Questions and Answers_W912LC-26-Q-0037- FINAL_8.5.2026.pdf

Consolidated Questions & Answers

Solicitation W912LC-26-Q-0037

Document Type Solicitation Questions and Answers

Target Agency Colorado Army National Guard (COARNG)

Date of Compilation July 30, 2026

Table of Contents

1. General, Administrative & Incumbent Information

2. Evaluation Factors & Submission Requirements

3. Pricing, Budget & Media Spend

4. PWS, Scope & Technical Requirements

W912LC-26-Q-0037

1. General, Administrative & Incumbent Information

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-1 General I do not have experience working with other government agencies. In the qualifications section, does that need to be Government contracts, or does commercial experience count for the qualification document? We have 20 years of experience performing marketing campaigns and planning on the commercial side. Please advise on how I should proceed.

Government contract experience is not required.

Q-2 General Is in-person attendance required for the semiannual training meeting? If so, what location and number of contractor personnel should offerors assume for pricing?

No. See PWS Amendment #01, Section 5.2.5.

Q-3 General Is there an incumbent contractor? If so, will the government provide a transition period, current system inventory, historical campaign data, existing assets, and access to applicable accounts?

Yes. There is an incumbent contractor providing similar but not identical services. There will be no transition period. Available historic data and existing assets will be provided after contract award as applicable.

Q-4 Solicitation Section

Incumbent and follow-on status Reference: Solicitation Section 2- Is this requirement a follow-on to an existing contract? If so, please identify the incumbent contractor, the current contract number, and the current annual contract value. If no incumbent exists, please confirm that this is a new requirement.

No this is not a follow-on to an existing contract.

Current contract number and current annual contract values listed below: W912LC-23-P- 0044 for $487,000.

Q-5 PWS 4.2, 4.3, and 6.0

Security clearances, credentials, and facility access Reference: PWS 4.2, 4.3, and 6.0 Paragraphs 4.2 and 4.3 state that no facility or personnel security clearance is required, while the applicable publications include HSPD- 12, FIPS 201-2, and CAC issuance guidance. Please confirm that no contractor personnel will require a CAC or PIV credential, a background investigation, or physical access to the Centennial facility, and confirm whether a DD Form 254 is anticipated under this contract.

No CAC or DD Form 254 is required. Please re-review

4.2 and 4.3 that indicate not applicable.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-6 General Please confirm that no DD Form 254 will be issued under this contract.

See response to Q5.

Q-7 General Please identify the incumbent contractor, the current contract number, and the total value of the current contract, to the extent releasable.

See response to Q-4.

Q-8 General Was a Sources Sought notice or other market research conducted for this requirement? If so, how many responses were received, and how many respondents were certified WOSBs?

Yes, comprehensive market research was conducted for this requirement in accordance with FAR Part

10. A formal Sources Sought notice was not published; instead, targeted market research was performed by querying the SBA’s Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) and the System for Award Management (SAM) databases.

This research successfully established a reasonable expectation of receiving competitive offers from two or more responsible WOSB concerns at a fair market price.

Q-9 General Is there an incumbent contractor on this requirement, and if so, can the incumbent contract number and/or total contract value be released?

See response to Q-4.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-10 Offshore Resources May contractor personnel or subcontractors located outside the United States perform any portion of the work, provided all applicable FAR/DFARS security and cybersecurity requirements are met?

The solicitation does not prohibit contractor personnel or subcontractors located outside the United States from performing portions of the work. However, all performance must comply with the requirements of the solicitation and contract, including all applicable FAR and DFARS clauses, cybersecurity requirements, export control laws, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) safeguarding requirements, and any restrictions governing access to Government systems or Government-furnished information.

The contractor is solely responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable contractual and regulatory requirements.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-11 Offshore Resources Are there any restrictions regarding offshore access to Government data, systems, or recruiting information?

Yes. Access to Government data, Government information systems, recruiting information, Government-furnished information, or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) may be subject to statutory, regulatory, contractual, and security restrictions.

Access will only be permitted where authorized under the contract and applicable law, regulation, and DoD security requirements.

The contractor is responsible for ensuring its proposed solution complies with all applicable FAR, DFARS, and cybersecurity requirements.

The government reserves the right to restrict offshore access where necessary to protect government information, systems or national security interests. See lists of DFARS clauses you must comply with.

Q-12 Incumbent Contractor & Transition

Who is the current incumbent contractor? See response to Q-4.

Q-13 Incumbent Contractor & Transition

Will campaign history, analytics, creative assets, reporting, and historical performance data transition to the new contractor?

See response to Q-3.

Q-14 Incumbent Contractor & Transition

Are there any planned transition requirements or knowledge transfer activities between the incumbent and the new contractor?

See response to Q-4.

2. Evaluation Factors & Submission Requirements

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-15 Solicitation Section 5, Factor 1

Technical proposal page limit and format Reference:

Solicitation Section 5, Factor 1 Does the 15-page limit for the Technical Proposal include the CLIN price table, past performance documentation, resumes, and appendices, or are those items excluded from the count? Please also confirm the minimum font size and margin requirements.

Page limit does not include Price Table, past performance, resumes, or appendices. Minimum Font Size: 12 PT, Times New Roman, Single Spaced. One-inch margins.

