TIRNO11R00009-A0001 1 .pdf

OMB Control No. 1505-0081

1. CONTRACT ID CODE PAGE OF PAGES AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

1 26

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

0001 See Block 16C D-1-D9-01-LO-G01 000

6. ISSUED BY CODE IRS0088 7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6) CODE

Internal Revenue Service 6009 Oxon Hill Road, Suite 500

Oxon Hill, MD 20745

JACOBS, DEBRA M 202-283-1277

See Item 6

(x) 9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

TIRNO-11-R-00009

x 9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

09/16/2011

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No. Street, county, State and ZIP: Code)

Vendor ID: 00055905

TO ALL OFFERORS

TO ALL OFFERORS

TO ALL OFFERORS, WV 99999

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

CODE FACILITY CODE

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended, is not extended.

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning ___5__ copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATA SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and data specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required)

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

(x) A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return ____ copies to the issuing office.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

Please see subsequent pages and attachments for details of this amendment.

As a result of this amendment, the due date and time of Thursday, October 20, 2011 at 3:00pm Eastern Time remains unchanged.

Except at provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print) 16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 15C. DATE SIGNED 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 16C. DATE SIGNED

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

BY _____________________________________________

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

X X

NSN 7540-01-152-8070 30-105 STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 10-83)

PREVIOUS EDITION UNUSABLE Computer Generated Prescribed by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

TIRNO-11-R-00009 AMEND# 0001

SF30 CONTINUATION SHEET

The purpose of this amendment is to provide clarification to the solicitation documents and respond to questions received as a result of the solicitation review and subsequent pre-proposal conference. Responses to questions received as a result of the site visits will be posted prior to the date and time for submission of proposals.

Clarifications:

1. The IRS is divided into 14 territories, with each territory, except Oakland, having a Campus or Computing Center as the headquarters. Main IR and Martinsburg are both considered apart of the DC Territory; however, for the purposes of this solicitation and resultant contract, these areas have been identified as their own territory, thus resulting in 15 territories.

2. Each Campus and Computing Center location, except Oakland, has a warehouse location either attached to the campus or computing center or within the fence line of the campus or computing center which requires the warehouse services.

3. The mandatory Government Facilities Furnished (GFF) – TE-12, are the three

(3) facilities that must be utilized to store the Government Property outlined in TE-4, Stored Property and TE-5, Stored Published Property. In the event that the mandatory GFF can not accommodate all of the items outlined in TE-4 and TE-5, the contractor is responsible for determining how and where to store the remaining items. In addition, the contractor is responsible for the transportation costs between the storage facilities and the owner’s location.

Revised Documents

1. Section C, Performance Work Statement, has been revised. Offerors shall disregard the Section C included in the original solicitation and replace with Revision 1, dated September, 2011, copy attached.

2. Section H, Special Contract Requirements has been revised. Offerors shall disregard the Section H included in the original solicitation and replace with Revision 1, dated September, 2011, copy attached.

3. Section L, Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors or Respondents, has been revised. Offerors shall disregard the Section L included in the original solicitation and replace with Revision 1, dated September, 2011, copy attached.

4. Section M, Evaluation Factors for Award, has been revised. Offerors shall disregard the Section M included in the original solicitation and replace with Revision 1, dated September, 2011, copy attached.

5. Technical Exhibit (TE) – 2, Building Listing. Offerors shall disregard the TE-2 included in the original solicitation and replace with Revision 1, dated September, 2011, copy attached.

6. Technical Exhibit (TE) – 3, Warehouse Services Workload. Offerors shall disregard the TE-3 included in the original solicitation and replace with Revision 1, dated September, 2011, copy attached.

7. Technical Exhibit (TE) – 12, Government Facilities Furnished. Offerors shall disregard the TE-12 included in the original solicitation and replace with Revision 1, dated September, 2011, copy attached.

8. Attachment J-2, Section B – Grand Total Summary Sheet. Offerors shall disregard the Attachment J-2, Section B – Grand Total Summary Sheet included in the original solicitation and replace with Revision 1, dated September, 2011, copy attached.

New Documents

1. Pre-Proposal Conference Slides dated July 28, 2011

2. Pre-Proposal Conference Sign-In Sheet dated July 28, 2011

3. Attachment J-9, Summary Sheet For Cumulative Target NAICS SDB Data

By Category

Questions and Answers

Q1. Provide Special Handling – C.2.2 states: “The contractor shall only accept tax documents in closed, boxed, wrapped; or covered containers.”

What is the contractor’s responsibility when tax documents are not covered, closed, boxed or wrapped? Is the contractor responsible for closing, boxing, wrapping, or covering unsecured tax documents?

A1. The contractor’s responsibility is to transport the tax documents. The Logistics Services staff will work with the business units to encourage them to comply with the requirements to cover their containers.

Q2. Repair Services – What are the manufacturers of the “Pipeline Tax Processing Equipment” that the contractor would be required to repair?

