QA_1-27-22_0003.pdf

Questions and Answers 140P20220050, SHEN 312442

1/27/2022

1. Do transitions apply to all areas adjacent to surface treatment i.e.: pull off spots; fire roads; and overlooks?

A: Transitions into adjacent pull outs and roads will only need be done when the profile of road will be raised (ie, overlay). Transitions will not be necessary when a Mill and overlay match the existing roadway profile. Chip Sealing of mainline should cover any joint within 1 foot of edge of extended travel lane through overlook entrance, fire road, or pull off. If joint is greater than 1 foot from edge of extended travel land, chip seal shall follow edge of extended travel lane.

2. Will one application of the final asphalt and aggregate course suffice for the five foot transitions?

A: Yes, as long as the transition meets the smoothness of 1/4" in 10'. Transitions may need to increase in length in order to meet this criteria.

3. Will a pass of a power broom be adequate to “expose edges” as mentioned in the general notes item #6?

A: Means and methods are not provided by the government, but the requirement to expose edges is required.

4. Is this Double chip seal the same as Modified Single Seal where the #4 stone would be comparable to a #9 (VDOT Specification)?

A: See Attachment 01, Page 4 of 45, for link to design standards accepted for this contract. Select Civil (Site) & Environmental Engineering Standards, under Building Codes & Industry Standards, DOT (Department of Transportation) are allowable under design standards. 30% plans have been provided, contractors may present alternate design solutions that meet DSC design build standards.

5. Will we be required to utilize their Maintenance of traffic plan, or would we be able to utilize something from the Virginia Work Area Protection Manual?

A: See Attachment 04, Overlook Drawings, Sheet C2A, Note 1 and 2. This is a suggested Maintenance of Traffic Plan and the contractor may submit an alternative Maintenance of Traffic Plan following award for approval by the Contracting Officer.

6. Does the aggregate need to be “non polishing”?

A: In Attachment 03 Skyline Specifications, see 32 01 13 Part 2, Section 2.1.C., aggregates.

7. Are all employees working on this contract required to be vaccinated and/or boosted? If so, does it include all employees working on this project i.e.: office personnel and field personnel?

A: To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Safer Federal Workforce Task Force guidance on other Federal agency safety protocols based on vaccination status—including guidance on protocols related to masking, distancing, travel, testing, and quarantine—remains in effect.

Contractors are required to comply with the requirements of Special Clause 4 “Working in a Federal building or Federally controlled indoor workspaces” of the solicitation.

8. The specs call for a single gradation “D” asphalt surface treatment with aggregate or precoated aggregate. The plans call for “double chip seal”? Are you looking for a double or a single treatment?

A: See Attachment 01, Page 4 of 45, for link to design standards accepted for this contract. Select Civil (Site) & Environmental Engineering Standards, under Building Codes & Industry Standards, DOT (Department of Transportation) are allowable under design standards. 30% plans have been provided, contractors may present alternate design solutions that meet DSC design build standards.

Virginia Department of Transpiration (VDOT) Double Chip seal is an acceptable treatment.

9. We are not familiar with “precoated aggregates”. Please explain if this is an option.

A: See Attachment 01, Page 4 of 45, for link to design standards accepted for this contract. Select Civil (Site) & Environmental Engineering Standards, under Building Codes & Industry Standards, DOT (Department of Transportation) are allowable under design standards. 30% plans have been provided, contractors may present alternate design solutions that meet DSC design build standards.

10. If double chip seal is used, what “designation” thickness are you looking for? ½”, 5/8”, or ¾”?

A: If a design alternative that differs from the 30% plans is proposed, the designer of record will be responsible for making design recommendations.

11. Aggregate color shall be approved by the CO for color. Are you looking for a specific color or use the aggregates close to the area of work?

A: The intent of the specification is that the aggregates are similar in color to previous paving and chipseal projects in the park.

12. Will all patches need to be “fog sealed” prior to the application of chip seal?

A: Yes. See Attachment 03 Skyline Specifications, 32 01 13, Section 3.4 Surface Preparation.

