541611 - Administrative Management and ... - Veterans Affairs



Attachment A – Industry Questions to SynopsisAs in the November, 2015 draft PWS, the Scope of Work states that “the sum of this work will be completed through two separate and unique contracts; one to provide transition, employment, and economic impact; and the other to provide independent verification and validation, as well as performance management.? The award of each contract will be to separate vendors.”? Much of the wording in the draft PWS addresses performance management and QA, which is considered a separate contract.? How will PWS tasks be delineated to show the separation of work between the two separate and unique contracts?A1. The Performance Management and QA as it relates to this contract is about how you will conduct/monitor the performance management/QA of your employees and this program. (i.e. how you will identify issues, take corrective action and actions to prevent future occurrences). The other unique contract will have a separate PWS which will be used to inform the government monitoring of the delivery of VA services across all areas of Transition, Employment and Economic Impact. Over 20 of the required deliverables are “Reports and analysis, as required to support……”.? In almost all cases, the corresponding PWS sections lacks sufficient detail as the number, type, and format of these reports and analyses for the offeror to provide either a specific and relevant technical approach or a reasonable cost estimate.? In none of these PWS sections does the Government provide a level of effort or indication of the labor mix it expects or requires.? This information is critical to ensure a common understanding of the support required and for accurate price estimates.A2. The deliverable requirements effort of “reports and analysis” should be based on each vendors understanding of the requirements. Level of effort and labor mix can be reasonably determined through thorough inspection of Part B and Part C of the PWS. In addition, the Government’s estimate of the level of effort will be provided as an attachment to the solicitation, in order to give the offerors a general idea of what is anticipated.Several PWS sections refer to “senior level recommendations” but it is not clear whether the reference to “senior level recommendations” means the experience of the contractor staff producing the recommendations or the experience of the audience receiving it.? Without clarification, the Government is at risk to get wildly divergent and inconsistent pricing based on arbitrary assumptions from offerors.? This increases the potential for change order requests and additional funding that can occur when the government and contractor do not share a common understanding of the requirement.A3. “Senior level recommendations” refer to the level of work being of such stature and strategic viewpoint as to be acceptable by a Senior Executive Service government employee. This will be updated in the PWS.Task 1. Administration and Management: Part E – Task & Work Product Tracking describes a tool for tracking work under the task order but Deliverable 1.E.1 is described as “Task & Working Product Process and Documentation”, which suggests a conceptual model or design, as opposed actual IT tool.? What is the Government’s desire under this task? A4. Each vendor shall have a process and tool for documenting tasks/work and tracking the completion of this work. It was explained at the Industry Day, hosted on 11 Nov 2015, that it is not the expectation that this will require the development of a robust IT tool. The Government is open to the creative solutions that may be proposed by vendors and, therefore, had only defined the critical elements that must be included in the PWS. Task 1. Administration and Management: Part G – Administrative Tasks deliverable is “VA email address for all contract staff.”? How can an offeror commit to providing a deliverable/product that can only be provided by VA? A5. All employees will obtain a VA email address. Government/VA email will be the primary mode of communication. The VA email address is the end result of a multi-step process that requires activity from both the contractor and Government. The contractor will produce required documents, without error, in a timely manner, track progress resulting in the use of VA email addresses for all contract activity. Task 4. Plans, Analysis and Evaluation (PA&E) Part A includes “continue development, maintenance, and sustainment of a TEEI Dashboard.”? No such Dashboard exists currently nor is one funded under the current Option Period.? Is this a new requirement, and if so, what are the design requirements for such a Dashboard? A6. A dashboard does exist, however Vendors may submit a dashboard based on their understanding of the requirements. There is no expectation that this Dashboard will require IT development. Task 5. Communication and Public Engagement Part D – Place-based Strategy requires providing economic liaison support “to at least 50 communities” but does not provide a specific number or location so that this requirement can be written to or realistically priced.A7. The 50 communities are the current 50 VECI locations which can be found HERE. In addition, there will be an attachment to the solicitation that will include a listing of current locations. Future locations will be provided to the selected contractor in advance of the “launch” of each community and will coincide with exercising the optional task for additional VECI communities. Optional Task 10. Placed-Based Strategy Support requires additional staffing of Economic Liaison positions in up to 200 communities