W15QKN-18-R-1005_Updated_Responses.pdf

W15QKN-18-R-1005

1. Is there a Collective Bargaining Agreement for the existing labor force on the current program?

Response: There is not a Collective Bargaining Agreement for the existing contract.

2. Will the roving patrol officer be allowed to provide restroom and/or meal breaks to the officers assigned to a fixed post?

Response: Yes. A reasonable time is no longer than 30 min per shift.

3. Will the Supervisors be allowed to provide restroom and/or meal breaks to the officers assigned to a fixed post?

Response: Yes. Only at the Front Desk.

4. Is there a mandatory guard mount required during change of shifts?

Response: No. The Contractor must assure that each shift is prepared to start work promptly, be knowledgeable of the current situation, and be fully equipped.

5. Is there a minimum quantity for the issuance of uniform, equipment and/or supply to the individual officers?

Response: The uniforms, equipment and supplies must conform to the requirements of the PWS. There is no minimum quantity established for these items as long as they meet the requirements of the PWS.

6. What is the proposed timeline for processing and approval of Suitability?

Response: It is contingent upon the prime contractor submitting a proposal to verify suitability of the personnel they are proposing, in accordance with the PWS. Any personnel performing services under this contract shall be deemed suitable in accordance with the PWS. Please also reference sections 6.F and 7.D. of the PWS for additional information.

7. Who incurs the costs for the payment of Suitability? Government or Contractor? If contractor, please provide the cost to obtain suitability per employee?

Response: Section 1. A. states “Scope of Work: the Contractor shall furnish all personnel, equipment, and supplies, except as specified herein as Government furnished, to provide security guard services at the Barnes Building, 495 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210.” It is contingent upon the prime contractor submitting a proposal to include all costs necessary to perform the requirements of the PWS.

8. Are there any costs associated with the rental of GFP, GFS or GFE?

Response: The Government is not charging any rental costs for the Government Furnished Property in Attachment 3. It is contingent upon the prime contractor submitting a proposal to include all costs necessary to perform the requirements of the PWS.

9. Is there a page limit for any other aspect of the Technical Component of the proposal other than the 15 page limit for the Capabilities Statement?

Response: Other than the 15 page limit for the Capabilities Statement listed in Section I, paragraph 4 Capability Statement, there are no page limitations for the other Technical areas.

10. Does the government have a standard Past Performance Form to be completed, or should past performance be reported in the manner chosen by the offeror?

Response: The Government does not have a standard Past Performance Form. Please submit your Past Performance Information in a way that clearly addresses all of the requirements of the Solicitation.

11. How many past performance references are required on this opportunity?

Response: IAW Solicitation page 6 - Instructions to Offerors #23 II (a), Provide a list of no more than three (3) of the most relevant contracts performed for Federal agencies and commercial customers within the last three (3) years from the solicitation issue date.

12. Has the government established a minimum amount of initial and refresher training hours for acceptance and/or continued performance on this program?

Response: The training must meet the requirements of the PWS. No minimum amount of labor hours associated with training has been established. All offerors are required to meet the requirements of the PWS.

13. How often will a government representative be available to provide Barnes Building Specific Training requirements?

Response: The Government Representatives will be available weekly during the initial part of the contract to discuss and review Barnes Building Specific procedures and situations. The Contractor is responsible for the training of its personnel.

14. Is the offeror required to provide individually assigned weapons per officer or sufficient weapons to cover all posts per shift?

Response: The contractor must provide sufficient weapons for each officer serving during a shift, as well as sufficient weapons to perform a safe and orderly transition between shifts. In addition, the Contractor must provide sufficient weapons to train and to qualify their personnel at off-site firing ranges without degrading the security level at the Barnes Building.

15. Please advise of the applicable time zone for the due date of Friday, March 9, 2018.

Response: The solicitation closes 9 March 2018 at 2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

16. We kindly request that you provide guidance on the projected transition period for the referenced security program, ie. 30, 60 or 90 days.

Response: All offerors shall prepare the transition plan in accordance with the RFP and section 21 of the PWS.

17. Has a contractor performed similar work to this for the government in the past? If available, please provide the incumbent contract number. If you are unable to provide a contract number, is it safe to assume this is a new requirement for the government?

Response: Yes, the current contract number is W15QKN-16-C-1016.

