Questions pertaining to Solicitation#TIRNO-08-R-00004 – 3/26/2008

NOTE: THE PAGE LIMITATION FOR VOLUME II, TECHNICAL AND PAST PERFORMANCE PROPOSAL, FOR EACH AWARD GROUP HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 150 PAGES.

(40) Section 9.5 of the RFP on Marketing Support states: “The contractor shall submit a "Marketing Plan" outlining the type of activities the contractor intends to support, sponsor, or promote." The section also lists types of activities the contractor may be asked to attend.

We are wondering if you could provide, on average, the number of events the contractor may be asked to attend, and the frequency with which it might receive invitations to attend special events as listed. We are also wondering the geographic locations these events may take place in.

Although we cannot precisely state the frequency or geographic locations of the events a vendor may be asked to attend, we estimate that there will be 8 or fewer events annually, at locations across the country.

(41) 7.2.4 --Briefs The Answer to Question 36 regarding the inclusion of Briefs as mandatory content at 7.2.4 read as follows: “The requirement in Section 7.2.4 to include Briefs as a mandatory item has been changed. This item is now considered highly desirable content. “This would seem to move Briefs into 7.3 Highly Desirable Content; most likely as a new line item. However, no mention is made of this. Legal briefs are already included as mandatory content at 8.2.2.2 in Award Group 3.

The estimated user pool for Award Group 2 is 25,000 IRS users, and that for Award Group 3 is 23,000 IRS and 500 Treasury users. The inclusion of Briefs as a content source generally provides a particular benefit to a total of 4,000 users in: the IRS Office of Chief Counsel (2,000), the Department of the Treasury (500) and to a lesser degree those in the IRS Office of Appeals (1,500). It would appear that these 4,000 users would already be given access to the more comprehensive content found in Award Group 3. Given the considerable duplication of cost associated with acquiring Briefs in Award Group 2 and Award Group 3, would the Government reconsider its response to Question 36 and completely eliminate Briefs as a content source from Award Group 2? If not, what line item should vendors use when addressing Briefs in the Technical Proposal for Award Group 2?

Briefs have been made Highly Desirable for Award Group 2, pursuant to the IRS’ response to vendors questions during the week of 3/20/08. Briefs remain mandatory for Award Group 3. Since Briefs are now a highly desirable item for Award Group 2, the vendors have the choice of whether or not to include Briefs in their Award Group 2 proposal. When responding to Award Group 2, regarding Briefs, Section 7.3, specifically 7.3.3 should be the line item used. The SOW contained in Section I of the RFP will be edited to include 7.3.3 and to remove Briefs from 7.2.4.

(42) Does the 100 page limitation apply to past performance proposal material?

The page limitation for Volume II, Technical and Past Performance Proposal has been extended to 150 pages. This page limit applies to the past performance information submitted by the vendor. .

(43) It is our understanding that for the page limitation section 6 (alone), section 7 (alone), section 8 (alone) can be up to 100 pages? If so, is there a page limitation to sections 2, 4, 5 and 9?

The page limitation applies to the vendor’s entire Technical Proposal for each Award Group. Sections 6, 7 and 8 represent three separate award groups, each having the 150-page limitation. Sections 2, 4, 5 and 9 should be responded to in the Technical Proposal for each award group proposal and would be part of the 150-page limitation. See “Content of Technical Proposal” section on page 74, of the RFP".

(44) Section 8.3.3.7 seeks comprehensive Accounting Sources. We have been notified by the Financial Accounting Foundation, provider of AICPA/FASB/GAAP/GAAS materials, that these materials are in the process of being codified. The codification is scheduled for release approximately in the 2nd quarter 2009. As a result, the content provider can not provide any vendor with a licensing quote for making the codified materials available to the IRS in 2009. The content provider is willing, however, to provide a licensing quote for continued access to the pre- codified materials (to which the IRS now enjoys access) for the 1st quarter 2009. Pending availability of a licensing quote for the codified AICPA/FASB/GAAP/GAAS materials, is a bid to provide only the pre- codified materials for 1st quarter 2009 acceptable for all vendors wishing to offer those materials?

The vendor should provide a listing and related pricing of all content that is available throughout the life of the contract. If there are any exceptions (such as content available for only a limited time), it needs to be noted in the proposal.

(45) Do exhibits such as guides, reference material and brochures count towards the 100 page limit?

Vendors must fully document their entire technical proposal within the page limitation for each proposed award group. Any guides, reference materials and brochures that directly support the technical proposal must be included in the Technical Proposal.

We reiterate that extraneous narrative, elaborate brochures, uninformative promotional material etc. must not be submitted.

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