Questions_and_Answers_A004.pdf

SAQMMA16R0014 – Protective Technology Services (PTS)

SECTION B

No Questions were asked pertaining to this section.

SECTION C

Citation: Paragraph 6.2.1.7

Question: This section indicates offerors are to provide a draft Risk Management Plan with their proposals. The instructions in Section L.010 do not include a Risk Management Plan. Will the Government please revise Section L.010 to indicate where in the Technical Proposal offerors are to address Risk Management?

Answer: See amended paragraph L.10.4 and M-007

Citation: General

Question: The Classified PWS has sections that state “SECRET when associated with the PWS”. Please clarify the meaning of "when associated with the PWS”. For example, if information marked SECRET in the PWS is extracted and used in another document such as a cost buildup, invoice or staffing plan, without reference to the PWS, performance locations, TTPs, equipment, etc., is the extracted PWS information now disassociated from the PWS and usable in other documents?

Answer: Text should not be copied from a paragraph or chart that has been marked as SECRET. For information marked “SECRET when associated with the PWS,” the information can be extracted and used in another document as long as it is not associated with the specific tasking and equipment. Only unclassified responses to the RFP should be provided. As such, text in the PWS which is clearly marked as SECRET, with an (S) in front of the sentence/paragraph, cannot be copied or included in an unclassified response.

Citation: General

Question: There are several sections in the classified PWS that are marked SECRET, however the same sections in the DRAFT Unclassified PWS released on FEBBIZOPPS (03/07/2016) are unclassified. Please clarify the classifications in the

PWS.

Answer: The Classification Authority determined that the Tasking, coupled with the Estimation of Effort by specific labor category, estimated travel and specific location of duty, as well as specific equipment used, represented information that would collectively be classified for the reasons stated in the Department of State Classification Guide 11-01, for reasons (g). The sections that this offeror may be referring to have indeed changed from the Draft PWS put out in March versus the Final, Classified PWS. These changes may be subtle in some cases and larger in others, but the inclusion of these changes offer specificity that the Classification Authority determined to protect.

SECTION D

SECTION E

SECTION F

SECTION G

SECTION H

Citation: H-005

Question: Will the Government consider revising Item #3 of this clause to read “any modification of or affirmation or representation as to the above which is made by the Contractor in or during the course of negotiations and is memorialized in writing in the resultant contract award or contract modification”?

Answer: No.

Citation: H-016

Question: Will the Government allow offerors to identify and submit the resumes of additional Key Personnel?

Answer: No. Resumes for positions that are not listed as Key will not be reviewed or evaluated. Further, the government will only review one resume per Key position.

Citation: H-016

Question: Paragraph (3) states that “All proposed substitutes shall meet or exceed the qualifications of the person to be replaced.” Would the Government consider revising this statement to read “…qualifications of the position Labor Category as listed in Attachment 2”? If unchanged, this condition could result in unnecessarily long vacancy times if replacement candidates meet the Labor Category Qualifications but fail to meet or exceed the exact qualifications of the person to be replaced.

Answer: No.

Citation: H-032, H-033, K-005

Question: Will the Government please confirm whether Offerors are required to include subcontractor’s OCI certifications with the proposal?

Answer: Yes.

Citation: H-034 and Labor Category Descriptions

Question: Section H-034 allocates 2,908 hours to the labor category “ECM Project Manager (OCONUS)”; however, there is no Position Description provided for that labor category. Will the Government please provide a Position Description for this labor category?

Answer: The labor category is exactly the same as the CONUS labor category, but the Government recognizes that the pricing of the position may differ based on the OCONUS location.

Citation: H-016

Question: The ECM Project Manager (OCONUS) and S&W Regional Manager (OCONUS) are only listed once. Will there only be one Regional Manager to cover two regions (Iraq and Afghanistan) for each respective group?

Answer: See amended section H-016.

SECTION I

SECTION L

Citation: L.009, 3rd Paragraph

Question(s): This section indicates the Technical Proposal is limited to “50 individual pages.” Will the Government please clarify whether offerors’ proposals are limited to 100 numbered pages (50 pages double sided-printing) or to 50 numbered pages (25 pages double-sided printing)?

