A11. 3-Q&A v2 ROUND 3-12970224R0036F.pdf

United States

Department of

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

201 14th Street SW

Washington, DC 20250

SITE VISIT MEETING MINUTES / QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Site Visit Meeting Minutes / Q&A | 12970224R0036 - San Francisquito Fire Station & Barracks Construction | Page 1 of 35

File Code: 6320 September 02, 2024

MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD

SUBJECT: Questions and Answers (Q&A) Round 3 – Solicitation No. 12970224R0036, San

Francisquito Fire Station & Barracks Construction

1. The Q&A table below reflects the queries raised during the sites visits held on 23 and 24 July

2024 combined with any questions asked by potential offerors outside of the meeting from the date the solicitation opened on 16 July 2024.

2. The Government received over 100 questions in response to this solicitation to date. All questions raised will continue to be answered via future Q&A rounds. All questions should have been captured in round 3 but may not have an answer as of the date of this letter. Questions with no Government response during this round are left blank. Contractors that do not see their question(s) under the current round(s) should verify that the inquiries were sent in accordance with the solicitation instructions and received by the personnel identified in item 7 herein. Only verification of questions previously sent will be accepted. Responses on future Q&A rounds to questions or RFIs received by the cutoff date in item 5 herein will be sent via SAM.gov posting updates until all questions have a response to ensure all offerors have access.

3. Government responses that warrant an amendment to the solicitation may reference the

Governments intent to amend in the Government’s response. The amendment may or may not accompany the Q&A document(s) posted to SAM.gov.

Regardless of whether the responses led to an amendment, all Q&A documents are a point of reference and will become part of the subsequent contract. Offerors are responsible for verifying the terms identified in the solicitation for the anticipated contract.

4. Acronyms can be found below the Q&A table (at the end of this document).

5. The cutoff for questions pertaining to the subject solicitation was Friday, 23 August 2024 no later than (NLT) 1300 PT. All inquiries were due in writing and were required to include the solicitation number in the subject of the email. Please note that the site visit meeting was not mandatory. Therefore, any interested offerors were able to submit inquiries up to the date shown herein.

Proposals are due by Friday, 13 September 2024 NLT 2359 PT.

6. Should there be any further information/clarification required, email(s) should be sent to klenise.wallace@usda.gov and ricardo.lopez2@usda.gov.

Sincerely, Klenise Wallace

Contracting Officer

FPO – SW Zone cc:

FS Contracting Officer Representative, Ricardo Lopez

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

Site Visit Meeting Minutes / Q&A | 12970224R0036 - San Francisquito Fire Station & Barracks Construction | Page 2 of 35

Item No. Query Raised Reply/Clarification

1 What’s the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) role regarding the drawings?

USACE provided the drawings but will not be involved moving forward. Any updates/comments/etc. regarding the drawings will come from the FS.

2 What option line item is a priority to the FS? While there's no strict priority among the options, the FS has identified the need for Option 1: Barracks and Option 3: New well and waterline.

3 What’s the time frame for this project? In accordance with Section C.5 of the solicitation terms, the anticipated performance period is approximately 540 calendar days. 360 calendar days pertains to the base items. Review section C.5 for more details.

4 Are there anymore plan changes? No more changes to the plans are anticipated in the solicitation stage.

5 When are bids due and the potential date to break ground?

In accordance with the solicitation terms, Section L, offers are due 23 August 2024. Amendment 1 of the solicitation corrects the dates to match this response. The anticipated start work date, as noted in Section C.5 of the solicitation terms is 16

September 2024.

6 What’s the flow rate of the water meter? The Forest Service has confirmed the flow rate through the meter to be 320 gallons per minute (gpm).

7 Do we need to notify the Forest Service if we want to visit the project site after today?

No, Contractors do not need to notify FS personnel to visit the project site post the documented site visits. Reference important solicitation info provided on the continuation page of attachment J1 and/or SAM.gov description item 12.

8 Is value engineering going to be incorporated? The value analysis methodology was completed between the

USACE and the FS a few years ago. No further action is anticipated.

9 Is housing needed for the fire station? No, all housing will be at the barracks building and there will be no housing in the fire station.

10 Do we need to list how much work % will be completed by the sub-contractor(s) and prime contractor?

Yes. The work % to be completed by each subcontractor and the prime contractor is required. Document this information using the SF 1413 (Attachment J11) for each subcontractor working on the project site. The amount of prime/subcontractor contractor work should also be articulated

(and correspond to the SF 1413 info provided) in the plan of work as part of the technical response.

11 What type of communication is preferred before and after contract is awarded?

During the solicitation period through award, all communication shall be written via electronic correspondence

(emails). Refer to the SAM.gov Description Item 20.ii. The

POCs are listed in the solicitation under Important Solicitation

Info on the SF 1442 continuation page and in Section L.1.

Post contract award, the primary method of communication shall remain electronic correspondence (emails) until otherwise stipulated at the pre-work meeting.

