ATTACHMENT 12 - VENDOR QUESTIONS ANSWERS - W9124923R0001.pdf

ITEM QUESTION GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

Would you kindly confirm if this is an entirely new effort or is there an incumbent currently providing these services? If so, would you please provide the incumbent contract details? The requirement is currently performed on W911S021F0089.

2 What will be the contract value for this opportunity? It is the vendors responsibility to determine all items needed to meet the requirements of the PWS and the cost.

We would like to know if this is a brand new contract

OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services.

If not brand new, could you please provide the current / previous contract number? The requirement is currently performed on W911S021F0089.

General: On 9 Sep 2022, the Office of the Under

Secretary of Defense release a memorandum with the

Subject: Managing the Effects of Inflation with

Existing Contracts, acknowledging the challenges businesses, specifically small businesses are experiencing with Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract with

Option Years.

This same concern/challenge should be considered when asking small businesses to bid on FFP contracts with

Base + Option Years.

Will the government consider adding a clause to this acquisition that allows vendors to meet with the government prior to execution of Option Years to address inflationary challenges if inflation continues to rise and cannot stabilize at a 2-3% range?

A clause will not be added; however, the Contractor may escalate cost on labor rates in the Option Years in proposal submission.

General: Attachment 4 – Pricing Worksheet only list

Level I Instructors, Level II Instructors, and Classroom

Support personnel.

Since this is a non-personal services contract, will the government provide guidance on how all Program

Management, Government interface, weekly/monthly meetings with SEDC, SLDC, and the NCOA are to be supported and accounted for?

General. Historically, Fort Gordon and the CCoE has allocated Program Management hours as part of the expected contract support.

Will the government add PM hours and allow the

Contractor to bill hours to support the required government interface/interaction for such a large contract requirement and include those hours in Attachment 4 –

Pricing Worksheet?

PWS para 5.2.10.4 The contractor shall review and summarize results of the End of course critiques with responses to negative comments. EOCCs and contractor summary shall be provided to the Government via email to COR once a month, but no later than 35 days after graduation of course (CDRL 001) and contractor summary provided with the Monthly Status Report

(CDRL 002). The Government proponent course managers or their designated representative shall have 30 days to respond to issues identified in end of course critiques.

This would traditionally be the PM or QA personnel. Is it the Government's intent to have the Level I and Level II

Instructors to perform the review and summary of these

EOCCs?

It is the contractor’s responsibility to propose and deploy the correct labor types, mix and hours required to satisfactorily meet all PWS requirements. Refer to Para 5.1.1 in the PWS.

There is no PWS requirement for these meetings. It is the vendors responsibility to determine how they will satisfactorily meet PWS requirements.

6 The Government is not going to add PM hours. The Contractor shall be responsible to propose and deploy the correct labor types, mix, number and hours required to satisfactorily and professionally meet all PWS requirements. Refer to para 5.1.1 in the PWS.

If this is not assigned to the Level I and Level II

Instructors, what contractor personnel is then responsible to interface and coordinate with government personnel in regard to EOCCs and the contractor summary without disruption of course conduct?

PWS para 5.2.10.6 The contractor shall provide documentation as required in support of Government validation, Government quality assurance visits, and spot inspections by course and COR personnel, and other

Government required inspection or observation requirements.

Since the government has only identified a requirement for Level I Instructors, Level II Instructors, and

Classroom Support personnel, what contractor personnel are responsible to support this requirement without disruption of course conduct? This has been removed from the PWS.

PWS para 1.6.2.1 requires the initial QCP to be delivered with the contractor’s proposal however, there is no requirement in the Instructions to Offerors.

Will the government please clarify the submission requirements?

It is the contractor’s responsibility to propose and deploy the correct labor types, mix and hours required to satisfactorily meet all PWS requirements. Refer to Para 5.1.1 in the PWS.

9 PWS reference PWS 1.6.2.1 should be Para 1.6.1 reference

QCP. The PWS has been up dated to read "The initial QCP shall be delivered within five days after award, and the final QCP thirty days thereafter."

PWS para 1.6.7.6 Materials refers to paragraph 4.3 requirements. PWS Para 4.3 does not exist.

Will the government please clarify this requirement to include any staff computers and peripheral equipment, as well as training network and equipment network items to support network capabilities identified in paragraph 5.6.

Additionally, PWS Para 5.6 does not exist. Will the government please clarify which paragraph this refers to? Para 1.6.7.6 has been removed from the PWS.

PWS Para 3.1.2.4 Equipment. Equipment will be required to support the capabilities for the training network in the facility as identified in paragraph 5.6.