13. Could NPS please extend the due date (2/3/22) an additional 8 business days? The scope of the Design Phase is very large and there were several federal holidays in the advertised period.

A: No.

14. NPS is expecting on February 3; a Design/Construct Proposal and a price offer for both?

A: Proposals for Phase 1 are due 02/03/2022 at 1600 MT. Price submission is not required for the Phase 1 proposal.

15. How will fuel and material price fluctuations be addressed based on current issues in supply chain?

A: Economic Price Adjustment will not be addressed in this contract.

16. Will you provide CAD files for the 30% Design?

A: See Section 01 33 23 of Attachment 05 Overlook Specifications, Paragraph 1.4 Contractor’s use of CAD files. After award, copies of CAD files may be provided to the contractor by written request.

17. SF 1442 (Solicitation, Offer and Award) in Box 13- Paragraph a, b, and c. says a financial offer and Bid Bond are due on February 3, 2022. We were told in the online Team meeting that prices are not due until Project Phase 2 submission. Please explain the apparent conflict.

A: Price proposal is not required or requested for Phase 1. Price proposal is a Phase 2 requirement only.

18. SF 1442, Paragraph 13.d requires all contract offers to be fixed for 90 days. Prices on hot asphalt vary daily. Estimated “Notice to Proceed” is in May 2022. There are several items that will need assigned indexes to adjust the prices before construction starts.

A: Economic Price Adjustment will not be addressed in this contract.

19. B08-Amendment 09- “Proposal Submission Package”- These documents are the only document due to NPS on February 3, 2022?

A: The complete Phase 1 proposal is due by 02/03/2022 at 1600 MT, in accordance with Section L of the RFP.

20. Project Completion September 30, 2023. Do not know if you added snows/ice days to the project schedule. We estimated that project is short about 120 days due to unsafe road conditions. Can you add some freeze days?

A: The completion date is an anticipated completion date. The actual completion date will be dependent on the schedule submitted by the contractor with their phase II technical proposal. This Phase II schedule will then create the basis of the Period of Performance at award and reflected in the Notice to Proceed.

I.e., the September 30, 2023 is estimated and contractors will submit their own schedule during Phase II which will be memorialized in the contract award.

21. Which part of the SF 330 for A/E Civil Engineer qualifications, should be completed? Part I, Part II, or both? What level of detail is needed?

A: The contractor shall complete the SF 330 in its entirety including Part I, and Part II.

22. Can you please confirm that the contractor shall ensure a minimum 20% of the total contract value is performed by Small Business, as opposed to the $62.5% sum as indicated on the Small Business Subcontracting Plan form?

A: While similar, the two are separate and different. Special Clause 3 in Section H of the RFP requires that 20% of Total Contract Value go to small businesses. This is a contract requirement.

Additionally, a Subcontracting Plan is required for any large business if they do get the award.

This plan sets goals for the project that will include goals as identified in in Section L of the RFP.

Obviously, if a goal is 63% of subcontracted dollars, which is different than Total Contract Value.

Both are requirements of the contract.

23. In the bid documents identified on sam.gov, in the attachments section, “Sol_140P2022R0050” is included. This references bid schedule items related to 8KW PV System Serving Visitor Center: Please confirm this attachment is not included in the bid documents and an addendum will be posted eliminating this document?

A: We confirm that SOL_140P2022R0050 is an error document and should not be submitted. We will not do an amendment, as that information and page is completely irrelevant and not part of this solicitation. Additionally, all documents on SAM.gov that start with SOL_ are not correct.

The correct files all begin with 140P2022R0050. The SOL ones are “autocreated” in the system and are not intended.

24. On sam.gov, provided attachment B08_Attachment_09_Proposal Submission_Package, there is a form titled “Subcontractor Reference”. In accordance with RFP, Section L, “Instructions for the submission of offers and other information – competitive source selection”, paragraph D. Submission Requirements, there is no reference that this form is required to be submitted with the Phase 1 submission package. Additionally, as noted in the evaluation process for the Two-Phase Design-Build process, there is nothing referenced that this form is required to be completed/evaluated either. We understand that this may be required in Phase 2 along with the other requirements associated with subcontractor documentation for either Phase 2, Volume I Technical Proposal and/or Phase 2, Volume II, Price Proposal. Please confirm the Subcontractor Reference form is not required to be included in Phase 1, Technical Proposal?