Q-16 Solicitation Section 5, Factor 2

Past performance of subcontractors and teaming partners Reference: Solicitation Section 5, Factor 2 Will the Government evaluate the past performance of a proposed subcontractor or teaming partner performing a substantial portion of the technical requirement, or is the evaluation limited to the offeror’s own record? If subcontractor past performance will be considered, should a separate Past Performance Questionnaire be submitted for that entity?

Subcontractor and teaming partners should have a separate PPQ submitted.

Q-17 Solicitation Section 5, Factor 2;

Attachment 2

Number and timing of Past Performance Questionnaires Reference: Solicitation Section 5, Factor 2; Attachment 2 May an offeror submit more than one Past Performance Questionnaire? If a reference transmits a completed questionnaire directly to the Contracting Officer after the 20 August 2026 closing time, will it still be considered?

Yes. An offeror may submit more than one

PPQ.

No. Any PPQ’s submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

Q-18 FAR 52.217-8;

Solicitation Section

Option to Extend Services Reference: FAR 52.217-8;

Solicitation Section 3 FAR 52.217-8 is incorporated, but the CLIN table in Section 3 contains no corresponding line item.

Should offerors provide a separately priced CLIN for the six-month extension of services, and would that amount be included in the Total Evaluated Price?

If not, please confirm that any such extension would be exercised at the applicable option year rate.

Yes. Offerors should provide a separately priced CLIN for the six-month extension of services. Reference Combined Synopsis/Solicitation, Amendment #01.

Yes. It would be included in the Total Evaluated Price.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-19 FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting Reference: FAR 52.219-14 Please confirm that the 50 percent limitation is measured against the amount paid by the Government for contract performance. For purposes of that calculation, how will the Government treat the following:

(a) pass-through media and advertising spend placed with Google, Meta, and other advertising platforms; and

(b) third-party software and platform license fees.

Please confirm whether these amounts are excluded from the base against which the 50 percent is measured, consistent with the treatment of materials.

50% Limitation applies only to the services portion of the contract.

Confirm these amounts are excluded from the base against which the 50 percent is measured.

Q-20 Section 5 Section 5 lists three evaluation factors but does not state their relative importance. Please state

(a) the relative weight or order of importance of Technical Capability, Past Performance, and Price, and

(b) whether award will be made on a best-value tradeoff basis or as Lowest Price Technically Acceptable.

Technical capability and Past Performance are of equal importance and, when combined, are significantly more important than price.

Award will be made using a best-value trade-off process. The Government may select other than the lowest price offer if a higher priced proposal is determined to provide additional value that justifies the price premium.

Q-21 Section 5, Factor 1 Section 5, Factor 1 limits the Technical Proposal to 15 pages. Please confirm whether the following count against the 15-page limit: cover letter, table of contents, acronym list, resumes/key personnel, the completed CLIN price table, the Past Performance Questionnaire, and any sample deliverables or appendices.

See response to Q-15.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-22 Section 5, Factor 2 and Section 7

Section 5, Factor 2 and Section 7 reference a Past Performance Questionnaire “attachment,” but no PPQ form appears to have been posted with the solicitation.

Please post the PPQ form.

Additionally, please state

(a) the number of references required,

(b) whether the reference returns the PPQ directly to the Contracting Officer or through the offeror, and

(c) the deadline for PPQ receipt.

The PPQ is posted on SAM.GOV. It is available under the Solicitation ‘Attachments’ section titled: Attachment 2 – Past Performance Questionnaire.

# of references required:

No more than 5. One PPQ per reference.

PPQ return details (to include return deadline) are outlined in section E of the PPQ.

Q-23 Factor 3 Factor 3 states price will be evaluated for “completeness, reasonableness, and realism.” The CLIN table alone provides only a monthly rate. Please state what supporting price detail offerors should submit to permit a realism analysis — for example a cost build-up showing labor categories and hours, software license costs, and the media allocation embedded in the monthly rate — and confirm whether such supporting detail counts against the 15-page technical limit.

Supporting detail should show labor categories and anticipated hours.

Media spend and related digital advertising costs are now a separate line item. The supporting detail will not count against the 15-page technical limit.

Q-24 FAR 52.217-8 FAR 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services, is incorporated, but no CLIN is provided for the six-month extension period.

Please clarify how offerors should price the 52.217-8 period and whether it will be included in the total evaluated price.

See solicitation amendment #01 and revised CLIN Table.

Q-25 General Will the Government make the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) available to offerors prior to the quote due date?

No. The QASP is an internal Government Contract administration document and will not be provided to offerors. The PWS and PRS, establish the performance standards and acceptable quality levels upon which contract performance will be assessed.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-26 General Please confirm submission mechanics: required file format (PDF), maximum total email attachment size, whether multiple emails are acceptable, and whether the Contracting Office will acknowledge receipt of quotes.

PDF documents are preferred. Maximum total email attachment size should not exceed 2MB.

Multiple emails are not acceptable. Contracting office will not acknowledge receipt of quote unless requested.

Please include a read receipt for your records.

Q-27 General Does the Government contemplate oral presentations, product demonstrations, or a technical evaluation of a live platform? If so, please describe the process and timing.

No. The government intends to award without discussions.

