Responses_to_Questions.docx

Questions and Answers for SOL-DC-14-00002

Q1. Please clarify the level of effort for the base period and each option period and the level of effort for the option for increased quantity in sections B-1 LEVEL OF EFFORT - COST REIMBURSEMENT TERM CONTRACT (EPAAR 1552.211-73), H-5 OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT-COST-TYPE CONTRACT (EPAAR 1552.217-71) and H-6 OPTION FOR INCREASED QUANTITY-COST-TYPE CONTRACT (EPAAR 1552.217-73).

A1. The correct level of effort for the base period and each option period is 16,000 hours for the base quantity of hours and a potential for up to 8,000 optional quantity hours per period (base and option periods). The potential level of effort for each contract period is 24,000 hours.

Section B.1 LEVEL OF EFFORT - COST REIMBURSEMENT TERM CONTRACT (EPAAR 1552.211-73) and Section H.6 OPTION FOR INCREASED QUANTITY-COST-TYPE CONTRACT (EPAAR 1552.217-73) have been amended to reflect this change.

Q2. Section B-4 OTHER DIRECT COSTS includes ceilings for Other Direct Costs for the base period and each option period. Should these ceilings be used for proposal purposes? And if so, what are the ceilings for the Other Direct Costs associated with Section H-6 OPTION FOR INCREASED QUANTITY-COST-TYPE CONTRACT (EPAAR 1552.217-73)?

A2. The ceiling amounts provided in Section B-4 OTHER DIRECT COSTS and Section H-5 OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT-COST-TYPE CONTRACT (EPAAR 1552.217-71) should be used for developing the cost proposal.

Section H-5 OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT-COST-TYPE CONTRACT (EPAAR 1552.217-71) and Section H-6 OPTION FOR INCREASED QUANTITY-COST-TYPE CONTRACT (EPAAR 1552.217-73) have been amended to include the ceilings for proposal purposes.

Q3. Will EPA evaluate resumes submitted for staff beyond the required key personnel? And, if resumes for other than key personnel are submitted will those resumes count against the page limitation?

A3. Resumes were only requested in the solicitation for key personnel. If resumes are submitted for other than key personnel, the submission will count against the page limitation set forth in the Technical Proposal Instructions. Information pertaining to other than key personnel may be captured in the staffing plan and/or included in the technical proposal.

Q4. Attachment 7, Evaluation Factors for Award, includes a factor for Corporate Experience; however, Attachment 5, Technical Proposal Instructions, does not include a corresponding section. What information should be included with the technical proposal for this factor?

A4. Attachment 5 has been amended to include a section on Corporate Experience.

Q5. Attachment 5, Technical Proposal Instructions, does not address a table of contents, covers and cover pages or section dividers. Do this items count against the page limitation? Also, the instructions do not address large format pages such as 11x17 pages for large graphics or tables. Will these count as two pages?

A5. These items are not required and are not evaluated, so they do not count against the page limitation. Keep in mind that proposal are required to be submitted electronically, so some of this items may not be necessary or may not apply to electronic submission of proposals.

Q6. Attachment 1, Statement of Work, Task I Collection of Data Item 2.f and Task III Technical Program Support – General Support Item 2 include a requirement for conducting peer review. Please explain the different content the Agency anticipates in related to these tasks.

A6. Task I typically includes peer review of products delivered under the contract and Task III includes peer review of products produced elsewhere such as in-house products.