Inactive

FEBRUARY 1 2023: The FAA would like to provide additional clarifications as follows. Prior to COVID, all of the audits were conducted onsite. During the pandemic, the FAA became 100% telework (with ex... FEBRUARY 1 2023: The FAA would like to provide additional clarifications as follows. Prior to COVID, all of the audits were conducted onsite. During the pandemic, the FAA became 100% telework (with exceptions for positions that were mission-essential). The last audit performed was a surveillance audit that used a combination of virtual and onsite auditing for a total of 6.75 days. There is no additional information available regarding which sites were virtual and which were onsite. With the agency deciding to continue the telework program, the organization decided to have all audits be virtual going forward. Additionally, there are areas of non-applicability. They are as follows: “AJV-A (All of AIS): 8.3 Design and Development; 8.5.3 Property belonging to customers or external providers; AJV-A2,3,4 (Aeronautical Information, Procedures, Charting): 8.5.1 f) Control of production and service provision; AJV-A5: 7.1.5.2 Measurement and Traceability; 8.4 Control of externally provided processes, products, and services; 8.5.5 Post-delivery activities.” The deadline to submit proposals remains unchanged from Amendment 0001 to the solicitation. JANUARY 30 2023: Please see below for answers to additional questions submitted. At this time there will be no more questions accepted. Please note that the total number of employees at each site is now detailed in the SOW. The deadline for submission of proposals is now extended to 5:00 PM Central Time on February 10, 2022. New attachments to solicitation 6973GH-23-R-00035 are as follows: 1)6973GH-23-R-00035-0001; 2)revised SOW; 3)current certificate. They are uploaded to related notice 6973GH-23-R-00035. If you have trouble downloading the documents, please email Jennifer Lucas at Jennifer.Lucas@faa.gov to receive copies of documentation. 18. It is mentioned in the SOW that the twelve (12) sites at the Oklahoma City location are already certified. Do we have to add these sites in the current certification with the sites of Silver Spring? and Warrenton? The current certification also covers those additional sites within AJV-A. 19. It is mentioned in the description that there are 444 employees working within the scope of QMS. We will require the number of employees for each site and location separately. The number of employees for each site is in the revised SOW. 20. It is also mentioned that the current certification is QSR-1079, the validity of which is September 14, 2021. We will require the latest and valid certification copy. See the certification which has now been uploaded to SAM.gov. The Certification is valid until 9/14/2024. 21. Is a multi-site sampling plan in use by the incumbent CB? Or is every site audited every audit? If a multi-site sampling plan is utilized, we need to know which site is the headquarters. Every site is audited with every audit; there is no multi-site sampling plan. 22. What are the current audit durations for recertification and surveillance audits previously used by the incumbent CB? The answer should be stated in auditor-days. It’s up to each potential offeror to determine the number of days needed to conduct audits. From the last audit days duration was estimated at 6.75. 23. The SIR and PWS are missing the following: 1) the quantity of personnel (FTE, PTE, and contractors) working within the scope of the QMS at each site, 2) any areas of non-applicability to ISO 9001. This information is critical to determining audit duration. The quantities of personnel are now stated in the SOW. There are no known areas of non-applicability to ISO 9001. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE QUESTIONS BELOW WERE SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THE DRAFT SIR AND SOW. THE ANSWERS ARE INCLUDED BELOW. 1. Auditors are typically certified by Exemplar Global or the International Registry of Certificated Auditors (IRCA) for one or more standards. The SIR limits this certification to Exemplar Global (which does not require audit experience to become certified) without defining equivalency. Page 48 of the SIR has been changed to reference both Exemplar Global and IRCA. 2. Section 8.1 is missing the requirement that the Offeror be accredited to ISO 17021. This accreditation must include ISO 9001 in the scope and the associated IAF codes that are referenced. A statement has been added to Section 2.0 to address this. 3. The SIR and PWS are missing the following: 1) the quantity of personnel (FTE, PTE, and contractors) working within the scope of the QMS at each site, 2) any areas of non-applicability to ISO 9001. This information is critical to determining audit duration. There are 444 employees working within the scope of the QMS. 4. Section 8.2 references “ANAB” which is only one Accreditation Body (AB) and is prejudicial to the procurement process as it unfairly limits fair and open competition. The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) is the largest multi-disciplinary accreditation body in North America. However, the SOW was changed to reflect ANAB or an equivalent Accreditation Body. 5. Copies of the current ISO 9001 certification must be provided with the PWS and SIR. All accredited CBs are required to verify the information on these certificates at the time of bidding. These certificates are public documents and not subject to FOIA. The current certification is QSR-1079. 6. The PWS should include a statement as to whether the Agency has been issued any MAJOR nonconformances during the previous 3 year period. There have not been any major nonconformances issued. 7. The PWS should include a statement that the Agency has in its possession: 1) all previously issued ISO 9001 certificates, 2) all previous audit reports issued during the past 3 years, and 3) all previously issued corrective action requests issued by the incumbent CB during the past 3 years. The above is all true. The FAA does have all of that information in its possession. 8. Section 6 of the PWS is not clear on the following: 1) an Arnold site is referenced but not included among the locations and addresses shown, 2) it is unclear whether any site other than those at Oklahoma City are currently certified. In addition, the Warrenton, VA site is not listed with an address. If these sites are not currently certified, then the process would be considered a scope expansion. This will affect the technical and price proposals. These sites are currently certified. The certificate lists all of the locations. 9. Will there be one single QMS governing all sites? Yes. 10. Is there an incumbent? Yes, there is an incumbent. 11. Is this the FAA’s first certification? No, it is not the first ISO certification for this organization. 12. Want to confirm there are only two tasks: Recertification and Surveillance. Yes, that is correct. 13. Has management performed any internal ISO work? Please provide details. No. 14. Is there a page limit on the technical proposal? There will be a limit of 50 pages for the technical proposal. 15. How many past performance are required? There will not be a request for formal past performance submissions. However, Section M of the SIR requires submission of past projects. See the SIR for further details. 16. Do you want past performance in a separate document? There will not be a request for formal past performance submissions. 17. Is this a set-aside contract? This effort is not set aside for small business. It will be full and open competition. -----END OF QUESTIONS----- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copies of a DRAFT Statement of Work (SOW) and Request for Proposal (RFP) are hereby posted for review and comments. Respondents are encouraged to review the attached DRAFT documents and submit comments/questions no later than 3:00 PM Central Time on Friday, December 16, 2022. Answers to questions will be posted at a later date TBD in January 2023. All questions must be submitted via email to Jennifer Lucas, jennifer.lucas@faa.gov and the subject line must state "Draft RFP and SOW Response, 6973GH-23-R-00035". No other method of submission of questions will be accepted.