USTDA_IQC_Request_for_Proposal_RFP-USTDA-16-D-0001_(Amendment_007).pdf

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 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 DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment your 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 date specified.

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

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

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

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

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 10-83)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

FACILITY CODE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION

NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

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.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS.

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

CHECK ONE 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)

Except as 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.

15C. DATE SIGNED

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

16C. DATE SIGNED

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

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

PAGE OF PAGES

6. ISSUED BY CODE

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

CODE

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

NSN 7540-01-152-8070

Previous edition unusable

SEE CONTINUATION PAGE

U.S. TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

OFFICE OF ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT

1000 WILSON BLVD., SUITE 1600

ARLINGTON, VA 22209-3901

PHONE: (703) 875-4357

SEE ITEM 6

IQ201691033

RFP-USTDA-16-D-0001

2016-91001A

1 2

12/09/2015

11/11/2015

RFP-USTDA-16-D-0001

Amendment 007

SF 30 - BLOCK 14 CONTINUATION PAGE

The purpose of this Amendment 007 is to:

1. Provide continuation of responses to questions received by Thursday, December 03, 2015, at

12:00 PM Washington DC Time/Eastern Time.

All other terms and conditions of this solicitation remain unchanged.

Request for Proposal (RFP): USTDA-16-D-0001 IQC –Reverse Trade Missions, Conferences, Workshops, Training, and Other Events

Responses to Questions received by Thursday, December 03, 2015, at 12:00 PM

Washington DC Time/Eastern Time

119. Is past performance individual or corporate or both?

Government’s Response: Both. Per RFP Section E.2.8.B, at least two of the three past performance contracts shall be of the Prime Contractor proposing under the solicitation. The third past performance information can include information regarding predecessor companies, key personnel who have relevant experience or subcontractors that will perform major or critical aspects of the requirement when such information is relevant to the current solicitation.

120. For applicants that are a consortium of partnerships, what % does the leading company have to hold?

Government’s Response: The companies forming the partnership(s) are best able to determine what % the leading company should hold taking into account the requirements for Contractor Team Arrangement identified in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 9.6.

For the small business set-aside, at least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance shall be incurred by the small business (see FAR 52.219-14).

121. Will contractors be selected based on experience in all three sectors (transportation, energy, and telecom)? Or will some contractors be selected for strong experience in only one sector?

Government’s Response: USTDA expects that all Offerors are able to demonstrate their capability and experience in responding to any Task Orders issued under the resulting contract.

See RFP Section E.2.8 Paragraph, A.2.

122. Page 26, D.1.25: Restrictions on work resulting from the task order. What constitutes disqualification?

Government’s Response: See RFP Section D.1.25.

123. Page 31, Section A, Technical Expertise: There are no references to technical sector experts. On page 32, Section 2 Sector Experience and Knowledge, this is also missing. Are technical experts required for this RFP? We may misunderstand, but it appears that the focus of the RFP is logistical planning of events, not substantive technical capabilities. Please clarify.

Government’s Response: See RFP Section E.2.8 for the technical expertise required for responding to this RFP.

124. Page 32, Section 2: USTDA has 5 sectors, yet it only highlights three. Is it permissible to draw experience from all of USTDA's sectors?

Government’s Response: Yes.

125. Page 39, Section A.2: Past performance evaluation approach. “The Government is not required to ensure that an equal number of references be obtained by each offeror.” Please clarify this statement.

Government’s Response: The Offeror is solely responsible for ensuring questionnaires are completed and returned by the respective references on or before the deadline.

126. There do not appear to be any references to a bidder’s past performance in facilitating

U.S. exports, which is a significant part of USTDA’s mission. Please clarify.

Government’s Response: Past performance for this RFP should be recent, relevant and of similar size, scope and complexity to the effort described in the RFP. See RFP E.2.8 Paragraph B.

127. Section E.2.8. – B, Page 33, Paragraph 3.

Question: Would USTDA please confirm that a current USTDA staffer is eligible to submit past performance questionnaire for a project on which he or she served as the COR?

Government’s Response: Yes.

