HTASC_Solicitation_Amend0001_QA.docx

HTASC W900KK-17-R-0014-0001 Solicitation Q&A Huachuca Training and Support Contract (HTASC) Solicitation W900KK-17-R-0014-0001 Industry Questions and Government Answers

NOTE: information provided within this Q&A is for informational purposes only and is subject to change; the solicitation will contain all official information.

L.3 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS.

Reference: Section L.3.3. Proposal Due Date.

Question: Will the Government consider an alternative due date given Hurricane Irma circumstances?

Answer: Yes; the Government has extended the proposal due date to Monday, 18 September 2017, 11:00AM EDT; section L.3.3 has been updated along with the SF33; the coordination requirement listed at L.3.6 has been changed to one business day in advance (instead of two). The Government will continue to monitor Hurricane Irma and may make changes to delivery due date/time/procedures if deemed necessary.

L.4 PROPOSAL FORMAT.

Reference: Section L.4.2 says “Each page will include…solicitation number (and amendment, if applicable).”

Question: Can the Government please confirm how exactly they would like the amendment to be numbered? Example: W900KK-17-R-0014-0001?

Answer: There are no specific instructions/requirements as to how to present the amendment number; yes, W900KK-17-R-0014-0001, is one example.

L.5 PROPOSAL STRUCTURE.

Reference: Section L.5 and L.6.1.3 Standard Form (SF) 33.

Question: The Compliance Matrix requires that the SF 30 for each applicable amendment be signed and returned as part of the SF 33 section. However, the page limit for the SF 33 section is 1 in L.5. We request that the page count for the SF 33 section be increased to allow the SF 30 for any amendment.

Answer: Proposal Structure Table at L.5 has been updated to increase the page limit to account for SF 33s and provide clarity.

VOLUME I: GENERAL.

Reference: Section L.6.1.8.

Question: Can the Government confirm that subcontractors are not required to submit the entire Volume I, just the Total Compensation Plan?

Answer: Yes, subcontractors are NOT required to submit the entire Volume I; IAW L.6.1.8: “If the prime cannot submit subcontractor information related to the Total Compensation Plan due to proprietary data issues (i.e. fringe benefit details), subcontractors’ information may be provided directly to the Government separately (reference L.4.1).”

Reference: Section L.6.1.1 “Executive Summary. The first page (or pages) of the Executive Summary shall include information IAW FAR Clause 52.215-1(c)(2) (“first page” and “title page” as described in this clause are considered the “Executive Summary” for the purposes of this solicitation); the Statement of Compliance identified in L.6.1.4 shall replace the statement described at 52.215-1(c)(2)(iii). The Executive Summary shall also include the offeror’s CAGE Code and DUNS and whether or not your firm (under the HTASC applicable CAGE Code) is listed in the OFCCP’s National Preaward Registry (https://ofccp.dol-esa.gov/preaward/pa_reg.html).”

Questions:

a) Please clarify whether the Compliance Statements required in Section L.6.1.4 are to be included in the Executive Summary or in the section of proposal with the Compliance Matrix as identified in the Proposal Structure Table, row 6.

b) Given the Governments instructions that the first page and title page are considered the Executive Summary, please clarify whether non-disclosure language can be included on the cover sheet/outside cover of the proposal volumes or is it to be included in the two pages of the Executive Summary.

Answers:

a) Statement of Compliance shall be presented in the Executive Summary. IAW L.5: “Offerors must adhere to the Volume Numbers, Titles, Format and/or Templates, and Page Limitations (if any) provided in the Proposal Structure Table, any deviation will result in proposal rejection IAW M.3.1.” That said, L.5 Proposal Structure Table has been updated for clarity (renamed the first column to clarify that these are just Section L references).

b) Non-disclosure language IAW FAR 52.215-1(c)(2) and L.6.1.1 is to be included in the Executive Summary.

FACTOR 1 PM AND SECTION J ATTACHMENT 06 TO 0001 STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES (SOO).

Reference: Section J Attachment 06, SOO, objective 2.1 was updated to add the following: “As an attachment to the CPWS, describe all contractor personnel proposed to support TO 0001. Description shall include, at a minimum: labor categories (to include a detailed description of qualifications, minimum education/experience and tasks to be performed) and estimated annual hours associated with each labor category.”

Question: Is this attachment excluded from the 60 page limit for Volume II?

Answer: No, the attachment to the CPWS is considered part of the CPWS.

Reference: Section J Attachment 06, SOO, objective 2.1 “As an attachment to the CPWS, describe all contractor personnel proposed to support TO 0001. Description shall include, at a minimum: labor categories (to include a detailed description of qualifications, minimum education/experience and tasks to be performed) and estimated annual hours associated with each labor category.”