Answer: See amended section L.009.

Citation: L.10.3 (d)

Question: In order to provide the Government the most detailed “step-wise” transition activity road map possible, would the Government consider allowing offers to submit the detailed activity list in an attachment to Factor 2 – Transition and exclude it from the page count?

Answer: Yes. See amended section L.009.

Citation: L.10.2.4(b)

Question: This section (which offeror assumes is actually L.10.2.5) indicates offerors are to include signed letters of commitment or a binding bilateral employment agreement for each key personnel who is not an employee of the offeror at the time of submission.

a. Will the Government please confirm that these letters are to be included as an Appendix and as such are excluded from the page count?

b. Will the Government further confirm that if the letters contain salary information they are to be presented as part of Volume 2 Price Proposal and that the instructions for Volume 2 will be modified to indicate this?

Answer:

a. Confirmed. See revised section L.009.

b. The salary shall be redacted in the agreement as long as it is evident that a definite salary was agreed to between the parties.

Citation: Section L, DOSAR 652.219-70

Question: This section requires offerors to submit a Small Business Subcontracting Plan;

however, the solicitation does not indicate in which volume this plan belongs. Will the Government please clarify whether this plan is required to be submitted and whether offerors are required to meet the Department’s subcontracting goals listed in this clause?

Answer: The Small Business Subcontracting Plan shall be included in Volume II Price proposal. See amended section L.011.

Citation: L-009

Question: This section requires the offeror to submit information regarding its property management system; however, the solicitation does not indicate in which volume this information belongs. Will the Government please clarify whether this information is required to be submitted?

Answer: Volume II Price proposal. See amended section L.011.

Citation: L.008

Question: Are subcontractors required to submit a Volume 2 price proposal and/or an attachment 6? Would T&M or FFPLOE based subcontractors be required to submit a Volume II price proposal and or an Attachment 6?

Answer: The Prime must provide all pricing information required by the solicitation including sub-contractor pricing information in its offer.

Citation: L.009 2nd paragraph

Question: To increase production clarity, will the Government allow offerors to create graphics using 8 point Arial font and tables using at least 9 point Times New Roman font?

Answer: See amended paragraph L.009.

Citation: L.009 3rd paragraph

Question: Will the Government please confirm that it defines a “foldout” as an 11x17 sheet and that each foldout counts as a single page?

Answer: See amended section L.009.

Citation: L-011

Question: Does the Government anticipate the need for contractors to procure their own private security goods and services in performance of this contract? If not, will the Government please confirm that if contractors do not expect to require these services in contract execution, providing a breakout of such costs is not required?

Answer: The Government does not anticipate the need for contractors to procure their own private security goods and services. Nonetheless, in accordance with provision L-011, the offeror shall breakout the costs expected to be incurred for private security goods or services obtained as part of contract performance; if there are no such anticipated costs, the contractor should so state.

Citation: Section L, 652.239-70

Question: This amendment adds FAR Clause 652.239-70 to Section L. This FAR Clause indicates that offerors must include in their response “the approach for completing the security plan and certification and accreditation requirements . . .”

a. Will the Government please confirm that offerors do not need to include the IT Security Plan and Accreditation with their responses but that offerors do need to address how we will complete that Plan?

b. Will the Government please revise the proposal instructions to indicate where in the response offerors are to include this information?

c. Will the Government also please provide any evaluation criteria for this element of the offerors’ proposals?

Answer: See amendment A003, which removes provision 652.239-70 and clause 652.239- 71, as they do not apply to this solicitation.

Citation: L.10.1

Question: Will the Government please confirm that the Cover Letter/Executive Summary is excluded from the page count?

Answer: Confirmed. See amended section L.009.

Citation: L.10.2.3

Question: Will the Government advise whether subcontractors are to submit a compensation plan or whether the compensation plan is required only from the Prime Contractor? If subcontractors also are required to provide this data, it may be considered proprietary and may not be available to primes to include. If this data is required for subcontractors, will the Government please confirm subcontractors can submit a separate, sealed package that is excluded from the page count?