Q-28 Factor 2 Will you accept a commercial (non-federal) past performance reference under Factor 2, given the Neutral Rating provision for offerors without relevant past performance?

Yes. We will accept past commercial performance references.

Q-29 Factor 1 Can you confirm formatting requirements (font size, margins, line spacing) for the 15-page Technical Proposal, and whether resumes/graphics count toward the page limit.

See response to Q-15.

Q-29.1 Please specify required formatting: page size, minimum font size and type, and minimum margins.

See response to Q-15

3. Pricing, Budget & Media Spend

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-30 General What is the anticipated annual paid-media budget?

Will media spend be funded under a separate CLIN or included in the contractor’s proposed price?

Media spend will be included in the proposed price. The government estimates an annual media spend, with a not to exceed ceiling of $100,000. See PWS amendment #01. Media spend will be a separately priced line- item for base + each option year. See combined solicitation/synopsis amendment #01.

Q-31 General Should platform fees, printing, postage, audience data, SMS usage, call-tracking charges, licensed assets, and similar direct costs be priced separately?

No. Proposed price should be all-inclusive. See response to Q-30. All inclusive price should account for all items not included not included in Q-30.

Q-32 Solicitation Section

3; PWS 5.3.12

Historical media spend Reference: Solicitation Section 3;

PWS 5.3.12 Because the CLIN price must be fully burdened and inclusive of all media and advertising spend, please provide the actual annual paid media spend under the current or most recent contract for each of the last three years, broken out by channel (paid search, paid social, geofencing, direct mail, SMS and email) to the extent that breakdown is available.

If that historical data cannot be released, please state the minimum annual media spend the Government expects the contractor to allocate within the fixed price.

See response to Q-30.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-33 Solicitation Section

3; PWS 5.3.12

Media spend floor, ceiling, and directed increases Reference: Solicitation Section 3; PWS 5.3.12 Does the Government intend to establish a minimum media spend obligation, a not-to-exceed media budget, or any required allocation between labor and media within the firm-fixed monthly price?

If the COR or MNCO directs media placement exceeding the amount the contractor included in its price, does that direction constitute a change entitling the contractor to an equitable adjustment under FAR 52.212-4?

See above in Q-30.

Regarding the COR or MNCO question, only the Contracting Officer is authorized to make changes that affect price and shall be done via a formal contract modification.

Q-34 PWS 5.3.12 Treatment of unexpended media budget Reference: PWS

5.3.12 If actual media placement in a given period is less

than the amount included in the fixed price, does the balance remain with the contractor, or is it credited to the Government?

See response to Q-30.

Q-35 PWS 5.3.12 Paid media ledger timing Reference: PWS 5.3.12 PWS

5.3.12 requires monthly ledger balances no later than three business days before the end of each month. Please confirm that this is intended, as a ledger delivered before month end cannot reflect the full month’s spend, and clarify whether the Government instead intends three business days after month end.

See PWS Amendment #01, section 5.3.12.

Q-35.1 PWS 5.3.12 requires monthly paid media ledger balances "NLT three (3) business days before the end of each month," while Technical Exhibit 2 lists the Paid Media Ledger as a monthly deliverable. A ledger for a month cannot be complete before that month ends. Please confirm whether the intent is three business days after the end of the month, and correct if appropriate.

See response to Q-35.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-36 Section 3 Section 3 of the solicitation requires that the firm-fixed monthly price be “fully burdened and all-inclusive of all labor, media/ad spend, software licenses, administrative costs, and reporting.” However, neither the solicitation nor the PWS states a required or expected annual media budget. Will the Government specify a minimum annual media/advertising spend, a target spend, or a not-to-exceed amount? Without a stated figure, offerors will embed widely divergent media assumptions into their fixed prices, and the lowest quote will likely be the one that embeds the least advertising, which does not serve the recruiting mission and makes the price realism analysis under Factor 3 difficult to perform on a comparable basis.

See response to Q-30.

Q-37 Question 1 In the alternative to Question 1, would the Government consider restructuring the CLINs to separate

(a) contractor services/labor/licenses from

(b) a Government-specified media spend allocation or not-to-exceed media pool?

This would make quotes directly comparable and protect the Government from receiving a low price that under-funds actual advertising.

See response to Q-30.

Q-38 General Please provide the actual total media/advertising spend for the current and two prior periods of performance, broken out by channel (Google Search, Google Call, Geofence/Geo-conquest, Meta, direct mail, other) to the extent releasable.

See response to Q-30.

Prior spend will not be made available.

Q-39 General Please provide the following historical performance data from the current contract, to the extent releasable: total leads generated per year, average Cost per Lead, average Cost per Click, and enlistments attributed to the platform.

See response to Q-3.

Q-40 PWS 5.3.12 PWS 5.3.12 states the contractor will purchase media “when agreed to be necessary by the COR and MNCO.”

Under a firm-fixed-price arrangement in which media is embedded in the monthly price, please clarify: if the COR directs media spend exceeding the amount the contractor assumed in its quote, is that a matter for an equitable adjustment under DFARS 252.205-71, or is the contractor at risk for the full amount?

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-41 General If actual media spend in a given month is less than the amount embedded in the contractor’s fixed price, does the unspent balance

(a) remain with the contractor,

(b) carry forward to subsequent months, or

(c) get credited to the Government?

