36C25623R0039 RFIs main.docx

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Source Selection Sensitive Information—See FAR 2.101 & 3.104 Project No. 520-18-119 Install Photovoltaic Array 36C25623R0039

Proposal RFI #1 –

Who is the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) over this property for code and permitting purposes?

Per VA Design & Construction Procedures (PG-18-3) Rev Sept. 2013 “Local Codes: As an agency of the federal government, VA is not subject to local imposition of code enforcement procedures (drawing reviews, building permits, inspections, fees, etc.). VA must function as the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) and thus has the responsibility to guard public health and safety through enforcing its adopted codes. However, local authorities should be notified about planned projects and given opportunity to review drawings provided that VA does not pay for review or inspection fees.”

Proposal RFI #2 –

FAR Clause 52.225-9 and 52.225-11 are both listed. Does FAR Clause 52.225-11 govern due to the contract value? Both clauses are listed as the Magnitude of Construction is $5M to $10M. The threshold for the Buy American Act 52.225-9 and 52.225-11 are both within this magnitude.

Proposal RFI #3 -

Per Drawing GS-121AD, the double cantilevered canopies installed above the single row handicap spaces will have foundations that are within the parking spaces. Please advise if this will affect ADA compliance?

If a foundation must be placed in a parking space, that parking space will be eliminated. For the eliminated parking space, the wheel stop shown on the drawings must be removed to prevent trip hazards and that space’s handicap parking signage removed. All striped parking access aisles must remain undisturbed. No foundation can be placed on any striped parking access aisles.

Proposal RFI #4 -

Please provide paint color codes of the existing metal roof and existing building trim that is to match the canopy.

FLASHING AND SHEET METAL

STANDING SEAM ROOFING

ROOF SPECIALITIES AND ACCESSORIES

Proposal RFI #5 -

Is the contractor responsible for protection/restoration of existing landscape and asphalt?

Yes

Proposal RFI #6 -

Proposal RFI #7 -

Will hauling/trucking be allowed out of the main entrance of the center or will a separate construction entrance need to be constructed?

Yes

Proposal RFI #8 -

Please provide any geotechnical information available.

See existing geotechnical engineering report no. 0412107300 by Schnabel Engineering North, LLC. dated June 11th, 2004.

Proposal RFI #9 -

Please provide any underground utility information of the parking lot area (south of drawing E-0.03).

See additional PDF volumes of as-built site drawings for all disciplines.

Proposal RFI #10 -

The SOW notes that a proposal shall be submitted for each indicated area. Please clarify whether this means that a separate proposal submission needs to be prepared for each carport array?

Only one proposal shall be submitted to VA. The details of that singular proposal will describe the power production estimates and technical approach for each of the carport arrays shown in the drawings.

Proposal RFI #11 -

Per Section 6.1 of the SOW, it indicates a requirement for a schedule demonstrating complete fulfillment of all contract requirements. Is this required as part of the proposal submission? This is a requirement for offerors that are determined most highly qualified from Phase I and moved to Phase II.

Proposal RFI #12 -

Per Section 1.3 Contractor Requirements of the SOW, it indicates that the contractor shall assist the Medical Center Energy Manager to apply for and obtain the maximum applicable state grants or incentives. Please clarify what stage of the project this falls under.

Applying for incentives would be after award but researching available incentives is on the contractor because the contractor is ultimately responsible for any up-front applications costs.

Proposal RFI #13 -

Please clarify if funds for this project will be available in 2023. It is anticipated that the funds are available for award in FY2023.

Proposal RFI #1 – Will the VA clarify what documents/pages are actually excluded from the 30-page count? Please see Section A.6, 00 11 21, Section C3 for Phase I requirements for Phase I submission. Page Limitations do not include cover or table of contents. Exhibit C in Past Performance will not count against page limitations.

