Industry_Day_Q&A.pdf

Question 1: Recognizing that the Asset List is still under development, are the max total quantities shown in A.13. subject to change based on the Asset List when issued?

Answer 1: As of right now, the max quantities is our best estimate but there is a good possibility of them changing prior to final RFP.

Question 2: Will there be a task order(s) for technology refresh to support the DEMIL mission in the future? In general, is introduction and acquisition of new technical capabilities that increase performer effectiveness in scope for this IDIQ contract?

Answer 2: No, these costs should be included in the offeror’s proposal. This contract is for the demilitarization of specific munitions, which are identified in the draft RFP. The contractor is expected to establish their proposed operation, which includes procurement and installation of equipment, to accomplish this.

Question 3: Can relevant subcontractors be added to prime contractors post-IDIQ award based on future task orders or is it preferred to have subcontractors named in the initial IDIQ proposals?

Answer 3: As stated in L.3.1.3.b., all major/key subcontractors shall be identified in the offeror’s proposal. It is preferred that the subcontractors identified during the proposal phase are the same contractors that are used to perform any awarded contract / delivery orders.

Question 4: Does the government intend to award a contract based on this Sources Sought RFP or will this be broken into subsequent RFP’s?

Answer 4: At this time, the intended plan is to issue one RFP (June 2019) that will include all CLIN Groups. This one RFP is anticipated to result in up to two awards per CLIN Group.

Question 5: What is the government timeframe for potential award? Will award timeframe be different per CLIN?

Answer 5: Formal RFP is anticipated to be released in June 2019 with proposal due in August 2019 and award in April 2020. This is the anticipated timeframe for ALL CLINs.

Question 6: Will the government consider separating certain CLINs from this Sources Sought RFP and issuing separate “Small Business Set-Aside” solicitations for those respective CLINs for qualified Small Businesses?

Answer 6: Based on the responses received from the market research (to include Industry Day and the sources sought), the U.S. Government will determine the acquisition strategy used. It is possible that some CLIN Groups will include Small Business set asides or Small Business Reserves.

Question 7: The demilitarization process for MLRS and Standard Rocket Motors may be different, as some motors would require cutting and/or different processing due to size. Would the government consider separating MLRS and Standard Rocket Motors into separate CLIN Groups?

Answer 7: This is something the U.S. Government will take into consideration.

Question 8: Can DODIC H051 (CLIN 0615) be moved to CLIN Group 2? It appears to be more properly suited to be demilitarized with the other 40mm cartridges, instead of the other HC Smoke units.

Answer 8: DODIC H051 is not a 40mm round. The U.S. Government will consider the proposed adjustment. Any final decision will be reflected in the final RFP release.

Question 9: Will the munitions change from the Sources Sought or is it locked in?

Answer 9: This will possibly change.

Question 10: Where is the ammo, by CLIN and Quantity?

Answer 10: We are working on the asset list that will identify the nomenclature, location, weight, and condition code.

Question 11: A 25 slide Technical Volume for each CLIN, not CLIN Group?

Answer 11: The requirement is no more than 25 PowerPoint slides to be submitted for the Technical Approach Subfactor for EACH CLIN. ***Please see note at end of Q&A****

Question 12: If all CLINs are bid this is up to 66 25 page Technical proposal. Up to 65 hours of presentations?

Answer 12: If an offeror is to propose on all CLINs within this RFP they would be required to submit 44 separate Technical Approach Subfactor volumes which will consist of up to 25 PowerPoint slides each. The U.S. Government is open to suggestions to reduce this down. ***Please see note at end of Q&A****

Question 13: Shipment of assets and invoicing is not compatible with submitting ADDP’s in chronological order.

Answer 13: It is in everyone’s best interest if you submit the ADDP in order of your process/schedule. Shipment of Assets can begin after SSP approval and acceptance of the ADDP for the CLIN to be shipped. However, contractors cannot request payment for ADDPs until ALL ADDPs within that CLIN Group are accepted. Note: ADDP will not be accepted until all permits are in place.

