Amend_0005.pdf

0010915758

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

30-105-04EXCEPTION TO SF 30

APPROVED BY OIRM 11-84

STANDARD FORM 30 (Rev. 10-83) Prescribed by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

VIRTURAL RECRUITING CENTER

SEE FOLLOWING PAGES.

1. CONTRACT ID CODE PAGE OF PAGES

J 1 40

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

16C. DATE SIGNED

BY 12-May-2017

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA15C. DATE SIGNED15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of Contracting Officer)(Signature of person authorized to sign)

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., Street, County, State and Zip Code) X W9124D-17-R-0007

X 9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

15-Mar-2017

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

X The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offer X is extended, is not extended.

Offer must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning 1 copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN

REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required)

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS.

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE

CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(B).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

10A. MOD. OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 5. PROJECT NO.(If applicable)

6. ISSUED BY

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

25-Apr-2017

CODE

MISSION AND INSTALLATION CONTRACTING CMD

MICC FORT KNOX

BLDG 1109B STE 373

199 6TH AVE

FORT KNOX KY 40121-5720

W9124D 7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than item 6)

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.

CODE

See Item 6

FACILITY CODECODE

EMAIL:TEL:

W9124D-17-R-0007

SECTION SF 30 BLOCK 14 CONTINUATION PAGE

The following items are applicable to this modification:

The following items are applicable to this amendment:

1. Offeror Due Date is hereby extended to 10:00 AM on 1 June 2017.

2. Attachment 1 to this Amendment provides the questions and answers received from industry.

3. PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS, paragraph 1 is changed to read:

The offeror shall submit its proposal on Compact Discs (CDs) as provided in the Proposal Preparation Instructions prior to the closing date and time identified on SF 1449 to the following address:

Mission and Installation Contracting Command Center – Fort Knox Attention: Barbara J. Mattingly W9124D-17-R-0007 CCMI-CSH-KY, Bldg 1109, Ste 373 199 6th Avenue Fort Knox, Kentucky 40121-5720

4. GENERAL PROPOSAL INFORMATION, Paragraph 3 is changed to read:

The government may award without discussions. Offerors are encouraged to present their best technical proposal and prices in their initial proposal submissions. However, in accordance with (IAW) FAR Part 15.306, Exchanges with Offerors After Receipt of Proposals, should discussions become necessary, the government reserves the right to hold them. If this occurs, a competitive range will be determined and offerors notified. Competitive range may be limited for purposes of efficiency IAW FAR Part 15.306 (c)(2).

5. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS, Paragraph 4, VOLUME CONTENT, Volume II, Paragraph

a) is changed to read:

a) Supplies or Services and Price SF 1449 Continuation Section shall be submitted fully completed and error free. It shall contain the offeror’s prices for the established Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs).

6. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS, Paragraph 3, Page limitations are as follows:, is changed to read:

Table 2 – Page Limitations

VOLUME TITLE NO. OF DIGITAL

COPIES

PAGE LIMITS

I Contract/Solicitation Documents

2 CD

No Limit

II Price 2 CDs

No Limit

III Mission Capability (Technical Proposal)

3 CD

25 Pages

IV Past Performance 2 CD

5 Pages*

*The page limit does not include questionnaires, consent letters, or cure notices.

7. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS, Paragraph 3, subparagraph c), is changed to read:

c) Page limit does not include covers for volumes, tables of contents, glossary of abbreviations and acronyms, indices, title pages, cross reference indices, and section dividers/tables if they are inserted solely to provide ease to the reader in locating parts/sections of the proposal. Pages will be counted if they contain any other information, i.e., diagrams, extraneous data, etc. Pages marked “This page intentionally left blank” will not be counted.

8. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS, Paragraph 4, VOLUME CONTENT, Volume II, Paragraph f) is changed to read:

f) The offeror shall submit two CDs with other than cost or pricing data in accordance with 52.215-20 Requirements for Certified Cost or Pricing Data or Information Other Than Cost or Pricing Data – Alternate 1, Excel spreadsheets shall contain no hidden formulas or external links and be writeable. The CD/DVD shall be prepared and finalized so as to be readable in any reader.

9. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS, Paragraph 4, VOLUME CONTENT, Volume III, subparagraph b) experience, is changed to read:

b) Experience: Offerors shall describe their relevant experience. The description shall include information on contracts and/or subcontracts that clearly demonstrate experience in performing work similar in size, scope, and/or complexity to the requirements of the PWS. The proposal shall include rationale on how the effort is similar in size, scope, and/or complexity. Only experience within three years prior to the date for receipt of proposals shall be considered relevant. Experience of less than six months duration shall not be considered relevant. The offeror shall also include experience data of its proposed subcontractors if the subcontractor is proposed to perform ten percent or more of the services under this contract. Subcontractor experience may not be substituted for experience of the offeror in overall management of the project. Offerors without relevant contract and/or subcontract experience may submit data on prior contracts involving work experience of proposed key management personnel and their role in such cited contract. Offerors shall include letters of commitment for proposed key management personnel if such personnel are not currently employed by the offeror. Non-government contracts may be submitted if there are no relevant government contracts. The documentation shall be submitted in the following format:

-Contract number, award date, performance period, contract type.

