Industry_Day_Questions_with_Govt_Responses_(7Dec2015).pdf

Questions verbally submitted by Industry during Question/Answer Session:

Question: How many awards might be made?

Answer: The Government anticipates making 4 awards but reserves the right to make more or less depending on proposal evaluations.

Question: Will Marines be included?

Answer: Yes, customers with the ability to utilize this IDIQ will include the Marines, other domestic organizations and foreign customers to include FMS partners.

Question: How many systems will this contract apply to?

Answer: The contracts will cover approximately 120 systems.

Question: Will you allow any major subs past performances to be included in the 10 past performance submittals?

Answer: Yes, First tier subcontractors are identified in the RFP as those performing 15% of the effort.

Question: Is this a TUAS contract for everything in TUAS or is it just Shadow?

Answer: Shadow

Question: Do you anticipate a draft Task Order with the Draft RFP?

Answer: No

Question: What is the deployed contractor footprint?

Answer: We have 4 GOCO systems deployed currently. About 20 members in each GOCO.

This footprint fluctuates based on Army needs.

Questions anonymously submitted by Industry during Question/Answer Session:

Question: Are the industry day slides available for distribution?

Answer: They are posted on the Natick site. (http://www3.natick.army.mil/Team/UAS.aspx)

Question: NET: What are the courseware development requirements?

Answer: Current courseware will be provided and we will contract for any modifications.

Question: Are companies involved in manufacturing current SHADOW equipment (aircraft, UGCS, UGDT) eligible to bid on this procurement?

Answer: Yes, current companies are not prohibited; however, potential OCI issues need to be addressed in the OCI mitigation plan required in the Administrative volume of the RFP.

Question: Have there been small business participation goals established?

Answer: Yes, the final goals will be released in the formal RFP.

Question: Do you have pre-selected training sites already or are you considering COCO sites?

Answer: Yes we have pre-selected sites and are not considering COCO sites.

Question: Will the Government sponsor the required COAs and or restricted airspace with FAA?

Answer: Yes, the COAs are already in place.

Question: Do you intend to have hardware upgrades and integration completed at contractor’s site?

Answer: Yes

Question: Are the OEMS excluded from participation in this contract.

Answer: No, see previous response on the same or similar subject.

Question: The SEP outlines CM Process, but in a general way. Can you elaborate on how you intend to perform CM and system integration and baselining for all performed by contractors?

All Gov, or Repository and access mgmt. of tech data, software versioning, etc. – Answer: Yes, each vendor on the ID/IQ contract will be responsible for the CM of the task order they are executing. This means the task order vendor will be responsible for revision and maintenance of the various CM controlled products (i.e. documents, software, drawings, etc. . .).

So at the conclusion of the task order that upgrade can be successfully cut into the Shadow baseline. The overall maintenance of the Shadow system configuration baseline will be managed and controlled by the Government via a separate sole source contract action on the Shadow sustainment contract. As the baseline is affected by individual task orders, these baseline updates will be provided and used across all task orders to ensure all ID/IQ vendors are working from the same CM baseline.

Question: The original NAICS CODE was for Aircraft Mfg. Do you anticipate further changes to the category or opening to multiple codes?

Answer: No – we don’t anticipate changing it or adding multiple codes. The original NAICS was planned for products, but is now services based on the majority of anticipated work (65%) being engineering services.

Question: Would the government consider awarding prime contracts by functional area (UGCS, UGDT, Logistics, Shadow Services) to allow participation by specialist industry teams?

Answer: No. the Government requirement is for companies to perform the full scope of work, therefore, we encourage strategic teaming.

Question: What kind of GCS support are you looking for?

Answer: Any – not limited.

Question: Do all offerors have to bid against all factors? (Engineering, Log, Program Mgmt.)

Answer: Yes, proposals which do not address all factors will be evaluated as non-responsive and unawardable.

Question: Do primes need to address 100% of the requirements to be compliant?

Answer: Yes, proposals which do not address all factors will be evaluated as non-responsive and unawardable.

Question: Will the Government accept Primes that address a portion?

Answer: No, in order to be considered a responsive proposal, all factors/subfactors/CLINs must be addressed.

Question: Are all the awards full and open or are there small business set-asides?

Answer: The base IDIQ contract is anticipated to be full and open; however, Task Orders could be set-aside depending on the competition received.

Question: Is there a potential the Government will break out any of the Eng., Log, and services as a small business set aside?

Answer: Doing so is not anticipated at this time.

Question: Of the 10 past performances will Gov. accept past performance from a major sub?

Answer: Yes, as long as the contracts meet the past performance requirements.

Question: Is CMMI Level III going to be mandated?

Answer: Yes, requirement is part of the PWS and Technical evaluation factors/subfactors.

Requirement flows down to subcontractors as well.

Question: What would be the major subcontractor work percentage?

Answer: First tier subcontractors are identified as those performing 15% or more of the effort.

Additional verbal questions from the floor after the reading of anonymous Questions and Answers:

Question: Will we be publishing the attendee list?

Answer: Yes, the list of attendees is posted to the Natick site.

(http://www3.natick.army.mil/Team/UAS.aspx)

Question: Prime and teaming – Is there a limit on subs being on 1 team or can there be cross teams?

Answer: There are no restrictions on cross teaming.

Question: Joint venture approach?

Answer: Joint Ventures (JV) will be allowed to bid as a Prime if there is a legal agreement and the JV has its own CAGE and DUNS. The JV must also be registered in SAM.

Question: What is the cutoff for submitting additional questions?

Answer: Submit through the Natick site by 30 November 2015.

Question: Can primes add teammates based on TO.

Answer: Yes.

Additional questions that were handed to Bob Verica after the Question and Answer period was over:

Question: How will software tool providers fit into this program/contract approach?

Answer: Software is a key component with in the PWS, but only a portion of the total requirement. The Government encourages vendors to team together in order to meet the full set of PWS requirements. Each offeror’s proposal will be evaluated against all technical requirements within the PWS. Offeror’s must submit a proposal which addresses ALL requirements of the PWS and RFP.

Question: Are there Limitations/restrictions on foreign company participation? (Example:

Defense companies supporting US/NATO Weapon Systems) Answer: The PWS outlines several security issues which could restrict foreign company participation. Each potential offeror will need to review those requirements as well as other contract clauses/requirements to determine if they are eligible to participate.

Question: How do Ground Station systems/capabilities fit into this program/contract approach?

Specifically, visualization and operational applications.

Answer: Ground Station systems/capabilities are a key component with in the PWS, but only a portion of the total requirement. The Government encourages vendors to team together in order to meet the full set of PWS requirements. Each offeror’s proposal will be evaluated against all technical requirements within the PWS. Offeror’s must submit a proposal which addresses ALL requirements of the PWS and RFP.

Question: Any limitations on cross teaming?

Answer: No, See previous responses on the same or similar issues

Question: Will subs be allowed to play on multiple prime teams?

Answer: Yes

Question: Are you cutting off communication with the program office?

Answer: Not officially until the RFP is issued; however, all questions and responses should be directed to Christy Carlile (christy.j.carlile.civ@mail.mil ) or Jennifer Kotar (Jennifer.a.kotar.ctr@mail.mil ) to ensure they are recorded and distributed to all potential offerors.

mailto:christy.j.carlile.civ@mail.mil mailto:Jennifer.a.kotar.ctr@mail.mil