Section L (Instructions to Offerors) (AIML).docx

Section L – Instructions to Offerors

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

1. INTRODUCTION

This is a Request for Proposal (RFP) under W911QX23R0001. The Government anticipates the award of one (1) contract as a result of the issuance of this RFP. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is NAICS 541715 – Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology and the Business Size Standard is 1,000 Employees. The primary Product Service Code (PSC) is AC33.

The milestone schedule is as follows:

The offeror’s proposal shall be submitted electronically via the ARL Secure Access File Exchange (SAFE) service OR via email to the Government POCs: Christopher Moy, christopher.r.moy.civ@army.mil and Nicole Propst, nicole.l.propst.ctr@army.mil, no later than (NLT) Noon EDT on 08 March 2023. Files shall not contain classified data. The use of hyperlinks in proposals is prohibited.

The offeror’s files shall not contain classified data. Offerors are cautioned that “parroting” of the technical requirements or PWS with a statement of intent to perform does not reflect an understanding of the requirement or capability to perform. Offerors are responsible for including sufficient details to permit a complete and accurate evaluation of each proposal. The Offeror shall ensure that Proprietary information is clearly marked.

Questions concerning this solicitation must be submitted electronically to Christopher Moy, christopher.r.moy.civ@army.mil and Nicole Propst, nicole.l.propst.ctr@army.mil by Noon EDT on 15 February 2023. All questions concerning the solicitation must include Company Name, Point of Contact and Title, Telephone Number, Email Address and Fax Number. Questions received without the aforementioned information will not be answered. No additional questions will be accepted after this deadline. Questions will be answered by the issuance of a solicitation amendment.

Period of Performance:

The resulting award period of performance (PoP) is a base period of 12 months with three (3) 12 month option periods. Option periods are subject to availability of funds and may be unilaterally exercised by the Government. (Dates subject to changes based on award)

2. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Offeror’s proposals shall consist of the following volumes:

1. Volume I – Technical. The subfactors will receive adjectival ratings in accordance with the rating tables in Section M. The technical subfactors are of equal weight.

a. Subfactor (a) – Advancement of Army/Branch Mission

b. Subfactor (b) – Scientific / Technical Merit

c. Subfactor (c) – Personnel

2. Volume II – Past Performance

3. Volume III – Cost/Price

4. Volume IV – Solicitations, Offer and Award Documents and Certifications / Representations

Proposal submission via Email:

Proposals shall be submitted via email to the above listed Government POC’s by the solicitation closing date. The maximum allowable file size for email submission is 15.0 MB to ensure delivery.

Proposal submission via DoD SAFE:

Outside, non-Government users, can only access DOD SAFE after receipt of a drop-off request email containing a link for the submission site from a Government user. The Offeror shall submit a request to the above Government POC’s to initiate generate a drop-off request email. The Offeror shall submit its proposal promptly upon receipt of the drop-off request email. Outside access is time sensitive and will require initiation of a new drop-off request email is it expires prior to submission. The maximum file size is 8.0 GB Each volume shall be clearly labeled with its title. Each volume shall be single spaced. Each paragraph shall be separated by at least one (1) blank line. A standard, 12-point minimum font size applies. Arial or New Times Roman fonts are required. Tables and illustrations may use a reduced font size no less than 8-point and may be landscape.

Any pages that are changed (as a result of negotiations or proposal revisions) should be in track changes. The revised pages shall be dated. Each volume shall be clearly labeled with its title.

The following volumes of material shall be submitted:

Major Subk/JV – 5 each

NOTE: Pages that exceed the required page limitations will not be evaluated. Table of Contents, Cover Pages, Summary Sections, Resumes and Contract Work Breakdown Structure, are excluded from the page count.

