Attachment_0020-Response_to_Amendment_0003_Questions.docx

QUESTIONS RECEIVED 16 JUNE 2017

1. Reference: Attachment 0010- Sample Order III Statement of Objectives (SOO) Amendment 0003 - Dated 8 June 2017 - Page 1, Section 1.0, regarding Technical Realism.

Question: Is this effort an integration of existing components of the High Performance Rotor System Assembly with supporting design effort or is it a more substantial technology development effort?

Response: The effort is not an integration of existing components. Instead, as indicated in Attachment 0010, Sample Order III, Statement of Objectives, High Performance Rotor System Assembly for UH-60L, dated 8 June 2017, Paragraph 1.0 – Purpose, the effort is to analyze, design, develop, and fabricate two prototype high performance rotor system assemblies and integrate one high performance rotor system prototype onto an existing aircraft for flight testing.

2. Reference: Attachment 0010- Sample Order III Statement of Objectives (SOO) Amendment 0003 - Dated 8 June 2017 Page 1, Section 2.0; Page 2, Section 4.1; Technical Paper, regarding Technical Realism.

Question: If this is an integration effort, will the Government provide the required components and technical data necessary as GFE/GFI upon award to complete the requirements of SOO paragraph 1.0?

Response: As noted above, the effort is not an integration of existing components.

3. Reference: Attachment 0010- Sample Order III Statement of Objectives (SOO) Amendment 0003 - Dated 8 June 2017 - Page 1, Section 2.0; Page 2, Section 4.1; Technical Paper, regarding Technical Realism.

Question: If the Government is unable to provide the proprietary components and technical data requested in Question 2, will the Government provide the technical support from the OEMs as Government Furnished Material and Services to all of the offerors?

Response: As noted above, the effort is not an integration of existing components. The Government will not provide any support from OEMs.

4. Reference: Attachment 0010- Sample Order III Statement of Objectives (SOO) Amendment 0003 - Dated 8 June 2017 - Page 1, Section 2.0; Page 2, Section 4.1; Technical Paper, regarding Technical Realism.

Question: If this is a technology development effort, specific requirements would need to be met for the contractor to complete a technical proposal. As provided, the technical paper is not a build to print design and would require significant technical interchanges with those contractors. The technical paper contains references to existing patents for components previously developed. Additionally, no information was provided as to the intellectual property issues that might be involved in the technologies. The contractor would need unrestricted access to all technical data and analytical models of the UH-60L relevant to the integration of the HPRSA. Will the Government provide the required technical data as GFI to complete the technical proposal?

Response: For the purposes and requirements of the Sample Order III SOO, the Government will not provide technical data as GFI. As indicated in Attachment 0010, Sample Order III, Statement of Objectives, High Performance Rotor System Assembly for UH-60L, dated 8 June 2017, Paragraph 4.1, the technical paper was provided for information purposes only.

5. Reference: Attachment 0010- Sample Order III Statement of Objectives (SOO) Amendment 0003 - Dated 8 June 2017 - Page 1, Section 2.0; Page 2, Section 4.1; Technical Paper, regarding Cost Realism and Schedule Realism.

If the Government is unable to provide either the proprietary components/technical data, or the technical support from the OEMs, the offerors would be required to go direct to the contractors in the technical paper or their competitors. The support of these companies could be substantial in cost. (Please note that this sample task will not be awarded and the preliminary indications are that the companies in the technical paper will be unwilling to spend their Bid and Proposal dollars given the substantial expenditure to support multiple PIF offerors for an effort that will not be awarded to them.) This also would require any offeror to execute non-disclosure agreements due to the intellectual property considerations to obtain the necessary and significant technical information in order to provide a complete technical and cost proposal for this task.

Question: Does the Government acknowledge that there would be significant limitations in the quality of the offerors’ proposals without the cooperation and input of the contractors contained in the technical paper?

Response: The Government acknowledges that this is a sample order. As indicated in RFP, Section L-18.D.2.a., Offerors shall present a Sample Order Execution Plan (SOEP), inclusive of a Statement of Work (SOW) that is compliant with the Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) level SOW in response to the Sample Order Statement of Objectives. Among other criteria identified in the RFP, Section M-3.D.1., states “the Government will assess the extent to which the Offeror possesses clear understanding of the technical areas delineated in the solicitation and sample orders, the Offeror’s overall conceptual approach for accomplishing the technical requirements of the effort, and the extent to which uncertainties are identified and resolutions proposed.”

