# Attachment A

> **[Questions and Answers]{.underline}**
>
> **[For]{.underline}**
>
> **[RFP ED-98-S-0020]{.underline}**

Q 1. In the DCSIC task 2.2.B.5 item labeled \"Individual Composition\",
the evaluated monthly volume is 9,500. Appendix B, page J-8 lists the
annual volume of 34,500 or 2,875 per month, which is the volume NCS has
experienced on the current PIC contract. Can the evaluated volume be
changed to 2,875?

**A 1. The evaluated volume given includes all areas listed in Appendix
B, page J-8, under \"DCS Non-controlled correspondence\", therefore, the
evaluated volume given will not change.**

Q 2. I have questions and request clarification regarding the interfaces
both to the FTS

> network and from the IT systems to the Call Centers. Where and what
> are the demarcation points? What are the interfaces? Definition of
> these points will enable us to more effectively respond to the RFP.

**A 2. There is a separate point of demarcation established for each
separate telephone number. The point of demarcation terminates at an
exact location (address, room) where calls will be answered. FTS 2000
works with the local telephone company and the contractor to establish
the necessary connections**.

Q 3. Is the CLIN B excel worksheet equivalent to the normal section B of
the RFP?

**A 3. CLIN B is the pricing schedule referred to in section B of the
RFP.**

Q 4. Will the Dept. of ED provide any indication of times involved in
answering inquiries, say on an average basis and/or w/r to extended
inquiries?

**A 4. It is difficult to provide an average time for responding to
inquiries due to the nature of DCS correspondence. Some inquiries may
require extensive research while others may only require a form letter
response.**

Q 5. What will the five day training session consist of?

**A 5. Staff at the FSAIC will be trained on Title IV student financial
aid issues. DCS training will include, at a minimum, training on ED loan
and grant programs and applicable laws and regulations; Privacy Act, DCS
processes and procedures, and the ED Debt Management Collection**.

Q 6. How many people will the government train?

**A 6. The number of people to be trained is left up to the contractor,
however, it is the intent of ED to train the contractor\'s trainers and
they, in turn, train the contractor staff.**

Q 7. How many phone lines will be provided by the government?

> **A 7. The contractor shall propose the number of phone lines needed
> based on anticipated volumes. Currently, the Public Inquiry Contractor
> uses 296 incoming lines to answer calls received at the contractor\'s
> site.**

Q 8. Does the government intend to issue multiple awards?

**A 8. No**.

Q 9. Reference: H.2, 307-17 Organizational Conflicts of Interest

> We assume a Collection Agency (CA) contracted by the U.S. Department
> of Education (ED) to perform collection activities on behalf of ED can
> not be the Public Inquiry Contractor. We assume this because (1) the
> Public Inquiry Contractor has access to accounts assigned to all CA
> contractors and could monitor a competitor's accounts and (2) because
> the Public Inquiry Contractor has authority to change the location
> code of a borrower's account under certain circumstances. Is our
> assumption correct?

**A 9. While it is true that the Public Inquiry Contractor would have
access to all accounts assigned to its competitors, an audit trail on
the Ed Debt Management and Collection System (ED-DMCS) identifies the
system user id of the individual who moves an account. DCS would also
require contractor personnel and activity be separate at all times,
which is a requirement under the current collection agency contract**.

Q 10. Reference:2.1.5 Equipment Installation

> The RFP states, "The IVRS shall be capable of handling 10,000 calls
> within a 90 second timeframe." Should this requirement read "The IVRS
> shall be capable of handling 10,000 calls **per day** within a 90
> second timeframe"?

**A 10. Yes.**

Q 11. Reference:2.1.5 Equipment Installation and 2.2.A.1 Responding to
Telephone Inquiries at the Federal Student Aid Information Center

