Defense threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Industry Partner Questionnaire

DTRA INDUSTRY PARTNER SURVEY

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DTRA Pre-Award and Post-Award Processes

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on DTRA’s pre and post-award contract processes. DTRA accomplishes its mission through a variety of means, including the acquisition of supplies, services, and technology development from our industry partners. The quality and timeliness of the contractual vehicles we award and administer, as well as your performance under those contracts, is key to the Agency’s mission success.

As part of our continuous process improvement, we are asking you to assist us in improving our relationships and communications with our industry partners. This survey will provide us with valuable information about how we are doing, how we compare to other government organizations, and where we can improve. It will also help us focus upcoming “Industry Day” events so they are productive for the Agency and for our industry partners.

This survey focuses specifically on two areas: (1) DTRA “pre-award” processes – from identification of DTRA requirements through announcement of the award decision for contract or task order award; and (2) DTRA “post-award” practices and processes - from award of a contract or task order through physical completion of the contract or task order. It should only take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete.

If you have to logout of the survey before completing it, logout after finishing a section, not in the middle of a section. The software will save what you have completed, and will log you back in at the start of the next section (not in the middle of a section). There are four sections in the survey.

Your responses are completely anonymous. The survey is hosted by an application service provider, and only aggregated response information is provided to DTRA. Demographic data will be used for statistical analysis only. DTRA personnel will not see any individual responses. Safeguards have been built into the system to prevent the survey’s service provider contractor from identifying individual responders.

Thank you for taking time to give us your input. I am certain that your input will help us improve our processes. A summary of the survey results will be made available on our DTRA Business Opportunities webpage at www.dtra.mil.

Shari Durand

Component Acquisition Executive

Please review the following definitions and use them when responding to survey questions:

Contracting Officer: The person with the authority to enter into, administer, terminate and closeout contracts.

Contract Specialist: The person who performs the contracting tasks in the pre- and post- award phases of the contract. The Contract Specialist does not have a Contracting Officer’s warrant and is thus not authorized to make any commitments for the government.

Program/Project Manager: The individual who has responsibility for overall or day-to day operational management of all activities and functions for a designated program or project. The Program Manager is responsible for the performance, cost and schedule of the program/project but has no authority to make any contractual commitments.

Contracting Officer's Representative (COR): The individual who represents the Contracting Officer and performs as a technical information conduit, contracting and regulatory liaison and business partnership manager. The COR may not provide any direction that changes contract performance, cost or schedule.

Contract Manager (Contractor/Private Industry): Job scope ranges from administrative skills of managing, organizing and planning to the negotiation of contract actions. The Contract Manager has overall responsibility for contracting actions on assigned contracts. 

Financial Manager (Contractor/Private Industry):  Performs the regular (funding, planning) and non-recurring (special actions) financial functions.  Provides leadership in the cost-effective use of an organization’s financial resources and is actively involved in decision making by providing financial and performance information.

Pre-Award Issues: Includes all processes related to a solicitation up to and including the contract/task order award, e.g. synopsis, draft solicitations, release of request for proposals, etc.

Post-Award Issues: Includes all processes related to a contract, including task orders, after the contract/task order is awarded.

A. Pre-Award Issues

1. Information about upcoming opportunities to provide products and services to DTRA is reasonably available to potential vendors.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

2. The time from contractor awareness of a potential DTRA requirement to issuance of a Request for Proposal (RFP) is reasonable.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

3. Information about potential DTRA requirements and upcoming opportunities to provide products and services to DTRA is usually obtained from:

• DTRA program/project manager

• FedBizOpps

• Other industry contacts

• Other

4. DTRA provides fair opportunities to compete for work.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

5. DTRA pre-solicitation notices (e.g., sources sought) include sufficient detail to prepare an adequate response.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

6. DTRA provides sufficient time to respond to a pre-solicitation notice (e.g., sources sought).

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

7. Solicitation background information (i.e., information on the DTRA website or provided at an Industry Day/pre-proposal conference) is reasonably helpful.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

