QandA Admin SPT.docx

1. Will a site visit be offered? Yes, it will be held at 10 AM, February 12, 2025, at:

Clay National Guard Center Building 447 1000 Halsey AVE Marietta, GA 30060

To schedule a site visit, provide the following information to the POCs listed in the Addendum to 52.212-1:

· Name of your company

· The full name (first, middle, and last) of the person(s) who will be attending the site visit.

· This information is due no later than 4PM on Friday, 7 FEB 2025.

Reporting:

1. All participants are subject to a background check prior to approval for base entry.

1. For directions to the Clay National Guard Center, please use a GPS service with the following address: Clay National Guard Center 199 Nimitz Drive Marietta, GA.

1. Report to the Visitor’s Control Center (VCC) off Richardson RD.

1. Upon arrival, a representative from the Georgia Guard will meet you at the VCC and escort you to BLDG 447.

2. Could you identify the current vendor/contract #? W912JM24C0002

3. Could the government provide us with the contract numbers if they have previously provided similar services? No.

4. Can the government confirm that it would also like us to provide services for Soldier Readiness Processing (SRP) to include MEDOPS program manager support, administrative specialist support, and part-time audiologist support, as stated on page 31 of 5.1.12 of the PWS? No, this function is management support. See revised PWS.

5. Can the government please confirm that this solicitation requires 12 full-time positions based on the PWS requirement? The Government will not dictate how many contract employees need to be hired. Furthermore, the Government does not dictate labor categories or whether contract workers will be employed on a full-time or part time basis. Each contractor must review the PWS; Technical Exhibit 3 – Estimated Workload Data; and Technical Exhibit 4 – Historical Workload Date to arrive at a proposed staffing plan. The staffing plan will be evaluated according to Addendum to 52.212-2.

6. Does the government want us to hire only one full-time employee to handle the MEDOPS Program Management services? See answer to question 4.

7. I would like to kindly know if there are specific Labor categories and expected qualifications and experience and how many employees are required? See answer to question 4.

8. Can the Department of the Army provide a list of labor categories, quantities, and estimated hours for the required positions? See answer to question 4.

9. Are there specific education and experience requirements for the Contracts Manager and Contractor Personnel? If so, could the Department of the Army please provide these requirements? Minimum education is a high school diploma. However, better qualifications will be rated more highly per Addendum to 52.212-2.

10. Does the Department of the Army prefer a specific Price Schedule template/format, or will the format the offeror provides suffice? Please see Addendum to 52.212-1.

11. Is it expected that contractors will work onsite, remotely, or in a hybrid model? Please see PWS paragraph 1.4.

12. The Government has included FAR 52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires. Can the Government please provide a fully completed version of the clause? Yes, see clause now added by full text.

13. In order to accurately price any positions in accordance with the Service Contract Act could the Government please provide the work locations of each of the positions listed in TE 3. Please see PWS paragraph 1.4.

14. Will a DD254 be required for this effort? Yes. See PWS Paragraph 5.1.13.1. Contract Clause 52.204-2 has been added to the solicitation.

15. Would the Government remove "Experience working with military service members and their families is particularly desirable" as there are no tasks in the PWS specifically associated with "military service members and their families"? Since the PWS requirements are for administrative tasks; recommend using "experience with administrative tasks with the DoD" as a replacement. Yes. See revised addendum 52.212-2.

16. In Page 1 of the solicitation, the NAICS code is identified as 541990; however, in Page 5, the NAICS code is listed as 621111. Would the Government confirm that the NAICS code for this effort is 541990? 541990 is correct. The solicitation has been corrected.

17. Would the Government clarify that they are seeking proposed candidate resumes or a staffing matrix? If resumes or staffing matrix are required, would the Government clarify how they will evaluate qualifications? and if the information presented must match all individual tasks per LCAT listed in section 5; Or can the information presented showing GSA equivalent for 01020 Administrative Assistant with the appropriate clearances meet the requirement? The Government is not dictating how the information must be presented. The Government will evaluate offers per Addendum to 52.212-2.

18. Are there any limitations on the number of reference contracts we can provide for the Past Performance submission? If so, how many are each member of a joint venture limited to? Is there any page limit for each reference contract provided or the volume as a whole? No, however, a concise response is preferred.