but provides no information on the locations to be supported or the timing – both of which are critical information for developing responsive and realistic pricing. A8. The locations will be provided as optional CLINs in the solicitation, with periods of performance for awarding them. This should provide the offerors a better understanding of timing. It is anticipated that there will be a mandatory SB subcontracting plan in the final RFP.? Will the government use the NAIC code 624310 to determine compliance with that plan?A9. Yes. We are hearing that some primes are forcing some SB’s to sign exclusive teaming agreements.? Considering that this may have undesirable, negative competitive and solution impacts to the government, will the government consider adding a term prohibiting exclusive teaming for this RFQ?A10. The Government will include the required clauses regarding Small Business inclusion.Currently the PWS Task 7 Deliverables provide for four different prices for Military Life Cycle (MLC) based on the function of time: Request the Government consider a single price for the MLC to ensure the Benefit Advisors stay focused on the Veterans without the additional requirement to monitor time.7.A.1: Reporting of each customer contact engagement (30-45 minutes); 7.B.1: Reporting of each coaching and advisement engagement (45-60 minutes);7.C.1: Reporting of each expert coaching and advisement engagement (45-60 minutes); and7.D.1: Reporting of each MLC or Capstone engagement (1-4 hours/event).A11. There are descriptions of these types of events within the PWS. The PWS also explains the difference between these activities, particularly, the different level of expertise of the individual providing the service (see 7.B.1. CAS versus 7.C.1. ECAS). Service-based billing ensures that Benefits Advisors are encouraged to participate in outreach and engagement activities that result in the delivery of these types of services. The Government has indicated it intends to award a Firm-Fixed-Price contract; however, Tasks 1 – 6 include deliverables for “reports and analysis as required”. The ambiguity around quantity and types of reports/analysis makes it difficult for the Offeror to price with any degree of certainty, indicative of an FFP.A12. The deliverable requirements effort of “reports and analysis” should be based on each vendors understanding of the requirements. Level of effort and labor mix can be reasonably determined through thorough inspection of Part B and Part C of the PWS. In addition, the Government’s estimate of the level of effort will be provided as an attachment to the solicitation, in order to give the offerors a general idea of what is anticipated.Further, Tasks 1 -6 are primarily for PMO and Economic Liaisons (ELs). With the recent addition of the Economic Liaisons (ELs), it is unclear what type of interaction and support services or information they will need, how they will operate, and how they will be measured for performance.A13. More information about the Veterans Economic Communities Initiative and Economic Liaisons can be found here: on these reasons, request the Government consider a T&M instead of FFP for Tasks 1 – 6.A15. Based on market research, the Government has determined that FFP will best serve the cost control of this contract and allow for flexibility in the specific details of each report over the lifetime of the contract. Further, since; in accordance with FAR Subpart 16.2 a firm-fixed-price contract is suitable for acquiring commercial items or for acquiring other supplies or services on the basis of reasonably definite functional or detailed specification.Request the Government provide a draft copy of the proposed CLIN structure prior to release of the final solicitation. The purpose would be to help industry understand both what type of pricing will be required in the proposal; as well as, helping to understand how to invoice the Government after contract award.A15. The CLIN structure will be released with the solicitation or draft solicitation.Request historical data, for the past two (2) years be provided for those areas (CLINS or deliverables) which the Government expects to be priced in the proposal or invoiced in the contract. This data should include the number of Benefit I; Benefit II; and CTTT presentations as well as MLCs. It would be help to have this data provided by Installation (both CONUS and OCONUS) and by month. This would help industry best understand the manning requirements at the various installations as well as the "battle rhythm" associated with delivery of briefings and MLCs.A16. A list of supported locations, along with recommendation as to those that are projected to have a greater than or equal to fulltime Benefits Advisor(s) workload will be released with the RFP. In FY15, the total number of events was as follows: Type EventFYTD EventsFYTD AttendanceBenefits I7,541194,910Benefits II7,547193,185Technical Track8587,745Military Life Cycle38,721130,911CAPSTONE2,30220,759Grand Total56,969547,510Recommends a Labor Hour-Time and Material (T&M) type of contract for Tasks 1-6 which is essentially the Program Management Office (PMO) and the Economic Liaisons. A Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Contract is normally used when there is a well-established and stable program with clearly defined deliverables and performance metrics. These criteria do not apply to the TEEI Program. Rather, the TEEI Program is a dynamic and continually evolving Program. Its rapid evolution is epitomized by the recent addition of the Economic Liaisons (Els). Els are a critical cog in the next step of determining how best to support Veterans, but how these Els will