8. Please rate the responsiveness of DTRA staff to contractor questions about contract/task order solicitations:

• Excellent

• Good

• Fair

• Poor

• N/A

9. The clarity of requirements in the Statement of Work/Statement of Objectives in DTRA solicitations is:

• Excellent

• Good

• Fair

• Poor

10. The clarity of requirements for proposal preparation/delivery in DTRA solicitations is:

• Excellent

• Good

• Fair

• Poor

11. DTRA solicitations provide adequate information to prepare a proposal response.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

12. The requirements for the proposal package (level of detail required, page limits, etc.) are reasonable and appropriate.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

13. The evaluation criteria in DTRA solicitations are clear.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

14. The evaluation criteria in DTRA solicitations are appropriate to the requirement.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

15. Vendors/offerors are notified in a timely manner of modifications to solicitations.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

16. The time frame from issuance of a solicitation or RFP to the proposal submission date is adequate to prepare a quality proposal.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

17. DTRA proposal evaluations are fair.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

18. DTRA’s Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) requirements help to maintain the integrity of the competitive process.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

19. DTRA proposal evaluations adequately balance technical, past performance and price evaluation criteria.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

20. The time from submission of a proposal until announcement of an award is reasonable.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

21. DTRA debriefings provide adequate and useful information regarding non-selection.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

22. Award/incentive fee plans in DTRA solicitations are clear, reasonable and appropriate to the work to be performed.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

23. DTRA provides adequate opportunities for small business through small business set-asides and small business subcontracting requirements.

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

Comments on Pre-Award Processes and Procedures

24. Are there any aspects of DTRA’s solicitation and contract/task order award processes that work well and should not be changed?

25. What suggestions for improvement, or best practices from other government organizations, would you recommend DTRA consider adopting related to solicitations and contract/task order awards?

26. DTRA would particularly appreciate your specific feedback regarding our proposal evaluations compared to other Federal or Department of Defense Agencies.

B. Post-award Issues

1 . Within the past 3 years, has your company provided products, services, and/or other contracted support to DTRA? (Checking “No” will result in skipping this section on “post-award” issues.)

• Yes

• No

2. DTRA provides my company with adequate, timely feedback about our performance.

• Strongly agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

3. We know whom to contact at DTRA on questions and other issues (e.g., Contracting Officer(CO)/Contract Specialist, Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or Program/Project Manager (PM)).

• Strongly agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

4. The responsiveness of DTRA’s Contracting Office personnel to contractor inquiries is:

• Excellent

• Good

• Fair

• Poor

• N/A

5. The responsiveness of DTRA’s technical office/program manager staff to contractor inquiries is:

• Excellent

• Good

• Fair

• Poor

• N/A

6. Do you submit original invoices to the DTRA/BDK with a copy to the COR for certification or do you have direct billing to the Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS) via the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA)?

• Submit original to DTRA/BDK with copy to COR for certification

• Direct billing to DFAS via DCAA

• N/A; Not sure; Cannot answer

7. How would you rate DFAS in terms of timeliness of payments?

• Excellent

• Good

• Fair

• Poor

• N/A; Cannot rate

8. We are provided adequate time to perform the modified work resulting from a contract modification.

• Strongly agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

9. DTRA instructions on submission of deliverables and work products are:

• Excellent

• Good

• Fair

• Poor

10. DTRA instructions on submission of status reports are:

• Excellent

• Good

• Fair

• Poor

• N/A

11. DTRA instructions on submission of invoices are:

• Excellent

• Good

• Fair

• Poor

• N/A

12. The process to closeout a task order or contract in a timely manner is clear.

• Strongly agree

• Agree

• Slightly Agree

• Slightly Disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

• N/A

13. Does your company currently utilize Wide Area Workflow for submission of invoices under other Department of Defense contracts?

• Yes

• No

Comments on Post-Award Processes and Procedures

13. Are there any aspects of DTRA’s post-award practices and processes that work well and should not be changed?

14. What suggestions for improvement, or best practices from other government organizations, would you recommend DTRA consider adopting related to post-award contract management?