12* Is there a specific format for the technical submittal of a schedule?

Government's response updated in round 3. The

Government re-assessed the response to Item No. 12, which was updated at Item No. 71 in Round 2 and in the solicitation under Amendment 2 in Section L.2.(b)(v).

The format for the schedule in response to the solicitation is identified in Section L of the solicitation terms. Use of the

Progress Schedule (Attachment J14) is not mandatory.

However, offerors should reference the updates to Section L pertaining to the schedule for page limits and any other specific criteria relating to Progress Schedule submission with the proposal package. Post award, the finalized schedule provided as a submittal may be in the Gantt Chart format, graphically demonstrating the steps to be performed chronologically.

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

Site Visit Meeting Minutes / Q&A | 12970224R0036 - San Francisquito Fire Station & Barracks Construction | Page 3 of 35

13 How will utility permits be handled during construction?

Contractor will be paying for permitting unless otherwise stated. FS expects the contractor(s) to pay for the temporary and permanent electrical fees.

Temporary water and temporary power will be provided by

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). For temporary water there is no permit concern. For power, LADWP will temporarily provide power. A further detailed explanation can be found in the specifications (Division 1, Section 01 00 00).

Permanent power will be provided by Southern California

Edison (SCE). Once the permanent power is initiated, the

Forest Service will establish payment to SCE.

14 Is there a specific waste management company that has this territory?

FS has confirmed that Waste Management (wm.com) is the trash collection service in this territory and temporary trash service can be established during construction.

15 Will a copy of the sign in sheet be available online? No, the Government does not provide copies of sign-in sheets.

However, the company names and email addresses for those that attended the site visits are provided with the meeting minutes. Vendors interested in partnering are encouraged to add their solicitation interest and contact info to the solicitation in SAM.gov. The Government has no dealings in the collaborative interests of offerors.

16 Is this funded as military construction? Does the FAR apply?

No, the contract is not funded as military construction. Yes, the

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) does apply.

17 What US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) office worked on the design?

The USACE Sacramento branch worked on the design with some administrative and project management support from the

USACE Los Angeles branch.

18 Is this being awarded as best value or least priced technically acceptable?

In accordance with Section M.2 of the solicitation terms, this project is being awarded using the Best Value Continuum under the Tradeoff Process.

19 Will payroll be submitted to the Forest Service or

State?

Payrolls will be directly submitted to the Forest Service as an attachment with Invoices. The awarded contractor shall submit draft invoices with payrolls and any other supporting documents to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for review and pre-approval prior to the mandatory upload to the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP.gov) for payment.

Amendment 1 stipulates this requirement in Section G of the solicitation terms.

20 The bid bond is listed as 20%. 10% is typically seen.

Was the 20% project specific?

The Forest Service uses the minimum required for solicitations in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

Anything below 20% of the bid price at amount no more than

$3M is considered non-standard and requires an exception by the agency approved by congress. The Forest Service is not an agency with that exception. Therefore, the bid bond shall be

20% (or an amount not to exceed $3M) if 20% exceeds $3M.

21 Who is providing inspections? The Contractor is responsible for quality control. The Forest

Service will only be performing quality assurance. The

Government COR (or other written designated inspectors) may be on site to provide oversight, but the contractor will be responsible for providing sufficient oversight and inspection to ensure that the project outcomes meet the Governments requirements. Reference Specification Division 1, Section 01

45 00 for special inspection requirements.

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

Site Visit Meeting Minutes / Q&A | 12970224R0036 - San Francisquito Fire Station & Barracks Construction | Page 4 of 35

22 Can a superintendent or others wear multiple hats to fill QC roles?

Specification 01 45 00 states, “The CQC System

Manager must be assigned no other duties.” However, RFP Submission Requirements in Section L states, “The personnel listed in Section 8 may or may not hold multiple roles and may be listed on the designation of key personnel form.”

May key personnel hold multiple roles. If so, which key personnel?

Please confirm the CQC System Manager must be a full-time, on-site person with no other duties.

Yes. The Forest Service allows individuals performing on the contract to hold multiple roles (must have the appropriate credentials when applicable). Individuals holding key multiple roles must be identified in each key role and may be required to show experience for the key roles specified.

23 Who will pay the permit fees? The contractor is responsible for all permit fees and should build them into the overall costs of performing this work. (E.g.

operations, hauling of heavy equipment, environmental/dust control, any other incidental work that requires permits, etc.).

While the Forest Service has identified anticipated permits and associated costs related to temporary and permanent power

(See item 13 herein) and basic permits in the specification’s attachments, the Prime and Sub-Contractors are responsible for knowing permit requirements and having an organized location to pull up requirement permits in the event permit inspections take place. The Forest Service does not coordinate or have insights on Department of Labor visits/inspections.

24 Was an environmental impact study done? A decision memo with design measures were completed and signed by the District Ranger for this project. The environmental documents are listed as attachments 6 and 7 in the solicitation.