Question 14: Please explain Attachment 0001, Price Evaluation Spreadsheet (Ordering Period).

Answer 14: Offeror’s are to complete all blue colored boxes on Attachment 0001, Price Evaluation Spreadsheet, for each CLIN and each Ordering Period they are submitting a proposal for. All the gray colored boxes will be completed by the U.S. Government or automatically calculated. It is understood that in some cases the MGQ unit price may be higher than the applicable quantity range on the Price Evaluation Spreadsheet.

Question 15: How soon will Equipment Specs and Demil Requirements be provided?

Will it be before January 8 Response?

Answer 15: We are working gathering as much technical information we can. Anything the U.S. Government is able to find will be released with the final RFP.

Question 16: If you do not register through Sources Sought, can you still submit a proposal?

Answer 16: Yes

Question 17: What are the top 5 areas you are looking for comments?

Answer 17: Requirements - MGQ and Overall quantities, Oral presentations and pricing breakout

Question 18: ISO 9001:2015 – will it be required? If so, will it be by DCMA, when, how often, how many DCMA Auditors, how many days and typical examples of the number of days?

Answer 18: Offeror’s are not required to be ISO 9001:2015 certified. However, offeror’s shall have a Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) that is equivalent or greater than ISO 9001:2015 and be able to demonstrate this. Generally, a DCMA Quality Audit is done annually to verify QAPP.

Question 19: Are there any hard stops to the proposed schedule or could it slip?

Answer 19: The schedule could slip but ideally no later than May 2020.

Question 20: Will the past performance be evaluated only on contracts awarded under

NAICS 332993?

Answer 20: All past performance will be evaluated as long as it meets the definition of relevant (M.3.7.1. of the RFP), even if it was not awarded under NACIS 332993.

Question 21: If the U.S. Government cannot give exact numbers, can estimated percentage per item be included? i.e., CLIN Group 2 203AA – 10%-15%, 203AB – 10%- 15%, 203AC – 20%-30%, etc.

Answer 21: Breakout will be provided with final RFP.

Question 22: Breakdown of 4.2” Assets. i.e., HE, SMOKE, ILL etc.

Answer 22: The fills for CLIN Group 4, 4.2 Inch Mortar Cartridges is as follows:

C710 - CS Fill C706 – Illumination Fill (approximately 90% of the assets) C707 – FS Fill C704 – High Explosive Fill

Question 23: Is the Safety Site Plan (SSP) approved by DCMA, DDESB or Rock Island?

Answer 23: The SSP is concurrently reviewed by DCMA, Joint Munitions Command (Rock Island) and PD-Demil. The approval will come from the Contracting Officer.

DDESB approval is required for work being completed on a Government installation. If an offeror proposes to complete work on a Government Installation they will need to coordinate the SSP submittal with the installation. They should have a SSP that is already approved by DDESB.

Question 24: Is there a limitation of Subcontracting for Small Business per FAR 52.215-14?

Answer 24: Yes, if a Small Business Set-Aside or Small Business Reserve are used in the procurement, FAR 52.215-14 will apply.

Question 25: Why is there no limit to Small Businesses? i.e., minimum 10%.

Answer 25: Section M.5.2.3 of the RFP provides the Small Business subcontracting goals. i.e., Small Business 12%, Socioeconomic Categories 1%.

Question 26: Is there a possibility of additional CLINS with the Small Business Reserve?

Answer 26: Yes, depending on the responses to the Sources Sought and findings from the market research conducted by the U.S. Government.

Question 27: Is a Small Business Subcontracting Plan needed for each CLIN Group proposed?

Answer 27: Yes

Question 28: Is the Small Business Subcontracting Plan for the MGQ only? If not, what program dollar values should be used for the Plan?

Answer 28: No, the price values to be used should be based on the maximum quantity possible for the CLIN Group the offeror is proposing on. ***Please note: This answer is different than what was briefed at the Industry Day***

Question 29: Will oral presentations be required for every bidder?