-Price/Cost – original award amount and final (or to date amount).

-Rationale for concluding that the cited contract is relevant.

10. EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD, Paragraph 2, EVALUATION CRITERIA, Paragraph a) is changed to read:

a) In order to be “technically acceptable” an offeror shall meet the following criteria on an acceptable/unacceptable basis. One unacceptable in any factor or subfactor will render the offer technically unacceptable. Only those offers proposing sufficient staffing to perform the required services, showing experience in performing similar services and receiving acceptable or unknown performance assessment will be considered technically acceptable and considered for award.

11. EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD, Paragraph 2, EVALUATION CRITERIA, Paragraph a),

- Unacceptable is changed to read:

- Unacceptable. Staffing plan does not indicate understanding of and capability to provide the scope of the services required and/or experience is not relevant and/or past performance is not rated acceptable.

12. PWS, Part 2, Paragraph 2.1 has been revised as provided herein.

13. PWS, paragraph 1.3 Objective is renumbered 1.4, is changed to read:

1.4 Objective: Conduct lead refinement operations that ensure that only those leads that meet the qualifications and have a desire to speak with a recruiter are forwarded to a recruiter. Provide premier customer service and support to all inquiries received through multiple platforms (e.g., ARRIS, ACE,GoArmy, Social media, Ikrone), and to all applicants that are seeking assistance in online application processing. Establish and maintain an engaging Future Soldier (FS) sustainment program that includes but is not limited to chat rooms, forums, specialty chats, and social media engagement for both FSs and their Families.

14. PWS, paragraph 1.4 Scope is renumbered to 1.3.

15. PWS, paragraph 1.2.1 Components of the Virtual Recruiting Center is renumbered to 1.3.1.

16. PWS, paragraph 1.6.4, Hours of Operations, is changed to read:

1.6.4 Hours of Operation: The core hours of operation for all sections within the VRC shall be, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 AM Eastern Time, exclusive of Federal holidays listed in section 1.6.3 of this PWS. Hours outside the core hours of operation will be determined by the Government Program Manager (GPM). Hours may be adjusted based on analysis of user volume and interaction with approval of the Government. No overtime is authorized by the Government at any time.

17. PWS, paragraph 1.6.4.2, is changed to read:

1.6.4.2 Any closures of the VRC due to inclement weather, unless specifically directed by the Post Commander, will not relieve the Contractor of achieving its requirements as provided in this PWS. The Contractor shall take appropriate action to accomplish these requirements and report in writing on their status to the Government Program Manager and COR within 14 days of any closing.

18. PWS, paragraph 1.6.7.7 is changed to read:

1.6.7.7 Contractor employees are restricted to the first floor of the USAREC HQ, Building 1307. Further they are restricted on the first floor to areas covered between the USAREC security office and the bathrooms adjacent to the cafeteria. Contractor employees are authorized to use the cafeteria.

19. PWS, paragraph 1.6.8 Special Qualifications is changed to read:

1.6.8 Special Qualifications: The Contractor shall advise all contractor employees that any information concerning requests received by the VRC and that all information relayed to the customers of the VRC shall be accurate at all times. Responses given by contractor employees may reflect on the credibility of the United States Army, USAREC, and the U.S. Army recruiting process. The Contractor shall not hire off-duty Government employees (civilian or military) whose employment would result in a conflict with the DoD Joint Ethics Regulation (JER) or the Standards of Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (5 C.F.R. 2635).

All contractor personnel shall be citizens of the United States in order to obtain access to Government networks.

20. PWS, paragraph 1.6.8.6 is changed to read:

1.6.8.6 Bi-Lingual Personnel: the Contractor shall provide qualified linguistic personnel who can clearly read, write, and speak both English and Spanish during all hours of operation. A minimum of two personnel are required for LRC, ACE, FIC, and GoArmy sections. All linguists shall be a US citizen in order to access the network.

21. PWS, paragraph 1.6.11 KEY Personnel, is changed to read:

1.6.11 Key Personnel: The following personnel are considered key personnel by the Government: Contractor Program Manager (CPM)/Alternate Contractor Program Manager (ACPM). Contractor shall provide a contract program manager who shall be responsible for the performance of the work. Contractor shall also provide an alternate program manager that has the same rights and authority to act in the absence of the program manager.

The name of this person and an alternate who shall act for the contractor when the manager is absent shall be designated in writing to the Contracting Officer. The contractor program manager or alternate shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operation of this contract. The contractor program manager or alternate shall be on location and available between 8:00 AM through 5:00 PM (EST), Monday thru Friday except Federal legal holidays or when the Government facility is closed for administrative reasons. Contractor shall submit the names, addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of the assigned PM and their designated alternate in writing to the Contracting Officer no later than three calendar days after contract award or prior to implementation of any change. The PM will be responsible for providing all documentation required by this contract to the COR. Qualifications for all key personnel are listed below:

22. PWS, paragraph 5.2 Lead Refinement, is changed to read:

5.2 Lead Refinement: The Lead Refinement Center (LRC) is responsible for refining leads from various sources, in order to determine eligibility for and interest in, joining the Army. The LRC utilizes multiple methods of communication in order to contact and refine lead lists according to USAREC, G3 priorities.