15. What could Contracting Officers do to improve the post-award contract management processes?

16. What could Program/Project Managers do to improve the post-award contract management processes?

C. How does DTRA compare to other Federal Government organizations you support?

1. Compared to other Federal Government organizations, information about DTRA’s business opportunities and proposal preparation and submission is:

• More readily and easily available

• About the same in terms of availability

• Not as readily or easily available

2. Compared to other Federal Government organizations, the overall quality of DTRA solicitations and requests for proposals are:

• Better quality

• About the same

• Lower quality

3. Compared to other Federal Government organizations, the length of time it takes DTRA to evaluate proposals and award contracts is:

• Much longer

• Slightly longer

• About the same time

• Slightly faster

• Much faster

4. Compared to other Federal Government organizations, DTRA’s overall solicitation and contract/task award practices are:

• Much more conservative

• Slightly more conservative

• About the same

• Slightly more flexible

• Much more flexible

5. Compared to other Federal Government organizations, information about how to work with DTRA and DTRA processes and procedures is:

• More readily and easily available

• About the same in terms of availability

• Not as readily or easily available; more difficult to get information

• N/A

6. Compared to other agencies, the length of time it takes DTRA to accomplish various post-award tasks is:

• Much longer

• Slightly longer

• About the same time

• Slightly shorter/faster

• Much shorter/faster

• N/A

7. Compared to other Federal Government organizations, DTRA’s overall post-award practices are:

• Much more conservative

• Slightly more conservative

• About the same

• Slightly more flexible

• Much more flexible

• N/A

8. Compared to other Federal Government organizations, when seeking information, answers to questions, or a meeting, DTRA’s Contracting Office personnel are:

• More readily available; easier to contact

• About the same in terms of availability

• More difficult to contact or meet with

• N/A

9. Compared to other Federal Government organizations, when seeking information, answers to questions, or a meeting, DTRA technical office/program manager staff are:

• More readily available; easier to contact

• About the same in terms of availability

• More difficult to contact or meet with

• N/A

D. Demographics

1. Company size/type (based on your Central Contractor Registration (CCR) )

• Large

• Small

• Educational Institution

• Non-profit

• Foreign

2. Support to DTRA is primarily in the following products and/or services areas (Unsuccessful offerors please indicate your major product/service areas) (check all that apply):

• Research and Development (R & D)

• Commercial Services

• Commercial Items/Supplies

• Military/Department of Defense specific services

• Military/Department of Defense specific items/supplies

• Other (Facilities, construction, etc.)

3. Major Contract(s) with DTRA: (check all that apply)

• Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) or General Services Administration (GSA) schedule order

• Single Award (not an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA), SAP or GSA Schedule order)

• Single award IDIQ or BPA

• Multiple award IDIQ

• Other

• No contracts with DTRA over the past 3 years

4. Our contract with DTRA primarily supports:

• Technology Development Directorate (TD)

• Cooperative Threat Reduction Directorate (CT)

• Chemical-Biological Defense Directorate (CB)

• Combat Support Directorate (CS)

• On-Site Inspection Directorate (OS)

• Business Directorate (BD)

• Advanced Systems and Concepts Office (ASCO)

• Security and Counterintelligence Directorate (SC)

• DTRA in Albuquerque

• Other DTRA Offices

• Don’t know/Not sure/N/A

5. My company is a:

• DTRA Prime contractor

• DTRA Subcontractor

• N/A

6. Length of relationship with DTRA:

• Less than 1 year

• 1 to 2 years

• 2 to 4 years

• More than 4 years

• N/A

7. Our staff that directly supports DTRA are primarily located:

• On-site at DTRA locations/offices/sites

• Off-site at company locations/offices

• N/A

8. I am a:

• Program/Project Manager

• Contract Manager

• Financial Manager

• Other

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Thank you for taking time to complete this survey and providing feedback to DTRA!

(After “thank you” page, automatically jump to the DTRA Business Opportunities webpage: http://www.dtra.mil/business_opp/index.cfm )

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