WPS_2_Questions_and_Answers_07_01_2015.doc.docx

SOLICITATION No. SAQMMA15R0282 Worldwide Protective Services 2

(i.e. PWS or RFP Paragraph)

Gaps in the numerical sequence indicate duplicate questions, struck through text in Offeror’s comments/questions were considered immaterial to the question.

Regarding Attachments A, Matrix Form and B, PPQ Form referenced in Section L, can the Government please provide these forms or state when they will be made available via fbo.gov?

Attachments A and B as referenced in Section L have been posted in fbo.gov in Amendment 4 on May 21, 2015.

Can we assume by the statement above that ‘customers’ refers to citing three (3) contracts which may include task orders under an IDIQ?

Given the requirement for 5 proposal hard copies, is it the Government’s intent for each customer to return 5 sealed PPQs for each of the three (3) contracts for Contractor submission?

Will the Government allow for submission of completed PPQs directly to DOS in the case of a US Government customer?

Can the Government please advise how the offeror shall submit sealed PPQs in their electronic emailed proposal submission?

Customers refer to entities services were provided to who received the services. For instance (i.e. example only), Department of State, DOD and CARE.

NO. Prospective offerors shall provide the sealed envelopes in the first Volume 2 submission. Photo copies of the sealed envelopes shall comprise each of the additional Volume 2 submissions.

NO.

Prospective offerors shall provide photo copies of each past performance questionnaire envelope in their electronic submission.

Section L, Volume 1, (3) Section M.2 (3) (4)

Can the Government confirm FAR 52.222-50 (2015) is the correct clause for this solicitation?

Yes, the Government confirms that FAR 52.222-50 (March 2015) is the correct clause for this solicitation.

Department of State (DOS) Diplomatic Security (DS) delineates, “Contractor Provided Services and Resources (C.8),” into five separate subcategories; (C.8.1) Protective Services, (C.8.2) Guard Services, (C.8.3) Specialized Security Services, (C.8.4) Aviation Services, and (C.8.5) Logistical Support Services.

Is it DOS’s intent that the prime contractor directly employ the positions performing services under C.8.1 and C.8.2, while allowing the prime to subcontract work under C.8.3, C.8.4 and C.8.5, if needed and where approved?

The intention is that all personnel performing services under protective (P) or guard (G) labor categories, as addressed in Attachment 1 “Personnel and Canine Qualifications and Responsibilities”, who are required to carry and employ firearms in the course of their normal duties be direct employees of the prime contractor.

All other positions and/or services may be subcontracted subject to approval.

Are all services under SOW section (C.8) Contractor Provided Services and Resources, considered as, “armed services,” or is this classification limited to subsections (C.8.1) Protective Services and (C.8.2) Guard Services?

Is it DOS’s intent for any subcontractor that has armed positions, regardless of classification of their company or service performed under this contract, to be a member of the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Services Providers’ Association?

If International Code of Conduct for Private Security Services Providers’ Association membership is required for subcontractors with armed positions, regardless of classification of their company or service performed under this contract, is membership and good standing certification required at proposal submission or upon award of the IDIQ contract or associated Task Order(s)?

The intention is that any subcontractor providing personnel performing services under support (S) labor categories, as addressed in Attachment 1 “Personnel and Canine Qualifications and Responsibilities”, who are required to carry and employ firearms in the course of their normal duties, be a member of the ICoCA in good standing and confirm compliance with the requirements set forth in the ANSI standard entitled PSC.1-2012.

Subcontractors may not perform armed (P) or (G) services, as such personnel must be in the direct employ of the prime contractor (see previous question)

Subcontractor compliance with the above requirement is required for task order proposal.

Will this % be inserted at the IDIQ contract award or the task order award?

Should this percentage be stated in the Offerors proposal or will it be dictated by DOS?

(to be inserted at contract award)…..

The percentage will be inserted by the contracting officer at the IDIQ level.

2. Schedule, record, and provide relief guard(s) to ensure that guards, screeners, and guard service drivers as well as their immediate supervisors receive a thirty (30)-minute meal break during each full work day unless otherwise directed by DS/RSO. This record shall be made available for Government inspection at the TO performance location.

Should the meal break occur at one of the 4-hour rest break increments, will this count as the rest break as well, or will the guard be entitled to a 45 minute break (30-minute for meal and 15-minute for relief)?

Will the Government provide specifically which CLINs identified in the Price Template are afforded the Relief Breaks per Section C?