See response to Q-30.

Q-42 PWS 5.3.13 Given PWS 5.3.13 (COARNG-owned accounts with COARNG owner-level rights) and Section 3 of the solicitation (media embedded in the contractor’s fixed price), please clarify the billing mechanics for paid media: will the contractor attach its own payment method to COARNG-owned ad accounts, and please confirm that no Government funds are obligated directly to the advertising platforms.

Yes. The contractor will attach its own payment method to COARNG-owned ad accounts. No government funds will be obligated directly to the advertising platforms.

Q-43 General Are offerors permitted to propose escalation across option years, or does the Government expect a level monthly rate across all 48 months? If escalation is permitted, is there a cap?

Offerors are encouraged to propose escalation across option years. The government does not expect a level monthly rate across 48 months.

There is no cap.

Q-44 FAR 52.232-18 FAR 52.232-18, Availability of Funds, is incorporated. Please confirm whether the base year will be fully funded at award or funded incrementally.

The base year will be fully funded at time of award.

Q-45 General Can you provide the current or most recent 12-month media/advertising spend level for this program, or a target range, to inform pricing of the all-inclusive CLINs?

See response to Q-30

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-46 Section 3 Section 3 states the proposed price must be “fully burdened and all-inclusive of all labor, media/ad spend, software licenses, administrative costs, and reporting required to fully execute the PWS.” PWS 5.3.12 requires the contractor to purchase media on behalf of the COARNG RRB, including paid social media, paid search, re-targeting advertising, and media placement, when agreed to be necessary by the COR and MNCO, and to provide monthly ledger balances.

a. Is the media and advertising spend paid to advertising platforms intended to be funded within the contractor’s firm-fixed price, or is it separately funded or reimbursed, with the fixed price covering the contractor’s labor, tooling, and management?

b. If media spend is within the firm-fixed price, will the Government provide an expected annual media budget, a not-to-exceed media amount, or the historical annual media spend for this requirement, so that offerors may price it accurately?

c. How is the monthly media ledger balance reconciled? If a month’s planned media budget is not fully expended, does the balance carry forward, revert to the Government, or remain with the contractor?

d. If the COR and MNCO direct media spend above the planned budget in a given period, is that addressed by contract modification or absorbed within the firm-fixed price?

See response to Q-30.

a. Media and advertising spend is intended to be funded within the contractor’s firm-fixed price.

b. See response to Q-30.

c. See response to Q-30.

d. See response to Q-30.

Q-47 FAR 52.219-14 For purposes of FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, does the Government treat direct media and advertising spend paid to third-party advertising platforms as materials excluded from the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel?

These items will be treated as materials and are not subject to the 50% limitations.

Q-48 Budget & Media Investment

What is the anticipated annual budget for this contract? See response to Q-30.

Q-49 Budget & Media Investment

Is paid media funded within this contract, or will advertising spend be provided separately by the Government?

See response to Q-46.

Q-50 Budget & Media Investment

What is the current annual paid media investment? See response to Q-30.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-51 Budget & Media Investment

Has the current media budget been sufficient to achieve the desired lead generation and recruiting goals?

Yes.

Q-52 Budget & Media Investment

Is there flexibility to recommend increases or reallocations in media investment based on performance?

4. PWS, Scope & Technical Requirements

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-53 General Does COARNG currently have a microsite, lead-management platform, reporting dashboard, call-tracking system, listings-management platform, or digital asset management system that will transfer to the awardee?

No. Will not transfer microsites, lead management platform, reporting dashboard, call-tracking system, listing-management platform, or digital asset management system to the awardee.

Q-54 General The PWS requires dashboard access within five business days of contract start. How should offerors approach this requirement if historical data, platform credentials, or incumbent systems are not immediately available?

See PWS amendment #01, section 5.3.2.

Q-55 General Does the microsite requirement contemplate up to 86 distinct personalized landing pages, dynamically generated pages using shared templates, or another configuration?

Yes. Dynamically generated pages.

Q-56 General Must the lead-management system integrate with the Strength Maintenance Management System, another Army system, or an existing government CRM? If so, please identify the required system, data fields, and integration method.

No, it does not integrate with the Strength Maintenance Management System or any other Army system or an existing government

CRM.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-57 General Please clarify the goal of at least 20 quality leads per assigned annual enlisted accessions mission, including the number of assigned accessions and the government’s definition of a quality lead.

20 leads per assigned annual enlisted accessions mission meaning if Recruiting’s assigned enlisted accessions mission is 330 enlistments during the period of performance, the goal would be 6,600 leads. We define a quality lead as an individual within the enlistment age (17-41 years old) that has completed a lead form which has been delivered to the COR. See PWS Amendment #01, sections

1.0 and 5.2.1.

Q-58 General Will COARNG provide recruiter lead-disposition, appointment, qualification, and enlistment data so the contractor can calculate campaign ROI and enlistment attribution?

Yes. The COARNG will provide enlistment data to calculate campaign ROI and enlistment attribution. Other metrics will be provided based on availability.

Q-59 General Are the campaigns targeting 20,000 high school students and 5,000 current COARNG members required once annually, once during each period of performance, or multiple times per year?