25 Is this project funded and for how much? Yes, the project is funded for the estimated value of the base and options. The Government does not provide Independent

Government Estimated information. The project Magnitudes can be found in Section C of the solicitation terms.

26 Does the Forest Service provide patrol and will there be security or patrol at the site?

No, the Forest Service will not/does not provide security or patrols of any kind, with the exception of Fire patrols, in the area. Reference Section H of the solicitation terms pertaining to Security for this project.

27 Who owns the buildings across the street on Runner

Road?

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) owns four residences north of Runner Road. As these residences are on federal land, coordination with LADWP will be done by the

Government.

28 Do start times for work need to be considered for the

LADWP residents?

Yes. Refer to Section C.5 of the solicitation terms for info on work hours.

29 Is the bid date set or still pending and subject to get pushed out?

The current solicitation close date (offer due date) is considered final. The Government retains the right to re-evaluate solicitation dates at its discretion.

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

Site Visit Meeting Minutes / Q&A | 12970224R0036 - San Francisquito Fire Station & Barracks Construction | Page 5 of 35

30 Is there a maximum weight capacity on the roads in the area and what happens if there is damage to the pavement?

There are no known weight limits on Forest Service owned roads. Los Angeles County Public Works (LAC PW) maintains San Francisquito Canyon Road. The FS sent an inquiry to LAC PW as to whether there are weight restrictions on the highway as well as San Francisquito Canyon Road.

There are no known restrictions identified or publicly posted.

Therefore, with regards to this solicitation, unless the FS receives a response indicating otherwise, there are no weight restrictions on the highway or San Francisquito Canyon Road.

Contractors should be cautious and mindful when utilizing any roads to access this project site, as any damage to any of the pavement will be the responsibility of the contractor to repair.

31 Will water be paid by the Contractor or Forest Service for the LADWP temporary connection?

This question was answered under item 13. Please reference the language pertaining to temporary connection.

32 Will earthwork be balanced? Please confirm if the site is balanced, an import site, or export site.

The net excavation (cut) and embankment (fill) is calculated to be balanced (zero net) so there is no need to import or haul native material. Note there is an over-excavation requirement for the building and tank footprints. Refer to the contract drawings including, but not limited to, Sheets C-102, C-103, C-301. Refer to the contract specifications including, but not limited to, Division 31, Section 31 00 00 Earthwork. Refer to the geotechnical report for locations of borings and subsurface data.

Upon further review, the Government determined that the schedule of items (SOI) did not adequately support the

Governments intent for this item so please reference the revised under solicitation amendment 2.

33 Will site be cleared of equipment and materials currently stored there?

Yes, the project site is anticipated to be cleared of equipment and materials currently stored prior to the start of work.

34 Will all questions submitted as RFIs be available to all parties?

Yes. All requests for information (RFIs) will be posted to

SAM.gov so all interested parties can review the Government's response during the solicitation open period.

35 What is the nearest city or town to the project site? Green Valley is a small town 10 minutes to the north

(approximately 3.5 miles traveling north on San Francisquito

Canyon Road); Santa Clarita is a larger city 20 minutes to the south (approximately 13.5 miles, traveling north on San

Francisquito Canyon Road).

36 What is the closest location for mobile network reception?

There is no mobile network coverage at the project site. There could be reception in Lake Elizabeth area to the north

(approximately 7.5 miles traveling north on San Francisquito

Canyon Road) and City of Santa Clarita to the south

(approximately 13.5 miles, traveling north on San Francisquito

Canyon Road).

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

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37 Is shoring required? If so will you please provide the docs or where I can locate them?

The Government does not envision that shoring will be required at this site, but it remains the responsibility of the contractor to comply with OSHA requirements to protect workers in trenches. If adverse subsurface conditions are encountered, benching or trench boxes would be allowable methods of protecting workers in trenches in lieu of shoring.

An important consideration is that the project will involve excavations and over-excavations (below the building footprints) that are deeper than 5 feet and therefore will require a shoring system or other suitable alternative such as benching/sloping for slopes of 5H:1V, per the specification and drawings. Refer to Division 1, Sections 01 35 26 and 31 00 00 of the specifications and Sheets C-301 and C-507 for additional information. It will be the responsibility of the contractor to ensure all trenching and excavations meet safety requirements of OSHA and International Building Code (IBC).

38 We have done extensive government work however in the past 3 years, it has been just a few government/private partnership projects. Will there be enough time to register with SAM.gov and become active between now and bid time of August 23rd?

Only the Federal Service Desk

(https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp) can provide statuses and timelines for the process to register and become active on

SAM.gov. You must have a Unique Entity ID, which could take up to 10 days. Here is a link to help you get started.

SAM.gov | Entity Registrations (https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration)

39 Do you anticipate a bid extension beyond August

23rd?

The project will involve excavations and over-excavations

(below the building footprints) that are deeper than 5 feet and therefore will require a shoring system or other suitable alternative such as benching/sloping for slopes of 5H:1V, per the specification and drawings. Refer to Division 1, Sections

01 35 26 and 31 00 00 of the specifications and Sheets C-301 and C-507 for additional information. It will be the responsibility of the contractor to ensure all trenching and excavations meet safety requirements of OSHA and

International Building Code (IBC).