3. PROPOSAL FILES

a. Format. The submission shall be clearly indexed and logically assembled. Each volume shall be clearly identified and shall begin at the top of a page. All pages of each volume shall be appropriately numbered and identified by the complete company name, date, and solicitation number in the header and/or footer. A Table of Contents should be created using the Table of Contents feature in MS Word. MS Word (.doc or docx) files shall use the following page setup parameters:

Margins – Top, Bottom, Left, Right 1” Gutter – 0” From Edge – Header, Footer 0.5” Page Size, Width – 8.5” Page Size, Height – 11”

The following additional restrictions apply:

a. File Packaging. Proposal files shall be separated by Volume with a total of four (4) Volumes (Volumes I – IV), and shall be compressed (zipped) into one file entitled “proposal.zip” using WinZip version 6.2 or later, or as separate uploads in their native format, e.g., doc, docx, xls, ppt, etc. **Please note Self extracting .exe files are no longer accepted.**

b. Content Requirement. All information shall be confined to the appropriate file. The offeror shall confine submissions to essential matters, sufficient to define the proposal and provide adequate basis for evaluation. Offerors are responsible for including sufficient details, in a concise manner, to permit a complete and accurate evaluation of each proposal. Each file of the proposal shall consist of a Table of Contents, Summary Section, and the Narrative discussion. The Summary Section shall contain a brief abstract of the file. Proprietary information shall be clearly marked.

(i) VOLUME I – TECHNICAL The Technical Volume shall be clear, concise, and include sufficient detail for effective evaluation and for substantiating the validity of stated claims in the Offeror’s proposal. The Offerors shall submit the technical documentation to support the Contract requirements set forth in this solicitation. Legibility, clarity, and coherence are very important. Offeror’s responses will be evaluated against the Technical Factor. 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 that the Government has no prior knowledge of their facilities and experience and will base its evaluation on the information presented in the Offeror’s proposal.

I. Offerors are required to address each requirement stated in the Performance Work Statement document and state how they will meet or cannot meet that requirement.

The Technical factor is further divided into the following subfactors:

i. Subfactor (a) – Advancement of Army/Branch Mission

ii. Subfactor (b) – Scientific / Technical Merit

iii. Subfactor (c) – Personnel

Technical Evaluation Subfactors (a), (b), and (c) are weighted equally.

Subfactor (a): Advancement of Army/Branch Mission This subfactor evaluates if the Offeror’s proposal demonstrates that the proposed Analyst Concept will fully exploit all available data from the COP and provide improved 24/7 situational awareness for Tactical Unit Mission Command while reducing the number of analysists required seen within PWS Section C.3. Offerors shall provide a clear, reasonable, and innovative technical approach and schedule of how the offeror will address the Task Order PWS to demonstrate their capability to meet the objective of this effort, and the proposal shall also demonstrate that the concept reduces the amount of time required to provide situational awareness.

Further the Offeror should demonstrate how they will support technology analysis as requested, and support technology pathfinder efforts. Offerors shall demonstrate experience with the following:

· Working with Analyst/Tool Developers to improve analyst/PED tool integration into the DCGS/multinational environment and user interface improvements.

· Independently conduct detailed analysis to produce timely analytical products.

· Conduct strategic research and develop innovative technical and/or analytical solutions to provide innovative solutions for the provision of real time situational awareness in a dense and information soaked environment.

· Critical thinking, analytic, and advanced research skills.

· A familiarity with quantitative analysis techniques and previous exposure to data analysis is required

· Have the ability to work independently and collaborate effectively in analysis and research with the ability to apply new techniques to solve analytic problems.

· Experience analyzing Full Motion Imagery (FMV) and other forms of imagery data.

· Creation of multi-INT data integration to produce fused and analytically valid research products.

The evaluation of this subfactor will focus on the following elements:

i. Army’s Modernization priorities.

ii. Knowledge of the intelligence cycle, and the complexities of this cycle in a data saturated environment.

iii. Knowledge of Mission Command.

iv. Applicability to Multi-Domain Operations.

Subfactor (b): Scientific/Technical Merit This subfactor evaluates if the Offeror’s proposal demonstrates potential to achieve the stated objective of the requirement and likelihood of the methods to improve the quality of the situational awareness information provided to the warfighter. The evaluation will focus on the following elements:

1. Networking and integration necessary to support a dynamic COP in a resource constrained environment

2. Analysis necessary to address government R&D topics on technology, and AI/MLefforts.

3. Technical and scientific experience necessary to provide technology pathfinder support.

4. Creativity of approach.

Subfactor (c): Personnel This subfactor evaluates the offeror’s proposed processes for recruiting, vetting, preparing, hiring, replacing, and retaining all personnel for the Task Order PWS to ensure the appropriate background, knowledge, and skills for the performance of this contract. Offeror’s shall provide resumes for the proposed analysts and show how they meet the Analyst Clearance Requirements: Active Top Secret Level Clearance with SCI Eligibility. Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) procedures will be evaluated to ensure proper oversight for personnel, training, facilities, equipment, supplies, services, and subcontractors.