Answer 29: Yes, as long as the proposal is submitted in accordance with the RFP requirements and is timely.

Question 30: Do the oral presentation slides get included in the package submission?

Answer 30: Yes, the PowerPoints shall be included in the Technical Volume submitted on the RFP closing date.

Question 31: Is the one-hour U.S. Government caucus and clarification period after each CLIN presentation or only at the end of all presentations?

Answer 31: After each CLIN Group presentation.

Question 32: Will video in PowerPoint slides be allowed?

Answer 32: Yes, embedded videos are allowed. However, they must be played during the oral presentation time frame and will count as part of the one-hour time limit. If they are not played during the oral presentation, they will not be used for evaluation.

Question 33: Can presentation slides be changed between submission with solicitation and day of oral presentation?

Answer 33: No, the slides are to be submitted with the offeror’s proposal on or before the closing date of the RFP. The submitted slides will be provided on the day of the presentation by ACC-RI. No changes or additional documentation will be allowed to be submitted after the RFP closing date.

Question 34: Regarding the cumulative quantities, please explain price utilized. Next order could be relieved after line goes cold. No economy of scale.

Answer 34: Yes, this is a possibility. The U.S. Government needs feedback on this impact.

Question 35: If the U.S. Government only adds transportation cost to the MGQ, doesn’t this potentially under value the life cycle cost of a particular Prime Contractor?

Answer 35: The RFP will be updated to reflect that transportation cost will be calculated for all ordering periods based on the max quantity in the most probable quantity range.

Question 36: Please provide more clarity on how the U.S. Government will calculate transportation cost.

Answer 36: Transportation cost will be calculated by taking the quantities on the asset list x miles from storage location to offeror’s identified place of performance x the current tracking rate. The trucking rate comes from Surface Deployment Distribution Command. The locations figured in the calculation are included on the asset list. The offeror shall complete the column that is required to be filled in that identifies where the place of performance will be.

Questions 37: Will the contractor be able to retain revenue from the scrap materials once title has passed over?

Answer 37: Yes, the U.S. Government will not be requesting revenues from scrap material to be returned. However, it is anticipated that the proposed unit prices will be lower due to revenues for scrap materials not being returned to the U.S. Government.

Question 38: What if an offeror does not have any past performance experience with demil?

Answer 38: If an offeror does not have demil past performance a rating of Unknown Confidence (Neutral) will be assigned. The definition of Unknown Confidence (Neutral) is No recent/relevant performance record is available or the offerors performance record is so sparse that no meaningful confidence assessment rating can be reasonably assigned.

Question 39: What is the Small Business qualification criteria for small business set-aside? Ie: what will the Government use as the primary criteria to set-aside the CLIN?

Answer 39: Based on the responses received from the sources sought the U.S.

Government will conduct an evaluation to determine if there are at least two small business that are determined capable of meeting the requirements. IF there are at least two, the applicable CLIN Group will be set aside of Small Business. Additional Small Business reserves could be added if there is a large interest from Small Businesses for a certain CLIN Group but there is not at least two Small Businesses that were determined capable of meeting the requirements.

Question 40: Based on public information, we understand that a small business contractor was awarded a contract to Demil HC Smoke 3 years ago. That contractor has taken 2-3 years for permitting. Based on this experience and other information, we believe the government may be applying similar timelines to other proposals. However, these timelines can be vastly different per each state. Will the government consider mitigating information from state regulators about permitting timelines in their qualification criteria and risk metrics? For example: we supply a letter from the state regulators stating the timeline is significantly shorter such 8-12 months.

Answer 40: This documentation would be considered part of the technical evaluation.

Depending on the documentation provided this has the potential to exceed the contract requirements, which could be reflected as a strength for that offeror. It should be noted that any part of the proposal that provides a benefit to the U.S. Government may be incorporated into any contract resulting from this RFP.

