Attachment_0003_-_Instructions_to_Offerors_v5_06Feb2018.pdf

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION (Attachment 0003 – Instructions to Offerors)

L.1. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS. These instructions are a guide for preparing proposals in response to W52P1J-17-R-0062. They describe the extent of information the Offeror should provide and the significant topic areas the Offeror should address in its proposal. Each Offeror shall submit a maximum of one proposal. The United States Government (USG) will not reimburse the Offeror for costs incurred in association with the preparation of its proposal. The Offeror is expected to review the PWS contained in the attachments of this solicitation for further insight into the areas that the proposal must address. The Offeror shall include in its proposal sufficient information to enable the USG to determine the Offeror’s understanding of the requirements in each of the evaluated areas. Offerors are cautioned that repeating language of the PWS with a statement of intent to perform does not reflect understanding of the requirement.

Failure to provide a proposal in compliance with the instructions specified in this solicitation may render the Offeror’s proposal non-compliant. The proposal may not be further evaluated and may not be further considered for award. The Offeror must provide information in sufficient detail to allow the USG to make an assessment of the Offeror’s ability to successfully execute the CENTCOM NTV effort. The proposal shall be written in English in a clear and legible manner, and the proposal must be specific and complete as described in these instructions.

Offerors shall complete Box 12 of Standard Form 1449, Solicitation, Offer and Award, indicating its offer may be accepted within 180 calendar days of the solicitation closing date.

L.2. POINTS OF CONTACT. The Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) is the sole point of contact for this acquisition. Any questions or concerns shall be addressed, in English, to the PCO. Except as otherwise indicated, e-mail is the only method of communication.

The PCO for this acquisition is:

Elizabeth W. Zaharopoulos E-mail: usarmy.ria.acc.list.centcomntv@mail.mil

L.3. STANDARD PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS. This section specifies the format each Offeror shall use in preparing its proposal. Two separate volumes shall be submitted.

The subfactors within Volume I shall be self-contained and shall not be cross-referenced. Unless specifically requested, pricing information shall not be contained in any volume except the Price Volume. Proposals not structured IAW these instructions may be considered non-responsive/non-compliant and may not be evaluated. The USG will not assume the duty to search for data or information to cure problems discovered in any proposal submitted. The burden of providing complete and thorough information to address the elements below remains with the Offeror. The proposal shall include the following volumes subject to the limitations discussed below:

mailto:usarmy.ria.acc.list.centcomntv@mail.mil

Volume Title # of Copies Page Limit Due I Technical 1 each, electronic/emailed 80 pages RFP Closing

Date II Price 1 each, electronic/emailed No Limit RFP Closing

Date

*Supplemental Documents

Solicitation/ Amendments and Value Added Tax

(VAT)

Statement;

Signed

1 each, electronic/emailed

No Limit RFP Closing Date

*SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTS.

Solicitation. Utilizing Adobe Acrobat, or a compatible program, Offerors shall provide a completed and signed copy of the solicitation including all sections and any Amendments. Unless fill-ins are required, individual copies of the attachments in the ‘List of Attachments’ Section of the solicitation do not need to be included within this submission.

VAT Statement. Offerors shall include a signed statement affirming that the current proposed Total Evaluated Price does not include any contingency for any future VAT that may affect this BPA.

Exclusions. Each page shall be counted except for the following:

- Cover pages

- Table of contents

- List of figures

- Glossaries

- Tabs / Dividers

- Teaming Arrangements / Joint Ventures

- DCMA/DCAA Audits and Reviews

- Signed Solicitation and Amendments

- Insurance policies or letters from insurers

L.3.1. Each page is defined as one sheet, one-side. Excess pages will be removed from the back of each volume and will not be read or evaluated. Page limitations do not prohibit the USG from requesting additional supporting data.

L.3.2. Offerors shall use 8-1/2 x 11 inch size pages and a 12 point, or greater, Arial font. Font requirements apply to bullets and other special text formatting. 10 point Arial font may be utilized for tables and graphic displays. 11 x 17 inch size pages are acceptable for tables/graphic representations; however, each 11 x 17 inch size page counts as two pages.

L.3.3. Proposal Organization. No classified material shall appear anywhere in the proposal. All proposal volumes shall include:

L.3.3.1. Front cover, a table of contents, and the body of the proposal. All factor and subfactor narratives shall be clearly identified.

L.3.3.2. List of Tables and Figures for each Volume.

