W81XWH21R0019 Questions and Answers.pdf

Questions and Answers

1. RFP/SOO Reference - RFP, pg.57, Section L, 4.5. Content Requirement.

Question: The RFP states that each volume of the proposal shall consist of a Title page, Table of Contents, Summary Section, and the Narrative discussion.

Would the Government confirm whether the Offeror shall also include Summary Section for non-technical volumes:

Volume II, III and IV?

Answer: Yes

2. RFP/SOO Reference – RFP, pg. 58, Section L, 4.6.2, Content Requirement – Each file of the proposal shall consist of a Table of Contents, Summary Section, and the Narrative discussion (table of content, summary section, and narrative do not count towards the 40-page limit). The Summary Section shall contain a brief abstract of the file.

Proprietary information shall be clearly marked. The following shall be included in the Narrative discussion:

Question: There is nothing listed after the statement “The following shall be included in the Narrative discussion:”

Instead, what follows this statement is section 5 containing the detailed Volume Instructions.

Would the Government please clarify what information should follow the colon in the last sentence in 4.6.2? What is expected of the Narrative?

Answer: The instructions has been updated and the sentence “The following shall be included in the Narrative discussion:” has been removed.

3. RFP/SOO Reference – RFP, pg. 59, Transition-In Plan

Question: Is 10-day Transition-in period included in the Base Period? If not, will the Offeror need to price the 10-day Transition-In period and which Contract Line Identification Number (CLIN) should the cost be listed under?

Answer: This is included in the base period.

4. RFP/SOO Reference – RFP, pg.62, 5.4.1 Pricing Schedule

Question: The RFP states that Offerors are instructed to complete the CLINs to include Unit Price with Total price for the service and any discount terms for CLINs 0001 through 0009 to include the associated out years.

Would the Government confirm that the Offeror should submit the required Pricing Schedule by completing Section B - Supplies or Services and Prices?

Answer: The offer is to complete the pricing schedule in section B and follow the instructions 5.2 VOLUME II – Cost/Price.

5. RFP/SOO Reference – RFP, pg. 60, 5.1 Volume I – Technical, Section 3. Technical Approach, Host Nation Support Services / SOW, 6.2.8

Question: Are “host nation support services” provided by the host nation to the contract/program, or are they services to be provided by the program to the host nation (in addition to the USG)? Or both? Or something else?

Answer: Host nation services = necessary support services provided by the Host Nation subcontractors to enable the science without interruption to surveillance activities and in accordance with all Host Nation-specific policies, regulations, and laws. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring the subcontractor provides these services.

6. RFP/SOO Reference – RFP, pg. 60, 5.1 Volume I – Technical, Section 3: Technical Approach, Master Surveillance Database / SOW, 6.2.9 (Deliverable 4)

Question: Does a Master Surveillance Database exist, or must it be developed de novo by the contractor?

Answer: The Master Surveillance Database must be collated by the contractor from all of the performing laboratories. The required data is already generated by the laboratories.

7. RFP/SOO Reference – RFP, pg. 60, 5.2. Volume-Cost/Price

Question: The RFP states that the Offeror shall ensure that the information submitted in this volume is consistent with and fully supports the amounts set forth in the SF33 and continuation sheets. However, there is no block for contractor to enter the proposal amounts In the SF33 form.

(1) Would the Government clarify the amounts set forth in the SF33?

(2) Does the Government mean the continuation sheets to be the pages in Section B-Supplies or Services and Prices?

Answer: The SF33 reference is the continuation sheets Section B – Supplies or Services and prices.

8. RFP/SOO Reference – RFP, pg. 60, 5.3. VOLUME III – Past Performance. The Offeror shall submit no more than 3 references of relevant contracts within the past 3 years for its own performance.

Question: Can the Offeror provide past performance references for grants or cooperative agreements?

Answer: In accordance with the instructions, it is no more than 3 references of relevant contracts.

9. RFP/SOO Reference – Attachment 1 SOW, 4.1 Place of Performance and Work Schedule: The on-site contractor’s work week shall be the normal forty (40) hours per week, eight (8) hours per day, between the hours of 0700 and 1700; excluding vacation and sick time. The lunch period shall not exceed one-hour and shall be taken between the hours of 1200-1400.

