Questions_ _Answers.pdf

Questions & Answers SINLEC15Q0090 - INL/El Salvador, BIAC Training

1. Does the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation under solicitation number SINLEC15Q0090 contain requirements similar to a current contract? If possible, please provide the current contract number. Or, is this a new requirement for the government?

This is a new requirement for the USG.

2. The set-aside requirement for this solicitation is Total Small Business. Is there a requirement for the offerer to be physically located in the United States in order to comply with the Total Small Business set aside? I am asking for the following reason. The company that I am working with is 100% owned by a U.S. veteran and otherwise complies with all set aside requirements for being a total small business, veteran owned small business and also disadvantaged small business.

However, the business is located outside the United States. Can a business that otherwise meets the total small business set aside requirements comply with the set aside requirements for this solicitation even though it is physically located overseas?

The offeror must be a 100% total small business who is registered to do business with the U.S.

Government (i.e. DUNS number, registered in SAM.gov)

3. Reference “Evaluation Factor 3: Past Performance”; will an offeror with no relevant past performance be rated as ‘Unknown Confidence (Neutral)’ or ‘No Confidence’? Both ratings seem to have the criteria for no past performance. Please clarify.

Unknown Confidence shall be used. Page 15 of the SOW states under Unknown Confidence that the “Quoter has no relevant performance.”

4. Can the government please provide start dates for each of the 2-week training sessions?

Specific dates shall be determined and provided upon award.

5. If all 10 of the training sessions are not conducted back to back, please answer the following:

5a. How much notice with be provided prior to the session start date?

Two (2) weeks’ notice shall be provided?

5b. Will travel costs between the US and the training location be included in CLIN 004 and 1004 (CR) or is that part of CLIN 002 and 1002 (FFP)?

ODC (other direct costs) includes all travel costs.

6. Are personnel required to have a security clearance? If so, what level and will the government be sponsoring the contractor for a Facility Security Clearance?

No security clearances are required.

7. Regarding the page limit section; can the government please clarify the total page limit for each volume of the proposal? Are the page limits determined per volume or per sub-factor of each volume?

Volumes 1 - 3 which shall not exceed 25 pages (reference Section 3, I. for breakdown and are maximum limitations). Page limits are determined by each volume.

8. Will each training session consist of 14 straight training days or are weekend off? Or is it up to the contractor to complete all training requirements within 14 days?

Each two week training will consist of 10 working days and 4 days of non-working weekend.

9. How many hours per day will training be conducted?

The number of training hours shall follow normal business hours, 8:30AM-5:00PM

10. Can the government please provide more guidance on the course development CLIN (1001) for the option year? Will the contractor be developing new training for the option year?

CLIN 1001 give the Government the ability to conduct the same courses during an additional optional period.

11. Will the government accept past performance that is not directly relevant to the type of work to be performed but IS relevant to the size and complexity of the work to be performed?

Please reference Section 3, I, c. Past Performance, for the types of past performance that will be accepted.

12. Regarding Technical Evaluation Factor 1. Technical Approach; the government states: “The Quoter’s ability to do business with the U.S. Embassy within 30 days of contract award. Proof is required in order to be selected for task order award.” Can the government please clarify what ‘proof’ is required?

Registration on SAM.gov.

13. Regarding Technical Evaluation Factor 2. Staffing Approach; the government states: “proof of the Quotes’ demonstrated ability to hire and maintain qualified staff, handle personnel issues, assemble high quality staff to fill immediate requirements, and provide staff with all the necessary support and oversight.” Can the government please clarify what ‘proof’ is required?

Registration on SAM.gov and examples of Past Performance.

14. Regarding Technical Evaluation Factor 2. Staffing Approach; the government states: “Degree to which proposed personnel have verifiable relevant experience of three (3) or more years in a project management office” Can the government please clarify what project management experience is needed?

This phrase has been removed and the SOW has been revised.

15. Has the Government identified a contractor that meets the timelines in this RFQ specifications, specifically in curriculum development in 20 days?

There is no incumbent contractor.

16. Does the Government intent to use former or current US Federal law enforcement personnel or Salvadoran Federal law enforcement personnel?

Please see VI. Staffing Requirements for specifications.

17. Instructor Requirements require that a single person on the team must be U.S. personnel.

Curriculum Development Writer does not indicate U.S. Personnel. Since the local law enforcement does not meet the 15 year requirement, does the Government expect all curriculum developers/writers to be U.S. personnel?

Yes.

