4._Revision_to_Consolidated_Q&As__Amendment_Seven_Question_132.pdf

132. Reference Paragraph: L.5/VOLUME 1 – GENERAL/1. Proposal Transmittal Letter/(e) on page 66.

GENERAL/1. Proposal Transmittal Letter/(e) on page 66 of the solicitation states that “Each Offeror shall provide, as part of their proposal, a copy of their letter from the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office (DISCO) that grants their facility and security clearance levels. Include a statement certifying that all personnel employed to perform under the resultant contract meet the qualifications (to include the requisite security clearances, and National Agency Checks) in the DD Form 254, Contract Security Classification Specification, at Section J, as of the performance start date”.

Section H.4/SECURITY REQUIREMENTS (a) on page 33 states that “The successful offeror for the prime contract and any sub-contractor must be eligible for issuance of the required level of Facility Clearance (FCL), as dictated by contract performance/access requirements, prior to performing any part of this contract”. Section A/EXECUTIVE SUMMARY on page 2 states that “All contractor employees must have, as a minimum, SECRET Security Clearances upon contract performance start date” and “Contractors will be required to have a TOP SECRET Facility Clearance upon award”.

Question: Could the government please confirm all offerors must provide proof of their facility and security clearance levels in the form of their DISCO letter as a part of their proposal response and be able to provide SECRET Security Clearances to all employees supporting this scope of work at time of contract award versus just be eligible for issuance of the required level of FCL?

Answer: Questions 132, 249, 400 and 262 concern DISCO versus DoD CAF and ISFD notification and the Top Secret Facility Clearance requirement.

The requirement is for a Top Secret Facility Clearance for all personnel covered under this contract and a minimum of Secret Security Clearance for all personnel and Top Secret Security Clearance for select personnel IAW the PWS. The Offeror (If an Offeror has an alternative business arrangement, such as a Joint Venture (JV), either the JV or each JV members’ personnel) and all personnel must possess these security level clearances prior to award. No interim security clearance provisions will be granted.

- RFP L.5.1(e) has been revised to state, “The Industrial Security Facilities Database (ISFD), maintained by the Defense Security Service (DSS), is the repository of information about Department of Defense (DoD) cleared contractor facilities. Each Offeror shall provide, as part of their proposal, a screenshot from the ISFD system verifying the Offerors Facility Clearance Level and safeguarding capability of the NISP contractor. If an Offeror has an alternative business arrangement, such as a JV, either the JV or each JV member may provide a screenshot from the ISFD system verifying the JV or its members’ Facility Clearance Level and safeguarding capability. To access the system, enter the following URL in the browser: https://isfd.dss.mil/ISFDweb . If you need assistance, then please call the DoD Security Services Call Center at 888-282-7682.

- Section H.4 SECURITY REQUIREMENTS.

Paragraph one has been revised to remove the words “be eligible for issuance of” with the word “possess” to make it clear that the Offeror (If an Offeror has an alternative business arrangement, such as a JV, either the JV or each JV members’ personnel), including all personnel/ subcontractors performing under the contract, shall possess, or be covered under, a Top Secret Facility Clearance at time of award.

Paragraph three was updated to replace DISCO with ISFD as the source of final clearance determination prior to award.

- M.3 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS at 3. DOD Security Clearance.

3. DOD Security Clearance has been revised to state, “3. DOD Security Clearance. As part of the evaluation process, each Offeror's (If an Offeror has an alternative business arrangement, such as a JV, either the JV or each JV members’) level of facility clearance will be verified using the Offeror’s (If an Offeror has an alternative business arrangement, such as a JV, either the JV or each JV members’) submitted screen shot of the Industrial Security Facility Database (ISFD) that verifies the Offerors (If an Offeror has an alternative business arrangement, such as a JV, either the JV or each JV members’) Facility Clearance Level and safeguarding capability of the NISP contractor.”

- K.2 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SECURITY CLEARANCE

In accordance with DoD Regulation 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) Section H clause entitled Security; and Attachment J.2 of the solicitation, DD 254, Department of Defense Contract Security Classification Specification, the offeror (If an Offeror has an alternative business arrangement, such as a JV, either the JV or each JV members’) shall have a TOP SECRET facilities clearance at time of award. Accordingly, the offeror (If an Offeror has an alternative business arrangement, such as a JV, either the JV or each JV members’) shall certify below the level of facility clearance which it currently possesses:

Level of Security Clearance: