Amendment_A001_Solicitation_47PA0118R0003.pdf

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing items 8 and 15, and returning or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT 1. CONTRACT ID CODE

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUISITION NUMBER 5. PROJECT NUMBER (If applicable)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6) CODE

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 11/2016)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

FACILITY CODE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended. is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS.

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER

NUMBER IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation data, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15C. DATE SIGNED

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

16C. DATE SIGNED

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

PAGE OF PAGES

6. ISSUED BY CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (X)

CODE

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

Previous edition unusable

Questions for Solicitation No. 47PA0118R0003 - Art Conservation Services IDIQ for Paintings

# Section # Offeror's Questions GSA's Answers

L.8.2. Technical Proposal Guidelines, Subsection A.

Experience and Qualifications (p.76)

GSA requests the six most comparable contract awards for Federal, State or Local Government Projects or private section projects. Do we understand correctly these contract awards to go in the proposal should be multi-artifact and, preferably, multi-year contracts to our company?

The contract can be specified in the proposal, but project descriptions should be presented as a stand alone project.

L.8.2. Technical Proposal Guidelines, Subsection A.

Experience and Qualifications, Subsection h.

Assessment and Final Treatment Report for all of the projects submitted in this solicitation (p.77)

We are concerned that inclusion of “(h) Assessment and Final Treatment Report for all of the Projects submitted in this Solicitation” is potentially asking for a very large number of assessment and report pages to be added into our proposal if one or more of the company’s contract awards were, in fact, large multi-artifact projects. Should we limit ourselves to some number of representative Assessment and Final Treatment Reports for each of the six contract awards we are documenting? For example, should we put in 3 (or some other number) sets of individual artifact assessment and treatment documents for each of the six contract awards?

Only one assessment and one conservation treatment report should be provided per contract or project. The reviewers will only review a total of 6 assessments and 6 conservation reports.

L.8.2. Technical Proposal Guidelines, Subsection A.

Experience and Qualifications, Subsection h.

Assessment and Final Treatment Report for all of the projects submitted in this solicitation (p.77)

Regarding the Assessment and Treatment Record documents. Does GSA want us to put in all, some or none of the Treatment Record photographs for our selected artifact? We are afraid a large number of photos will add pages to our proposal and inhibit our ability to email our proposal.

The numbers of photos included is not specified. The number of photos in the proposal should be enough to illustrate the project. Also, see Section L.10 for submission instructions regarding large email attachments.

Section K.

Representations and Certifications

We have completed ORCA. So, is it correct that we only have to include a statement with our “Certification Validity” date as per p. 79 in lieu of RFP actual pages 46-66?

Yes, the "Certification Validity" is acceptable; however, we prefer that you return Section K in the solicitation with your proposal.

Solicitation 47PA0118R0003_A001_amendment 1

Section L.10.

Solicitation Submission Instructions (p.80)

Your RFP says The Technical Narrative including the requested examples of assessments, proposals and treatment records is not to exceed 70 pages. We don't think this is enough pages to respond to what you have requested. We would guess that as currently defined in your RFP, our proposal with narrative responses, resumes, etc. and only modest examples of assessments, proposals and treatment records would be about 200 pages. Could you please raise your allowed number of pages or much more tightly define what you are asking for?

The assessment and conservation reports do not count towards the 70 pages.

6 N/A

Does the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation under solicitation number 47PA0118R0003 contain requirements similar to a current contract? If possible, please provide the current contract number. Or, is this a new requirement for the government? This is a new requirement for the government.

7 B.3 FIXED PRICES

Please confirm for absolute clarity that "special equipment or material costs" (B.3.2), fine art transport expenses (B.3.3), and travel costs (B.3.4) will be negotiated in the pricing of individual task orders as they are issued and do not need to be taken into account with the salary rates, overhead, adminisration and profit (B.3.1) that will make up the Offeror's fixed hourly rates as proposed in Section B.8, B.9, and B.10. Yes.

