(a) General Instructions. Proposals are expected to conform to solicitation provisions and be prepared in accordance with this section. To aid in evaluation, the proposal shall be clearly and concisely written, neatly presented, indexed (cross-indexed as appropriate), and logically assembled. All pages of each part shall be appropriately numbered and identified with the name of the offeror, the date of the offer, and the solicitation number. Each volume shall be clearly marked by volume number and title.

(b) Overall Arrangement of Proposal. (1) VOLUME I—BUSINESS PROPOSAL

(i) Volume I, Business Proposal, consists of the actual offer to enter into a contract to perform the desired work. It also includes required representations, certifications, and acknowledgments, if applicable; justifications for noncompetitive proposed subcontracts; identification of technical data to be withheld; and any other required administrative information.

(ii) Format and Content. Volume I, Business Proposal, shall include the following documents (in the order listed):

(A) Proposal Form:

(1) Use of the Form—The Proposal Form (Standard Form 33 or 1449), is to be executed fully and used as the cover sheet (or first page) of Volume I. Include three (3) original signed copies of the form in the original Volume I.

(2) Acceptance Period—The acceptance period entered on the Proposal Form by the offeror shall not be less than that prescribed in the solicitation, which shall apply if no other period is offered.

(3) Signature Authority—The person signing the Proposal Form must have the authority to commit the offeror to all of the provisions of the proposal, fully recognizing that the Government has the right, by terms of the Solicitation, to make an award without discussion if it so elects.

(B) Other documentation identified in Section (A) above. The offeror shall submit one original of Volume I, marked as such.

(2) VOLUME II—TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

(i) General. (A) Volume II, technical proposal, consists of the offeror's proposal delineating its capabilities and how it intends to perform contract requirements. The Technical proposal will be evaluated in accord with the criteria contained in Section M.

(B) In order that the technical proposal may be evaluated strictly on the merit of the material submitted, no contractual price information is to be included in Volume II. However, the type and quantity of labor and materials is to be included in the Technical Proposal, without any associated cost information.

(C) The technical proposal must be typed, double-spaced, with one inch margins, using elite font, 12 pitch type (or equivalent) and printed, unreduced in size, on 8 1/2″ by 11″ paper, not exceeding ____ pages, single-sided, exclusive of resumes and related corporate experience documentation. Any pages in excess of ____ will be disregarded, and will not be included in the proposal evaluation. Failure of the offeror to comply with the page limitations, resulting in the excess pages not being evaluated, shall not constitute grounds for a protest.

(ii) Format and Content. Volume II, Technical Proposal, shall include the following contents:

(A) Table of Contents

(B) List of Tables and Figures

(C) Summary of Technical Proposal

(D) Technical Proposal

(E) Exceptions and Deviations. These major headings may be subdivided or supplemented by the offeror as appropriate.

(1) Summary. This section shall provide a summary that addresses each of the technical evaluation factors set out in Section M.

(2) Technical Proposal. The offeror shall clearly address each of the technical evaluation criteria in Section M, and, at a minimum, cover each subfactor.

(3) Exceptions and Deviations. This section shall identify and explain any exceptions or deviations taken to any part of the solicitation or conditional assumptions made with respect to the technical requirements of the solicitation. Offerors should note that taking exceptions to the Government's requirements may indicate an unwillingness or inability to perform the contract, and the proposal may be evaluated as such.

(iii) Specific areas to be addressed:

[This section is to be tailored to conform to the technical evaluation factors. Text is provided as an example. Provide instructions concerning what information is required in order to evaluate proposals in accord with the evaluation factors. Do not request information that is not covered in an evaluation factor.]

Evaluation Factor 1—Technical Approach. Provide information on how the project is to be organized, staffed, and managed that demonstrates the offeror's understanding and effective management of important events or tasks. If applicable, the offeror shall (i) describe the facilities and equipment which will be used in the performance of the contract, and (ii) how the management and coordination of consultant and subcontractor efforts will be accomplished. Fully discuss how the contract requirements will be met and the means used to accomplish them. Merely repeating the contract requirements and stating that they will be accomplished, without discussing how the offeror will accomplish them, is not acceptable.