The evaluation will focus on the following elements:

i. Availability.

ii. Retention.

iii. Replacement.

iv. Qualification Standard.

v. Experience.

vi. Personnel Recentness of Experience.

(ii) VOLUME II – PAST PERFORMANCE.

This volume shall contain past performance information regarding similar contracts. The Government will focus its inquiries on the offeror’s (to include Major Subcontractors and Joint Venture Partners) record of performance as it relates to all solicitation requirements, including cost, schedule, performance, and management of Subcontractors. Major Subcontractors are defined as members of an offeror’s overall team who are expected to perform 10 percent or more of the proposed effort. If a Joint Venture is not assigned, the Government will evaluate the prime offeror. A prime offeror is defined as the prime offeror that provides a signed Joint Venture agreement or an approved DoD Army Protégé agreement within their proposal. In the case of an assigned Joint Venture, the Government will consider the relevant experience and past performance history of the stated primary joint venture partner (if a primary joint venture partner is assigned) and will evaluate the individual venture partners of the proposed joint venture that are expected to perform a meaningful role (10 percent or more of the proposed effort) in evaluating the past performance. This volume shall not exceed five (5) pages for the prime and five (5) pages for each major Subcontractor and JV. Offerors shall submit the first page of Government and/or commercial contracts for each effort being submitted for the past performance evaluation. No more than four (4) contract submissions for the prime offeror and no more than four (4) contract submissions for each Major Subcontractor will be evaluated.

To be considered recent, all contract submissions must be within three (3) years of award from the issue date of this RFP, that is the same as or similar to, the scope, magnitude, and complexity of the work described by this solicitation. Relevant efforts are defined as efforts that are the same as or similar to providing:

i. Development of concepts that incorporate AI/ML, visualization, include coalition interconnectivity, allow for the ability to obtain data from all information sources, to include Unattended Ground Sensors, improve situational awareness, and decrease the current analyst workload.

ii. Supporting contested/dense urban environment operations/experiments to include subterranean environments.

iii. Providing professional engineering and analysis contractor support addressing information processing and tactical AI/ML applications at the edge both in the lab and in field experiments.

iv. Supporting technology pathfinder efforts

Data concerning the offeror shall be provided first in alphabetical order. The offeror shall demonstrate relevant past performance or affirmatively state that it possesses no relevant past performance. The offeror shall demonstrate relevant past performance or affirmatively state that it possesses no relevant past performance. The Offeror shall also submit the written consent (in the offeror’s preferred format) of its major Subcontractors to allow the disclosure of its Subcontractor’s past performance information to the Government. In addition, letters of commitment (in the offeror’s preferred format) shall be included for all major Subcontractors for their past performance to be considered (the first page of each referenced Government and/or commercial contracts, letters of commitment and written consent do not count against the allotted page count for this section)

(1) Section 1 – Contract Descriptions. This section shall include the following information in the following format:

(a) Contractor/Subcontractor place of performance, CAGE Code and DUNS Number. If the work was performed as a subcontractor, also provide the name of the prime contractor and Point of Contact (POC) within the prime contractor organization (name, and current address, e-mail address, and telephone and fax numbers).

(b) Government contracting activity, and current address, Procuring Contracting Officer’s name, e-mail address, telephone and fax numbers.

(c) Government’s technical representative/ Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and current email address, telephone and fax numbers.

(d) Government contract administration activity and the Administrative Contracting Officer’s name, and current e-mail address, telephone and fax number.

(e) Government contract administration activity’s Pre-Award Monitor’s name, and current e-mail address, telephone and fax numbers.

(f) Contract Number and, in the case of Indefinite Delivery type contracts, GSA contracts, and Blanket Purchase Agreements, include Delivery Order Numbers also.

(g) Contract Type (specific type such as Fixed-Price (FP), Cost Reimbursement (CR), Time & Materials (T&M), etc.). In the case of Indefinite Delivery contracts, indicate specific type (Requirements, Definite Quantity, and Indefinite Quantity) and secondary contract type (FP, CR, T&M, etc.).

