SAP Construction BPA Solicitation 47PB2021Q0001 RFI Responses 1-58.pdf

SAP Construction BPA Solicitation #47PB2021Q0001

RFI Questions and Answers

DISCLAIMER: After a full review of potential requirements, the government has made a change in information previously released. Pricing on this BPA will be based on the RS Means Facilities Construction Cost Data Book. The RS Means Facilities Maintenance and Repairs Cost Data Book will not be used at this time. We understand the impact of this change at this state of the procurement; however, providing any RS Means books for bidding purposes is still not possible.

1. Question: We are in the process of reviewing the Region 1 Blanket Purchase Agreement

(BPA) for Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) Construction Services in the States of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont (Notice ID47PB0021Q0001). While we have performed government work before and are part of the Set Aside Program in Connecticut, this will be out first time completing this bid for construction services. We are looking to see if we need to complete the attachments regarding the pricing form since this is a blanket agreement and there is no set work being bid upon at this time. If we should complete the pricing form, please advise us on specific figures that should be included.

a. Answer: The Price Calculation Form is for reference only and does not need to be completed. However, Attachment B - Pricing Form does need to be completed in order to be considered for this opportunity.

2. Is this a new contract or if not, who are the incumbents?

a. Answer: There are no incumbents. The Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) contract vehicle has been developed to encourage participation in Government contracts under the referenced Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) level, i.e.

less than $250K.

3. What RS Means data set does the SAP/BPA Project cover? RS Means has 20-cost data texts (data sets). What data set do you want us to use for pricing? Most RS Means based contracts we have use only one data set i.e., Facilities and Commercial Renovation, plus maintaining licenses for multiple data sets is a significant cost burden on a small business.

a. Answer: The BPA pricing will be based on the Facilities Construction Cost Data Book.

4. Request for Quotations, Page 4 of 5, ATTACHMENT A — SOLICITATION PROVISIONS. Under Evaluation of Quotations and Basis for Awards [[6.d.ii.B]], Is there a form for the “Customer surveys, and past performance questionnaire replies” to send out to past customers, if an equivalent CPRAS is not available, as CPRAS are not usually provided for SAP project under $750,000. I assume we need to include customer evals with the proposal package or are we just submitting ATTACHMENT C —

SIMILAR EXPERIENCE AND PAST PERFORMANCE FORM.

a. Answer: As indicated in section 6 of the solicitation, Attachment C - Similar Experience and Past Performance Form may be reproduced and utilized for purposes of providing the information requested by Solicitation #47PB0021Q0001. The Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) information reference is provided for awareness to potential Offerors.

5. What column in the data set is the “Unit Price” noted in the Price Calculation Form E using? There are two choices; Total column and the Total Including O&P column and will significantly impact the coefficient.

a. Answer: The Total column will be used in calculating orders.

6. Will any of the work covered by this agreement be subject to the various state sales taxes (e.g., any leased building?)

a. Answer: Please refer to the Exhibit B - Contract Terms and Conditions, 1.

General Terms and Conditions, 1.1(c) All Contract prices set forth on the GSA Form 300 include all costs necessary to complete the work for which the price is established in accordance with the Contract Documents, including, but not limited to, the cost of work performed by subcontractors and consultants, indirect costs, fees, expenses, taxes, and profit.

7. If state sales tax is applicable is it to be included in the Coefficient?

a. Answer: Yes, please refer to the Exhibit B - Contract Terms and Conditions, 1.

General Terms and Conditions, 1.1(c) All Contract prices set forth on the GSA Form 300 include all costs necessary to complete the work for which the price is established in accordance with the Contract Documents, including, but not limited to, the cost of work performed by subcontractors and consultants, indirect costs, fees, expenses, taxes, and profit.

8. Is Division 1 – General Requirements part of the coefficient? Or is it sourced as another line item in the cost data set?

a. Answer: Yes, it should be included. Please refer to the Exhibit B - Contract Terms and Conditions, 1. General Terms and Conditions, 1.1(c) All Contract prices set forth on the GSA Form 300 include all costs necessary to complete the work for which the price is established in accordance with the Contract Documents, including, but not limited to, the cost of work performed by subcontractors and consultants, indirect costs, fees, expenses, taxes, and profit.