A2. The contractor shall provide repair services for all pipeline tax processing equipment. Due to the vast amount of pipeline equipment, this information would be too voluminous to provide. However, participants of the site visits have been afforded the opportunity to view a sample of pipeline equipment that may need repairing.

Q3. Forms Management – C.2.4.4. states: “The Government requires contractor support to receive, inventory, track, store, pick up/deliver and dispose of all IRS Published Products. In the event that a discrepancy is noted upon receipt of a newly delivered published product, the contractor shall notify the Forms Coordinator immediately.

The type and amount of published products requiring receipt, inventory, tracking, storage, pickup/delivery and disposal is outlined in Technical Exhibit 5.

Question: Will the Government define what call type and cycle time in business days the delivery of IRS Published Products be classified, as TE-9 does not indicate the call type for delivering IRS Published Products.

A3. Please note that requests for published products are not generated through the ERC/KISAM system, thus a call type is not established for the ordering of published products. Ordering of published products is performed by IRS customers through a separate website. When the Forms Coordinator is notified of a delivery, an Incoming Shipment ticket is generated and submitted to the logistics services contractor. This call type has a two day cycle time. The vendor is expected to note the delivery date, close out the ticket and will then receive the delivery on/or about the date that the incoming shipment ticket states.

Q4. Is the time excused from work with pay if a facility is closed for inclement weather/natural disaster?

A4. Yes

Q5. Housekeeping – Will the Government please clarify for which industry standards the contractor is responsible? Are they only directly related to Housekeeping Standards, such as OSHA Standard 1910.141.(a)(3) Housekeeping. (1) All places of employment shall be kept clean to the extent the nature of the work allows?

A5. The Government’s intent is to ensure that we cover all standards that adhere with a safe and healthy environment. OSHA Standard 1910-22-30 are the ones that apply.

Q6. ID Media, Access Cards and Keys – Will the contractor be required to supply the employees full SSN or will the last four be sufficient in satisfying the requirement of this action?

A6. The full SSN will be required when completing the initial Risk Assessment Checklist (RAC). Subsequent to that, the last 4 digits of the SSN will be acceptable.

Q7. B.1 states, “The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, and supplies for the tasks described in the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

a. Does this impact GFE when it no longer works? Would contractor need to price forklift replacement in TE-11?

A7. Refer to Section C.7.2 of the Performance Work Statement. The 2nd paragraph of this section clearly states, “The Government will not replace GEF. Contractor shall bear the cost of making the GEF the contractor chooses to use suitable for use. The contractor shall manage, maintain and repair the GEF the contractor chooses to use.

Q8. Please clarify what the unit of measure “AJ.” represents (not listed in the Acronym List, J-6).

A8. The unit of measure identified as “AJ” is an abbreviation for “Adjustable.” This allows for monthly billing at variable rates.

Q9. Strike Contingency Plan - Does the incumbent currently employee personnel that are unionized or have a collective bargaining agreement in place?

A9. The current contract does not utilize unionized employees or a collective bargaining agreement. The purpose of the Strike Contingency Plan is to have it in place in the event unionized employees or a collective bargaining agreement is necessary under this requirement.

Q10. It appears that the base period does not have a specified length (e.g., it’s not for a year). According to my calculations, with the proposal due Oct 20/11 + 180 days for acceptance period + 90 days phase-in, it means that the start of first work period might be July 20/2012. The first period is over on Sept 30, 2012.

That means that the first period could be as short as 2 months + 10 days and the winning bidder might not actually be awarded any optional 1-year extension. Is this correct?

A10. This could be an accurate scenario based on contractor performance.

Q11. Is the base period (referred to in the original solicitation) the same as the first performance period referred to in section F.3?

A11. The first full performance period means the same as the base period.

Q12. In the document J-1 Pricing Scenarios, the first table shows the average number of requests in the base period. But it isn’t specified what length you are assuming for the base period. For example, there are 500 requests for locksmiths in the base period but in Option Period I (which is a year), there are 2600. What length of base period are you assuming?

A12. The average number of requests outlined in document J-1, Pricing Scenarios, was based on a historical data from the last five years. Due to the nature of our requirements, the number of work requests will vary based on the need. That is why an “average” number was used for all performance periods.

Q13. The previous contract was for $90 million. Was that the budget (not to exceed) or was that the actual spent?

A13. The total contract value of the existing contract is $90 million.

Q14. Was this for the same offices as the current solicitation or a different set of offices?

A14. The current contract provided services for the same offices as this solicitation.

Q15. Was the $90 million for a single year or for multiple years (and if so, how many years)?

A15. The current contract was awarded with a Base Period of 4 months with four 12-month optional periods.

Q16. What was the cost in the final year of the previous contract, and how much is the work increasing each year?

A16. In response to the first question, please see A13. In response to the second question, due to the nature of our requirements, the volume of work fluctuates yearly. Some Call Types have increased while others have decreased.

Q17. Can we have a copy of the proposal from the previous contract?

