B08 Attachment 9 AFRIMS Entomology RFP QUESTIONS and Responses.pdf

AFRIMS Entomology RFP QUESTIONS (submit to Ms. Jaclyn P. Svincek, jaclyn.p.svincek.civ@mail.mil) – 10am, Wed., 7/14

Reference: Question: Response

1. RFP, pg.3, Available and Allotted

Funds The RFP states that the Base Contract is not funded. Funds will be allotted on Task Orders written against this contract. But the PWS requires a Project Manager (key personnel) for the base contract.

Would the Government confirm the funding source for the Project Manager, base contract, or task orders?

All funding will be allotted to Task Orders placed under the Base IDIQ. The Base IDIQ will not be funded. The PWS has been revised to reflect that Key Personnel will be identified at the task order level.

2. RFP, pg. 17, 3. Offer Content and Page Limitations, “Each volume of the proposal shall consist of a Title page, Table of Contents, Summary Section and the Narrative discussion.”

Please explain what the government expects of the Narrative Discussion?

The word Narrative Discussion has been removed from this section of the RFP.

3. RFP, pg. 17, b. Offer Questions and c.

Offer due date.

The solicitation references “EST” – we assume this is a typographical error. Does the Government mean, “EDT?”

Not a typographical error. EST is for (Eastern Standard Time)

4. RFP, pg. 18, c Format, “Exhibits, graphs, charts, captions, etc. shall be no smaller than Times New Roman font 10 pitch.”

Does this 10 point font requirement include headers and footers or can headers/footers be in a smaller font?

Headers/footers shall be no smaller than Times New Roman Font 10 pitch as they fall under the etc of “Exhibits, graphs, charts, captions, etc. shall be no small than Times New Roman font 10 pitch.”

5. RFP, pg. 18, Instruction for Business and Cost/Price Proposal (Volume 1)

The RFP states that the Offeror’s cost/price proposal shall include a cost breakdown by labor categories and rates, indirect rates, other direct costs and proposed profit, statement of the methodology, and assumptions utilized as the basis for costs proposed for the required services.

Are offerors allowed to add a supplemental sheet to Attachment 3 or will the Government provide a copy?

Yes, offerors are allowed to add a supplemental sheet to Attachment 3.

mailto:jaclyn.p.svincek.civ@mail.mil

6. Pg. 20, iii. Past Performance (Volume

3), (3) Section 3 – Subcontracts, “This section will further include written consent of subcontractors to allow the disclosure of their subcontractor’s past performance information to the Offeror.”

Does the written consent to disclose subcontractor past performance count toward the page limit?

Written consent to disclose subcontract past performance will not count toward the page limit. See revisions to instructions.

7. RFP Pg. 20-21 List of POCs sent Past Performance Questionnaire

The RFP asks for the following fields in the table populated with a List of POCs that were sent Past Performance Questionnaires. “The POC List shall be submitted in Word for Windows Table Format to include the following fields: Solicitation Number;

Company Name; Contract Number; etc.”

The first field in the table is Solicitation Number. Contract number is also a field requested in the table. Is the Solicitation number in this case “W81XWH21R0057”? If not, is the solicitation number for the past performance citation?

The solicitation number is

W81XWH21R0057.

8. PWS, pg. 10, Section 6.2.14, “Provide Tick and tick-borne pathogen technical scientific support surveillance if needed by project and samples cannot be exported.”

The subsequent instructions related to Ectoparasite and Ectoparasite-borne pathogen, rodent and rodent-borne pathogen, mosquito and mosquito-borne pathogen, and sand fly and sand fly-borne pathogen technical scientific support do not include the limitation, “surveillance if needed by project and samples cannot be exported.”

Is it the government’s intention that tick and tick-borne pathogen technical scientific support be implemented differently from the technical scientific support for the other identified categories?

Tick and Tick-Borne Pathogen Surveillance and Collection is section 6.2.2.1 in current PWS. That statement is not in any of the subsections 6.2.2.1.1 – 6.2.2.1.12.

9. The PWS provides, “6.2.12 Sand fly and sand fly-borne pathogen technical scientific support,” immediately following, “6.2.17.”

Is 6.2.12 a typo meant to be 6.2.18? (The number 6.2.12 actually occurs twice in the list of PWS tasks and sub-tasks.)

Correct. “6.2.12 Sand fly and sand fly-borne” is a typo and has been corrected to be 6.2.18 within the PWS.