9. Please provide a clarification of Regular Work Hours and Off-hours Work? We would need this to determine wage rates for off-hours rates. For example; If Regular Work Hours are defined as Monday to Friday, holidays excluded, 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM, then after 40-hours it becomes time and one-half. However, if Off-hours Work is second shift or over-night shift then we have a different rate.

a. Answer: “Regular Work Hours'' refers to the regular hours of operation for each Federal Building. While hours of operation may vary from building to building, typical hours of regular operation for the Region 1 buildings are 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This information will be confirmed for each order against the Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA).

10. If travel is required, RSMeans does not specifically address travel other than at the hourly rate at the inside back cover of the cost book by the hour. Will this be handled at the Task Order level or how do we address Non-RSMeans Items in our pricing?

a. Answer: All travel expenses should be covered by the proposed coefficient.

11. How should housing and per diem for remote locations be handled in the pricing? Is this a Non-RSMeans Item or will this be handled at the Task Order level?

a. Answer: All travel expenses should be covered by the proposed coefficient.

12. Attachment C. I know the SAP pricing threshold increased to $250,000, from $150,000.

Can past performance be provided on projects valued of $250,000 or less? Attachment C states $150,000.

a. Answer: One of the purposes of this BPA is to allow opportunities for local firms who may not have the breadth of experience at higher dollar values. Therefore, while the SAT is $250,000, we have set past performance at projects of $150,000 and lower.

13. SECTION: Attachment A. Page 3 of 5, 5. Instructions to Quoters, 3) Quotation Format. ii) Electronic packages shall contain four (4) PDF files as described below.

QUESTION: What PDF file do we put the completed draft agreement in, or should this be a PDF file #5, or is this not something we do not fill out and return with our proposals?

a. Answer: The draft agreement does not need to be completed and submitted with your offer.

14. Please provide the annual anticipated volume of work per territory?

a. Answer: The anticipated volume of work per territory will rely on GSA’s needs throughout the duration of the BPAs lifetime.

15. Please provide the estimated size of a typical project, i.e. cost and duration.

a. Answer: Projects will range in cost and duration depending on GSA’s needs, not to exceed $250,000.00.

16. If a contractor is awarded a territory, will they be given a scope of work and asked to build out pricing based on RS Means plus their coefficient? Or will the pricing be provided for them by the government and asked if they can do the work based on the governments provided price plus that contractor’s coefficient?

a. Answer: The latter is correct. The government will make an offer to the contractor and provide the estimated quote along with all scope and technical documents available for the project. The contractor can then accept, reject, or renegotiate the quote as they see fit.

17. What will be the approach to demolition?

a. Answer: Demolition will be priced as a line item in accordance with RS Means pricing.

18. Is demolition to be priced as a unit or per square foot?

a. Answer: This will be project-specific. Some demolition will be offered as a unit while other projects will be per square foot.

19. How will waste be handled, and what about moving furniture or protecting the existing space? Will they be added as separate line items?

a. Answer: Waste and moving are lines in RS Means and will be offered via that pricing.

20. What specifications should be considered for these prices?

a. Answer: The Facilities Construction Cost Book should be the focus when generating your coefficients. All work procured off of the BPAs will be generated from these line items.

21. What city cost index or area cost factor is to be used per territory? Will the city index be added as a separate line item or should it be included in the coefficient number?

a. Answer: Exhibit F - Geographic Vicinities For Use of RS Means City Cost Index

(CCI) within Attachment E - Draft Agreement outlines the city cost index per territory. Please see that Exhibit for the correct zip codes which correspond to the eleven trade areas.

22. In Reference to Addendum to GSA form 300 paragraph 1.8 Performance and Payment Bonds and Alternative Protections states that performance and payment bonds are required for projects that exceed $150,000.00 is a bond letter from our provider required to be submitted with the Bid

a. Answer: A bond letter would be required in this instance at the Order level, not in response to this RFQ.

23. Given that some of the buildings in Region 1 are proprietary to multiple Automatic Temperature Control contractors is GSA expecting the awarded Quoter to adhere to the RS means pricing platform for the ATC portion of the task order or would this be treated as an out of scope to the specific task order and require independent pricing.

a. Answer: Some RS Means line items may cover this work, but GSA may look to procuring these services outside of the BPA vehicles.

24. Does Davis Bacon wages apply to contract?

a. Answer: Yes, Davis-Bacon wage rates apply to all orders over $2,000.