A17. The proposal from the previous contract is proprietary to the incumbent and therefore not releasable by the Government.

Q18. PWS states: “The contractor shall be responsible for the monthly cost of DSL Service at the campus and computing center locations to have internet connectivity. At those locations where no DSL connectivity is available, the contractor is responsible for ensuring there is alternative internet connectivity that is compliant with the IRS’ cyber security regulations. Some questions:

a. Is DSL service required, or can faster services such as T-1 lines be used?

A18a. DSL service is not required. Faster services such as T-1 lines are permitted to be installed by the successful offeror. The successful offeror is responsible for all associated costs. In addition, since this service is an “Off-Network” solution (outside the IRS’ firewall), coordination with the IRS’ Modernization and Information Technology Services (MITS) organization at each campus/computing center is required to ensure the lines are properly installed.

b. You mention the campus and computing center locations explicitly -- but what about the POD/office locations? Is the contractor responsible for Internet connections at the PODs as well?

A18b. The contractor will not require internet connectivity at the Posts of Duty as the office locations for the contractor staff will be at the campus and computing centers only.

c. Is the Internet service already installed or do we need to acquire equipment and pay for installation?

A18c. DSL Service is installed at all locations except Oakland, New Carrollton and Memphis. The successful offeror will be responsible to ensure internet connectivity at those locations where service is not already installed.

Q19. In Instructions to Offerors, re: Technical proposal section 3, documentation for AMIS, you state: “... Provide a thorough, detailed technical solution to manage system requirements as identified in the PWS to include, but not limited to, system access, operations and maintenance, documentation, security requirements, and data storage, exchange, reports, and disclosure.

a. Are you referring here to a discussion of the documentation available, not the actual system documentation itself?

A19a. We are referring to system documentation.

b. Can the system documentation be an attachment to the proposal, so it would not count toward the 150 page limit?

A19b. The system documentation can be an attachment to the proposal and will not count towards the total page limit.

c. Are you expecting full system documentation to be available with the proposal?

A19c. All offerors must provide enough system documentation for the Government to be able to evaluate and determine if the proposed system satisfies the requirements of the solicitation and is in compliance with the stated regulations.

Q20. The PWS states: “The contractor shall jointly inventory and inspect available GEF to determine which items, if any, the contractor will accept for use under this contract.”

a. When does this occur? At the site visits? Or after the contract is awarded?

A20a. The joint inventory will occur during the Phase-In period (successor), Base Period (incumbent). Scheduled site visits provided the opportunity for visual inspection of the large items (forklifts, pallet jacks, etc.,) the repair shops and associated equipment.

b. Is the GEF in generally good working condition?

A20b. Yes.

Q21. PWS states: “The Government will provide up to 3,000 square feet of ready storage area in the campus and computing center locations...”

a. Which locations specifically?

A21a. The main campus and computing centers - Andover Campus Building, Atlanta Campus Buildings, Austin Campus Building, Brookhaven Campus Building, Covington Campus Building, Detroit Computing Center Building, Fresno Campus Building, Kansas City Campus Building, Memphis Computing Center Building, New Carrollton Campus Building, Oakland Campus Building, Ogden Campus building, Philadelphia Campus Building, Main IRS Building (Wash., DC), Martinsburg Computing Center Building

b. Is this only for campus and computing centers or also for offices/PODs?

A21b. It is only for campus and computing centers.

Q22. TE-1 Territory map document states: “Although Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are shown on the map, they are not a part of this contract.” Is this a typo? Should it be “... a part …”?

A22. This is not a typo. Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are not apart of this requirement.

Q23. TE-1 states that “some of the buildings in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia will be handled by the Martinsburg Computing Center...”

a. There are two computing centers for Martinsburg listed in TE-2 Building list. Which one?

A23a. TE-2 has been revised to clearly indicate the main campus and computing center buildings in each territory. The main Martinsburg Computing Center building is located at 250 Murrall Drive, Martinsburg, WV, Building No. WV0191ZZ.

Q24. The solicitation states: approximately 611 offices throughout the 48 contiguous United States, including 12 Campus locations, including the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, and three Computing Centers. But document TE-2 Building Listing shows a total of 609 buildings: 549 IRS offices, 1 remote call site, 50 campuses, 3 warehouses, 4 computing centers, 2 day care centers.

A24. The Government recognizes there is no clear question above but provides the following for clarification: The IRS’ inventory of real estate changes on a regular basis. TE-2, Building Listing, has been revised and is current as of the date of this amendment.

Q25. Note that the numbers aren’t contiguous -- 458 and 459 are missing so the document appears to list 611 buildings but there are really only 609. Is this a typo and if so, what are facilities 458 and 459?

A25. Please see response A24 above.

Q26. Which locations are PODs? Are all IRS offices PODs?

A26. The designation of IRS Office and the use of the term POD are the same.

Q27. Are the other sites (the remote call center and day care centers) different in their requirements than the offices/data centers/campuses?

