Response to Questions - Synopsis 1305M322RNFFK0033 (AM 01).pdf

SYNOPSIS AMENDMENT 01: RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS

Solicitation Number: 1305M3-22-R-NFFK0033

Project Title: Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity Contracts for Regional Architect-Engineer (A-E) Environmental Services for the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service - Office of Habitat Conservation

1. The solicitation states, “All joint venture partners shall submit the minimum number of projects as specified in the paragraph above”. Does this imply that each J/V partner has to submit five (5) projects, thereby eliminating the option to submit relevant projects performed by sub-consultants? Or is the intent that the combined number of projects by the J/V partners has to equate to five or more (with at least one project performed by each J/V partner)?

Q1 Response: It is acceptable to submit projects for sub-consultants; however, the sub-consultant projects cannot exceed 50% of the total projects submitted. Each joint venture partner shall still submit projects but there is no longer a required minimum number of projects. The synopsis has been revised to reflect this change and will be posted with the responses to questions to SAM.gov.

2. As stated in Section 3.F.iv.a., “Brief resumes of the on-staff and consultant/subcontractor employees you intend to use to perform the work. Resumes must be submitted for each discipline as specified in the Professional Qualifications criterion (see Paragraph 4B below).”

However, is a resume required for each person on the organization chart in Section D if we list multiple personnel in a particular discipline?

Q2 Response: The organization chart in Section D does not require submission of resumes.

Resumes are only required as specified in the additional instructions for Section E of the SF 330, Part I.

3. Given the significant scope of work and our desire to address each element of the scope as comprehensively as possible, would NOAA consider providing a two week extension to the submittal deadline?

Q3 Response: The submission due date is extended to 5:00 PM Mountain Time on October 12, 2022. For planning purposes, we intend to schedule interviews during the time period of November 9, 2022 through November 15, 2022 with those firms determined to be the most highly qualified.

4. Can the government please confirm that this is the presolicitation for this contract, as currently designated in SAM.gov and on the title page of the Synopsis? Page 3 of the Synopsis states ‘This is not a request for proposal’ but has a due date of September 30th.

Please confirm that a solicitation is forthcoming and the elements of the SF330 outlined in the synopsis will be due when that solicitation is released.

Q4 Response: The synopsis is not a solicitation but a pre-solicitation notice that constitutes a request for qualifications in accordance with FAR 36.601-1, Public announcement. A solicitation will be issued only to the firm selected as the most highly qualified for each region. Please see FAR Subpart 36.6 - Architect-Engineer Services for policies and procedures applicable to the acquisition of architect-engineer services. This information is publicly available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.

5. Can the government confirm that 42 two-page resumes, totaling 84 total pages, are requested to fulfill each of the 42 disciplines listed as key personnel, as specified on pages 5 and 12 of the presolicitation?

Q5 Response: The Government does not require a resume for all disciplines listed in the Professional Qualifications criterion (see Paragraph 4B of the synopsis). Only key personnel resumes are required. The firm shall submit only one resume per key personnel discipline.

The resume shall be for the primary/lead individual per discipline.

The key personnel are: Archeologist, Biologist, Civil Engineer, Coastal Engineer, Contract Manager, Ecologist, Environmental Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer, Land Surveyor and Title Searcher, Planner, Principal, Program Manager, Project Manager, Quality Assurance/Quality Control, and Structural Engineer.

The synopsis has been revised to reflect the change to key personnel and will be posted with the responses to questions to SAM.gov.

6. Page 12 of 14, 4.B.iii.: Key Personnel Disciplines: Land Use Planner and Planner are common names for the same profession. They are listed separately in the Presolicitation Notice. Can you please clarify the distinction?

Q6 Response: There is no distinction. The synopsis has been revised to reflect this change and will be posted with the responses to questions to SAM.gov.