(h) Awarded price/cost.

(i) Final or projected final price/cost.

(j) Original delivery schedule, including dates of start and completion or work.

(k) Final, or projected final, delivery schedule, including dates of start and completion of work.

(2) Section 2 – Performance. Offerors shall provide a specific narrative explanation of each contract listed in Section 1, “Contract Description”, describing the objectives achieved and detailing how the effort is relevant to the requirement of this solicitation.

(a) For any contracts that did not/do not meet original schedule or technical performance requirements, provide a brief explanation of the reason(s) for the shortcomings and any corrective action(s) taken to avoid recurrence. The offerors shall list each time the delivery schedule was revised and provide an explanation of why the revision was necessary. All Requests for Deviation and Requests for Waiver shall be addressed with respect to causes and corrective actions. The offerors shall also provide a copy of any Cure Notices or Show Cause Letters as well as any Corrective Action Requests received on each contract listed and a description of any corrective action implemented by the offeror or proposed subcontractor. The offerors shall indicate if any of the contracts listed were terminated and the type and reasons for the termination.

(3) Section 3 – New Corporate Entities. New corporate entities may submit data on prior contracts involving its officers and employees. However, in addition to the other requirements in this section, the offeror shall discuss in detail the role performed by such persons in the prior contracts cited. Information should be included in the files described in the sections above. Letters of Commitment shall be included in the proposal for these employees in order to be considered.

(4) Section 4 - Submissions. Offerors are discouraged from providing POC with another contractors’ facility, i.e., in case an offeror (or one of his/her team members) is in a subcontract with another contractor who has submitted a proposal on the same requirement. Offerors shall provide and submit the prime contract number and all Governmental agency POC in lieu of subcontract numbers or prime contract POCs in situations as described above.

(iii) VOLUME III – COST/PRICE

This volume shall consist of all information required to support proposed costs and prices as defined in the cost/price proposal portion. A full cost/price proposal is required in response to the PWS document. The offeror shall submit within the Volume III – Cost/Price, the price of :

i. Development of concepts that incorporate AI/ML, visualization, include coalition interconnectivity, allow for the ability to obtain data from all information sources, to include Unattended Ground Sensors, improve situational awareness, and decrease the current analyst workload.

ii. Supporting contested/dense urban environment operations/experiments to include subterranean environments.

iii. Providing professional engineering and analysis contractor support addressing information processing and tactical AI/ML applications at the edge both in the lab and in field experiments.

iv. Supporting technology pathfinder efforts.

Certified cost and pricing data are not currently required; however, the Government reserves the right to request such data prior to award if applicable. The information submitted in this volume shall comply with FAR 15.408(l), “Requirements for Cost or Pricing Data and Data Other Than Certified Cost or Pricing Data”, and the requirements set forth below. There are no page limitations for this volume. The Offerors shall ensure their cost documentation addresses the following (at a minimum):

I. CPFF CLIN(s): In accordance with FAR 16.301-3(a)(3), the Contracting Officer shall determine that a Contractor’s accounting system is adequate for determining costs under cost reimbursement contracts within their Volume III - Cost. To assist in this determination all offerors shall submit a “Preaward Survey of Prospective Contractor’s Accounting System Checklist” (SF 1408), https://www.dcaa.mil/Home/Preaward?title=Preaward%20Accounting%20System%20Adequacy%20Checklist, within their Volume III – Cost or a copy of any letter(s) from a U.S Government organization approving their accounting system (e.g. DCAA/DCMA) along with the offeror’s current Accounting Policies and Practice.