A27. No.

Q28. What is a “campus” and how does it differ from a regular office?

A28. A campus identifies a site that currently or in the past processed paper tax returns. These were tax processing centers. Since the technology for electronic filing reduced processing paper returns, processing centers were consolidated. IRS offices provide other services to taxpayers throughout the country.

Q29. The facility: IRS-VA WAREHOUSE 2021 EAST WOODWARD ST AUSTIN TX is listed as an IRS office - is that correct that it’s an office, or is it actually a warehouse?

A29. This location is the Austin Campus Warehouse location. While all other campus locations have their warehouses attached to the main building, Austin does not. Austin’s warehouse is a separate building but located within the fence line of the campus building. It’s designation on TE- 2 has been corrected to reflect Campus Building.

Q30. TE-2 shows many leases expiring within the contract period.

a. If a lease expires and a facility is moved to a location significantly distant from the previous location, do we renegotiate our costs for that facility and/or adjust our billings?

A30a. For those offices designated as PODs, renegotiation will not be necessary as these are Cost Plus Fixed Fee. In the event that a campus or computing center is moved more than 50 miles from the current location , and the requirements change, we will renegotiate the cost. A move 50 miles or less from the current location, and the requirements remain the same, the cost will remain the same.

b. If a facility moves, are we responsible for our own moving costs to shift personnel, move equipment and files, as well as to hire new workers if old workers quit because the location is no longer acceptable to them?

A30b. If a facility moves, the Government will be responsible for moving the contractor and their property. The contractor will be responsible for ensuring that sufficient staff is onboard to meet the PWS requirements.

Q31. TE-3 shows 12 warehouse sites but the solicitation does not specifically mention warehouses, even though 3 warehouses are listed in building list TE-2.

Is a warehouse site a single warehouse, and if so, why the discrepancy between the documents?

A31. TE-3 identifies the warehouse services required at the Campus and Computing Center locations. As stated in A24, TE-2 has been revised to accurately show the buildings and their designations.

Q32. TE-3 shows 12 warehouse by site: Andover, Atlanta, Austin, Brookhaven, Covington, Detroit, Fresno, Kansas City, Martinsburg, Memphis, Ogden and Philadelphia. The building list in TE-2 lists only 3 warehouses: Seattle, Independence MO, and Marriott-Statesville UT. TE-4, TE-5, and TE-6 also refer to territories rather than warehouse sites.

a. Is the TE-3 list by territory rather than by site? (i.e. the Site heading is a typo?) If so, there are 15 territories, so some are missing.

A32a. Both TE-2 and TE-3 have been revised. The “Site” heading on TE-3 has been revised to “Territory.”

b. How do the warehouses map to territories, since there are more territories than warehouses?

A32b. Please see clarification 1 above and revised TE-2 and 3.

c. What warehouses are actually in the solicitation?

A32c. Please see clarification 2 above.

d. What are peak/non-peak months and workload counts for the specific warehouses on the list in TE-2?

A32d. The workload associated with peak and non-peak months are outlined in TE-3, TE-4, TE-5 and TE-6.

Q33. In TE-3, the table showing service workload, the first column on the left is labeled Location -- is that referring to a warehouse (site), or territory?

A33. The column is referring to the territory.

Q34. In TE-3, the table refers to “From Phase-In Period through September 30, 2012” but we don’t know the actual phase-in start date at this time. What time period is being assumed here?

A34. The title has been corrected to show “From the End of Phase-In through September 30, 2012.” For proposal purposes only, the successor offerors may use six (6) months as the first full performance period.

Q35. On the TE-12 list of facilities provided by the government:

a. What does it mean that the Lease Expiration column says Govt?

Q35a. The Government is responsible for all lease renewals. TE-12 has been revised to remove this information.

b. Is the government going to be responsible for paying the building lease for the duration of the contract?

A35b. Yes

Q36. The buildings KS1532ZZ and MO0039ZZ are not in the building list (T-2).

Is that a typo an additional facilities?

A36. The referenced buildings have been removed from TE-2, Building Listing, as they are not in IRS’ inventory any longer.

Q37. Section G - contract administration states: “... Project Leaders will be initially established at the following locations...” but it isn’t clear what the specific locations are:

a. Andover Campus There are FIVE campuses listed in Andover territory

- which one?

A37a. TE-2 has been revised to clearly indicate the main campus and computing center buildings in each territory. Project Leaders will be initially established at the main campus or computing center building in each territory.

b. Other campuses -- there are 50 campuses on the listing in TE-2 but only 15 territories - which campus is used as the administration center for each territory?

A37b. See A37a above.

Q38. Martinsburg Computing Center - there are two computing centers listed in TE-2, which one requires a project leader?

A38. See A37a above.

Q39. Section M states: “seamless transition of operations from the current contractor to full performance by the successor within 60 calendar days after award without degradation of services...” but section F specifies “90-day Phase- In Period”. Is this an error, or is there a separate transition period of 60 days for some services?