Proposal RFI #2 – It appears that Phase 1 submission does not require the offeror to submit a signed SF 1442, Representations and Certifications, acknowledged amendments and other proforma documents. Can the VA clarify that for us? This is correct. Phase II candidates will return the signed SF1442 and other required documents as indicated in Phase II instruction in Section A.6.

Proposal RFI #3 – Is a copy of the most current VETS 4212 filing required in Phase One? If yes, what section? No, this is a phase II requirement.

Proposal RFI #4 - The RFP states that under Factor Three, Past performance, offerors should separately provide any completed Past Performance Evaluations, if available, for any projects on subsequent sheets. Can the VA clarify if Exhibit A Performance Relevancy Survey should be used in Phase 1, or can we use our own format based on minimum criteria listed in Factor Three Past Performance? Exhibit As are submitted with Phase I Past Performance

Proposal RFI #5 – Is Exhibit B Past and Present Performance Questionnaires required for Phase One? Under Factor three it says, “Separately provide any completed Past Performance Evaluations, if available, for any of the projects on subsequent sheets.” You may request Exhibit Bs to be sent to the Contracting Officer during Phase I and they must be received by Phase I closing date.

Proposal RFI #6 - Is Exhibit C Subcontractor and/or Teaming Partner Consent for the Release of Past Performance Information to the Prime Contractor and Reference Information required in the Phase One submission? If yes, what section? This is for Phase I, Past Performance. Exhibit C should be with Past Performance and will not count against the page limitations.

Proposal RFI #7 - If the offeror is a Joint Venture - will the JV firms need to both complete Exhibit Cs? Exhibit C is for subcontractors. Exhibit C is not required for the Prime if the Joint Venture is the prime.

Proposal RFI #8 – Is Exhibit D, Contractor Evaluation Form – Construction Safety, required to be submitted in the Phase One submission? If yes, what section? Requirement for Phase II per Section A.6 of the Solicitation. Refer to Section D2. F. Phase II Proposal Format. It will be part of Phase II, Volume IV and is not included in the page count.

Proposal RFI #9 – As a JV Offeror, we assume that Exhibit D, Contractor Evaluation Form – Construction Safety, is required for each JV Partner firm. Could the VA clarify this for you? Are the OSHA 300 and 300a Forms and EMR letters excluded from the page count? See response for previous RFI. If there is no documentation for the JV as a single entity, you may provide documents for each JV partner firm.

Proposal RFI #10 - For Exhibit E, Surety form - does the VA require the surety to provide its attorney of fact notary statements/page? For this document we only require the document itself to be completed by the surety for Phase I.

Proposal RFI #11 - Does the VA require copies of the executed JV Agreement included as part of Phase One? This will be included in Phase II, Volume IV

Proposal RFI #12 – Do we need to provide the VA CvE approval letter received from the VA? If yes, what section? This will be included in Phase II, Volume IV. Please note that the SBA now provides verification and we will request verification from the SBA during Phase I using provided SAM UEI to ensure that offeror is a current, verified SDVOSB prior to evaluation.

Proposal RFI #13 – Do we need to include the certification for VAAR Clause 852.219-75 in the Phase One proposal submission? If yes, what section? This will be with Phase II, Volume IV

Proposal RFI #14 – Do we need to include proof of Florida held/active licensing for this proposal? If yes, what section does it need to be included and is it part of the 30-page limitation?

Solar installation contractors working in Florida are required to have a certification through FLASEIA - the Florida Solar Energy Industries Association. However, individuals working for the contractor are not required to have a license. Licensure can be included with Phase I, Factor 2, Technical Qualifications (if submitting)

Proposal RFI #15 – Under Factor 3, Past Performance it states that each project should be limited to one page. However, Exhibit A Performance Relevancy Form is setup as 2 pages with Times New Roman 11 font which contradicts the RFP which states we need to use Arial 12 font. Need the VA to clarify this. For Phase I past performance, you may submit a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 5 projects. Maximum total of 10 pages (2 pages per project) based on relevancy document page length.