7. Pages 9, 13, and 14. 4.A.ii and 4.D: Although not discussed in the Presolicitation Notice, presumably you prefer resumes from one person per key personnel category listed in Section 4.B.iii. To assist with your evaluation of the ability to manage at least four projects at the same time, would you allow the respondent to present resumes from four Project Managers?

Q7 Response: See response to Question #5 above.

8. Page 5, F.iii. Given the number of key personnel resumes are requested and the presentation of our ability to manage at least four projects at the same time, the organizational chart will have numerous boxes (showing at least the 42 key personnel categories) each filled with several names. Can the organizational charts be presented in up to three pages measuring 11 x 17?

Q8 Response: Yes. The synopsis has been revised to reflect this change and will be posted with the responses to questions to SAM.gov.

9. Page 12, B.iii. Can the "Computer-Aided Drafting and Design Technician" category be changed to "Computer-Aided Drafting and Design/Geographic Information System Technician"?

Q9 Response: No, this discipline as currently listed in the synopsis is the Government's requirement.

10. Page 2, 7, 9. If a Joint Venture has been formed but is still awaiting the UEI and CAGE Code out of SAM, would the government allow the JV to submit a proposal for this solicitation, pending they provide proof of application and a TIN for the JV, and the JV is registered at the time of award?

Q10 Response: Yes. Proof of application shall consist of a TIN and an email confirmation of submission and processing from SAM.gov.

11. In regards to the small business concern restriction it says that: This announcement is restricted to small business concerns. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 562910, “Environmental Remediation Services”, with a size standard of 750 employees. The selected firms will be required to perform work in accordance with FAR Clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting. Is the 750 employee size limit the only criteria NOAA will be using to accept an “SBE” as a prime firm?

Q11 Response: To be considered a small business for this requirement, the firm (i.e. prime firm or JV) must satisfy the size standard requirement for the NAICS code specified in the synopsis.

12. The solicitation indicates the “A-E firm (prime or joint venture) must be a registered/licensed engineering firm to be eligible for award in accordance with the FAR 36.601-4(b). Firms shall provide proof that it is permitted by law to practice the professions of engineering, (e.g., state registration number, or a brief explanation of the firm’s licensing in jurisdictions that do not register firms, etc.). Failure to submit the required proof could result in a firm’s elimination from consideration.” Does this mean the prime must be a registered engineering firm in every state/territory within a proposed region, or is it sufficient to show proof in only one of the states?

Q12 Response: A firm is only required to be registered in one state/territory within the region or regions it will be submitting a response for.

13. The posting indicates that it is a presolicitation notice. However, looking at the attachment it appears that there is a due date for the submission of SF330s. Can you please clarify if this is an active procurement or not?

Q13 Response: This is an active requirement. See response to Question #4 above.

14. Are you able to clarify if this is a presolicitation or an active procurement?

Q14 Response: This is an active requirement. See response to Question #4 above.

15. Page Limits– Is there a maximum page limit? Is there a page limit on Section H?

Q15 Response: There is no page limit unless specified by the additional instructions. Some of the requirements in Section H have a page limit. See the additional instructions for more information.

16. Resumes– How many resumes should be submitted for each discipline? Should a resume be submitted for each staff on our list of key personnel? Or for a subset of that list only? Is there a limit on the number of resumes?

Q16 Response: See response to Question #5 above.

17. UEI Location– Does our UEI need to be in the region? Is the UEI location considered in the evaluation?

Q17 Response: No, the UEI does not need to be in the region nor will the UEI location be considered in the evaluation. The purpose of the UEI is to verify that the awards for the IDIQs are to unique entities and that a firm is registered in the SAM database.

18. Selection Criteria– Is the specialized experience of the prime weighted more heavily than that of subconsultants?

Q18 Response: No, the experience of the prime IS NOT weighted more heavily than that of subconsultants.

19. Selection Criteria– Are subconsultants intentionally excluded in Section 4 items A.iii and

A.iv? The current solicitation language in those two sub-paragraphs only reference review of “the prime or the joint venture firm." (It would seem that the language should match item A.i, which includes subconsultants.)