A39. 90 calendar days is the correct number of calendar days. Section M has been revised to reflect the correction.

Q40. In PWS, it states that PODs are cost + fixed fee and campuses/computing centers are fixed price, but it’s not clear from the building list which facilities are PODs. Can we get a list of PODs? And a corrected list of campuses and computing centers?

A40. All campus, computing centers and their local PODs (within 50 miles) will be included in basic services. All other IRS Offices will be cost plus fixed fee. See the revised TE-2 for appropriate designations of each building.

Q41. Is the IRS happy with its existing system so that the contractor could satisfy the AMIS requirement by acquiring the same system?

A41. Yes.

Q42. What is the system in use by the current contractor?

A42. The system in use by the incumbent is owed and operated by the incumbent and thus, the Government is not at liberty to release this information.

Q43. Does the IRS expect this will be a standard off-the-shelf system or a customized system previously developed by the contractor?

A43. The IRS’ expectation is a system that will meet the requirements of the PWS. It is the decision of the offeror what type of system to propose.

Q44. The Instructions to Offerors states: The Offeror shall have an AMIS prior to submission of the proposal. Does that mean the offeror must already own the system? Or have selected an appropriate system or developed such a system?

A44. The offeror must be able to provide the system documentation required by Section L in order to be responsive to the solicitation. The Government will not expend an exorbitant amount of money for the design and purchase of a system.

Q45. There’s a lot of data in the current system that must be imported/converted to the new system. Where is that data located and what format is it in?

A45. The data is currently stored by the incumbent. Reports are provided to the Government in Microsoft Excel format.

Q46. Reference: RFP Section C, Paragraph(s) 5, Page(s) C-10 - Section C-5 states that the contractor shall provide and use an Automated Management Information and inventory System (AMIS) to manage all requirements of this PWS. The AMIS shall be compatible with the ERC/KISAM and have the ability to receive and transmit work order requests and updates between the two systems.

Will the Government provided detailed system specifications for the ERC/KISAM to allow the Offeror (other than the incumbent) to verify that the proposed interim system is compatible prior to proposal submission?

A46a. The Government will provide system specification to all vendors at the issuance of the next amendment.

Q47. Reference: RFP Section C, Paragraph(s) 5 and 5.4, Page(s) C-10 and C- 12.

Section C-5 states that the contractor shall provide an interim system to track, capture, and report all workload as described in this PWS for the period from award through full AMIS implementation. The contractor shall transfer all data from the interim system to the final AMIS once implemented (this applies to a successor and not the incumbent).

Section C.5.4, System Security Requirements, states that the contractor shall provide documentation required as prescribed in the IRS Demand Management, Work Request (WR) Process in accordance with IRM 2.22.1. The contractor shall submit required system documentation for system Security Assessment and Authorization (SA&A) and Security Control Assessment (SCA). The guidance for this documentation is set forth in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800 series guidance, OMB Circular A-130. The contractor shall provide a system that properly interfaces with IRS firewall technologies.

Upon successful completion of the SA&A and SCA, the Government will issue an Authority to Operate prior to system implementation.

a. Is the Offeror (other than the incumbent) required to submit SA&A and SCA documentation for their interim system with the proposal? Will the Government issue either an Authority to Operate or an Interim Authority to Operate the interim system upon award?

A47a. All offerors are required to submit the requested documentation.

The Government will issue an interim Authority to Operate for the interim system after award.

b. How will the government level the cost advantage of the incumbent due to them not being required to develop a security compliant interface with the IRS

ERC/KISAM?

A47b. The cost for developing a security compliant interface submitted by all successor offerors will be evaluated for cost realism. That cost will then be removed when determining best value.

Q48. Reference: RFP Section H, Paragraph(s) 2(a), Page(s) H-1 - The solicitation requires that the successful offeror and their subcontractors provide current incumbent contractor employees first right of refusal for positions for which they are qualified subject to certain stipulations contained in the balance of the language of H.2. H.2(b) provides an opportunity for the successor contractor to forgo the first right of refusal employment offer to potential employees whom the contractor or any of its subcontractors reasonably believes, based on the particular employee’s past performance, has failed to perform suitable on the job.

Will the government compel the incumbent contractor to provide reasonable employment performance records to allow an assessment of each incumbent employees past performance?

A48. Section H has been revised to remove these requirements from the solicitation. This requirement is not applicable to this requirement.

Q49. Reference: RFP Section H, Paragraph(s) 2(c), Page(s) H-1 - The solicitation references FAR 52.222-41(n) and states that the successor contractor shall, not less than 10 days before completion of this contract, furnish the Contracting Officer a certified list of the names of all service employees working under this contract and its subcontracts during the last month of the contract performance. The list shall also contain anniversary dates of employment of each service employee under this contract and its predecessor contracts either with the current or predecessor contractor or their subcontractors. The contracting office will provide the list to the successor contractor, and the list shall be provided on request to employees or their representatives.

a. Will the government compel the current contractor to provide a list of the type described above to the successor to the current contract (the successful offeror under this solicitation) to allow continuity of data as required by the solicitation?