19. Is there a page limit for the Technical Proposal? No, however, a concise response is preferred.

20. Can you please clarify if the Technical Submission requires resumes of Key Personnel/listed FTE or if the staffing plan is expected to include our plans/expectations regarding qualifications, education or experience? (Solicitation pg. 27) See answers to question 16 and 42.

21. If the former, what experience and education levels have historically been expected for each of the listed FTE positions? (PWS pg. 39) See answer to question 8.

22. What equivalent labor categories and/or GS-level should be considered for each of the listed FTEs (PWS pg. 39)? See answer to question 11.

23. What are the page limitations for the Past Performance sections? No, however, a concise response is preferred.

24. In which volume should the SF1449, SF30, and Section B pricing be submitted? Additionally, is a separate price volume allowed to explain our pricing methodology? SF1449 and SF30 can be submitted separately. A pricing volume is allowed.

25. Should Representations and Certifications be included in the quotation? See addendum to 52.212-1(n) Offer content (iii) Representations and Certifications.

26. How many Past Performance references is the government requesting, and are there specific criteria or formats for their submission? There is usually no benefit to sending more than 3 past performance references. The format is listed in Addendum to 52.212-1. Past Performance information is not required. If no information is submitted the past performance criteria will not be rated favorable or unfavorably IAW FAR 15.305(a)(2)(iv).

27. Are there specific requirements for the font type, font size, and formatting for the proposal submission? No.

28. The RFP references a wage determination attachment; however, it was not included in the provided documentation. Can you provide the wage determinations for both areas COBB and Ft. Stewart, GA. Yes. It will be added with the amendment.

29. Are all positions referenced in the PWS considered subject to wage determination? If so, could you provide a cross-reference or additional guidance on mapping the labor categories to the wage determination standards? No. See answer 4.

30. What are the key priorities or focus areas within the backlog of incentive processing actions? Processing incentives of current soldiers.

31. What timeline does the government anticipate for resolving the backlog issues related to incentives? There is no timeline.

32. Should the contractor propose process improvements or innovations for incentive processing and education counseling, or is strict adherence to the stated requirements expected? No.

33. Are there any additional administrative or technical support tasks not explicitly outlined in the PWS that the contractor may need to address during the project? The details of this requirement may experience some change. The PWS is not all inclusive of each task.

34. Are there any anticipated changes in incentive policies or procedures during the contract term that the contractor should prepare for? Nothing at this time.

35. Will the contractor have access to historical briefing records or participant feedback to enhance the quality of future briefings? Yes, after award.

36. Can you confirm whether the government will provide access to all necessary systems, such as GIMS and IPPS-A, prior to the contract start date? No access will be provided after award

37. Are there any existing challenges or lessons learned from similar contracts that the government can share to support project success? This information will be provided after award.

38. Could you provide additional details on how technical capabilities, past performance, and cost factors will be weighted in the bid evaluation process? No. This is not required under FAR 13 per FAR 13.106-1(a) (2)(iii).

39. What specific previous project experience and past performance in contracts of similar size and scope are required? See addendum to 52.212-1(n)(3) Past Performance and the answer to question 24.

40. Will past performance with non-government clients be considered acceptable? Yes.

41. Are there specific diversity or subcontracting requirements that the contractor must meet or report on? No.

42. Our team has an active DCSA secret facility clearance. Does this meet the specification set forth by the customer? It will likely meet the specification. If not the Government is willing to sponsor a contractor to get the required clearance.

43. Is a cover letter required? No.

44. Can you provide clarity around the technical submission -- What should be included within the volume aside of resumes? Are there page counts tied to those specific sections? Resumes are not required. There is no page limit, however, concise responses are appreciated.

45. How many people currently perform at each site? All office work is performed at Clay except one FTE at Fort Stewart. This is subject to change depending on the needs of the Government.

46. How many people currently perform remote or hybrid work? Telework is only authorized on a case-by-case basis.

47. How much and what work is allowed to be performed remotely? This is determined on case-by-case basis.

48. Please describe the current staffing plan as much as possible. Please review the PWS and the answers to specific questions.

49. Will the job processes be provided to the contractor upon award? (example: university outreach/relationships, transcript verification system, medical verification systems, retirement systems). Yes.

50. Are the personnel currently performing the work eligible to transition to a new contractor? There is no Government restriction preventing this.