See PWS Amendment #01, section 5.3.11 (was removed).

Q-60 General What government data will be provided for the recruiting-market analysis and quarterly GIS studies?

Are specific GIS software, data sources, file formats, or commercial demographic datasets required?

The government will provide COARNG and DoD market share analysis. No specific GIS software, data sources, file formats or commercial demographic datasets are required.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-61 General What approximate quantity of new campaigns, concepts, advertisements, sizes, email templates, SMS scripts, direct-mail pieces, and other creative assets should offerors assume annually?

Please reference PWS section 5.3.7 – 5.3.10 regarding new campaigns, concepts and advertisements.

Regarding email templates and SMS Scripts, reference PWS section 5.3.3.

Direct mail pieces have been amended as removed in the PWS section 5.3.11. See Q-59.

Q-62 General If government creative approval is not received within the stated review period, will the corresponding campaign-launch deadline be adjusted?

Any updates to the campaigns requiring COR approvals shall be sent to the COR by the 1st of each month. Contractor will not be assessed against the 1st of the month launch for COR review or advertising platform ad review.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-63 Section 3.0 Section 3.0 states that no government-furnished property, materials, equipment, or services will be provided. Other sections indicate that COARNG will provide recruiting data, historical keyword reports, creative libraries, and CSV files.

Please clarify which data, assets, credentials, and system access will be government furnished.

Section 3.0 refers to Government-Furnished Property (GFP) as defined in FAR 45.101. No Government-Furnished Property (e.g., equipment, materials, or software) will be provided under this contract. However, the Government will provide Government-furnished information (GFI) and Government-authorized access, as necessary for contract performance. This may include recruiting data, historical reports, creative assets, CSV files, and administrative access to Government-owned advertising platform accounts, as applicable.

Any Government-furnished information or system access provided shall be used solely for performance of the contract and in accordance with applicable security and contract requirements.

Data, and assets are in Technical Exhibit 2 of

PWS.

Q-64 PWS 5.3.12 and 5.3.13

Payer of record on advertising platform accounts Reference: PWS 5.3.12 and 5.3.13 Advertising platform accounts are COARNG-owned with contractor administrative access. Will the contractor be the payer of record on those accounts, or will the Government hold the billing relationship directly with the platforms?

This will be a contractor responsibility.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-65 PWS 5.2.5;

Solicitation Section 6.0

Semi-annual training meeting and travel Reference: PWS 5.2.5; Solicitation Section 6.0 Please identify the location, duration, and expected number of contractor personnel for the semi-annual training meeting, and confirm that contractor travel to that meeting is included in the fixed price. The Joint Travel Regulation is listed as an applicable publication, which appears inconsistent with an all-inclusive fixed price containing no separate travel CLIN. Is virtual attendance acceptable in any period of performance?

See response to Q-2.

Reference PWS 5.2.5.

Virtual attendance is acceptable in any period of performance. See PWS Amendment #01, Section 5.2.5.

Q-66 PWS 5.2.1 Lead volume target Reference: PWS 5.2.1 The requirement reads: “the goal of delivering at least 20 quality (age 17-34) leads per RRB’s assigned annual enlisted accessions mission) per year.” The sentence contains an unmatched parenthesis and can be read in more than one way. Please confirm which of the following the Government intends: (a) 20 qualified leads total per contract year; (b) 20 qualified leads per enlisted accession within the RRB’s assigned annual accessions mission (i.e.20 x mission number); or (c) some other formula. If (b), please state the RRB’s assigned annual enlisted accessions mission figure for the Base Year, or the planning figure offerors should use. This single number drives the entire media budget and therefore the fixed price.

See response to Q-57.

Planning figure for enlisted accessions for base year for 330.

Q-67 PWS 1.0 and 5.2.1 Target demographic and lead qualification age ranges Reference: PWS 1.0 and 5.2.1 Paragraph 1.0 identifies the target demographic as ages 17 to 24, while paragraph 5.2.1 defines a quality lead as ages 17 to 34. Please confirm which range governs campaign targeting and which governs lead qualification for performance measurement.

See response to Q-57.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-68 PWS 5.3.11 Direct mail, email, and SMS campaign scope Reference:

PWS 5.3.11 For the campaign targeting 20,000 high school students and 5,000 currently serving COARNG members, please clarify the following: (a) How many direct mail drops per contract year are required — one, quarterly, or another cadence?

Is the 25,000-record audience a single annual touch or a recurring campaign cycle?

(b) Will the Government furnish the mailing and contact lists, or must the contractor source and license them?

If the contractor must acquire the student list, please identify any Government-approved sources.

(c) Are printing, postage, and mail-house costs included within the fixed price, and are they counted as media spend?

(d) Is a specific mail piece format or size required?

See PWS Amendment #01, section 5.3.11 (was removed). See response to Q-59.

Q-68.1 PWS 5.3.11 requires direct mail, email, SMS and social campaigns targeting 20,000 high school students and 5,000 currently serving COARNG members. Please confirm:

(a) whether the Government furnishes the contact lists (names, mailing addresses, email addresses, mobile numbers) for both audiences, or whether the contractor must acquire them;

(b) if contractor-acquired, whether list acquisition cost is included in the fixed price;

(c) the required frequency, is this a single annual campaign to each audience, or recurring?

