Questions and Answers 1 for Solicitation W912HQ21R0007 25 Jun 2021.pdf

Questions and Answers for Solicitation W912HQ21R0007 USACE Historical Support Services

I have three questions on this solicitation, all pertaining to the NAVFAC/USACE Past Performance Questionnaire Form.

Q1: For how many projects should we fill out this form?

A1: There is no limit on how few/many projects you may submit information about past performance information. Past Performance should demonstrate the offeror’s record of performance on projects of similar size and scope. The number of past performance examples may vary from offeror to offeror for this purpose. We will review no more than the first five (5).

Q2: Should the projects be only ones done in the last three years, or can they be for projects before that time?

A2: Only projects within the last three years should be submitted with respect to Past Performance. With respect to Technical Experience, you can discuss work/projects from before that. The distinction is that Technical Experience shows potential capability to do work. Past Performance indicates whether you’ve done well on work that you’ve actually performed.

Q3: Do the clients that fill out the form submit them directly to you, or do they send them to me, and I submit them as part of the proposal?

A3: Previous customers may send the form directly to us (USACE) or may send back to the offeror to relay when the proposal is submitted. It is the offeror’s duty to ensure the previous customer has submitted on time if the previous customer is sending the form directly to us.

Q4: If my representations and certifications are up to date in SAM, can I just make a statement in the proposal to that effect, or do I need to provide actual copies of the representations and certifications?

A4: Providing a copy of the reps/certs is preferred. All offerors reps/certs will be reviewed prior to any new contract award.

Q5: My question is in regard to Factors 1 and 5 for deciding who should be included in the pool of contractors. These Factors appear to contain the same requirements. Please clarify what information should or might be included in one Factor but not the other.

A5: Technical Experience regards your current capability. Past Performance is like a track record. Saying you’ve done the work with examples to support that and others saying you’ve done it well are distinctly different.

Q6: Appendix A Labor Categories (pp25-30) lists a number of sample/example requirements for various positions, eg. Supervisory Project Historian “provide three writing samples for evaluation” etc. These requirements for not appear to be requested in the Proposal Content, however, where 3.1.2 Factor 2 - Key Personnel and Staffing (p36) states that the contractor “shall demonstrate they have qualified personnel that meet or exceed the requirements of the PWS…”. May we assume that the sample/example requirements listed in the Appendix A do not apply to this proposal? If they do, how should we provide all of this material for an electronic submittal?

A6: See A25. The Offerors will provide samples and examples for all Key Personnel.

Q7: 3.1.4 Factor 5 Past Performance (p36) states the “Offeror shall demonstrate that it had recent and relevant past performance of the previous three years.” Can the past performance window be extended to five or even 10 years? Your scope of services is broad ranging, and while we have experience in the majority of the 3.1 Historical Support Service (pp 16-19) tasks we do not necessarily have experience in all of these in the past three years.

A7: Offers may include recent and relevant experience from the previous three years.

Q8: The solicitation includes a Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ). The statement on the PPQs (6.2.2.5.3, p41) states that the PPQs are provided “for each project the offeror includes in its proposal for Factor 5 - Past Performance.” Our Past Performance section will review dozens and dozens of individual projects, as the scope of services is broad. Can we submit PPQs for comparable IDIQ contract(s) that cover a comparable range of services?

A8: Offers may submit PPQ for comparable IDIQ contracts. However, if the Offerors elect to provide a list of similar IDIQ vehicles, they should also submit a summary of individual awards categorized by size and nature of work performed.

Q9: Can you confirm that the only pricing information to be provided will be the price proposals listing labor positions, hours, and rates, and that a labor/rate schedule for all positions listed in Appendix A is not required?

A9: A labor rate/schedule is not required.

Q10: What amount should the contractor enter of the SF1449 MAC NET AMT? The total of the two BPA costs?

A10: Please provide a price table for each example BPA Call; no amount is required on the

SF1449.

Q11: How will BPA requests be issued under this contract? To all of the BPA contract holders or to selected contractors based on the nature of the performance requirements?

A11: Generally, BPA Call requests will be sent to all BPA holders for competition unless the Government decides to rotate a call non-competitively. BPA Call holders will be notified when calls are rotated non-competitively. The Government anticipates rare use of non-competitive call rotations.

Q12: How many contracts do you expect to issue? How many contracts currently exist and who are the incumbents?