> The RFP states under 2.1.5, Equipment Installation that "The
> contractor shall propose an Interactive Voice Response System on the
> toll line for callers checking on the status of an application, and
> ordering a duplicate SAR."
>
> The RFP states under 2.2.A.1, Responding to Telephone Inquiries at the
> Federal Student Aid Information Center, item a, "The contractor shall
> also maintain a separate commercial telephone number for certain
> services, such as application status checks and changes of address,
> but ED may at its option incorporate these services into IVRU- and
> operator-assisted services on the toll-free line."
>
> The RFP further states under 2.2.A.1, item d, "Establish and maintain
> an Interactive Voice Response Unit (IVRU) on the toll-free line that
> will allow callers to identify and select specialized inquiry queues,
> and, where feasible, provide automated responses to queries that can
> be input through a telephone keypad. For instance, the caller might be
> offered the choice of 'help with the application,' which would
> transfer to a queue of information specialists trained in that
> subject, or 'application processing status,' which would transfer to
> an automated system that would report the processing date for the
> application."
>
> Please clarify if ED wishes to have two IVRUs for the FSAIC, one for
> the commercial telephone number and one for the toll-free telephone
> number. The IVRU listed under Government Furnished Material currently
> operates on the toll-free number.

**A 11. ED wishes to have one IVRU for the FSAIC, to be used on the
toll-free number.**

Q 12. Reference:2.1.5 Equipment Installation, b., Other Equipment, item
7

> Please provide detailed information about the location(s) of the nine
> workstations to be used by ED staff.

**A 12. 4 Workstations Chicago Service Center**

**111 North Canal Street. Suite 1009**

**Chicago, Illinois**

**2 Workstations Atlanta Service Center**

**Atlanta Federal Center Tower**

**61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Room 19T10**

**Atlanta, Georgia**

**2 Workstations San Francisco Service Center**

**50 United Nations Plaza, Room 250**

**San Francisco, California**

**1 Workstation Washington Service Center**

**7^th^ & D Streets, S.W.,**

**ROB-3, Room 5126**

**Washington, D.C.**

Q 13. Reference:2.2.A.1 Responding to Telephone Inquiries at the Federal
Student

Aid Information Center

> The RFP provides an opening note as follows: "NOTE: This task should
> be read with particular care-the contractor should be aware that this
> task represents 90% of the work performed under this contract."
>
> We acknowledge the importance of the services provided under the
> Public Inquiry Contract. Further, we would agree that responding to
> telephone inquiries at the Federal Student Aid Information Center is
> an extremely important and highly visible task to the financial aid
> community. We are however concerned that by stating that the level of
> effort required to complete this task represents 90% of the work
> performed under this contract will distort the level of effort
> required to complete other critical tasks required under this
> contract. Our experience is that responding to telephone inquiries at
> the FSAIC represents approximately 65% of the work performed.

**A 13. ED has reviewed the data it used to arrive at this figure, and
revises its estimate to 80% of the total amount of work performed (based
on cost) under this contract, and not 90% as previously noted.
Nonetheless, ED wants to reinforce the fact that responding to telephone
calls at the FSAIC is more visible to the public, financial aid
community, and the Department than any other work performed under this
contract.**

Q 14. Reference: 2.2.A.11 Providing Conference Services

> Statement of Work and Price Schedule
>
> ED requires planning, coordinating, and facilitating conference
> services ranging from a 1-hour focus group with 12 attendees to large
> conferences with over 1,000 attendees. The difference in the level of
> effort required to deliver these sessions is significant. The number
> of attendees, length of the conference, location of the event, as well
> as the services provided all impact costs. For example, site selection
> for a conference facility to accommodate 1,000 attendees requires
> extensive labor hours and travel dollars to identify and visit the
> potential locations and make all of the necessary arrangement at the
> selected site.
>
> We request that this deliverable be defined as a "Plan" to provide
> conference services with the actual delivery of the conferences as a
> Time and Materials deliverable. This will allow ED to effectively
> evaluate each offeror's approach to providing these services and
> eliminate risk and any ambiguities in assumptions and other unknown
> factors that affect cost and pricing data.

**A 14. ED wishes not to redefine this task as a \"Plan\"; however, ED
agrees that the task should be billed as a Time and Materials
deliverable.**

Q 15. Reference:2.2.A.12 Evaluating Program Aspects and Reporting
Findings

> Price Schedule
>
> The Price Schedule does not currently have a contract line item for
> this deliverable. As the level of effort required to fulfill these
> requirements can fluctuate depending on the request received from ED,
> we recommend that this also be a Time and Materials deliverable.

**A. 15. ED agrees that this task should be billed as a Time and
Materials deliverable.**

Q.16 Does the Service Contract Act apply to this contract?

**A.16 No**