amendment_1_answers_to_questions.pdf

Amendment 00001

Solicitation No. 140F0118Q0041

Title: Design Build Interpretive Area with Interpretive Panels, Sea Coast Drive Interpretive Area

– Tijuana Slough NWR

Questions to Answers

Question 1 - Perhaps the largest number of questions will focus on your expectations for the design and construction of the site. We can imagine anything from a gently graded location in the sand using rocks as seating and barriers (inexpensive) to a raised deck or a paved area with some kind of fencing or constructed boundary devices (increasingly costly). Given that your evaluative criterion is “Lowest Priced, Technically Acceptable”, it seems as though bidders could get themselves in trouble by proposing something beyond your intended budget.

Answer: We would not prefer the site to be placed on sand due to instability issues as well as salt water intrusion. The substrate needs to be above the highest tides and potential inundation elevations during future El Nino events or storm surges during the expected life of the project. We would not want fencing. I am not clear what is meant by boundary devices in the question. It is up to the each bidder to determine what work they would propose to do for a given price.

Question 2 - Are there limitations and requirements associated with the status of the land as protected beach front terrain in a Wildlife Refuge that bidders should know about? Will special permits be required?

Answer: Yes, a Refuge Special Use Permit would be issued to the contractor and would describe site specific conditions under which work would be performed. We write these permits in house and there is no charge. Depending on the specific work required; seasonal limitations may apply to avoid disturbance to endangered or sensitive species. Generally the nesting season runs between Feb 15 and Sept 30 of any given year. All in field construction work and installations would be required to be in compliance with any pertinent environmental regulations such as runoff controls, noise impacts, endangered species habitat functionality impacts, etc. The Refuge would be the lead on any required NEPA or ESA or other pertinent regulatory compliance.

Question 3 - Do you have maps of the proposed project area that can be included in the solicitation?

Answer: I will provide a map and pictures as needed once I understand which location we may choose. I presume that a marked up Google Earth image and accompanying photos would be sufficient.

Question 4 - You mention that design shall incorporate re-purposed material partly collected from the Tijuana River Valley – a great idea that could go in a variety of directions. Can you give an example of what you are thinking of?

Answer: Yes, there are several installations in the area that were built using trash cores;

bottles filled with plastic collected from the watershed that were repurposed as structural materials, then covered in poured concrete to make benches, mosaics made from pieces of trash, etc. This company’s work is one of the inspirations for us wanting to incorporate repurposed materials if feasible. This information is at <http://www.4wallsintl.org/>. Other materials could include locally collected cobble, bits of glass, etc.

Question 5 - Will all meetings with Refuge staff need to take place in person or can some of them happen through telephone/video conferencing?

Answer: Video conferencing is fine but our work internet connection speed is generally SLOOOOW. We see no reason to burn oil on travel if it is not necessary but we do prefer to meet in person and on site prior to going into the design phase because of the unique challenges and opportunities this place presents.

Question 6 - Will you expect or prefer that a bidder bring in an environmental scientist, marine biologist or other specialist to consult on the interpretive text or will your staff have sufficient resources to use in guiding an experienced exhibit writer?

Answer: We are ready and able to consult on the biology, cultural resources and other sciences. We have many technical experts on staff here, so an independent specialist in the environmental field is probably not necessary. We would expect the bidder to have technical interpretive writing expertise. However it is good to have someone who understands the language(s) of conservation so we avoid wasting time on going back and forth on specifics. We can provide some background reference materials. We will be sticklers for correct details though and are happy to ensure elements and features of design correctly reflect this locality and the species or cultural references that may be correctly associated with it.

Question 7 - You specify a staged process and timeline that extends out for 15 months or more.

30% Interpretive Plan at 7 months, 60% plan 3 months later, and so on. Can this timeline be compressed if the work is acceptable, or are there some structural factors dictating the timeline?

From a contractor’s point of view, it is reassuring to have sufficient time to complete a project properly, but the timeline here seems very attenuated.

Answer: I don't have a strong opinion on timelines as we are used to things (major wetland restoration projects for instance) taking many years, so we defer to your shop on this. My only comment is the one I made above regarding nesting season construction activity potential seasonal constraints. That and permitting outside of the refuge SUP that may become necessary, (probably minimal and we handle in house but sometimes takes time. I'm confident that we would not face significant delays on this front).

http://www.4wallsintl.org/

Question 8 - Regarding the “Additive Bid Items”, I imagine the final solicitation will include more info about what is being requested here. It will be helpful to have more information about the scope of the upgrades/rehab that might be required for the existing deck if an add-on is proposed.