Proposal RFI #16 – Part 2 of Exhibit A is only required per the RFP to be completed one time. How many pages is this limited to? This will be provided at the end of your Exhibit A package on or before the 11th page.

Proposal RFI #17 – Are Exhibit Bs Past and Present Performance Questionnaires required to be sent directly to the VA Contracting POC versus being included in the Phase One proposal? Yes, they shall be emailed to Beth.Cook@va.gov

Proposal RFI #18 – Can we use completed past performance evaluations from other agency proposals for this submission? The preference is the agency to provide individual questionnaires as indicated in Previous RFI response. If contractor adds to the submission, it will count against the page limitation.

Proposal RFI #19 – AS a JV offeror, we were approved by the SBA in their mentor protégé program. In Nov 2020, the SBA made changes to procedures when reviewing proposals or bids, the government is now required to consider the work done by the joint venture protégé and mentor in the aggregate. No longer does each joint venturer have to demonstrate independent experience. Now, the collective experience, past performance, and capabilities, of both the mentor and the protégé, will be reviewed to determine if the team meets a specific solicitation’s requirements. We request that the VA remove the statement in Factor Three which states “Offerors who fail to submit experience for all Joint Venture partners may be rated lower.” This comment will not be removed. Procuring Agency can make determination to request. Refer to 13 CFR 125.8(e) Capabilities, past performance and experience. When evaluating the capabilities, past performance, experience, business systems and certifications of an entity submitting an offer for a contract set aside or reserved for small business as a joint venture established pursuant to this section, a procuring activity must consider work done and qualifications held individually by each partner to the joint venture as well as any work done by the joint venture itself previously. A procuring activity may not require the protégé firm to individually meet the same evaluation or responsibility criteria as that required of other offerors generally. The partners to the joint venture in the aggregate must demonstrate the past performance, experience, business systems and certifications necessary to perform the contract.

Proposal RFI #20 – Will the VA clarify for the purposes of the RFP evaluation, if relevant projects must be only “design and/or construction completed in a clinical, hospital or other medical related use space similar in size and scope to this project. Will the VA consider other similar/non-clinical, hospital or medical spaces projects for relevancy if projects are similar in size and scope? Projects should be recent/relevant to design/construction completed in a clinical, hospital, or other medical related use space.

Proposal RFI #21 – Page 11 of the Solicitation lists a link to access as-built drawings for the facility as https://www.cfm.va.gov/. However, it is not clear where in this link we can access the as built drawings specific to this facility. We are specifically interested in the site / civil drawings. Please provide more information as to where these drawings are located and/or provide a direct link to them. This is a design/build project. The CFM link is where you would obtain the current VA design requirements to design the project. Concur. For more as builts of JACC site, see attached Volumes 1, 2, and 3.

Proposal RFI #22 – Please confirm the definition of a relevant project, can it be carport and solar related or is it only projects completed in a clinical hospital or other medical related use space?

Relevant project experience must include design/build of carport solar structures. This includes projects completed for non-clinical sites.

Proposal RFI #23 – Eight two-page resumes, and five Exhibit As make up 26 pages of the 30-page limit as listed in the solicitation. Will the VA remove the 30-page limitation, or revisit what pages will be excluded from the page count? Title and table of contents are not included. Exhibit As are limited to 2 pages for each project (up to 5 Projects) and the 11th page for the Part II of the Exhibit A.

Proposal RFI #24 – Under Factor 1, Technical Approach it is limited to 3 pages per the solicitation. Will the VA allow this section to be increased to 5 or 6 pages? This will than require the 30 pages to be increased to 35 or 36 pages. There is a lot of information being asked for under Design, Construction and Quality Control which is limiting a true response since we are restricted to 3 pages and Arial 12 Font. No, you are limited to 3 pages excluding Title and Table of Contents

Not aware of any mechanical engineer specific requirements. Support omitting this discipline.

It is not a continuation of the design architects/engineers. It is specific to the leaders of the construction subcontractors.