Amendment No. 0003 ERS.docx

Question 1 (RFP p23, 28, and 33) Please clarify whether a tax citator is a mandatory or highly desirable feature. For Award Group 2, it is listed as a mandatory feature in Section C.7.3.4. For Award Group 3, it is listed both as a mandatory feature (C.8.3.4) and as a highly desirable feature (C.8.5.2).

Response: It is mandatory.

Question 2 (RFP p24 and 28) Sections C.7.5.9 and C.8.3.2, “Linking,” indicate that one highly desirable feature is a desktop utility that automates the creation of links within a Microsoft Word document. About how many of the approximately 30,000 IRS and 500 Treasury users will use this feature?

Response: The feature would be available to all IRS and Treasury users. We anticipate regular usage by approximately 2,000 IRS users.

Question 3 (RFP p24 and 28) Can the IRS identify specific research scenarios (use cases) as examples for how the desktop utility will be used? We would appreciate additional details on how this feature will be important to users and the research goals that it will support.

Response: Embedded links to legal citations in a document would make it easier for reviewers to access cited source documents.

Question 4 (RFP p26) Per Section C.8.2.6.2, full legal sources including “judicial interpretations and legal briefs” are required as mandatory content for Award Group 3. Please clarify what kind of content the IRS defines as “judicial interpretations.”

Response: Orders issued by a judge resolving a motion, trial, or other legal matter.

Question 5 (RFP p54) Section IV, 11.0 “Contract Term” states that the period of performance is five years. However, this section also states that it will commence from 1/1/2014 through 12/31/2019, which is six years. Please confirm that the period of performance is as follows:

Base Year: 1/1/2014 – 12/31/2014 Option Year 1: 1/1/2015 – 12/31/2015 Option Year 2: 1/1/2016 – 12/31/2016 Option Year 3: 1/1/2017 – 12/31/2017 Option Year 4: 1/1/2018 – 12/31/2018

Response: The period of performance is between 1/1/2014 – 12/31/2018.

Question 6 (RFP p79-81) Please clarify whether the IRS intended to include Factor 4, “Current Work Experience” as an evaluation factor. It asks for information about “the same or similar electronic locator/asset services as required in this solicitation.” However, this RFP solicits Electronic Research Services.

Response: Current work experience is an evaluation factor. The passage erroneously refers to electronic locator/asset services and should have read “electronic research services”.

Question 7 (RFP p79-81) If the IRS did intend to include Factor 4, “Current Work Experience” as an evaluation factor, please clarify how it differs from Factor 5, “Past Performance.” Both evaluation factors refer to offerors’ performance on other contracts and to customer references for such work.

Response: “Past Performance” is based on evaluations submitted by customers on how well the vendor completed similar work that was contracted. It is possible that a vendor has not had a contract for similar work, and therefore has no past performance. In such a situation, that vendor would not be evaluated for “Past Performance”, as there is none, but neither would the vendor be penalized.

“Current Work Experience” is based on the vendor’s statement of capabilities based on work currently being done. While a vendor might not have had “Past Performance” because they did not have a contract to perform a certain type of work, they may be able to demonstrate their capabilities by explaining how their current work experience relates to the requirements of the RFP. All vendors will be evaluated on this factor.

Question 8 (RFP p73 and 81) Evaluation Factor 5 states that the IRS will evaluate offerors’ “past performance as a supplier of electronic tax law research services.” Since the RFP solicits a wide array of research services (including news sources, business sources, and information for areas of law besides tax law), does the IRS mean that it will evaluate offerors’ past performance as a supplier of electronic research services in general?

Response: Yes, the evaluation will evaluate the offerors’ past performance as a supplier of electronic research services in general.

Question 9 (RFP p80-81) The RFP states that offerors shall forward a copy of the Past Performance Questionnaire (Exhibit B) to each of its proposed references, along with a stamped envelope that has been pre-addressed to the Contracting Officer. Offerors must give their references instructions to submit their response no later than the proposal due date.

To ensure the timely completion of the survey process, will the IRS permit offerors’ references to submit Questionnaires via e-mail to sherry.f.lutz@irs.gov? We note that the RFP allows other communications – such as questions and lists of customer references – to be submitted in this manner.

Response: Yes, offerors’ references may be submitted via e-mail to sherry.f.lutz@irs.gov.