23. PWS, paragraph 5.5.4, is changed to read:

5.5.4 The Contractor shall maintain, monitor, update, and ensure the designated Future Soldier website and its content accuracy, adheres to USAREC content, applicable regulations, and policy changes.

24. PWS, paragraph 5.13, is changed to read:

Cyber Tools: the government will provide the initial necessary information within the Cyber Tools repository.

The Contractor shall maintain an online electronic repository which stores approved information that is consistent, reliable and enables the ontractor to speak with one voice in accordance with current operating procedures, see PWS section 6.1.12.

25. PWS, paragraph 5.13.1, is changed to read:

The Contractor shall maintain and update a respository located on the Government platform that stores and houses all tools and references to be used by contractor personnel. The Contractor shall monitor and maintain reository so that the information contained is always current and up to date, to include updating and maintaining FAQs, responses, and policies to the Cyber Tools repository.

26. PWS, paragraph 5.16.5, is changed to read:

5.16.5 The Contractor shall collect and validate data, for reports to be delivered to USAREC that include: the total number of attempts made; lead contact statistics (what attempt number and type); time trend analysis; contact feedback; contact volume; contact length; and workload requirement. The reports are generally reported on a monthly, quarterly roll-up, and annual roll-up, to include ad hoc reports as requested by the USAREC G3 or COR. All reports shall be completed for each assigned lead source and shall designate the number of leads available for each lead source from the date assigned. These reports shall be generated using the enterprise application, Report management Zone, or other enterprise systems maintained by G6. The Contractor shall report monthly to the COR all impacts on operations -- i.e., system down time, functionality, weather related issues, program changes, what worked, and what improvements are needed to better serve customers and improve efficiencies.

27. PWS, paragraph 7.4 Technical Exhibit 4 – Minimum Workload Standard is hereby deleted in its entirety.

28. Technical Exhibit 3, has been revised to include standard for PWS, paragraph 5.10.5.

29. Technical Exhibit 4 is hereby deleted in its entirety.

30. The following clauses on pages 64 and 65 have been removed:

Wage Determination Changes Contract Period Payment Contractor Requirements While Working At Fort Knox Schedule of Insurance

ATTACHMENT

Amendment 0005, Attachment 1 Questions and Answers

1.Q. What level will the DD-254 be issued at and how many personnel are required to be cleared?

A. A DD-254 is not required.

2.Q. What is the current level of effort per PWS area?

A. The time period is not clear to the term “current”. Refer to Technical Exhibit 1 for the Performance Requirements Summary and Technical Exhibit 3 of the PWS for the historical workload.

3.Q. Do key personnel (PM and DPM) resumes count as part of the page count or are they outside the page count for Volume III - Mission Capability (Technical Proposal)?

A. Resumes were not requested.

4.Q. If a key person is not a current employee, do you require a letter of commitment to be included?

A. Yes. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS, Paragraph 4, Volume Content, volume III, subparagraph

b) experience has been revised as provided herein.

5.Q. What, if any, requirements have changed between the current contract (W9124D12C0009) and the new solicitation?

A. This solicitation is based on the current mission of USAREC and the government. Contractors are encouraged to submit its proposal in accordance with the current solicitation W9124D-17-R-0007.

6.Q. Is the incumbent eligible to bid on this solicitation as a prime offeror?

A. All interested firms that meet the criteria of the set-aside 100% Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business are allowed to submit a proposal in response to this solicitation.

7.Q. How many contractor FTEs are currently performing the services under this solicitation?

A. This information is not available. It is up to the contractor to determine appropriate staffing.

8.Q. How many contractor FTEs are currently performing surge or special project services?

A. This information is not available. It is up to the contractor to determine staffing/labor mix needed for performance of the solicitation as currently written.

9.Q. Will these services require only government onsite personnel or will offsite personnel be permitted?

A. Services will only be performed onsite at the government installation as identified in the solicitation.

10.Q. Is there an existing Service Level Agreements (SLA) in place?

A. The PWS does not require service level agreements; however, Technical Exhibit 1 provides the minimum acceptable levels of service.

11.Q. If so, can you provide a copy of the current SLA as well as the historical performance for each PWS area?

A. See question 10.

12.Q. Could you please provide a current Organization Chart?

A. No.

13.Q. How much time is required per lead for performing refinement activities (PWS 5.2.1)?

A. Time will vary based on current mission. However, industry standard for telemarketing is approximately 20 to 25 calls per hour.

14.Q. Would you identify which positions are currently SCA?

A. No. It is up to the contractor to determine the staffing/labor category mix needed for the performance of the solicitation as currently written.

15.Q. What is the anticipate start date of the contract?

A. Refer to Amendment 0002.

16.Q. The RFP does not identify a transition plan. Will there be a transition that includes overlap with the incumbent and if so, what is the timeline?