Solicitation 47PA0118R0003_A001_amendment 2

C.3. TASK OR

DELIVERY PLANS

(pg.22)

Section C.3. states the awarded conservator "shall provide a project plan as outlined below: Staffing Plan… Project Plan… Project Schedule" upon the issuance of task or project order. How much time can the conservator reasonably expect between the issuance of a task order, expected delivery of these materials, and the approval to begin a typical task order project? It's understood from C.5.

PROJECT COMPLETION that "timeframes for each completion will be negotiated for each delivery or task order," but this is understood as addressing only the completion for the conservation Scope of Work in an approved task order. We'd like to clarify the general timeframe allowed for all activity before the Scope of Work actually commences, or to what extent that may vary, to anticipate generally how much time will be available for any necessary on-site examinations, project proposal documentation, logistics coordination, other administrative activities, etc.

The timeframe is negotiated depending on the project requirements, but the typical maximum is 365 days.

L.1.(e). FAR 52.212.1

INSTRUCTIONS TO

OFFERORS -

SECTION (e)

(pg. 69)

Solicitation page 69 states that multiple offers are allowed and encouraged to present alternative terms and conditions. Does this apply to both the Technical and Pricing Proposals? If an Offeror chooses to submit multiple offers, must each be submitted as separate complete bid proposal? Please advise.

Yes, multiple offers does apply to both the Technical and Pricing Proposal, as applicable. Each offer submitted will be evaluated separately.

L.5. INSURANCE

REQUIREMENT

(pg. 73)

It is understood that the awarded contractor is required to furnish proof of Commercial General Liability insurnance coverage in the limits defined on page 73. Is it anticipated that GSA will also likely require proof of Fine Arts Insurance and/or Professional Liabilitiy Errors & Omissions Insurance for individual task orders? It is possible to provide a reasonable ballpark limit that may be expected of a conservator for usual work under this contract, particularly for E&O since Fine Arts will vary based upon the appraised value of the task order artwork?

No, GSA does not require proof of Fine Arts Insurance and/or Professional Liabilitiy Errors & Omissions Insurance for individual task orders, UNLESS, otherwise stated in the solicitation.

Solicitation 47PA0118R0003_A001_amendment 3

L.8.2.A.(1).

TECHNICAL

PROPOSAL

INSTRUCTIONS -

TECHNICAL

PROPOSAL

GUIDELINES -

EXPERIENCE AND

QUALIFICATIONS -

SECTION (1)

(pg. 76)

Is the six (6) project example requirement listed on in the Technical Narrative Instructions section on page 76 a maximum number, or may Offerors provide any additional examples considering the challenge in demonstrating quality experience in only 6 projects that meets the breadth of the GSA Fine Arts Collection and fully demonstrates our ability to treat the wide-ranging C.2 Scope of Services that includes easel paintings, framed paintings, large scale murals, and "paintings of both synthetic and organic paints"

(pg. 16)? The limit is 6 projects.

L. 8. 2. TECHNICAL

PROPOSAL

INSTRUCATIONS -

PRESENT

PROJECTS (pg. 77) and M.4.2

TECHNICAL

EVALUATION -

PRESENT

PROJECTS (pg. 83- 84)

The GSA's request for all present project information, particularly the requirement to "provide staff names and projects, locations, owners, estimated cost, etc."

contradicts the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) Guidelines for Practice and professional conduct. Specifically, Section 7 of the Guidelines states: "The conservation professional should consider relationships with an owner, custodian, or authorized agent as confidential. Information derived from examination, scientific investigation, or treatment of the cultural property should not be published or otherwise made public without written permission." Many of our private, institutional, and government clients have specifically declined or contractually forbade the release of any personal, financial, or other conservation details due to concerns affecting collection security, privacy, future artwork sales, financial data being accessed or released in the future. Would GSA please reconsider this requirement to avoid offerors violating AIC and present-client standards?

