Q and A updated 5 June 2020.docx

05 June 2020 W91242-20-Q-0038 Questions and Answers

Q: What is the incumbent contractor's name?

A: Reference FAQ section of the Synopsis/Solicitation.

Q: Are resumes and credentials included in the 5 page technical proposal?

A: Reference 52.212-1, updated 4 June 20 Q: Can the 5 page limit on technical proposals be exceeded?

A: Reference 52.212-1, updated 4 June 20 Q. Travel: Is there any overnight travel anticipated?

A. Yes; reference PWS 1.4.12 Q. Travel: Overnights at field camps?

A. No Q. Travel: Must contractor provide own vehicle?

A. Yes; reference PWS 4.1 Q. Travel: Any air travel? CONUS only?

A. No; Yes; reference PWS 1.4.12 Q. Travel: As vendors must advance Travel dollars, please provide an allowance for G&A or Handling Fee to be applied to Travel dollars.

A. Reference PWS 1.4.12 regarding travel reimbursement Q. 52.222-17. The Non-Displacement clause was superseded by Executive Order. Recommend remove this. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-improving-federalcontractor-operations-revoking-executive-order-13495/ A. The use of this clause remains at the discretion of the Contracting Officer. However, the implication of this clause is not applicable for this contract, as there is no incumbent contract in place; clause has been removed.

Q. 252.226-7001. Please explain the application of the Utilization of Indian-owned concerns for this HUBZone Set Aside.

A. Reference FAR 252.226-7001 at www.acquisition.gov for a further explanation of the application of this clause as it is related to any applicable contract.

Q. 52.219-14 citing a Deviation. We believe this Deviation applies to contracts where the HUBZone “Price Preference” applies, not to contracts that are HUBZone Set Aside. Please consider whether this Deviation is applicable.

A. See FAR 19.507(e) and FAR 19.1301(b) Q. RFQ pg11 talks about screening candidates/staff; PWS 1.4.5 talks about Security to include HSPD-12; nowhere do we find instructions about Citizenship, Dual Nationals or Green Cards. Are Dual Nationals allowed – people who carry two passports such as USA and China, Foreign Nationals or Green Card carriers?

A. As long as a qualified proposed contract employees can pass the security clearance, they may perform under the contract.

Q. PWS pg1, 1.2. “Objective is to provide a Lead Clinical Case Manager” together with pg15, 5.1 “Acting Director”. How many days per year will the contracted Lead Case Manager (LCM) be the Acting Director? During the time as Acting Director, what duties of the LCM might be reduced?

A. Estimated hours spent as Acting Director will vary depending upon the Director’s schedule and leave. Historically the Acting Director role would be stepped into one week at a time, a few times per year. Reference synopsitation Frequently Asked Questions, to better gauge appropriate manning.

Q. PWS pg1, 1.4 Quality. Please provide a copy of the QASP.

A. The QASP is an internal document, which is not incorporated into the contract. The portions of the QASP which are relevant to the contractor are included in PWS TECHNICAL EXHIBIT 1 Performance Requirements Summary (PRS) Q. PWS pg2; also pg12 5.8(1-2); “Work hours shall also include after hours on call rotation of IBHS help line”. How many hours annually and per week for this function? Recommend add this metric to the Table on pg17.

A. Reference PWS 5.8.1 Q. PWS pg7, 1.4.7.4. What level of background check is required? Usual selections are: Top Secret, Secret, NACICL, NACI; or a Public Trust Level by Number 1-6. We believe the pointer to SF85 implies one of the lower level selections.

A. Reference PWS 1.4.7.4 Q. PWS pg9. “DPH” is undefined and used in several places. Please define.

A. Please see updated PWS, para 2.2 Q. PWS pg10, GFE and Contractor Property. Will the government provide any medical equipment to include diagnostic equipment, any needed prescription drugs, or means to administer drugs? The statement “office environment” is not exactly accurate for a medical setting; if there is a medical clinic office, please include that in the GFE. Will the contract staff have access to any other facilities of the NCNG such as: cafeteria, restrooms, fitness equipment? Are parking spaces provided?

A. An office setting is appropriate for the scope of work. The PWS does not require the contractor to utilize medical diagnostic equipment, prescribe or administer prescription drugs. All facilities available to the government will also be available to the contractor. At this point in time, the primary place of performance does have a cafeteria, restrooms, fitness equipment and parking. Contractor Furnished Property is addressed in PWS 4.1 Q. PWS pg10, 5.1.1. There are three listed functions to be supervised. How many staff are to be supervised?

A. Historically, two contract employee staff (administrative assistants) would be supervised.

Q. PWS pg11, 5.1.3. How many case managers and clinicians are under the span of control of this Lead Case Manager?

A. There are three Title 5 case managers and clinicians, but they are peers, not subordinate to the Lead Case Manager.

Q. PWS pg11, 5.3.2. “Provide secure storage”. Does the government not have such storage? If not, how many cubic feet of records should the contractor plan on storing? Do any records exceed 11”x17”? X-rays? Other imaging?

A. Reference PWS update para 3.1 for clarity.

Q. PWS pg17. Absent firm numbers of annual hours, a Fixed Price is difficult to obtain; variable requirements usually require a contract type with similar flexibility; we recommend Fixed Price Labor Hour. Here the government wants an Annual Fixed Price for largely undefined requirements worded such as “It is not a guarantee of workload quantities” and further “Annual Estimated Quantities”. With no guarantees and only an estimate, we request more definition of the contracted annual hours.

A. Type of Contract has been decided upon by the Contracting Officer in conjunction with leadership; many contracts have been successfully performed previously with similar amounts of historical data, etc.

Q. Is the Annual Average of 210 cases currently handled by more than one FTE?

A. Reference synopsitation Frequently Asked Questions, question 6.

Q. Have there been shortfalls in service with that staffing level.

A. Reference synopsitation Frequently Asked Questions, question 6 Q. For the 26 Briefing and Training Events, are these all-day events? Please add the number of Annual Hours for this category. Please estimate Travel time for this category of activity.

A. Estimated hours spent at briefing and training events will vary from year to year. Travel time as well is impossible to state definitively. Reference synopsitation Frequently Asked Questions, to better gauge appropriate manning.

Q. There is no indicator for the “after-hours calls” – please add annual hours.

A. This position is not manning the after-hours calls hotline. They may need to respond to a case after-hours maybe once a month.

Q. Must contractor be onsite at NCNG to provide “after-hours calls” service, or can this be done from contractor/staff site?

A. Reference PWS 5.8.1 Q. There is no indicator for the amount of hours for Outreach/Network of Agencies (pg15, 5.4; and pg12 5.7). Please add annual hours.

A. Estimated hours spent at briefing and training events will vary from year to year. Reference synopsitation Frequently Asked Questions, to better gauge appropriate manning.

Q. There is no indicator for annual hours as Acting Director; please add.

A. Estimated hours spent as Acting Director will vary depending upon the Director’s schedule and leave. Reference synopsitation Frequently Asked Questions, to better gauge appropriate manning.