Vendor_Q&A_PT2.pdf

U.S. GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, PACIFIC RIM REGION 9

50 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

REVISED VENDOR QUESTIONS & GSA RESPONSES

Architectural Interiors Photography for Total Workplace Projects

09/07/2017

GSA responses to vendor questions are in red.

1. Where will the Planning meeting take place? If meeting is outside our base of California, to keep costs down, is it acceptable to do meeting over a video conference with a set of plans being provided beforehand?

The planning meeting will take place at 50 United Nations Plaza, San Francisco, CA. It is preferred that the meeting is in person; however, a webinar can be set up to accommodate (for those who require travel) in order to keep costs down. Plans can be provided prior to the meeting for review. If travel is required for this meeting, please indicate the cost on the pricing sheet.

2. To ascertain LOE and equipment, what is the intended purpose of the images? Example:

a. To be published in a coffee table style book?

b. To be printed large for an exhibition

c. To be used in digital archive as documentation

The photographs will be used for presentations, print materials and serve as a digital archive documentation of the space. Per the scope, the high resolution photos shall be TIFF files in CMYK color mode that has a minimum resolution of 300 DPI for an image size of 10x14 inches. At a minimum, the low resolution photos should be JPEG files in RGB color mode with a resolution of 100 DPI for an image size of 8x10 inches.

3. Does GSA wish to have the same photographer for all locations? Again to keep costs down, we can provide additional photographers for MN, and DC, respectively.

The same photographer does not have to be used for all locations as long as the level of services and deliverables meet the same quality and standard.

Information and photoshoot experience at the project sites shall be shared among the photographers (ex. What worked well, what didn’t work well, GSA preferences on angles, etc.)

4. POST AWARD CONFERENCE: The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor as to the time and place when the PreWork/Performance meeting will take place. This meeting will allow the Contracting Officer or his/her designee an opportunity to review the information with the contract manager. Does this mean I need to have an in‐person meeting prior to each location or can this be done several days before the scheduled photography session? I am just curious if I need to make a separate trip to the locations prior to the photography?

Per the scope, there will be (1) planning meeting prior to the onsite photoshoots. The planning meeting will take place at 50 United Nations Plaza, San Francisco, CA. It is preferred that the meeting is in person; however, a

VENDOR QUESTIONS ‐ RESPONSES

webinar can be set up to accommodate (for those who require travel) in order to keep costs down. If travel is required for this meeting, please indicate the cost on the pricing sheet.

GSA is planning for an onsite walkthrough at the site a day prior to the staging and photoshoot. The purpose of the walkthrough is to finalize the best angles and locations within the suite based on the conditions. However, at the discretion of the photographer the onsite walkthrough, staging, and photoshoot can occur on the same day. Staging and the photoshoot must be completed within one day.

Please keep in mind that these locations are active workspaces. Separate pricing is being requested for work to occur during standard business hours (7am ‐6pm). The onsite meeting can occur during normal business hours but the staging and photoshoot may have to be non‐business hours, depending on the tenants.

5. Do I complete anything in Section K, specifically pages 32‐34. Do I need to print out the page, complete it, scan and save it and send back? Do I need to print out all 133 pages and send back to you?

Section K, page 26‐47 need to be completed as it applies to you. If it is not applicable then note it as such. It is not a fillable form. If the form cannot be completed digitally, print out the applicable pages (pgs. 26‐47), complete it, scan it and send it with your offer. The offeror does not need to print out and send back the entire document (133 pages). Please see page 54, Section L, Instructions to Offerors, paragraph (b), “submission of offers”.

6. Clarifying the number of photos needed: in the chart, where it says “estimated minimum number of images to be provided” is the total per site, and not per space within each site?

The “estimated minimum number of images to be provided” is total number of images per site.

7. It says on the RFP that I need to send back 2 copies of my proposal to you. Is there an option to send 2 electronic scans of these documents? No need for hard copies to be mailed?

Digitally signed or scanned signed copies are acceptable and shall be submitted to carol.dones@gsa.gov by the closing date.

8. As photos are to be provided on a CD, DVD etc. will the estimate have to take into consideration any local SF/California sales tax?

The contract price includes all applicable Federal, State, and local taxes. No adjustment will be made to cover taxes which may subsequently be imposed on this transaction or changes in the rates of currently applicable taxes.

However, the Government will, upon the request of the Contractor, furnish evidence appropriate to establish exemption from any tax from which the Government is exempt and which was not included in the contract price.

FAR Page 23 under Section I, GSAM Clause 552.229‐70, Federal, State, and Local Taxes (Apr 1984).

9. All offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database in order to do business with the Government. The website is https://www.sam.gov/portal.