25. Will GSA be awarding trade only contracts or will the specific Trade be responsible for hiring sub contractors. Example: HVAC project, will need to open and patch and paint wall, replace ceiling tiles, electrical and controls to the units?

a. Answer: The types and number of BPAs issued for each trade area will be based on GSA’s need. This could include BPAs with specific trade contractors, general contractors, or both.

26. If the trade has sub-contractors, a supervisor and project manger will be needed. Do you need those rates on the bid sheets?

a. Answer: Supervision and Project Management have corresponding lines in RS Means. These lines will be used in generating the government’s offer on various orders.

27. The contract being tied to RS Means is this reimbursed thru the contract. If not, can GSA share a link so that we can review the cost as stated. Being that no contract is guaranteed, this will be expensive to buy the complete program and maintain each year of the contract. As we are small business, we do not maintain this as part of our normal business.

a. Answer: The government cannot provide links or licenses to RS Means at this time.

28. If we have subcontractor trade work that falls under our specific trade, will they be required to follow RS Means? We would need trade agreements with our subs.

a. Answer: Each order will be made with the prime contractor as owner of the BPA.

All work that is bid on an order level will be included via RS Means line items.

Each contractor will have to determine their own subcontractor pricing internally.

29. We would like to bid on several different geographic areas, however Attachment B seems to only allow on RS Means Coefficient for all areas. An example is that Boston Massachusetts is going to have a higher Coefficient than Eastern Maine. Shouldn’t there be a separate Attachment B for each area?

a. Answer: Please submit a separate Attachment B for each trade area in which you wish to be considered for.

30. We are a bit confused on what the intent of the GSA is on awarding PBA’s. To clarify:

a. Is the GSA acting as the “Construction Manager” when more than one trade is involved in a particular project? That is, if a project involves multiple trades, is the GSA going to award the painting portion separately and do the same for the seven other trade categories?

i. Answer: The types and number of BPAs issued for each trade area will be based on GSA’s need. This could include BPAs with specific trade contractors, general contractors, or both.

b. If not, is the GSA contemplating awarding BPA’s to General Contractor’s and in turn, that General contractor can choose its own sub trade contractors or does that GC have to award, for example, the Painting to the GSA chosen Painting trade contractor?

i. Answer: Each order will be made with the prime contractor as owner of the BPA. All work that is bid on an order level will be included via RS Means line items. Each contractor will have to determine their own subcontracts internally.

c. If the particular project is just Painting, are you just going to offer that project to the awarded painting trade contractors?

i. Answer: The types and number of BPAs issued for each trade area will be based on GSA’s need. This could include BPAs with specific trade contractors, general contractors, or both.

31. Is it the plan of GSA to award more than one contract to each trade contractor and potential General Contractors?

a. Answer: The types and number of BPAs issued for each trade area will be based on GSA’s need. This could include BPAs with specific trade contractors, general contractors, or both.

32. What is the term of this BPA, one year, two years, three years?

a. Answer: The term of the BPA is initially for three years. That said, the Agreement may be extended, renegotiated, or dissolved by the parties at a time earlier than the expiration date.

33. What RS Means category code is being used for this contract?

a. Answer: The BPA pricing will be based on the Facilities Construction Cost Book.

34. What time on 2/5 is the proposal due?

a. Answer: As seen on the beta.sam.gov announcement, proposals are due at

2:00pm on February 5th, 2021.

35. Will originally submitted RFIs be responded to this week with a follow-up to the meeting information, or will responses not be posted until 1/29? I ask because I want to be able to re-address any RFIs we have already submitted if needed for further clarification, based on discussions from Friday.

a. Answer: All RFIs received by January 22, 2021 will receive a response from the

GSA.

36. Will some of the discussions from Friday’s meeting come out in the form of an amendment? For instance, the discussions around negotiation process: 1) that offers will be made by govt to the contractor using RS means, 2) what we should include in the coefficient factor, 3) intent that RSmeans cost data used for negotiations will be updated quarterly, for use during these negotiations, and 4) the rsmeans cost data set that we should use to building our coefficient factor. Please also let me know if I mis-interpreted anything I have noted here.

a. Answer: These responses are codified via Amendment 0002. 1.) Ordering procedures will be established that instruct the government to submit offers to contractors, 2.) all items not included in the RS Means data should be included in the coefficient, as no non-Means line items will be allowed in negotiations, 3.) RS Means data will be updated quarterly for GSA’s estimates, and 4.) all Means data will come from the Facilities Construction Cost Data book.

