Contractor_Questions25Jun-2Jul.pdf

Contractor Questions Submitted 25 June -2 July

QUESTION ANSWER

1 The page numbering in this entire file is incorrect and confusing (i.e., the first 8 pages of the PWS is numbered as page 1). Can the government kindly correct the numbering scheme in this file?

The PWS will be renumbered.

2 The ODC CLIN (0002) lists the following items to be paid under this CLIN: (1) airfare from origin to El Paso, Texas to attend a one-week pre-deployment training and in-processing at CRC (CONUS Replacement Center) at Fort Bliss, Texas); (2) airfare back to origin from El Paso, Texas after re-deployment from Afghanistan;

(3) round-trip airfare from Afghanistan for one 30-day R&R per contract performance period;

(4) bonus no more than $5000; (5) PPE. Can the government please confirm that hotel accommodations, ground transportation and labor hours (wages) for the staff attending CRC will also be paid under the ODC CLIN?

Base Billets, DFAC and transportation are included, so they should not be cost included under ODC or anywhere else in the offerors price proposal.

3 In section C.1.5. QUALITY CONTROL it states that an initial, overview Quality Control Plan (QCP) shall be submitted with the contractor’s proposal for the contract. However, there is no requirement or page count referenced in Section L for this requirement. Can the government please clarify whether this draft QC plan is required at the time of the proposal submission and the requirement for the page count?

Draft QC plan is required at the time of proposal submission, no page limit.

Can the government please clarify which set of instructions to use for the proposal submission, RFP Section L starting on page 94 of 116 or the second file titled W5J9JE18R0012_Evaluation_Criteria_Rev19Jun

Evaluation Criteria Rev19Jun is not the latest File. Section L of the RFP should be used. You are to follow the latest Files posted to FBO.gov. The latest file is Amendment 0001.

The Entire Solicitation, capturing amendment 0001, has been posted today to assist you.

5 As it pertains to mobilization, can the contractor propose personnel who are currently in theatre and have already gone through CRC or would the contractor personnel be required to go through CRC again for this contract?

Yes, you can propose personnel who are currently in theatre and have already gone through CRC. There is no requirement to complete CRC again.

6 In section C.1.4 CONTRACTOR KEY PERSONNEL it states the contractor shall ensure an equivalently trained, qualified and certified replacement is officially assigned when the Lead SA and Lead NA are gone for absences beyond five (5) days. The 5 day timeline for personnel replacement is unrealistic and unreasonable against the liquidated damages and ELIN Unit Price deductions requirements. In no event would the contractor or its personnel would know in advance of how long they would be sick, ill or even worst, if they have to leave due to family emergencies. We kindly request that the government either remove the 5 day requirement or extend the timeline to something that is more reasonable.

This requirement is for scheduled absences (e.g. R&R, training) not unscheduled (sick, ill or even worst). It also doesn't require the contractor to bring someone in to cover, If they have a suitable replacement on contract that person can be used.

7 Item 1.e on page 77 states “Undeliverable emails due to an offeror’s proposal size is not the responsibility of the Government” Would the Government specify the email attachment maximum size limitation that your email server would accept?

20M

8 Item 1.e on page 77 states “All proposals must be submitted via email or AMRDEC Safe to nikisha.w.cook@usace.army.mil and mary.j.harding@usace.army.mil.”

Notes to Offerors Page 2 of 86 states “DUE

DATE FOR PROPOSALS IS EXTENDED TO 10 JULY

2018. PROPOSALS MUST BE SENT VIA AMRDEC

TO NIKISHA.W.COOK@USACE.ARMY.MIL and

ERICA.J.TAYLOR@USACE.ARMY.MIL”

Would the Government confirm that email submissions are acceptable and list the email addresses of the recipients?

Email submissions are acceptable as well as

AMRDEC

https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/Default.a spx

Recipients: nikisha.w.cook@usace.army.mil mary.j.harding@usace.army.mil erica.j.taylor@usace.army.mil and DLL- CETAA-Contracting@usace.army.mil

9 Question: Item 1.a on page 76 states “The offeror’s proposal shall be in an Adobe Acrobat portable document format (PDF), (A4 or letter size), using at a minimum a 12-pitch font, front and back equal two pages”

a. Would the Government specify the font type (Times New Roman and or Arial)?

b. Would the Government specify the minimum font type and size for graphics and tables?

a. Times New Roman and or Arial are acceptable

b. Standard

c. Standard https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/Default.aspx https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/Default.aspx mailto:nikisha.w.cook@usace.army.mil mailto:mary.j.harding@usace.army.mil mailto:erica.j.taylor@usace.army.mil mailto:DLL-CETAA-Contracting@usace.army.mil mailto:DLL-CETAA-Contracting@usace.army.mil

c. Would the Government specify the minimum margin requirements for the pages?