A12: The previous Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) was for three-years and had a $2,000.000.00 maximum shared capacity across all orders and all vendors. It is unknown at the current time how many BPA Calls will be issued. There are no currently existing contracts given that the previous MATOC expired in Fiscal Year 2020. There were three incumbents on the previous contract: (1) History Associates Incorporated; (2) Historical Research Associates, Inc.; and (3) Southeastern Archaeological Research, Inc.

Q13: RFQ Section F2 (On/Off Ramp) outlines the process for on-ramping and off-ramping vendors from this BPA. RFQ Section 3.2.1.1 requires that offerors must submit technical and price proposals for BOTH sample BPA Call Orders (Attachments 3 and 4). If USACE is concerned that there might be an unexpected increase in requirements (as referenced in Section F2), it might benefit them to allow for offerors to respond to EITHER the District History (Attachment 3) BPA Call Order OR the Archival Support Services (Attachment 4) BPA Call Order. Will USACE consider amending the solicitation to require technical and price proposals for only one of the sample BPA Call Orders?

A13: Offerors are required to provide technical and cost proposals for both BPA Call Orders.

Q14: Will USACE confirm that offerors can submit past performance references from non-government customers (e.g. non-profits or universities)?

A14: Past performance from non-government customers is acceptable.

Q15: Will USACE confirm that there is no minimum past performance requirement (e.g.

contractors can submit one single past performance reference)?

A15: Contractors may submit only one past performance reference; however, it is not advised to do so. We will review no more than the first five (5) submitted to us.

Q16: RFQ Sections 3.2.1.2 and 6.2.2.4.2 cover the example resume requirements for the sample BPA Call Orders (Attachments 3 and 4). Can USACE confirm that the example resume requirement only applies to the labor categories that would be necessary to execute the tasks in Attachment 3 and/or Attachment 4 and that no other resumes or example resumes are required?

A16: A25 defines labor categories designated as Key Personnel. Offerors are required to provide resumes for all Key Personnel labor categories.

Q17: To fill the Supervisory Project Historian position, would a historian with an M.A. who far exceeds the SOI's qualifications and possesses far more than the required 5 years of experience with USACE and US Army research be acceptable as a substitute for the specified qualifications?

A17: The Supervisory Project Historian is required to have a doctorate/PhD.

Q18: What is the nature of the archaeological research required for this solicitation? Is it fieldwork (survey/testing/data recovery)? Or is it instead research on archaeological data/collections accumulated by USACE? In either case, what region(s) would any archaeological work involve, whether field- or data/collections-based? Demonstrating "extensive experience" and "thorough knowledge" in archaeology is difficult without knowing the regional parameters.

A18: The primary requirement of the Archeologist labor category is that they be able to analyze and interpret archeological data and studies and work with historians and archivists to successfully incorporate archeological material into historical studies or cultural resource management efforts.

Q19: The period of performance for the task orders is not well defined beyond the years of performance (2021-2026) – do dates appearing in red imply that they are subject to revision?

A19: The POP will be five year from the date of award of the BPA. There are no task orders on a BPA; there are BPA Calls, all of which will have POP dates defined in the PWS for the individual call. A BPA Call will not proceed any longer than 12 months past the date of the BPA’s expiration.

Q20: Can you elaborate on the required insurance amounts needed for work on this contract?

A20: Yes, it is detailed in the FAR –

28.307-2 Liability.

(a) Workers’ compensation and employer’s liability. Contractors are required to comply with applicable Federal and State workers’ compensation and occupational disease statutes. If occupational diseases are not compensable under those statutes, they shall be covered under the employer’s liability section of the insurance policy, except when contract operations are so commingled with a contractor’s commercial operations that it would not be practical to require this coverage. Employer’s liability coverage of at least $100,000 shall be required, except in States with exclusive or monopolistic funds that do not permit workers’ compensation to be written by private carriers. (See 28.305(c) for treatment of contracts subject to the Defense Base Act.)

(b) General liability.

(1) The contracting officer shall require bodily injury liability insurance coverage written on the comprehensive form of policy of at least $500,000 per occurrence.

(2) Property damage liability insurance shall be required only in special circumstances as determined by the agency.

(c) Automobile liability. The contracting officer shall require automobile liability insurance written on the comprehensive form of policy. The policy shall provide for bodily injury and property damage liability covering the operation of all automobiles used in connection with performing the contract. Policies covering automobiles operated in the United States shall provide coverage of at least $200,000 per person and $500,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and $20,000 per occurrence for property damage. The amount of liability coverage on other policies shall be commensurate with any legal requirements of the locality and sufficient to meet normal and customary claims.

