Stage 1 QA.pdf

2024 SPC AE Design Services IDIQ Q&A

Please see below questions (submitted through July 19, 2024) and responses (in red) in reference to the solicitation 19AQMM24R0034, Worldwide AE Design IDIQ posted on

SAM.gov.

1. If the Government’s intent is to obtain the most qualified firms for this IDIQ contract, the restrictions imposed by limiting OBO work in Section 3. A/E Firm Past Experience on Design to two projects are prohibitive to firms with extensive OBO experience. Would the Government consider accepting more than two OBO projects in that section?

a. No.

2. If the Government’s intent is for firms to show diversity of work outside of OBO for this IDIQ contract, the exclusion of projects within the continental United States in Section 3. A/E Firm Past Experience on Design will omit highly relevant domestic work from the submission. Will the Government consider accepting projects within the continental United States for that section that otherwise meet all stipulated criteria, and allow the offeror to explain the relevance?

a. Yes.

3. If we wish to include relevant projects with contract terms that prohibit the association of the client with the project, disclosure of the project location, and/or the client contact, may we selectively withhold that information without adversely affecting the consideration of the project? Verification of the information could be handled on a case-by-case basis through classified channels.

a. The offeror may elect to omit information regarding project location and/or client at their discretion as long as the offeror is able to clearly demonstrate relevance to the requirements of this solicitation

4. If a relevant project for Section 3. A/E Firm Past Experience on Design is sensitive or classified, can the floor plans and sections be posted to Projnet C as a classified supplement or omitted?

a. No, phase 1 proposals should be limited to SBU submittals.

5. Will the Government confirm that we are to show a maximum of three projects within

Section 5. Lead Designer Portfolio, regardless of how many Lead Designers are provided in Section 4. Lead Designer(s) Profile(s)?

a. No, you can show multiple projects/multiple designers (3 per) for each project.

6. Will the Government clarify how you define a de facto joint venture? The FAR does not define this term.

a. Defacto joint ventures would not be qualified to participate in the SPC IDIQ A/E solicitation, as our security requirements that the JV itself must have the clearance.

7. Will the Government confirm whether the cover letter and Standard Form 330 Part II are included in the page count?

a. No, they will not be included in the page count.

8. Can you please clarify if the proposal covers, tabs and cover letter count against the 60-page limit?

a. No, they will not count.

9. Can you please clarify if there is a minimum font size to be used on the proposal?

a. Minimum font size of 10 overall, 8 for bullet points.

10. We would like to include a new U.S. Consulate General (for OBO) as one of our five projects under A/E Firm Past Experience on Design. Our Title II contract was completed in 2023, and more than 20 buildings on campus are substantially complete with furniture in place. There is limited work remaining on the exterior; however, this work experienced a delay due to geopolitical conflict in the region and an OBO modification of the contract to add the conversion of several temporary buildings into permanent facilities. Given this timeline, can OBO confirm this substantially complete project satisfies the requirement of a fully constructed project?

a. The offeror may include the reference project at thru risk if they believe that it meets the major requirements of the solicitation. Design and construction of the office building and related problem solving is the primary focus of this solicitation

11. A/E Firm Past Experience on Design requests “projects of a highly sensitive nature or those with restricted features.” Given the highly sensitive nature of these spaces, some relevant projects do not have floor plans, site plans, buildings plans, and/or photographs that can be shared. Can OBO remove the requirement in 3.1.g. that these items must be included for each project?

a. No, this requirement will not be removed or waived

12. Is there a page size requirement?

a. Submissions should be formatted for 8-01/2 x 11 out size, or at an equivalent aspect ratio

13. Is there a minimum font size?

a. Minimum font size of 10 overall, 8 for bullet points.

14. Is the maximum of 4-page limit for 4.1.d specifically or does it apply to 4.1.b - 4.1.d?

a. 4.1d

15. In the Stage 1 Submission Requirements and Evaluation Criteria, the RFP page 5 Section (4) Lead Designer(s) Portfolio and approach states “Identify and describe areas of responsibility and commitment to each project from section (3) and describe the overall approach to design team composition and leadership”.