6. Reference: Attachment 0010- Sample Order III Statement of Objectives (SOO) Amendment 0003 - Dated 8 June 2017 - Page 1, Section 2.0; Page 2, Section 4.1; Technical Paper, regarding Schedule Realism.

a. Question: It is clear that no PIF contractor will have the complete set of necessary technical expertise in-house if this is a more substantial technology development effort. There are two parts to this question. Does the Government acknowledge that the FAR requirements would require the PIF contractor to compete the efforts that it could not do in house in the absence of a source direction or an approved sole source subcontract(s)?

Response: The Government acknowledges that this is a sample order. For purposes of this sample order with respect to subcontractors, please follow the instructions in Section L-18.D.3.d. Any subcontractor effort will be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria in Section M-3.D.3. Specifically, Section M-3.D.3, states “the cost/price volume will be reviewed for compliance with the requirements specified in Section L of the solicitation.”

As indicated in RFP, Section L-18.D.2.a., Offerors shall present a SOEP, inclusive of a SOW that is compliant with the IDIQ level SOW in response to the Sample Order SOO. Among other criteria identified in the RFP, Section M-3.D.1., states “the Government will assess the extent to which the Offeror possesses clear understanding of the technical areas delineated in the solicitation and sample orders, the Offeror’s overall conceptual approach for accomplishing the technical requirements of the effort, and the extent to which uncertainties are identified and resolutions proposed.”

b. Question: The amount of this effort would be substantial and is a significantly different task than an integration activity to mature an existing high performance rotor system assembly technology. In order to provide a complete technical proposal, considerable additional time beyond July 5th would be necessary to define the total technical solution and propose an independent development solution. Will the Government allow additional time to propose to be determined when the necessary subcontractors respond to the offerors?

Response: The Sample Order III revised proposal will be received in the depository located in Building 5400, West Entrance until 3:00 PM CST on 5 July 2017.

7. Reference: Attachment 0010- Sample Order III Statement of Objectives (SOO) Amendment 0003 - Dated 8 June 2017 - Page 1, Section 2.0; Page 2, Section 4.1; Technical Paper, regarding Technical Realism.

Question: Even if offerors receive additional time, they are unlikely to receive the necessary technical and cost information from contractors (like those in the technical paper) for a sample task that will not be awarded. If the information is unavailable, will the Government restructure the requirement?

Response: No. The Government acknowledges that this is a sample order. As indicated in Attachment 0010, Sample Order III, Statement of Objectives, High Performance Rotor System Assembly for UH-60L, dated 8 June 2017, Paragraph 4.1, the technical paper was provided for information purposes only. In accordance with RFP, Section L-18.D.2.a., Offerors shall present a SOEP, inclusive of a SOW that is compliant with the IDIQ level SOW in response to the Sample Order SOO. Among other criteria identified in the RFP, Section M-3.D.1., states “the Government will assess the extent to which the Offeror possesses clear understanding of the technical areas delineated in the solicitation and sample orders, the Offeror’s overall conceptual approach for accomplishing the technical requirements of the effort, and the extent to which uncertainties are identified and resolutions proposed.”

8. Reference: Page 2 of Amendment 0003, Section 3, As a result of the revised Sample Order III SOO, the Offeror shall submit a revised proposal for Sample Order III. The revised proposal for Sample Order III will be comprised of Volume II Section 5 and Volume III, Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) Sample Order III Cost Proposal for Sample Order III SOO ONLY. Section 3.e. The Offeror shall submit one original revised proposal accompanied by a Digital Versatile Disc-Recordable (DVD-R) with an electronic version of the volume's contents. The disc shall contain the same information as the hard-copy volume.

a. Question: Is the Offeror correct to assume that we are to only submit Volume II Sample Order III technical proposal and Volume III, Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) Sample Order III Cost Proposal for Sample Order III SOO ONLY (including any misc pages impacted), and the entire versions of Volume II and Volume III electronically? If not, please clarify.

b. Question: When submitting revisions based on the Amendment instructions, shall we submit only the modified sections: Volume II Section 5, and Volume III Section 9 SO III Price Proposal for the original revised proposal and DVD? Or do we need to resubmit each volume in its entirety?

Response: The Offeror shall not resubmit the entire proposal. The Offeror shall submit the revised pages of Volume II and Volume III as one hardcopy with one accompanying DVD. In accordance with the instructions referenced in Amendment 0003, the Offeror’s submission will be comprised of Volume II Section 5 and Volume III - Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) Sample Order III Cost Proposal for Sample Order III Statement of Objectives (SOO) ONLY. No proposal revisions other than Volume II Section 5 and Volume III - CPFF Sample Order III Cost Proposal for Sample Order III SOO, and supporting cost information will be accepted by the Government.