R799--FY25: Network Engineer Support Services 36C24825Q0182

This notice is issued to modify the previously announced sole source procurement action for highly trained and experienced Network Engineer Technician III intended for award to TNARA Operations Group, Incorporated. The sole source action is hereby canceled. After receipt of submitted capability statement from capable Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs), the sole source action is hereby canceled. The agency has determined that the requirement can be satisfied through competitive solicitation. The solicitation will be posted on or about June 9th, 2025, and will be 100% set-aside for SDVOSBs.

No. REFERENCE (PWS, SOW, Price/Cost Schedule Structure, etc.) COMMENT(s)/QUESTION(s) GOVERNMENT S RESPONSE 1 PWS, paragraph IV. It is noted that the majority of the work will be at OVAMC, but can you confirm if the Engineer can perform the work with a hybrid model (e.g., 3 days onsite and 2 days remote) or if all work must be performed onsite? All work will be performed onsite. 2 General Question What specific technologies or platforms are in use at the VA facility (e.g., Cisco, Palo Alto, Juniper)? Cisco 3 General Questions Are there any contractual certification requirements (e.g., CCNP, CCIE, Security +, IAT Level II/III? Refer to Section E - Solicitation Provisions. 4 Price/Cost Is there an incumbent currently performing the work, and can the government share the incumbent s rate or labor category used previously? No, there are no Incumbent currently performing the work. Prior contract number is 36C24820P0561. 5 General Question Will Facility Clearance (FCL) be required? Refer to PWS, paragraph VIII. 6 SOW Will CUI be a part of this contract? Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is included during the performance of the contract. 7 General Question Do you have to be an ICSP contract winner to bid this opportunity? Refer to Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 e I 8 General Question Do you have to be SDVOSB to bid on this opportunity as Prime Contractor? Refer to block 10 of the SF1449. 9 General Question Will the Government permit a pre-award site visit or facility walkthrough to better assess the operational environment and inform technical and pricing assumptions? Refer to Section E, Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Product and Commercial Services. 10 General Question In the event travel is required for contractor personnel, will the Government reimburse associated costs such as per diem and mileage in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR)? Associates costs, including but not limited to per diem, lodging, meals and mileage will not be reimbursed for travel to any locations outlined in Paragraph IV of the PWS. 11 General Question Under Section C5, could the Government please clarify what constitutes materials that will be funded by the Government? Specifically, should the contractor assume that costs for items such as software license renewals, procurement of new network equipment, or replacement of existing hardware will be Government-furnished and not contractor-borne? Section C5 reads, VAAR 852.219-73 VA NOTICE OF TOTAL SET-SIDE FOR CERTIFIED SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS (JAN 2023)(DEVIATION). Ther are no paragraphs with the information you provided that are found in this section. 12 General Question ODC & CLIN Structure Will the Government allow Other Direct Costs (ODCs), such as travel-related expenses, to be proposed under a separate Contract Line Item Number (CLIN)? If no at this time, will ODCs be allowed post award? Cost analysis will not be carried out in accordance with FAR 15.401(c). Refer to Section E.10 52.212-2 on how the Government will evaluate price.

Reason for Re-Soliciting Network Engineer III Services The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has decided to re-solicit for Network Engineer III services due to several issues identified during the preliminary review of quotes received. Ten (10) quotes were received, none met the minimum requirement to move forward for evaluation. The findings are as follows: Incomplete Limitation of Subcontracting (L.O.S) Certificates: Several quotations included incomplete L.O.S certificates, which did not meet the requirements specified in the solicitation. All fields must be completed (Refer to the attached GAO Case Law #B-423106. https://www.gao.gov/products/b-423106 ). Incorrect L.O.S Submitted: Some vendors submitted L.O.S documents that did not correspond with the correct dates as stipulated in the solicitation (January 2023), indicating a deviation from the guidelines provided. Failure to Acknowledge Solicitation Amendments: Several vendors failed to acknowledge the amendments made to the original solicitation, which is a critical oversight. Lack of Certificates for Evaluation: Certain quotations did not include the necessary certificates copy required for evaluation, making it impossible to fully assess those submissions. Incomplete Price Cost Schedules: Some vendors did not provide a completed price cost schedule or omitted it entirely, which is crucial for a fair and comprehensive evaluation of quotes. Due to these issues, the VA has concluded that re-soliciting will ensure compliance with solicitation requirements, enhance the competitive environment, and ultimately secure the best possible Network Engineer III services for the organization. By addressing these concerns through a re-solicitation process, the VA aims to obtain complete and compliant submissions that will facilitate a fair and thorough evaluation while meeting all procurement standards. If a contract award cannot be awarded from re-solicitation, the VA will open the competition set-aside to 100% Small Businesses.