If I omit the bacon do I still make the cuts into the pork collar to help the marinade penetrate the meat?

The main reason to score the pork collar is to render out the fat with the goal of a crispy skin. It's the same reason one scores the skin of a duck breast.

As for the bacon, that's really your call based on your palate as well as that of the people who will be joining you at your dinner table. Different bacons have different flavor profiles and some have a more dominant smoky flavor than others. Use your best judgment based on your experience with the specific ingredients you have chosen.

Personally I find that many American recipes call for too much seasoning (for my taste buds) and my natural inclination is to take the "less is more" approach.

It's worth pointing out that European bacon typically is *NOT* smoked. I would likely sub in pancetta (which is unsmoked) rather than grab a typical American (smoked) bacon. But that's just me...

Do what you think will satisfy those at your dinner table. After all that's ultimately what counts.

Best of luck.