40 How many bidders do you anticipate at bid time? The number of anticipated bidders is subjective and therefore cannot be provided. However, the Government typically expects to receive as least 3 responsive offers in response to a competitive solicitation.

41 Can we get a list of “interested bidders” or can you direct to the website location for said list?

The Government does not provide an interested bidders list.

However, SAM.gov has a section where interested offerors can provide company information. Please log into SAM.gov and access the contract opportunity

(https://sam.gov/opp/6ea767f7bcf64162ab2e0a9ac92ea128/vie

w) to see the list. You must be logged in.

42 Can we get a list of the “Pre-Proposal Conference” attendees. The SAM.gov site says a onsite meeting was held on July 23rd and 24th.

The Government may provide limited company info for vendors that attended the site walks that occurred on the 23rd and 24th of July. Please follow the opportunity to see when that information is posted.

43 Would you consider modular construction for this project?

The only considerations for work anticipated for this project are specified in the solicitation statement of work and supporting attachments. The Government doesn’t anticipate accepting any offers that do not correspond to the SOW or specification requirements for this project.

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

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44 The SF1442, item 13, notes the bid is due 823/24. In the Solicitation, under L.1, on page 40 of 53, the instructions note that the bid is due 8/16/24. Please clarify when this bid is due.

Currently, proposals are due 08/23/2024. However, the due date for this solicitation will be getting extended via amendment this week (week of 08/05/2024), along with the cutoff for Q&A so hopefully that will give interested offerors the chance to respond. See Amendment 1 to the solicitation for updates.

45 On sheet C003, keynote 6 has a match line that represents the separation of Base Bid Utilities and

Option 1 Utilities. Is this also the separation line for all the site work i.e. sidewalks, curbs, gutters, asphalt, etc.?

The Government has re-evaluated the original response to this question and has determined that the SOI may be unclear. Therefore, reference amendment 2 to the solicitation, updating the SOI for clarity.

The match line denotes base items for the fire station (to the left of the match line) and option items for the barracks building (to the right of the match line). Therefore, all associated site work (including sidewalks, curbs, gutters, asphalt, etc.) are to be included with respect to the Base items for the fire station and the Option 1 for the barracks building.

The only exception for underground utilities to the right of the match line to be constructed under the Base (whether the optional bid item is exercised) are the sewer line, the storm drain, and seepage pit. The waterline and buried electrical/LPG lines are to be capped off as shown on Sheet C-003. So, if only the Base is awarded, the contractor shall perform all the work to the left of the match line, all of the sewer line, the storm drain, retaining walls, and the seepage pit. The base bid shall also include all the earthwork and rough grading needed for the entire site, including over-excavation of the fire station and barracks buildings and water tank footprints. If Option 1 is awarded, the bid shall include extension of the buried utilities and above-ground constructed features such as sidewalks, curbs, asphalt, roadway, to the right of the match line.

Reference Amendment 2 for revised Schedule of Items for site work elements around the barracks building.

46 What will be the permit fees for temporary power by

LADWP be and how long will it take to establish service? Please confirm who is paying for the temporary power.

This question was answered under item 13. Please reference the language pertaining to temporary connection.

47 Specification 01 45 00 states, “The CQC System

Manager must be assigned no other duties.” However, RFP Submission Requirements in Section L states, “The personnel listed in Section 8 may or may not hold multiple roles and may be listed on the designation of key personnel form.”

May key personnel hold multiple roles. If so, which key personnel?

Yes, key personnel may hold multiple roles unless a role is explicitly identified as one that may not be assigned other duties such as the CQC System Manager.

48 Is USDA requiring a CHST (SSHO certification) for this project? (We have seen this requirement on projects of this size).

Yes, SSHO certification is required per Section 01 35 26 and

EM 385-1-1 Safety and Health Requirements Manual. Here is a link to the manual:

https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Safety-and-

Occupational-Health/Safety-and-Health-Requirements-

Manual/

49 Specification 01 45 00 states that the CQC System

Manager “must be assigned no other duties.” Please confirm the CQC System Manager must be a full-time, on-site person with no other duties.

Refer to Government Response under Q&A Item 47 herein.

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

Site Visit Meeting Minutes / Q&A | 12970224R0036 - San Francisquito Fire Station & Barracks Construction | Page 8 of 35

50 Specification 01 45 00 states “The CQC System

Manager must be a graduate engineer, graduate architect, or a graduate of construction management, with a minimum of 3 years construction experience on construction similar to this contract.”

In lieu of a degree, will USDA accept a CQC System

Manager with more than 10 years of experience?

Yes, the USDA will accept a CQC with relevant past experience of at least 10 years, provided that the contractor provides resume of employee with the applicable experience.

This must be submitted as part of the contractor key personnel requirements.

