B08_WIESBADEN ACS SUPPORT_QUESTIONS _ ANSWERS.pdf

Number Reference Question Response

1 Submission Date

Given the number of questions we have and the encroaching holidays, would the Government consider extending the deadline for proposal submission?

Already extended to 24

January 2023

2 SOFA

Does the position provide

Status of Forces Agreement

(SOFA) status?

The requirement does not provide SOFA status.

3 SOFA

If SOFA status is not provided, will the candidate be subject to and responsible for complying with host nation taxes?

If the candidates do not have

SOFA status (i.e. U.S.

dependent), they will be responsible for Host Nation taxes.

4 Price

If quoting in Euros, what is the specific conversion rate the Government will use?

If your company is a

German registered company your quote must be provide in Euros.

5 Price

Given the recent rapid changes in the Euro/Dollar exchange rate, when and how often will the government adjust the conversion rate?

If your company is a

German registered company your quote must be provide in Euros. The conversion is transparent to the contractor. In other words, the German registered contractor gets paid in

Euros regardless of the conversion.

6 Effort

What is the annual level of effort for a Full Time

Equivalent (FTE) for this contract? (e.g., 1880, 1912, 1920, 2000, 2080, etc.)

This is not a Labor Hour contract. For planning purposes use 1920.

7 Effort

How many FTEs does the

Government intend for meeting the requirements of the contract?

Not a Labor Hours contract.

Your approach to meeting the requirement will be evaluated per clause 52.212-

2 included in the RFQ

8 PWS 1.5.1.2 “The Contractor shall inform the COR of issues or potential issues that might affect the performance immediately, but no later than within (4) hours of identifying those issues. Verbal reports shall be followed up by written reports within one (1) work day.”

Can the Government please clarify and/or give examples of what constitutes an issue that might affect performance? Also, does the government have a template for the written report?

The government does not have a template. In essence, the contractor needs to provide Who, What, Where, Why, When, How.

Unforeseen absences, missing a deliverable, etc.

9 PWS 1.5.1.2 “The Contractor shall inform the COR of issues or potential issues that might affect the performance immediately, but no later than within (4) hours of identifying those issues. Verbal reports shall be followed up by written reports within one (1) work day.”

According to Technical

Exhibit B, Deliverable #2, “Issues or potential issues that might affect performance need to be reported within 2 hours of identifying those problems.” This contradicts

PWS 1.5.1.2. Please clarify the timeframe.

It will be corrected to reflect

4 hours as intended.

(Corrected in PWS)

10 PWS 1.5.4.3 “Additionally, the

Contractor shall be responsible for conducting the

Basic Conversational German

Language class as follows: two sessions weekly, morning session (1130 to 1300); and evening session (1900 to

2030). The days shall be coordinated with the government (Relocation

Program Manager and COR) at the ACS provided facility.

The hours for the language will be offset by reduced hours during the day.”

a) Do the language courses need to take place at these particular times or can the Contractor first assess the needs of the participants to better accommodate their schedules and preferred course times?

b) Please confirm that there are only one morning and one evening course per week.

b. The requirement will be one class in the morning and one evening class.

11 PWS 1.5.4.3 “Additionally, the

Contractor shall be responsible for conducting the

Basic Conversational German

Language class as follows: two sessions weekly, morning session (1130 to 1300); and evening session (1900 to

2030). The days shall be

The Government does not expect a backfill to cover the

Host Nation Information

Desk when Host Nation

Orientation tours, Cultural

Adaptation tours, Spouse

Orientation classes, Foreign

Born Spouse meetings, No. It is not an accurate description of the requirement. The PWS states:

5.1.3 Host Nation

Information Desk: When the Contractor is not training, teaching or coordinated with the government (Relocation

Program Manager and COR) at the ACS provided facility.

The hours for the language will be offset by reduced hours during the day.”

Spouse Sponsorship Training for Units, Agencies and

Organizations briefings, Hearts Apart Spouses Group meetings, attending RACC and other monthly meetings, Conversational German

Language classes and English as a Second Language classes occur. Is this an accurate understanding?

providing Host Nation tours, the contractor shall be available to answer questions about the Host

Nation in person, email or by phone at the Host Nation desk located at ACS or a designated alternative location as needed. See

Contractor support hours in section 1.5.4.3.