See PWS Amendment #01, section 5.3.11 (was removed). See response to Q-59.

Q-68.2 For the 20,000 high school student audience, a substantial portion will be minors. Please clarify:

(a) the source and consent status of the contact data;

(b) which party is responsible for TCPA and CAN-SPAM compliance and for maintaining opt-out/suppression records;

(c) whether the Government has obtained prior express written consent for SMS to these numbers, or whether the contractor is expected to obtain it.

See PWS Amendment #01, section 5.3.11 (was removed). See response to Q-59.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-69 PWS 5.3.11 SMS and email consent, including minors Reference: PWS

5.3.11 The campaign targets 20,000 high school students, a

population that includes individuals under 18. Please clarify how prior express written consent for SMS contact will be established for this audience, whether any Government-furnished list will include documented opt-in status, and whether the Government or the contractor is the sender of record for TCPA purposes and for carrier campaign registration.

See PWS Amendment #01, section 5.3.11 (was removed). See response to Q-59.

Q-70 PWS 5.2.2 and 5.2.3 Recruiting market analysis and GIS data sources Reference:

PWS 5.2.2 and 5.2.3 Please clarify the following regarding the recruiting market analysis and the three GIS analytic studies:

(a) Will the Government furnish all ARNG production data, RSID-level data, and demographic and geospatial datasets required to complete them, or must the contractor license commercial demographic or GIS data?

(b) In what format and on what timeline will the MNCO provide market data?

(c) Are any of these datasets considered Controlled Unclassified Information?

See response to Q-60.

Q-71 PWS 5.3.5.1 Call tracking scale Reference: PWS 5.3.5.1 Approximately how many unique call tracking numbers are anticipated across the 25 recruiting locations and active campaigns, and what is the estimated inbound call volume on a monthly and annual basis? This drives telephony licensing cost.

No. Government does not have estimated inbound call volume available on a monthly and annual basis.

Will need a call tracking and routing license for each location.

Q-72 PWS 5.3.7 through

5.3.10; PWS 5.5.2

Creative production volume Reference: PWS 5.3.7 through 5.3.10; PWS 5.5.2 The PWS requires monthly campaign launches across at least 16 concurrent campaigns but does not state a creative production volume. Please clarify the expected number of net-new creative assets (static, video, and copy variants) the contractor must produce per month, beyond adaptation of assets from the Government-furnished creative library referenced in paragraph 5.5.2.

It is up to the contractor to determine the best number of assets per campaign. Most assets will be able to be used across multiple campaigns.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-73 PWS 5.3.9 Geofence and geo-conquest execution platform Reference:

PWS 5.3.9 The requirement specifies “Google custom segmented Geofence and Geo-conquest campaigns.”

Google Ads does not offer geofencing or geo-conquesting as discrete named products; these are typically executed through radius and location targeting within Google Ads, or through a third-party programmatic DSP. Will the Government accept either approach, or must execution remain within the Google Ads platform?

Execution must remain within the Google Ads Platform. Radius and location targeting may be used.

Q-74 PWS 5.3.4 and 5.3.5 Google Business Profile status Reference: PWS 5.3.4 and

5.3.5 For the 25 recruiting locations, please confirm the

following: (a) how many locations currently have verified Google Business Profiles; (b) whether owner-level access will be transferred to the contractor at award, or whether the contractor must complete verification; and (c) whether any locations are shared or co-located facilities that may not qualify for a standalone listing under Google’s guidelines. Directory publication and review management timelines depend on verification status that is largely outside contractor control.

Currently 22 recruiting location business profiles.

21 of these are verified.

Owner level access will be given to the contractor at award. Primary-owner access will remain with the COARNG. No locations are shared or co-located facilities.

Q-75 PWS 5.3.1 and 5.3.3 Fixed counts for landing pages and platform licenses Reference: PWS 5.3.1 and 5.3.3 Please confirm that the counts of 86 personalized landing pages and 65 platform licenses are fixed for all four periods of performance. If those counts increase during performance, will the Government issue a contract modification?

These are fixed for all four periods of performance.

Any changes to the contract will be executed by the Contracting Officer via a modification.

Q-76 PWS 5.2.4, 5.2.5,

and 5.2.6

Meeting cadence Reference: PWS 5.2.4, 5.2.5, and 5.2.6 Please confirm that the bi-weekly status meetings are in addition to the four quarterly training and consulting meetings and the twelve monthly analytics meetings, for a total of approximately 26 status meetings per contract year.

Bi-weekly status meetings that coincide with quarterly or monthly meetings can be held concurrently.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-77 PWS 5.3.1 and 5.5.1 Microsite hosting and web governance Reference: PWS

5.3.1 and 5.5.1 Please clarify the following regarding the microsite and the 86 personalized landing pages: (a) Will the pages reside on a contractor-hosted domain, a COARNG-owned domain, or as a subdirectory of an existing property? (b) Does content require National Guard Bureau, Army web governance, or public affairs review in addition to COR approval prior to launch? (c) Does the Government have a preferred or mandated hosting environment, or any requirement that the site reside within a .mil or otherwise Government-controlled environment?

(a) Yes. They will be held on a contractor-hosted domain.

(b) No.

(c) No. Will not be on a .mil.

