Solicitation_W91CRB24R0013_RFP Questions and Govt Response 2.pdf

Army Audited Financial Statement Compilation and Publication W91CRB‐24‐R‐0013 –Solicitation Questions and Comments

No. RFP

Part & Section Reference

RFP

Page

Questions/Comments/Clarification Government Response

1 PWS, Part 1, General Information, 1.2 Background & 1.3 Objectives

In the Background section, Independent Public Accountant (IPA) is defined in the context of an auditor. In the Objectives section, the RFP states, “The objective is to obtain services for the compilation, submission, and publication of the Army’s audited financial statements from a Certified IPA.” Does this imply the awardee should have experience auditing federal financial statements?

The government confirms this does not imply awardee should have experience auditing federal financial statements.

2 Section L – Proposal Submission – Instructions to Offerors, Volume 2 – Factor 1 Technical, Section 2 – DoD/Federal Government Experience, page 70 of

The information requested in Section 2 regarding DoD/Federal Government Experience appears redundant with the details requested in Volume 3 ‐ Factor 2 ‐ Past Performance. In Section 2.2 the government requires a detailed level of information that is usually only included in a Past Performance volume. Information being requested includes: a current point of contact (name, company name, phone number, and email), contract number, task order number (if applicable), contract type, dollar value, date of award, performance period, and a brief narrative describing the nature and complexity of the work. This level of information will take up a significant amount of space in Volume 2 and will take away valuable space needed to address the requirements outlined in Volume 2 under Factor 1 ‐ Technical, specifically in Section 1 ‐ Technical Approach.

Will the government remove this requirement from Volume 2 or add an additional 10 pages to Volume 2, which is the page limit for Volume 3? The additional pages will afford bidders the necessary space to thoroughly address the government's instructions and provide the requisite level of detail. Such additional space is crucial for the government to adequately assess whether the proposed approach aligns with its needs.

There will be no changes to page limitations.

3 Section L – Proposal Submission – Instructions to Offerors, Volume 2 – Factor 1 Technical, Section 2 – DoD/Federal

Section L – Proposal Submission – Instructions to Offerors, Volume 2

– Factor 1 Technical, Section 2 – DoD/Federal Government Experience, page 70 of 83, states that “Offerors shall submit a minimum of three (3), but no more than six (6) project descriptions that clearly demonstrate the offeror’s prior DoD/Federal Government experience that is relevant to this requirement. Projects may be past (completed within the past 36 months) or current, but

In accordance with Section M, Factor 2, Past Performance:

All past performance examples should be where the Offeror or major subcontractor performed the work as the prime contractor.

Government Experience, page 70 of

Section L – Proposal Submission – Instructions to Offerors, Volume 3 – Factor 2 – Past Performance, page 74 of 83

Section M – Basis for Award, Factor 2 – Past Performance, page 81 of 83 must be substantially the same in scope, size and complexity as this requirement. Of the three (3) records required, one (1) must have been performed by the offeror as the prime.”

Section L – Proposal Submission – Instructions to Offerors, Volume 3

– Factor 2 – Past Performance, page 74 of 83, states that “Offerors shall provide narrative descriptions for up to three (3) contracts for the prime Offeror and no more than two (2) for each major subcontractor of performance during the past five (5) years from the date of issuance of the final solicitation, which are relevant to the services and supplies required by this solicitation.

Section M – Basis for Award, Factor 2 – Past Performance, page 81 of 83, states that “The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s record of past and current performance to ascertain the probability of successfully performing the required efforts of the PWS. All past performance examples should be where the Offeror or major subcontractor performed the work as the prime contractor.”

Considering the overlap in information requested across these sections, could the government confirm they are requiring the submission of three (3) prime past performance references from the small business prime contractor? These references would demonstrate instances where the small business operated directly as the prime contractor for the government, rather than as a sub‐ contractor. Such clarification would help to mitigate delivery risk for the government.

Also, will the government confirm that sub‐contractors are allowed to use past performance for where they were a sub‐contractor as well as a prime contractor in Volume 3 – Past Performance?

4 Section L – Proposal Submission – Instructions to Offerors, Volume 3 – Factor 2 – Past Performance, page 74 of 83

Section L – Proposal Submission – Instructions to Offerors, Volume 3

– Factor 2 – Past Performance, page 74 of 83, states that “The Offeror shall also submit the written consent of its major subcontractors to allow the disclosure of its subcontractor’s past performance information to the Offeror. In addition, letters of commitment shall be included for all major subcontractors, or their past performance will not be considered.”