Answer: The offeror must submit all technical, cost, and price information required by the solicitation. See prime contractor proposal obligations at FAR 15.404-3 Subcontract pricing considerations (emphasis added):

“(a) The contracting officer is responsible for the determination of a fair and reasonable price for the prime contract, including subcontracting costs. The contracting officer should consider whether a contractor or subcontractor has an approved purchasing system, has performed cost or price analysis of proposed subcontractor prices, or has negotiated the subcontract prices before negotiation of the prime contract, in determining the reasonableness of the prime contract price. This does not relieve the contracting officer from the responsibility to analyze the contractor’s submission, including subcontractor’s certified cost or pricing data.

(b) The prime contractor or subcontractor shall—

(1) Conduct appropriate cost or price analyses to establish the reasonableness of proposed subcontract prices;

(2) Include the results of these analyses in the price proposal; and

(3) When required by paragraph (c) of this subsection, submit subcontractor certified cost or pricing data to the Government as part of its own certified cost or pricing data.

(c) Any contractor or subcontractor that is required to submit certified cost or pricing data also shall obtain and analyze certified cost or pricing data before awarding any subcontract, purchase order, or modification expected to exceed the certified cost or pricing data threshold, unless an exception in 15.403-1(b) applies to that action.

(1) The contractor shall submit, or cause to be submitted by the subcontractor(s), certified cost or pricing data to the Government for subcontracts that are the lower of either—

(i) $13.5 million or more; or

(ii) Both more than the pertinent certified cost or pricing data threshold and more than 10 percent of the prime contractor’s proposed price, unless the contracting officer believes such submission is unnecessary.

(2) The contracting officer should require the contractor or subcontractor to submit to the Government (or cause submission of) subcontractor certified cost or pricing data below the thresholds in paragraph (c)(1) of this subsection and data other than certified cost or pricing data that the contracting officer considers necessary for adequately pricing the prime contract.

(3) Subcontractor certified cost or pricing data shall be submitted in the format provided inTable 15-2 of 15.408 or the alternate format specified in the solicitation.

(4) Subcontractor certified cost or pricing data shall be current, accurate, and complete as of the date of price agreement, or, if applicable, an earlier date agreed upon by the parties and specified on the contractor’s Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data. The contractor shall update subcontractor’s data, as appropriate, during source selection and negotiations.

(5) If there is more than one prospective subcontractor for any given work, the contractor need only submit to the Government certified cost or pricing data for the prospective subcontractor most likely to receive the award.”

Citation: L.10.2.3(b)

Question: Will the Government please confirm that the Attachment 4 is to be submitted as an Appendix and therefore is excluded from the page count?

Answer: As stated in L.10.2, Attachment 4 is to be submitted within the offeror’s Compensation Plan and will be included in the page count.

Citation: L.10.2.3(b)

Question: Will the Government please confirm that offerors are allowed to add columns to Attachment 4 to provide the benefits for various employee classifications (e.g., CONUS, OCONUS, and SCA)?

Answer: Yes.

Citation: L.10.2.4, Key Personnel

Question: Will the Government please confirm this Section should be renumbered “L.10.2.5”?

Answer: Confirmed. See amended section L.10.2.

Citation: L.10.2.4, Key Personnel

Question: Are offerors allowed to identify additional Key Personnel?

Answer: No. Resumes for positions that are not listed as Key will not be reviewed or evaluated. Further, the government will only review one resume per Key position.

Citation: L.10.3

Question: Will the Government confirm that the first sentence of that section should be numbered “1”?

Answer: Whether the section is numbered or not, it is equally enforceable, and since Section L does not become part of the resultant contract, the Government has not made this clerical change.

Citation: L.10.6

Question: Section L.009, 3rd paragraph indicates that the past performance information is excluded from the page count; however, the instructions in this section do not indicate what type of information is to be provided. Will the Government please clarify what, if any, content offerors are to provide with their proposals to meet the requirements of Section L.10.6?

Answer: Offerors are not instructed by section L.10.6 to provide any information with their proposals. Rather, as stated in L.10.6, the content for this factor will consist of Attachment 5 responses submitted directly from evaluators.

Citation: L.1.03(a), M-007-2

Question: L.1.03(a) requires offers provide “ . . . approach to working with and capturing knowledge from incumbent contractors – both those transitioning out and those remaining.

