QuestionsAnswers_Solicitation_SBAHQ18Q007.pdf

Questions/Answers for Solicitation SBAHQ-18-Q-0007

Research on Barriers for New Veteran Entrepreneurs

1. Can the writing samples provided be from proposed candidates?

• The writing sample can be any research study, literature review, or journal article on the topic or related to the topic authored by key personnel of the proposed research team.

2. Can an offeror use a proposed candidate's experience and references to satisfy the past performance requirements?

• Proposals will be evaluated according to the factors in the solicitation notification instructions to offerors. The Government will evaluate the offeror on past performance.

The qualifications of the offeror’s researcher(s) will be evaluated in the technical approach factor.

3. Can our firm submit two or more applications for this opportunity or do you follow a one firm one application per opportunity rule?

• Offerors can submit multiple proposals for the same solicitation.

4. Our company is a minority owned firm with an 8A application in progress. The owners/founders of the firm are US nationals. For the said project we intend to have a PI who is a foreign national. The said PI is a renowned professor at a prestigious university and would be operating from his home country, and hence there is no question of him requiring a visa. Our firm would be contracting him as our consultant. Is that allowed? If yes, is there a limit to the percentage (say 50%) of tasks that he can undertake or does majority of tasks need to be undertaken by US nationals/LPRs in the team? If it is not permissible to have him as a PI, we can appoint another from our team. But is there a limit of his time/LOE commitment to the project?

• Solicitation SBAHQ-18-Q-0007 is being competed as a Service-Disabled Veteran- Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-aside. Only proposals from SDVOSB offerors will be considered. The eligibility requirements for small business set-asides and procurement programs are found in 13 C.F.R. part 121. The limitations on subcontracting do not apply to small business set-side awards valued between $3,500 and $150,000. Your status as an SDVOSB entity must be indicated in your FAR representations and certifications in your SAM.gov account.