A49a. See A48 above.

b. This requirement implies the successor contractor is required to honor certain benefits to existing service employees of the incumbent contractor to who first right of refusal employment offers will be extended. Is there a requirement to maintain parity of pay or benefits with current service employees during the transition to a successor contractor? If so, will the government provide data delineating the pay and benefits to be provided to service employees by name to allow a fair opportunity among the offerors to price the labor costs of service employees?

A49b. All employees subject to the Service Contract Act shall be paid in accordance with the Department of Labor Wage Determinations outlined in this solicitation and any resultant contract. For those employees not subject to the Service Contract Act, pay and benefits package decisions are between the offeror and the potential employee.

Q50. Reference: RFP Section L, Paragraph(s) 10, Section 4, Page(s) L-15.

The solicitation states that the Offeror shall submit a Strike Contingency Plan that describes the steps it will take to mitigate potential impacts on Government operations or the Offeror’s ability to perform work associated with the contract in the event of a work stoppage by contractor employees.

Are there any employees operating under a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBAs) on the current contract? If so, will the Government provide copies of the CBAs to all bidders prior to proposal submission. Does the Government anticipate requiring the Successor (or Incumbent) to negotiate any such agreement after award? If not, why does the solicitation require a Strike Contingency Plan?

A50. See A9 above.

Q51. Reference: RFP Section L, Paragraph(s) 10, Section 1, Page(s) L-13.

The solicitation states that the Offeror shall provide with their proposal a letter of intent for ALL key personnel and individuals currently not employed by the Offeror or subcontractors.

Is it the Government’s intent that Offerors are to provide letters of intent for ALL Key and non-key individuals currently not employed by the Offeror or subcontractors? If so, consistent with the requirements of RFP Section H, Paragraph(s) 2(a), Page(s) H-1, will the Government provide the names and contact information for all incumbent individuals and afford the Offerors access to coordinate the appropriate letters of intent?

A51. Section L, Paragraph 10, Section 1, has been revised to remove the requirement for letters of intent.

Q52. Reference: RFP Section L, Paragraph(s) 4(c), Page(s) L-2 - This solicitation contains a source selection sub factor related to the participation of small disadvantaged business (SDB) concerns in the contract. Credit under that evaluation sub factor is not available to a SDB concern that qualifies for a price evaluation adjustment under the clause at FAR 52.219-23.

Does the Government intend to assign a preferential credit to SDB Offerors and, if so, what is that preference?

A52. The Government will review the submitted Small Business Plans and the submitted SDB Targets to determine the degree in which the offeror meets the SDB goals. The offeror will receive credit based on the degree in which they propose to meet the SDB goals.

Q53. Reference: RFP Section L, Paragraph(s) 11, Page(s) L-16 -The solicitation states that the Offeror shall describe its present and past performance directly related to, or similar to Federal, State, and Local Government agency contracts or subcontracts or private contracts and subcontracts it has held within the last five years, and all contracts and subcontracts currently in progress which are of similar scope, magnitude and complexity to that which is detailed in the PWS.

The Offerors’ response to this requirement could absorb a large portion of the allowable page count for the Technical Volume and present an onerous work load for the Government evaluators. Could the Government provide some clarity as to intent of this requirement and assigned evaluation factors as it may differ from the additional requirement for the Offeror to submit its three most recent and relevant present or past performance contracts/subcontracts (Page L-17)?

A53. Section L.11 has been revised to clearly identify the requirements of the section.

Q54. Reference: RFP Section M, Paragraph(s) Factor 2, Sub-Factor 2.1, Page(s) M-3 - The solicitation states that the Offeror must clearly describe the activities to occur during the phase-in period; describe all required actions for timely, seamless transition of operations from the current contractor to full performance by the successor within 60 calendar days after award without degradation of services. However, solicitation guidelines in Sections B.2, C.14 and L.10 specify a 90 day phase-in period.

Is the Phase-in Period 60 or 90 days after contract award?

A54. Section M, Factor 2, Sub-Factor 2.1 has been revised to reflect 90 calendar days as the Phase-In Period.

Q55. Repair Services - What are the manufacturers of the “Pipeline Tax Processing Equipment” that the contractor would be required to repair?

A55. See A2 above.

Q56. The C and L sections seem contradictory on when the AMIS system must be operational. Will the contractor’s AMIS need to be operational and capable of receiving/transmitting data from the ERC/KISAM before proposal submission (section L)? If, yes, will the contractor be allowed access before proposal submission to test the AMIS’s compatibility with ERC/KISAM?

A56. The Offeror’s proposed AMIS must be operational on the first day after the end of the Phase-In period. The Phase-In period is the time to prepare the AMIS for connectivity with ERC/KISAM. Detailed specifications for the ERC/KISAM system are provided as an attachment to this amendment to assist the Offerors with compatibility determination.