A. No. Refer to Amendment 0002.

17.Q. The CLIN descriptions are using a start date of 7 April, is there an updated start date we should use for planning purposes.

A. Refer to Amendment 0002.

18.Q. In section 1.6.8.1 – Given that this is a fixed price contract with a service level agreement rather than government identified labor, what is meant by the statement that you will have to approve all personnel that are brought on to the project?

A. Section 1.6.8.1 does not reference the government approval of contractor personnel. It provides the government’s presumption that contractor personnel who possess stated experience are qualified to perform in the applicable section.

19.Q. In section 1.6.8.7 - Computer Operator Position talks about all the databases…what kind of certifications this position need?

A. Refer to PWS paragraph 1.6.8.7.

20.Q. Does this position require a clearance?

A. See PWS paragraph 1.6.7.2 Security Requirements.

21.Q. Key Performance Indicators – how do we calculate or measure aspects such as respond in 60 seconds to text messages?

A. Responding to text messages are not stated in the PWS. However, PWS paragraph 5.5.10 does address entering chat rooms or specialty chats.

22.Q. CLIN 0004, 1004 and 2004 are for TEXTING at a quantity of 25,000 per job. Can you clarify what this is for?

A. Refer to PWS paragraph 1.6.14.

23.Q. Are we to propose a texting solution?

A. No.

24.Q. Is there an existing texting solution that we would be taking over payment on and if so, what is the solution?

A. Refer to PWS paragraph 1.6.14.

25.Q. Section 1.6.2 discusses the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP), so that we understand how we are being evaluated can you provide a draft copy of the QASP?

A. No. See Technical Exhibit 1 for Performance Requirements Summary and Technical Exhibit 2 for Deliverables.

26.Q. In section 1.6.3 – what are examples of special projects and how much notice with the contractor receive?

A. Special projects could and may encompass a wide array of instances, example; the Command could require social media coverage over a holiday period. Coordination would be given as soon as possible to the contractor in order to adjust schedules.

27.Q. In section 1.6.4 – when would hours outside the core hours of operation be required and how much notice will the contractor receive?

A. Operations outside core hours will be coordinated and discussed between the government and contractor, if needed.

28.Q. In section 1.6.4.1 – Can you explain why this is a requirement given that this is a firm fixed price contract for a service and not a labor hour support contract.

A. Explanation is not required. Contract type chosen based on the needs of the government.

29.Q. Section 1.6.8.1 implies that there is a system for vetting the contractors proposed for this task area by the Government. Will the Government describe this vetting process?

A. PWS paragraph 1.6.8.1 does not reference the government approval of contractor personnel. It provides the government’s presumption that contractor personnel who possess stated experience are qualified to perform in the applicable section.

30.Q. Section 1.6.8.2 implies that there is a system for vetting the contractors proposed for this task area by the Government. Will the Government describe this vetting process?

A. PWS paragraph 1.6.8.2 does not reference the government approval of contractor personnel. It provides the government’s presumption that contractor personnel who possess stated experience are qualified to perform in the applicable section.

31.Q. Section 1.6.8.3 implies that there is a system for vetting the contractors proposed for this task area by the Government. Will the Government describe this vetting process?

A. PWS paragraph 1.6.8.3 does not reference the government approval of contractor personnel. It provides the government’s presumption that contractor personnel who possess experience are qualified to perform in the applicable section.

32.Q. Section 1.6.8.4 implies that there is a system for vetting the contractors proposed for this task area by the Government. Will the Government describe this vetting process?

A. PWS paragraph 1.6.8.4 does not reference the government approval of contractor personnel. It provides the government’s presumption that contractor personnel who possess experience are qualified to perform in the applicable section.

33.Q. Section 1.6.8.6 states that a “minimum of two personnel per section are required are required” for qualified linguistic personnel who can clearly read, write, and speak both English and Spanish during all hours of operation.

Can you clarity what is meant by “per section” since there is not a direct correlation between all of the PWS areas and CLINs.

A. PWS paragraph 1.6.8.6 has been revised as provided herein. The sections requiring bi-lingual personnel are LRC, ACE, FIC, GoArmy.

34.Q. Section 1.6.8.7 identifies Computer Operator III, the only non-key personnel labor category called out in the solicitation, are there any other requirements (certifications) for this position?

A. Refer to PWS paragraph 1.6.8.7.

35.Q. In section 1.6.8.8 – “…applicable criteria set forth in this PWS…” does this refer to section 1.6.8.1 through 1.6.8.4?

A. Yes, and in addition the specific tasks identified in Part 5 of the PWS.

36.Q. In section 1.6.8.9 – this is the only reference to Contract Trainers. What is the intent and will the Government describe this vetting process?

A. PWS paragraph 1.6.8.9 does not reference the government approval of contract personnel. It provides the government’s presumption that contractor personnel who possess stated experience are qualified to perform in the applicable section.

37.Q. In section 1.6.14 – is this texting service already being providing? If so, what software is being used?

A. Yes. E.Z text will be provided by the government.

38.Q. In section 1.6.18 – What is the phase in/out requirements?