18. As it relates to pricing, the Wage Determination (WD 15-4047 (Rev.-4)) identifies rates for Guard I and Guard II (extracted below). What guidance or

Wage category should be used for the Supervisory positions and Chief positions?

27101 - Guard I (15.85)

27102 - Guard II (18.95)

Guard - Could be Guard I or Guard II

Supervisory Guard (on post) - Could be Guard II

Supervisory Guard (field supervision) - unknown

Chief of Guards – unknown.

Response: It is the responsibility of each offeror to propose pricing and sufficiently qualified personnel that are sufficient to address the requirements of the PWS. The wage rate on the wage determination is the prevailing rate for the occupation in the locality. The prevailing rate then becomes the minimum rate that the contractor must pay its employees working on the contract.

19. Will offers submitted by a Certified WOSB be considered for award during this competitive 8a procurement? Numerous changes and revisions to the development programs have been made and revisions are continuing.

Specific language has been added allowing 8a firms to bid on WOSB set-asides and we are awaiting final notice regarding reciprocal language for 8m participants. It is our understanding this decision can be made on a per solicitation basis until final rules are promulgated. If this option has not been considered, we hereby request the Army consider expanding the competition to include WOSB participation.

Response: According to the SBA Office, there have been no changes that permit a WOSB or any other certified firms to submit proposals in response to an 8(a) set-aside if they are not also 8(a) certified.

20. Are all existing guards qualified for continued service IAW IRP Standards?

Response: The Government is only addressing questions in regards to the current Solicitation in order to assist offerors in preparing proposals. This question appears to be outside of that scope. Any personnel proposed in response to this Solicitation must meet the requirements of the Solicitation and the Performance Work Statement.

21. Reference PWS 6 F & G – Medical Requirements and Physical Agility Test -

Do incumbent personnel need to submit to the medical examination and PAT during transition?

Response: Reference PWS Section 21, Transition. Also, incumbent personnel are the responsibility of the incumbent prime contractor. The incumbent prime contractor must adhere to their contract and PWS requirements. Any personnel proposed in response to this Solicitation must meet the requirements of the Solicitation and the Performance Work

Statement.

22. PWS 21 – Transition Period – How long is the transition period?

Response: See response to Question 16 above.

23. Basic Training - Do incumbent personnel need to submit to complete basic training during the transition period?

Response: Reference PWS Section 21, Transition. Also, incumbent personnel are the responsibility of the incumbent prime contractor. The incumbent prime contractor must adhere to their contract and PWS requirements. Any personnel proposed in response to this Solicitation must

24. PWS 20.0 – Anti-Terrorism / Operational Security Requirement - Will incumbent personnel be required to complete the Anti-Terrorism/Operation

Security Requirements, or will their current certifications be sufficient until they are due to be renewed once again?

Response: Reference PWS Section 21, Transition. Also, incumbent personnel are the responsibility of the incumbent prime contractor. The incumbent prime contractor must adhere to their contract and PWS requirements. Any personnel proposed in response to this Solicitation must

25. PWS 8 B – Contingency Plan - When is the Contingency Plan due, is it part of the proposal submission?

Response: Paragraph 9 states “when required.” It is not included in the proposal submission.

26. PWS 8 D – Safety Plan – When is the Safety Plan due?

Response: The PWS does not currently state when the Safety Plan is required, but it is included as a requirement which means it is the responsibility of the prime contractor to have this plan in place. The

Government will modify the PWS to state this plan shall be in place within 30 days of contract award.

27. Do incumbent personnel need to submit to a medical examination and PAT during transition (PWS 6.F and G)?

Response: See response to question 21 above.

28. How long is the transition period (PWS 21.0)?

Response: See response to question 16 above.

29. Do incumbent personnel need to complete Basic Training during the transition period?

Response: See response to question 23 above.

30. Will incumbent personnel be required to complete the Anti-

Terrorism/Operation Security Requirements (PWS 20.0), or will their current certifications be sufficient until they are due to be renewed once again?

Response: See response to question 24 above.

31. When is the Contingency Plan due, is it part of the proposal submission (PWS

8.B)?

Response: See response to question 25 above.

32. When is the Safety Plan due (PWS 8.D)?

Response: See Response to question 26 above.

33. Do we need to submit Resumes with the proposal?

Response: The contractor must provide the Chief of Guard and Shift

Supervisor Experience required in the solicitation and described in PWS

Section 6 H & I.