51 Specification 01 45 00 states “This CQC System

Manager must be on the site at all times during construction and be employed by the Prime

Contractor.” Please confirm that the CQC System

Manager shall be currently employed by the Offeror.

How will the Government verify this?

The CQC system manager will be required to be at the site as needed to provide sufficient oversight on quality control. The

USDA will allow for this employee to work for the prime contractor or the sub-contractor if approved by the Contracting

Officer. The USDA will need verification of the employment and supervision.

52 Specification 01 35 00 states that the SSHO “shall be a full-time responsibility and shall have no other duties other than safety.” Please confirm SSHO must be a full-time, on-site person with no other duties.

Yes, key personnel may hold multiple roles unless a role is explicitly identified as one that may not be assigned other duties such as the CQC System Manager.

53 Section L, paragraph L.2 (b), Factor 1. Experience

(page 41 of 52) states, “Using the Experience and Past

Performance Questionnaire (Section 9), submit a list not to exceed 5 projects completed in the last 5 years…”.

Please consider extending the project experience requirement from 5 years to 7 years to allow bidders an opportunity to include relevant experience outside the current limit.

The only exception the FS can make to the 5-year requirement is for those contractors that cannot meet the relevant experience requirement within that timeline. Contractors that need the exception will be required to provide a statement indicating that the exception to the requirement is due to the inability to meet the requirement within the specified window.

See amendment 2.

54 We are assuming this is not a contaminated site.

Please confirm. What is the anticipation of the government for the disposal and removal of water in the washout area?

There is no expectation of any contaminated materials in the site project area. All testing and removal of materials has concluded that there is no buried materials or soil that could be contaminated. The disposal of the washout area materials needs to be performed by the contractor and will be documented as part of the requirements in the Spill Containment Plan and

Accident Prevention Plan. See Waste Disposal requirements in

Section 01 57 19 (Temporary Environmental Controls) of the contract specifications.

55 Specification 01 35 26 states “The SSHO's training, experience, and qualifications shall be as required by

EM 385-1-1 paragraph 01.A.17, entitled Contractor

Site Safety and Health Officer (SSHO) and all associated sub-paragraphs.”

USACE updated EM 385-1-1 and published it on

March 15, 2024. The new EM 385 defines three levels of SSHO qualifications, which is significantly different than the previous EM 385-1-1 SSHO qualification requirements. Will this project require

Level 1, 2, or 3 SSHO?

Or are we to comply with the previous EM 385-1-1 requirements for SSHO qualifications?

For the purposes of bidding this solicitation, it is acceptable to continue to use EM 385-1-1, 2014 version for SSHO training, experience, and qualifications. The USDA is not aware of any levels for SSHO certification. However, the contractor will be responsible for ensuring that all OSHA requirements are met for this project.

Reference link to EM 385-1-1 Safety and Health Requirements

Manual: https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Safety-and-

Occupational-Health/Safety-and-Health-Requirements-

Manual/

56 Please provide the file limit size per email message and if offerors may divide the submission into multiple email messages to accommodate large files.

The USDA can accept emails with attachments of up to 30 megabytes (MB). If attachments exceed that size, the contractor should send multiple emails with attachments meeting the Section L requirements. See Amendment 2.

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

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57 Are offerors required to fill out and submit pricing on the Continuation Sheet (to the SF 1442) (page 3 of 53) in addition to Section B: Schedule of Items (Excel

Pricing Sheet)?

Yes, offerors are required to provide the completed SF 1442, Schedule of Items (in Excel) and all SF 30s.

58 Section L, paragraph L.1 (page 40 of 53) states questions are due August 2 by 13:00 PT.

Continuation of SF 1442, page 5 of 53, states questions are due August 9 by 1300 PT.

Will the USDA please confirm which is the correct due date for submission of questions?

The solicitation due date is 6 September 2024 by 2359 PT.

The cutoff for questions is 23 August 2024 by 1300 PT. See

Amendment 2.

59 Conflicting due dates are presented throughout the

RFP. The SF 1442 states the due date as August 23, 2024, while RFP Page 40 of 53 lists the due date as

“15 August 2024 | 2359 PT.” Please confirm that the date (08/23/2024) on the SF 1442 is the accurate due date

Reference the Government's response to question 58.

60 Section L, paragraph L.2 (1) (page 40 of 53) states, “The technical proposal must not contain a reference to cost…” but lists Factor 7. Price is a requirement, which includes the submission of the Schedule of

Items (Section J Attachment).

The Business Proposal also requires offerors to submit

“ii. Schedule of Items (Section J Attachment)”.

Additionally, RFP Section L.2(a)(1) states “The proposal must include a technical proposal and business proposal. Each of the parts shall be separate and complete so that evaluation of one may be accomplished independently from evaluation of the other. The technical proposal must not contain reference to cost.”

The submission requirements are in direct conflict, requiring price/cost information submission with the technical proposal.

Will the USDA please confirm if pricing should be included in the Technical Proposal, the Business

Proposal, or both? In other words, which file shall

Factor 7, Price be submitted with?