Q57. Are there any contractor furnished facilities being used on the current contract? If so, what type of facility and where are they located?

A57. The technical approach of the incumbent contractor is proprietary to the incumbent contractor and therefore not releasable by the Government.

Q58. What is the number of FTE’s being used by the incumbent to operate the current contract?

A58. See A57 above.

Q59. Would the government provide a list of building numbers and / or addresses considered to be within 50 miles? Also would you provide workload requirements for each of the affected buildings not at the campus or computing center locations?

A59. TE-2 has been revised to reflect the main campus or computing center in each territory, auxiliary campus buildings and the corresponding local PODs, all within the 50 mile radius. Workload data for the local PODs is included in TE-8.

Q60. C.2.2 states, “the contractor shall not use shared vehicles when transporting tax documents.” Would the Government please clarify; is it the intention that no other IRS property such as furniture, empty batch carts, war wagons, forms orders, etc not be transported with tax documents?

A60. Section C.2.2 has been revised to clarify that shared vehicles are discouraged. If shared vehicles are utilized, the contractor shall partition the trucks (e.g. with a plywood barrier, the barrier shall be load locked).

The tax returns shall be on pallets with opaque shrink-wrap and the exterior of both the pallets and the barrier shall have Notices 129 affixed).

Additionally, the truck shall be locked at all times.

Q61. C.2.3 states, “The cost for repairs, including parts, materials, and labor, shall not exceed either 60% of the estimated replacement cost (to be determined by the Government) or $250.00, whichever is lower. Is the Government saying the contractor's pricing risk is limited to $250 per repair and any repair over that amount would be O & A?

A61. The purpose of this requirement is to allow the Government the opportunity to determine if it is more cost effective to make the repair or purchase new. This does not limit the contractor’s pricing risk.

Q62. C2.3.2 states, “The contractor shall be responsible for the purchase, removal, storage, replacement and proper disposal of fluorescent light bulbs for systems furniture in accordance with the latest applicable Federal, State, local and environmental regulations for managing the removal, storage, and disposal of fluorescent light bulbs.” Would the Government please provide the workload data for the numbers of bulbs used and the sizes?

A62. TE-7 has been revised to include the workload data for light bulb replacements under Office Repairs. A listing of the sizes of the bulbs used at each Campus and Computing Center will be provided under the next amendment.

Q63. Please clarify if the contractor will be responsible for the purchase, removal, storage, replacement, and proper disposal of fluorescent light bulbs considering the contractor is not responsible for the storage, transportation, movement, repair, or recycling/disposal/excessing of any property that contains hazardous materials as stated in Section C.2, page C-1.

A63: Fluorescent bulbs, per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are considered universal waste. Regulations governing the handling, management, and disposal of hazardous waste vs. universal waste are different. Within their regulations on management of hazardous waste, the EPA developed the universal waste program for lamps, batteries, certain pesticides, and mercury containing equipment, as an alternative set of regulations. This information is on the EPA website;

http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/wastetypes/universal/index.htm.

The Government maintains a listing of vendors that the Campuses and Computing Centers use for purchasing recycle bulb containers. This listing will be provided to the successful offeror.

Q64. Volume II, Part 5 asks for relevant experience, however there is no reference as to where it is to appear in the Volume. Would the Government please clarify where it should be addressed within Volume II?

A64. Section L has been revised to align the requirements with Section M.

Q65. Would the Government clarify where resumes should be located within Volume II and confirm whether resumes are or are not part of the 150 page count.

A65. See A64 above.

http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/wastetypes/universal/index.htm

Q66. There are disconnects between Section L and Section M. Would you please clarify, i.e., in Section L it asks for Key Personnel, including resumes but there is nothing in Section M as to specific evaluation factors.

A66. Section M includes Evaluation Facto 5, Key Personnel.

Q67. The Volume II outlines do not match up. Would you please clarify which outline the Government prefers?

A67. See A64 above.

Q68. The instruction states that font size can be no smaller than what is equivalent to Times New Roman 12. Certain types of presentations that will be included in the proposal such as graphics (e.g., organization charts, process flow diagrams) and tables (manpower loading tables, etc.) become very cumbersome large and at a Times New Roman 12 font size. Will the Government consider allowing a smaller, but legible, font size for graphics and tables?

A68. Graphics, charts, diagrams and tables may use a smaller, but legible font size than Times New Roman 12.

Q69. Section L.8(b)(2) (Proposal Submission Requirements – table indicating required volume materials), Paragraph II (Technical Proposal), Page L-6 indicates that the Technical Proposal has a page limit of 310 with 10 for the Executive Summary, 150 for the Technical Approach, and 150 for the Management Approach. The Pre-proposal Conference handout material indicates the Technical Proposal has a 350 page limit. Please clarify the correct page limit for the Technical Proposal.

A69. Section L has been revised to reflect the correct page limit number of 375 pages.

