{"action":"created","issue":{"url":"https://api.github.com/repos/ustaxcourt/case-management-rfq/issues/22","repository_url":"https://api.github.com/repos/ustaxcourt/case-management-rfq","labels_url":"https://api.github.com/repos/ustaxcourt/case-management-rfq/issues/22/labels{/name}","comments_url":"https://api.github.com/repos/ustaxcourt/case-management-rfq/issues/22/comments","events_url":"https://api.github.com/repos/ustaxcourt/case-management-rfq/issues/22/events","html_url":"https://github.com/ustaxcourt/case-management-rfq/issues/22","id":339279327,"node_id":"MDU6SXNzdWUzMzkyNzkzMjc=","number":22,"title":"Suggest eliminating requirement of \"links to Git repositories\" from Evaluation Criteria","user":{"login":"greggersh","id":41960,"node_id":"MDQ6VXNlcjQxOTYw","avatar_url":"https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/41960?v=4","gravatar_id":"","url":"https://api.github.com/users/greggersh","html_url":"https://github.com/greggersh","followers_url":"https://api.github.com/users/greggersh/followers","following_url":"https://api.github.com/users/greggersh/following{/other_user}","gists_url":"https://api.github.com/users/greggersh/gists{/gist_id}","starred_url":"https://api.github.com/users/greggersh/starred{/owner}{/repo}","subscriptions_url":"https://api.github.com/users/greggersh/subscriptions","organizations_url":"https://api.github.com/users/greggersh/orgs","repos_url":"https://api.github.com/users/greggersh/repos","events_url":"https://api.github.com/users/greggersh/events{/privacy}","received_events_url":"https://api.github.com/users/greggersh/received_events","type":"User","site_admin":false},"labels":[{"id":986014375,"node_id":"MDU6TGFiZWw5ODYwMTQzNzU=","url":"https://api.github.com/repos/ustaxcourt/case-management-rfq/labels/Answered","name":"Answered","color":"2fb738","default":false},{"id":988345327,"node_id":"MDU6TGFiZWw5ODgzNDUzMjc=","url":"https://api.github.com/repos/ustaxcourt/case-management-rfq/labels/Follow-up%20Question","name":"Follow-up Question","color":"ffaaf0","default":false},{"id":982694545,"node_id":"MDU6TGFiZWw5ODI2OTQ1NDU=","url":"https://api.github.com/repos/ustaxcourt/case-management-rfq/labels/Vendor%20Question","name":"Vendor Question","color":"22658e","default":false}],"state":"open","locked":false,"assignee":null,"assignees":[],"milestone":null,"comments":3,"created_at":"2018-07-09T01:45:51Z","updated_at":"2018-07-11T16:52:09Z","closed_at":null,"author_association":"NONE","body":"# Question/Comment on this U.S. Tax Court RFP\r\n\r\n## Name and affiliation\r\nGreg Gershman, CEO, Ad Hoc LLC\r\n\r\n## Section of RFP documents\r\nEvaluation Criteria - Technical Submissions\r\n\r\n## Question/Comment\r\nThe RFQ requires vendors to provide \"links to Git repositories,\" by which it seems to mean references to version control repositories of other similar work to the work defined in the RFQ.\r\n\r\nThe first suggestion is to change the phrasing from \"Git repositories\" to \"source code or source code repositories.\" Git is a specific form of version control, but by no means the only tool used for that purpose. There are many other version control tools, and unless the Tax Court is specifically looking to ascertain a vendor's ability and experience working with Git, we suggest broadening the definition to include other version control systems as well.\r\n\r\nWhile Ad Hoc can basically meet this requirement, we find that these specific kinds of requirements are burdensome on vendors, both in determining if repositories meet the exact criteria, and because much of our work, even though with US federal government agencies, is not made publicly available by our customers.\r\n\r\nIn regards to the difficulty in meeting the exact criteria, Ad Hoc has worked on a project that we believe should be considered adequate, but is difficult for us to determine if it would be accepted by the government as valid. Ad Hoc is contracted by the US Department of Veterans Affairs to build Vets.gov. Our team employs about 20 software engineers, and our program is over three years. Our team, practically, is broken down into smaller product development teams, which typically consist of 3-5 engineers (along with others, for total team sizes around 7-9 personnel). While we feel this meets the government's requirements, if not exactly in terms, but in spirit, we are concerned because of the requirement that projects have \"staffing profiles of approximately five (5) to nine (9) Full Time Equivalent (FTE) personnel.