24-00350-ARIB_Addendum-1.pdf

February 20, 2025

Dear Proposers:

Enclosed is Addendum No. 1 to SEPTA's Request for Proposal No. 24-00350-ARIB, General Engineering Services Construction Management and Inspection (GEC CM)

The proposal due date and time scheduled for Tuesday, March 4, 2025 by 1:00 PM remains unchanged. All proposals must be delivered to my attention by the closing date and time to be considered for award. The proposal must be sent to SEPTA’s General Office, 1234 Market Street, 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107.

Any inquiries regarding this proposal must be directed to Racquel Burden of the Procurement and Supply Chain Management Department at (215) 580-8316 or rburden@septa.org.

Thank you for your interest in the Authority.

Sincerely, Racquel Burden

Racquel Burden Senior Contract Administrator Procurement & Supply Chain Management Dept.

RDB

Enclosures mailto:rburden@septa.org

Addendum No. 1

Dated: February 20, 2025

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 24-00350-ARIB, GENERAL ENGINEERING SERVICES (GEC -2024)

ADDENDUM NO. 1

To All Proposers:

The following constitutes Addendum No.5 to SEPTA's Request for Proposal No. 24-00230-ARIB, General Engineering Services (GEC – 2024) Addendum No. 1 must be acknowledged by inserting the date of the Addendum on the Addenda Bid Form. Failure to do so may render a proposal as non-responsive.

A. General

Questions and Answers are attached.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 24-00350-ARIB, GENERAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONSTRUCTION

MANAGEMENT & INSPECTION

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. On page 3 of the RFP (I General Information – D) it states the page limit to 25 pages for the scope understanding and project approach narrative. Can you confirm this is the page limit for the Technical Proposal? Do the cover, cover letter, tabs, and General Architect-Engineering Sections (SF 330) of the proposal count in the 25 pages? The cover, cover letter, tabs, and General Architect-Engineering Sections (SF330) do not count towards the 25-page limit.

2. On page 3 of the RFP (I. General Information – D) it states that the required font is CG Times 11 cpi. Are we able to use different font/sizes for the graphics/tables and the General Architect – Engineering Section (SF330) as long as it’s legible? Yes, that is acceptable.

3. Is it permissible to use an 11x17 for the Organizational Chart? Yes, it is permissible to use a fold out 11” x 17” sheet size for the organizational chart.

4. Is a Contract Pricing Proposal (Cost Plus Fixed Fee Contracts) (See RFP Appendix 3) required to be submitted? Yes – it is to be submitted as a separate document from the technical proposal. Refer to instructions IV.A for submission requirements.

5. Please confirm that a firm can submit as a prime for this opportunity and also be submitted as a sub on another prime's team. In short, can a firm both prime and sub this opportunity?

Yes this is acceptable

6. Please confirm that Form 60's for the prime and subconsultants are not required for the cost proposal submittal and will only be needed when submitting on individual task orders.

A wage rate table detailing min and max rates for the three years of the contract with escalation is sufficient.

7. The Letter to Proposers requests both marked original copies of the technical and cost proposals as well as a copy for each. Section 1.IVA of the RFP only requests one original copy for each technical and cost proposal. Please confirm the total number of copies that SEPTA is requesting of the Technical and Cost proposals. One original copy for the technical proposal and one original copy of the cost proposal.

8. Can the org chart be on 11X17? Yes, it is permissible to use a fold out 11” x 17” sheet size for the organizational chart.

9. It is requested the language modi�ication of Scope of Work, Sec. 7.08, Paragraph B, sub-paragraph 2 from

“Provides the highest level of Quality Control in developing and administrating the contract documents and work performed.” To

“Provides the reasonable level of Quality Control in developing and administrating the contract documents and work performed.” Not accepted.

10. Regarding backup for overhead rates, please verify that the statement in the RFP, Article II/B/2, is correct, “Proposer shall include a detailed breakdown of its current or most recently audited overhead rate(s); if these differ from the rates proposed in the Contract Pricing Proposals, then justification for such variation must be included in the Cost Proposal.” Also, please verify that this is meant for the Prime Consultant.

Additionally, please verify our understanding of the requirement of the overhead rate justification required of subconsultants under this contract. As stated in the Consultant Agreement included in the RFP, and as has been accepted by SEPTA on other contracts, “… Consultant agrees to include within its subcontracts or other agreements a provision requiring the subcontractor/subconsultant to have an audited overhead rate (either by a cognizant agency or an independent certified public accountant) for the period the costs were incurred and to maintain all books, data, information and records in a form that will support the invoice billed to Consultant.”

