RESPONSE TO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- 33330226RF0010004
- Issued by
-
Smithsonian Institution
About this file
This is a Questions and Answers document responding to bidder inquiries regarding RFP 33330226RF0010004 for the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Latino (NMAL).
Question 1 – Subconsultant Cost Proposal Formatting: Bidders may provide subconsultant fees as a line-item breakout within the cost proposal rather than breaking out individual estimated hours for all subconsultant staff in addition to the exhibition design team's staff. The cost proposal for the Base Bid (Familiarization and 10% Concept Design Services) must include: estimated hours by staff member, loaded hourly rates for each staff member, travel cost breakouts, and all other indirect and direct costs.
Question 2 – Cost Estimation Prohibition for Prime and Subcontractors: The Smithsonian clarified that the prohibition on bidding for future work based on cost estimation involvement applies equally to both prime contractors and subcontractors. Any entity involved in developing cost estimates for exhibit elements cannot subsequently bid on the production, fabrication, or implementation of those exhibit elements, as the Smithsonian maintains competitive equity among potential future bidders.
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Text version
May 1, 2026
RFP 33330226RF0010004 to develop the initial concept plan and design for the inaugural exhibitions at Smithsonian Institution (the “Smithsonian” or “SI”) National Museum of the
American Latino (“NMAL”) provides responses to additional bidder questions
QUESTION 1
Business Proposal (Cost)
We noted that: The Business Proposal shall include a detailed price proposal for the phases as detailed in Section B.4 for the effort described in Section C and elsewhere in this solicitation. 1)
In providing the cost proposal for the Base Bid: Familiarization and 10% Concept Design
Services the offeror must include: (1) estimated hours to be dedicated by each staff member; (2) the loaded hourly rate for each staff member; (3) breakout of travel costs to fulfill scope of work
(4) all other indirect and direct costs.
Can you confirm if bidder’s subconsultant fees can be provided a line-item breakout within the submitted cost proposal, or, if the estimated hours for all subconsultant staff must be broken out in addition to the exhibition design team’s staff?
SMITHSONIAN RESPONSE: Yes, a line item breakout for subconsultants will suffice.
QUESTION 2
We reviewed the answers provided, but unfortunately the response is not clear to us.
"The only prohibition on subcontractors bidding on future work concerns the area of cost estimation. If subcontractors were involved in development of cost estimates, then they cannot bid on the production, fabrication, or implementation of any exhibit element because the
Smithsonian strives to maintain an even playing field. Bidders should develop plans that isolate subcontractor cost estimates from other firms who may be interested in later bidding on production of the exhibits"
To us, this addresses subcontracting, but it does not address the issue of the prime. Could you please clarify?
SMITHSONIAN RESPONSE: The same issue with cost estimation applies to prime contractors.
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