51. Will historical data (e.g., backlogs, current processing rates) be provided to the contractor upon award? See TE 3 and TE 4.

52. Is a facility clearance required, or must individuals meet clearance and background requirements? Yes, facility clearance is required for the contractor to sponsor individual employee clearances.

53. Are references required as part of the proposal submission? If so, please specify the format, number of references, and any additional details to include. No. See answers to questions 17 and 24.

54. PWS 1.4.4 states the deliverable quality control plan (QCP) is due within 10-days of award. Technical Exhibit 2 indicates it is due with the proposal. Which is the requirement? QCP is changed to 30 days after award. TE 2 has been corrected.

55. If the QCP is due with the proposal, in which volume does the government want it and how is it being evaluated? See answer to question 52.

56. The Addendum to Evaluation (Solicitation, p.30) states that the technical approach is to be outlined in the staffing plan. These are two distinctly different things. Is a technical approach to performing the requirements being evaluated in any way other than the offerors’ staffing plans? No.

57. PWS 1.4.2 lists 2 places of performance. Please indicate which specific tasks (5.1.1 through 5.1.12) are performed at Clay National Guard Center and at Fort Stewart. Education and incentive counseling support are performed at Fort Stewart as required to support periodic SRP events. The remainder of the time this service is performed at Clay.

58. PWS 5.1.9.2 states the contractor shall supervise the office of 1-3 employees ensuring those personnel adhere to procedures. In accordance with FAR 37.104 should this requirement be re-written to provide professional support services to the office and not to perform supervisory roles over any military or government employees? See revised PWS.

59. PWS 5.1.10 and 5.1.10.2 references the G1 Branch Chiefs. Please provide a listing of all the branches within the G1. Provided after award.

60. Has the Government identified any key personnel in support of this program? If so which personnel are identified as key? No.

61. Is the government willing to sponsor a company for their FCL? Yes.

62. The PWS states that the Interstate Transfer Coordination Services Support task is aligned with the GSA equivalent for the 01020 Administrative Assistant. Will the Government provide the GSA equivalent for the other task areas? No.

63. Would the government be open to extending the solicitation response due date to 2/28/25? Not at this time.

64. How will the following criteria for technical response factor into the evaluation and ratings the government provided? "Experience working with military service members and their families is particularly desirable." See answer to question 14.

65. Does the gov't require any SCA regulatory requirements for the labor categories? The contractor must comply with the SCA.

66. Can the GOV'T please clarify if the current level of effort is the same as the solicitation? Yes it is the same.

67. To ensure a fair and reasonable price, are any additional documents or information related to staffing/personnel available for the offerors? The answers to questions from industry will be posted via amendment.

68. Will the travel, if necessary, be reimbursed? Yes, per travel CLINs.

69. How large is the backlog or is the volume already accounted for in Technical Exhibit 3? Provided after award.

70. If Technical Exhibit 3 does not include the backlog volume: What types of incentives (e.g., bonuses, loan repayment, etc.) make up the majority of the backlog? Student loan repayment.

71. What has been the primary cause of the backlog (e.g., staffing shortages, system inefficiencies)? System outages.

72. Are there specific performance metrics or timelines expected for reducing the backlog? No.

73. Does the Government have any immediate priorities within the backlog (e.g., certain types of incentives or service member categories)? See answer to question 28.

74. Is there a transition period planned for the start of the contract, and if so, how long will it last? No.

75. What are the annual estimated quantities/workload volumes for the following required services: Education and Incentives Counseling, Archived Records, Retention Coordination Services Support, Interstate Transfer Coordination Services Support, and ID Card Services Support? This information is not currently available.

76. The Government references eQIP as part of the background investigation process. We request acknowledgement that eQIP has been replaced by the eApp system. Information will be provided after award.

77. Why are contractors undergoing Tier 1 background checks if they are required to possess or obtain a Secret personal clearance, per 5.1.13.1? Information will be provided after award.

78. The solicitation states that the contractor shall conduct outreach events (up to eight per year) to service member and that outreach activities shall be conducted at least twice monthly. As these statements conflict, please clarify. The PWS has been corrected.

79. Is the part-time Audiologist part of contractor's staff or Government's staff? Audiologist has been removed see updated PWS.

80. Will the Government clarify uniform, business dress code requirements?

Business casual is expected.

