R--Sources Sought Notice- Technical Quality Assuarance and Statistical Support

The anticipated due date for this solicitation has been changed as shown below. The response to this solicitation has been changed to Friday, Novermber 9, 2012. In addition, the following Questions and Answers are attached for your review: Questions and Answers for SOL-CI-12-00012 1. Attachment 8, Past Performance Questionnaires: Are our past/current clients identified in the past performance section of our proposal required to fill out and submit the past performance questionnaire to EPA or will EPA contact our references and collect this information? If our references are required to submit the past performance questionnaires, can you please provide a due date and who to send them to? ANSWER: The instructions provided in the RFP under 1552.215-75 ?Past Performance Information? contemplates the offeror to merely provide references, descriptions and contact information. We will take the initiative to act on contacting the references. Your references should fill out the questionnaire(s), reference the solicitation number SOL-CI-12-00012 and send them back to EPA via email at: [email protected] or mail them to: U.S. EPA William Yates Ste 300 4411 Montgomery Road Norwood, Ohio 45212 2. Are ODCs such as copying and printing, telephone, etc. to be included in our fixed-price cost for the Task 1 items, Document Reviews, or will these costs be reimbursed on an actual basis as is indicated for Tasks 2 and 3 on the bottom of Page 7 of the RFP? ANSWER: Any ODCs that you identify which may be related to Task 1 should be included within the ?fixed-price? for Task one. They will not be reimbursed ?on an actual basis?. With respect to Task 2, the only ODCs that will be identified with Task Two will be Travel expenses. The ODCs for Task 3 are identified on page 8 of Attachment 7. 3. On page 8 of the RFP, in Section B.6.A (2) under ?Order Procedures? and again on Page 1 of Attachment 3 ?Reports of Work? under Item I.(d)(3), the RFP states that the contractor must provide a breakdown of proposed labor hours or expended labor hours by labor category and a rationale for the labor categories. Why is this necessary for fixed-price line items in Task 1 and 2 if the contractor is bound by the EPA-accepted fixed-price rates? ANSWER: For ?fixed-priced line items in Task 1 and Task 2, a breakdown of proposed labor hours or expended labor hours by labor category and a rationale for the labor categories are not required. However, for Task 3 (the time and material type effort) it will apply. 4. Is the offeror required to provide build-up tables showing indirects, G&A, and overhead to justify the fully-burdened (fixed) labor rates proposed for Task 3? If subcontractors are also required to provide the build-up tables, is it acceptable for the subcontractors to provide this information directly to EPA? ANSWER: While a table showing the indirects, G&A, and overhead showing the fully burdened fixed labor rate proposed for Task 3 would be nice, it is not required to justify the loaded rate. While not required, if the subcontractor is providing a ?build-up table? they should provide that portion of their ?rates? proposal directly to the U.S. EPA at the address given in the answer to question one. 5. Other Direct Cost Table on Page 8 of Attachment 7: What is the difference between ?Copying and Printing? and ?Reproduction?? Below the Table, what does the term ?OTCR portion? stand for? ANSWER: Reproduction is considered the same as Copying. However, while this is considered to be the same, the ODC chart is for proposal purposes and should be proposed as given. 6. For the labor classification Project Manager is Level 4 ? Normal qualification include PH.D Degree and 10+ years of experience. Will any substitutions be allowed, an example would be Master Degree with between 15-20 year experience? ANSWER: Yes you can substitute degrees and experience and submit them for review.