The Forest Service is indicating that the technical component of the evaluations will have non-price factors. However, pricing will be a factor based on the pricing in the Schedule of

Items spreadsheet to ensure that the bid pricing is fair and reasonable. The reason they need to be separate is to evaluate technical components independently to determine if the contractor is providing the requirements as specified in these sections. Factors 1 through 6 are non-price components of the evaluation, while Factor 7 is based on pricing. See Amendment

2.

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

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61 Section L, paragraph L.2 (page 40 of 53) states that offerors shall submit 1 electronic copy of the completed SF 1442 signed offer accompanied by proposal documents in response to Sections A through

K of the solicitation package and any applicable amendments (SF 30) , 1 electronic copy of the technical proposal, and 1 electronic copy of the cost proposal, totaling 3 different files to be submitted.

This is in direct conflict with the submission requirements starting on page 41, which break the proposal components out as such:

(b) Technical Proposal Instructions

Factor 1 – Experience (through the use of the

Experience and Past Performance Questionnaire)

Factor 2 – Past Performance (through the use of the

Experience and Past Performance Questionnaire)

Factor 3 – Key Personnel (through the use of the

Experience and Past Performance Questionnaire and attached resumes)

Factor 4 – Technical Approach (narrative)

Factor 5 – Schedule (Draft Project Schedule from

Attachment J)

Note- the submission requirements request the narrative to be provided within Factor 4

Factor 6 – Management Approach (narrative)

Factor 7 – Price

Note: Cost information is requested with Factor 7 and will be submitted with the technical proposal shall we include the price here

(c) Business Proposal Instructions

“The following documentation is required”

i. SF 1442 – Section A (included SF 30, Amendment)

ii. Schedule of Items (Section J)

Note: Duplicates Factor 7 in the Technical Proposal

iii. Bid Guarantee

iv. Technical Approach Narrative (includes SF 1413, Statement of Acknowledgment)

v. Draft Progress Schedule (Section J)

Note: Duplicates Factor 5 in the Technical Proposal

vi. Experience and Past Performance Questionnaire

Form (Section J)

Note: Duplicates Factors 1 and 2 in the Technical

Proposal

vii. Key Personnel Resumes

NOTE: Duplicates Factor 3 requirements in the

Technical Proposal

viii. Designation of Key Personnel Form (Section J)

Note: Duplicates Factors 1, 2, and 3 in the Technical

Proposal

ix. Bio-Based Statement Form (Section J)

x. Representations & Certifications (Section J)

(includes financial statement, acknowledgment form, and pricing policy for other divisions)

Please confirm the packaging of the proposal (which components to be PDFd and packaged together as the

Business, Technical, and/or Cost proposals)

Business proposal includes the SF 1442 signed offer accompanied by proposal documents in response to Sections A through K of the solicitation package, the bid guarantee, representations and certifications and any applicable amendments (SF 30(s)); technical proposal includes the technical approach narrative, SF 1413’s for all major subcontractors, progress schedule, experience and past performance questionnaire form, the designation of representatives form, key personnel resumes, management approach and the bio-based statement form; and cost proposal includes the schedule of items. See Amendment 2.

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

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62 Cost, Price, and Business Proposal appear to be used interchangeably in some instances and in conflict in other instances throughout the RFP.

Please confirm which and where/what components are associated with each.

Reference the Government's response to question number 61.

63 Section L, paragraph L.2 (page 40 of 53) states that offerors shall submit 1 electronic copy of the completed SF 1442 signed offer accompanied by proposal documents in response to Sections A through

K of the solicitation package and any applicable amendments (SF 30) , 1 electronic copy of the technical proposal, and 1 electronic copy of the cost proposal, totaling 3 different files to be submitted.

However, Section L.2 Instructions continue on to divide the proposal into two different “proposals”:

The Technical Proposal and Business Proposal.

Additionally, RFP Section L.2(a)(1) states “The proposal must include a technical proposal and business proposal. Each of the parts shall be separate and complete so that evaluation of one may be accomplished independently from evaluation of the other. The technical proposal must not contain reference to cost.”

The Technical Proposal instructions include the submission of Factor 7, Price.

The submission requirements are in direct conflict, requiring price/cost information submission with the technical proposal.

Is the intent that Factor 7, Price be the third file submitted (in Excel) rather than as part of the

Technical Proposal? In other words, the components of the submission includes three files:

1. Technical Proposal (consists of Factors 1 thru 6)

2. Business Proposal (components to be confirmed via other RFIs due to contradictions and duplications)

3. Price (Factor 7, Price, the Excel Pricing Sheet)

Reference the Government's response to question 60.

64 Section L, paragraph L.2 (page 40 of 53) states that offerors shall submit 1 electronic copy of the completed SF 1442 signed offer accompanied by proposal documents in response to Sections A through

K of the solicitation package and any applicable amendments (SF 30) , 1 electronic copy of the technical proposal, and 1 electronic copy of the cost proposal, totaling 3 different files to be submitted.