In accordance with Solicitation Section L, Proposal Submission Requirements #11 Note under Table, consent letters are excluded from the page count.

With the section’s page limit set at 10 pages, could the government verify if the inclusion of letters of written consent falls outside the 10‐page restriction and can be included as an appendix?

5 Volume 2, PWS 5.8.3, Labor Category Requirements (page 33)

Given the nature of the work to be performed as well as the required credit hours in accounting in order to obtain a CPA license, will the government allow an accounting degree to be added to the educational degrees for the following Labor Categories:

• Project Manager (Key Personnel)

• Subject Matter Expert (SME) General Fund Lead Accountant (Key Personnel)

• Subject Matter Expert (SME) Working Capital Fund Lead Accountant (Key Personnel)

• Senior Associates / Senior Accountants

• Staff Accountants

Please reference RFP Questions and Govt Responses No. 1, posted to SAM.gov 04/11/2024.

6 Volume 2, Section 3 – Management Plan, 1.a.ii., Letters of Intent (page 72)

Considering this solicitation and resultant contract is intended to be Firm Fixed Price (FFP) versus a Cost‐Plus contract structure, the requirement that “Letters of Intent must include intended salary amounts” should not apply. Moreover, salary details are considered proprietary information within a company and are typically not disclosed to partnering teams. Given the type of contracting to be awarded and the proprietary nature of salaries among teaming partners, will the Government remove this requirement from the Letters of Intent?

Please reference RFP Questions and Govt Responses No. 7, posted to SAM.gov 04/11/2024.

7 Volume 2, Section 3 – Management Plan, 2.a. Staffing Matrix (page 72)

The government instructions request that a Staffing Matrix be provided, which includes 3 sections (Position description, Proposed individual, and Projected staff hours). Will the government allow bidders to break this matrix into 2 individual matrices with the first matrix including requirements from 2.a.i ‐ Position description (1‐6) and 2.a.ii ‐ Proposed individual (1‐6) and the second matrix will include only 2.a.iii Projected hours to be delivered by each position over the contract Period of Performance (1‐3)?

Offerors shall propose one Staffing Matrix.

8 Volume 2, Section 3 – Management Plan, Staffing Matrix, 2.a.ii, Proposed individual (page 72)

Will the Government please confirm that bidders are allowed to put “TBD” for all items requested in 2.a.ii (1‐6) for non‐key personnel?

The government confirms offerors can indicate “TBD” requested in 2.a. ii. (1‐6) for non‐key personnel.

9 Volume 3, Section I, item 1.a) Would the Government please confirm that the Unique Entity

Identifier (UEI) is acceptable in place of DUNS?

The government confirms the UEI is acceptable in place of

DUNS.

10 Section M, Basis for Award (page 78)

Please confirm that Volume I (Executive Summary), is Pass/Fail. Volume 1 is for informational purposes only and is not truly evaluated on a pass/fail basis. It is “evaluated” in terms of completeness. With respect to OCI reporting, any OCI mitigation plan that is submitted as part of the volume will be reviewed to ensure that no OCI exists or that the mitigation plan is appropriate.

11 Section L: Proposal Submission/Instruction to Offerors – Resume /Staffing Matrix (page 71‐72)

Would the Government please confirm its expectation for the “Type of Background Investigation” for each Key Personnel?

Offerors shall document the type of background investigations the offeror has performed with respect to key personnel; standard background checks (SF‐85) such as criminal, employment verifications, license verifications.

12 General Given that questions are due on April 9, 2024, the proposal is due on April 22, 2024, and the time it can take to answer bidders’ questions, will the government provide an extension to April 26, 2024, for proposals to be submitted? This will allow bidders the time to make adjustments to how the government answers questions and perform a quality assurance review to ensure compliance with the government’s instructions.

There will be no change to the due date of proposals.

13 Past Performance Questionnaire

Question 13: Page 75 states PPQs are due “no later than [insert date], one week prior to the proposal due date.” Given that offeror questions include requests for clarification regarding eligible past performance, can the government please adjust the PPQ due date to be equivalent to the proposal due date?

Yes, the government will accept PPQ’s up until the date and time of the solicitation closing.

14 Volume 2 Are key personnel resumes included in the Volume 2 page count? In accordance with Solicitation Section L, Proposal Submission Requirements #11 Note under Table, resumes are excluded from the page count.