May we please clarify if the:

- Lead Designer(s) Portfolio and approach should Identify and describe areas of responsibility and commitment to each project from section (3) (Firm Past Experience); OR

- Lead Designer(s) Portfolio and approach should Identify and describe areas of responsibility and commitment to each project from section (5) (Lead Designer Portfolio)

a. Section 5

16. In the Stage 1 Submission Requirements and Evaluation Criteria, Section (5) Lead Designer(s) Portfolio, the RFP page 5 states “Portfolio must comprise no more than three (3) projects designed in the last ten (10) years”. May we please clarify if “three (3) projects” applies to each Lead Designer or if the limitation is “three (3) total projects for the entire Section (5)?

a. Three projects for each of multiple lead designers can be included

17. Paragraph (3) indicates that projects should include highly sensitive nature projects or those projects with restricted security features (e.g., Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) outside of the continental United States. Many projects of this nature have very restrictive requirements in terms of release of information, even to other US agencies, including floor plans and photographs. Would OBO consider allowing projects without photographs or floor plans, especially if renderings could be provided. If so, would these projects be scored lower due to lack of floor plans and photographs.

a. Phase 1 proposals should be limited to SBU submittals.

18. Paragraph (4).b requires the Lead Designers to showcase experience to projects in section 3.

The portfolio requirements outlined paragraph (3) include projects designed and constructed within the last 15 years. Given that timeframe, current Lead Designers may have played a different role on paragraph (3) projects. Additionally, Lead Designers may have significant relevant experience from previous employers, but not with the projects highlighted in paragraph

(3). How will scoring be affected should one or more of our lead designers lack not have experience with paragraph (3) projects?

a. OBO will not be providing a scoring rubric at this time. Please only include the experience that best fits the criteria for referenced projects in section 3.

19. Paragraph (5) includes a requirement for the portfolio of no more than 3 projects. Is that 3 total projects or 3 projects per lead designer?

a. Three per lead designer

20. Paragraph (5).d has a requirement for certificates and awards. Given the restricted security features of some of these projects, many clients do not allow them to be submitted for awards.

a. How will the scoring be affected if the projects didn't receive certificates or awards?

b. I think that the firm portfolio should include the sensitive projects while the lead designer portfolio should include award winning work

21. Paragraph (3) indicates that projects should include highly sensitive nature projects or those projects with restricted security features (e.g., Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) outside of the continental United States. Many such projects have very restrictive requirements in terms of release of information, even to other US agencies. Would OBO consider extending the due date of the stage 1 proposal by 4 weeks following response to questions to provide adequate time for firms to gain approval for release of sensitive information for these unique projects.

Stage 1 proposals should be limited to SBU.

22. Please confirm that cover pages and section divider pages are not included in the 60-page limit for stage 1 submissions.

a. They are not included in the page limit.

23. Could OBO please provide a specific breakdown of the scoring structure for each subsection?

a. (I don’t think we should: Lenny and Charlie: Do you have an opinion?

24. Who are the current contract holders? Who is the small business awardee of the current IDIQ?

a. Page Southerland Page LLP, BEYER BLINDER BELLE, ARCHITECTS AND PLANNERS, LLP, Richard & Bauer Architecture, HELLMUTH, OBATA & KASSABAUM, P.C., Morphosis

Architect

b. A small business did not qualify for award on the current IDIQ.

25. Are any of the following included in the total page count: cover, table of contents, divider tabs for bookmarks?

a. No, they are not included in the page count.

26. The RFP states that “if a selected offeror does not possess a Final Top Secret FCL, the

Department of State will not sponsor the uncleared firm for an FCL”; however, 32 CFR Part

117.9(a)(10) states that the GCA can sponsor a contractor if FCL is required to immediately start work upon contract award. Can you clarify whether DoS will assist in sponsorship from Secret to

TS FCL, and if not, what the preferred approach is?

a. DOS will not assist in any clearance sponsorships for this award. The vendor must possess a TS FCL at the time of stage 1 submission.

27. We have been talking with one of our Worldwide Design IDIQ Architects regarding pursuing this opportunity together. Hankins & Anderson (dba Mason & Hanger) holds a Top Secret with TS Safegarding FCL, however the Architecture firm only holds a Secret FCL. If the architecture firm were to prime this pursuit, their understanding is they would be disqualified due to no holding a Final TS FCL. We wanted to confirm if that is the case or if sponsorship through this IDIQ would be a potential. We read it as not a potential, but would like to confirm. Also, if our firms were to form a JV, the same would apply that the architecture firm would have to hold the TS FCL prior to submitting for Stage 1.

a. DOS will not be sponsoring any clearances. Yes, the JV would have to hold a TS FCL at the time of stage 1 submission. -

28. Can the cover letter requirement be extended from one page to two?

a. No