Q and A DDE Solicitations.docx

All questions for W91QF0261004 & W91QF0261004 are below.

1. Conflicting Statements on Number of Awards The solicitation contains contradictory language:

· “Vendors may quote for one position or both.”

· “If a single vendor wins both positions, only one contract will be awarded.”

· “The Government intends to award up to two (2) contracts.”

· “The Government intends to award one (1) contract as a result of this solicitation.”

· PWS header: “Second Year Studies Faculty Instructor (1 Contract).”

a. There are two (2) solicitations, not one (1).

· W91QF026Q1004- DDE 1st Year, has 1 position available. Only one contract can be awarded.

· W91QF026Q1005- DDE 2nd Year, has 2 positions available. The Government will either award one (1) contract or two (2). Should the same vendor be awarded both positions, a single contract is awarded.

2. Please specify the expected number of on-site days per year, including:

· Resident Course days

· Staff Ride days Removed from Solicitation

· Required meetings (virtual vs. in-person)

· Required training

· Any other on-site obligations This is required for accurate pricing.

a. 28 total days per year. All other items can be done virtually.

3. SSC + JPME II Requirement. Please confirm whether:

· JPME II is mandatory,

· SSC alone is acceptable (SSC is JPME II-equivalent),

· Equivalent senior-level PME (foreign war colleges, NDU, JAWS, etc.) is acceptable,

· A Ph.D + JPME I combination is acceptable.

a. ‘or equivalent’ has been added to the standard. What equivalent must be reflected in the resume.

4. Graduate-Level Teaching Requirements. Please confirm whether:

· Teaching at PME institutions other than SSC (CGSC, NPS, NDU, etc.) counts as “graduate-level,”

· Teaching at civilian institutions is acceptable.

a. Civilian institutions are acceptable, PME institutions are only acceptable if they are degree-granting.

5. Expected Workload

Number of papers per course (Core Course Only)

Number of writing projects (SRRs- up to 5,000 words)

We will not provide a specific number of hours or FTEs as this is in the purview of the offerors/quoters.

6. Contract Manager Requirement. Please confirm whether:

· An instructor may serve as Alternate Contract Manager,

· Separate non-instructional personnel are required.

a. IAW PWS 1.11, a Contract Manager and an Alternate Contract Manager is required during normal operating hours. This is so that the Government has someone to contact in case of emergency regarding the contract. The Department of Distance Education has allowed for a waiver of the Alternate in this case- the alternate has been struck.

7. Training Requirements. The PWS requires 8+ mandatory DoD training courses.

a. Training time is not billable. Training must be done on the schedule laid out in the deliverables table in the PWS.

8. Telework Contradictions. PWS: “All services are remote in nature.” But also requires:

· On-site XXX

a. Refer to PWS 1.5.5.1 in either solicitation for clarification.

9. Online Electives (PWS 5.2.6)

· Does the Government intend to use these elective CLINs?

· How will optional CLINs affect lowest price?

· What does “no penalty” mean for evaluation?

a. During evaluations, the values of the electives will be removed for evaluation of low price. Only after selection of awardee will the value of the elective(s) be added back to the contract.

Use of the electives is dependent on the needs of the Government each year, which changes from year to year. There is no way of projecting even one year out- because some of it is based on student interest.

10. Missing QASP (FAR 37.6 & FAR 46.4 Violation)

· The PWS requires compliance with a QASP, but no QASP is provided.

· This violates:

· FAR 37.6 (performance-based acquisition)

· FAR 46.4 (Government Quality Assurance)

· Without a QASP, offerors cannot:

· Price the work

· Understand surveillance

· Understand performance thresholds

a. FAR 37.6 no longer addresses Performance-Based Acquisition. The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) makes FAR 37.6 Nonpersonal Health care services.

However, neither has ever stated that the QASP is required to be posted as a part of the solicitation. The QASP is a Government-Owned document that is not released. The portion that you require is already available to you in the PWS as Technical Exhibit A- Performance Requirements Summary (PRS).