Providing owner's name is optional, if it violates client standards.

Solicitation 47PA0118R0003_A001_amendment 4

L.10 SOLICITATION

SUBMISSION

INSTRUCTIONS

(pg.79-80)

On pg. 79-80, the solicitation states that the Technical Narrative shall be delivered "formatted to fit on 8 1/2" by 11" paper with no less than 1" margins on all four sides of each page… The font shall be Times New Roman, and the size of all text shall not be less than 12pt." May we request that reasonable and previously prepared Technical Narrative documents that may not fit these parameters (e.g. conservation reports and photodocumentation, resumes and CVs, etc.) be excluded from this requirement to avoid unnecessary administrative time on transposing and reformatting? Yes.

L. 10 SOLICITATION

SUBMISSION

INSTRUCTIONS

(pg.79-80)

It is understood that the GSA has outlined a 70 page max for the Technical Narrative portion of the proposal, "excluding sample condition assessment, conservation proposals, and conservation treatment reports" (pg. 79-80).

May we request that personnel CVs also be excluded from this limit? They're essential to demonstrate exemplary experience and qualifications but can frequently get quite lengthy. Is there a penalty for exceeding the Technical Narrative 70-pg limit? Must proposals include page numbers, or is this unnecessary as proposals will be digitally submitted using technology that already tracks page numbers for reference? The CVs are included in the page limit.

15 N/A

May multiple highly-qualifed Offerors form joint ventures to submit a joint proposal? May such a proposal be submitted as a "multiple offer" option? The proposals will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria.

16 N/A

Would award of another large concurrent GSA Paintings Conservation contract be considered a conflict of interest for bidders on this solicitation? Would holding a federal retainer contract such as that be considered a large enough scope of work for evaluators to question the competency or responsibility of one Contractor to adequately demonstrate assurance of a continuous ability to perform work as demanded under this contract?

No, each contract is evaluated on established evaluation factors in the solicitation, see Section M. The contractor must provide sufficient data in their proposals to ensure the government Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB) can evaluate individual proposals based on best value to the government.

Solicitation 47PA0118R0003_A001_amendment 5

M.4.1.(a) MINIMUM

REQUIREMENTS -

SECTION (a)

(pg. 86)

A: Technical Evaluation Factor One ("Experience and Qualifications") states that all proposed personnel "must have completed at least six (6) projects similar to that required by this solicitation within the past three (3) years."

The only other minimum criteria mentioned are satisfactory completion by deadline, quality work, and prescence of at least one conservator meeting the Senior Conservator criteria outlined on pg. 84-85. There is no qualification stated that all six (6) projects for an included conservator/technician must have been done for the Offeror; therefore, may personnel with high-quality subcontractor, seasonal, etc. projects be included using a combination of both experience with the Offeror and other experience to provide six (6) relevant project examples?

The proposal will be evaluated against both the solicitation requirements and the evaluation criteria set forth in the solicitation.

M.4.1.(a) MINIMUM

REQUIREMENTS -

SECTION (a)

(pg. 86)

B: If an individual conservator/technician’s 6 project examples may not match all of the Offeror's provided 6 project examples from overall work, should full conservation reports and project examples be provided for all individual’s additional projects as well, or is it sufficient to provide an abbreviated list with name, material, size, scope, contact, location, photos if possible, etc.?

Only one assessment and one conservation treatment report should be provided per project examples--the reviewers will only review a total of 6 assessments and 6 conservation reports.

Solicitation 47PA0118R0003_A001_amendment 6

Attachment A_Questions and Answers - Painting IDIQ Solicitation

Evangela Brown, Contracting Officer Description[0]:

The purpose of this amendment is to provide the comprehensive Questions and Answers to this solicitation.

Office of Acquisition Management 1800 F Street NW.

Washington, DC 20405-0001

Office of Acquisition Management 1800 F Street NW.

Washington, DC 20405-0001