RFP_Questions_as_of_14_MAR_19.pdf

RFP Questions as of 13 MAR 19

Q1: No CLIN is included for separate travel costs. Should contractors include the cost of all travel in their firm fixed price for exercise support?

A1: Yes, include travel in your overall pricing. Travel should be incorporated IAW rates authorized by the Joint Travel Regulation.

Q2: This solicitation is for the 1-6 April exercise only. Are contractors required to address all of the requirements in the PWS or only those in Sections 1.7.4 and 1.7.5?

A2: Only requirements for the 1-6 April exercise.

Q3: Section 1.6.2 requires the contractor to submit a Quality Control Plan within 10 days of award, is this required for this one exercise support? It is likely that the 10 day window to submit the QCP will overlap the exercise support dates.

A3: The QCP is an internal measure which should be submitted to the contracting officer. Quality Control is a responsibility of the performing contractor, not the government. As this is a commercial service, the government is relying on a given contractor’s existing quality assurance systems as a substitute for government inspection and testing (FAR 46.202-1 Contracts for Commercial Items). Therefore, submittal of a contractor’s Quality Control Plan for this requirement is not dependent on the period of performance as this should be an enduring internal process, and should be able to be submitted to the Contracting Officer within 10 days of award.

Q4: Will this contract serve as the basis for a future Blanket Purchase Agreement or is it a one-time only exercise support?

A4: This performance work statement will serve as the basis for a future Blanket Purchase Agreement.

Q5: Does the RPG attack have to be through a remotely activated simulation? Would a role player wearing insurgent attire firing a round using a shoulder-fired RPG simulator be acceptable?

A5: No, the capability for remote activation is necessary. We cannot truly simulate the number of personnel on the battlefield that might have RPGs without using remote systems.

Q6: Sections 1.6.13.3, 1.6.13.5 and 1.6.16.2 require the use of E-Verify. E-Verify is designed for employers to pre-screen employees only. Does the client require E-Verify screening for independent contractors/self-employed individuals as well?

A6: E-Verify requirements follow:

Subcontractors

The E-Verify federal contractor rule requires certain federal prime contractors to require their subcontractors to use E-Verify when:

•The prime contract includes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) E-Verify clause (PDF)

•The subcontract is for commercial or noncommercial services or construction

•The subcontract has a value of more than $3,500

•The subcontract includes work performed in the United States

Note: Subcontractors who are suppliers are not subject to the E-Verify federal contractor rule.

Prime Contractor and Subcontractor Obligations

The prime contractor should provide general oversight to their subcontractors to ensure that they meet their contractual requirements, which may include enrolling in and using E-Verify.

The subcontractor should provide the prime contractor a copy of their Maintain Company page from E- Verify to prove that they are enrolled in E-Verify.

For instructions on how to print your Maintain Company page or additional information see the E-Verify Supplemental Guide for Federal Contractors (https://www.e-verify.gov/supplemental-guide-for-federal-contractors).

Independent Contractors and Self-Employed Individuals

Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, rules govern whether an individual is considered self-employed with respect to using E-Verify. Generally, self-employed individuals are not required to complete Form I-9 on themselves, and therefore are not required to use E-Verify. However, all employers, including sole proprietorships, must complete a Form I-9 for each employee they hire.

Subsidiaries and Affiliates

Only the legal entity (business) that signs the contract is considered the federal contractor and is bound by the E-Verify obligation.

Whether certain subsidiaries and affiliates are a part of the legal contracting entity depends on the specific factual context. Consult your legal counsel if you have additional questions about this topic.

Q7: Section 1.7.5. Company Battlefield Effects Package requires one (1) Liaison Officer (LNO); however, Section 1.7.2. Battalion Battlefield Effects Package does not show a requirement for an LNO. Is there an LNO required for the Company Battlefield Effects Package?

A7: There is an LNO required. Typically the activity will never call for an effects package without role players and the LNO can be the same person.

Q8: How many different training sites will there be for the Company role player and Company battlefield effects package? The battlefield effects package in particular is important to know because it determines the number of pyro devices that'll be necessary (these devices are very expensive). It is clarified in the Battalion level packages that 3 separate sites will be used simultaneously. If the Company Battlefield Effects Package does have multiple sites, do each of the 3 pyro effects (RPG, Pneumatic Weapon System, and CAS Simulation) need to occur simultaneously at each respective site? Reason- Just trying to determine exactly how many pyro devices will be needed in total.

A8: 3 separate sites is the maximum that is required but one or two is standard.

Q9: For the role player weapons, do all weapons need to be blank and marker rounds capable at any given time or is it okay if some guns on a site are blank-fire only and some are marker/ blank combo?

Reason- Regular AKs with BFAs on them are significantly cheaper than Simunition and UTM brand AKs and if some can be regular AKs with BFAs, it'll drive the costs down a good bit.

A9: All weapons need to be blank and marker capable. We need to be able to switch quickly.

Q10: Does the Company Battlefield Effects Package require an Liaison Officer when used in conjunction with a Role Player Package that also has an LNO? i.e. If the Company Role Player and Company Battlefield Effects Packages were purchased together, would the customer want 2 separate LNOs or just one for the whole event? The Battalion Battlefield Effects Package doesn't have a LNO requirement but the Company Battlefield Effects Package does.

A10: -Effects packages will always be called with a role player package and only one LNO is required that can facilitate both.

Q11: The Simunition brand makes an AK47 Look-alike upper receiver that fits on an M4 lower receiver and shoots 9mm marking cartridges and 9mm blanks. Would this be an adequate substitution or does it absolutely need to be a 7.62x39mm chambered gun and absolutely needs to be the UTM brand?

A11: Marking Cartridge must have a Max Effective Range equivalent to the 7.62x39 MMR round, regardless of brand and firing system.