10. If the planning meeting is to be held in person at a GSA office in a town where a location is to be photographed (SF/DC for example), can we also plan to photograph those locations in the same trip as the planning meeting to save on travel expenses?

It is preferred that the planning meeting is separate from the photographing session to discuss all logistics for the sites. To save costs on travel, a webinar can be set up for the planning meeting.

11. When planning the San Francisco/San Jose photo shoots, can we plan to make one trip and photograph both locations in the same trip (on consecutive days) to save on travel expenses?

Yes, one trip can be made to photograph both locations to save travel expenses.

12. When planning the two Washington DC photo shoots, can we plan to make one trip and photograph both locations in the same trip (on consecutive days) to save on travel expenses?

Yes, one trip can be made to photograph both locations to save travel expenses.

13. Is there an incumbent photographer who has worked on architectural photoshoots with you in the past? If so, can you specify who?

No, we do not have an incumbent photographer in GSA Region 9.

14. Is there a maximum number of pages we need to abide by when sending our photo portfolio samples?

No

15. We are planning to include a travel costs and expense estimates in the total as a sub‐ category for each location, is this acceptable? Should our travel costs be firm quotes and included as separate line items in the offer/proposal? Or, should we provide estimated travel costs and bill separately for reimbursement as we incur costs?

It is requested that travel costs are estimated and broken down by each location. For all travel expenses, receipts will need to be provided in accordance with Federal Travel Regulation defined in FAR Part 31.205‐46

16. Do you want one (or more) past performance review forms supplied?

Provide at least (2) completed past performance review forms.

17. Currently we do not have any security clearances, can this be obtained after the project award?

Yes, security clearances will be obtained after project award as required.

18. Regarding final delivery of images: You have requested files on CD, DVD, or flash drive.

We typically provide final images digitally to clients to download from our secure FTP site, in which case there is no sales tax charged. It is our understanding that providing images on DVD, CD, or flash will require that we charge sales tax. Would you consider receiving the final images (packed in files exact to your specifications) via a secured link to our FTP site with no sales tax?

Due to limited access to external FTP sites, GSA will only accept a CD, DVD, or flash drive.

The contract price includes all applicable Federal, State, and local taxes. No adjustment will be made to cover taxes which may subsequently be imposed on this transaction or changes in the rates of currently applicable taxes.

However, the Government will, upon the request of the Contractor, furnish evidence appropriate to establish exemption from any tax from which the Government is exempt and which was not included in the contract price.

FAR Page 23 under Section I, GSAM Clause 552.229‐70, Federal, State, and Local Taxes (Apr 1984).

19. Is there any flexibility on the one day per location time constraint? Our normal number of commercial quality (professionally lit and styled) views per day is 4‐6 depending on the number of hours working per day and the size of the views. For instance, producing 6 high quality, large area professionally lit views at one building site would normally be one 10‐14 hour work day. The required number of views per one day in some locations, for instance Minneapolis, calls for 10 locations and 20 views. Are all 20 of the views “Hero Shots” ‐ meaning big priority, large space, highest quality, professionally lit and styled? If yes, then we would probably need 3‐4 days of building access to get the best results. We can save on the time and budget if some or many of the 20 images are “non‐ hero” and/or available light shots.

The goal of the photographs is to showcase the type of environments and workplace developed at these locations. Not all of the photographs provided will need to be the “Hero Shot”. GSA will look to the expertise of the photographer for suggestions on the particular shots; however, it is the expectation to capture at least one “Hero Shot” of the following spaces (which may vary per location): overall space, open office, private office, meeting space, and collaboration space.

20. Since we are already registered and verified with SAM, do we need to complete Section K and send it with our proposal?

Yes. Complete Section K and submit with your offer.

21. While we are highly qualified to deliver on any architectural photography project, we are new to bidding on government solicitations. Once we submit our proposal, if there is anything missing will you be able to let us know so that we can fix it quickly?

No

22. Do I need to include the cost for transportation, meals and lodging for out of town jobs?

Yes. It is requested that travel costs are estimated and broken down by each location. For all travel expenses, receipts will need to be provided in accordance with Federal Travel Regulation defined in FAR Part 31.205‐46

23. I will be using 1 assistant on each job. Do I need to include their transportation lodging cost as well?

Yes. Proposal shall include all costs associated with completing the scope of work.

24. I usually charge by a day rate. I would be able to complete these jobs in 1 day. Is that an acceptable way to create the bid?

Provide pricing according to the pricing schedule/bid sheet. Pricing schedule/bid sheet will be posted on FedBizOpps.

25. I like to create scouting shots to determine the best angle for each shot. Would it be possible to do that on the walk though?

Yes, that is possible during the walkthrough of each location prior to the photoshoot day.

[END OF QUESTIONS/RESPONSES]