A. PWS paragraph 1.6.18 is identified as Reserved.

39.Q. In section 1.8.10 – Identify the positons designated at performing IA/IT functions.

A. PWS paragraph 1.8.10 is training that is required for all Contractor / sub-contractor employees requiring access to the network.

40.Q. In section 5.2 – what are the maximum standards?

A. Refer to Technical Exhibit 1 Performance Requirements Summary.

41.Q. In section 5.2.3 – Actual contact is outside the control of the contractor. The contractor may attempt to contact the lead, but it is up to the lead to either return the attempted contact or accept the contact.

A. No answer required. This is a statement not a question.

42.Q. In section 5.2.4 – what is the time period for the measurement?

A. As referenced within Technical Exhibit 1, contact must be attempted for 100% of provided leads. Initial attempted contact shall be made within two businesses days of receipt of list.

43.Q. There are numerous references to “6.1.12 VRC Current Operating Procedures”, which is labeled as “to be provided upon contract award.” However, the Current Operating Procedures (COP) impact the aspects associated with the level of effort and labor requirements for many of the tasks. Without having access to the COP it is extremely difficult to accurately determine the level of effort for a fixed price contract. Will the government provide the COP or more details associated with the level of effort and skill sets for the PWS areas.

A. Refer to amendment 0004. The Virtual Recruiting Center Current Operating Procedures (COP), dated 4 May 2017 was provided as an enclosure to amendment 0004. This enclosure is only an example and is not an accurate representation of the COP that will be in place at contract award. The COP is provided strictly for informational purposes only and to assist in the preparation of the proposal.

44.Q. In section 5.3 – How many efforts monthly? What is the size of the efforts? Will affect staffing.

A. Refer to Technical Exhibit 3 for historical workload data.

45.Q. In section 5.4.2 – how many inquires per day?

A. See question 44.

46.Q. In section 5.5.8 – How many speciality chats per month/year?

A. There are on average approximately 32 speciality Chat sessions per month or approximately 300 per year.

47.Q. In section 5.5.10 – seems like something that would be in the COPs. How is response time to text messages calculated in order to meet the requirement of “60 second response time, not less than 95% of the time”?

A. PWS paragraph 5.5.10 is referring to chat room or specialty chat sessions. Not text messages. Refer to amendment 0004. The Virtual Recruiting Center Current Operating Procedures (COP), dated 4 May 2017 was provided as an enclosure to amendment 0004. This enclosure is only an example and is not an accurate representation of the COP that will be in place at contract award. The COP is provided strictly for informational purposes only and to assist in the preparation of the proposal.

48.Q. In section 5.16.15 the contractor is required track high volume days and times in a monthly report so that adjustments can be made to work days and hours by section. Since this is a firm fixed priced contract with service level agreements, why is the government interested in this data?

A. The PWS does not require service level agreements; however, Technical Exhibit 1 provides the minimum acceptable levels of service. This data will be used for mission readiness.

49.Q. In section 6.1.12 – Request the Government provide the VRC Current Operating Procedures prior to contractor award. COPs are integral to how the organization will operate and may potentially either positively or negatively affect staffing requirements and performance.

A. Refer to amendment 0004. The Virtual Recruiting Center Current Operating Procedures (COP), dated 4 May 2017 was provided as an enclosure to amendment 0004. This enclosure is only an example and is not an accurate representation of the COP that will be in place at contract award. The COP is provided strictly for informational purposes only and to assist in the preparation of the proposal.

50.Q. In the Technical Exhibit 1 – for everything – how are these percentages calculated? What is the process that will be used to calculate them? An example is 5.5.10 - These are chat sessions, will the government or the contractor be responsible for reviewing all chat logs to ensure acknowledgement within 60 seconds?

A. Technical Exhibit 1 is the minimum acceptable level of services and provides performance thresholds.

51.Q. Is this automated? This will require a significant amount of effort if not automated.

A. Yes, all information is recorded electronically.

52.Q. In the Technical Exhibit 2 – for documents, like the visitor’s log that need to be scanned – is there a scanner available that will convert to PDF?

A. Yes.

53.Q. In section 1.6.8.6 on page 70, the RFP states that two (2) bi-lingual personnel are required for each “section”?

A. PWS paragraph 1.6.8.6 has been revised as provided herein. The sections requiring bi-lingual personnel are LRC, ACE, FIC, and GoArmy.

54.Q. Does “section” mean each 8-hour shift?

A. No.

55.Q. Or does “section” mean that two bi-lingual personnel are required for the Lead Refinement Center, Processing Branch, and Sustainment Branch?

A. PWS paragraph 1.6.8.6 has been revised as provided herein. The sections requiring bi-lingual personnel are LRC, ACE, FIC and GoArmy.

56.Q. In section 1.6.8 – Special Qualifications on page 70 of the RFP, there are many instances (1.6.8.1, 1.6.8.2, 1.6.8.3, 1.6.8.4, 1.6.8.9, 1.6.8.14) where “the Government/Army will presume that contractor personnel who possess…” special qualifications such as prior military experience or prior Army recruiting experience “are so qualified.” Does that mean that the prior experience listed is a REQUIREMENT for all personnel on that Team/Branch?