However, Section A through K encompasses every component of the proposal, from Schedule B thru

Section J, and includes Section K Representations and

Certifications. How shall we submit the various components and in how many separate PDF and Excel documents? In other words, please clarify what is to be submitted for “Sections A through K.”

The breakdown of documents to provide can be found in solicitation terms section L.2(b), which has been revised for clarity. See Amendment 2.

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

Site Visit Meeting Minutes / Q&A | 12970224R0036 - San Francisquito Fire Station & Barracks Construction | Page 12 of 35

65 Section L, paragraph L.2 (page 40 of 53) states that offerors shall submit 1 electronic copy of the completed SF 1442 signed offer accompanied by proposal documents in response to Sections A through

K of the solicitation package and any applicable amendments (SF 30) , 1 electronic copy of the technical proposal, and 1 electronic copy of the cost proposal, totaling 3 different files to be submitted.

Sections A through K encompass:

• Section A – none provided

• Section B – Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs

• Section C – Description/Specifications/Statement of

Work

• Section D – Packaging and Marking

• Section E – Inspection and Acceptance

• Section F – Deliveries or Performance

• Section G – Contract Administration Data

• Section H – Special Contract Requirements

• Section I – Contract Clauses

• Section J – List of Attachments

• Section K – Representations, Certifications

Some of the items from A through K are information only and/or instructional, like Section C, Section D, Section E, Section F, Section G, and Section H.

Section J is part of the overall submission and contains components to be provided within the

Technical and Business Proposal. There is no

“Section A.” What is included in Section A, and what specifically shall we submit for Section A through K for item 1?

Section A refers to the blocks in SF 1442. Sections A through

K reference documents/items that the contractor may need to address in parts of the documents provided in Section L.

Therefore, it is imperative that the solicitation be read in its entirety and questions are asked to help the Government minimize/eliminate ambiguous language and/or duplicated information. See Amendment 2 of Section L.

66 Section L, paragraph L.2 (page 40 of 52) states that offerors shall submit 1 electronic copy of the completed SF 1442 signed, 1 electronic copy of the technical proposal, and 1 electronic copy of the cost proposal, totaling 3 different files to be submitted.

May all three files be submitted in the same email? Or does the price need to be submitted with a separate email?

Reference the Government's response to questions 60-61.

67 Within the Experience and Past Performance

Questionnaire, box P1h states, “P1h. Provide the type of project and brief description addressing the solicitation information requested for the Experience and Past Performance factors. Do not exceed the space provided. Only the project discussed above shall be provided herein”.

Box P1i states, “P1i. Provide the type of project and brief description addressing the solicitation information requested for the Past Performance factor.

Do not exceed the space provided. Only the project discussed above shall be provided herein.”

To confirm, is box P1h supposed to correlate to Factor

1. Experience submission and evaluation items and is box P1i supposed to correlate to Factor 2. Past

Performance submission and evaluation items?

The Experience and Past Performance Questionnaire

(Attachment J15) is to be used in response to Factors 1 and 2.

The same projects evaluated for experience under this factor shall also be evaluated for Past Performance. Please read both sections in Section L.2(c) of the solicitation as the Government is assessing different aspects of the narrative that constitute experience versus past performance. As this may have been confusion in the original solicitation, Amendment 2 has been updated so that Section L is clear.

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

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68 Within the Experience and Past Performance

Questionnaire, box P1f. Project Status appears to permit projects in progress.

Will the USDA please confirm that acceptable past performance examples can be ongoing so long as they demonstrate the 3 items listed in Section L, paragraph

L.2 (b), Factor 1. Experience.

Yes, ongoing projects that are not finished can be used to provide "experience" but may not be sufficient to provide "past performance" if the contract is not more than 90% - 100% complete with an anticipated completion date within 1 year of the proposal submission date. Offerors must provide anticipated completion and state whether or not the project is on track. If the project is not on track, explain. Offerors should consider that the Government may use the information on some or all of the projects listed to complete reference checks.

69 The Experience and Past Performance Questionnaire contains a red “DRAFT” watermark. Should we remove the watermark, or will the USDA provide the final questionnaire for use?

All documents in the solicitation are final. Offerors may consider any references or documents with "DRAFT" posted to the solicitation to be in error. Reference Amendment 2 removing the draft watermark in documents J15 and 16. The word draft in the footers of the J3 attachment cannot be edited but the attachment is final, and part of the solicitation/subsequent contract as is.

70 If we provide an organizational chart to demonstrate the hierarchy and lines of communication in Factor 6.

Management Approach, could it be excluded from the page limits?

Contractor is required to follow the instructions of the maximum pages allowed per section. You may consider reducing the scale of the organizational chart to fit the size needed to comply with the size limit, but all words must be legible.

71 Will 11” x 17” page size be permitted for the progress schedule and organizational chart? If using 11 x 17 pages for graphics (e.g., org chart), will the 11 x 17 count as one page towards the page limitations?