Evaluation Factor 2—Experience. In a general fashion, describe the offeror's experience and qualifications to perform the contract requirements. Explain how the experience provides confidence that the offeror can perform all contract requirements.

Evaluation Factor 3—Key Personnel. Provide the names, titles, and a description of the duties of those individuals proposed as key personnel to be assigned to the contract. For each key person, submit a resume that provides information concerning their education, background, recent work experience, and accomplishments. Specify the approximate percentage of time each individual will be available for this project, and, if necessary, explain why the key person possesses the qualifications to perform the proposed position.

Evaluation Factor 4—Past Performance. Complete the Past Performance Questionnaire (Attachment X) for all contracts containing requirements similar in scope those in the Statement of Work performed in whole or part over the last ____ years. References can include both Government and commercial contracts and subcontracts.

The offeror shall submit one original of Volume II, marked as such, and ________ copies.

(3) Volume III—Price/cost proposal

(i) Price/Cost proposals must generally adhere to the pricing structure established in Section B, Schedule of Prices. The offeror shall submit one original of Volume III, marked as such, and ________ copies.

(ii) The offeror must also submit the following detailed information to support its proposed costs, as applicable:

(A) Direct Labor: Breakdown of direct labor cost by named person or labor category including number of labor-hours and current actual average hourly rates based on a work year of 2,080 hours. Indicate whether current rates or escalated rates are used. If escalation is included, state the degree (percent) and methodology. Direct labor or levels of effort are to be identified as labor-hours and not as a percentage of an individual's time. Indicate fringe benefit rate, if separate from indirect cost rate.

(B) Other Direct Costs: Specify the amount proposed for duplication/reproduction, meetings and conferences, postage, communication and any other applicable items. Travel, subsistence and local transportation shall be supported with a breakdown, which shall include: number of trips anticipated, number of person days, cost-per-trip-per person, destination(s) proposed, number of person(s) scheduled for travel, mode of transportation, and mileage allowances, if privately-owned vehicles will be used.

(C) Materials: Cost breakdown of materials or equipment must be supported with the methodology used and vendor quotations supplied as applicable.

(D) Consultants: If consultants are proposed, state the total estimated price of the services to be required and the consultant's quoted daily or hourly rate. Include Consulting Agreements entered into between consultant(s) and the offeror, or invoices submitted by consultant(s) for similar services previously provided to the offeror.

(E) Subcontracts: If proposed, cost information for each subcontractor shall be furnished in the same format and level of detail as prescribed for the prime offeror. Additionally, in relation to such subcontracts, the offeror shall submit the following information:

(1) A description of the items to be furnished by the subcontractor;

(2) Identification of the proposed subcontractor and an explanation of why and how the proposed subcontractor was selected, including the extent of competition;

(3) The proposed subcontract price and cost detail and performance/delivery schedule; and

(4) Identification of the type of subcontract to be used.

(F) Indirect Rates: Offerors lacking Government-approved indirect cost rates must provide detailed background data indicating the cost elements included in the applicable pool and a statement that such treatment is in accordance with the company's established accounting practice. Offerors with established rate agreements with cognizant Federal agencies shall submit one copy of such agreements.

(G) Profit: Specify the profit proposed and the rationale justifying the amount of profit.

(iii) Each offeror's price proposal must be based on the offeror's own technical proposal, the Government's specifications, and other contractual requirements. If the prices to be used are based on a published price list or catalog, the offeror shall so state, and provide a copy of the document with its price proposal. If the prices are to be based on established market prices, not otherwise published, or are prices applicable only to the proposed contract, the offeror shall so state.

(iv) The Government expects that this contract will be awarded based upon adequate price competition. However, in order to determine that offered prices are fair and reasonable, the Government reserves the right to request that the offeror to provide cost breakdowns to support proposed prices. Information to support unit prices should include, but not be limited to, the following:

(A) Salary/wage information with associated payroll expenses, for personnel to be used in performance of the contract;

(B) Cost for equipment, supplies, and consumable materials;

(C) A breakout of related support costs, such as equipment maintenance, rental, transportation, etc.;

(D) Overhead costs;

(E) General Administrative expenses; and

(F) Profit