18. The requirement for curriculum developer write states that has to be a federal or local law enforcement officer with at least 15 years experience and must include assignments in drug law enforcement intelligence units. In El Salvador, the law enforcement agencies are only the PNC and the Military. The PNC intelligence training started at the ESNACIN, and is fairly new. The Military was responsible to train and develop the PNC intelligence community. But in the RFQ, you are excluding the former military personnel, highly qualified to participate on development of the curriculum. Will the Government allow highly experienced, US trained, local (El Salvadoran) former military personnel to participate as developer or instructors?

No.

19. Under deliverables, the Government directs that NLT 20 days from contract award, the contractor shall provide a complete, comprehensive curriculum. Based in our experience, a 14 day, professional and comprehensive program of instruction complete with test, lesson plans, media, instructional material, exercises, and evaluation plans would exceed the allotted timeline for course development. Will the Government allow, as part of the bid, the contractor to propose a timeline and technical approach for developing the program of instruction required, addressing all the unique requirements specified such as “relevant case studies and applicable exercises specific to El Salvador, U.S., narco-trafficking, El Salvador law enforcement regulations, and the El Salvadoran judicial system” ?

Yes, 30 days and the SOW has been revised.

20. The SOW calls for comprehensive Basic Intelligence Analyst Courses (BIAC) with experts focusing on instructional techniques and developing a high level of knowledge in intelligence analysis. The course’s target population is both analysts and investigators. The primary components specified in the SOW don’t appear to focus on “developing a high level of knowledge in intelligence analysis which is what the Government appears to be trying to achieve.

Can the Government provide a clear description of its desired end state and measure of success for the course participants? What is the real intent of the instruction?

The course should be developed and designed for law enforcement intelligence analysts with focus on the following: Tactical intelligence, Operational intelligence, Strategic intelligence.

Intelligence cycle: planning, collection, processing, analysis and dissemination.

Also should include; predictive analysis, hypothesis, critical thinking, threat assessment, PIRS, charting, report writing,

21. Each course is directed to be (2) week in duration. Does the government anticipate 14 straight days of training or does the government want the contractor to use its best judgment based on cultural training norms?

Each two week training will consist of 10 working days and 4 days of non-working weekend.

22. With regards to the SIGINT curriculum component, Is the Government referring to judicially approved (court ordered) telecommunications intercept operations, e.g., judicially approved wire(less) taps? Or, are you referring to intelligence (non-evidentiary) communications intercepts?

Judicially approved.

23. Can the Government confirm that each of the three Volumes (1-3) should be submitted electronically, and as one file?

Yes, Volumes 1-3 should be submitted electronically in one file.

24. Can the Government confirm the total number of pages allowed for all Volumes (1-3) should not exceed 25 pages?

Proposals must be 25 pages in total.

25. In the Table showing the proposal elements, organization and page count limitations the second line, A-1, “Background and Objectives of” seems to be missing a word after “of”. Can the Government please clarify?

That was an administrative error – it should be “Background and Objectives of Courses”

26. The third sentence appears to be missing a word – can the Government provide clarification on the requirement specified? “The Quoter shall provide expert that shall be responsible for the achievement of the topics listed below, focusing on instructional techniques and developing a high level of knowledge in intelligence analysis.”

The Quoter shall provide experts that shall be responsible for the achievement of the topics listed below, focusing on instructional techniques and developing a high level of knowledge in intelligence analysis.

27. Can the Government please provide clarification on what constitutes the requirement “provide a template to demonstrate the benefits…”? Is the Quoter to provide a report, a report to be implemented in the training program design, a set of actionable recommendations, or something different?

The quoter shall develop a template to be used by students after the course.

28. Can the Government clarify the action report bullet “Instructor’s assessment of willingness or opposition to implement the material as presented” with regards to which party’s willingness/opposition is to be reported on?

This is an evaluation factor of the instructor while they teach.

29. The Government stipulates a 15+ year experience requirement for “the curriculum development team” and a 5+ year experience requirement for “the curriculum development writer”. Is there a minimum number of writers/team members required and must all team members, SME or writer, meet the 15+ year experience requirement?

Minimum 2 developers, and yes, 15+ years’ experience

30. The Government requires that “at least one member of the instruction team must be an experienced former or current U.S. federal law enforcement-intelligence analyst.” Is there a years of experience requirement defining “experienced” for this requirement?

Yes, 15+ years

31. Does the Government have a years of experience requirement in defining the requirement that “all Instructors must have extensive experience including assessing, monitoring, training in…”?

Yes, 15+ years

32. The Government requests that personnel resumés only include relevant training received in the past 2 years. Should resumés also include relevant training received prior to the past 2 years?

Yes.

33. The Government lists as an evaluation criteria “Degree to which proposed personnel have verifiable relevant experience of three (3) or more years in a project management office.” This requirement is not listed in the previous position descriptions for curriculum writers, instructors or project managers. Can the Government please confirm that this experience is a personnel requirement?

This phrase has been removed