Q70. Section L.8(b)(1) (Proposal Submission Requirements – table indicating required volume materials), Paragraph II (Technical Proposal), Page L-6 and Section L.9.3 (Technical Approach), Pages L-9 through L-13 - The table indicating required proposal volume materials specifies the Technical Approach has seven (7) sections. The instructions specify that the Technical Approach has six (6) sections. Section 6 in the table – “Posts of Duty Requirements” is not included in the Technical Approach instructions. Please clarify whether or not the proposal should include a section titled “Posts of Duty Requirements”.

A70. Section L has been revised to reflect the correct requirements.

Q71. Reference: Response to previous question above - If the response indicates that a “Posts of Duty Requirements” section is to be included in the proposal, please clarify what information is to be provided.

A71. See A70 above.

Q72. Reference: RFP Section L-11 (Present and Past Performance Information), Paragraphs 2 and 4, Page L-17 - the instruction requires that specific information be provided for three most recent and relevant projects. It further requires that Corporate Past Performance Questionnaires (Attachment J-9) be submitted directly to the Contracting Officer by the customer reference. The questionnaire is five (5) pages long for a total of 15 pages. We assume that the questionnaires are excluded from the 150 page limit for Management Approach. Is this assumption correct?

A72. Your assumption is correct.

Q73. Reference: RFP Section L.8 (Proposal Submission Requirements), bold heading “Volume II – Technical Proposal, Page L-4, and RFP Section L.8(b)(1) (Proposal Submission Requirements – table indicating required volume materials), Paragraph II (Technical Proposal), Pages L-6 and L-7 and RFP Sections L.9 (Technical Proposal), L.10 (Management Approach), L.11 (Present and Past Performance Information), Pages L-8 through L-17.

The above reference for page L-4 indicates that there are seven (7) parts to the Technical Proposal. These include “Part 7 – Key Personnel, including resumes.

There is, however, no reference to key personnel resumes in either reference 2 above (table) or reference 3 (instructions for writing sections). Please clarify if a key personnel section, including resumes, is required, what should be addressed, and where it should be included in the proposal.

A73. See A70 above.

Q74. Reference: Response to previous question above - If key personnel resumes must be included, will the Government consider excluding the resumes from the page limitation? Resumes for approximately 15 individuals would need to be included and might require two (2) pages each to provide the information.

That would represent 30 pages out of a page allocation of 150 if included in either the Technical Approach or the Management Approach.

A74. See A70 above.

Q75. Reference: RFP Section L.9.3 (Technical Approach), Pages L-9 through L- 13 and Section M.3 (Technical Proposal Evaluation), Pages M-1 through M-6 -the instructions in Section L.9.3 indicate that the Technical Approach contain the following six (6) Sections: Overall Technical Approach, Warehouse Services, Transportation Services, Repair Services, Other Logistics Services, and Automated Management and Inventory System.

The evaluation process for Factor 1 – Technical Approach described in Section M.3 only lists five (5) subfactors and excludes “Overall Technical Approach”.

Please clarify the manner in which “Overall Technical Approach” will be evaluated.

A75. Overall Technical Approach has been removed as a section under Technical Approach. The requested information under Overall Technical Approach has been included as part of the narrative to assist the offerors in fully describing their technical approach. Both the Technical Volume and the Management Volume will receive an overall rating, considering all sub-factors.

Q.76 Reference: Responses to previous 2 questions above and Section M.3 (Technical Proposal Evaluation), Pages M-1 through M-6 - If the response indicates that a “Posts of Duty Requirements” section is to be included in the proposal, Please clarify the manner in which it will be evaluated. Section M.3 currently has no discussion of the evaluation of this topic.

A75. The Posts of Duty Requirements section has been removed. The offeror shall address both Basic Services requirements and Cost Plus Fixed Fee requirements under each section.

Q76. Reference: RFP Section L.8 (Proposal Submission Requirements), bold heading “Volume II – Technical Proposal, Page L-4, and RFP Section L.8(b)(1) (Proposal Submission Requirements – table indicating required volume materials), Paragraph II (Technical Proposal), Pages L-6 and L-7 and RFP Sections L.9 (Technical Proposal), L.10 (Management Approach), L.11 (Present and Past Performance Information), Pages L-8 through L-17 –

The above reference for page L-4 indicates that there is to be a Part 5 – Relevant Experience and a Part 6 – Present and Past Performance Information in the Technical Proposal. There is, however, no reference to relevant experience in either reference 2 above (table) or reference 3 (instructions for writing sections).

Please clarify if there is to be both a Relevant Experience and a Present and Past Performance Information section in the proposal.

A76. See A70 above.

Q77. Is the labor union representing the contract employees in effect at every work location proposed for the contract?

A76. See A9 above.

Q77. Can the offerors be provided copies of all collective bargaining agreements covering the unionized contract workers?

A77. See A9 above.

Q78. In regard to the phase-in and the use of an interim system until the AMIS is approved for compliance and is fully operational, what are…