Question: The government required subcontractors are all subject to their own HR policies and in-country labor laws. How does USG envision the contractor enforce this section’s specified lunch hour requirements if in conflict with the subcontractor organization policies or in-country labor laws?

Answer: The on-site contractor’s work week shall be the normal forty (40) hours per week, excluding vacation and sick time. The lunch period shall not exceed one-hour. Please see revised SOW language.

10. RFP/SOO Reference – Attachment 1 SOW, 4.2 Telecommuting: IAW FAR 7.108, telecommuting is permitted with prior coordination of the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). All telework will be performed using GFE, which the contractor will be accountable for through PIEE. Due to the extensive face to face interaction requirement to successfully perform tasks in this award, not all positions may be considered for telework.

Question: The government required subcontractors are all subject to their own HR policies and in-country labor laws. How does USG envision the contractor enforce/implement this coordination between the subcontractor and the COR in alignment with subcontractor HR policies and in-country labor laws?

Answer: It is the contractor’s responsibility to insure that all Telecommuting and GFE being used during telecommuting will be accountable through PIEE. The USG will provide the GFE and identify the positions that are eligible for teleworking at time of award, it is up to the Contractor to work with the Host Nation subcontractors to ensure such teleworking is permissible within their policies, or to identify an alternative means for the subcontractor to perform their required surveillance activities on site if teleworking is not permissible.

11. RFP/SOO Reference – Attachment 1 SOW, 6.2.5, Training Program (Deliverable 2) SOW, 13.3, Antiterrorism (AT) and Operations Security (OPSEC) Compliance

Question: The SOW requires program/plans for 13 listed trainings. However, 2 are also listed in the security section (13, 13.3) as not applicable (Anti-Terrorism Force Protection training – Within 90 days of start date and Operations Security (OPSEC) training – Within 90 days of start date).

(1) Since all proposed subcontractor staff are host country nationals, can you please clarify if these trainings are required?

ANSWER: AT1 and OPSEC are not required as long as host nation nationals are not using a DoD credentialed network (and none currently are).

(2) Additionally, the IATA training listed in 6.2.5 requires previous DOD approved training to be completed. Can the Government clarify the expectation for IATA training under the resultant contract?

Answer: The USG will provide the IATA training provided to select personnel as needed to ensure program compliance with DA and WRAIR safety policies.

(3) Furthermore, can more detail be provided in what is expected from the local safety brief, information assurance, and environmental awareness trainings?

Answer: The aforementioned training will be provided by the USG and may be in the form of verbal (in person or teleconference) or computer-based training. These are local training requirements for safety that are locally completed by each lab and maintained in a competency file.

12. RFP/SOO Reference – Attachment 1, SOW, 6.3. Operational Support Plan (DELIVERABLE 5); States that the contractor shall submit an Operational Support Plan to address, at a minimum but not limited to, the daily functions such as:

• Staff Support (inclusive of training plan)

• Logistics Support

• Medical Maintenance Support

• Occupational Health and Safety

• IT Support (.org)

• Financial Management

Question: As we believe IT support to this program in the past has been provided by USAMRD-A/K itself, would the government confirm if the contractor will be responsible for this support, and if so, please describe the specific areas of IT support required?

Answer: As the contract spans multiple countries, the IT network is managed differently in each country. In Kenya, the U.S. government provides a network which the contractor can operate on, so no IT support is required. However, the U.S. government does not operate a network in either Tanzania or Uganda that the contractor can use, so the contractor will be required to provide a plan detailing how the surveillance projects will be supported by a data network.

13. RFP/SOO Reference – Attachment 1 SOW, 11.4, Specific Contract Deliverables – Deliverable 13 “Participation Agreement and non-disclosure agreement”

Question: The table indicates that this deliverable needs to be submitted with offeror’s proposal as both the initial delivery and subsequent delivery.

Would the Government please clarify what needs to be delivered and when?

Answer: The initial submission is to be with proposal; the subsequent delivery is as needed.

14. RFP/SOO Reference –Attachment 1 SOW, 11.4, Specific Contract Deliverables – Deliverable 13 “Participation Agreement and non-disclosure agreement” and Attachment 9, Covered Employee Participation Agreement

Question: The table at SOW 11.4 refers to both a Participation Agreement and a non-disclosure Ag10reement. The Participation Agreement itself, on page 1, indicates “You are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement that prohibits you from disclosing non-public or proprietary information.”