The standard page limit is 8.5" x 11" (letter). An organization chart is not required. Therefore, the Government will not accept an 11" x 17" document for any documents outside of what is requested with the exception of the progress schedule.

The progress schedule (either attachment J14 or industry equivalent) will be acceptable in up to 11" x 17". For smaller scales, the print must be legible. An 11" x 17" progress schedule will count as one (1) page for the page limitations.

The Government will allow (1) additional external narrative progress schedule page to accompany the progress schedule, summarizing how the schedule supports the technical narrative.

The technical narrative must conform to the 10-paged limit at

8.5" x 11" (letter size). Reference Amendment 2.

72 Given the number of items to address within Factor 6, Management Approach (page 42 of 52), please consider expanding the maximum page count to 10 pages, not including the organizational chart

(demonstration of the required “hierarchy and lines of communication”).

Reference the Government's response to item number 71

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

Site Visit Meeting Minutes / Q&A | 12970224R0036 - San Francisquito Fire Station & Barracks Construction | Page 14 of 35

73 Section L, paragraph L.2 (b), Factor 6. Management

Approach (page 41 of 52) states

“The offeror shall submit a narrative of management approaches demonstrating: (1) sound management practices and business processes; (2) sound regulatory coordination processes (3) effective cost and quality control; and (4) clear corporate and project team commitment, hierarchy and lines of communication, roles, responsibilities, and relationships not to exceed

2 external pages.”

Please confirm whether the ”2 external pages” limitation applies solely to item 4 or if it serves as the overall page limitation for Factor 6.

If the two-page limitation applies to the entire Factor

6, we respectfully respect additional pages, either 5 or

10 for Factor 6, to adequately address all submission requirements.

The Government has increased the external page number for the management approach to not to exceed (NTE) three (3) pages, which is the limit just for Factor 6. See Amendment 2.

74 Section L, paragraph L.2 (b), Factor 4. Technical

Approach (page 41 of 52) states the narrative must address “…(3) the equipment used and cleaned (must match the equipment list provided in Section 10 of the

Experience and Past Performance Questionnaire”.

Does the statement refer to the equipment used and cleaned by the Offeror/Prime (self-performed work only) or all equipment on the project, including those by subcontractors?

All equipment to be used for this project needs to be provided and it is advisable to indicated whether the equipment is owned or rented, as requested in attachment J15. It is imperative that the prime contractor ensure the necessary equipment required for the performance of this contract is available on the project site. The prime is accountable to the Government so if subcontractors change, the equipment requirement does not change, hence the Government is not asking the offeror to indicate whether the equipment belongs to the prime or subcontractor.

75 Section L, paragraph L.2 (b), Factor 4. Technical

Approach (page 41 of 52) states the narrative must address “(4) […] safety, spill and traffic control plans”.

Please confirm that the submitted safety, spill, and traffic control plans are to be summaries only, not full plans. If full plans are required, we request they be excluded from the 10-page limit and/or required after award.

As part of the technical proposal response, the plans should only provide basic, general information in a short summary.

Offerors should clearly identify the plan in a separate but short paragraph within the technical proposal. Upon award, the contractor shall provide finalized full plans for all that is required during the pre-work meeting unless otherwise approved for another time.

76 Section L, paragraph L.2 (b) Technical Proposal (page

41 of 53) requires offerors to submit a technical approach narrative.

Section L, paragraph L.2 (c) Business Proposal (page

42 of 53) also requires offerors to submit a technical approach narrative with the same instructions.

Will the USDA please confirm whether the technical approach narrative should be included in the

Technical proposal, the Business proposal, or both?

Reference Government response to item number 61 herein.

Agriculture (USDA)

Forest

Service (FS)

Procurement and

Property Services (PPS)

Field Procurement Operations

(FPO) - Southwest (SW) Zone

Site Visit Meeting Minutes / Q&A | 12970224R0036 - San Francisquito Fire Station & Barracks Construction | Page 15 of 35

77 Section L, paragraph L.2 (b) Technical Proposal (page

42 of 53) requires offerors to complete the draft

Progress Schedule in Section J, Attachments.

43 of 53) also requires offerors to complete the draft

Progress Schedule.

Will the USDA please confirm whether the draft

Progress Schedule should be included in the Technical proposal, the Business proposal, or both?

The progress schedule is a separate document in Section J, to be completed and returned in response to this solicitation.

Reference the Government's response to item 61 herein.

78 Section L, paragraph L.2 (b) Technical Proposal (page

41 of 53) requires offerors to submit Experience and

Past Performance Questionnaires (Section 9).

43 of 53) also requires offerors to submit Experience and Past Performance Questionnaires (Section 9).

Will the USDA please confirm whether the

Experience and Past Performance Questionnaire

(section 9) should be included in the Technical proposal, the Business proposal, or both?

Reference Government response to item number 61 herein.

79 Section L, paragraph L.2 (b) Technical Proposal (page

41 of 53) requires offerors…