Q-77.1 PWS 5.3.1 requires a microsite with personalized landing pages for 55 RRNCOs, 6 Section Chiefs, and 25 recruiting locations (86 pages). Please confirm:

(a) which party provides hosting and the domain;

(b) whether the microsite must reside on a .mil domain or may reside on a contractor-hosted commercial domain;

(c) who holds domain registration ownership at the end of the period of performance;

(d) whether the microsite is subject to Army/DoD web governance review in addition to Section 508.

(a) See response to Q-77.

(b) It will reside on a contractor-hosted commercial domain.

(c) COARNG holds domain registration ownership at the end of the period of performance.

(d) No. The microsite is not subject to Army or DoD web governance review.

Q-78 PWS 5.3.3 Existing lead management system and data migration Reference: PWS 5.3.3 Is there an existing lead management system in use by COARNG RRB? If so, please identify the platform and state whether the contractor is required to migrate historical contacts, campaign history, and automation workflows into the new system, and approximately how many contact records are involved.

Yes. There is an existing lead management system in use by COARNG RRB.

Platform currently being used is Active Campaign.

No information will be migrated.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-79 PWS 5.3.2, 5.3.3,

5.3.5.1, and 5.4

Cloud authorization and commercial platform acceptance Reference: PWS 5.3.2, 5.3.3, 5.3.5.1, and 5.4 Will the Government accept commercially available SaaS platforms as-is under FAR Part 12 for the lead management system, live dashboard, digital asset management system, and call tracking system? Or is FedRAMP authorization, a DoD Impact Level designation, or an Authority to Operate required for any of these systems?

The Government will accept commercially available SaaS solutions that satisfy the requirements of the PWS.

Offerors are responsible for ensuring their proposed solutions comply with all applicable Federal, DoD, and Army cybersecurity, privacy, and information assurance requirements identified in the solicitation. Government does not require a specific FedRAMP authorization, DoD Impact Level designation, or Authority to Operate (ATO) at the time of proposal submission.

If the contractor’s solution will store, process, or transmit Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), the solution must comply with the applicable cybersecurity requirements identified in the solicitation, including any required DFARS requirements.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-80 PWS 5.5 Section 508 conformance evidence Reference: PWS 5.5 Is a VPAT or Accessibility Conformance Report required at quote submission or post-award for the microsite, personalized landing pages, dashboard, lead management system, and digital asset management system, and who is responsible for validation?

Does the Section 508 obligation extend to third-party commercial platforms the contractor licenses, or only to contractor-produced content and pages?

A VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) or equivalent Accessibility Conformance Report is not required with the quotation. The contractor is responsible for ensuring its deliverables comply with applicable Section 508 requirements. Section 508 requirements apply to contractor-developed deliverables provided under the contract. Third-party commercial products shall meet applicable Section 508 requirements to the extent they are furnished as part of the contractor’s solution.

Q-81 PWS 5.3.2 and 5.3.3; Technical Exhibit 2, deliverable 5.3.2;

DFARS 252.204-

CUI determination and DFARS 252.204-7012 applicability Reference: PWS 5.3.2 and 5.3.3; Technical Exhibit 2, deliverable 5.3.2; DFARS 252.204-7012 The contractor must transmit all campaign names and phone numbers to the COR weekly, and must maintain an SMS and email platform holding unlimited contact records. Please confirm the following:

(a) whether the Government considers any of this data to be Controlled Unclassified Information or Covered Defense Information;

(b) whether DFARS 252.204-7012 flows down in full to the contractor’s commercial SaaS systems that store recruit PII;

and

(c) whether a current NIST SP 800-171 self-assessment posted in SPRS is required at time of quote submission, or only prior to award.

See response to Q-79.

(a) Yes.

(b) Yes.

(c) Prior to award at a minimum.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-82 PWS 5.3.2 and 5.4 Start of the performance clock Reference: PWS 5.3.2 and

5.4 Digital asset management system access is due within

one business day of contract start and dashboard access within five business days. Does that clock run from the date of award, or from the start of the period of performance on 27 September 2026?

From the start of the period of performance.

Q-83 PWS 5.5.2; PWS

5.3.7 through 5.3.10

First month campaign launch obligation Reference: PWS 5.5.2; PWS 5.3.7 through 5.3.10 The Government provides access to the approved creative library no later than ten days after award, while campaigns must launch no later than the 1st of each month. How does the Government expect the first month’s launch obligation to be met?

The first campaign launch obligation must launch no later than the first of the month, following receipt of the approved creative library content. For example, if contractor is awarded on 27 SEPT, then access to the library will be provided no later than 10 days after contract award and the first launch will be expected on 01 NOV.

Q-84 PWS 5.3.12;

Technical Exhibit 1

Excusable delay for Government-caused delay Reference:

PWS 5.3.12; Technical Exhibit 1 Advertising creative requires written COR or MNCO approval with a five business day review window, and campaign launch objectives carry a 100 percent Acceptable Quality Level. If Government approval or Government-furnished data is delayed, will contractor performance be excused for the period of that delay?

Yes. See PWS Amendment #01, section 5.3.12 and Technical Exhibit #1.