Guards are entitled to a 15 minute rest break for every four (4) hours worked AND a 30 minute meal break. So a guard working a 12 hour shift would be entitled to three (3) 15 minute breaks AND a 30 minute meal break. Breaks shall not be combined.

Specific CLINs that are afforded relief breaks are as follows: Unarmed Driver, Unarmed Guard (I and II), Armed Driver, Armed Guard, LN Armed Guard (I and II), Security Screener (I and II), Senior Guard, Site Supervisor.

Please confirm that all areas of training will be priced on the task orders and should not be reflected in the IDIQ labor rates.

Yes. Confirmed.

Will the Government confirm that a standalone task order for the CONUS-based PMO will be issued after the IDIQ contract has been awarded?

No. See Section C.9.3.D

a. proposed subcontractors;

b. total dollars estimated to be subcontracted to each proposed subcontractor;

c. total dollars estimated to be performed by the offeror; and

d. percentage of work (based on estimated total dollars) to be performed by the offeror and each proposed subcontractor.

It is unclear whether the Contractor is asked to state the information based on subcontractor information used in the development of the IDIQ prices and the subsequent total evaluated price, or whether the Contractor is asked to state projections based on future task order revenue projections. Will the Government confirm that dollars and percentages should be derived from quantities and input on the IDIQ?

Use of subcontractors for services performed on the task order.

Will the Contractor's management and technical approach only be reviewed as to whether it meets the minimum requirements or will value-added propositions be evaluated as well when compared with the price offer?

M.1.1. C. The evaluation factors for this solicitation are the minimum mandatory requirements, past performance and price. All evaluation factors other than price when combined are significantly more important than the price factor. In any case, the Government reserves the right to make award(s) to that offeror whose proposal provides the best overall value to the Government.

Will the Government provide a range or maximum number of contract awards they plan to make on the IDIQ?

No

Will the Government amend the solicitation so that these insurances will be bid at the task order level based on the requirements of that task order?

If not, will the Government provide a greater level of detail to what requirements will be so that Contractors can secure the proper insurance within their rate structure?

H.13.7: The Contractor, at its own expense, shall provide and maintain during the entire period of performance of this contract whatever insurance is legally necessary.

Government is not requesting a bid for contractor expenses that are not billable to the Government.

H.13.4: Aircraft Public and Passenger Liability--When aircraft are used in connection with performing the contract, the Contractor shall provide aircraft public and passenger liability insurance. Coverage shall be at least $2,500,000 per occurrence for property damage. Coverage of passenger liability bodily injury shall be at least $2,000,000 multiplied by the number of seats or passengers, whichever is greater.

H.13. 5: Vessel Liability--When contract performance involves use of vessels, the Contractor shall provide vessel collision liability and protection and indemnity liability insurance.

Will the Government provide the type of aircraft for which this required insurance should be based on at no additional cost to the contract, or will the Government remove this requirement and make it directly billable on the given task order?

Will the Government provide the type of vessel for which this required insurance should be based on at no additional cost to the contract, or will the Government remove this requirement and make it directly billable on the given task order?

C.8.4: Aviation Services The Contractor shall provide aviation services for search and rescue, medical evacuations, transporting QRF to respond to incidents, and where required by DS/RSO, air transportation for COM or other Government employees. Such services will be defined in the TO.

H.13.7: The Contractor, at its own expense, shall provide and maintain during the entire period of performance of this contract whatever insurance is legally necessary.

Please clarify if this requirement applies to the Past Performance Questionnaires (Sealed Envelopes) in Volume 2 - If so, are offerors required to submit 5 copies in 1 sealed envelope or 5 sealed envelopes with one copy in each?

Prospective offerors are to provide three (3) Past Performance Questionnaires in the first Volume 2 submission. Prospective offerors are to provide copies of the three (3) Past Performance Questionnaire envelopes in all the other Volume 2 submissions other than the first.

Please clarify if an electronic version of the Past Performance Questionnaires are also required with the softcopy submission.

Yes. Prospective offerors shall provide copies of the three (3) Past Performance Questionnaire envelopes in the electronic version.

When will Attachment 18 be available to bidders?

The DD 7655 is attached for viewing.

At the pre-proposal conference the Government announced the 2015 subcontracting goals. Will the Government amend the solicitation to specify 2016 goals (the first year of performance) or should our submission be based on the 2015 goals as announced: Small Business 32%, WOSB 5%, SDB 5%, HUBZone 3%, SDVOSB 3% The Government will not amend the solicitation to specify 2016 goals. Prospective offerors should use 2015 as announced.