128. Reference VOLUME I, A TECHNICAL EXPERTISE 1, I) through iv)

Are we required to have three examples in each of the activities I) through iv) in order to submit? We have experience in some areas, and have subcontractors in other areas. However would NOT covering these segments would we be automatically disqualified?

Government’s Response: See RFP Section E.2.8.A.1. Failure to provide the required examples will impact the evaluation of an Offeror’s technical proposal.

129. I see labor categories can be fully burdened with indirect. Does this mean no indirect is allowed on the other direct cost portion?

Government’s Response: In proposals due in response to this RFP, only fully burdened rates associated with the labor categories associated with RFP Section B.6.1 should be submitted.

This response amends and replaces the previous response to Question #30 which was posted as Amendment 004 to www.fbo.gov on 01 December 2015.

130. Reference: Section B, Page 33, Paragraph 1 – Relevant Past Performance.

Question: If the offeror has a new executive with relevant past performance experience at a different location of the same organization, can the offeror include that executive’s http://www.fbo.gov/ experience as their own experience since that executive will now be performing many of the tasks relevant to future performance under this RFP?

Government’s Response: See response to Questions 119.

131. Can we use subcontractor’s experience and qualifications to supplement/augment the prime contractor’s capabilities, and to what extent?

Government’s Response: See response to Question #47 posted as Amendment 006 to www.fbo.gov on 07 December 2015.

132. Reference: Section(s) E.2.8 Quote Contents: Section A.1 Technical Expertise, Section

A2. Sector Experience and Knowledge, and Section B Relevant Past Performance – Pages 31-33, all paragraphs:

Question: We have reviewed the above referenced sections thoroughly and are unable to identify any requirement/opportunity for submitting the credentials of our technical industry sector experts/specialists, who are a very important part of an RTM team and generally a requirement of most USTDA RTM Task Orders.

There is a requirement in this current solicitation that the bidder provide 12 examples of “Technical Expertise” (Section A.1), but this is not industry sector expertise, i.e. electricity, oil and gas, IT industries, etc. The omission of industry sector expertise is a significant departure from prior USTDA IQC solicitations, so we would like clarification from USTDA if bidders are expected to include CVs, bios, past performance for our technical industry sector experts? This type of technical expertise we refer to is separate and distinct from the “Technical Expertise” described in the Sections labeled “Event Planning and Management Expertise” and “Sector Experience & Knowledge” contained on pages 31 and 32 of the RFP.

Government’s Response: See RFP Section E.2.8 for the technical expertise required for responding to this RFP.

133. Reference: Section(s) E.2.8 Quote Contents: Section A2. Sector Experience and

Knowledge, – Page 32, first paragraph:

Question: This paragraph lists key sectors in which USTDA is active as follows:

“particularly transportation, clean energy, and telecommunications”. Please advise if the environmental sector, including air pollution, climate change, water/wastewater, is still considered a USTDA key sector and can be used as one of the sectors in the bidders’ responses to in this Section, as well as Section B, page 33, Relevant Past Performance. We have managed numerous USTDA environmental RTMs with significant success and would like to reference them in our proposal.

Government’s Response: See responses to questions 121 and 124 above.

134. Key sectors are infrastructure related – telecoms, energy, infra – does this mean other sectors are precluded?

Government’s Response: See responses to questions 121 and 124 above.

135. Section E.2.8.B, Relevant Past Performance, Paragraph 1, Page 33: Can USTDA confirm that Offerors can submit cooperative agreements as well as contracts for Relevant Past Performance?

Government’s Response: All past performance must comply with the requirements in RFP Section E.2.8.B.

136. Reference: Section E.28, Page 32, Paragraph A.1.

Question: Can key personnel experience be utilized for the offeror for event planning and management expertise?

Government’s Response: See response to Question #47 posted as Amendment 006 to www.fbo.gov on 07 December 2015.

137. If you have one of your staff that is not resident in USA but helps in running the country from another African country, is it allowed to include the resume of such personnel?

Government’s Response: See RFP Section D.1.24.

138. (a) Will all the references be from USA company? (b) If one has done jobs for various companies or govts. in Africa can they be used as references also?

Government’s Response: Points of contact for references should be individuals familiar with the work performed and are able to objectively provide past performance information. See RFP Section E.2.8.B.