #7 47 Since this is a small business set-aside, recommend deletion of the following clauses: 52.219-9, 52.219-16, 52.230-2, and 52.230-6. "52.219-9 SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING PLAN (JUL 2013) 52.219-16 LIQUIDATION OF DAMAGES- SUBCONTRACTING PLAN (JAN 1999) 52.230-2 COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS (MAY 2014)52.230-6 ADMINISTRATION OF COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS (JUN 2010)The Contractor shall provide copies of timesheets with its invoices" Section I I.2 59-60 Recommend removal of clauses. Reference changes to RFP, Section I Contract Clauses:
- Removed clause 52.219-9 SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING PLAN (JUL 2013)
- Removed clause 52.219-16 LIQUIDATION OF DAMAGES- SUBCONTRACTING PLAN (JAN 1999)
- Removed clause 52.230-2 COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS (MAY 2014)
- Removed clause 52.230-6 ADMINISTRATION OF COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS (JUN 2010)
| 48 | Since Small Business are not required to submit Subcontracting Plans the following clauses do not apply 52.219-9 SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING PLAN (JUL 2013) and 52.219-16 LIQUIDATION OF DAMAGES- SUBCONTRACTING PLAN (JAN 1999) | none | I | 2 | 59 | none | Reference Q&A above. |
| 49 | The FBO states this is SDVOSB. The following clauses are missing from the RFP: 52.219-27, Notice of Total Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside and 52.219-14 - Limitations on Subcontracting. | none | none | none | none | none | Reference changes to RFP, Section I Contract Clauses: |
- Added clause 52.219-14 LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING
- Added clause 52.219-27, Notice of Total Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside 50 The description for the Management Consultant (second bullet under “Education/Experience Required”) states that regulatory material is to be applied and implies that a list should follow. What are the contents of that list? “At least 15 years of consular or Foreign Service experience, including interpreting and applying complex regulatory material for minimum of 10 years, including:” Attachment D Management Consultant Attachment D, p. 20 none Reference change to RFP Attachment D- Labor Categories:
- Clarified experience required of Management Consultants.
| 51 | What is the average percentage of J Visa waiver work done on a monthly basis? | Additionally, funding for J-visa waivers is from a different source and for monthly billing purposes, the Contractor shall separate all costs for J-visa waiver activities and inquiries from other activities. | G | 6 | 47 | none | Seven out of seven (100%) contractor positions allocated to L/W provide J-waiver visa-related work. No change to the RFP required. |
| 52 | The NTE rates provided in proposals for Section B and Attachment A will include appropriate markups including profit. The direct labor cost would include overhead and other associated costs required to pay staff etc. Can you explain how this billing under the Excusable Delays should be submitted given the CLIN structure of the contract? | …the Government will not pay for any profit associated with these costs. | F | 5 | 104 | none | Reference change to RFP: |
- Changed Section L.20.1.6. CLIN X006 – INTERRUPTION OF SERVICES
| 53 | Please clarify the support required to the USCIS Liaison Officer. | The Contractor also supports the USCIS Liaison Officer. | C | 2.2.5.1 | 25 | none | The Contractor shall provide staff to perform the Tasks described in the Visa Specialist Labor Category in RFP Attachment D- Labor Categories. |
| 54 | Please clarify what is meant by “help desk”. | The Contractor, either under the guidance of the adjudicating officer, or when providing responses to inquiries, may be asked to operate a “help desk.” | C | 2.2.1.2 | 19 | none | Reference change to RFP: |
- Changed Section C.2.2.1.2. Support for Renewals
| 55 | Please clarify whether this is to be part of proposal. | If requested, the Contractor shall staff an office to renew certain nonimmigrant visas. | C | 2.2.1.2 | 19 | none | Yes, this should be included in the Offerors' proposals. The Government has estimated seven (7) full-time Visa Specialists for this section. This unit does not currently exist, and the Government may choose not to establish this unit in the future, however it should be included in the proposal. |
| 56 | Please clarify, Is the bidder to provide the live operators? | NIV telephone inquiries shall be handled by both an automated system and live operators. Routine queries shall be handled using an automated response. More difficult cases—those that require non-routine responses—shall be handled by live operators. | C | 2.2.5.2 | 25 | none | Yes, the bidder is to provide support to our inquiries unit. |
No change to RFP required.
57 Please clarify the Maximum Error Rate/Acceptable Quality Level. “None” implies there is not an AQL. Maximum Error Rate/Acceptable Quality Level – “None” F.8. Table 2 Table 2 – Performance Requirements 41-43 Please provide standards for AQLs. None means that no error rates are acceptable for these performance requirements.
No change to the RFP required.
58 Please confirm the section that should be referenced in Section C.2.1, third paragraph, referring to the Monthly Status Reports. The text refers to Section F.7.4.3 but it appears to be F.7.3 …(reference Section F.7.4.3 Monthly Status Reports). C C.2.1 16 Please clarify. Reference change to RFP:
- Changed Section C.2.1.