Throughout the SOW, the letters "IDIQd" appear in places where it appears that the government intended to use the word "based". Can the government confirm that this was its intention?

See amended Section C

Please clarify how many printed versions of the proposal (Original and "X" copies) we are to deliver. Also please confirm and clarify the requirement to submit an electronic version.

Five (5) sets or twenty five (25) printed volumes.

The electronic version shall be an electronic copy of the printed volumes expect in the case of the Past Performance Questionnaires where prospective offerors shall copy each questionnaire envelope for the electronic submission.

Is the offeror correct in assuming that the government requires contracts provided in the Matrix to be inclusive of all members of a Joint Venture (i.e. all members of the JV must meet the minimum experience requirements)?

So long as the joint venture as a whole meets the minimum requirements, they are eligible.

Is the offeror correct in assuming, in the event the offeror is a JV, that the number of PPQs is limited to 3 for the JV and not 3 per JV member?

If the joint venture has prior customers as an entity, then three for the JV is acceptable. If the offeror is a joint venture that has formed for the purpose of this solicitation, then three PPQs are required from all members.

In the event that the "offeror" is a Joint Venture does the JV have to be a member in good standing of the ICoCA OR is the requirement satisfied by all members of the JV being members of the ICoCA?

So long as the joint venture has applied for membership, and provides proof of such, as an entity, the joint venture meets the requirement.

Will the government please clarify what "services" are required to begin NLT 30 days after execution of the task order? Is the offeror correct in assuming that the intent is to begin mobilization and transition NLT 30 days after TO execution and protective services will begin at NTP issued upon completion of mobilization and transition (approximately 90 days after TO execution)?

Mobilization and transition shall begin NLT 30 days after TO execution unless otherwise specified in the TO, with full operating capacity (FOC) to occur afterward, as specified in the task order.

Under "Definitions" 1.3 - A - 2 Supervisory experience is defined as…. Holding a military rank of….non-commissioned officer equivalent to USMC E-4 or all other US military services E-5. For guard for supervisory experience, are the requirements in fact different for GFC, GSS, and CS? Are they defined as such to be used as a guide for relevant TCN experience?

The language in Attachment 1 “Personnel and Canine Qualifications and Responsibilities” contained in each labor category overrides the basic definition provided elsewhere. That definition applies to situations where specifics are not provided. The requirements for GFC, GSS, and CS are in fact different. For TCN personnel, the defined ranks are to be used as a guide for relevant experience, not denote specific ranks in TCN military structure.

Will the TOMP, Past Performance information/data, and price proposal comprise the entire written technical proposal or will a separate technical volume and/or LPMO volume also be required?

The Government does not wish to limit offerors’ technical proposals to merely the required content within the TOMP, therefore the technical proposal must include the TOMP, but is not necessarily limited by the program office’s requirements of what must be contained in the TOMP

Please confirm that the electronic (email) copy of the proposal is due at the same time (17:00 07/16/2015) as the hard copies Five (5) sets or twenty five (25) printed volumes.

The electronic version shall be an electronic copy of the printed volumes expect in the case of the Past Performance Questionnaires where prospective offerors shall copy each questionnaire envelope for the electronic submission.

The electronic (email) copy of the proposal is due no later than the posted time and date.

Please clarify the submission requirements for Volume 2. Should bidders label the sealed envelopes with the information required in L.8 and 3 hole punch them into the binder required by Section L.8? Is a table of contents required for this volume?

The Prospective Offerors should label the front of the Volume 2 binders with the information required in L.8 and ensure the Past Performance Questionnaires (all three) are adequately secured in the first Volume 2 submission.

Please clarify font requirements for 1) The narrative sections in Volume 4 - are these required to be 14 Points, Times New Roman? And 2) Charts and tables in Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 5 - are these allowed to be 10 point, Times New Roman as in Volume 4?

1) Font requirement for the narrative section in Volume 4 can be 14 point or 12 points Times New Roman.

2) All submittals except the price proposals must use type of at least 14 points, Times New Roman (12 point Times New Roman text in graphics, charts and tables).

Is the offeror correct in assuming that the government will provide donor explosive material for the performance of UXO disposal?

Specific Government support of contractor operations will be identified at the task order level, to include government furnished equipment such as explosives.

Please verify the expectation for the OSHA 29 CFR Part 1910 and 1926 standards to apply to construction or dismantling, demolition, or removal of improvements associated with Task Orders yes

Attachment Nine (9) “Task Order Management Plan Requirements” provides requirements for offerors’ task order management plans. Such plans are required for task order proposals, not the base contract.