The requirements set forth in this subsection of the FAR must be met before a Cost type contract can be awarded.

a. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 15.403-1(b), data other than certified cost or pricing data is required to support cost realism. Each Offeror's and subcontractor’s cost proposal shall be broken out by cost element as specified in FAR 15.408, Table 15-2 Section I, General Instructions, Part A. Offeror and its subcontractor(s) shall provide information necessary to help the Government understand why the proposed costs are realistic and reasonable in its cost narrative. A cost narrative shall be included for the PWS. Each Offeror's cost proposal shall contain sufficient quantitative and narrative documentation necessary to adequately support and explain that the costs proposed are realistic and reasonable, to include subcontractor proposed costs. The cost file shall be submitted via Excel spreadsheet(s), in the offeror’s preferred format within the spreadsheet. There is NO requirement to submit a printed copy of the Cost file of the proposal.

b. Basis of estimate write-ups in the cost file shall follow this structure:

Major Cost Element Information:

The Contractor shall submit cost information for the PWS, using the corresponding cost assumptions sheet as a guide, as described below:

(1) Materials and services. The Offeror shall provide a consolidated cost summary of individual material quantities included in the various tasks or contract line items being proposed and the basis for pricing (vendor quotes, invoice prices, etc.). Include raw materials, parts, components, assemblies, and services to be produced or performed by others. For all items proposed, identify the item and show the source, quantity, and cost. Conduct price analyses of all subcontractor proposals. Conduct cost analyses for all subcontracts when cost or pricing data are submitted by the subcontractor. Include these analyses as part of the cost or pricing data submissions for subcontracts expected to exceed the appropriate threshold in FAR 15.403-4. Submit the subcontractor cost or pricing data as part of the cost or pricing data in accordance with the Proposal Adequacy Checklist "Cost Elements" section for Materials (per the 15-2 Table, Section II, Paragraph A) where it states:

Does the proposal include a consolidated summary of individual material and services, frequently referred to as a Consolidated Bill of Material (CBOM), to include the basis for pricing? The offeror's consolidated summary shall include raw materials, parts, components, assemblies, subcontracts and services to be produced or performed by others, identifying as a minimum the item, source, quantity, and cost.

These requirements also apply to all subcontractors if required to submit cost or pricing data:

a. Adequate Price Competition. The Offeror shall provide data showing the degree of competition and the basis for establishing the source and reasonableness of cost for those acquisitions (such as subcontracts, purchase orders, material order, etc.) exceeding, or expected to exceed, the appropriate threshold set forth at FAR 15.403-4 priced on the basis of adequate price competition. For interorganizational transfers priced at other than the cost of comparable competitive commercial work of the division, subsidiary, or affiliate of the contractor, explain the pricing method (see FAR 31.205-26(e)).

b. All Other. The Offeror shall obtain cost or pricing data from prospective sources for those acquisitions (such as subcontracts, purchase orders, material order, etc.) exceeding the threshold set forth in FAR 15.403-4 and not otherwise exempt, in accordance with FAR 15.403-1(b) (i.e., adequate price competition, commercial items, prices set by law or regulation or waiver). Also provide data showing the basis for establishing source and reasonableness of price. In addition, provide a summary of the cost analysis and a copy of cost or pricing data submitted by the prospective source in support of each subcontract, or purchase order that is the lower of either $13.5 million or more, or both more than the pertinent cost or pricing data threshold and more than 10 percent of the prime contractor's proposed cost.

Subcontractor cost data must be accurate, complete and current as of the date of final cost agreement, or an earlier date agreed upon by the parties. The prime contractor is responsible for updating a prospective subcontractor's data. For standard commercial items fabricated by the offeror that are generally stocked in inventory, provide a separate cost breakdown, if priced based on cost.

For interorganizational transfers priced at cost, provide a separate breakdown of cost elements. Analyze the cost or pricing data and submit the results of your analysis of the prospective source's proposal. When submission of a prospective source's cost or pricing data is required as described in this paragraph, it must be included along with your own cost or pricing data submission, as part of your own cost or pricing data. The Offeror shall also submit any other cost or pricing data obtained from a subcontractor, either actually or by specific identification, along with the results of any analysis performed on that data.

(2) Direct Labor Cost.

a. Direct Labor Categories: The Offeror shall propose its direct labor categories and shall provide the basis for the proposed labor categories and skill mix, and discuss the assumptions and rationale for those proposed labor categories/skill mix.

b. Direct Labor Hours: The Offeror shall provide the basis of the proposed labor hours with supporting rationale, including calculations, documentation, the estimating method used, and the assumptions for the proposed estimates.