The Plan shall describe how the Offeror plans to transition new hires, including any “captured” incumbent staff, on its [sic] corporate practices and quality management methods.” Section M-007-2 does not indicate how this element of the Transition Plan will be evaluated. Will the Government please provide evaluation criteria for this element of the Transition Plan?

Answer: This element will be evaluated as part of Technical Evaluation Factor 2:

Transition Plan, f. Demonstrates that the proposed plan is feasible, practical, complete, and executable.

Citation: L.11.2

Question: Regarding Section J Attachment 6 – pricing table. Does the Government want a printed copy of this document included in the printed price volumes or only an electronic version provided on the CD? Additionally, should supporting calculations in excel workbooks be included in printed volumes or only provided on the CD?

Answer: As stated by section L.009, the electronic version must contain the submitted paper proposal, so the printed and electronic versions must both be complete and visually identical. The Offeror does not have to provide a printed copy of underlying formulas from Excel.

Citation: L.008

Question: This section requires offerors to provide the DUNS number and CAGE codes for each subcontractor; however, the instructions do not indicate where this information is to be provided. Will the Government please clarify?

Answer: DUNS and CAGE codes shall be provided in Volume II (Price Proposal).

Citation: L.009

Question: Are Key Personnel Letters of Commitment excluded from page count?

Answer: Yes. See amended section L.009.

Citation: L.009

Question: Will the Government permit tables to use smaller type font size, as small as 10 pt?

Answer: See amended section L.009.

Citation: L.009

Question: Will the Government permit figures and graphical illustrations to use alternate type fonts in smaller sizes, as small as 8 pt?

Answer: See amended section L.009.

Citation: L.009

Question: Will the Government permit text and logos in headers and footers to use smaller type fonts?

Answer: Yes. See amended section L.009.

Citation: L.009

Question: When offerors are required to complete Government provided forms (such as

Section J, Attachment 4, which has 10 and 11 point type), will they be permitted to retain original font types and sizes, or must they be revised and increased to 12 point type?

Answer: For Government-provided forms, the original font types and sizes are permitted.

Citation: L.10.1

Question: Is the Executive Summary (Cover Letter) excluded for the page count for the Technical Volume? Is there a limit on number of pages permitted for the Executive Summary?

Answer: See amended section L.009.

Citation: L.10.4

Question: The solicitation notice advises that the Performance Work Statement (PWS) is classified, though the proposal itself is unclassified. The RFP instructions for the management approach require offerors to address compliance with portions of the PWS including paragraph 5.1, Section 7, and “the Department Branch and Program structure.” Please confirm that the Government is permitting offerors to address unclassified portions of the PWS in its proposal.

Answer: Confirmed.

Citation: L.10.3

Question: Please clarify the word “onits” (possible typo) in the phrase “including any “captured” incumbent staff, onits corporate practices and quality management methods.

Answer: This is a clerical error that has been corrected; see amended section L.10.3.

Citation: L.10.5 Technical Evaluation Factor 4: Corporate Capabilities and Project Citations

Question: Will the Government allow the use of a proposed subcontractor’s past performance as one of the three (3) relevant project citations?

Answer: As stated in section M-007 –

For Technical Evaluation Factor 4: Corporate Capabilities and Project Citations, “The Government will evaluate the extent to which the Offeror’s proposal demonstrates through their corporate experience with contracts of a size, scope, and complexity similar to this contract, the capability to implement and maintain the PTS program successfully.” Where corporate experience is predicated in part on experience of affiliates, the Government will consider whether such experience meaningfully “demonstrates” the prime Offeror’s “capability to implement and maintain the PTS program successfully.”

For Technical Evaluation Factor 5: Past Performance, the Government will, “determine whether the Offeror consistently delivered quality services in a timely manner, while utilizing adequate cost controls...” Where past performance is predicated in part on past performance of affiliates, the Government will consider whether such past performance is relevant to support a determination as to “whether the Offeror consistently delivered quality services in a timely manner, while utilizing adequate cost controls.”