Again, PWS Para 5.6 does not exist. Will the government please clarify which paragraph this refers to?

PWS Para 3.1.2.4 Equipment. This paragraph refers to an

Attachment 8. Attachment 8 does not exist.

Will the government please clarify which document this refers to or provide an Attachment 8?

PWS para 4.0. The Contractor shall furnish all supplies, equipment, facilities, and services required to perform work under this contract that are not listed under Section

3 of this PWS.

Will the government please clarify what supplies, equipment, facilities, and services with be Contractor

Furnished?

PWS para referenced in the question is not correct. Correct Para is 3.3 for equipment. Para 3.3. has been updated to remove all refrences to attachemnt 8 and GFP

It is the vendors responsibility to determine all items needed to meet the requirements of the PWS outside of what the government is providing, IAW section 3 of the PWS.

PWS para referenced in the question is not correct. Correct Para is 3.3 for equipment. Para 3.3. has been updated to remove all refrences to para 5.6 and GFP.

PWS, Part 5, Pages 22 and 23, the paragraph numbering ends at 5.1.2.3 on page 22 and starts on page 23 at 5.2.9.

Would the Government please clarify the numbering scheme for Part 5 of the PWS.

RFP page 30 Technical Exhibit 2. CDRL 005 and CDRL

006 verbiage is identical to CDRL 004.

Will the government please update to provide accurate information for CDRL 005 and 006?

Technical Exhibit 3: Pg 32-33 25A SBOLC.

In the text description it mentions 16 iterations at 14hrs each, and each iteration has 36 students with an ISR of

1:9 or four instructors per iteration. That would be a total of 896 ICH.

In the corresponding table on the following page, it shows well below that with different size classes and different requirements.

Would you please clarify the requirement for SBOLC.

Page 33-34 Technical Exhibit 4. The Anticipated Student

Loads for Base Year and the two Option Years only contains Anticipated Active-Duty Student Load.

Paragraph 1.6.3 states “Training for the Reserve training courses shall be conducted on a 56-hour training week

(10 hours Monday through Friday and 6 hours on

Saturday is typical).

The Government has corrected the error. There are only 3

CDRL's.

The Tech-exhibit and PWS has been updated with the correct data

Reference to the reserve training has been removed from the

PWS.

The Government has made the corrections

Will the government please clarify if any Reserve

Component students will be trained under this contract?

If so, will the government please update the Technical

Exhibit 4 to reflect the Reserve Component student numbers?

RFP Page 90 Section 52.222.42 Statement of Equivalent

Rates for Federal Hires includes GS Schedule

Personnel/Categories that are not requirements under this contract.

Will the government please clarify which GS Schedule categories/employee class is applicable?

RFP Page 106, TAB D, (Representation, Certifications, and Other Statements of Offerors) – The offeror shall ensure that this is submitted thoroughly completed with all blocks in each certification/representation completed truthfully and completely.

How are Rep & Cert and what FAR Clauses are to be included in Volume I – General?

RFP Page 108 Subfactor 1B: Staffing, Recruitment, Retention, and Management Approach. The offeror shall provide the names of the Key Personnel who will perform under this contract, their resumes and signed letters of commitment.

Will the government please identify any Key Personnel requirements by Labor Category along with the Key

Personnel requirements for experience, certifications, etc.?

See updated section 52.222-42

Volume I is updated with the required information.

The Government does not have a requirement for key personnel

Reference to the reserve training has been removed from the

PWS.

RFP Page 111 Volume IV – Price. # 1. Offerors shall submit a fully completed price breakdown in the format specified in Attachment 5.

Will the government please clarify that this is Attachment

4?

A separate breakdown shall be submitted for each year, and these shall be rolled up to the contract or summary level, which shall be traceable to the amounts inserted in

Schedule B. All labor proposed on the previously discussed breakdown sheets shall be linked to this labor summary.

Will the government please confirm that the completion of all info requested in Attachment 4 – Pricing

Worksheet will satisfy this requirement?

The offerors shall provide compensation packages for all employees.

Will the government please identify what information must be submitted for the compensation package?

RFP Page 111 Volume IV – Price. # 2 All information relating to the proposed price must be included in both hard copy and electronic format.

Will the government please confirm that no hard copy submission is required?

General. Fort Gordon has historically allocated Program

Management hours as part of the expected contract support.

Attachment 4 is the pricing worksheet. Please see Addendum

52.212-1 instructions on the price volume. The compensation plan will be evaluated IAW FA 52.222-46.