L.3.3.3. Glossary of Abbreviations and Acronyms for each Volume.

L.3.4. At a minimum, all cover sheets shall contain the following information:

L.3.4.1. Offeror’s Proposal in response to Solicitation W52P1J-17-R-0062 IAW solicitation instructions

L.3.4.2. Volume Number and Title

L.3.4.3. Name and Address of Offeror (with the exception of Volume II)

L.3.4.4. Date of Submission

L.3.4.5. Offeror’s POC information to include phone number and e-mail (with the exception of Volume I – Technical

L.3.5. The Offeror shall be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and shall possess a valid Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code at time of proposal submission.

L.4. THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA). FOIA and its amendment have resulted in an increasing number of requests from outside the USG for copies of contractors' proposals and other documents submitted to federal agencies. If an Offeror's submission contains information that it believes should be withheld from such requestors under FOIA on the grounds that it contains trade secrets and commercial or financial information [5 USC 552(b)(4)], the Offeror should mark its submissions in the following manner:

L.4.1. The following notice should be placed on the title page: Some parts of this document, as identified on individual pages, are considered by the submitter to be privileged or confidential trade secret or commercial or financial information not subject to mandatory disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Material considered privileged or confidential on such grounds is contained on page(s) ___.

L.4.2. Each individual item considered privileged or confidential under FOIA should be marked by placing the text within {brackets} with the following notice placed in the right margin: Privileged or Confidential.

Failure to do so may result in an involuntary release via a FOIA request.

L.5. PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL. All proposals and related information shall be submitted electronically to the Army at the email address shown below, no later than the date and time specified in the solicitation. The USG will only accept e-mailed proposals for this RFP to the following e-mail address:

ACC-RI CENTCOM NTV Team Mailbox: usarmy.ria.acc.list.centcomntv@mail.mil

L.5.1. Offerors are responsible for ensuring that a full and complete proposal, as defined at L.3., is received by the date and time established within the solicitation for receipt of timely proposals. Receipt means actual time of receipt by PCO. Any proposal or partial proposal received after the date and time established for receipt of timely proposals will be considered late and may not be considered for award.

L.5.2. The maximum file size ACC-RI can receive per email is 10MB. If files exceed the maximum file size, the offeror shall send Volumes in separate emails and state how many emails are being sent (i.e., email 1 of 3, email 2 of 3, etc).

L.5.2.1. Offerors shall ensure all e-mails and attachments are virus free. The USG will scan all attachments for viruses with an anti-virus program. If a virus is detected, the email/attachment shall not be considered for award. If the files are compressed, the necessary decompression program shall be included. Offerors are responsible for ensuring documents function properly. At the USG’s discretion, the Offeror may not be given the opportunity to resubmit this information.

L.5.2.2. Receipt as used at L.5.1. means actual time of receipt by PCO. The USG highly recommends that Offeror’s request a delivery confirmation or other form of acknowledgement to verify the proposal submission was received. It is the offeror’s responsibility to ensure successful delivery of proposals prior to the closing date and time of the solicitation. Should an Offeror have difficulties with the delivery of proposals, please immediately notify the PCO via e-mail to:

usarmy.ria.acc.list.centcomntv@mail.mil.

L.5.3. The electronic copies shall be submitted using Microsoft Office (MS) Word, MS Excel (for the Price Volume only) and Adobe Acrobat or compatible software (SF1449 signature page and any other RFP pages, as required). The use of hyperlinks in proposals is prohibited.

L.5.4. An authorized official of the firm shall sign the electronic submission of the Offeror’s proposal to include SF1449, and all Amendment cover sheets, SF30, and all certifications requiring signature.

mailto:usarmy.ria.acc.list.centcomntv@mail.mil

L.5.5. Absent the opening of discussions, if required, the USG will not accept any changes, additions, or deletions for evaluation purposes.

*NOTE*: THE USG E-MAIL SYSTEM WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY ATTACHMENTS THAT

CONTAIN A PERIOD IN THE TITLE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PERIOD

BEFORE THE FILE EXTENSION (i.e. .doc, .docx, .pdf, .xls, .xlsx).

L.6 VOLUME I – Technical Factor. The volume shall be organized into the following sections:

Logistical Readiness Plan subfactor, Maintenance and Recovery Response Plan subfactor, QC Plan subfactor, and Corporate Experience, Management, and Key Personnel subfactor. These subfactors will be evaluated on an Acceptable/Unacceptable basis. If an Offeror fails to achieve an “Acceptable” rating on any of the four subfactors, it will receive an ‘Unacceptable’ rating for the Technical factor and its proposal will be unawardable.