Q-85 Technical Exhibit 1 Remedy for performance below the Acceptable Quality Level Reference: Technical Exhibit 1 Please describe the remedy the Government will apply for performance below the stated Acceptable Quality Levels, including whether any price deduction schedule applies.

Contractor will be provided an opportunity to remedy the deficiency.

Q-86 Technical Exhibit 1;

PWS 5.3.12 and 5.4.2

Paid media paragraph numbering Reference: Technical Exhibit 1; PWS 5.3.12 and 5.4.2 Technical Exhibit 1 lists “Paid Media” under paragraph 5.4.2. In the PWS, paid media purchasing is paragraph 5.3.12, while paragraph

5.4.2 addresses third-party licensed materials. Please confirm that the PRS entry refers to PWS 5.3.12.

See PWS Amendment #01, section 5.3.12.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-87 Technical Exhibit 2;

PWS 5.3.2

Weekly reporting paragraph numbering Reference:

Technical Exhibit 2; PWS 5.3.2 Technical Exhibit 2 assigns two deliverables to PWS 5.3.2, the campaign CSV template and the weekly report of all names and phone numbers.

PWS 5.3.2 addresses the live user dashboard and contains no reporting requirement of that kind. Please identify the correct governing paragraph for the weekly name and phone number deliverable, and confirm its weekly frequency.

See PWS Amendment #01, section 5.3.3.

Q-88 Technical Exhibit 2, deliverable 5.3.2

“Campo CSV format” Reference: Technical Exhibit 2, deliverable 5.3.2 Technical Exhibit 2 references a “Campo CSV format” to be provided by COARNG.

Please confirm whether this is intended to read “Campaign CSV format,” provide a sample file or written specification, and confirm that the template will be furnished at contract start.

See Technical Exhibit, Table 2. It is not intended to read Campaign CSV format. A sample file will not be provided.

Q-89 PWS 5.2.2;

Technical Exhibits 1 and 2

Recruiting market analysis frequency Reference: PWS 5.2.2;

Technical Exhibits 1 and 2 PWS 5.2.2 requires the recruiting market analysis within 45 days of contract start as the first quarter analytic study. Technical Exhibit 1 lists the surveillance method as annual review, and Technical Exhibit 2 lists the deliverable frequency as annual. Please confirm whether this analysis is a one-time deliverable due within 45 days of each period of performance start, or a recurring quarterly deliverable.

PWS 5.2.2 does not reference a quarter analytic study. Everything listed in annual.

Q-90 Technical Exhibit 1 Requirements omitted from the Performance Requirements Summary Reference: Technical Exhibit 1 Technical Exhibit 1 does not include performance standards for PWS 5.3.2 (live dashboard), 5.3.4 (directory listings),

5.3.13 (account ownership), or 5.5 (style guide and Section 508 compliance). Please confirm whether these requirements are subject to surveillance and, if so, the applicable Acceptable Quality Level.

Only items identified in Technical Exhibit 1 are subject to surveillance and AQLs.

Q-91 PWS 5.3.9 and 5.2.6 Geofence campaign reporting deadline Reference: PWS

5.3.9 and 5.2.6 PWS 5.3.9 requires monthly geofence reporting no later than three business days after the start of the next month, while PWS 5.2.6 sets the monthly analytics report deadline at seven business days after month end. Please confirm that both deadlines apply, or whether geofence reporting may be consolidated into the monthly analytics deliverable.

Geofencing may be consolidated into the monthly analytics deliverable. See PWS Amendment #01, Section 5.3.9.

ID Reference Clarification Request / Question Government Response

Q-93 PWS 5.2.1 PWS 5.2.1 states the goal of "delivering at least 20 quality (age 17-34) leads per RRB's assigned annual enlisted accessions mission) per year." The sentence contains an unmatched parenthesis and is open to multiple readings.

Please clarify whether the requirement is:

(a) 20 leads total per year;

(b) 20 leads per accession in RRB's assigned annual enlisted accessions mission (i.e., 20 × mission number); or

(c) some other construction.

If the answer to Question is (b), please state the RRB’s assigned annual enlisted accessions mission number for the base year, as this figure directly determines the required lead volume and therefore the required media spend.

See response to Q-66.

Q-94 PWS 1.0 & PWS

5.2.1

PWS 1.0 identifies the target demographic as 17–24 year-olds, while PWS 5.2.1 defines a quality lead as age 17–34.

Please confirm which age band governs (a) campaign targeting and (b) the definition of a “quality lead” for reporting purposes.

See response to Q-67.

Q-95 PWS 5.2.1 PWS 5.2.1 defines a lead as “a submitted website form loaded into Lead Management System.” Please confirm that phone-call inquiries captured through the call tracking system (PWS 5.3.5.1) and social platform lead-form submissions (PWS 5.3.10) also count as leads, or state which channels are excluded.

See response to Q-57.

Q-96 PWS 5.2.1 The lead volume goal in PWS 5.2.1 does not appear as a separate performance objective in Technical Exhibit 1 (PRS). Please confirm whether the lead volume figure is (a) an aspirational planning objective, or (b) a performance standard subject to an Acceptable Quality Level, cure notice, or price deduction.

See PWS Amendment #01, Technical Exhibit 1.

Q-99 General Please confirm which party is the “sender” of record for A2P 10DLC campaign registration and brand…