Q19 Response: This is an error. The synopsis has been revised to reflect the correction and will be posted with the responses to questions to SAM.gov.

20. Discipline Descriptions– Please provide a brief description for each discipline.

Q20 Response: This information will not be provided. The Government feels it is necessary for the firm to interpret the description of each discipline as a part of their competence and understanding of the requirements.

21. The Presolicitation Notice indicates that, per FAR 36.601-4(b), the A-E firm must be a registered/licensed engineering firm to be eligible for award. However, past NOAA Solicitations for similar A-E services (e.g., NFFKHC30-16-01074JMJ [issued by NOAA’s Eastern Region Acquisition Division]) have specified that firms should hold A-E licenses or demonstrate the ability to acquire the required licensed discipline(s). Would NOAA consider modifying the solicitation to allow a similar approach? We believe this would be in the government’s interest as it would likely increase the number of firms that would compete for these services.

Q21 Response: No, this requirement is established by 40 USC Chapter 11 Selection of Architects and Engineers and Public Law 92-582, as implemented by Subpart 36.6.

22. Page 1 of the Solicitation notes the document type is a "Presolicitation Notice". Would

NOAA confirm that the issued document is a presolicitation?

Q22 Response: See response to Question #4 above.

23. If this document is a presolicitation (p. 1), when is the actual solicitation due out?

Q23 Response: See response to Question #4 above.

24. Page 4 of 14 notes "This is not a request for proposal." Would NOAA clarify: since this is not a request for proposal (p. 4) Is this a request for qualifications?

Q24 Response: See response to Question #4 above.

25. Will NOAA please clarify: will the prime being a licensed engineering firm in one of the states of the AOR be sufficient to qualify, given reciprocity?

Q25 Response: See response to Question #12 above.

26. Will NOAA clarify if they expect licensed engineers to be licensed in every state in the

AOR?

Q26 Response: See response to Question #12 above.

27. Could NOAA please clarify their definition of Prime as used in the presolicitation/solicitation?

Q27 Response: A “Prime” is the firm that will be responsible for the completion of the work and who is under contract with the Government. A “Prime” contractor works directly with the Government. It manages any subcontractors and is responsible for ensuring that the work is completed as defined in the contract.

28. Could NOAA please define the difference between a JV and a JV Partner (p 6 of 14)?

Q28 Response: A “JV” is an enterprise owned and operated by two or more businesses or individuals as a separate entity (not a subsidiary) for the mutual benefit of the members of the group and to perform on a specific contract. A “JV Partner” is the businesses or individuals that have entered into the joint venture business arrangement.

29. Could NOAA please clarify that the SF 330 Part I is for the comprehensive team, led by the

Prime?

Q29 Response: The SF 330, Part I is for the comprehensive team. The SF 330, Part II shall be submitted for the prime, as well as for other offices of the prime and consultant/subcontractor offices proposed to perform the work. See the additional instructions for the SF 330, Part II for more information.

30. When NOAA refers to the Prime's or JV's qualifications, do they intend to refer to the assembled team's qualifications?

Q30 Response: Yes. See response to Question #29 above.

31. Could NOAA clarify if the org chart in Section F is substantially different from the Section D Org chart of the team?

Q31 Response: The chart in Section D is the overall structure of the proposed team. The chart in Section F is meant to provide an explanation of the team’s regional project management structure and proposed approach on how the staff team will handle at least four

(4) restoration projects at the same time. The synopsis has been revised to clarify the requirements of these sections and will be posted with the responses to questions to SAM.gov.

32. Is this a pre-solicitation notice with draft RFP or is this the actual request for proposal/qualifications.

Q32 Response: This is an active requirement. See response to Question #4 above.