37. In trying to figure out our coefficient we wanted to price a couple of our past smaller projects through RSMeans. While speaking to RSMeans representative, he informed me that the trial only provides limited access to the data which is from 2011. Please advise if the government can give us current access to RSMeans?

a. Answer: The government cannot provide links or licenses to RS Means at this time.

38. Will there be any projects that require the general contractor to subcontract mechanical, or other subtrades? Or will the government hire direct?

a. Answer: Each order will be made with the prime contractor as owner of the BPA.

All work that is bid on an order level will be included via RS Means line items.

Each contractor will have to determine their own subcontracts internally.

39. Will we receive project documents, such as drawings and specifications?

a. Answer: Any technical project documents necessary to evaluate an offer from the Government will be provided with the offer.

40. Will project site visits be allowed?

a. Answer: Project site visits are allowed and will be determined on an order level.

41. How often is RSMeans updated? With Covid-19, we are finding the cost of labor and materials escalating.

a. Answer: RS Means Cost Data is updated quarterly.

42. Is wc/gl insurance and bonding included in our coefficient?

a. Yes insurance and bonding should be included in the coefficient.

43. Is onsite project supervision (superintendent) included in our coefficient?

a. Answer: No, project supervision will be included in the government offer according to RS Means pricing.

44. Is project management included in our coefficient?

a. Answer: No, project management will be included in the government offer according to RS Means pricing.

45. Will the City Index be applied to our coefficient?

a. Answer: Yes, the City Index and Coefficient will both be multiplied to the Subtotal of the work estimated.

46. The “Chamber 202 Light Fixture Replacement” sample project was not included in the Power Point, please provide for review.

a. Answer: Example has now been uploaded to the beta.sam.gov announcement.

47. Where are the applicable properties?

a. Answer: Exhibit F - Geographic Vicinities For Use of RS Means City Cost Index (CCI) within Attachment E - Draft Agreement outlines the where the applicable properties are located. Please see that Exhibit for the correct zip codes which correspond to the eleven trade areas.

48. Is this all maintenance/remodeling work or is there new construction?

a. Answer: There will be opportunities for both on the BPAs.

49. Is there a list of different services/items that we should provide pricing for?

a. Answer: All orders placed on the BPA will come from the Facilities Construction Cost Book of RS Means.

50. When submitting a region bid price sheet will you require a price sheet for each city by trade or can we pick one city in a sub-region area and run sample projects for that city for each trade we would like to operate?

a. Answer: Please submit a separate Attachment B for each trade area in which you wish to be considered for. You do not need to submit a separate Attachment B for each trade.

51. The Contractor Coefficient will include only those items NOT found as a line item in RS Means correct?

a. Answer: This is correct. The coefficient should take into account all items not found as line items within RS Means.

52. How many projects do you expect to be single trades?

a. Answer: The volume and types of projects will be determined by GSA need given a specific geographic trade area.

53. What has been the average size of projects awarded in Region 1 in the last 12 months that will be covered under this BPA moving forward?

a. Answer: This BPA will cover projects less than $250,000.00 provided that the specific need can be fulfilled by vendors on the BPA.

54. Can you clarify the RSMeans cost data set that should be used for the BPAs? The Facilities Maintenance and Repair 2021 doesn’t have specific examples of the types of work described as being requested as part of the BPAs.

a. Answer: The Facilities Construction Cost Data Book will be used to create offers for the BPA.

55. Please confirm how often the pricing/cost data will be updated as part of offers made to the contractor under the BPAs? It was discussed that quarterly updates will be made to pricing/cost data?

a. Answer: RS Means Cost Data is updated quarterly.

56. Please clarify which column in the data set that we should use for Task Order Pricing.

a. Answer: The Total column will be used by the government in generating our offers.

57. Please confirm that the City Cost Index (CCI) will be applied after the Coefficient for the location.

a. Answer: The City Index and Coefficient will both be multiplied to the Subtotal of the work estimated.

58. Non-Prices items (paragraph E), states that the offers provided the govt will be used as a Direct Cost subject to the coefficient. Will it also be subject to the City Cost Index?

a. Answer: We cannot seem to find the language you are referencing. The City

Index and Coefficient will both be multiplied to the Subtotal of the work estimated.