34. Under what circumstances will property damage liability insurance be required

(Required Insurance b.2.)?

Response: This is not a requirement at this time.

35. If the submission is from a SBA approved Joint Venture and one member has the MA State Police Watch Guard Patrol Agency License and will perform

60% of the work; will this meet the requirement for Technical 1 while the other member gets the license?

Response: This response has been revised, the following is the revised response. All prime contractors submitting a proposal in response to this

Solicitation are responsible for meeting all of the requirements of the PWS.

IAW PWS Section 10 B, the contractor must provide a copy of the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of State

Police Watch Guard Patrol Agency License, issued to the prime contractor/corporation submitting a proposal. The License provided by the prime contractor/corporation shall be issued to the contractor submitting the proposal with the resident manager, superintendent or official representative of that contractor listed on the license. All personnel proposed under this Solicitation shall be employed by the prime contractor/ corporation that was issued the Massachusetts Department of State Police Watch Guard Patrol Agency License. The contractor shall provide a copy of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of State Police Watch Guard Patrol Agency License, issued to the prime contractor/corporation submitting a proposal, with the contractor’s proposal submission.

36. Solicitation/Wage Determination: Will the government be incorporating the updated wage determination (WD 2015-4047 revision 6) for this effort?

Response: Yes, the updated wage determination will be incorporated by an amendment to this solicitation.

37. PWS/Contractor Furnished Property Section M: When does the government expect to begin providing government furnished “computers, software, and other automation items”?

Response: This is not known at this time.

38. Attachment 5: Which cost elements should or should not be included in the fully burdened rate in attachment 5 (for example G&A, Fee, Holiday, Training, etc.)

Response: It is the responsibility of each offeror to include all costs necessary to meet the requirements of the PWS. Attachment 5 contains the minimum technically acceptable labor hours and labor categories necessary to meet the security guard and supervisory functions of the PWS. Labor hours associated with training, vacation, sick or holiday time are NOT included in

Attachment 5 and any costs associated with training, vacation, sick or holiday time should be included in the price calculation submitted by the offeror.

39. Can a Supervisory Guard (field supervision) provide relief to a Guard or

Supervisory Guard (on post)?

Response: Please reference response #3.

40. Will the Government be providing a seniority list for the current contracting staff?

Response: The Government does not anticipate providing a seniority list. It is the responsibility of offerors proposing to this Solicitation to provide fully qualified personnel in accordance with the PWS.

41. Solicitation 23/Technical/Shift Supervisor Experience: How many Shift

Supervisors will the contractor be responsible for submitting qualifications for?

Response: For as many shift supervisors as an offeror is proposing.

42. When are the exact dates for Period of Performance?

Response: The Government anticipates the period of performance to be:

Base: 29 April 2018 – 28 April 2019

Option Year One: 29 April 2019 – 28 April 2020

Option Year Two: 29 April 2020 – 28 April 2021

43. PWS Section 6/Personnel Requirements/Shift Supervisor: Is the Supervisory

Guard (field supervision) in attachment 5 equivalent to the shift supervisor described in the PWS?

Response: Yes, the Shift Supervisor in the PWS is equivalent to the

Supervisory Guard (field supervision) and the Supervisory Guard (on post) in attachment 5.

44. PWS Section 19/Security Guard Posts and Staffing: Can the government please explain the difference between the security guard posts and staffing section hours prescribed (32,660 yearly post hours) and the attachment 5 prescribed hours for the guard and supervisor (on post) (33,120 yearly post hours)?

Response: It is unclear to the Government how the section 19 labor hours referenced in this question were calculated. Attachment 5 contains the minimum technically acceptable labor hours and labor categories necessary to meet the security guard and supervisory functions of the PWS. Labor hours associated with training, vacation, sick or holiday time are NOT included in

Attachment 5 and any costs associated with training, vacation, sick or holiday time should be included in the price calculation submitted by the offeror.

Offerors shall propose to the labor hours provided in Attachment 5.

45. Price: Do you require our entire FAR Reps and Certs to be included within our proposal or indication that our REPS and CERTS are current is SAM is sufficient?

Response: The contractor must indicate their Reps and Certs are current in

SAM as well as submit their Dun and Bradstreet #, CAGE code, and Federal

Tax ID in accordance with the solicitation.