33. Would you mind clarifying the presolicitation timeframes? Is the government looking for a response with SF330 information by 9/30/2022, or, since this is a presolicitation notice, will the RFP be released on 9/30 and the timeframe for SF330 proposal submittals will be clarified within the upcoming RFP?

Q33 Response: See response to Question #4 above.

34. Please confirm if this is a solicitation or a pre-solicitation. The document type lists this as a pre-solicitation. Page 4 states this is not a request for proposal but also states SF330s are due September 30th.

Q34 Response: See response to Question #4 above.

35. Are projects performed by subconsultants acceptable to fulfill the requirements of Section F?

Q35 Response: See response to Question #1 above.

36. Would NOAA consider issuing more than one contract per region to allow small businesses that have specialty qualifications in environmental restoration equal opportunity to compete for this Solicitation?

Q36 Response: Multiple-award contracts were considered during the acquisition planning phase of the requirement and the Government determined one contract per region to be more appropriate. Teaming arrangements and subcontracting are encouraged depending on capabilities.

37. Would NOAA consider granting additional time, e.g. one to two weeks, to respond to this

Solicitation?

Q37 Response: See response to Question #3 above.

38. For the required NOAA Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) Forms, will you accept

PPQ’s previously completed on other agency PPQ forms, e.g. USACE or USWFS PPQ forms; or must the PPQ’s be submitted on NOAA’s PPQ Form?

Q38 Response: Firms shall use the NOAA PPQ Form to ensure standardization of information received.

39. Given the broad range of environmental services and key personnel that NOAA is requesting, as well as changes and additional requirements compared to the 2016 solicitation, would NOAA consider extending the submission due date by one week to allow firms more time to assemble and coordinate with potential teaming partners?

Q39 Response: See response to Question #3 above.

40. Can there be an extension, given the complexity of the response and the amount of information requested?

Q40 Response: See response to Question #3 above.

41. Do we need to provide copies of all licenses for the 42 resumes or can we provide license numbers and/or screenshots from the licensing board?

Q41 Response: Firms may elect to provide copies of licenses, license numbers, and/or screenshots from the licensing board. License numbers are preferred. The synopsis has been revised to clarify this requirement and will be posted with the responses to questions to

42. The solicitation asks for a single Project Manager resume, but will the proposal be considered compliant if multiple people are listed as project managers and technical leads since the contract covers such a large region?

Q42 Response: See response to Question #5 above.

43. PDF Page 6, section v. b. asks for a team organizational chart, proposed approach for handling 4 restoration projects at the same time, quality management and quality control procedures, and quality control plan to be provided in Section F. The organizational chart is typically provided in section D while the other items are typically provided in section H. Is it acceptable to move these items to section D and H?

Q43 Response: The additional information required for Section F is now moved to Section H. The synopsis has been revised to reflect this change and will be posted with the responses to questions to SAM.gov.

44. PDF Page 6-7, section v. c. asks for a detailed statement outlining items 1 thru 5 to be included in Section F. These items are typically provided in sections C, D, and H. Is it acceptable to move these items to those sections?

Q44 Response: The additional information required for Section F is now moved to Section

45. Is 11 x 17 page size acceptable for the Organization Chart considering the large number of key personnel that must be listed?

Q45 Response: Yes. The synopsis has been revised to reflect this change and will be posted with the responses to questions to SAM.gov.

46. Are we being asked to provide additional pages in Section E with the summary matrix? May we use 11 x 17 sheets for this matrix considering the large number of key personnel that must be accounted for?

Q46 Response: In addition to the summary matrix, firms shall provide the information specified in the additional instructions for Section E. There is a page limitation for the summary matrix and an 11 x 17 page size is acceptable. Firms may submit the additional information for Section E as an appendix. The synopsis has been revised to clarify this requirement and will be posted with the responses to questions to SAM.gov.

47. Regarding 3.F.iv.c - Should this information be included in Section E or can it be included as an Appendix to the SF330?

Q47 Response: Firms may submit the additional information for Section E as an appendix.