L.6.1. Technical Subfactor 1 – Logistical Readiness Plan (LRP).

The LRP shall describe the Offeror’s approach to and demonstrate its understanding of the processes, procedures, capabilities and experience it will employ and rely upon to be at full operating capacity with base access and required badging within 60 days of contract award. The Offeror shall submit the technical specifications of proposed NTVs and the capacity by NTV type. The proposal shall be specific, detailed and complete enough to clearly identify the technical specifications of the NTV types listed in the PWS. The technical specifications of all proposed NTVs must meet or exceed all technical requirements listed in in the PWS, and resulting Price Matrix (Attachment 0002 of the solicitation) by CLIN/NTV type. The Offeror shall state in the LRP how it will obtain vehicles with optional packages, to include off road vehicles, as stated in the PWS to ensure it can provide every type of vehicle being required by the USG.

The Offeror must detail and break out by CLIN how it intends to provide all NTVs listed for each of the four countries, whether owned, subcontracted, procured or any combination thereof. The LRP shall address how quickly the contractor can respond to situations where the USG need for vehicles, maintenance, or pick up of inoperable vehicle(s) is immediate. The LRP shall address how the Offeror will obtain all types of required vehicles, and how it will ensure continuous registration, licensing, and compliance with all applicable inspections. The LRP shall address how vehicles will be delivered to all required locations, 365 days a year. The LRP shall include an English translated copy of the Offeror’s vehicle insurance plan, or a statement from an insurer, stating all terms and conditions meeting all PWS specifications.

L.6.2. Technical Subfactor 2 – Maintenance and Recovery Response Plan.

The Maintenance and Recovery Response Plan shall describe the Offeror’s approach to and demonstrate its understanding of the processes, procedures, capabilities and experience it will employ and rely upon to carry out all scheduled and unscheduled maintenance in all four countries that have current requirements.

The Offeror’s plan shall discuss how immobile vehicles will be recovered in each country. The Offeror’s plan shall fully detail the recovery plan to include information regarding the recovery equipment. The Offeror’s plan shall detail information about replacement vehicles in case of accident or necessary scheduled or unscheduled maintenance demanding that the vehicle is out of service for greater than 24 hours.

The plan shall discuss how unscheduled maintenance, which is due to USG fault, will be done in a way that ensures fair and reasonable prices, which will be evaluated using other than certified cost analysis. The Offeror shall describe its ability to provide trained mechanics and adequate maintenance facilities without degradation to vehicle readiness or availability in all four countries. The Offeror shall demonstrate that it has the resources and/or the ability to keep NTVs in like new operating condition for all four countries. The Offeror shall explain how it will ensure it can obtain all required police reports IAW host nation laws.

L.6.3. Technical Subfactor 3 – Quality Control Plan.

The Offeror’s Quality Control (QC) Plan, IAW the PWS, shall be specific, detailed, and complete and clearly and fully demonstrate a sound technical approach, and a thorough understanding of quality methods and techniques for meeting performance standards and customer requirements in accordance with the PWS requirements.

The QC Plan shall include:

1) A comprehensive, independent plan for developing and maintaining the QC program;

2) Internal and external quality control methods and policies for measuring, tracking, analyzing, reporting and implementing preventive and corrective actions required to ensure the quality performance standards required by the PWS and customer satisfaction is met;

3) A plan to ensure a workable relationship, to include reporting requirements, between the Offeror’s management personnel and the USG;

4) Feedback mechanisms and corrective action methods for correcting defects in each functional area established in the PWS;

5) Integration of QC system into daily operations;

6) Methods to be used for communications with the USG, measuring customer satisfaction, including a customer feedback program and a customer satisfaction reporting system; and

7) Methods of ensuring FAR Clause 52.222-50, Combatting Trafficking in Persons compliance.

L.6.4. Technical Subfactor 4 – Corporate Experience, Management, and Key Personnel Plan:

The Offerors’ Corporate Experience, Management, and Key Personnel plan shall be specific, detailed and complete as to clearly and fully demonstrate that the Offeror has: 1) skill, experience, and management expertise in all areas of the PWS and 2) the resources needed to meet the requirements of the PWS, including compliance with Host Nation Labor Laws, as well as other international requirements to successfully execute the requirements over the life of the contract.