12 PWS 5.1.1.1 “There will be a maximum number of participants for each tour at 25 participants.”

Please clarify if a second guide is required for the HNO

Walking Tour when the tour has 20 or more registered. Or is the expectation that only one guide is needed to lead 25 attendees on the Walking

Tours?

There will be a maximum of

25 participant per tour with one tour guide. This is the maximum number of participants.

The weekly Host Nation

Orientation class and tour per 5.1.1.1 shall have a maximum participant of 25 and during the Permanent

Change of Station (PCS) months of June, July and

August, contractor shall conduct Host Nation

Orientation briefings

TWICE a week from June to August, as agreed upon with the In-processing

Transition Center.

13 PWS 5.1.2.1 “Contractor shall provide basic conversational

German (Deutsch) language class.”

Does the Government already have approved syllabus and curriculum to deliver the class?

No we do not have approved syllabus and curriculum.

Please refer to 5.4

Administrative Tasks:

5.4.4 Contractor shall

develop lesson plans and shall be submitted semi-annually to the COR for review and concurrence prior to publication and distribution. Marketing material including posters, flyers, media articles, and public announcements shall be attached to each briefing, training, and tours offered.

(Deliverable#26).

14 PWS Technical Exhibit B #16

German Language training

(para. 5.1.2.3) Lesson plans /

Attendance sheets

The PWS does not mention lesson plan creation under the

German Language Classes

(PWS 5.1.2) section. Does the contractor need to create lesson plans? If the intention of the Government is for the

Contractor to create syllabus, curriculum and lesson plans, then this needs to be reflected in the estimated work load and description of work.

Tasks: 5.4.4 Contractor shall develop lesson plans and shall be submitted semi-annually to the COR for review and concurrence prior to publication and distribution. Marketing material including posters, flyers, media articles, and public announcements shall be attached to each briefing, 15 PWS 5.1.2.2 “The Contractor shall be responsible for conducting the Basic

Conversational German

(Deutsch) Language: a one and half (1.5hrs) class between the hours of 1100 to 1400hrs and the second class during the evening between the hours of

1900 to 2030 (the days shall be coordinated with the COR and the ACS provided facility).

clarify, does this mean two classes part of the same session (e.g. German classes twice a week) or is this for two parallel classes to run at different times to accommodate attendees’ schedules (e.g. German class once a week)?

ACS response : There will be two different classes, one in the morning and one in the evening, they are independent of one another and purpose is to give community a choice of class schedule to fit their needs/availability

16 PWS 5.1.2.3 “Courses shall be eight (8) sessions in length.”

Do the attendees register for a block of eight sessions or can attendees register for free standing sessions? If the attendees register for a block of eight classes, are the classes intended to build upon the previous language session?

The attendees register for a class that consists of 8 sessions. We offer the classes and it is up to the participants to finish all 8 sessions

17 PWS 5.1.2.3 “Five (5) courses shall be scheduled during each contract year.”

Do the classes have a minimum and maximum class size?

No minimum, maximum of

20 participants per class

18 PWS 5.1.2.4 “Contractor shall provide basic conversational

English as a Second Language

(ESL) classes.”

Does the Government already have approved syllabus and curriculum to deliver the class?

5.4.4 Contractor shall

develop lesson plans and shall be submitted semi-annually to the COR for review and concurrence prior to publication and distribution. Marketing material including posters, flyers, media articles, and public announcements shall be attached to each briefing, training, and tours offered.

(Deliverable#26).

19 PWS Technical Exhibit B #17

English as second language

(ESL) (para. 5.1.2.4) Lesson plans / Attendance sheets

The PWS does not mention lesson plan creation under the

English-as-a-Second

Language (ESL) Courses

(PWS 5.1.2.4) section. Does the contractor need to create lesson plans? If the intention of the Government is for the

Contractor to create syllabus, curriculum and lesson plans, then this needs to be reflected in the estimated work load and description of work.

5.4.4 Contractor shall

develop lesson plans and shall be submitted semi-annually to the COR for review and concurrence prior to publication and distribution. Marketing material including posters, flyers, media articles, and public announcements shall be attached to each briefing, 20 PWS 5.1.2.4 “Three (3) courses shall be conducted during each contract year.”

Do the classes have a minimum and maximum class size? If the minimum number of participants enrolled in the course is not met, does the class still need to continue?