Citation: L.10.5 Technical Evaluation Factor 4: Corporate Capabilities and Project Citations

Question: Based upon GAO rulings, please confirm that the Government will permit the use of affiliated company experience and past performance if a meaningful relationship is documented in a commitment letter.

Answer: As stated in section M-007 –

For Technical Evaluation Factor 4: Corporate Capabilities and Project Citations, “The Government will evaluate the extent to which the Offeror’s proposal demonstrates through their corporate experience with contracts of a size, scope, and complexity similar to this contract, the capability to implement and maintain the PTS program successfully.” Where corporate experience is predicated in part on experience of affiliates, the Government will consider whether such experience meaningfully “demonstrates” the prime Offeror’s “capability to implement and maintain the PTS program successfully.”

For Technical Evaluation Factor 5: Past Performance, the Government will, “determine whether the Offeror consistently delivered quality services in a timely manner, while utilizing adequate cost controls...” Where past performance is predicated in part on past performance of affiliates, the Government will consider whether such past performance is relevant to support a determination as to “whether the Offeror consistently delivered quality services in a timely manner, while utilizing adequate cost controls.”

Citation: L.009

Question: When submitting the past performance information of an affiliated company, we include an INTER-COMPANY CONTRACT PERFORMANCE COMMITMENT AGREEMENT letter showing the meaningful relationship between the affiliated companies. Being that these are part of our past performance information, will the Government please confirm that these letters will be excluded from page count?

Answer: Confirmed.

Citation: L.10.3 & Section J Attachment 6

Question: Please state if the proposed 60 day phase in period falls within the proposed base year period, or consists of 60 days prior to the full 12 month base period?

Answer: The 60 day transition period comprises the first 60 days of the 12-month base period.

Citation: L.10.5 & L.009

Question: Because Factor 4 contains past performance information, please confirm that it is excluded from page count for the Technical Proposal.

Answer: Factor 4 does not contain past performance information (i.e. an assessment of how well previous work was performed) but rather only includes corporate experience information (i.e. identification of the types of work the Offeror has performed). Factor 4 information is therefore included in the proposal page limitations.

Citation: Section L, Clause 652.219-70

Question: Are Offerors required to submit a Subcontracting Plan with the proposal, or is it required after contract award? If the plan is submitted with the proposal, would the Department consider excluding it from page count?

Answer: The Small Business Subcontracting Plan shall be included in Volume II Price proposal. See amended section L.011.

Citation: L.009 Proposal Instructions

Question: Can Offerors use a minimum of 8-point font for graphics and tables? Can Offerors use Arial font for graphics and tables?

Answer: See amended paragraph L.009.

Citation: L.10.2 Staffing Approach; paragraph 4.b

Question: Does the Government define “letter of commitment” or “binding bilateral employment agreement” as a signed statement delineating the individual’s salary, proposed position, and the instant solicitation that is executed by both the offeror and the prospective employee? We understand that salary information does not constitute cost, price or financial data.

Answer: The offeror shall provide what it deems sufficient for the government to evaluate in accordance with L.10.2. The salary shall be redacted in the agreement as long as it is evident that a definite salary was agreed to between the parties.

Citation: L-011 Provisions for Tracking Iraq Security Costs

Question: Are Offerors expected to include in their bid a breakout of Iraq security costs as required by this clause?

Answer: The Government does not anticipate the need for contractors to procure their own private security goods and services. Nonetheless, in accordance with provision L- 011, the offeror shall breakout the costs expected to be incurred for private security goods or services obtained as part of contract performance; if there are no such anticipated costs, the contractor should so state.

Citation: L.009

Question: This section states that “Each section of the proposal volume shall be individually tabbed and indexed,” and that “the page numbers for each Tab should start with “1”.” Will the Government please confirm that the blank tabs between Technical Evaluation Factor sections are excluded from the page count?

Answer: Confirmed.

Citation: L.009

Question: Will you confirm that Program Manager resumes are excluded from page count, along with the Key Personnel listed in Section H-016 KEY PERSONNEL?

Answer: Confirmed.

Citation: L.10.2, 4, b.

Question: Will you confirm that Letters of Commitment are excluded from page count?

Answer: Confirmed. See amended L.009.