A. No.

57.Q. If not, which positions require the listed experience?

A. Not applicable.

58.Q. On page 61 under the Evaluation Factors for Award, part 2.a, the RFP defines Unacceptable to include “past performance is not rated LOW or unknown.” What is meant by “low?”

A. This area has been revised as provided herein.

59.Q. There is no other mention of a “low” rating level in the RFP.

A. No answer required as this is a statement not a question.

60.Q. On page 63 under CONTRACT PERIOD, the RFP states, “Any contract awarded as a result of offers under this solicitation shall extend from 7 April 2017 or date of contract award, whichever is later, to 6 April 2018.” Since the proposal due date is 12 April 2017, will the Government provide a revised estimated start date for pricing purposes?

A. The current contract expires 6 July 2017. Refer to Amendment 0002.

61.Q. The Specific Task listed in Section 5.10 – GoArmy.com Website Support is not designated within/under a specific Branch or Team in the RFP. Under which Branch or Team is GoArmy.com support positioned in the VRC operation?

A. The GoArmy is its own section.

62.Q. Solicitation pages 4-18 regarding base/option periods of 7 April 2017/2019 through 6 April 2018/2020: The offer due date/local time as shown on page 1 of the solicitation, Standard Form 1449 is listed as 10:00 AM 12 Apr 2017 but the solicitation lists the base period / start date as of 7 April 2017 which poses a conflict. Please clarify when the expected performance period is to begin.

A. Refer to Amendment 0002 for revised start date.

63.Q. PWS 1.6.7.6: What is the expected time frame for transitioning existing employees? How many days will the successor receive transitional support from the incumbent?

A. Refer to PWS paragraph 1.6.18 which is reserved. The PWS does not require transitional support from the incumbent.

64.Q. Is it mandatory for the incumbent employees to be transferred to the successor?

A. No. Per FAR 52.207-3(a) The Contractor shall give Government personnel who have been or will be adversely affected or separated as a result of award of this contract the right of first refusal for employment openings under the contract in positions for which they are qualified, if that employment is consistent with post-Government employment conflict of interest standards.

65.Q. If so, can the number of transferring personnel and labor categories be provided to the bidder?

A. No. Per FAR 52.207-3(b) Within 10 days after contract award, the Contracting Officer will provide to the Contractor a list of all Government personnel who have been or will be adversely affected or separated as a result of award of this contract.

66.Q. PWS 1.8.9: Are there any security clearance requirements for the personnel who will work on the contract?

A. See PWS paragraph 1.6.7.

67.Q. If so, what clearances and will the Government/Agency assist the successor’s personnel to obtain the security clearance requirements?

A. See PWS paragraph 1.6.7.

68.Q. PWS 1.8.3, 1.8.5, 1.8.8, 1.8.9, 1.8.10, 1.8.11: Regarding the training requirements for the personnel who will work on the contract, will the Government/Agency provide the training materials to the successor?

A. Yes.

69.Q. Who is responsible for providing the training, the Government/Agency or existing employee trainers (i.e.

2.1.6 Center Leader) on the contract?

A. Not applicable, 2.1.6 is a definition.

70.Q. Is the Center Leader a Government/Agency employee or incumbent contract employee?

A. Per PWS paragraph 2.1.6, a Center Leader is an officer or noncommissioned officer who leads the recruiting center. The center leader is responsible for recruiting operations, training, and the welfare of the Soldiers and civilian employees assigned to the center.

71.Q. What company(s) is/are/make up the current incumbent/contractor(s)/subcontractor(s)?

A. National Sourcing Inc. is the current incumbent contractor.

72.Q. When does the current contractor/incumbent performance period end?

A. The current contract expires 6 July 2017. Refer to Amendment 0002.

73.Q. Does the current contractor/incumbent have remaining option years that the Government may award?

A. Not applicable.

74.Q. Does the Government/Agency expect to extend the existing performance period?

A. Not applicable. Refer to Amendment 0002.

75.Q. If so, until what date?

A. See question 74.

76.Q. Will the Government/Agency please provide any of the following: Pricing data (i.e. contract award celling amount / contract value), labor categories, job descriptions, expected number of resources and labor hours per job category?

A. No. The incumbent’s pricing, labor categories, staffing plan and labor mix are proprietary information protected from release.

77.Q. Would the Government/Agency please provide a current organization chart for the Virtual Recruiting Center including all management, operations and support staff identifying Government vs contractor employee positions?

A. No. The incumbent’s labor categories and staffing plan hence labor mix are proprietary information protected from release.

78.Q. Does the government have specific expectations regarding the benefits package to be provided to contractor staff?

A. Contractors are to adhere to applicable labor laws and the Wage Determination provided.

79.Q. If so what are the required benefits?

A. See question 78.

80.Q. Section 1.2.1.6 of the PWS states that the contractor shall be responsible for creating 5-10 pieces of content daily. Is this a 7 day a week expectation?

A. No. Refer to PWS Paragraph 1.6.4 hours of operations.

81.Q. What types of content and for what customers does the content need to be created?

