Amendment_001_(Questions_&_Answers)_20170403.pdf

Amendment 001 to SB1341‐17‐RP‐0007 Cybersecurity Research Development Implementation Support Services

Response to Questions

# Section of RFP RFP Page Referenced

Paragraph/Section of Page:

Description of Question Response

1 Sec. J.1 74 Item #3 There is no Attachment #3, Required Labor Categories on FBO. Will the Government please provide the attachment

Reference RFP Section B.1 of the RFP for the List of Requird Labor Categories; Section J.1 has been updated in Amendment 001 to remove the mention of Attachment #3.

2 Sec. L.2 Pages 93 & 96 Page 96

In review of RFP, we found that the Proposal Volume Requirements table states 150 page limit for II. Technical Approach. 2.0 TECHNICAL APPROACH REQUIREMENTS (VOLUME II) on Page 96 states limit is 75 pages. Please clarify page limit for the Technical Approach volume.

Page limit for Technical Approach Requirements Volume II is 150.

Reference Amendment 001 attachment for changes.

3 Sec. C 30 Page 2 Can FTE’s be cross functionally utilized a crossed multiple TO’s? (I.E; Can the PM support multiple TO’s)

Yes, so long as each FTE is not stretched too thin to do competent work on a given TO. Also, a given person could charge some of their time as a technical labor category (LCAT) and another portion of their time as a

PM.

4 Sec. C 31 Page 3 Will all tools used for automated testing and validation be furnished by the government Yes

5 Sec. F 38 Page 1 Will there be a defined transition period of at least 30 days from previous offer performing work currently with the incumbent

The transition phase will be at least 60 days and no more than 90 days from contract award date to performance start date

IDIQ Contract Information

41 Page 2, Section B

With respect to the statement “Contracting Officer intends on awarding IDIQ contracts to more than one offeror to the extent that the is approach is in the best interest of the governments based on the evaluation factors”

Is there potential for offers to "share" work by TO? Or will TO's be awarded all or nothing to offeror of choice

Each TO will be awarded all or nothing to a single offeror.

7 Pricing 104 3 Under TO8. Is the travel CLIN fund of 20K annual or max for the life of the contract The ceiling of $20k for travel would be for the optional task of workshop support, which would only occur once during the life of this TO.

8 Sec. M.1 111 not given

Will the Government accept and evaluate “specialized experience” in the Past Performance Questionnaire if the “work performed was within the last five years (per section 4, Page 111)” or for “work completed or substantially completed within the last three (3) years” (per section 4.0 Page 100)?

Under the Specialized Experience evaluation subfactor (Factor A, Subfactor 4), the Government will consider work completed or substantially completed within the last 5 years. Under the Past Performance evaluation factor, the Government will only consider work completed or substantially completed within the last 3 years.

9 Sec. J.1 74 Item #2 Can the Government please confirm if an offeror can use “specialized experience” as past performance (via the questionnaire template)?

In response to RFP Section L.2, 2.0 ‐ "Technical Approach", Sub‐factor 4 for "Specialized Experience", detailed instructions are provide as guidance.

Separate instructions are provided as guidance when responding to RFP Section L.2, 4.0 ‐ "Past Performance".

Offerors must follow the instructions given in each respective section of the RFP. There may be overlap in the previous efforts cited for Specialized Experience and Past Performance; however, the offeror must follow the instructions in each respective section and the Government will evaluate in accordance with each respective evaluation factor/subfactor.

Sec. L.2 & Sec. M.2

97‐98 &

Page 97, Section 2.4 & Page 111, Section 4

Are we allowed to submit the past performance of our individual members from their past employers to satisfy this past performance of this RFP requirement?

Yes. Past performance of individual members from their past employers is acceptable.

11 Sec. J.1 74 Item #3 [Regarding] Format for submitting questions and required Labor Categories listed as separate attachments. We did not find these two items in the download on FBO. Are these available separately?

Reference RFP Section B.1 of the RFP for the List of Requird Labor Categories; Section J.1 has been updated in Amendment 001 to remove the mention of Attachment #3.

12 Sec. L.2 Pages 93 & 96 Proposal Vol

Requirements (P93) and Section 2.0 (P96)

Page limitations in the table on page 93 allows 150 pages for the technical volumes. The header for Volume 2 on page 96 limits the page count to 75 pages. Please clarify.

Page limit for Technical Approach Requirements Volume II is 150.

Reference Amendment 001 attachment for changes.

13 Sec. L.2 Pages 100‐101 Page 100, Section 5.0 Is there missing content after “and”? There is not a 5th bullet. There is no missing content after the 5th bullet.

14 Sec. L & M Pages 97‐98

& 100 L.2.4, L.4.0 and Sec. M, Factor C

Section 2.4 contains a highlighted sentence that says, “To the extent possible, any identified prime offeror or major subcontractor/team member corporate experience performed within the past five years should be traceable to the information provided in Volume IV, Past Performance.”