59 Please confirm the section that should be referenced in Section F.6, third paragraph referring to the telework policy. The text refers to Section F.7.8 but it appears to be F.7.7 A telework policy shall be developed IAW RFP Section F.7.8. F F.6 36 Please clarify. Reference change to RFP:
- Changed Section F.6 GOVERNMENT HOLIDAYS AND WORK HOURS.
| 60 | Will the government provide equipment (laptops, etc.) for contractor telework if and when telework is approved? | Contractor staff may telework from home or other pre-approved locations when deemed advantageous to the government and upon explicit approval from the on-site government manager and COR. The Government reserves the right to approve/disapprove requests to telework without explanation. After contract award, the Contractor will be furnished a list of positions allowed to telework on this contract. | Section F.7.7 | Section F.7.7 | p.40 | If government equipment will not be provided, the bidder has no basis upon which to develop a cost (ODCs) for telework. | Yes, the Government will provide the equipment necessary to telework when required. |
| 61 | This format has the disclosure statement in 10 point. Please clarify this is acceptable for submission. | Provided resume format | L | 14 | 87-88 | none | Yes, the format provided by the Government is acceptable for submission. |
| 62 | This section says the pages shall not be numbered and Section L.17.4 states that “The Offeror may number the pages that do not count toward page count with roman numerals.” Which do you prefer? | In accordance with RFP Section L.17.5, the cover letter, Table of Contents, Matrices of Changes, and glossary of terms, do not count towards the page limits and shall not be numbered. | L | 19.1 (and 17.4) | 96 | none | Reference change to RFP: |
- Changed Section L.19.1 Volume II, Tab A: Introduction
| 63 | What are VO/P/I procedures and requirements? | The Contractor shall respond to inquiries in support of the division currently known as VO/P/I, in accordance with VO/P/I procedures and requirements. | C | 2.2.5.2 | 25 | none | Procedures and requirements will be provided after contract award. |
| 64 | Which RFP Reference do the last five (5) items in Table 1 – Deliverables Schedule refer to? | F.7.6 Phase-In Plan and Phase-out plan | F.7 | F.7. Contract Reports and Schedule | 37-41 | Please renumber to align with the RFP. | Reference change to RFP: |
- Changed table numbering in Section F.7 CONTRACT REPORTS AND SCHEDULE
| 65 | Wouldn't this give evaluators of the technical portion of the proposal the approximate value of our proposal and comparable values to competitors? | The staffing table shall, at a minimum, depict the contract Labor Categories and the Offeror’s proposed pay equivalents (GS Grade and Step or the Service Contract Act (SCA) category). | L | 19.2 Tab C | 97-98 | none | This information is necessary to assess the Offeror’s Management Plan with respect to its compliance with the solicitation requirements, feasibility, tradeoffs, strengths, weaknesses, and the risk associated with the Offeror’s approach and/or solutions. | ||||
| 66 | Will the government provide the incoming contractor a roster of current personnel and if so how many days after award? C.2.1.1 requires this for the proposal response but does not state that this is a requirement of the current contract. | The Contractor shall seamlessly transition this support contract in no less than 30 days after award, beginning from the contract kick-off meeting (reference RFP Section F.7.5). Whether phasing-in from an incumbent contractor or phasing-out to a follow-on contractor, the Contractor shall do so without interruption or compromise in service productivity, timeliness, or quality. The Contractor will provide an inbound Contractor the list of incumbent personnel names, labor category, location/office, training records, and employment anniversary no less than 5 days after contract award. | none | none | none | none | Yes, 5 days after award. | C.2.1.1 | Transition Management | 17 | Identify when the current roster of personnel will be provided to the incoming contractor. |
| 67 | Attachment D references multiple position (labor category) descriptions. Many of these require Top Secret - Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS//SCI) clearances. Will the Government allow employees with Top Secret (TS) clearances but without currently active SCIs to be “read-in” to any SCIs that will be required by the Department of State Visa Office(s)? | TS SCI | Att D | none | Various | none | Yes | ||||
| 68 | Since an SCI clearance does not follow personnel when they leave a position, please clarify that an individual with an SCI clearance that has been inactivated within the past 24 months can be bid in these key positions. | MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIRED: TOP SECRET (SCI) | Att D | none | 20 | none | Yes, the Department of State will sponsor for the SCI clearance only. | ||||
| 69 | Will the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Visa Services Directorate sponsor us for a facility clearance? | none | none | none | No, Offeror will have to have facility clearance in order to bid. | ||||||
| 70 | The Government suggests the use of software such as Tableau or Qlik for statistical analysis. Does the Government intend to provide the software proposed for this purpose as Government Furnished Equipment (GFE), along with the necessary personal computers? | “The Contractor is encouraged to propose the use of specialized software (such as Tableau software and/or Qlik) and advanced methods in statistical analysis to assemble, sift and present information to EX. CA will benefit from the enhanced analytical and communication tools available for making decisions about staffing and resource allocation. By using advanced software, future analyses can include sophisticated, valuable visual displays of data for improved decision-making about allocation of resources. The operational analyses is presented regularly to CA’s Assistant Secretary and other CA offices, and the standard of the analyses would be superior with tools such as Tableau and Qlik.” | C | 2.2.1.1 | 19-20 | Statistical analysis software may be approved as an Other Direct Cost (ODC); software must be approved for use on DOS systems and pre-approved by the COR. | |||||
| 71 | What is the CLIN Type for CLIN X006 Interruption of Services? | N/A | Section B | B.4 | 7-Feb | This is a cost-reimbursable CLIN. | |||||
| 72 | Will the Government accept CTAs as sole agreement, to be submitted without OLA or MOU and still be considered compliant? | The Offeror shall include signed agreements with any proposed Subcontractors or partners, if applicable. These agreements may take the form of Operating Level Agreements (OLAs), or Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs). If a Contractor Teaming Arrangement (CTA) will be in effect, a signed copy of the CTA is required as part of the proposed submission. Cost data should be redacted. | L | L.18.9 | 95 | Allow submission of CTA | yes | ||||
| 73 | Will the government provide the SF 33 referenced in L.18.1? | L.18.1 | none | none | none | none | yes |
&"-,Bold"SAQMMA14R0370 Questions and Answers (&A) http://www.acquisition.gov/far/html/52_217_221.html
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