Is a non-disclosure agreement required separate from the Participation Agreement? Please clarify.

Answer: A separate non-disclosure is not required the Attachment 9 services as the non-disclosure.

15. RFP/SOO Reference – Attachment 1 SOW, 21.1.1, Participation Agreements (Deliverable 13) indicates that the “Contractor shall ensure that the Participation Agreement, either A and / or B as identified in this contract, is signed by all staff assigned to or performing on each Contract before performing any work, including all subcontractors and consultants.” Emphasis added.

Question: Please clarify the references to “either A and / or B as identified in this contract”. There are no apparent references to A or B. Please clarify.

Answer: SOW 21.1.1 has been updated.

16. RFP/SOO Reference – Attachment 6 Key Personnel, Descriptions for H. Laboratory Manager, Acute Febrile and Respiratory Infections and I. Laboratory Manager, Enteric Infections

Question: At the top of the Key Personnel document (page 1) the government has identified a Lab Manager for Acute Febrile and Respiratory Infections as well as a Laboratory Manager for Enteric Infections. However, the tasks and qualifications sections below list the titles as both Laboratory Manager, Enteric Infections (Kenya) for (H. and I.).

Can you please confirm H. is the correct description for Laboratory Manager, Acute Febrile and Respiratory Infections?

Answer: Please see revised attachment 6.

17. RFP/SOO Reference – Attachment 7 Historical Level of Effort Africa Surveillance

Question: Uganda Historical Support FTEs add up to 23.30 FTEs instead of 22.80 FTEs listed in Attachment 7.

Can the Government confirm if 22.80 is the correct number?

Answer: 23.30 FTE’s, FTEs will be staffed as funding allows.

18. RFP/SOO Reference – Attachment 9, Covered Employee Participation Agreement and SOW sections 5.3 (Inherently Government Functions) and 5.4 (Functions Closely Associated with Inherently Government Functions).

Question: The first paragraph of Attachment 9 indicates that a “covered employee” is a “contractor employee or subcontractor self-employed individual performing an acquisition function that is closely associated with inherently government functions.” However, SOW sections 5.3 and 5.4 make clear that the SOW contains no services that are inherently governmental functions or closely associated with inherently governmental functions. Also, no contractor or subcontractor support staff will be performing an acquisition function on behalf of the U.S. Government.

Therefore, it would seem there would be no covered employees under the resultant contract.

Would the Government please clarify?

Answer: While there is no inherently government functions, the contractor or sub-contractor staff could have access to procurement sensitive information. Therefore this form is still applicable.

19. RFP/SOO Reference – Attachment 10: Organizational Conflict of Interest: The offeror shall provide a listing of all contracts performed for the WRAIR and any enterprise laboratories (USAMRD-G, USAMRD-A, and AFRIMS) as well as with other MRDC laboratories (i.e. U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA), the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) or MRDC) in the last three (3) years. A single-category Offeror/Contractor wishing to submit an offer in the other category, or any Offeror/Contractor which now provides or previously has provided support in both categories, must include the following as part of its offer:

• Perform a comparative analysis of the potential new work against all current and previous work performed in support of WRAIR in any category. The comparative analysis must be included in the proposal for the new work, and must include a statement certifying whether the Contractor believes that its performance of the proposed new work would create a real or apparent OCI. If the Contractor believes that no real or perceived OCI will result from an award of the proposed work, no additional action by the Contractor is required, unless the Contracting Officer specifically requests an OCI mitigation Plan.

• If the Offeror/Contractor believes that a real or apparent OCI may exist as a result of an award, the Contractor shall also submit an OCI Mitigation Plan with its proposal.

Question: With regard to the OCI requirements, can the Offeror submit the OCI requirements as an Appendix to Volume I – Technical? If not, please provide instructions as to where this information should be provided in the submission.

Answer: Yes, the OCI can be submitted as an Appendix to Volume I

20. RFP/SOO Reference – Miscellaneous: List of Acronyms

Question: If the Offeror include a List of Acronyms, would it count against the page limits?

Answer: Yes; a list of Acronyms can be provided and will not count towards page limits.