SECTION M

Citation: M-007-2

Question: See Section L, Question 19

Answer: See Section L, Answer 19

Citation: M-007-3.2

Question: The solicitation states that offerors’ subcontractor management approaches will be evaluated based on “reasonable work allocation based upon successful previous engagements.” Will the Government please clarify the content in offerors’ technical proposal to which this criteria will be applied?

Answer: The evaluation described by M-007-3.2 will consider the proposal content required by L.10.4(2).

ATTACHMENTS

Citation: Section J - Attachment 6 Pricing Tables. Instructions to Offerors Government Evaluation (3)

Question: The instructions state: For positions designated as "OCONUS", the Government will multiply the proposed estimated costs for each LCAT (before travel premium) by the average weighted worldwide pay premium (including Post (Hardship) Differential and Danger Pay Allowance) for the location(s) identified by LCAT in the PWS, based on the Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) in effect at the time of solicitation issuance. To allow offerors to perform this calculation to properly anticipate the Government’s dollar valuation, will the Government provide the pay premium % it is using for each OCONUS location? If not, will the Government please provide an example calculation for reference?

Answer: Please see the Department of State’ DSSR website for the premium % for each location noted in the PWS:

https://aoprals.state.gov/Web920/default.asp?menu_id=95. The Government will not provide an example calculation; following the narrative provided results in an unambiguous process and result.

Citation: Section J - Attachment 6 Pricing Tables. Instructions to Offerors

Question: Will the Government please clarify how offerors should propose rates for labor categories that will be worked by both the prime and a subcontractor(s)? Should Prime contractors perform a blending calculation in their attachment 6?

Answer: The Offeror must propose a rate sufficient to establish a fair and reasonable estimated cost amount, whether by using a blended rate or by proposing the same rate regardless of whether the position is performed by the prime or the subcontractor.

Citation: Section J Attachment 6 – Government Evaluation

Question: The Government evaluation instructions state the following: “(1) The Government will multiply the number of full-time-equivalents (FTE) identified in the PWS for each LCAT by the "Estimated Billable Hours per FTE per Year".” Will the Government confirm that when performing their evaluation that the FTE amounts as stated in the PWS will be used for each of the 10 contract years with no changes in headcount/FTE amount across the periods?

Answer: Confirmed.

Citation: Section J Attachment 6

Question: Please confirm that, in the government provided spreadsheets (Column D), the “direct labor cost per hour” will consist of the base rate plus fringe allocations, and that only indirect costs or rates will be added in columns E, F and G?

Answer: Fringe is normally treated as an indirect cost, in which case fringe should be shown in one of the indirect cost columns. Fringe would only be included along with wages in the “direct labor cost per hour” column if the Offeror accounts for fringe benefits as direct costs, which, while theoretically possible, is atypical and perhaps contrary to certain established accounting practices.

Citation: Section J Attachment 2

Question: The job descriptions are all labeled Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU), will the selected offeror be able to post these job descriptions on their company website and external job boards to fulfil contract requirements?

Answer: See solicitation Attachment 7, which is an unclassified version of the Labor Category Descriptions being provided to facilitate public job postings and related purposes.

Citation: Section J Attachment 6, With reference to the government provided pricing book cell title “Total estimated hourly costs for each LCAT” G27.

Question: Can the government please confirm that the “Total estimated hourly costs for each LCAT” is intended to be an hourly cost applied towards productive labor hours only, and that no non-productive hours will therefore be invoiced whatsoever, as their burden will be already included in the provided rates?

Answer: The “Estimated Billable Hours per FTE per Year” and therefore the “Total estimated hourly costs for each LCAT” includes all and only the estimated number of hours that will be billable as direct costs pursuant to FAR 52.216-7 Allowable Cost and Payment and the clauses of the contract (see in particular B-015 Travel Costs).

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Citation: N/A

Question: Will the Government provide an estimated start date for contract performance that offerors can assume for pricing purposes?

Answer: As stated in the solicitation (SF33 Box 12), proposals must be valid for at least 60 days from the date of proposal submission (unless otherwise clarified by the Offeror). The proposed pricing must be valid for any contract start date prior to or on that date of proposal validity expiration.