\" Finding something that matches these exact criteria, is made publicly available by the government, can be very challenging for many vendors. In addition, strict requirements that are met in spirit by vendors may create grounds for protest of the final award.\r\n\r\nFurther, in our experience, the fact that our work for government is made publicly available is not under a vendor's control. We do work for government agencies that we feel is very relevant to this RFQ's requirements, but is kept private by the decision of the agency. Vendors are not able to easily (or at all) provide access to third parties to view or evaluate this source code, even if the third party is another federal agency. Therefore, we do not believe there is anything distinctive gained by the government in ascertaining that a vendor is able to provide these links. In addition, the practice of making code publicly available is rare to non-existent in the commercial sector, in particular applications such as the one that Tax Court is looking to build. This requirement will eliminate many qualified vendors that have very valid and relevant experience.\r\n\r\nTherefore, we suggest revising or removing the criteria to provide links to Git (or version control/source code in general) as a part of this RFQ. We believe doing so will result in better competition from a larger pool of qualified vendors, and ultimately better results for the government.\r\n\r\nIt would help to better understand what Tax Court is looking to determine with the requirement. If there is a desire to modify the criteria to hone in on specific qualities that Tax Court feels would make a successful vendor, we are happy to provide some feedback on how to do that in ways other than requiring links to publicly-available repositories.\r\n"},"comment":{"url":"https://api.github.com/repos/ustaxcourt/case-management-rfq/issues/comments/404238540","html_url":"https://github.com/ustaxcourt/case-management-rfq/issues/22#issuecomment-404238540","issue_url":"https://api.github.com/repos/ustaxcourt/case-management-rfq/issues/22","id":404238540,"node_id":"MDEyOklzc3VlQ29tbWVudDQwNDIzODU0MA==","user":{"login":"randyhart","id":15271211,"node_id":"MDQ6VXNlcjE1MjcxMjEx","avatar_url":"https://avatars3.githubusercontent.com/u/15271211?v=4","gravatar_id":"","url":"https://api.github.com/users/randyhart","html_url":"https://github.com/randyhart","followers_url":"https://api.github.com/users/randyhart/followers","following_url":"https://api.github.com/users/randyhart/following{/other_user}","gists_url":"https://api.github.com/users/randyhart/gists{/gist_id}","starred_url":"https://api.github.com/users/randyhart/starred{/owner}{/repo}","subscriptions_url":"https://api.github.com/users/randyhart/subscriptions","organizations_url":"https://api.github.com/users/randyhart/orgs","repos_url":"https://api.github.com/users/randyhart/repos","events_url":"https://api.github.com/users/randyhart/events{/privacy}","received_events_url":"https://api.github.com/users/randyhart/received_events","type":"User","site_admin":false},"created_at":"2018-07-11T16:52:09Z","updated_at":"2018-07-11T16:52:09Z","author_association":"CONTRIBUTOR","body":"We appreciate the feedback and welcome suggested alternatives from vendors. What we're trying to get to with this evaluation factor is finding demonstrated experience working on user-centered and iterative software development teams. We expect that looking through code repositories will not only show us the quality of the code, but also how members of the development teams work with each other. We are open to other suggested ways that vendors can demonstrate their readiness based on previous work examples. Please provide those suggestions for us to consider as we finalize the RFQ."}}
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