Section L - Instructions_Conditions and Notices to Offerors.pdf

Section L - Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors

L-900 INSTRUCTION TO OFFERORS

I. Proposal Format

A. General: The following instructions cover the preparation and submittal of an offeror’s proposal for this solicitation. To assure timely and equitable evaluation of proposals, offerors must follow the instructions contained herein. Offerors are cautioned that any non-compliance with the terms and conditions of the RFP and any instructions provided below may cause their proposal to be determined to be unacceptable and therefore not eligible for award. Offerors shall submit only one proposal for the Variable Speed Drogue (VSD) effort as the Government will review only one proposal per offeror. Proposals must be received no later than the date and time specified in Block 8 on the face page of the RFP.

The proposal shall be clear, concise, and shall include sufficient detail for effective evaluation and for substantiating the validity of stated claims. The proposal should not simply rephrase or restate the Government’s requirements, but, rather, shall provide convincing rationale to address how the offeror intends to meet those requirements.

Offerors shall assume that the Government has no prior knowledge of their facilities or experience and will base its evaluation on the information presented in the offeror’s proposal.

B. Communications: Exchanges of source selection information, after submission of the initial proposal packages, between the Government and offerors, will be controlled by the Contracting Officer. Email may be used to transmit such information, only if the email can be sent encrypted, and must include “Source

Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104” in the subject line of the email. In order to facilitate the sending and receiving of encrypted emails, offerors must use

MS Outlook email configured to support encryption or a different email product that is S/MIME compatible and configured to support encryption. If you intend to submit your source selection information via encrypted email, you will need to contact the

Buyer/Contracting Officer indicated on the face page of the solicitation prior to that first submittal in order to exchange certificates used for encryption. To ensure the process is working correctly, send a test encrypted message first (without including any source selection information). Otherwise, source selection information will be transmitted via direct mailing. When submitting source selection information via email, file suppression utilities, to include but not limited to zip files, will not be accepted.

II. Volume Organization

A. General: Proposals shall be submitted to the Government in two (2) separate volumes as set forth below The titles and contents of the volumes shall be as defined in this table, all of which shall be within the required page limits and with the number of copies specified below.

VOLUME

PAGE

LIMITS

NUMBER

OF COPIES

DESCRIPTION

I Not Applicable 1 Electronic* Completed RFP

II 25 Pages 1 Electronic* Written Technical Proposal

* Proposal information shall be submitted in written form (2 copies) and CD-R or DVD- R

(write once/read only) (1 copy) that is “closed” so that no further writes can be made to the media. CD-R/W or DVD-R/W media types are not acceptable. Media must be virus scanned by the offeror prior to submitting to the Government. The content and page size of electronic copies must be identical to the hard copies. For electronic copies, indicate on each CD-R or

DVD-R the volume number and title. Use separate files to permit rapid location of all portions, including subfactors, exhibits, annexes, and attachments, if any. In the event that hard copies and electronic copies of a proposal are submitted and if there are any discrepancies between the hard copies and the electronic copies of the proposal, the hard copies will be used for evaluation.

In addition to the page limitations set forth above, proposals should comply with the following format:

1. The sealed package used to submit the proposal package must show the time and date specified for receipt. Each volume shall be marked with the RFP number and the offeror’s name and address, and the number of the Volume, i.e. I, II, III, etc.

Proposals shall be in the English language and all monies shall be proposed in United

States dollars.

2. Print shall be no smaller than a font size of 12, Times New Roman, and should be on

8 1/2 x 11 inch paper, excluding any charts, graphs, drawings, diagrams, supporting illustrations, or spreadsheets, etc. Charts, graphs, drawings, diagrams, supporting illustrations, spreadsheets, etc. shall not be greater than 11” x 17” (may be on fold-out pages, but fold within the page size specified and will count as one page). Each volume within the proposal shall be separately tabbed and identified. Margins shall be no smaller than 1 inch and each page within a volume shall be numbered consecutively. Elaborate formats, bindings, or color presentations are not desired or required. In order to verify the font size and margins utilized, the offeror shall provide an electronic copy of the technical proposal in Word format. Drawings, charts and diagrams are not including in the total page count.

3. The page limitation for Volume II, Written Technical Proposal, is 25 cumulative pages. The page limitation includes any charts, graphs, drawings, diagrams, supporting illustrations, spreadsheets, etc., but excludes any cover page, table of contents or list of acronyms (if utilized). Offerors are cautioned that any pages that exceed the page limitations shall not be read but shall be removed and either retained in the contract file without being considered in the evaluation, or, sent back to the offeror.

4. Page limitations may be placed on Evaluation Notices (ENs), if issued. The specified limits for EN responses will be identified in the letters forwarding the ENs to the offerors or on the EN form itself.

5. Each page containing proprietary information should be so marked.

6. Each page should contain the following legend at the bottom of each sheet:

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION – SEE FAR 2.101 AND 3.104

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

7. With the exception of the cover page in Volume I, each page shall not contain company specific logos, letterheads, or company names.

8. Submission of the initial proposal packages via electronic mail will be accepted, as only electronic proposal volumes are required.

B. Volume I, Completed RFP

1. General: Volume I, Completed RFP shall consist of the completed and signed

RFP, to include any amendments issued, with a cover letter delineating any exceptions taken to the RFP terms and conditions with accompanying rationale.

A) A proven source must identify that they have previously produced the Variable

Speed Drogue unit in the cover letter and provide government contract numbers for which these were produced under.

However, offerors are cautioned that any noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the RFP may cause their proposal to be determined not eligible for award. Offerors shall ensure that all clauses and provisions that require “fill-in” information are appropriately completed, including the proposed prices associated with the contract line items in the Schedule of the RFP.

C. Volume II, Written Technical Proposal

1. General: The written technical proposal shall be clear, concise, and include all the information required by this provision in sufficient detail for effective evaluation.

The proposal should not simply rephrase or restate the Government’s requirements, but rather shall provide convincing rationale to address how the offeror intends to meet these requirements. Offerors shall assume the Government has no prior knowledge of their capabilities, work processes, facilities, and experience and will base its evaluation on the information presented in the offeror’s technical proposal.

2. Format and Specific Content: The following information shall be provided in the written technical proposal and will be evaluated to assess technical acceptability in accordance with Section M-900, Evaluation Basis for Award. The written technical proposal shall address each of the following sub-factors to describe the offeror’s proposed approach to performing the requirements set forth in the Statement of

Work (SOW) dated 3 July 2020 and any revisions.

(a) Sub-factor One: VSD Packaging, Handling, Shipping and

Transportation Solution:

Within your technical approach, provide a narrative that describes your packaging, transportation, in addition to shipping and handling solution for VSD and associated equipment without damage, as referenced SOW paragraph 3.1.

(b) Sub-factor Two: VSD Production Plan: Within your technical approach, provide a detailed production plan as referenced in SOW paragraph 3.2 timeline:

man power management, employee production training, production quality process production risks management plan.

(c) Sub-factor Three: Composite Spring Manufacturing Plan:

Within your technical approach, provide a narrative that describes your manufacturing plan for the composite spring, a critical component of the

Variable Speed Drogue, per government furnished technical data package, as referenced in SOW paragraph 3.5.2. The narrative shall include, as referenced in SOW paragraph 3.3:

Whether you plan to manufacture the composite spring or whether you plan to partner with or subcontract the manufacturing of the composite spring.

A maximum of two (2) specific examples of similar products to the composite spring previously manufactured by either prime offeror or subcontractor/partner.