No minimum

21 PWS 5.2.12 “Contractor shall make monthly contact and provide follow-up services to

Families identified as having, a foreign-born spouse.”

Who identifies families with a foreign-born spouse? How does the Contractor obtain the contact details of families with a foreign-born spouse?

Relocation program will advertise the events for the

Foreign Born Spouses. Once they register, the contractor shall have necessary contact information on the participants.

22 PWS 5.2.16 “Contractor shall assist the Relocation PM during the event and in performing follow ups with the event attendees to solicit feedback, distribute and collect

Sponsorship Survey forms and submit results to the

Relocation Program Manager

(COR). These reports shall be submitted to the Relocation

PM (COR) two days after the event (Deliverable #22).”

clarify what reports are submitted and to whom?

According to Technical

Exhibit B Deliverables

Schedule #22 Event evaluation forms and

Sponsorship Surveys, “One

(1) copy/event attendee should be submitted monthly to the COR.” Are “these reports” as mentioned in

5.2.16 of the PWS only an

#22 - states evaluation forms and Sponsorship Surveys.

No these are not attendance sheets but class evaluation sheets and surveys that contractor to have and distribute to their clients.

attendance sheet and the survey forms completed by the attendees?

23 PWS 5.2.18 “Contractor shall keep a database of all the units/agencies with their

Sponsorship training status, Sponsorship POC for the unit/agency and number of soldiers/employees trained.”

Does this database already exist?

No the database is to be started upon beginning of

Sponsorship trainings/classes which

5.2.18 states on the how and what.

24 PWS 5.2.18 “Database of unit/agency trained shall be updated every quarter and a report be submitted to the

Relocation Program Manager

(COR) NLT the last day of the quarter. Contractor shall meet with the COR monthly and provide status of the program and proposed new initiatives

(Deliverable #23).”

According to Technical

Exhibit B Deliverables

Schedule #23 Database of units/agencies trained (para

5.2.18) a quarterly electronic copy needs to be submitted to the COR. However, there is no mention of a monthly meeting to review a quarterly report. Can the Government please clarify? Additionally, who is the report to be submitted to – the Relocation

Program Manager or the

COR?

The reports are part of the deliverables to be provided to the COR/ Relocation

Program Manager in which in this case is the same.

Deliverables are documents/ forms derived from Program events and trainings. The monthly meeting is mentioned under PWS

5.2.18

25 PWS 5.2.20 “Contractor shall offer youth

Sponsorship training on a monthly basis.”

Currently, monthly training does not occur. If it is the

Government’s intention to hold monthly training, can the

Government reflect additional hours in the workload data?

Under workload 16, it states

Promote, provide and maintain the Sponsorship

Program including Spouse

Sponsorship for a 20 Hours per week. Youth

Sponsorship is under the

Sponsorship Program umbrella and currently is supporting the training led by the School Liaison

Officer.

26 PWS 5.3.6 “The Contractor shall track incoming coupon deliveries, store and bag coupons, making them available at the front desk/reception area to clients, the VAT office and libraries.”

The VAT office and libraries are located on Clay Kaserne.

Can the Government please clarify if working hours are to be used to deliver coupons to the VAT office and libraries?

tasks to be done under this contract shall be done during office working hours

27 PWS 5.3.10 “ACS Calendar:

The Contractor shall schedule course dates on a quarterly basis and ensure calendar of events are accurate no later than the 15th of every month.”

Can the Government clarify if this an internal calendar or a public facing calendar?

Internal ACS calendar

28 PWS 5.4.1 “Contractor will complete the MWR customer service training (OPEX) when available online within 30 days of obtaining computer access.”

clarify that the training will take place during normal working hours?

training shall be completed during normal working hours

29 PWS 5.4.4 “Contractor shall develop lesson plans and shall be submitted semi-annually to the COR for review and concurrence prior to publication and distribution.

Marketing material including posters, flyers, media articles, and public announcements shall be attached to each briefing, training, and tours offered. (Deliverable#26).”

Deliverable #26 falls under

5.4 Administrative Tasks.

Can the Government please clarify what lesson plans are the Reception and

Administrative Services

(Front Desk) contractor developing?

Deliverable #26 Only pertains to tasks for Cultural

Adaptation and Relocation

Support Services tasks involving training, classes and events

30 PWS Technical Exhibit A

Performance Requirements

Summary – Performance

Threshold Acceptable Quality

Levels (AQLs)

Throughout the Exhibit, the

AQLs are at 100%

Compliance. Can the

Government please consider a

95% Compliance level? This is a historically accepted level and offers room for normal human error.