L.7 VOLUME II – Price. Prices shall be proposed under FFP CLINs. Competition under those FFP CLINs will be utilized to determine price reasonableness.

The USG reserves the right to require the submission of any data (i.e. other than certified cost or pricing data) necessary to validate the reasonableness of an offer.

L.7.1. Organization of Volume II – Price

Volume II shall contain the Offeror’s price proposal. Offerors shall complete Attachment 0002 - Price Matrix of the solicitation in its entirety. Offerors shall NOT fill out Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs section of the solicitation.

The Offeror shall provide information as follows:

Offerors shall provide proposed unit prices for the estimated quantities in the Pricing Matrix, Attachment 0002 of the solicitation. Proposed unit prices are limited to whole dollars and cents and shall be submitted in United States dollars and no other currency. Offerors shall complete all tabs (Daily, Monthly, and Yearly) within the Price Matrix, with the exception of the Total Evaluated Price tab. The Total Evaluated Price tab is automatically populated with the information from the other tabs. The proposed unit prices shall be the prices used by the USG to calculate the Total Evaluated Price and will establish the ceiling prices for future order competitions. Offerors shall propose unit prices for all CLINs, required locations, and ordering periods identified in the Price Matrix. The base year and all six ordering periods shall be filled in by the Offeror and the six-month extension option period will automatically be calculated and populated. Failure to complete the Price Matrix may deem the Offeror ineligible for award. All proposed pricing will be binding as ceiling unit prices for the duration of the BPA.

Instructions for completion of the pricing matrix:

L.7.1.1. CLINs 0001AA through 0013AB are FFP vehicle leases with maintenance and recovery. The Offerors shall propose FFP prices associated with contract performance beginning at time of award in the Price Matrix, Attachment 0002 for all tabs.

L.7.1.2. CLINs 0014AA, 1014AA, 2014AA, 3014AA, 4014AA, 5014AA, 6014AA, 7014AA, and 8014AA - Damages – are cost reimbursable non-fee bearing CLINs. The USG has provided a surrogate amount, for evaluation purposes, of $100,000 for each period of performance; base year through ordering period six.

The Offeror shall not complete/fill in these CLINs.

L.7.1.3. All proposed prices for this acquisition shall be stated in U.S. dollars and include escalation, as appropriate.

L.7.1.4. The proposals are assumed to represent the Offeror’s best efforts, as final proposal revisions may not be requested.

L.7.1.5. The following periods of performance apply as specified in Attachment 0001:

o Base Year: 12 month ordering period to include up to two months of transition o Ordering Period One: 12 months o Ordering Period Two: 12 months o Ordering Period Three: 12 months o Ordering Period Four: 12 months o Ordering Period Five: 12 months o Ordering Period Six: 12 months o FAR Clause 52.217-8: Up to six months of performance under FAR

Clause 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services

L.7.1.6. If an Offeror fails to propose for all yellow shaded cells in Attachment 0002 – Price Matrix, the USG may reject the Offeror’s proposal.

L.7.1.7. With respect to pricing, the proposal response is presumed to represent the Offeror’s best effort to respond to the solicitation. Any significant inconsistency between promised performance and price shall be explained in the offer. For example, if the use of new and innovative techniques has an impact on unit price, the impact on price should be explained by the Offeror. If a management decision has been made to absorb a portion of the program prices that have not been included in the proposed pricing, that decision should be stated and qualified in the proposal. Any significant inconsistency, if not explained, raises a fundamental issue of the Offeror’s understanding of the nature and scope of the work required, and may be grounds for rejection of the proposal. The burden of proof as to price credibility rests with the Offeror.

L.7.1.8. Pricing for Defense Base Act Insurance and Contractor Manpower Reporting (not separately priced) shall be included within the proposed FFPs.

L.7.1.9. Instructions for completion of the pricing matrix (Attachment 0002):

o All information to be filled in by the Offeror is highlighted on the price matrix in yellow.

o Offerors shall enter its full name and CAGE Code in the space provided in the second Tab (the remaining Tabs will then be pre-populated with that information).

o Offerors are required to state binding prices.

o Offerors shall not enter any pricing data for the six-month option to Extend Period IAW FAR 52.217-8. The Price Matrix will automatically calculate and populate at the CLIN level.

No other information is to be added to the pricing matrix, nor shall Offerors make any changes to the pricing matrix. Any alterations to the pricing matrix may deem the Offeror ineligible for award.