Question:

Will the Government please provide the referenced Appendix? Appendix B is not provided in the May 18, 2015 Solicitation Package.

See amended Section C

Question:

Will the contractor’s insurance expense associated with the Government’s indemnification be an allowable and reimbursable cost on Task Orders?

This is not a direct pricing question but seems to be a question of interpretation. Section C.8.5.1.1.A.2 as I interpret is that the Contractor is solely responsible for contractor-provided facilities. Indemnification applies to the contractor – the contractor is responsible to pay for the cost of any damages, loss or injury pertaining to the contractor-provided facilities and shall not hold the Government responsible for those costs; thus would NOT be billable to the Government.

Clarification:

Please clarify the requirement with respect to the build-up of hourly rates.

See amended Section L

Question: In consideration of the foregoing, will the Government consider modifying the spreadsheet to allow offerors to propose additional profit and or fee rates?

NO.

Clarification:

Please indicate under which CLIN these costs would be billable; and if there is not currently such a CLIN, would the Government consider adding a CLIN for these costs?

All Other Direct Costs such as other compensation costs will be proposed and negotiated at the Task Order.

Does DOS have a classified network through which relevant classified past performance can be submitted?

No, all past performance information must be unclassified and submitted in accordance with the RFP.

B.4.2.2 Section C.7.8, paragraph C, states that contractors are required to overlap critical positions by 1 day to ensure 100% coverage. However, Section B.4.2.2 (Pricing for OCONUS Positions) states that the Contractor may not simultaneously staff a position with more than one (1) individual, and notes that the Contractor shall be paid only one (1) daily rate per position per day.

Question:

Are the required overlapping days specified in C.7.8 billable, and if so, should this cost be billed separately per occurrence or should this cost be factored into the proposed labor rates?

The overlapping days are billable, the cost should be captured separately from normal labor billing (it can be a separate line on the same invoice) to keep from obscuring mandatory staffing levels.

Question:

Will these on-the-job observational training days be billable separately per occurrence or should these costs be factored into the proposed labor rates?

These days are considered billable as normal labor. The intention is that contractors shall not throw personnel with no experience on the program into the deep end, rather such personnel will get a short period of “right seat/left seat” mentorship.

To further demonstrate a contractor’s ability to perform in numerous high threat locations, should contractor’s submit their current business and security licenses in the high threat countries in which they are currently providing security and are authorized to work?

See Section L.8 Proposal Requirements

Question:

Will the Government please consider revising the formatting instructions to read, “Submit all required documentation on sequentially numbered 8-1/2" by 11" paper using 1 inch margins on all sides of the page. All submittals must use type of at least 12 points, Times New Roman (no smaller than a 10 point Arial Narrow, Arial, or Times New Roman font may be used for tables and graphics). Offerors may use paper larger than 8-1/2” by 11”, however DOS will consider pages using larger paper as two pages for page limitation purposes.

Offerors shall use both sides of each page (i.e.: a 50 page proposal shall include 25 physical pieces of paper). This requirement does not apply to price proposal spreadsheets or to pages larger than 8-1/2” by 11”?s See Section L.9 Formatting

See amended RFP Attachment B

a. Please confirm that the contractor is required to collect “statistical data” on the water intake and defecation of the canine?

b. If yes, what is the reporting requirement and is it required to be a part of the Task Order Explosives Detection Canine Team File (C10.1.3.3)?

The Contractor is intended to monitor the health and welfare of their canines, drastic changes to water consumption and defecation are common indicators of health deterioration in canines. The intent is not to provide specific measurements of activity in these areas, rather to maintain an awareness of “normal” and whether the animals have undergone a drastic change which may be an indicator of a significant health concern.

In addition, WPS 2 Section C - Statement of Work (SOW), C.8.3.7.2 Explosives Detection Canine Team Work Requirements, page 29, bullet point C. Work Breaks, sub-bullet point 1. states, “Schedule, record, and ensure that canines receive a twenty (20) minute biological break for every hour of work. However, if the temperature is over one hundred [and] five (105) degrees, then ensure that the canine receives equal biological break time to work time (e.g., after thirty (30) minutes of work the canine receives thirty (30) minutes of break time). This record shall be made available for Government inspection at the TO performance location.”

a. Does the reference to an EDC standard work schedule of “approximately thirty (30) hours per week” establish a not to exceed work limit for the EDCs work/ nose hours?

b. If yes, can DOS please confirm that with the combination of the canine work/nose hours, paired with the 20 minute biological breaks for each hour of work, would limit the EDC team to 40 post hours?

c. Can DOS please confirm that both EDC work/nose and biological break hours will be billable/productive hours?

d. Can DOS advise as to what other hours outside of the work hours and biological break hours would be billable/productive hours?

a. yes

b. yes, however the handler has additional work requirements that would fill the remainder of their required hours per week.

c. yes

d. The dog itself should not have billable hours, the EDC should be fixed price with the handler having working hours.