10. PWS, pg.3, 5.2. Federal Holidays Will the Government add Juneteenth to list of Federal Holidays?

The PWS has been amended to include Juneteenth

11. PWS, pg. 35, Section 16.5, “The Contractor shall ensure that the Participation Agreement, either A and / or B as identified on each award, is signed by all staff assigned to or performing on each award before performing any work, including all subcontractors and consultants.”

Please provide a copy of the Participation Agreement, and also please clarify what is meant by the reference to A or B.

Attachment 7 Participation Agreement has been added to Solicitation. PWS section 16.5, Organizational Conflict of Interest has been updated.

12. PWS, Attachment 2 Where in the proposal does the government want bidders to include the OCI documents?

Do the OCI documents count toward the page limit in the section the government identifies?

The OCI documents should be provided in Volume 1 Business and Cost Proposal.

13. PWS, Attachment 2, pg. 46, “Contractors shall sign a Non- Disclosure Agreement at the start of their performance on the contract.”

Is the Non-Disclosure Agreement referenced here different from the Participation Agreement referenced in Section 16.5 of the PWS? If they are not the same, please provide a copy of the Non-Disclosure Agreement template.

The non-disclosure agreement is contained in the Participation Agreement.

14. PWS, Attachment 2, pg. 48, “Upon award the Contractor agrees that it will provide timely OCI training to all employees and subcontractor employees working on this effort, which will include emphasis on how work performed by Contractor employees (either prime Contractor, subcontractor, or other teaming partners) under one WRAIR OCI category can exclude the

Since the responsibility of training employees typically rests most appropriately with their employer, we assume that this training requirement for subcontractor employees would be met by the Contractor obtaining assurances from its subcontractors that they have provided such training to their employees. Please confirm this understanding.

Yes, concurred

Contractor as well as its teaming partners from performing related tasks under a different OCI category of work.” (emphasis added)

15. PWS 6.10.2 “Key Personnel Position Title: Project Manager” And PWS 13.2.1 “The contractor shall designate a single Program Manager”.

Please clarify the difference between the Project Manager and Program Manager.

They are equivalent. Note: Key Personnel is section 10 and Contractor Program Manager is section 13.3.1

16. List of Acronyms Can the Offeror include a List of Acronyms as an attachment to Volume 2? If so, would this count toward the page limit?

Yes, the Offeror can include a List of Acronyms and will not be counted toward to the page limit. The Instructions to offerors has been updated accordingly.

17. B08-3 Attachment Pricing Sheet V2 What are the required labor categories and levels of effort for Base IDIQ?

Each task order issued will identify the Governments specific requirements to include any estimated level of efforts. The Base IDIQ is to establish pricing for the potential services required to include the labor categories. CLIN 0001 and Ordering Periods for CLIN 0001 identify the Labor Categories to be priced in Attachment 3.

18. B08-3 Attachment Pricing Sheet V2 Please provide the work locations for the required labor categories.

Please refer to PWS Section 5.1 Work Locations. These primary work locations have been added to the pricing sheet from section 5.1.

19. B08-3 Attachment Pricing Sheet V2 Will the proposed labor rates be the ceiling rates for the same labor categories proposed at the task orders under this IDIQ contract?

The Base IDIQ established the ceiling rates for the potential requirements of the Government.

20. B08-3 Attachment Pricing Sheet V2 Which positions among the local hires does the government require? For pricing purposes, which country shall contractors use for the labor rates of the local hires?

Local hires will predominately cover the project Subject Matter Experts or the occasional need for specialized services, for example, local hunters in areas where rodents may be caught and sold for food. Pricing is to be based on projects in the locations specified in section 5.1 of the PWS.

In the labor category sheet, the local hire has been defined.

21. B08-3 Attachment Pricing Sheet V2 What labor categories, levels of effort, and languages shall contractors use for the budget proposals for the Translation Services?

The labor category is Translator. The levels of effort required will be determined at the Task Order level. The languages the contractor shall use are based upon the projects specified in the section 5.1 of the PWS.

Translation services must be sufficient to allow the Program Management to provide accurate verbal or written communication/reports between the local PI and AFRIMS personnel/COR, as well as, any documents necessary to submit invoices in an English based web service.

22. B08-3 Attachment Pricing Sheet V2 What are the specific cost items to price under CLIN 0003-Technical Scientific Support?

See CLIN 0003 on pricing sheet, each service is listed.