Questions:

a) Should the contractor use the government directed number of 1920 annual hours (used within the Cost/Price workbook) for a productive labor year, or should the contractor use their own organization’s actual hours for a productive labor year (if it differs from 1920)?

b) Further, please clarify if the contractor should provide estimated hours and labor categories for personnel supporting transition, or if the estimates should be for provided for “standard” PMO personnel only?

Answers:

a) IAW SOO objective 2.1 the contractor shall propose the “…estimated annual hours associated with each labor category.” Annual hours may differ from 1920 hours as there is no objective or instruction to propose 1920 hours for this particular area.

b) The contractor shall “…describe all contractor personnel proposed to support TO 0001.” IAW objective 2.2, phase-in transition services/support is part of TO 0001, that said, it is the offeror’s prerogative as to which personnel are proposed to support TO 0001.

Reference: Section J Attachment 06, SOO, 3.2: The POP start date for the TO 000X HT-JCoE is 14 September 2018. This date minus 90 calendar days could indicate that the start date for the phase-in transition is 16 June 2018.

Question: Should offerors assume a Contract Award of 01 June 2018 and then a phase-in transition start for 16 June 2018?

Answer: No. IAW 3.2 of the SOO, the anticipated phase-in schedule of the TOs is listed and all TOs are anticipated to be awarded within 90 days of contract award; that said, IAW L.6.5.1: “The Government anticipates an 01 June 2018 ordering period start date for the resultant contract.” The following sentence in L.6.5.1 has been updated to: “The contractor is NOT entitled to an equitable adjustment to the rates in the event the Government awards the contract with an ordering period start date before or after 01 June 2018.” IAW Section F, “contract award is expected for third quarter, Government Fiscal Year 2018.

FACTOR 2 SB PARTICIPATION.

Reference: L.6.3.1(d) reflects $785M as the Total Contract Ceiling value, however, L.6.3.1(e) was revised to state that contractors shall use $719M as the Total Contract Ceiling estimated services value.

Question: Please verify that for Volume I Small Business Subcontracting Plan and Volume III Small Business Participation Plan, offerors shall use a value of $719M.

Answer: No; Volume I Small Business Subcontracting Plan shall reflect the Total Contract Ceiling of $785M. L.6.1.7 SB Subcontracting Plan has been updated for clarity to reflect $785M. IAW L.6.3.1 paragraph 2: “The SB Participation requirement/objective for HTASC is no less than 30% of the IDIQ $785M Total Contract Ceiling (cumulative of all TOs) for each 12-month period (starting from the period of performance start date for the IDIQ contract Section F). Of the 30%, the participation shall include representation from at least 7% Service-Disabled-Veteran-Owned SB (SDVOSB), 4% Woman-Owned SB (WOSB), and 3% Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB).” The instructions in L.6.3.1(e) are only for services which are estimated at $719M.

Reference: Solicitation Amendment 0001 clarified that the estimated services value of $719M should be used to determine the SB participation percentages in paragraph L.6.3.1 e. The table in L.6.3.1 d. still uses the Total Contract Ceiling of $785M. Accordingly, the SB socioeconomic category percentages in the table in paragraph L.6.3.1 d. will not be comparable to the Government SB percentage goals (which are based on the estimated services value of $719M).

Question: Would the Government consider changing the table and narrative (including NOTE 2) in paragraph L.6.3.1 d. to use the estimated services value of $719M, vice the $785M, so that these numbers correspond to how the Government will evaluate SB participation percentages?

Answer: No, however, L.6.3.1 e. has been updated to REMOVE the following statement as it was confusing: “The sum of the estimated total dollars for each service for the stated SB subcontractors should ultimately lead to achieving the SB Participation requirement of no less than 30% (with 7% for SDVOSB(s), 4% for WOSB(s), and 3% for SDB(s)).”

FACTOR 4 TECP AND SECTION J ATTACHMENT 07 COST/PRICE WORKBOOK.

Reference: Section L.6.5.1. “Cost/Price Workbook (“workbook”). The offeror shall complete and provide the workbook (Section J of the solicitation, Attachment 07); the completed workbook shall be Appendix A to the offeror’s Volume V. All instructions are included in the workbook. The completed workbook shall be consistent with the instructions and consistent with the offeror’s proposal (for example, labor rates proposed in the workbook shall match those presented in the Total Compensation Plan, if applicable, in Volume I of the proposal, and the subcontractors shall match those presented in FAR Clause 52.244-2, Subcontracts). All of the offeror’s rates (and all subcontractor(s)’s fully burdened rates) shall be included in the workbook…” Questions:

a) Does the government expect that each subcontractor will complete the Cost/Price Workbook for their assigned labor categories only?

b) May subcontractors depict the application of their indirect rates in the cost volume narrative rather than in the “Indirects” tab of the Cost/Price Workbook?