10 Note 5 states “The price of this 6-month option shall be 50% of the offeror’s Option Year 4 price of CLIN 4001 if all 6 months are exercised at the end of Option Year 4”.

Would the Government confirm our assumption that Note 5 should state “The price of this 6-month option shall be 50% of the offeror’s Option Year 4 price for CLINs 4001 through 4016 if all 6 months are exercised at the end of Option Year 4?”

Correct, The price of this 6-month option shall be 50% of the offeror’s Option Year 4 price for CLINs 4001 through 4016 if all 6 months are exercised at the end of Option Year 4

11 Would the Government confirm our assumption:

a. BASE PERIOD + 4 OPTION YEARS TOTAL is for

Labor CLINs only?

b. 6 MONTHS OF SERVICE AS AN OPTION

PURSUANT TO FAR 52.217-8 (CLIN 0004)

shall be computed at 50% of CLINs 4001 through 4016?

a. Correct, Labor CLINS only

b. Correct, 6 months of service as an

Option Pursuant to FAR 52.217-8 (CLIN 0004) shall be computed at 50% of CLINs 40001 through 4016.

12 ODCs will be paid under this CLIN: (1) airfare from origin to El Paso, Texas to attend a one-week pre-deployment training and in-processing at CRC (CONUS Replacement Center) at Fort Bliss, Texas); (2) airfare back to origin from El Paso, Texas after re-deployment from Afghanistan; (3) round-trip airfare from Afghanistan for one 30-day R&R per contract performance period; (4) bonus no more than $5000; (5) PPE(6) In addition to other ODCs:

1. Is airfare from CRC to theater provided by CRC via Milair with the ETP exception letter signed by the contracting officer?

2. CRC is authorized to provide PPE to contractors, is this an option or is the contractor required to arrive at CRC with all the listed PPE? CRC site does not list the required PPE to arrive with.

3. Is the R&R airfare to be assumed to be commercial airfare?

1. MilAir from CRC to Afghanistan.

2. PPE is provided by CRC. All Gear Including Chemical. This is not an option

3. Yes

4. MilAir

4. If a person is departing theater and returning to CRC for out processing, is this flight via Milair or commercial?

13 The minimum qualifications listed in Technical Exhibit 4 for the PM, Lead NA, Lead SA, and Lead Help Desk Technician differs from the qualifications listed in section L, page 96. Can the government please clarify which descriptions should be used to qualify the key personnel?

Correct, Technical Exhibit 4 for the PM, Lead NA, Lead SA and Lead Help Desk Technician are Performance requirements under the Solicitation. The information listed under Sub Factor 2 – Key Personnel is what we are evaluating.

14 Technical Exhibit 4 lists minimum training requirements for Inside/Outside Plant but there is no ECLIN in attachment C to provide pricing for this position. Can the government provide additional clarification if this is positions to be filled and priced or should it be omitted?

The Inside/Outside Plant experience is not a separate FT position. The experience should be met with one or more of the other positions (eg: Network Admin).

15 In response to question # 43, the government states that the Section L Proposal Adequacy Checklist Pages 106 – 111 of 116. FAR 252.215- 7009 Proposal Adequacy Checklist states is "Required, if asked for Certified Cost and Pricing Data". However, in response to question # 70, the government states "The Clause is 52.215-

10. The contracting officer shall, when contracting by negotiation, insert the clause at 52.215-10, Price Reduction for Defective Certified Cost or Pricing Data, in solicitations and contracts when it is contemplated that certified cost or pricing data will be required from the contractor or any subcontractor (see 15.403-4). The Government is not asking for certified cost and price data at proposal submission. The clause states when it is contemplated." Are the contractors required to complete and submit the FAR 252.215-7009 Proposal Adequacy Checklist as part of its proposal submission? Yes or no please.

No

16 In response to our question, "Can the government please clarify which set of instructions to use for the proposal submission, RFP Section L starting on page 94 of 116 or the second file titled W5J9JE18R0012_Evaluation_Criteria_Rev19Jun ?" the government stated that "The latest file is Amendment 0001, which includes the updated Evaluation Criteria. The Entire Solicitation, capturing amendment 0001, has been posted today to assist you." However, Amendment

Full Solicitation attached with amendment changes. NOTE: If we did not update a section it does not come up in the amendment. Amendments only track changes made to a section.

0001 does not contain section M, Evaluation Criteria. Can the government please update the RFP to include section M?

17 In response to Question # 10, the government states that "Contractor has to be registered in SAM and have a valid AISA license." Will the cost of the AISA license fall under the ODC

CLIN?