operate and have their performance measured, and what type of interaction and support services or information the Veteran will need from the PMO Tasks 1-6 are not clearly defined. Therefore, we believe it is in the best interest of both industry and the VA to use a T&M contract-type to facilitate this evolution and best service Veterans while enabling effective contract management. we recognize there are tight deadlines to be met in this Program. But providing this information as part of a Presolicitation Notice or draft RFP would help facilitate industry feedback and communication which should help streamline the evaluation process once the actual RFP is issued. Issuing an RFP by 15 March 2016 would probably result in many questions and concerns. The Government would still have to address them but the process would be more difficult because of the constraints in the communication process and then the need to make formal amendments to the solicitation. All of this would add time and opportunities for misunderstanding to the process which would very probably delay the ultimate award and performance of the actual contract. A17. Based on market research, the Government has determined that FFP will best serve the cost control of this contract and allow for flexibility in the specific details of each report over the lifetime of the contract. Further, since; in accordance with FAR Subpart 16.2 a firm-fixed-price contract is suitable for acquiring commercial items or for acquiring other supplies or services on the basis of reasonably definite functional or detailed specification.My concern is that that NAICS code you have chosen, 624310, does not accurately reflect the full breadth and depth of the work in this acquisition and is, indeed, incredibly limiting to real SDVOSB participation.?? A quick search on Vetbiz showed 6 firms with the NAICS code of 624310, SDVOSB verified, with a revenue of $5-$15M. (decent size firm and able to support this effort at the level Mr. Brick so passionately committed to during Industry Day)?? There are a total of 79 SDVOSB firms across the country with a range of revenues with the 624310 NAICS code.? (63 of them have revenue from $1K - $1M (small SDVOSBs.))? A large prime would have to blanket the market to cover the small business commitment utilizing firms of that small revenue size.?? (not to mention there is likely more than one prime trying to compete for the contract.)A18. In accordance with FAR 19.303(a)(2) The contracting officer shall select the NAICS code which best describes the principal purpose of the product or service being acquired. Primary consideration is given to the industry descriptions in the U.S. NAICS Manual, the product or service description in the solicitation and any attachments to it, the relative value and importance of the components of the procurement making up the end item being procured, and the function of the goods or services being purchased. A procurement is usually classified according to the component which accounts for the greatest percentage of contract value.Based on this fact and the definitions of the chosen NAICS and the two suggested, it is clear that 624310 meets this requirement.624310 – Vocational Rehabilitation Services This industry comprises (1) establishments primarily engaged in providing vocational rehabilitation or habilitation services, such as job counseling, job training, and work experience, to unemployed and underemployed persons, persons with disabilities, and persons who have a job market disadvantage because of lack of education, job skill, or experience. 611710 – Education Support Services This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing non-instructional services that support educational processes or systems. Illustrative Examples: Educational consultants, Educational testing services, Educational guidance counseling services, Student exchange programs, Educational testing evaluation services.? 541611 - Administrative Management and General Management Consulting ServicesThis U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing operating advice and assistance to businesses and other organizations on administrative management issues, such as financial planning and budgeting, equity and asset management, records management, office planning, strategic and organizational planning, site selection, new business startup, and business process improvement. This industry also includes establishments of general management consultants that provide a full range of administrative; human resource; marketing; process, physical distribution, and logistics; or other management consulting services to clients.While 541611 does cover some of the work, the Contracting Officer is required to choose the NAICS that makes up the preponderance of the effort, which is 624310, Vocational Rehabilitation Services.? The intent is to support the Veteran in their transition to post military employment through career coaching, resume guidance, and other job counseling through vocational rehabilitation.The Veterans Affairs is committed to small business involvement and committed to providing the services required by the Veteran.? This NAICS best fits the requirements of this effort in order to support the transition of the Veteran through the Military Life Cycle.Will the government use the NAICS code provided in the solicitation or will the offeror be allowed to use alternate NAICS codes at their discretion? (For example,?NAICS 541613, Marketing Consulting Services, for work in strategic communications.)A19. The Government will use the NAICS code provided of 624310. ................
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