A. Refer to PWS paragraph 1.2.1.6.

82.Q. How many FTE's are currently required to do the work listed in Technical Exhibit B3?

A. There is no TE B3; however, there is a TE 3. It is up to the contractor to determine appropriate staffing and labor category mix need to perform this requirement.

83.Q. Is there a formula to determine staffing?

A. No. It is up to the contractor to determine appropriate staffing and labor category mix need to perform this requirement.

84.Q. How is the 34% contact rate determined for leads refinement required in PWS section 5.2.3?

A. Refer to Technical Exhibit 1 for the performance standards and thresholds.

85.Q. What are the available communication methods for leads refinement required in PWS section 5.2.3?

A. Communication methods are primarily telephone and Email.

86.Q. What types of "customer service operations" are expected by the ACE Customer Service Team as required in PWS section 5.4.2?

A. ACE is an online application process, the contractor will be expected to answer questions and QC applications for completeness and accuracy.

87.Q. How is the contractor expected to ascertain Future Soldier potential delays or disinterest in shipping to Initial Military Training as stated in PWS 5.5.3 “Contractor shall act as a recruiter warning system on Future Soldier potential delays or disinterest in shipping to Initial Military Training by communicating this information to recruiting centers and Company Headquarters as soon as possible. Contact information is provided via government automated systems in accordance with current operating procedures?”

A. Through asking questions utilizing the appropriate communication tools (e.g., social media, emails, and/or telephone).

88.Q. What is the expectation for monitoring for content accuracy? Is the contractor expected to maintain and update this website as well? Reference: 5.5.4 Contractor shall monitor the designated Future Soldier website and its content accuracy, adherence to USAREC content, applicable regulations, and policy changes.

A. PWS paragraph 5.5.4 has been revised as provided herein.

89.Q. What is the definition of customer service operations? What is this team supposed to do when utilizing the assigned toll free number? Reference: 5.5.5 Contractor shall conduct telephone customer service operations on the assigned toll free number.

A. Customer service operations are answering questions and providing guidance to incoming and outgoing calls.

90.Q. How does the contractor find the spouses and family members to invite them? Is this information provided to the contract team? Reference: 5.6.7 Contractor shall invite and schedule spouses and family members, including minor dependents to participate monthly electronic group discussions. Contractor shall post schedules for parents and or families on available sites and platforms. Contractor is authorized to arrange for no-cost guest speakers to participate in discussions as needed with topics ranging from Housing, JAG, TRICARE, Drill Sergeants, Army Community Service (ACS), transportation and the American Red Cross as examples with approval from the USAREC G3 FS Proponent.

A. This information will be provided by the Government, as applicable

91.Q. Who provides the FS roster? Is the contractor at liberty to utilize any communication techniques to engage with the family members? Reference: 5.6.8 Contractor shall screen the new FS roster weekly for all married FS's and utilize all available means of communication to increase participation.

A. Roster is provided by the government. The communication techniques to be used will be provided.

92.Q. Are there checklists available for these applications? What is EMM? 5.7 Special Operations Recruiting:

Provides support for and expands the reach of Special Operations Recruiting Battalion (SORB) recruiters worldwide. Provides customer service, with follow up contacts and communications, data entry, lead refinement, application processing for Warrant Officer Packets through both EMM and In-Service Enlisted applications and a subject matter expert in regards to special operations designated mission set qualifications and volunteer processes to the In-Service market.

A. Yes checklist will be provided by the government. EMM is defined in PWS Part 2.2.

93.Q. What is the definition of inappropriate? Could the government provide some examples? Also, the 'people' feature on AKO is no longer available. What is the methodology given this information? Reference: 5.9.11 Contractor shall ensure that any inappropriate postings that are made by members of the US military or their family members are immediately reported to the USAREC G3 GPM and Operations NCO. This report should include as much detailed information as is available from the users account to include name and unit information as available and screenshots of the postings. Unit information can be found by utilizing the people feature of AKO.

A. Inappropriate means: unsuitable; not appropriate. Refer to FM 6-22 for specific guidance on Army Values and Ethos.

94.Q. What is meant by 'responsible' social media platforms? Reference: 5.9.13 Contractor shall be responsible for creating all content to be used on all responsible social media platforms in accordance with current operating procedures.

A. 5.9.13 is marked reserved in the solicitation.

95.Q. Is there another proponent aside from the USAREC G3 as referenced in previous sections? Also, this section says that the contractor shall develop 5-10 pieces of content per day. Is this in conjunction with the proponent as referenced in this section? Reference: 5.9.14 Contractor shall have a representative present at scheduled content development/strategy meetings as necessary when requested by the specific proponent.

A. Yes, based government needs.

96.Q. What is meant by, " Also, provides information to other inquiries outside of the enlistment process that require an outside POC to be provided." Is the contractor expected to provide outside contact information to potential enlistees? What are the limitations for providing resources here? Reference: 5.10 Goarmy.com Website Support: Provides responses to all inquiries generated by the GoArmy.com and Army.mil for questions regarding opportunities such as enlistment information, options, benefits, and processing policies utilizing approved USAREC content as well as appropriate Army regulations and policy. Also, provides information to other inquiries outside of the enlistment process that require an outside POC to be provided.