Yes. Changed AQL to 95% in PWS.

31 PWS Attachment 1 Estimated

Workload Data – Walking

Tours – 4 hours bi-weekly

With tours often to places like

Rüdesheim, which is at least

3 hours round-trip simply for travel, can the Government readjust the amount of time needed to complete this duty?

4 hours twice weekly for total 8 hours weekly. ACS

Walking tours are currently offered twice a month. Each tour has a total of 8 hours

32 PWS Page 39 “Statement”.

“Statement – means the specific results-based activities required to satisfy HLOs. A statement contains a result, the context of the statement, and the required action(s).

Please clarify this paragraph and provide the definition of

“HLO”.

HLO stands for High Level

Objective (HLO). In other words, the performance goal. Of note, the PWS only has 28 pages.

However, this paragraph is

Statements focus on “what” is to be accomplished; however they are not prescriptive in describing “how” the outcome is to be achieved. Each HLO may have several statements to flesh out the areas necessary to meet the objective. Statements are similar to Level 3 in a

Work Breakdown Structure.”

found under Part 2

(Definitions) of the PWS.

33 Solicitation, Page 19 – 52.217-

9 OPTION TO EXTEND THE

TERM OF THE CONTRACT

(MAR 2000) states, “(c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed 36 months.”

Including a 6 months extension, shouldn’t the number be 42 and not 36 months? Can the

Government please clarify?

No. The 6 months potential extension fall under clause

52.217-8.

Number Reference Question Answer

33 PWS 1.10 a1 states, “The

Contactor shall, within the last two years, have a minimum of one (1) year work or volunteer experience in Family Service

Programs or German tourism, providing services equivalent to giving orientation, information and guidance in navigating around the host nation community using knowledge of

German customs and culture equivalent to the scope and requirements as outlined in the

PWS.”

As the solicitation reads, the

Lending Closet tasks fall under the Cultural Adaptation and Relocation Support

Services component.

However, the tasks performed by the Lending

Closet staff do not require a

German tourism or cultural awareness background.

Could the Government align the qualifications for the

Lending Closet role under the scope of the Reception and

Administrative Services component of the solicitation? For example, the Lending Closet qualifications could include at least one year of customer service experience.

No. The contract consist of two ACS Programs that are different and independent in function.

Lending Closet tasks falls under Relocation Support

Services.

34 PWS 1.10 a2 states, “Ability to read, write, and speak English and German (proficiency levels equivalent to level 3 or higher of the BILC STANGAG 6001

Edition 5 dated February 2019 for reading and writing) and provide unofficial translation services and presenting cultural awareness material to the

USAG Wiesbaden

Community.”

provide historical data explaining why the Lending

Closet staff need to have

German proficiency levels equivalent or higher to level

3?

The German proficiency is only required for tasks under the Cultural Adaptation and not for Lending Closet.

in accordance with

PWS 5.1

35 PWS 1.10 a3 states, “Contractor shall have a minimum of one (1) year experience in conducting briefings, trainings, preparing formal and informal correspondence, memorandum, reports, and data collection, and creating lesson plans for classes.”

As the solicitation reads, the

Lending Closet tasks fall under the Cultural Adaptation and Relocation Support

Services component.

However, the tasks performed by the Lending

Closet staff do not require conducting briefings or trainings. Could the

Government align the qualifications for the Lending

Closet role under the scope of the Reception and

Administrative Services component of the solicitation? For example, the Lending Closet qualifications could include computer knowledge and familiarity with MS Office programs.

No. Although the Lending

Closet tasks does not include conducting briefings or trainings, it falls under the Relocation Support

Services and cannot be align with Reception Services tasks.

36 PWS 1.10b states, “Ability to read, write, and speak English and German (proficiency levels equivalent to level 3 or higher of the BILC STANGAG 6001

Edition 5 dated February 2019 for reading and writing) to clearly communicate with and inform colleagues, supervisors and clients.”

provide historical data explaining why the Reception and Administrative Services staff need to have German proficiency levels equivalent or higher to level 3?

Only the Cultural Adaption tasks requires the German

Proficiency. The Reception and Administrative Services require English proficiency.