c. Direct Labor Rates: The Offeror shall provide and discuss the basis for the proposed direct labor rates, for both the prime and subcontractors, such as whether the rates are current/actual (with the effective date), Forward Pricing Rate Agreement (FPRA) or Submission (FPRS), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) or commercial consulting firm wage/salary survey (e.g., Watson Wyatt, etc.), or Offeror estimate. Documentation for the proposed direct labor rates may be recent actual direct labor rates supported by payroll records, and/or paystubs, Letters of Intent (LOIs), or salary survey data. If providing LOIs, Offeror and/or its subcontractor(s) shall include the direct hourly labor rate for the proposed employee, identify the position, submit the LOI on Offeror’s or subcontractor’s letterhead with both the prospective employee’s and the employer signatures, and state that the LOI is for this solicitation. If providing a salary survey, Offerors shall, at a minimum, include for each applicable labor category the salary survey information in support of the proposed rates. The salary survey information at a minimum shall have: the source of data used to develop the salary ranges, the job title and description being surveyed, the geographic location the survey data is valid for, and a range of salary amounts with reference to applicability of amounts. Recent (within the last twelve (12) months) DCAA audits may serve as support documentation for direct labor rates. A copy of the audit must be included in the proposal. If a copy is not available to the Offeror, the Offeror may provide the DCMA and/or DCAA POCs (including office names, office addresses, name of cognizant Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO) and DCAA supervisory auditor/auditor, and their phone numbers) for the Government to contact.

d. Overtime Premium: No overtime is to be proposed for this effort.

(3) Indirect Costs/Overhead Rates (Fringe Benefits/Allowances, Material Handling, Manufacturing, Engineering, General and Administrative Expenses (G&A), and Facilities Capital Cost of Money (FCCOM).

a. Offeror and its subcontractor(s) shall provide documentation to include at least one of the following: 1) a copy of the most recent Forward Pricing Rate Agreement (FPRA), 2) Forward Pricing Rate Recommendation (FPRR), 3) a DCAA or DCMA report or memorandum containing the most recent finalized DCAA/DCMA audit or review, or 4) Forward Pricing Rate Proposal (FPRP) or other statement of current rates to include documentation to validate the proposed indirect expense rates. The Offeror shall provide the basis of the proposed indirect cost and/or rates, such as the following: actual/current with date, FPRA/ Forward Pricing Rate Submission (FPRS), budget, or estimate, with supporting documentation.

b. Documentation of indirect expense rates for an FPRP or other statement of current rates shall include the proposed expense pool (by expense account) and allocation base detail, along with the last three years' certified incurred cost submissions. If certified incurred cost proposals have not been submitted to DCAA in the past, then the last three years’ actual expense pools (by expense account) and allocation bases shall be submitted. The rates reflected in the FPRA, FPRR, FPRP, DCAA/DCMA audit or review or other statement of current rates should directly match the proposed rates as detailed in the proposal.

c. If the award of this contract will have a significant impact on the Offeror’s business volume, the effects of those changes on the expense pools and bases shall be identified and disclosed.

d. Direct/Indirect Charged Costs: The Offeror is reminded that each type of cost shall be allocated only once and on only one basis in order to preclude the “double counting” of costs. Double counting occurs when cost items are allocated directly without eliminating similar items from indirect cost pools. The accounting treatment of all costs of a similar type and nature, in like circumstances, shall be the same. The Offeror shall follow the accounting practices/procedures described in its Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) Disclosure Statement and/or established accounting/estimating system.

(4) Subcontracts/Inter-organizational Transfers/Consultants.

a. The Offeror shall list all anticipated subcontracted effort or inter-organizational transfers, to include: subcontractor or consultant name, total cost, service provided. The Offeror shall identify all proposed subcontractors and the contract type the Offeror has with each subcontractor in its cost narrative. For the major subcontractors and consultants providing labor services, the Offeror shall provide the costs broken down by major cost element, in the same format as required of the prime contractor, with all documentation supporting the proposed costs. The Offeror shall provide a narrative describing the basis of selection; it should also document its evaluation of the cost reasonableness and realism of the subcontractors’ or consultants’ costs. The Offeror’s cost evaluation of its subcontracts and consultants (and/or inter-organizational transfers) will assist the government in its evaluation of the cost realism and reasonableness of the prime contractor’s proposal.

