Questions_and_Answers.docx

Questions and Answers for SOL-DC-15-00079

Question 1. E.2 (Page 10) Higher-Level Contract Quality Requirement (Government Specification) (Feb 1999). In section (A) Pre-award Documentation, the solicitation requires submission of the "CASTNET Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) Revision 8.2 with any proposed changes" with the offer. Page 45 of the solicitation states "Additionally, the offeror shall include a statement that during the performance of the contract the offeror will adhere to the CASTNET QAPP Revision 8.2, with revisions as proposed by the offeror and accepted by EPA ... " The offeror interprets these requirements as incorporating QAPP revision 8.2 by reference and that the proposal itself constitutes submission with any proposed changes. Will EPA please verify the correct interpretation of this submission requirement?

Answer 1.Yes, EPA will incorporate the proposed changes to QAPP revision 8.2 from the proposal into the resulting contract. The offeror is not expected to submit a comprehensive QAPP with their proposal. QAPP revision 8.2 with proposed changes as accepted by EPA will be incorporated into the contract.

Question 2. F.1 (Page12) Monthly Progress Report. The SOW (Attachment 1) states that offerors should provide a unit cost for Analytical Laboratory samples. Please omit the requirement as stated in F.1 (f)(7)(iv) & (v) to provide average labor hours or labor cost per analysis.

Answer 2. EPA will remove the requirements in F.1 (f)(7)(iv) and F.1(f)(7)(v). The contractor does not need to provide the Average Labor Hours per Analysis Type nor do they need to provide the Average Labor Cost per Analysis Type. The offeror should provide a unit cost for Analytical Laboratory samples as stated in the SOW.

Question 3. F.1(Page12) Monthly Progress Report. Section (h) states a reporting requirement of 7 business days after the end of the month. However, it refers to Attachment 4 (Reporting Requirements) where the requirement is 15 business days. Please clarify that Attachment 4's requirement is correct (15 business days).

Answer 3. F.1 (Page12) Monthly Progress Report. Section (h) is amended to read 15 days.

Question 4. H-24 (Page 21) SDB Targets. Reporting on the participation of SDB concerns is required under H-24 (c). Is this reporting separate from the small business reporting we do in our ISRs as part of our SB Plan?

Answer 4. In accordance with FAR 52.219-25, the contractor must comply with the reporting requirements for the Small Disadvantaged Business Participation Program. Depending on the structure of contractor submissions this information may be included in other small business reporting requirements.

Question 5. L-2.1 (Page 45) Staffing Plan, Labor Mix. The labor category descriptions required are part of the page count. With the page limitations on the proposal, may the labor categories be included as an Appendix as they do become an attachment to the contract similar to the other plans provided as appendices and are outside of the page count.

Answer 5. Labor categories may be included as an appendix and are outside of the page count.

Question 6. L-14 (Page 53) Past Performance Information. This paragraph encourages offerors to submit past performance information early. Does this include Section 3 of Volume I or just the past performance questionnaires (Attachment 13)? If it includes Section 3 of Volume I, should this section also be submitted as part of Volume I and does it count against the page limit?

Answer 6. Past performance questionnaires may be submitted early. Past performance questionnaires do not count against the page limit. Section 3 should be included with Volume 1 and will out count against the page limit.

Question 7. L-14 (Page 55) Past Performance Information. There is no information in L-14 (g) nor on the past performance questionnaire (Attachment 13) on how these questionnaires are to be returned to EPA. Are they returned to us and submitted with our proposal or are they submitted directly to EPA? If the latter, please provide to whom the PPQs should be sent?

Answer 7. See Question 8

Question 8. L-14 (Page 54) Past Performance Information. This paragraph refers an attachment called Client Authorization Letter: "(e) Offerors must send Client Authorization Letters (see Section J of the solicitation) to each reference." Please provide attachment.

Answer 8. Please see attached Client Authorization Letter

Question 9. In SOW Task 21 (Attachment 1, Page 26) Operation of a PM2.5 FRM Speciation Sampler, it states the contractor is to collect data from a 24-hour integrated PM2.5 speciation sampler. For Task 21 in Appendix 3 (Page 33) Estimated units for each Task for each option period, there are no number of units estimated. Please provide how EPA will order units from Task 21 without a proposed cost per unit?

Answer 9. In appendix 3 of the SOW there are 0 units estimated for Tasks 11, 13 and 21 for each of the 4 option periods. The offeror shall provide a proposed cost per unit for operating 1 site (12 units) for Tasks 11 (Trace gas SO2 without operator), 13 (Trace gas CO without operator) and 21 (Operation of PM2.5 speciation sampler) for the base period and the 4 option periods.

Question 10. Regarding SOW Task 22, Attachment 14: Sample Task Orders, Example Task Order 2:

a. What is the operating system and version of the website server?

b. What is the current version of Java used by the website?

c. What version of Tomcat, if used, is on the website server?

Answer 10. SOW Task 22, Attachment 14: Sample Task Orders, Example Task Order 2 is removed from the SOW. The offeror shall use the same number of labor hours provided in the RFP to distribute across the sample work plan #1 (Procurement, Testing, Installation, and Operation of Methane Analyzers for a Pilot Network) and the remaining tasks under Task 22.

Question 11. All appendices: Do all of the appendices have to follow the document production/page requirements (e.g., font requirements, etc.) outlined in the technical and pricing volumes? For example, one of the required documents (QMP) is a corporate document. Can those documents be submitted as currently formatted?

Answer 11. Appendices do not have to follow document production/page requirements.

image1.png