Questions and Answers 1.pdf

Questions and Answers #1

Q1. May we provide a Past Performance Questionnaire in lieu of providing a CPARS Past Performance Evaluation?

A1. No. Required proposal submission documents can be located in section L.9.

Q2. Is there an incumbent contractor for this work? What is the current contract number?

A2. This is a brand new requirement, there is no current contract.

Q3. Please confirm that the requisite bid / offer guarantee (20% of bid price or $3,000,000.00, whichever is less) is to be based on the total line of Attachment 1 (inclusive of base year + 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th option years).

A3. Correct, the bid guarantee amount is based off the total from cell E22 of Attachment 1 Bid Schedule Excel document.

Q4. similarly to the bid / offer guarantee referenced to question #3 above, a single performance and payment (P&P) bond is to be provided based on the total line of Attachment 1 (inclusive of base year + 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th option years). Please confirm.

A4. The interpretation is incorrect, the P&P bond will fluctuate over the time commensurate with the total value of all open task orders. Please refer to Section C.2.10.

Q5. Are stand-alone site safety & health officers and / or quality control managers required or will the designated site superintendent, provided he / she has the appropriate certifications, be permitted to cover the multiple roles?

A5. If the Government has any site-specific personnel required, it will be identified in the Request for Task Order Proposal and Task Order SOW. The Contractor will adhere to the Quality Control Plan submitted in C.14. The Contractor will be responsible for determining if any personnel can cover multiple roles, and still meet any compliance requirements. It is believed that in some cases it would be appropriate that certain individuals could cover multiple roles (if they have the appropriate certifications). There may be times that it would not be appropriate for the individual to cover multiple roles, that would be determined on an induvial task order basis.

Q6. Section G – Contract Administration Date, para G.6 indicates CPARS will only be prepared for each construction contract of $700,000 or more. We would request a CPARS for each task order in addition to the base award IDIQ annually?

A6. No. CPARS evaluations cannot be “requested” by the Contractor. CPARS evaluations by regulation, are completed when they meet certain dollar thresholds. An annual CPARS evaluation will be completed for the based award IDIQ. Additionally, any individual task order that meets the threshold identified in FAR 45.1502 will have a corresponding CPARS evaluation, in addition to the annual base award IDIQ CPARS evaluation.

Q7. Reference section I – contract clauses, para 6, (d). Is the date of September 30, 2020 correct?

A7. No. There was a typo in the dates in paragraphs B.4 and I.6. They have been corrected.

Q8. Generally, is power and water available for the contractors use at each site / facility? If not, will the contractor be advised in effected task order RFP so that provisions can be made?

A8. Yes. Water and power is generally available. If not, it will be identified in the Request for Task Order Proposal.

Q9. Reference scope of work, para 1.8.6 – identity cards. Ft. Riley is referenced therein. Is work anticipated at Ft. Riley?

A9. No, this is a typo for the location. Attachment 2 has been revised to reference ARS locations.

Q10. Will a COVID-19 plan be a requirement of the project once awarded?

A10. After award, the contractor shall prepare an Accident Prevention and Safety Plan in accordance with paragraph I.1 FAR 52.236-13. Covid-19 should be addressed in that plan after award.

Q11. Are project record drawings to be produced in CAD or are contract documents red-lined in the field acceptable?

A11. Project record Red lined drawings are acceptable unless specifically stated in individual task orders to also be produced in CAD. Red lined drawings must be neat, legible, accurate, unstained, etc. Submittal of digital scans of redline drawings are required, can be in addition to the actual hard copy redlined drawing.

Q12. Is the electronic transmittal / submission of shop drawings and product data acceptable? Similarly as-built drawings and operation & maintenance manuals?

A12. Electronic transmittal / submission of shop drawings and product data, as-built drawings and operation & maintenance manuals are acceptable, unless otherwise specifically stated in the individual task orders.

Q13. Can Contractors decline work they don’t want to perform under this IDIQ?

A13. No. Contractors shall execute all work requested under this IDIQ. The awardee shall expect and understand they are the single award IDIQ holder, and as such, shall be required to execute all work requested under the terms of this IDIQ. Reference the last sentence of C.1. Contractors that wish to pick and choose what type of work they execute should not propose under this effort.

Q14. Will emergency task orders be required under the contract? If so, will the contractor be expected to perform emergency repair/maintenance work at the same fully burdened labor rates proposed in the Bid Schedule? Or will USDA allow the contractor to apply a multiplier to the standard rates for emergency work?

A14. There will be no emergency requirement under this contract vehicle. The Government may ask if the contractor can expedite proposal requests or accommodate an immediate need faster than the response times identified in C.2.8, but will not be mandatory. If “emergency” work cannot be accommodated under the terms of C.2.8, and cannot be mutually agreed upon by the USDA and the Contractor then the work will be executed under different contracting vehicle that has emergency or accelerated approvals and will not be related to this contracting effort.

Q15. For construction trades or services not otherwise listed in the Bid Schedule, will the contractor be allowed to engage subcontractors and charge them at a direct cost plus OH & profit?

A15. If there are trades or services that are not listed in the bid schedule that may be perceived to fall within the scope of this Contract, the Contracting Officer may allow those additional disciplines. The Contracting Officer has the sole authority to make that determination, if a discipline would be required outside of the bid schedule the Contracting Officer must make a written determination that the discipline is within the scope of the contract. The USDA has attempted to capture all relevant labor categories related to MEP work, and would not be normal and raise flags if labor categories other than those listed are being pursed. As a matter of practice, all work should adhere to the labor categories in the bid schedule as intended by this SOW.

Contractors shall not attempt to classify work under a labor category that is not listed on the bid schedule in an effort to bypass the competitive firm fixed price labor rates. If work can be performed utilizing the bid schedule, the rates shall be utilized, regardless of the Contractors desire to utilize what they deem would be “more appropriate”. The Contracting Officer will make the final determination of any allowable work not identified on the bid schedule.

Q16 (Comment): Davis Bacon rates are not close to competitive rates in many regions – competitive rates are typically higher.

A16. Construction Wage Rates Requirements (Davis Bacon Act) requirements are only the minimum wage requirements, Contractors shall price their projected Fully Burdened Labor rates to a rate they feel comfortable to be able to execute all potential work. Contractors are purposefully being tasked to find a rate they can operate profitability, yet still be competitive in this RFP. This rate should be well thought out and not expected to be modified based on profitability after award.