b. Reference FAR 15.404-3, if the Offeror is unable to obtain the required documentation from its subcontractors in order to conduct a cost or price analysis as required, the subcontractor may provide the information directly to the Government following the submission instructions of the solicitation. However, the Offeror and its subcontractor in this scenario shall provide the rationale detailing exactly why the Offeror is unable to conduct the required price or cost analysis as required by 15.404-3 in their cost narrative. For example, if a price/cost analysis is required for a subcontractor and that analysis requires a breakout of the individual cost elements to a prime, and a subcontractor is unwilling to provide their proprietary data to the prime, the prime may then do a total price analysis per 15.404-1(b) and the subcontractor may submit their proprietary cost breakout directly to the Government. If the subcontractor submits their proprietary data directly to the Government, the prime Offeror shall also provide a separate document titled “Summary of Subcontractor(s) Proprietary Cost Breakout” following the submission instructions of the solicitation. The prime Offeror shall ensure this separate document lists the name of each subcontractor, each subcontractor POC who will be submitting the proprietary cost breakout document(s), the date of submission by each subcontractor, and the title(s) of the proprietary cost breakout document(s) to be provided by each subcontractor. The subcontractor shall submit all documents electronically via email or via the DoD SAFE website. Additionally, if a subcontractor submits directly to the Government, the subcontractor’s cost narrative and Excel files shall contain all the required documentation applicable to the cost volume for this procurement. The subcontractor shall identify in its cost narrative who the prime Offeror is.

c. The subcontractor/consultant names, addresses, phone numbers, and POCs shall be provided; the cognizant DCMA and DCAA offices, along with their addresses, phone numbers, and POCs, shall also be provided, as applicable.

d. The same level of cost detail, as required for the subcontracts/consultants, shall be provided for inter-organizational transfers.

(5) Materials/Supplies/Equipment. The Offeror shall list contractor furnished supplies and equipment with unit and total costs, and the basis of the proposed costs (quote, purchase order, historic price, estimate, lease, etc.)

(6) Other Direct Costs (ODCs).

a. Misc ODCs. The Offeror shall list all other ODCs to include with unit and total costs, and the basis of the proposed costs, for any other associated cost (i.e. Danger Pay, Hazard Pay, Defense Base Act (DBA) Insurance).

b. Fee on ODCs. The Offeror shall not charge any fee on ODCs.

(7) Fee/Profit.

The Offeror shall indicate the proposed fee/profit.

(8) Economics/Escalation.

For the Direct Labor Rates, materials and equipment/supplies, ODCs, and any other costs, the Offeror shall provide the basis for any proposed/projected price changes and the assumptions used: forecast source (such as DRI/WEFA, or Economy.com), index used (index number and title), calculations (index values used: base and projected values), and dates used (month and year for applicable index numbers). The Offeror shall provide copies of the escalation forecasts as support documentation in the proposal.

(iv) VOLUME IV – SOLICITATIONS, OFFER AND AWARD DOCUMENTS AND CERTIFICATIONS / REPRESENTATIONS Certifications and Representations – Each offeror shall complete (fill-in and signatures) the solicitation sections indicated below using the file (without modification to the file) provided with the RFP. An authorized official of the firm shall sign the SF 33, as well as any amendments to the RFP as applicable, and all certifications requiring original signature. An Acrobat PDF file shall be created to capture the signatures for submission.

Section A – Standard Form 33 (SF 33), Solicitation, Offer and Award

Solicitations, Offer and Award Documents and Certifications/Representations shall not be addressed separately from that submitted in VOLUME IV – SOLICITATIONS, OFFER AND AWARD DOCUMENTS AND CERTIFICATIONS /REPRESENTATIONS

E. DISCUSSIONS

1. GENERAL INFORMATION. The Government intends to evaluate proposals and make award(s) without discussions. The Government does reserve the right to negotiate and/or hold technical interchanges with one or more but not necessarily all Offerors, for any reason. In accordance with FAR 15.306(d), discussion sessions with each offeror may be held. After completion of discussions with each offeror in the competitive range (if conducted) and in accordance with FAR 15.307(b), all offerors in the competitive range will be allowed a specified period to submit Final Proposal Revisions.

2. DISCUSSION SCHEDULING. If discussions are conducted, the Contracting Officer will schedule the discussion sessions, and each offeror will be notified of the time and place at least three (3) business days prior to their discussion session.