Also, in the past, in lieu of an audited OH rate, SEPTA has accepted a Safe Harbor overhead rate certified by PennDOT or any other transportation agency. Please verify that our understanding of this requirement is correct.

See Section 10 Audit and Inspection of Books and Records. Also: If a current overhead rate is not available, see below:

Safe Harbor Certificate should be obtained from PennDOT

Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Published Document: 2019-13241 (84 FR 29277) Safe Harbor Rates This guidance is effective June 21, 2019.

The FHWA agrees with the suggestion that each State DOT implement its own Safe Harbor indirect cost rate and that the rate apply to agreements within the respective State DOT only. The Safe Harbor indirect cost rate is applicable to individual specific contracts, and if a Safe Harbor firm does work on multiple contracts in multiple States, the Safe Harbor indirect cost rate for the respective State DOT should take precedent.

Federal Register :: Guidance on Safe Harbor Rate Streamlining for Engineering and Design Services Consultant Contracts

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Specifications for Consultant Agreements for Project Development Services, Publication 442, 2022 Edition https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/06/21/2019-13241/guidance-on-safe-harbor-rate-streamlining-for-engineering-and-design-services-consultant-contracts https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/06/21/2019-13241/guidance-on-safe-harbor-rate-streamlining-for-engineering-and-design-services-consultant-contracts

3.7 Cost Elements for Consultants Agreements

Safe Harbor Office Overhead Rate Consulting firms that provide engineering and design related services may choose to apply an office and/or field safe harbor overhead rate if they lack financial expertise to develop an overhead rate, lack financial resources to develop an indirect cost rate themselves or to hire a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to develop an indirect cost rate for the firm, are a new or start-up firm that does not have contract-related cost history, or are a well-established firm that does not have previous experience with federally funded contracts. Publication 93, Appendix 3G contains the expected Safe Harbor time frame schedule. The maximum office safe harbor overhead rate is 110%. The maximum field safe harbor overhead rate is 95%. To be eligible to use the office or field safe harbor overhead rate, a firm must not have had a FAR compliant overhead rate previously accepted by PennDOT or any other cognizant agency. A Consultant requesting approval for use of an office and/or field safe harbor overhead rate must certify (Publication 93 Appendix 3H) that it will stand by the office and/or field safe harbor overhead rate for the duration of affected agreements and will not expect additional reimbursement for amounts above the requested office and/or field safe harbor overhead rate based on any future audits. Documents listed in the Overhead Submission section of this publication are required according to the Publication 93, Appendix 3G "Compliance Components" schedule. Safe harbor office and/or field overhead rate submissions must be made, reviewed and approved through ECMS and approvals are valid up to eighteen months from the consultant’s fiscal year end.

PUB 442.pdf

11. How many copies of the technical and cost/price proposal are to be submitted?

January 15, 2025 Letter to Proposers states- One (1) original (clearly marked) and one (1) copy of the Technical Proposal, plus one thumb drive in searchable “PDF” format and one (1) original (clearly marked) and one (1) copy of the Price Proposal are to be submitted to SEPTA by 1:00 PM. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

RFP Item IV. General Requirements: A (page 5, PDF page 7) states- SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS: One (1) original copy of the Technical Proposal, plus one (1) thumb drive in searchable “PDF” format and one (1) original copy of the Cost Proposal, plus one (1) thumb drive in searchable “PDF” format, each in separate envelopes (clearly marked) shall be submitted to: . . .

Do we submit one (1) original technical and one (1) original cost/price OR one (1) original technical AND one (1) copy technical and one (1) original cost/price and one (1) copy cost/price? One original technical proposal along with a thumb drive in searchable “pdf” format and One cost proposal along with a thumb drive in searchable "pdf” format.

https://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/pubsforms/Publications/PUB%20442.pdf

February 20, 2025

ADDENDUM NO. 1

ADDENDUM ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SHEET

SEPTA’s RFP No. 24-00350-ARIB, General Engineering Services Construction Management & Inspection

(GEC CM)

The attached addendum to the Contract Documents is hereby part of the same and is incorporated in full as part of the Project. Proposer shall acknowledge Addendum No. 1 by completing and returning the Addendum Acknowledgement Sheet with the Technical Proposal.

FIRM NAME (typed or printed) ______________________________

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE _______________________________

TITLE _________________________________

NAME (typed or printed) ___________________________________

DATE_____________________

Addendum No. 1 includes:

Questions and Answers are attached.