Answers:

a) No, the Government does not expect each subcontractor to complete a Cost/Price Workbook. IAW L.6.5.1 (which has been updated [underlined portion]): “All of the offeror’s applicable rates (and all subcontractor(s)’s applicable fully burdened rates) shall be included in the workbook.” Further instructions for subcontractor information is provided in L.6.5.2.

b) Yes, subcontractors shall IAW L.6.5.2.

Reference: Section L.6.5.1. “All of the offeror’s rates (and all subcontractor(s)’s fully burdened rates) shall be included in the workbook…” Question: Does the government expect subcontractors to provide indirect rates for each year of the contract or may they apply their most current rates for all years of the contract?

Answer: Each offeror’s (prime or subcontractors) indirect rates proposed will be specific to their company. Instructions regarding rates are provided in L.6.5.2. IAW M.13.1, the Government may make adjustments, if needed, for cost realism IAW FAR 15.404-1(d).

Reference: Section L.6.5.2. states “The offeror shall use the escalation rates provided by the Government in the Cost/Price Workbook. The proposed base for indirect rates shall include the presumption that the offeror will receive the HTASC award.”

Question: Does the government direction to impact rates apply to subcontractors as well as the prime, or may subcontractors apply their most current indirect rates to their direct rates for the base year only and allow the prime to escalate the base year fully burdened labor rates to subsequent years under the assumption of a constant subcontractor wrap rate?

Answer: All instructions in L.6.5.2 apply to both the prime and any subcontractors IAW the first sentence of L.6.5.2.

Reference: Section J Attachment 07. The “Labor Rates and TPCP” worksheet has zero hours associated with certain labor categories but does include highlighted boxes for Year 1 Direct Rates and fully burdened labor rates (Columns F & G).

Questions:

a) Is the Government requesting the offeror propose rates for these labor categories in Year 1 in the event the labor categories are required in a subsequent task order?

b) If the answer to question a) is “yes”, should the prime contractor include subcontractor rates for all labor categories, even when the prime is assigning zero hours in the cost/price workbook, to inform the Government of the subcontractor fully burdened labor rates for each labor category in the event the prime decides to substitute subcontractors in subsequent task order proposals or during execution of a task order?

c) Can the Government confirm that Column F in the offeror’s submission will only show the direct rates of the prime while leaving that column blank for the subcontractor since subcontractors may consider the difference between the direct rate and the fully burdened labor rate to be proprietary information?

d) Can the Government confirm that Column G in the offeror’s submission will show the fully burdened labor rates for the prime and for all subcontractors for each labor category, even where the prime contractor is not showing any hours for the listed subcontractor? Meaning, would the Government confirm that regardless of hours bid per subcontractor, primes should present rates for all subcontractors for all labor categories?

Answers:

a) Yes. IAW Section Attachment 07 “Labor Rates and TPCP” worksheet row 13 (which has been updated [underlined portion]): “For Labor Categories 21-36, the Government will utilize the "Secret Clearance" version of the category for the purposes of Cost/Price evaluation; offerors are still required to populate the yellow highlighted cells for the "Top Secret" version of the categories (22, 24, etc.) for themselves and any applicable subcontractors anticipated.”

b) No. IAW Section Attachment 07 “Labor Rates and TPCP” worksheet row 8: “Offerors shall only provide the fully burdened rates of the applicable subcontractors; subcontractor fully burdened rates presented within this workbook shall tie back to subcontractor information (to include unburdened rate information) provided IAW L.6.5.2.” Section B.1, specifically, “Language for Subsequent Contract” has been updated to describe the process for any changes to subcontractors after award.

c) Yes. IAW Section J Attachment 07, “Labor Rates and TPCP” worksheet row 4: “Offeror shall populate all YELLOW highlighted cells (with the exception of yellow highlighted cells associated with direct rates for subcontractors; these cells can be left blank or marked as N/A).”

d) No. IAW Section Attachment 07 “Labor Rates and TPCP” worksheet row 8: “Offerors shall only provide the fully burdened rates of the applicable subcontractors; subcontractor fully burdened rates presented within this workbook shall tie back to subcontractor information (to include unburdened rate information) provided IAW L.6.5.2.”

Reference: Section J Attachment 07; The “Labor Rates and TPCP” worksheet has several labor categories such as “Trainer – Senior – Top Secret” that do not have hours assigned to them.

Questions:

a) Are offerors to provide rates for these categories?

b) If not, how will rates be established for those categories after award?

Answers:

a) Yes. Section Attachment 07 “Labor Rates and TPCP” worksheet row 13 (which has been updated [underlined portion]): “For Labor Categories 21-36, the Government will utilize the "Secret Clearance" version of the category for the purposes of Cost/Price evaluation; offerors are still required to populate the yellow highlighted cells for the "Top Secret" version of the categories (22, 24, etc.) for themselves and any applicable subcontractors anticipated.”

b) Somewhat unrelated this is specific question, however, the Government draws attention to a change at Section B.1, specifically, “Language for Subsequent Contract” has been updated to further describe the process for any changes to subcontractors after award.