(d) Aircraft public and passenger liability. When aircraft are used in connection with performing the contract, the contracting officer shall require aircraft public and passenger liability insurance. Coverage shall be at least $200,000 per person and $500,000 per occurrence for bodily injury, other than passenger liability, and $200,000 per occurrence for property damage. Coverage for passenger liability bodily injury shall be at least $200,000 multiplied by the number of seats or passengers, whichever is greater.

(e) Vessel liability. When contract performance involves use of vessels, the contracting officer shall require, as determined by the agency, vessel collision liability and protection and indemnity liability insurance.

https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-28#FAR_28_305

Q21: Will any photo release fees (including licensing or acquisition fees) be reimbursable?

A21: Photo release fees will be reimbursable. The parameters of the licensing and acquisition arrangements will be established by the government at the beginning of the applicable Call.

Q22: Are there general design guidelines contractors will need to adhere to for map development or will that be specified in the individual BPA Call PWS?

A22: Guidelines will be specified on individual BPA Call’s PWS.

Q23: CEHO is requesting “a list of key words to facilitate the preparation of the transcript.” Do transcripts include indexing? If so, will the indexing by digital (e.g., OHMS) or analog?

A23: The preparation of oral history transcripts does not require indexing.

Q24: When must the Contractor submit the Quality Control Plan (QCP) to the government?

A24: The Offerors’ Quality Control Plans demonstrate that they have the required procedures and guidelines necessary to maintain an effective quality control program. To that end, Offerors will submit a proposed Quality Control Plan for each of Example BPA Calls required by the solicitation. If future calls are awarded, Offerors will be required to submit a Quality Control Plan within 30 days after award.

Q25: Are any of the proposed labor categories provided in Appendix A considered to be Key Personnel for the BPA Award, and bidders should thereby submit example resumes for these Key Personnel labor categories as part of our BPA response (separate from the example resumes requested in Solicitation Section 3.2.1.2.: “Offerors shall provide a one-page example resume for the key personnel that would be required to complete the services as specified in the Example Call PWS (Attachments 3 and 4).”

A25: The following of labor categories will be considered Key Personnel for the purposes of this solicitation: Supervisory Archivist; Archivist; Supervisory Project Historian, Project Historian, Historian, Project Oral Historian, and Supervisory Museum Specialist. Offerors will provide resumes for all Key Personnel.

Q26: For the Project Manager labor category, will the government accept substitution of at least 7 years of experience as a project manager of projects involving two or more of the following performance areas: historical research and writing, oral history, archival collections, or the preservation and conservation of material culture, and a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification for the master’s degree education requirement?

A26: No.

Q27: This section says that “all documents and, or files submitted should contain the solicitation number W912HQ-21-R-0007.” Is the Government requiring that all submitted proposal files contain the solicitation number in the digital file naming convention?

A27: Yes, example “BPA Proposal W912HQ21R0007”, “Price for Example BPA Call 1

W912HQ21R0007”

Q28: “Section 2.2 – Data Security: The use of hyperlinks in proposals is prohibited.

Section 2.4 – Document Format: A Table of Contents should be created using the Table of Content feature in MS Word.” These instructions seem to contradict each other. The Table of Contents feature in Word uses hyperlinks with the document. In Section 2.2, is the Government referring to external hyperlinks outside of the document (such as to the Web or other documents)?

A28: Hyperlinks within the document for the table of contents is acceptable.

Q29: “Section 2.1 – Electronic Format: The Offeror’s proposal shall be submitted to the Contract Specialist and to the Contracting Officer as PDF files in electronic format with the required Excel files to support the PDF. Section 2.4.2 – File Packaging: All of the proposal files should be in PDF, MS Word or MS Excel file formats.” MS Word is mentioned in Section 2.4.2, but not in Section 2.1. Would the Government please clarify which file formats the documents should be submitted as?

A29: All documents that are not pricing documents should be in PDF. Excel may be used for pricing documents. A PDF copy of any Excel documents is helpful but not required.

Q30: Please provide additional information or an example of a one-page example resume for the key personnel that would be required to complete the services specified in the Example Call PWS (Attachments 3 and 4).

A30: This is self-explanatory. Provide an example resume for all of the Key Personnel that would actually be used to perform the required services just like the proposal for each Example

Call is being completed as if the required services will actually be performed. One-page is a condensed version of the resume. Note: You can use the resume for a particular person if they have been tentatively identified by time of your submittal.

