Questions_and_Answers_for_VIZLAB.pdf

1. Question:

Schedule B – Pricing (Attachment Page). The SOW states that “Travel will be required: Request is to allot $50,000 for travel,” and then goes on to say, “Priority for travel is: Launch Support.” The Schedule B pricing worksheet included as an Attachment Page has Base Year Travel as NTE $28,000.00 and Option I Travel as NTE $35,500.00.

Which amount(s) should an offeror include in its pricing submission?

Answer: Offeror shall complete schedule B Attachment and include price for each period of performance on the solicitation. The Schedule B pricing worksheet included as an Attachment Page has Base Year Travel as NTE $28,000.00 and Option I Travel as NTE $35,500.00 and is the price the offeror shall include in its pricing submission.

2. Question:

Schedule B – Pricing. If an offeror’s standard accounting practice approved by DCAA applies indirect cost (G&A) to travel, should the offeror assume NOAA’S estimate is inclusive of G&A or should bidder add G&A to these amounts?

Answer: The offeror shall assume NOAA’S estimate is inclusive of G&A.

3. Question: Schedule B – Pricing. Once the offeror completes Schedule B Attachment Page, should the totals be transferred to SCHEDULE sheet for 0001 and 1001?

Answer: Yes.

4. Question:

Will the contract awarded as a result of this solicitation be a Time and Materials contract or a Firm Fixed Price contract? Many of the SOW tasks are very difficult to price FFP without further information.

Answer: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS), proposes to enter into a Time and Materials Contract to provide visualizations of satellite and other data, graphics, and technical writing services.

5. Question:

The labor categories listed in Schedule B – Pricing does not seem to cover all the necessary labor categories needed to support the SOW. For example, Technical Writer, Web Developer, and/or Graphic Designer might typically be used as opposed to Engineers. Should the offerors apply all work against the specified labor categories or add additional labor categories to Schedule B?

Answer: The labor categories and mix of hours is an estimate and for consideration. There is no prohibition from a deviation in the labor categories to include additional, if needed. However, offerors shall cross walk the requirements to the categories and provide a rationale in the staffing description.

6. Question:

Can NOAA provide any further information about FTE’s for offerors to price? Many of the required SOW subtasks are vague and difficult to apply an estimate. Terms such as “support” or “administer,” “comply,” and “maintaining” are very open- ended without further guidance.

Answer: The labor categories are based on the position descriptions on GSA Schedule rates. Currently the work requirements are being fulfilled under the existing contract by 7 to 8 contract employees and one part-time video person.

7. Question:

Should the Offeror submit three separate volumes? One each for Management Approach and Technical Capabilities; Past Performance; and C. Price Proposal?

Answer: Offerors shall submit three volumes. All responses shall be in MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). All responses must be received by the specified due date and time in order to be considered. Volume I-Approach and Technical Capabilities is limited to ten (10) single spaced pages; you may also include a cover page.

Volume II-Past Performance is limited to one (1) single spaced page for each contract. Volume III- Price Proposal Offeror shall complete schedule B Attachment and include price for each period of performance on the solicitation..

Each response should use the following Page Setup parameters:

• Font size - 10 points or larger (Body)

• Font size - smaller than 10 points (text in diagrams or other graphics)

• Margins - Top, Bottom, Left, Right - 1"

• At a minimum, your organization's name and a page number should appear in the header or footer of all pages that constitute the body of your response.

8. Question:

If an offeror has experience in response to B. Past Performance under #1 and #2 but has either none or just one in response to #3, will the offeror get credit for #1 and #2? Will #3 be considered neutral and not penalize the offeror?

Are #1, 2, and 3 equally important in the evaluation?

Answer: Past performance will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria set forth in the Solicitation. On number 3, it will not be designated as neutral. The neutral rating would only be assigned if an offeror had no past performance. Relevancy to the work requirements is important.

9. Question:

Is the offeror to determine which, if any, labor categories should be considered key personnel?

Answer: While there is no specific designation of key personnel in the solicitation, the types of labor and skills are critical to the success of this contract.

10. Question:

Solicitation begins numbering on “Page 3 of 11.” Can we assume pages 1 and 2 of 11 are comprised of Standard Form 1449? Or, are pages 1 and 2 missing?

Answer: The solicitation consists of 16 pages.

11. Question:

Is an incumbent contract or similar contract for the services under Solicitation # SP133E17RQ0058 (Visualization Laboratory (Vizlab) Support)? Or is this a new requirement? If there is an incumbent contract, could you kindly provide me with the incumbent contract number?

Answer: The requirement is a recompete of an existing requirement awarded against the Science and Technical Service Contract with a resulting Task Order against DG133E-12-CQ-0021. This work requirement is currently being performed by I.M. Systems Group.