48. Regarding 3.F.v.a (paragraph 1) and 4.D.ii. Projects shall be similar in size and scope and can be current or completed in the past five (5) years - Similar to what? Please advise.

Q48 Response: Projects shall be similar in size and scope to the type of projects and services specified in the synopsis. Specific information is included in Paragraph 2 - Project Information and Paragraph 4 - Selection Criteria.

49. "To help us properly prioritize our Specialized Experience and Technical Competence (#1 evaluation factor); please provide clarity on ""relevance"". For instance, page 3 of 14 details a large list of possible services, page 10 of 14 lists multiple examples of typical projects, page 11 of 14 states that ""The firm's experience and technical competence shall include..."", page 13 of 14 (C.i) states ""Preferred example projects include specific projection and restoration knowledge and relevant project experience with coastal federal, state and local regulatory agencies, acquired from consulting with and permitting for the activities in coastal areas. This includes local geological features, ecological communities, climatic conditions and local construction methods that are regionally unusual or unique. Preference will be placed on the firm’s knowledge of NOAA/NMFS habit protection and restoration projects.""

As we are required to submit Task Order example projects and not wholly-encompassing IDIQ contracts, we would like to prioritize our most relevant, meaningful work to maximize our point value during the selection phase. Clarity on relevance and/or desired scope of work (SOW) experience would be greatly appreciated. "

Q49 Response: Firms should use their business judgment to select the most relevant project examples to the type of projects and services specified in the synopsis.

50. The presolicitation requires a minimum of five (5) example projects for consideration. Are we required to provide at least five (5) example projects for each JV partner (which would push most JVs to the 10 project Section F maximum)? May we provide Section F projects for our subcontractors?

Q50 Response: See response to Question #1 above.

51. SF330 format allows for an Organization Chart in Section D. Is this requirement in addition to the Section F organization chart, or continued instructions for Section D as outlined in 3.F.iii?

Q51 Response: There are additional instructions included in the synopsis for the organizational chart in Section D. The chart in Section D is the overall structure of the proposed team. The chart in Section F is meant to provide an explanation of the team’s regional project management structure and proposed approach on how the staff team will handle at least four (4) restoration projects at the same time. The synopsis has been revised to clarify the requirements of these sections and will be posted with the responses to questions to SAM.gov.

52. Regarding 3.F.v.b (paragraph 1) - Should this information be located after the Section F

Projects, or should this information be included in Section H?

Q52 Response: The additional information required for Section F is now moved to Section

53. Regarding 3.F.v.c - Should this information be located after the Section F Projects, or should this information be included in Section H?

Q53 Response: The additional information required for Section F is now moved to Section

54. Is there a page limit for Section H?

Q54 Response: There is no page limit unless specified by the additional instructions. Some of the requirements in Section H have a page limit. See the additional instructions for more information.

55. Regarding 4.B.iii - Should only one unique individual be assigned to each job description?

Q55 Response: See response to Question #5 above.

56. Regarding the request in Item 3 E on page 5, “Number the paragraphs of the SF 330 to correspond to the paragraph numbers in this synopsis.” In order to avoid conflicting with the predetermined SF 330 numerical order, could NOAA please specify or provide an example of the numbering system they would like to see in our response?

Q56 Response: This is no longer a requirement. The synopsis has been revised to reflect this change and will be posted with the responses to questions to SAM.gov.

57. On page 6, item F.v.b. requests an Organizational Chart. Does NOAA wish to see the same Organizational chart requested in SF 330 Part I Item D? If not, could NOAA please clarify the differences they would prefer between the two?

Q57 Response: The chart in Section D is the overall structure of the proposed team. The chart in Section F is meant to provide an explanation of the team’s regional project management structure and proposed approach on how the staff team will handle at least four

(4) restoration projects at the same time. The synopsis has been revised to clarify the requirements of these sections and will be posted with the responses to questions to