46. PWS and Attachment 5: The PWS calls for one shift supervisor: “Shift

Supervisor: shall be responsible to the Chief of Guards for the conduct, performance, appearance, training, and scheduling of all individuals employed and shall supervise all personnel required to perform the security guard services as stated in the PWS. The Shift Supervisor shall, at all times, be responsible to the contracting officer for the operational functions and duties required in the performance of this contract. This individual shall have a secret clearance. The employee may work with an interim clearance until the formal clearance is received.”

Attachment 5 says: Supervisory Guard (field supervision), 4160 minimum acceptable hours which is equal to two (2) supervisory guards.

Supervisory Guard (on post) 11,040 minimum acceptable hours which is equal to five (5) supervisory guards.

Total would be seven (7) supervisory guards.

Response: Attachment 5 contains the minimum acceptable hours. It is up to the contractor to determine how many employees they would need to meet the requirements of the PWS.

47. Section 19 of the PWS calls for one guard at the E Street Access Control, 0500-1800 Mon-Fri except holidays.

However, section 19 F states Mon-Fri 0600-1800.

F. POST #4 E STREET ACCESS CONTROL: “The guards will assist in controlling personnel access in and out of the facility. One Guard will be posted at the E Street Entrance during Mon-Fri 0600-1800hrs to insure unauthorized personnel or visitors do not gain access via this entrance.

Personnel and visitors without a Barnes Building ID badge will be directed to enter the building through the main entrance only.”

Is that 0600-1800 a typo? Which are the correct hours for E-street access control start time, 0500 or 0600?

Response: The 0600-1800 hours are included in error. The table at Section

19. of the PWS is accurate in stating 0500-1800. The PWS will be revised to correct the error. The Government provided labor hours in Attachment 5 are accurate and offerors are required to propose to those hours.

48. Section 19 of the PWS: Section 19 of the PWS calls for one guard at the

MEPS Control/Roving Guard for 40 hours per week to cover peak periods and special events.

Are there specific hours designated per day for this post?

Are the hours 0500-1300? 0600-1400? 0900-1700? or other?

Is this post Mon-Fri for 8 hours per day?

Is this post Mon-Thu for 10 hours per day?

Response: There are no specific hours designated per day for this post.

Offerors shall anticipate 40 hours per week to cover peak periods and special events including weekends and holidays.

49. What specifically are the use of force?

Is it the following?

a) Verbal persuasion.

b) Unarmed defense techniques.

c) Chemical aerosol irritant projectors (Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) Spray)

d) Monadnock Baton

e) Presentation of deadly force capability.

f) Deadly force.

If so, does this require a guard to exercise judgment and use discretion in dealing with whether first response should be to intervene directly?

Are guards required to demonstrate continuing physical fitness and proficiency with firearms or other special weapons?

Response: The use of force continuum as outlined above is sufficient and accurate. The first responder may escalate to the minimum use of force response based on their discretion and assessment of the immediate threat. Guards are required to demonstrate physical fitness and proficiency with firearms or other special weapons as described in the PWS.

50. With regards to the minimum training requirements outlined in the PWS, Section #7, has the government established a minimum amount of initial training hours per topic or a total amount of minimum training hours?

Response: See response to question 12 above.

51. With regards to the minimum training requirements outlined in the PWS, Section #7, has the government established whether the initial training must be provided to incumbent employees or only new hires that have not completed the training under the incumbent employer?

Response: Incumbent personnel are the responsibility of the incumbent prime contractor. The incumbent prime contractor must adhere to their contract and PWS requirements. Any personnel proposed in response to this

Solicitation must meet the requirements of the Solicitation and the

Performance Work Statement.

52. With regards to the minimum training requirements outlined in the PWS, Section #7, has the government established a minimum amount of refresher training hours per topic or a total amount of minimum training hours?

Response: See response to question 12 above.

53. With regards to the minimum training requirements outlined in the PWS, Section #7, has the government established the frequency of the required refresher training?

Response: See response to question 12 above.

54. With regards to the minimum training requirements outlined in the PWS, Section #7, has the government established whether all training requirements must be fulfill prior to assignment or within a defined period of time from initial assignment?

Response: Prior to assignment.

55. Will the security provider be required to develop a training curriculum that corresponds with the requirements of 190.56, the Army Civilian Police and

Security Guard Program? If so, please provide guidance on the applicable or most critical areas.

Response: Reference PWS section 7. G.