No hard copy is required.

The Government is not going to add PM hours. The Contractor shall be responsible to propose and deploy the correct labor types, mix, number and hours required to satisfactorily and

Will the government add a Program Manager CLIN and include hours in Attachment 4 – Pricing Worksheet?

PWS para 1.6.2.1 requires the initial QCP to be delivered with the contractor’s proposal however, there is no requirement in the Instructions to Offerors.

Will the government please clarify the submission requirements?

PWS para 1.6.7.6 Materials refers to paragraph 4.3 and paragraph 5.6, Neither PWS Para 4.3 nor PWS Para 5.6 exist.

Will the government please clarify which paragraphs these refers to?

PWS Para 3.1.2.4 Equipment. Equipment will be required to support the capabilities for the training network in the facility as identified in paragraph 5.6.

Again, PWS Para 5.6 does not exist. Will the government please clarify which paragraph this refers to?

PWS Para 3.1.2.4 Equipment. In addition to 48 networked training classrooms, provided Government equipment is identified in Attachment 8.

Attachment 8 does not exist. Will the government please clarify which document this refers to?

The Government is not going to add PM hours. The Contractor shall be responsible to propose and deploy the correct labor types, mix, number and hours required to satisfactorily and professionally meet all PWS requirements. Refer to para 5.1.1 in the PWS.

24 PWS reference PWS 1.6.2.1 should be Para 1.6.1 refence QCP.

The PWS has been up dated to The initial QCP shall be delivered within five days after award, and the final QCP thirty days thereafter.

Para 1.6.7.6 has been removed from the PWS.

PWS para referenced in the question is not correct. Correct Para is 3.3 for equipment. Para 3.3. has been updated to remove all refrences to para 5.6 and GFP.

PWS para referenced in the question is not correct. Correct Para is 3.3 for equipment. Para 3.3. has been updated to remove all refrences to attachment 8..

RFP Page 90 Section 52.222.42 Statement of Equivalent

Rates for Federal Hires includes GS Schedule

Personnel/Categories that are not requirements under this contract.

Will the government please clarify which GS Schedule categories/employee class is applicable?

RFP Page 101 Addendum 52.212-1 Instruction to

Offerors and RFP Page 107 Sub-factor 1A: Technical

Ability. The following bullets are included in the subject technical ability requirement but are not included in the scope of the PWS requirements:

• Provide Warfighter Information Network-Tactical

Instruction Support IAW TRADOC approved Lesson Plans (LP) and Programs of Instruction

(POI).

• The offeror’s approach for the implementation and management of the Learning

Management System (LMS).

• The offeror’s plan for ensuring services meet regulatory requirements for Student

Administration support Network Management and

Instruction.

• The offeror’s approach/ability to react to the client’s requirements and the dynamics of a rapidly changing mission environment through dedicated resources, quick responses, and flexibility when determining information technology solutions.

• The offeror’s plan for network management, monitoring and reporting.

• The offeror’s Accountability approach should demonstrate the ability to ensure

See updated section 52.222-42

See updated Addendum 52.212-1 equipment is maintained to the required standards identified in the PWS.

• The offeror’s approach for the equipment database meets requirements for tracking location and readiness of dedicated equipment, training aids and devices for training to include maintenance, repairs, part failures, and warranty information.

• The offeror’s plan for ensuring readiness standards of dedicated equipment, training aids and devices.

• How the offeror will meet physical and personal security requirements of the installation and facility.

Will the government please update the PWS requirement to include these items in the scope or update the performance objectives identified in this paragraph?

Additionally, if these PWS requirement are include, what contractor personnel are assigned these responsibilities?

RFP Page 106, TAB D, (Representation, Certifications, and Other Statements of Offerors) – The offeror shall ensure that this is submitted thoroughly completed with all blocks in each certification/representation completed truthfully and completely.

Since organizational Representation and Certifications are completed online at sam.gov, what Representation, Certifications, and Other Statements of Offerors is required to be submitted as Tab D?

See updated Addendum 52.212-1

TAB is updated with the required information.

RFP Page 108 Subfactor 1B: Staffing, Recruitment, Retention, and Management Approach. The offeror shall provide the names of the Key Personnel who will perform under this contract, their resumes and signed letters of commitment.

Will the government please identify any Key Personnel requirements by Labor Category along with the Key

Personnel requirements for experience, certifications, etc.?

RFP Page 111 Volume III – Past Performance. Pat

Performance Questionnaire.

Is the Past Performance Questionnaire send to the relevant POCs, required to also be included in Volume

III – Past Performance?