Question 41: Can the government briefly explain how the award criteria (Lowest Price

– best value trade off Method) is different from Lowest Price Technically Acceptable as it pertains to this opportunity?

Answer 41: A Best Value procurement enables the U.S. Government to purchase technical superiority even if it means paying a premium price. Therefore, the U.S.

Government will do a trade-off analysis to determine if it is in the best interest of the U.S. Government to pay for a higher price for a higher rated proposal. Does not mean the U.S. Government will award to the lowest priced offeror. Although all prices do have to be determined fair and reasonable.

Question 42: Does the government intend to invite all proposers to provide oral presentations, or will there be a qualification or down selection process?

Answer 42: Following a cursory review that is completed to ensure each proposal is submitted in accordance with the RFP, all proposals that have meet the submission requirements will be required to complete an oral presentation. The cursory review is to ensure all required documentation was submitted and in the required format. This review is not completed on the content of the proposal.

Question 43: What impact does the Small Business Participation Rating factor into the Award?

Answer 43: As identified in M.1.3.a. of the draft RFP, Technical is the most important factor, then price, then past performance, and finally Small Business Participation.

There is no percentage or weights assigned to each factor.

Question 44: Will “Contemplation Letters” and the “Contemplation Letter” process be associated with the original contract award, or will those be associated with future orders?

Answer 44: Contemplation Letters and Order Letters as discussed in Section H of the RFP will be for future orders placed under the awarded IDIQ contract(s). However, the price evaluation spreadsheet submitted in response to the RFP will establish the not to exceed prices to be used for all future delivery orders.

Question 45: Was the previously HC Smoke contract, awarded to a small business contractor in 2015, successfully completed?

Answer 45: The U.S. Government is unable to answer this question.

Question 46: Can you provide the point of contacts for Private – Public Partnerships (P3)?

Answer 46: For P3 inquires please contact Seth Dismore at 309-782-4125 or usarmy.RIA.jmc.mbx.p3@mail.mil.

For Installation capabilities and additional contact information see https://www.jmc.army.mil/thumbnails/pdfs/JMLLCMC-4-2018-Interactive.pdf

Question 47: Can you provide a point of contact to assist with understanding the requirements of DFARS 252.204-7012, Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting?

Answer 47: Mr. Michael Robinson can be reached at 309-782-4688 if additional guidance is needed.

Question 48: Who is responsible for permitting?

Answer 48: The owner of the land is responsible for ensuring all permits are in place but the operator of the demil process would have to be identified on the permit and responsible for submitting the permit application for their process.

Question 49: Should a small business account for themselves in the proposed Small Business Participation Plan in L.3.4.1.a?

Answer 49: Yes, in accordance with L.3.4.1.a.iii, all offerors shall identify its own performance in the Small Business Participation Plan.

Question 50: Can assets be disarmed before they are shipped to contractors?

Answer 50: No, this is part of the demil process and that contractor’s responsibility.

Question 51: Can past performance evaluation be completed on an individual if the company does not have past performance?

Answer 51: At this time the U.S. Government is evaluating how / if evaluation of individuals will be utilized in any future procurements. The final RFP will provide further information on the final path forward.

NOTE: The U.S. Government is currently re-evaluating the CLIN structure based on the feedback received from Industry Day.

The revised path forward is to have oral presentations completed for the CLIN Group NOT for individual CLINs. It is anticipated that offeror’s will be allotted up to an hour per CLIN GROUP for its Technical Approach oral presentation.

Up two 1.5 hours will be allotted for CLIN Group 6, Hexachloroethane (HC) Smoke.

There are CLIN Groups with the possibility of some CLINs not being awarded.

Therefore, the U.S. Government will request the offeror’s to conduct its oral presentation (maximum of 25 slides) regarding the items identified as the Minimum Guaranteed Quantity (MGQ). An additional five slides will be allotted and presented to discuss how the CLINs that are not part of the MGQ will be processed.