Questions_&_Answers.pdf

Questions & Answers

Question: Section 1.0 General Instructions states: “Arial size 11 front or Times New Roman 12 font shall be used”. Will the government accept font size of 10 pts for diagrams, graphics, tables and headers/footers?

DOC Response: The proposal shall be prepared as indicated in the Request for Proposal (RFP) with Arial size 11 or Times New Roman 12 font. However, offerors may use smaller/larger size or mixed font for headers/footers, title page, diagrams, graphics and tables.

Question: Is the estimated magnitude for this effort greater than $250,000?

DOC Response: Yes, this requirement will be over $250,000.

Question: What content in addition to the Attachment 2 pricing spreadsheet does the Government require for Section 3 - Price?

DOC Response: The Government expects offerors to provide the fully burdened rate for each labor category using the rate card provide. Please refer to the attached revised Rate Card.

Question: Does the Government want anything else to accompany the Rate Card for the Price Proposal?

DOC Response: No, please provide the fully burdened rate for each labor category using the attached revised Rate Card.

Question: What does the Government want in Column C of the Rate Card? Is it the annual cost of each position?

DOC Response: Please provide the fully burdened rate for each labor category in column B, you can leave column C blank.

Question: Will bidders be able to provide a rate escalation for the option years to accommodate salary increases?

DOC Response: Offerors can incorporate their escalation when providing the fully burdened rate for each Option year.

Question: What is the base Period of Performance (POP)?

DOC Response: The base POP is October 1, 2019 – March 31, 2020.

Question: What is the page limitation for key Personnel resume?

DOC Response: No page limitation for key Personnel resumes.

Question: Is subcontracting allowed?

DOC Response: Yes, subcontracting is allowed.

Question: Can the government confirm past performance references will be accepted from offeror’s subcontractors?

DOC Response: The subcontractor’s past performance references may be included in addition to/as part of the offeror’s past performance references.

Question: Contract type is listed as FFP but the Rate Card document is requesting fully burdened hourly rates. Could the government please clarify the intended contract type and rate requirement for pricing purposes?

DOC Response: The contract will be Firm Fixed Price (FFP), the Government will use the fully burdened hourly rates provided to calculate the FFP price. The government is expecting to receive only the fully burdened rate using the attached revised Rate Card.

Question: FAR 52.222-17 (E.O.13495) is not identified as being included by reference or complete text with this solicitation. Despite the labor categories falling outside the governance of the Service Contract Act, is it the intention of the government to specifically exclude the Non-displacement of qualified workers for purposes of ensuring continuity?

DOC Response: FAR 52.222-17 has been included. Please refer to the attached revised RFP.

Question: How is the projected OCONUS travel priced?

DOC Response: There will be no OCONUS travel associated with this requirement. Please refer to the attached revised PWS.

Question: Who is the incumbent vendor? Can you please provide the contract details (Contract Number, Award Date, Value)?

DOC Response: The incumbent is MIL Corporation, contract# D14PD00250 awarded on April 1, 2014 for a total value of $15,691,864.

Question: Is the current incumbent eligible to compete for this solicitation?

DOC Response: The incumbent will not be illegible as a prime contractor. This solicitation is a total set-aside for Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Business (EDWOSB).

Question: Is the Government requesting specific or generic resumes for key personnel?

DOC Response: Generic resumes

Question: How many full-time contract personnel have historically been used at each location to provide the Tier I and Tier II support?

DOC Response: 23

Question: On the current contract, how many help desk resources work each shift during the week, on weekends, and on federal holidays?

DOC Response: 9 during the day, 5mid shift and 3 at night.

Question: For any OCONUS locations requiring onsite service, will the government provide reimbursement of relocation costs in support of this effort?

DOC Response: Not applicable, please refer to the attached revised PWS.

Question: Approximately how many times per year is travel required domestically and internationally?

DOC Response: Not applicable, please refer to the attached revised PWS. Assistance is rendered using collaborative platforms available to Bureau employees (IM, telephone, video conference).

Question: Would international travel be to China only or potentially anywhere in the world? No specifics have been provided, should the offeror factor travel allowances into final pricing, or will the government provide a standard figure for evaluation purposes?

Question: The government asks for Offerors to show an understanding of the Customer Support Center Manual. Will the Government please provide the current Customer Support Center Manual?