A: Please see Phase I, Factor 4, Past Performance. Offerors may elect to submit past performance information of subcontractors whom are performing key trades, therefore the form may be needed during Phase I.

25. In accordance with the RFP, Section L, “Instructions for the submission of offers and other information – competitive source selection”, paragraph D. Submission Requirements, subparagraph 5.a.i.4, it states “Past Performance Questionnaires/CPARS”. Please verify if a PPQ or CPAR is required in addition to the Past Performance Questionnaires forms? If the Past Performance Questionnaires forms are only included in the submission package, is that acceptable?

A:

26. In accordance with the RFP, Section L, “Instructions for the submission of offers and other information – competitive source selection”, paragraph E. Phase 1, Technical Proposal, subparagraph 3, Subfactor 1A – Technical Competence and Factor 4 – Past Performance, both reference that the same projects are to submitted for these factors. Please advise if any of the projects can be submitted from the civil design engineer’s firm for Section Factor 1 and 4? Do all relevant projects, to comply with Subfactor 1A and Factor 4, require the Offerors to have participated in that project?

A: The SF330 past performance should document the Designer’s past performance, while the PSP Forms should be used to document prime and subcontractor past performance and technical competence. The offeror does not necessarily need to have worked on the SF330 submitted project nor the subcontract project experience.

27. Please confirm that The contractor shall ensure a minimum 20% of the total contract value is performed by Small Business, as opposed to the $62.5% sum as indicated on the Small Business Subcontracting Plan form.

A: There are two small business requirements. Special clause 3 does require 20% total contract value be performed by small business and is a requirement. The subcontracting plan is different, separate, based upon anticipated subcontracting amounts/dollars (i.e, not based upon Total Contract Value), and is comprised of goals that are approved which the contractor must try to meet.

28. Please confirm if Section H – Special Contract Requirements section of the RFP is required to be submitted with Phase I, Technical Proposal?

A: Section H contains clauses to be used during the contract and does not contain RFP submittals.

There is a small business factor in Phase II that will be evaluated under this contract.

29. As reference in Section H – Special Contract Requirements, Special Claus 3: Small Business Participation of the RFP, states a minimum of 20% Small Business is required. Under the Small Business Subcontracting Plan, identified in B08_Attachment_09_Proposal_Submission_Package, additional goals are identified for the following:

a. Small business concerns: 43.25%

b. Veteran Owned Business Concerns: 3.0%

c. Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Concerns: 3.0%

d. HUBZone Small Business Concerns: 3.0%

e. Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns: 5.0%

f. Small Women-Owned Business Concerns: 5.0%

Please confirm these are only goals and not requirements? Please confirm only the 20% Small Business is required for the project?

A: Both are requirements.

A small business subcontracting plan is required in accordance with FAR 52.219-9 and FAR 52.219-16, contained in the solicitation. Note that subcontracting plans are based upon amount of anticipated subcontracting, not total contract value, therefore they’re calculated differently.

There is also an additional requirement to perform 20% of the total contract value through small businesses, as identified in Section H, Special Clause 3.

30. Please confirm NPS will accept/approve Small business designated contractor certifications participation for this project if they are certified in the state of Virginia, ie. DBE and SWaM certifications?

A: Small businesses must meet their perspective SBA designations (Small business, small disadvantaged business, women owned small business, etc) and have documentation on file with the SBA supporting that designation. It is recommended that businesses be registered on www.sam.gov including their small business assertations prior to proposing.

31. Please confirm if the asphalt lab testing and field testing can be completed by the prime contractor, including the on-site quality control specialists for asphalt only?

A: This contract uses contractor quality control, and the prime contractor is responsible for all quality control including all testing. The prime is also responsible for the On-Site Quality Control Specialist and quality control plan. The contractor will provide split samples to the Government for independent verification.