See amended Section C

Generally there are two parts of providing immediately available personnel and canines. Contingency EDC teams forward deployed to the TO Location and a replacement pool of EDC teams based CONUS to deploy and backfill vacant positions. The below questions are to assist the contractor in developing our solution to meet DOS’s intent.

a. What is DOS’s definition of, “immediately available,” in terms of required response time (e.g. hours, days, etc.)?

b. Does DOS intend for these immediately available replacement | contingency personnel and canines to be station at Task Order Location?

c. Will costs associated with contingency personnel and canines (EDC Team) maintained at Task Order location be handled through an indirect or direct cost line?

d. Are CONUS based replacement pool personnel and canines (EDC Team) required to attend certification at the DS Canine Validation Center (CVC) and then attend follow-on N-PSS training, or should these EDC teams already be certified and have completed the N-PSS training?

a. In those locations where the task order allows for forward deployed contingency personnel, immediately available means immediate. In those locations where such is not possible, the intent is that the Contractor have a pool of ready to deploy personnel, meaning all steps are completed (i.e., clearance, training, immunizations, travel docs and approvals, etc.) and the individual(s) are ready to transit in country.

b. Depends on the TO, will be stated in the TO RFP

c. Personnel providing direct services shall be billed directly as the labor category they are filling, contingency services personnel at the task order location shall be billed directly as a separate line item.

d. All replacement pool personnel and canines are to be maintained as ready to deploy, thus replacement personnel can complete NPSS training prior to waiting in the pool. When EDC teams are activated to deploy, they must first go to the CVC for validation and international health certificate issuance, as the team must be at the task order performance location within five days of receiving these certifications.

1. The current handler.

2. Other US handlers.

3. Contractor personnel.

4. US Government employees.

5. US canine adoption agencies.”

In addition the pricing table 5 has an opening to price labor for the Explosive Detection Canine (OCONUS) (EDC), CLIN X050.

a. As DOS has laid out a billable line for the canine, as well as directed the contractor on disposition of assets, is it DOS’s intent that the canines be contractor-acquired property?

b. If it is DOS’s intent for the canines to be contractor-acquired property, would the government consider revising CLIN X050 from an hourly rate to a firm fixed unit price?

c. If not, can DOS provide further instruction on how the contractor should go about calculating the hourly rate of the canine?

d. If DOS decides to remove CLIN X050, should the contractor include the cost of the canine indirectly as part of the handler NTE labor rate, or will this be handled as a TO level ODC line item?

e. If the EDC’s are not contractor-acquired property, does the contractor have the ability to reassign any operationally sound, non-WPS compliant EDCs (e.g. aggressive, environmental, etc.) to another non-DOS requirement.

See revised pricing sheet. Canines will be priced as an ODC at the task order level.

Training facilities often do not employ the personnel providing WPS training, rather, it is the training service provider, who may or may not be the same as the training facility. Additionally, training service providers all utilize multiple training facilities to execute all training tasks, both CONUS and OCONUS. This has been a point of contention in the past, and the various interpretations by different DoS training compliance officers has resulted in inconsistent determinations. For example, Academi executes training at US Training Center, as well as at training facilities OCONUS. O’Gara executes training both at Montross, as well as at VIR and KASOTC, which are both subcontracted facilities. VxL executes training at various subcontracted facilities, including T1G, Montross, JIPTC, and KASOTC. Of the facilities above, including US Training Center, Montross (OTF-M), VIR, T1G, JIPTC, KASOTC, and Gendarmerie, 6 out of 7 do not actually employ instructors; rather, the training service providers (Academi, O’Gara, and VxL in this example) employ instructors who conduct training at the facilities above depending on individual Task Order requirements.

Question: Would the Government consider changing the language of the requirement to indicate that DoS will associate instructor BIO approvals with the TRAINING SERVICE PROVIDER that employs the instructor?