Section 4.0 states, "The offeror shall then submit the questionnaires (completed by their referneces) as attachments to the proposal. Offerors are directed to provide completed Past Performance Questionnaires on no more than eight (8) of the offeror’s most recently completed Federal Government or Commercial contracts for services similar in scope to those of this requirement, for work completed or substantially completed within the last three (3) years.

Section L, Factor C limits past performance to 3 years: We recommend the requirement be modified such that cited contracts be active within the past 5 years, with a minimum of 6 months performance? Eight completed cybersecurity projects is quite a reach for all small business vendors.

The periods of past performance and specialized experience that the Government will consider will remain unchanged. However, please note that Offerors are not required to submit eight (8) past perfornance questionnaires. The RFP states that Offerors are "directed to provide completed Past Performance Questionnaires on no more than eight (8) of the Offeror's most recently completed....." Therefore, it is not a minimum requirement for Offerors to submit eight (8) questionnaires.

Amendment 001 to SB1341‐17‐RP‐0007 Cybersecurity Research Development Implementation Support Services

Response to Questions

15 Sec. L Page 99 L.3.3

This section states, “The transition should be no less than 60 days and no more than 90 days for startup, from contract award date to performance start date.”

Is the transition included in the Base Period (e.g., Transisiton is to commence Sept. 30, 2017)?

The transition is expected to begin when the Base Period of the IDIQ begins.

16 Sec. L Page 100 L.4.0 Will the Government allow offerors to provide completed CPARs instead of completed PPQs. Many of our clients prefer we use CPARs as references.

For the sake of consistency, we ask that Offerors use the Questionnaire template provided in the RFP.

However, Offerors may submit completed CPARS reports in the place of the questionnaire provided in the RFP if needed. The Government also always reserves the right to obtain past performance information from other sources.

17 Sec. L Page 100 L.4.0

This section requires the offeror to submit completed questionnaires (completed by their references) as attachments to the proposal. We have clients who will complete the questionnaire, but insist on submitting the completed questionnaire directly to the Government. We request the Government change the requirement to enable customers to send completed questionnaires directly to the Government.

This requirement will remain unchanged.

18 Sec. L.2 Page 93 Proposal Volume Requirements

This section states, “The proposal shall be accompanied by a cover letter (letter of transmittal) prepared on the company’s letterhead stationery. The cover letter (letter of transmittal) shall identify all enclosures being transmitted and shall be used only to transmit the proposal and shall include no other information. The first or title page shall be in accordance with FAR 52.215‐1, paragraph (c)(2).”

Please confirm the information required by FAR 52.215‐1, paragraph (c)(2) is to be included in the cover letter (letter of transmittal).

Yes, the Cover Letter (Letter of Transmittal) shall include the information required by FAR 52.215‐1, paragraph (c)(2).

19 Sec. L.2 Page 101 L.5.0

The section states, “Volume V of Offeror’s proposal shall be divided into two separate sections (A and B)…”

Please clarify – Are offerors to include these sections in a single volume or as separate files?

Offers shall include Sections A and B in Volume V of Offeror's proposal.

20 Sec. L.2 Pages 97‐98 L.2.2 and L.2.4

Section L.2.2 requires, “Offerors shall further indicate whether each subcontractor/team member is considered “major”, and whether the subcontractor/team member will serve either in a “lead” or “support” role. Identify the planned level of support that each member will provide, in total and for each functional area requirement of the specified task order

PWS.

L.2.4 requires, “Offerors shall further indicate whether each subcontractor/team member is considered “major” and whether the subcontractor/team member will serve either in a “lead” or “support” role.

These requirements seem redundant and out‐of‐place in L.2.4. We recommend offerors address the requirement in response to L.2.2 and that the sentence in L.2.4 be removed.

Also ‐ Please define “Major.” Can it be defined as doing a given amount of work on a given task order?

Section L.2.2 refers to the instructions for Factor A, Subfactor 2 (Technical Approach for Task Orders 1‐8).

Therefore, in this specific subfactor the language quoted in your question is requesting that Offerors identify that information regardingsubcontractors/team members as it pertains to each individual task order in Task Orders 1‐8 . Section L.2.4 refers to the instructions for Factor A, Subfactor 4 (Specialized Experience). This subfactor requests the Offeror to identifiy its proposed team and discuss the roles each member will have in accomplishing the requirements of the IDIQ PWS. Therefore, the information the Offerors provide in its technical approach for each individual task order may be different than the information provided in the Specialized Experience section. The instructions remain unchanged.

21 Sec. L.2 Page 93 & 114 not given On page 93 it calls for 150 pages but on page 114 it mentions 75 pages which one is correct?

Page limit for Technical Approach Requirements Volume II is 150.

Reference Amendment 001 attachment for changes.

22 not given not given not given For the subject Solicitation can a company bid JUST what areas they specialize in or must ALL Tasks be bid?

Offerors shall submit a complete response for each of the eight (8) task orders. Proposal will be evaluated on each of the eight (8) task orders, in accordance with the evaluation factors in the RFP.