Answer: See my previous comment regarding the existing deck. It has become considerably degraded in recent time and is not a good candidate for amending given its probable short expected functional life.

Question 9 - When is the projected award notification date and release date of the money?

Answer: An estimate for award date and release of monies is approximately two weeks from receipt of proposals, putting the current estimated award date around May 11, 2018.

Question 10 - Is funding applicable to community engagement activities that involve a diverse array of stakeholders (this can maximize community ownership of the space)

Answer: I am not clear on the parameters of this question. Does this refer to funding being used for community engagement activities such as public meetings? If so, I think the answer is no. We respect and encourage community engagement in many of our outreach and public informational activities, but the elements of the final design will not be subject to a community decision as we need to keep in mind the project must be compatible with purpose and mission of the refuge and the National Wildlife Refuge System.

If by community engagement, a volunteer cohort is envisioned to help build the space, any members of the group who do work on the refuge would necessarily be subject to USFWS volunteer policies and required to be signed up as official volunteers prior to taking part on any work on refuge. We are open to this sort of community engagement if the proposal seems compelling. I am unclear on what sorts of activities are implied. We wish to maximize the value of our funding and focus it towards the actual infrastructure that will be built on site.

We are open to the potential use of volunteers to assist with the work. I request clarification as to specifics of what is meant by community engagement in this context.

Question 11 - Outside of a DUNS number, are there any other requirements such as a contractor's license?

Answer: Besides needing a DUNS number, contractors are also required to be loaded in “The System for Management (SAM)” web site at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ prior to award. Refer to “Offeror Checklist” for further details.

Question 12 - Is it possible to build a raised platform for viewing at the space?

Answer:

We would prefer that any platforms be inaccessible underneath to avoid making cover for potential predators of the nearby endangered species. Think squirrels, cats, rats, opossums.

https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/

We also prefer to be able to retain visual access to the marsh from the street level.

We feel that raising the viewing elevation significantly is not necessary but remain open to suggestions. If leveling and grading is proposed, I think that’s a separate question, and we would be open to that depending on the design needs.

Any raised platform should be ADA accessible so this is a significant limitation since the site is so small.

Question 13 - Does there need to be a certified contractor on the team?

Answer: No.

Question 14 - Is the bidder responsible for demolition of the site?

Answer: Yes

Question 15 - Can community engagement be included as part of the design/build process?

Answer: I am not clear on the parameters of this question. Does this refer to funding being used for community engagement activities such as public meetings? If so, I think the answer is no. We respect and encourage community engagement in many of our outreach and public informational activities, but the elements of the final design will not be subject to a community decision as we need to keep in mind the project must be compatible with purpose and mission of the refuge and the National Wildlife Refuge System.

If by community engagement, a volunteer cohort is envisioned to help build the space, any members of the group who do work on the refuge would necessarily be subject to USFWS volunteer policies and required to be signed up as official volunteers prior to taking part on any work on refuge. We are open to this sort of community engagement if the proposal seems compelling. I am unclear on what sorts of activities are implied. We wish to maximize the value of our funding and focus it towards the actual infrastructure that will be built on site.

We are open to the potential use of volunteers to assist with the work. I request clarification as to specifics of what is meant by community engagement in this context.

Question 16 - To confirm: there will be no landscaping as part of this project.

Answer: If this question refers to the installation of plants and the need for irrigation, to confirm; there will be no plant installations or need for irrigation at the site.

Question 17 - Can we get the spot elevations of the gathering area pad and the adjacent public sidewalk?

Answer: Yes, we can get accurate elevations.

Question 18 - What type of insurance is required by the bidder?

Answer: No insurance requirement.

Question 19 - For Past experience: If there is a team proposal of designers, artists and signage manufacturer, does the team lead (offeror) need to have had a contract greater then $25,000 or can a member of the team fulfill this requirement? Does this $25,000 refer to contract amount for services or construction budget (materials)?

Answer: A team member of the prime contractor can fulfill this past performance requirement. The $25,000 figure refers to the final contract value for services and/or construction budget.

Question 20 - Will weight be giving to DBE, WBE, or SLBE companies?

Answer: No. This particular requirement is strictly a small business set-aside.