Services to conduct research legislation

Added: Feb 08, 2018 2:50 pm Modified: Feb 23, 2018 11:10 amTrack Changes The purpose of this amendment is to provide the following questions and answers received from potential contractors:



Questions & Answers – RFQ 140F0918Q0024



Question 1: Is the offeror to assume that the unit price is a per user subscription per year?

Answer: Yes



Question 2: How many user licenses are required?

Answer: We would like to have approximately 10 users on the account with the option to add additional users during the contract.



Question 3: Will the Government provide direction on a format to respond to technical capability or should the offeror create its own format based on the requirements in the SOW?

Answer: The offeror must create their own format, or already have an existing format, based on the requirements in the scope of work.



Question 4: Will the Government provide direction on submission of past performance (i.e. how many references, timeframe, format?

Answer: The Offeror shall submit a brief narrative description of their past performance in providing similar services over the past five (5) years. The Offeror shall demonstrate it has acceptable past performance in providing services of the same or similar scope, size, and complexity of this solicitation’s scope of work. The Offeror shall describe three projects in sufficient detail for the Government to perform an evaluation of the Offeror’s past performance. At a minimum, the Offeror shall provide the following information:

1. Contract Number

2. Project Description

3. Dollar Amount of Project

4. Period of Performance

5. Name, phone number, email address and fax number of person to contact



Question 5: Could the Government provide additional information on how Technical Capability will be evaluated (i.e. provide a demonstration of capability, provide sample reports, screen shots, search capabilities, sample calendars, etc.) for the key items in the SOW or other methods that can prove that the offeror has the existing capability to meet the SOW requirements.

Answer: We will evaluate technical capability based on the requirements listed in the scope of work.



Question 6: Will the Government provide information on how past performance will be evaluated?

Answer: The Government shall evaluate information about each Offeror’s past performance of providing similar services within the last five years. Past performance pertains to how well an Offeror has performed past work and is an indicator of future performance. Past performance information is not the same as experience information. Experience pertains to what types of work an offeror has performed. Past performance pertains to how well an offeror performs project work. In the case of an Offeror that does not have a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available, the Offeror may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably as concerns its past performance. In situations of this kind, a Neutral rating will be applied to the evaluation factor of Past Performance. Additionally, the Government may review any other sources of information for evaluating past performance. Other sources may include, but are not limited to, past performance information retrieved through the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS), including Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), using all CAGE/DUNS numbers of team members (partnership, joint venture, teaming arrangement, or parent company/subsidiary/affiliate) identified in the Offeror’s proposal, inquiries of owner representative(s), Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS), Electronic Subcontract Reporting System (eSRS), and any other known sources not provided by the Offeror.



Question 7: Based on the evaluation criteria, the offeror understands that this RFQ would be considered a best value award. Will all technical proposals be opened and evaluated by the customer and subject matter experts, including any supporting data (reports, screen shots, etc.)?

Answer: Technical proposals will be evaluated by the customer, including any supporting data to determine that they meet the stated objectives of the Statement of Work.



Question 8: How will the Government determine if the price is fair and reasonable? Will the Government compare the price quoted with costs paid in previous years for the same or similar service and support?

Answer: Fair and Reasonableness shall be determined in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13.



The following questions are relative to the Statement of Work:



Reference Bullet 1: News about general congressional activity as well as congressional activity related to environment and wildlife conservation issues.



Question 9: How far back in archives does FWS require the news to go back?

Answer: FWS would need news coverage to go back several years.



Reference Bullet 2: News and information updates on the federal budget and appropriations process.

Reference Bullet 3: Summaries and analyses of major environment and wildlife conservation bills before Congress, including background information and prospects for passage, as well as updates after major committee or floor action.

Reference Bullet 4: Sophisticated bill tracking functionality.



Question 10: Can FWS define the level of sophistication they are looking for? Does it require that bill tracking can be set up by Congress number, keyword, Words in Bill Title, Bill numbers, Sponsor, Cosponsor, Committees, Chamber, Date bill introduced, Action/event date, Stage in Legislative Process, Public Law Number and Date items added?

Answer: Yes, we would like to be able to track bills by those different criteria.



Reference Bullet 5: Key word alerts.



Question 11: Does FWS require keyword alerting for bills, committees, subcommittees and members that are customizable by each individual user?

Answer: Yes



Question 12: Does FWS require the ability to combine separate alerts into a single e-mail alert to be delivered daily at the times of their choosing (5am, 7am, 9am, 11 am, 1pm, 3 pm, 5pm, 7pm, 9pm and 11 pm)?

Answer: Yes, that would be preferable.



Question 13: Does FWS require alerts customized to the individual user that include Boolean searching or are pre-defined alerts that are defined by the vendor acceptable?

Answer: We would like to be able to customize alerts to the individual user that include Boolean searching.



Reference Bullet 6: Week ahead House floor and Senate floor analysis.



Question 14: Does FWS require supplements being made available for major changes throughout the week?

Answer: Yes.



Question 15: Does the requirement include floor and conference summaries in addition to detailed reports on any major bill on the floor along with background information, cost estimates and fact tables?

Answer: That may be preferable but we don’t typically require that level of detail of cost estimates and fact tables.



Question 16: Does FWS require summaries of bills scheduled for House floor consideration, a summary of changes made after passage and a summary of the final conference report?

Answer: Yes.



Reference Bullet 7: Comparisons between multiple bills from current or past Congresses to review differences in legislative text.



Question 17: Does FWS require side-by-side bill comparison reports?

Answer: The comparison reports don’t necessarily have to be side-by-side, but we would like to be able to compare bill text from one Congress to another Congress. That could be done in a side-by-side, track changes, or some other type of format.



Reference Bullet 8: Customized bill alerts to provide information when relevant bills are introduced or are moved through the legislative process.

Reference Bullet 9: Transcripts from hearings, committee and floor amendment text, and committee reports.

Reference Bullet 10: Access to Congressional Research Service reports.

Reference Bullet 11: Congressional staff contact information and ability to pull together contact distribution lists that can be sorted based on factors, including congressional delegation, committee, all House members, all Senate members, a specific caucus, and staff issue areas/titles.

Reference Bullet 12: Frequently updated, accurate Congressional staff contact information.

Reference Bullet 13: Profiles on Members of Congress that provide information on a Member’s biography, committee assignments, caucus memberships, bill sponsorships, staff assignments, vote records, and press releases.



Question 18: Does FWS require the ability for users to build custom member reports to include FWS-specific notes, comments, etc. for members of their choosing?

Answer: No.