DOC Response: The manual will not be provided at this time.

Question: Can the government advise if there is a current and existing Customer Support Center Manual? If yes, when was it last updated?

DOC Response: Yes, there is an existing manual and it was updated last year.

Question: Please clarify extent to which the Offeror's technical approach is to address PWS Technical Tasks 5.3-5.9.

DOC Response: The Offeror shall provide convincing evidence that they understand the requirement fully and how they plan to provide the services/deliverables.

Question: PWS Section 3, item 5. The offeror may propose that Tier I support is provided either onsite or offsite. Can the proposal include offsite for Tier II support?

DOC Response: No, Tier II must to be on-site.

Question: PWS Section 3, item 7. Increase user adoption of current applications and productivity tools. What tools are currently being used and are you open to proposal for different tools that support the mission?

DOC Response: Salesforce CRM Lightning user adoption and O365 SharePoint

Question: Are the terms program management plan, and project management plan the same meaning that are being interchanged between the solicitation and PWS?

DOC Response: Yes

Question: Is a draft transition plan expected to be incorporated into the technical proposal, or will that be needed only upon reward?

DOC Response: Include as part of the technical proposal.

Question: For the Training Support Capabilities Requirement Plan requirement in our technical response, are offerors expected to detail how they will manage capabilities needed to meet customer requirements for training and how those requirements themselves will be managed? If no, what is expected?

Question: For the St. Louis, and China-based locations, Tier I help desks agents are the only support members to be on site at those respective locations?

DOC Response: The St. Louis, and China locations are no longer required, please refer to the revised PWS.

Question: May offerors include a compliance matrix outside the page limitations?

DOC Response: Yes, but the matrix shouldn’t be more than 20 pages.

Question: May offerors include a glossary outside the page limitations?

Question: From a staffing strategy and expectations perspective, how will the optional T&M requirements be executed, if they are needed?

DOC Response: When the optional task is needed the Contractor will be notified ahead of time.

Question: Is Hong Kong considered part of China for the purposes of this contract or is it strictly Beijing?

Question: Can you please provide the percentage for all calls escalated to Tier II, Tier III or higher?

DOC Response: 40%

Question: Can you provide a point in time count of open trouble tickets?

DOC Response: No

Question: Can you provide a point in time count of trouble tickets over 30 days?

DOC Response: No

Question: "24x7 multi-modal IT Help Desk support" can the government provide additional detail/definition on what is meant by multi-modal?

DOC Response: It should read, “24x7 IT Help Desk Support”. Please refer to the revised PWS.

Question: Will a candidate who is currently in the process of achieving the HDI-SCM certification, Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST), CompTIA A+® Certification, Dell Desktop and Notebook Configuration and Troubleshooting (DNT) Accreditation or ITIL Foundation certification be considered qualified?

DOC Response: No, candidates must have their certifications to be considered qualified.

Question: Can you please define what a self-help ticket is and how it is generated?

DOC Response: Users can put in their own tickets, check status on tickets

Question: What is the current ticketing system in use today?

DOC Response: Service Now

Question: What GFE will be provided to the help desk resources in ITA’s DC location? Does it include equipment for use when federal offices are closed (holidays, inclement weather, etc.)?

DOC Response: The Government will provide laptops, associated peripherals and phones for resources at the DC location (Equipment to be used remotely when physical offices are closed).

Question: Will the Government reimburse companies for travel expenses incurred when resources are required to provide deskside support at employees’ homes in the DC metro area?

DOC Response: Support at employees’ home is not required, please refer to the revised PWS.

Question: "Provide deskside support at employees’ homes in the Washington, DC metro area (rarely, on occasion) if approved by the government." Can the government confirm the radius is a 60-mile radius for the Washington DC metro area?

DOC Response: Support at employees’ home is not required, please refer to the revised PWS.

Question: Will travel costs for Tier II Customer support - Desktop Support services be reimbursed? If Yes, can you please provide a plug-in number for the pricing spreadsheet?

Question: Does the government want bidders to price the optional CLINs?

DOC Response: Please provide the fully burdened rate for the labor category provided. Please refer to the attached revised PWS and Rate Card.

Question: Will the current incumbent provide knowledge transfer as part of their transition out and what is the anticipated transition out period upon a new contract award?

DOC Response: Yes, ITA anticipate transition in/out period of 60-90 days.