AISA Requirement will be deleted from this requirement in the next amendment.

18 In response to question # 43, the government states that the Section L Proposal Adequacy Checklist Pages 106 – 111 of 116. FAR 252.215- 7009 Proposal Adequacy Checklist states is "Required, if asked for Certified Cost and Pricing Data". However, in response to question # 70, the government states "The Clause is 52.215-

10. The contracting officer shall, when contracting by negotiation, insert the clause at 52.215-10, Price Reduction for Defective Certified Cost or Pricing Data, in solicitations and contracts when it is contemplated that certified cost or pricing data will be required from the contractor or any subcontractor (see 15.403-4). The Government is not asking for certified cost and price data at proposal submission. The clause states when it is contemplated." Are the contractors required to complete and submit the FAR 252.215-7009 Proposal Adequacy Checklist as part of its proposal submission? Yes or no please.

No

19 In solicitation section C.1.5, it states “An initial, overview Quality Control Plan (QCP) shall be submitted with the contractor’s proposal for the contract.” Can the Government clarify if Offerors should provide an initial QCP with our proposal submission? If so, in what section should it be included and is there a page limit?

See Response for Question 3 above.

20 We appreciate the proposal deadline extension to 1800 HRS, Local Kabul Time, on 10 July 2018 that was provided with Amendment 0001.

Given the Independence Day federal holiday and extensive personnel travel at this time of year, would the Government consider a two week extension to July 24, 2018?

The Government proposal due date will not be extended beyond 10 July 2018, 1800 HRS, local Kabul time.

21 In some locations the solicitation states that submissions should go to Nikisha Cook and Mary Harding and others state Nikisha Cook

See Response for Question 8 above.

and Erica Taylor. Please confirm the correct points-of-contact for submission via AMRDEC.

22 Can the Government clarify if there are any restrictions on margin size? Normally Offerors use 1 inch margins but can place information in the headers and footers.

1 inch margins are acceptable.

23 Can the Government clarify if Offerors can use a reduced font size (i.e. 10 point font) for graphics and tables?

The Government will accept the reduce font sizes for graphics, tables, factor submission etc.

24 In solicitation Section L within Submittal Requirements for Factor 1, (f) requests an “organization chart of company principals with their job titles.” Can the Government clarify if this should just be executive leadership of the company rather than any project personnel?

This should just be executive leadership of the Company only.

25 In solicitation Section L within Submittal Requirements for Factor 1, (g) requests an “history and background, qualifications, list of clients and experience information of the partner company, if offeror is a Joint Venture team.” Can the Government clarify if this information should only be provided if the Offeror is a Joint Venture?

This information is only for a Joint Venture.

26 Per the response to Question 43, can the Government confirm that the Proposal Adequacy Checklist should be included within Volume II Price?

No Proposal Adequacy Checklist is due at the time of Proposal Submission.

27 Can the government clarify if resumes should be submitted as separate documents in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, per Section L.2 Submittal Requirements, or if individual resumes are to be included in the Key Personnel section in a comprehensive Technical Volume?

Resumes should be included under Sub Factor 2- Key Personnel Section, Technical Volume.

28 Amendment 1 - Q&A #18 PWS C.5.3 States “Mobilization costs incurred specifically for the replacement of contract personnel already in theater are the responsibility of the contractor”. Does this apply only to replacement personnel due to lack of retention/turn over? Or is it extended to temporary personnel who are required to be deployed to replace key personnel outlined in

PWS C.1.4?

C.1.4 Temporary replacement employees that are In-Country for less than 30 days are not required to go through CRC.

Billeting, DFAC, CAC, MWR, Transportation and Travel to Afghanistan/Kuwait is MILAIR;

are provided by CRC.

Salary already paid through Direct Labor.

(1) airfare from origin to El Paso, Texas to attend a one-week pre-deployment training and in-processing at CRC (CONUS

Government Response - "The cost is the responsibility of the contractor in both mentioned cases."

Can you provide further clarification as follows:

Does this cost include attending CRC? There is a reasonable expectation that there will be staff turnover during a 64-month Period of performance; we cannot commit personnel for more than one-year at a time, while awaiting funding for option years. The government also requires backup personnel in C.1.4 and these required staff members are not entitled to CRC and mobilization. If the contractor is responsible for all mobilization cost associated with staff replacement and backup personnel, what is the cost to the contractor to attend CRC? Does the contractor apply these anticipated costs in the ODC area?

Replacement Center) at Fort Bliss, Texas); (2) airfare back to origin from El Paso, Texas after re-deployment from Afghanistan; (3) round-trip airfare from Afghanistan for one 30-day R&R per contract performance period, are paid under ODCs