81. Are personnel required to have any professional certifications, memberships, etc.? No.

82. Do any positions require outside, contractor-provided training? Occasional reimbursable training may be required.

83. WD 2015-4471 has been updated by DOL. Should we propose using the Dec 22, 2024 revision? Yes. See answer to question 26.

84. WD 2015-4485 has been updated by DOL, should we propose using the Dec 22, 2024 revision? Yes. See answer to question 26.

85. Will the Government clarify whether positions for the listed tasks are SCA labor categories? No.

86. The listings under the "position" column provides broad identification of tasks rather than positions. Will the Government provide position titles? No.

87. Are all positions currently filled by an incumbent contractor? If not, which positions are vacant? There is a vacancy in MEDOPS Program Management Support

88. Will the Government provide the seniority dates for the SCLS positions, as this impacts required benefits and pricing? The Government will provide a seniority list after contract award IAW FAR 22.1020.

89. The Government provides a plug number for all Travel CLINs except CLIN 4002. Can the Government confirm it’s the same $5,000 plug number for 4002 as the other CLINs? Solicitation has been updated. $5,000 is the same.

90. Can the Government confirm an offeror’s pricing submission is only the completed Continuation of Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs on RFP pages 3-4? Yes.

91. Will the Gov’t accept Times New Roman 11 point for content and no less than 9 point for tables and graphics? Yes

92. Submission requires SF1449, if any SF30 Amendments, Price Schedule, and Reps and Certs statement. Please clarify whether these should be submitted as individual documents or as part of a volume. See answer to question 23.

93. Can the Gov’t confirm that Volume I Technical Proposal contains the Staffing Plan and Volume II Past Performance contains the past performance information? Yes.

94. Technical Exhibit 3 provides the historical FTE required for this opportunity. Can the Government please provide the occupational code on the wage determination for each of the labor categories listed so offerors can provide accurate pricing for SCLS positions? No.

95. Can the Government clarify which positions among the 12 are exempt? No.

96. Will the Government allow offerors to provide a single-award IDIQ contract as a past performance reference? Yes

97. Will the Government identify the required number of past performance references? See answer to question 24.

98. Has this function been provided by Contractor or Government staff in the past 4 years? Contractor

99. Can the Government please identify which positions may require a higher than a secret clearance? None.

100. Can the Government please provide position descriptions with education and experience requirements for these roles? See answers to previous questions.

101. Will the government allow 30 days vice 10 days after contract award to submit the Quality Control Plan (QCP)? This would allow ample time to address the thorough list of Performance Objectives and the 12 different major functional work areas in the PWS. This would also allow the Team, once formed and on site, the opportunity to provide input to the Quality Control measures. See answer to question 52.

102. Are current staffing levels in alignment with the table in Section 6.3 of the PWS? Yes, the table is now TE 3.

103. Does the Government foresee any changes in the future to the historic staffing provided in the table in Section 6.3 of the Proposal? Not at this time.

104. Are these roles to be performed remotely, keeping in mind proximity to these locations due to potential travel requirements? See answer to question 45.

105. Can the Government please clarify if telework is authorized at all times for this contract? Or is it for use only in times of national emergency or incidents of national significance (1.4.2.1) and personnel are to be on-site at one of these two locations? See answer to question 45.

106. In the Instruction to Offerors section of the solicitation it states two (2) Volumes- Volume I Technical and Volume II Past Performance. Then, in the Evaluation section it has evaluation criteria for 1) Technical, 2) Past Performance, and 3) Price. Please clarify if the Government desires 2 or 3 Volumes and the names of each. See answer to question 23.

107. Are there 12 fully qualified incumbents doing this work currently? See answer to question 85.

108. Section 1.4.12 talks about shipping cost: “The cost of shipping training aids shall be borne by (insert either “the contractor” or “the Government.”) If it is the Government, insert: The contractor will be reimbursed for the costs of shipping training aids in accordance with the JTR and limitation of funds in this contract”. Are shipping costs for shipping training aids reimbursable? Shipping is reimbursable, See revised PWS.

109. Could you provide details on the current FTE composition and the locations of the incumbent workers supporting this contract? Specifically, we are interested in understanding the number of full-time versus part-time employees, their roles, labor categories, and their geographic distribution. See answer to the previous questions. No other information will be provided.