A. GoArmy.com and Army.mil websites may receive inquiries that are about other areas of the Army that are outside of the enlistment process based on the nature of the inquiry. Government will provide the contact information on a case by case basis, due to the nature of the inquiry.

97.Q. Is there a standardized checklist or methodology for assessing operational errors as it pertains to this section?

Reference: 5.10.5 Contractor shall immediately report all email operational errors, such as a noticeable drop in incoming emails, multiple duplicates of received emails, reported errors from the public, and observed database errors to the USAREC G3.

A. No.

98.Q. Section 5.10 is titled "Goarmy.com Website Support." However, the section does not seem to indicate website support is provided. Is the contactor expected to staff a web design professional to support this operation?

A. No.

99.Q. What does the lead refinement center do with the individual once they receive it? To clarify, does this mean the contractor passes the individual from contractor to contractor within the same team? Reference: 5.10.7 Contractor shall forward any person that wishes to speak with a Recruiter to the lead refinement center.

A. The lead refinement center will disseminate the inquiry to the appropriate Recruiter or Recruiting Center.

100.Q. What is the definition of "consistently monitored?" Is this a daily requirement? Is the contractor expected to provide a certified Knowledge Management (KM) professional to complete this task? Reference: 5.13.1 Contractor shall maintain and update a repository located on the government platform that stores and houses all tools and references to be used by contractor personnel. These shall be consistently monitored and maintained so that the information contained is always current and up to date.

A. Reference provided doesn’t reflect the current PWS within this solicitation.

101.Q. How is the contractor expected to provide this information to a prospect? Is the Privacy Act expected to be provided in written format, or read to a prospect prior to a conversation beginning? Reference: 5.14.4 Contractor shall ensure that every contractor employee is familiar with the Privacy Act of 1974 and that every lead contacted is provided that information prior to answering any qualification questions.

A. The method of presenting the Privacy Act will be determined by the method of conversation. Typed if by Email form or read if communicating via phone.

102.Q. If information in an ACE record is identified as incorrect, how is it supposed to be corrected? Reference:

5.14.6 Contractor shall NOT make any corrections, add or delete information to an Army Career Explorer record.

A. Contractor employee will contact the applicant to correct his/her record.

103.Q. Is the contract team expected to contact SORB Families? What are the other means the contractor should use to contact individuals outside of the continental US? Reference: 5.14.7 Telephonic contact shall be limited to the continental United States and Puerto Rico except for those leads being refined for SORB (A). Any Leads, Future Soldiers, or families residing outside of these areas shall be contacted by other means.

A. Reference provided doesn’t reflect the current PWS within this solicitation.

104.Q. What platform shall the contractor utilize for text messaging? Is that at the contractor's expense, or the government’s? If at the contractor’s expense, what are the requirements for text messaging? Reference: 5.14.10

Contractor shall only send text messages to recipients who have opted to receive text messages according to current telecommunications laws and guidelines.

A. See question 37.

105.Q. How do SORB leads come in to the team? If they are on a list, how can the contractor contact within the timeframe required by the contract? Are there any additional methodology requirements for contacting SORB leads (i.e. established questionnaire, number of times contact should be attempted)? Reference: 5.14.13 Contractor shall ensure contact with each lead is attempted within 24 - 36 hours of receipt.

A. All Leads are received via the Government Applicant tracking system which is provided to the contractor.

Contractor will make contact as applicable to the lead. There are no additional methodology requirements.

106.Q. To whom are these reports submitted to? Reference: 5.16 Reporting Requirements: Provides support for, maintenance and the execution of periodic and ad hoc Metric and Reports. Periodic reports shall be submitted on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis. Reports are required for every individual section operating in the VRC and need to have specificity to analyze and evaluate current operations.

A. Refer to PWS Technical Exhibit 2.

107.Q. Is the contractor expected to develop these reports, or does the government provide a preferred template?

Reference: 5.16.5 Contractor shall collect and validate data, for reports to be delivered to USAREC that include;

the total number of attempts made, lead contact statistics (what attempt number and type), time trend analysis, contact feedback, contact volume, contact length and workload requirement. The reports are generally reported on a monthly, quarterly roll up and annual rollup and include ad hoc reports as requested by the USAREC G3 or COR.

All reports shall be completed for each assigned lead source and shall designate the number of leads available for each lead source from the date assigned. These reports should be generated using the enterprise application, Report management Zone, or other enterprise systems maintained by G6. Contractor shall report monthly to the COR all impacts on operations, i.e., system down time, functionality, weather related issues, program changes, what worked, and what improvements are needed to better serve customers and improve efficiencies.

A. Government will provide preferred template.

108.Q. Is a directory of Recruiting Center Leaders etc. available so that the contractor can engage with these individuals? Reference: 5.16.12 Contractor shall keep Recruiting Center Leaders and Recruiting Company Headquarters informed of FS participation and any identified issues via email to minimize FS loss.

A. Yes.

109.Q. To whom should the weekly BDE Support report be provided to?