FAA AST Environmental Support Services Final SIR Amd 2

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document is a comment matrix containing questions, concerns, and clarifications submitted by potential bidders regarding the Solicitation, Instructions, and related documents for an opportunity on SAM.gov. It also includes the government's responses.

• Work Experience Substitution: The FAA confirmed that bidders can substitute years of work experience for minimum education requirements (e.g., 15 years for a Master's, 10 for a Bachelor's, 5 for an Associate's), provided the experience is directly related to the SOW.
• Key Personnel Categories: All 7 key personnel are expected to fall within two labor categories: Principal Consultant/Program Manager and Senior Consultant/Project Manager.
• "SET" Acronym: The acronym "SET" in the cover page requirements (L.17.d) is undefined and does not appear elsewhere in the SIR.
• Documentation Revision: The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) may request the Contractor to revise documentation based on comments received or develop supplemental information.
• Security Clearances: The FAA does not currently anticipate that security clearances will be required for this contract.
• Section 508 Compliance: Certain public documents will require Section 508 compliance, but no further details are currently available.
• Past Performance Recency: The definition of "Recent" for past performance evaluation is within four years of the proposal due date, aligning Section M.4(b) and Attachment L001.
• Fee on Materials/ODCs: Fee is not allowed on Materials and Other Direct Costs (ODCs) in addition to indirect costs.
• Subcontracting Plan: Large businesses must submit a subcontracting plan, even if subcontracting is not required. The plan must comply with FAA AMS Section 3.6.1-4.
• Place of Performance: All work may be performed remotely at the contractor's facility, except when specific on-site access is expressly required and authorized by the FAA. On-site presence is strictly ad hoc and task-order driven.
• Suitability Determination: Suitability determination timelines vary (30-90 days), with interim suitability potentially allowing remote work to begin sooner.
• Key Personnel Dedication: Key personnel (Principal Consultant/Program Manager and Senior Consultant/Project Manager) may support multiple efforts concurrently, provided it does not affect their performance on this contract.
• Bi-monthly Meetings: These meetings are expected to be recurring and conducted virtually.
• Subcontractor Personnel: Subcontractor personnel are subject to the same suitability, access, and approval timelines as prime contractor personnel.
• Past Performance Documentation: Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs) are the sole offeror-submitted documentation; CPARS will be considered at the FAA's discretion.

These clarifications address ambiguities and provide specific guidance on requirements related to personnel qualifications, past performance, subcontracting, and work location, impacting proposal preparation and staffing plans.

Amendment / Modification

This amendment (Amendment No. 0002) to Solicitation No. 693KA9-26-R-00009 serves to post responses to questions received regarding the SIR AST Environmental Support Services.

This amendment does not appear to modify specific sections of the original solicitation but rather provides responses to vendor questions.

The proposal due date has been extended to March 18, 2026, at 2 PM EST.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document outlines the Labor Category and Skill Descriptions required for the environmental analysis support services associated with the space launch and reentry transportation activities. It details the qualifications, experience, and educational requirements for various roles within the contractor's team.

• Principal Consultant / Program Manager: Requires 8 years of program management and 15 years of NEPA experience, with a Master's degree or higher in a relevant field.
• Senior Consultant / Project Manager: Requires 5 years of NEPA team leadership and 10 years of NEPA experience, with a Master's degree or higher.
• Mid-Level Consultant / Project Manager: Requires 3 years of team leadership and 7 years of environmental analysis/NEPA documentation experience, with a Master's degree or higher.
• Consultant: Requires 5 years of environmental analysis/NEPA documentation experience, with a Bachelor's degree or higher.
• Junior Consultant: Requires 2 years of environmental analysis experience, with a Bachelor's degree or higher.
• Researcher: Requires 2 years of environmentally related work experience, with a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
• Clerical Assistant: Requires general office productivity software experience, a high school diploma or GED, and 40 wpm typing.
• Allowable Substitutions: Specifies that experience can substitute for degrees (5 years for Associate's, 10 for Bachelor's, 15 for Master's).

This document is critical for bidders to understand the specific personnel qualifications and experience levels the government expects for the proposed contract. It directly impacts staffing plans and the ability to meet the technical requirements of the opportunity. Bidders must ensure their proposed personnel meet or exceed these labor category requirements.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "PAST PERFORMANCE EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE (L001)", is a form provided by the FAA for offerors to submit past performance information. It is used by the government to assess potential vendors by obtaining candid feedback on their past performance.

• Section A (Part I & II): To be completed by the Offeror, it requests information about the Offeror, the company performing the work (if applicable), and details of the project/contract for which the reference is requested (e.g., project title, agency, contract type, period of performance, contract amount, role on project, general description of services, and complexity of work).
• Section B (Part I & II): To be completed by the evaluator (person providing the reference), it assesses the requesting firm on various performance elements including Technical Performance/Quality of Service, Cost Control, Schedule (Timeliness), and Business Relations. It also includes questions about whether the evaluator would do business with the contractor again and provides space for additional comments.

Bidders must complete Section A of this questionnaire for each relevant project they wish to use as a past performance reference. They are responsible for sending the questionnaire to their references and ensuring it is submitted by the specified deadline. The responses in Section B, completed by the references, will be a critical factor in the government's evaluation of the bidder's past performance.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a pricing worksheet for the solicitation. It outlines the expected labor categories, hours, and estimated travel and Other Direct Costs (ODC) over a five-year period (base year plus four option years).

• Labor Categories: Includes Principal Consultant/Prog. Mgr, Senior Consultant/Proj. Mgr, Mid-Level Consultant/Proj. Mgr, Consultant, Junior Consultant, Researcher, and Clerical Assistant.
• Hours: Estimated hours are provided for each labor category across the base year and four option years.
• Rates & Amounts: While rates are listed as 0.0 for most professional categories, the worksheet includes columns for Rate, Hours, and Amount, implying these are to be filled in by offerors.
• Estimated Travel & ODC: Separate line items for FAA Estimated Travel and FAA Estimated ODC are provided for each year.
• Total Evaluated Price (TEP): A running total for the TEP is calculated across the five years.
• Instructions: Offerors are instructed to fill in their proposed labor rates in cells highlighted in blue.

This worksheet is critical for bidders to understand the cost structure expected by the government and to prepare their own detailed pricing proposals. Bidders must input their labor rates into the designated fields, which will then contribute to the Total Evaluated Price (TEP).