Q31: Please provide a definition and examples of technical resources.

A31: Technical resources are any facilities, tools, materials or supplies that would be used to complete the individual BPA Calls that may be issued under this BPA. For example, a Canon Rebel, or some detailed information about a scanning tool, etc. A special storage unit is another example.

Q32: Is there a target minimum or maximum number of Past Performance examples and associated PPQs being requested?

A32: There is no minimum or maximum. Offerors should carefully evaluate the PPQ’s and submit those that best reflect their Past Performance as it relates to the work at hand. See also A8 We will review no more than the first five (5) submitted to us.

Q33: Can the bidder submit Past Performance and associated PPQs for contracts on which they were a subcontractor, or is the Government seeking Past Performance/PPQs for when the bidder was a Prime only?

A33: It is acceptable to include PPQs for contracts on which offerors were a subcontractor.

Be sure to explain the extent, and the limits, of your role on such subcontract(s).

Q34: Can subcontractors and individual consultants who are a part of the Prime team submit past performance as part of the Prime’s response?

A34: No.

Q35: Is the Government requiring/requesting a Master Price List for all Labor Categories provided in Appendix A as part of the BPA response? Should we provide any other pricing for the BPA Award response proposal?

A35: See Q9 and A9 above.

Q36: What format should finding aids and inventory deliverables be in when delivered to the Government?

A36: Generally, finding aids should be in accordance with current archival best practices as outlined in the Society of American Archivist’s Describing Archives, a Content Standard (DACS), 2019.0.3 or later. In certain instances, inventories in Excel sheets will suffice with CEHO providing the required headings.

Q37: Section 3.2.1.2 (p 36 of 43) states one-page example resumes for the Example BPA call may include “names, and organizations. . . .” Section 6.2.2.4.2 (p. 40 of 43) states “Example resumes will NOT include names, organizations, or contact information. . . .” (emphasis added).

Which is correct?

A37: Offerors will format their resumes in accordance with the format specified in Section 3.2.1.2

Q38: It does not appear necessary to demonstrate which staff will potentially be used on BPA Calls or their current or future rates, apart from rates stated on the example BPA Calls. Is this correct?

A38: See Q9 and A9 above.

Q39: As long as staff assigned to a particular labor category meet the stated standards for that category, it will be possible to apply different rates to the same labor category. Is this correct?

A39: This is correct; see also Q9 and A9 above.

Q40: Is the “Susquehanna District,” the subject of the Example BPA Call for the District History (Attachment 3 to the Solicitation) intended to be an imagined entity, and not a reference to the actual (but apparently temporary) Susquehanna District created in 1972?

A40: The Susquehanna District was selected as an imagined entity, and should be treated as such. It was headquartered in Harrisburg, PA, and constituted approximately the eastern half of the state of Pennsylvania. In this case, Offerors should estimate labor costs and also travel costs based on visits to Harrisburg.

Q41: If the “Susquehanna District,” the subject of the Example BPA Call for the District History in Attachment 3 to the Solicitation is an imagined entity, how should we figure expenses such as travel costs (required in Solicitation Attachment 2)? Or do we need only to estimate labor costs for the purposes of the cost estimate?

blockedhttps://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/Miscellaneous/UN_18.pdf?ver=2013-09-06-143422-840

A41: Please see response to Q40. Offerors should estimate travel costs to Harrisburg, PA, along with research trips to applicable repositories, and include those travel costs with their labor estimates.

Q42: Is there a specific reason that the Office of History is shifting this contract vehicle from an IDIQ to a BPA?

A42: HECSA Contracting made a business decision to switch from IDIQ to a BPA because it gives us more flexibility.

Q43: Will the $250,000 maximum price per BPA Call noted in Section H5 “BPA Calls” on p.

34 of the Solicitation apply to all five years of the BPA?

A43: The maximum price is a limit that is strictly related to each Call and will apply to each year of the BPA unless the Simplified Acquisition Threshold changes at which time the BPA will be modified accordingly. BPA holders may receive more than $250,000 in calls per year.

For example, a BPA holder may receive one call for $100,000, another call for $200,000 and a third call for $150,000 and will not trigger the $250,000 because it applies to the individual Call threshold. Again, no individual Call may be issued that is more than $250,000. Any requirements above $250,000 would be procured outside of the BPA.

Q44: Can the Government confirm the contracting officers email that proposals shall be submitted to? Only the contracting specialist's email was provided.