RFP Page 111 Volume IV – Price. # 1. Offerors shall submit a fully completed price breakdown in the format specified in Attachment 5.

Will the government please clarify that this is Attachment

4 – Pricing Worksheet?

A separate breakdown shall be submitted for each year, and these shall be rolled up to the contract or summary level, which shall be traceable to the amounts inserted in

Schedule B. All labor proposed on the previously discussed breakdown sheets shall be linked to this labor summary.

Will the government please confirm that the completion of all info requested in Attachment 4 – Pricing

Worksheet will satisfy this requirement?

The Government does not have a requirement for key personnel

IAW ADDENDUM 52.212-1 the offeror shall forward a copy of the Past Performance Questionnaire to the points of contact responsible for monitoring performance under such contracts.

The points of contact shall return the questionnaires directly to

Devin Knight at devin.knight.civ@army.mil prior to the closing of the RFP.

Please see question 21 answer.

This includes a statement that the offerors shall provide compensation packages for all employees.

Will the government please identify what information must be submitted for the compensation package?

Solicitation States: a. Provide an Organizational Chart, which shall clearly reflect positions and address lines of communication, decision making authority, and problem resolution. The Offeror shall delineate the organization’s chain of command and delegations of authority relating to the execution of the work required in the Performance

Work Statement.

From a staffing (1.6.6.11 Level-I Instructors & 1.6.7

Level-II Instructors) and Attachment 4 pricing, there appears to be only opportunity to price instructors, yet in last two previous iterations there were labor categories for a Program Manager, Training Section Manager, and shift supervisor, which are all current active positions on the contract and necessary to positions to manage a program of this size. Is there consideration or opportunity to adjust the PWS and the pricing sheet to include those LCATS to ensure that we can provide the best value to manage the program in accordance withSection C requirement to provide an organizational chart with lines of communication and decision-making authority?

Regarding Attachment 4 Pricing Worksheet: Currently the cells do not function properly or add a summation value to the Summary sheet. Will an update be provided, or should we correct ourselves?

Attachment 4 is updated

Please see question 21 answer.

The Government is not going to add PM hours. The Contractor shall be responsible to propose and deploy the correct labor types, mix, number and hours required to satisfactorily and

Both the solicitation and pricing worksheet indicate that there will not be a transition period. Can the government please confirm that there will not be a transition period?

If the government does intend to have a transition period, we recommend a 30-day transition and recommend that a transition schedule and plan be included as a requirement within Subfactor 1B: Staffing, Recruitment, Retention, and Management Approach.

The Government has no requirement for a transistion period.

PWS Technical Exhibit 4, Base Year Anticipated Active-

Duty Student Load indicates that Course 4-11-C20B

(CP) has 170 students per class and a ICH per class of

64. The POI for Course 4-11-C20B (CP) indicates a max of 78 students per class and an ICH of 16. Should these changes be applied, decreasing the Option Year 2 total

ICH to 40709?

See updated PWS section 7.4

There are approximately 1364 MOS 25L soldiers reclassified as MOS 25H coded with Transition ASI Y4, as of October 1, 2022. Is this additional training need accounted for, or will there be an additional requirement to support a MOS 25H transition course, or increased student load through the MOS 25H producing course?

It has been accounted for in the workload data in the PWS.

Can the government please provide the # of weeks of classroom instruction per course in the table to help us better calculate the maximum instructor load? See attached appendixes for each course.

Do ICH numbers in technical exhibit 4 tables include admin time or academic only? This is for ICH's only

Can the Government please verify that the information in

Exhibit 4 Tables are correct, some of the math doesn't seem to add up? See updated PWS 7.4

How many government/military staff will be leading this effort with contractor support? Or does the government anticipate the contractor providing all the staff for classroom instruction? WIN-T modules are contractor instructed.

In Part 3 "Government Furnished Eqpt" - Where is attachment 8 as referenced in part 3 under the heading

"equipment“ ... "in addition to 48 networked training classrooms provided government equipment as identified in attachment eight“

Para 3.3. has been updated to remove references to attachment

8.

As per 1.6.7.6 “materials“: references paragraph 4.3 requirements, as well as paragraph 5.6, but they are not to be found in the document, can the Government please clarify? Para 1.6.7.6 has been removed from the PWS.

Will the government consider past performance relevance up to five years in order to increase competition?

The Government considers three years adequate for determining relevance

Are we correct in our assumption that the blackboard support will require dedicated Network administration support?

Tech exhibit 9 has been deleted from the PWS. There is no requirement for Network Admin under this contract.