Questions and Answers - Spectrum Forward Solicitation dated 20MAR2020.pdf

20 March 2020 Questions and Answers for Spectrum Forward Solicitation

#W15QKN-20-R-08J1:

1) As a small business with relevant technology solutions for the identified areas of interest, how can I participate as a non-traditional supplier?

Response:

At this time, the Government is seeking a Consortium whose membership possesses a collective expertise in the technical areas listed in the Solicitation to enable enhanced operational capability for systems that transmit and receive in the electromagnetic spectrum environment. After selection of the best overall Consortium by the Government, the Government will issue an award announcement on beta.sam.gov and enter into an Agreement with the Consortium.

At that time, the Government anticipates providing strategic objectives, technical requirements/gaps, and tactical guidance through competitive solicitations for 10 U.S.C. 2371(b) prototype projects that will be issued to all Members of the Consortium. Industry participants that would like to compete for these competitive prototype projects will need to become members of the selected Consortium.

2) I am hoping to find out if the subject effort is a new requirement or a follow-on to an existing contract? If the latter, can I please find out the incumbent contractor's name and contract number?

The Government currently has an Agreement with the National Spectrum Consortium (NSC), Agreement #W15QKN-15-9-1004, for the purpose of conducting Research and Development into spectrum access technologies to enable improved cognizance of spectrum activity, protection of US activity in the electromagnetic spectrum domain, and the ability to relocate and/or share spectrum anytime, anywhere access is needed.

3) Has this previously been released or communicated to any industry forum, group or companies that may already be aware of this request? If so would you please share this information as long as it is not PII?

This has NOT been previously released or communicated to any industry forum, group or companies.

4) I’m writing today to see if you could point me towards some information on this Consortium you’re soliciting for. My company and partner company’s have considerable expertise in the areas you’re solicitating for capability in and we’d like to see if there would be interest from one of your responders to have us join their team.

See response #1.

At this time, the Government is seeking a Consortium whose membership possesses a collective expertise in the technical areas listed in the Solicitation to enable enhanced operational capability for systems that transmit and receive in the electromagnetic spectrum environment. After selection of the best overall Consortium by the Government, the Government will issue an award announcement on beta.sam.gov and enter into an Agreement with the Consortium.

At that time, the Government anticipates providing strategic objectives, technical requirements/gaps, and tactical guidance through competitive solicitations for 10 U.S.C. 2371(b) prototype projects that will be issued to all Members of the Consortium. Industry participants that would like to compete for these competitive prototype projects will need to become members of the selected Consortium.

5) Can you enlighten us. Is this solicitation focused on selecting a new “Consortium”?

The Government is seeking a Consortium, new or existing, with collective expertise and ability to support all of the Technology Objectives and Technology Areas identified in the solicitation.

6) As part of an offeror’s response to this solicitation, is it acceptable to submit enhancements or betterments to the tasks and services described in the solicitation? If so, how does the agency intend to evaluate such enhancements or betterments?

The Government is seeking responses from Consortiums that meet or exceed the requirements set forth in the Solicitation. If a response exceeds the requirements the Government will evaluate it accordingly.

7) Will the agency consider and evaluate alternatives submitted in response to the tasks and services described in the solicitation? If so, how does the agency intend to evaluate such alternatives?

The Government is seeking a Consortium that meets the requirements set forth in the Solicitation, and the Consortium will be evaluated accordingly. Refer to

Section 3.6 of the Solicitation which states “By submitting a proposal, each Offeror agrees to the Consortium roles and responsibilities as defined herein.”

8) Section 3.3 of the Solicitation states in part as follows: “[T]he Consortium will be responsible for administrative functions associated with the life cycle of the project awards. In no circumstance shall reimbursement of these costs be structured as a fee based on the price of the individual project awarded to the Consortium Member.

Expenditures for projects awarded to Members shall be handled as a direct pass through for the Consortium with no indirect cost or fee being applied. . . . In no circumstance shall the Member be considered a subcontractor to the Consortium nor shall the value/cost of the project be considered as an incurred cost of the Consortium. The handling of project expenditures described above apply to any party representing the Consortium (i.e. Consortium Management Firm).” The prohibitions on reimbursement based on the price of an individual project and on the value/cost of the project being considered as an incurred cost of the Consortium may run contrary to disclosed and approved accounting practices and customary practice for Consortium Management Firms. In this scenario, the prohibition appears counter to Section II.E.4.b.xiii of the OSD OTA Guide which states the following: “When structuring the OT agreement for an expenditure-based or resource-sharing type project, the Government team should consider the capability of the awardee’s accounting system. Agreements that impose requirements that will cause an awardee to revise or alter its existing accounting system are discouraged.” Will the Army consider modifying the Solicitation to eliminate these prohibitions or otherwise permit offerors to propose cost/price solutions that are consistent with their disclosed and approved accounting practices and customary practice?

The Government will not be modifying or revising this language. The Government has determined this expenditure based approach is in the best interest of the Government for these Consortium requirements. The cited OTA Guide language is appropriate to be applied at the project level where the prototype efforts will be executed. The Government team will consider the capability of the individual project awardee’s accounting system on a project by project basis.

9) Does the Government intend to award project agreements directly to the Consortium

Members?

No.

10) Will the Government provide a copy of the draft Other Transaction Agreement terms and conditions prior to the response due date and time?

No, once a Selection is made the Government will negotiate the terms and conditions of the OTA with the selected Consortium. Please refer to the solicitation Section 4.0 which states “Please note that the specific terms and conditions of the resulting Agreement will be negotiated and finalized with the selected Consortium prior to award.”

11) Our membership list, as an Excel spreadsheet with 11pt font and 11pt row height, is extensive. Please confirm that offerors can include this information as an attached Excel file outside of the 60-page limit for Volumes 1 and 2.

The Government confirms that the Consortium membership list will NOT be counted against the page limit for Volumes 1 and 2.

12) Many [of our Membership] have not yet had cause or opportunity to obtain a CAGE

Code,or have requested a CAGE Code that has not yet been issued. Please confirm that for such Consortium Members we may enter “Pending” in place of their CAGE Code.

The Government confirms that for members who have not yet received/obtained a CAGE Code the Consortium may enter “Pending” in place of their CAGE Code.

Please note: This Q&A document will be updated as questions are received by the Government.