A44: Both POC’s should have been in the body of the announcement on SAM. The Contracting Officer is Wesley D. (Dale) Dewar; email: Wesley.D.Dewar@usace.army.mil.

Proposals should be sent to both Contract Specialist and Contract Officer.

Q45: Can the Government confirm that it is acceptable for completed PPQ's to be returned to the Offeror and then submitted to the Government? Would the Government prefer for completed PPQ's to be returned from the client to avoid altering information.

A45: This is acceptable. Note that an evaluator(s) may elect to not disclose their identity to the evaluated Contractor/offeror.

Q46: The Government requires ten years' experience researching and writing USACE and civil works history. Would the Government consider accepting other federal agency experience?

Would the Government accept Master’s degree in lieu of ten years’?

A46: The professional requirements will remain the same.

mailto:Wesley.D.Dewar@usace.army.mil

Q47: What labor categories are considered key personnel?

A47: See A25

Q48: Should the offeror include names on the resumes? Section 3.2.1.2 says you may, but section 6.2.2.4.2 says not to include names

A48: See Q37 and A37 above.

Q49: Should resumes be included in Volume 1 for key personnel or only in Volume 2 Factor 4, Response to Example BPA Call

A49: Resumes for Key Personnel should be included in both volumes.

Q50: Is there a particular software for graphic design that the USACE mandates or recommends?

A50: The Government does not recommend any particular graphic design software.

Q51: Will the Government allow for the substitution of military experience or years' experience in lieu of a degree for education requirements?

A51: No, the Government will not accept that substitution.

Q52: The solicitation does not specify page limits on the volumes to be submitted. Would the Government specify page limit requirements by volume?

A52: There are no page limits on the volumes to be submitted for evaluation.

Q53: The solicitation does not specify how many past performance references should be included. Would the Government specify a maximum amount of references?

A53: ] There is no maximum number of references that can be submitted. We will review no more than the first five (5) submitted to us.

Q54: Should this template be used to describe the past performance reference in Volumes 1 and 2?

A54: The Naval Facilities (NAVFAC)/USACE Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) included in the solicitation (Attachment 5) is provided for the offeror or its team members to submit to the client for each project the offeror includes in its proposal for Factor 5 – Past Performance.

Q55: Should a glossary be included in Volumes 1 and 2?

A55: – A glossary is not required but is preferred.

Q56: Should a cover page be included in all volumes?

A56: Yes

Q57: What constitutes a man year in regard to number of hours?

A57: This is to award a BPA as a master ordering vehicle with individual BPA calls to be issued against it. Proposals should specify the number of hours required to complete the project.

A person-year is not a suitable unit of measure for proposing on these requirements.

Q58: Does the Government require a certain type of scanning equipment for digitizing items?

A58: The government does not require that offerors use a specific type of scanning equipment.

As stated in the solicitation, the government anticipates that BPA Calls may require Offerors to digitize a wide variety of material including, but not limited to: photographs, negatives, slides, glass lantern slides, transparencies, documents, maps, over-sized materials, motion picture film, and audio recordings.

Can the government provide the equipment that is currently being used?

The government’s current scanning equipment is insufficient for the workload anticipated in the future.

Q59: Would the Government specify the amount of insurance that is required?

A59: See Q20 and A20 above.

Q60: Will the Government set a not to exceed amount for travel on each individual BPA call issued, or will the contractor have to specify the amount of anticipated travel?

A60: Both methods may be used under the BPA depending on the requirement and funding available. For the Example BPA Calls, propose the anticipated amount of travel.

Q61: Is the Supervisory Archivist similar to a Program Manager?

A61: Yes, the Supervisory Archivist is similar to a program manager for archival operations as there can be many components to an archival processing order. One of the Supervisory Archivist’s responsibilities is to apply the Offerors’ Quality Control procedures to the archival work performed.

Q62: Due to the impact the answers to these questions may have on the proposal, would the Government consider a two (2) week extension?

A62: We do not intend to extend the due date.

Q63: PWS 2.6 states work is to be performed in the Washington Metropolitan area. Section F1 states work is to be performed at the contractor's facility and some work in Alexandria. Would the Government specify where work is to be performed and if the contractor's facility needs to be within a certain radius?

A63: The location of the work will be specified in the individual calls. For example, for archival work done for the Office of History, the Offeror’s facility must be within forty miles of CEHO’s offices in Alexandria, Virginia. In other cases, some archival support may be performed at engineer districts in other parts of the country.

28.307-2 Liability.