23. B08-3 Attachment Pricing Sheet V2 Are the plug numbers provided for Materials and Other Direct Cost applied before contractor burdens? If so, is the Offeror allowed to modify the template to apply its burdens in accordance with the offeror’s accounting system and Forward Pricing Rate Agreement(s)?

See CLIN 0002 on the pricing sheet it does contain the plug in numbers for Materials and ODC’s. The ODCs shall be on a cost reimbursable basis. Costs are defined as the purchase price of materials or service plus General and Administrative charges (G&A) or material and handling charges (M&H).

The offeror can modify the template to apply G&A or M&H charges.

24. B08-3 Attachment Pricing Sheet V2 Can Offerors add suggested labor categories on the pricing sheet template? Can Offerors remove suggested labor categories on the pricing sheet template?

Please see CLIN 0001 in attachment 3 it does have a section that states: “Other Suggested Labor Categories: (If Necessary)” Do not remove the suggested labor categories on the pricing sheet.

25. B08-3 Attachment Pricing Sheet V2 Can Offerors add ODC items that are not included on the plug numbers the Government provides?

No the Offeror can not add ODC items that are not included in the plug numbers.

26. Due date Will the government extend the due date 2 weeks to provide Offerors time to respond to clarifications on the pricing requirements?

The Government extended the due date to August 16, 2021 via Amendment 0004.

27. Attachment 3 pricing sheet CLIN 0001 Labor: FTE's / Total Hours

Given the varying levels of effort described in the PWS, will the government be providing a sample task order with locations and position description for personnel to assist in developing the pricing, number of FTEs, and Total hours. Alternatively, will the government require a unit price only for the IDIQ vehicle and determine the quantity at the TO level? Please note that either approach will require Labor Category descriptions and location(s).

Our initial ask will be for IDIQ vehicle (Program Management services) plus 1 TO covering our current work in Mongolia.

The Government will not be providing a sample Task Order. The pricing sheet has been revised to reflect all potential requirements per the locations identified in section 5.1 of the PWS. Labor category descriptions have been provided in Amendment 0004.

28. N/A N/A

Is there going to be a task order awarded at the time the base award is awarded? Is there going to be a standalone PMO task order or will they be imbedded in the separate technical task orders?

First task order will be awarded in FY22.

29. PWS Attachment 2 Organizational Conflict of Interest

Will the government confirm that the OCI certification should be included as an annex to Volume I: business and cost/price proposal?

Yes, Concur, OCI should Certification should be included as an annex to Volume I

30. 2.d / 3.c All of the proposal files shall be separate uploads in their native format, i.e. doc, xls, Adobe etc. Files shall be in read-only format.

/ A Table of Contents should be created using the Table of Content feature in MS Word. MS Word (doc) files shall use the following page setup parameters:

All of the proposal files shall be separate uploads in their native format, i.e. doc, xls, Does the government want Volumes II and III in PDF format or Word format? Or both?

31. 3.d.iii

The Offeror shall also submit the written consent of its subcontractors (excluding those identified above in Section 1) to allow the disclosure of its subcontractor’s past performance information to the Offeror.

To which Section 1 does this refer? Which subcontractors do not require written consent to disclose their past performance information to the offeror?

Solicitation amended “(excluding those identified above in Section 1)” has been removed

32. 3.d.iii

In addition, letters of commitment shall be included for all subcontractors for their past performance to be considered.

Can the government confirm that these are also not included in the page count along with the letters of consent?

Yes these are not included in the page count.

See revisions in the instructions.

33. 3.d.iii

This volume shall be organized into the following sections: (1) Section 1 – Contract Descriptions. […] (2) Section 2 – Performance.; […] (3) Section 3 – Subcontracts. […] (4) Past Performance Questionnaire.

Will the government confirm that the past performance questionnaires should only be sent from the client directly to USAMRAA and should not be included in the past

Yes, the Past Performance Questionnaires need to come directly from the Past Performance Reference.

performance volume? Additionally, will the government alter the current pdf to ensure that the PPQ is a fillable form (currently not the case)?

34. Attachment 3 pricing sheet

CLIN 0001 Labor

Does the rate for the drivers in the pricing sheet include only the hourly rate for the driver or does it include all the costs associated with transportation of samples, including fuel and vehicle maintenance?

The cost for the driver are specifically for labor. Cost associated with specimen transportation and shipping of samples, to include fuel and vehicle maintenance are Other Direct Costs.