Questions and Answers as of 2025 02 06.pdf

Questions and Answers as of 2025 February 06 - 47PM0925R0004

# Question Answer

1 Only one mention of finishes, the rest modernization. C 2.2.2. Page 19. We only do finishes how do we go about working on this part of the modernization.

L.6.4, Page 81 provides a brief overview of elevator modernization “inclusive of controllers, fixtures, and door operator upgrades”.

Once the IDIQs are awarded, the names of the awardees will be published on SAM.gov. Contacting the awardee(s) in your area and/or your local APEX Accelerator (SBA office) may be helpful.

Question: Is there a different bonding capacity requirement (IAW section M.4 Qualification Assessments BEFORE Technical Acceptability, page 82/85) to be considered for this base IDIQ evaluation and award, and another bonding capacity requirement (IAW section F.16.5 TASK ORDER AWARDS, page 36/85) to be considered at the Task Ordering stage (after the base IDIQ has been awarded)?

Section F.16.5 TASK ORDER AWARDS, page 36/85.

For Task Orders under this IDIQ valued over $150,000, both performance and payment bonds must be received and accepted by the Government prior to issuance of the Task Order Notice to Proceed (NTP). These dollar values are stated in 52.228-13 and 52.228-15.

FAR 52.228-13(b) states: "The amount of the payment protection shall be 100 percent of the contract price". https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part- 52#FAR_52_228_13__d3469e27 Section M.4 Qualification Assessments BEFORE Technical Acceptability, page 82/85.

Paragraph C. $500,000 minimum single bonding capacity and $3,000,000 minimum aggregate bonding capacity in at least one state.

Contractors that do not meet these minimum solicitation requirements will not be considered further and will not be evaluated for technical acceptability.

Satisfying the base IDIQ solicitation requirement is different than satisfying any future potential task order requirement. The Section M.4 qualification assessment is related to the base IDIQ award.

Section F.16.5 is related to specific task order awards.

Question: What “bond amount” is sufficient for a “bonding capacity”, during the Task Ordering stage, to be considered for a Task Order? It is reasonable unlikely that a Task Order contract price will be known prior to a Task Order solicitation is issued?

Section F.16.2.1, page 35/85 states: Task Orders estimated at values below $1Million, must be competed among all IDIQ firms which have “bonding capacity” in the state of the modernization.

Section F.16.5 TASK ORDER AWARDS, page 36/85.

For Task Orders under this IDIQ valued over $150,000, both performance and payment bonds must be received and accepted by the Government prior to issuance of the Task Order Notice to Proceed (NTP). These dollar values are stated in 52.228-13 and 52.228-15, but may change over the life of the Contract.

FAR 52.228-13(b) states: "The amount of the payment protection shall be 100 percent of the contract price". https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part- 52#FAR_52_228_13__d3469e27

Task order Requests for Proposal (RFP) or Requests for Quotation (RFQ) bond amounts will be specific to each task order issued by regional Contracting Offices.

Question: Given that none of the two boxes (Yes and No) in Standard Form 1442 Item 12a is checked, does that in anyway mean Performance and Payment bonds are not a requirement to be considered for this base IDIQ evaluation and award? And perhaps, in conflict with section M.4 Qualification Assessments BEFORE Technical Acceptability, paragraph C, page 82/85?

Standard Form 1442, Item 12a: THE CONTRACTOR MUST FURNISH ANY

REQUIRED PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS?

Section M.4 Qualification Assessments BEFORE Technical Acceptability, page 82/85.

Paragraph C. $500,000 minimum single bonding capacity and $3,000,000 minimum aggregate bonding capacity in at least one state.

Contractors that do not meet these minimum solicitation requirements will not be considered further and will not be evaluated for technical acceptability.

There are no initial task orders (e.g. seed projects) associated with the base IDIQ. It is the interpretation of this office that the boxes referenced in the question on SF1442 are for specific, identified projects. The bonding listed in Sections L and M of the solicitation are proof that the vendor has had recent bonding capacity, evidence that the bonding capacity meets the base IDIQ requirements, and the firm meets one of the stated qualifications.

RFP Section L.6.1, proof of bonding capacity, has been amended.

Please review revised language.

Is it a “bid bond” (as opposed to a “performance and payment bond”) that is required to be considered for this base IDIQ evaluation and award – which guarantees the Government that an offeror is capable of fulfilling the IDIQ contract requirements and also capable of providing performance and payment bond at the Task Ordering stage?

The solicitation has been amended. L.6.1 states, "A letter from the surety must show single and aggregate bonding capacity per state proposed and be attached to submission as “(Contractor Name_Volume 2 Bonding)”.

What is the “amount of bond” required to be considered for this base IDIQ evaluation and award? This will ensure our company secures the sufficient bond capacity for our offer?

Please reference M.4 Paragraph C.

Our company is located in a state in GSA Region 4. GSA Region 4 comprises 8 states. If we are bonded in all the 8 states, can we compete for Task Orders in all the 8 states in our GSA Region 4?

Yes, your company will have each state listed as eligible to compete if your company receives a base IDIQ award and the proposal includes a surety letter with the qualifying bonding requirements.

8 Can we compete for Task Orders in all the 8 states in our GSA Region 4, even though our company is bonded in just one of those 8 states? No.

Section M.4 Qualification Assessments BEFORE Technical Acceptability, Paragraph C, page 82/85. Question: Could you better explain the difference between “single bonding capacity” and “aggregate bonding capacity” in at least one state?

The proposal shall include a letter from the surety. This letter will state the single bonding capacity of your company and the aggregate bonding capacity of your company. The surety must clarify whether this bonding covers one or more state and list the states covered.

Section B8, Page 12/85. Question: Should the Elevator Team Hourly rate (CLINs 0101, 1101, 2101, 3101, 4101) cover ALL expenses (such as travel, per diem etc.), or can they be a separate line item as needed?

Your IDIQ ceiling rates should include all expenses related to the

CLIN.

Section B8, Page 12/85. Question: There are other LARGE dollars major elevator components/items missing in the line items, such as: Fixtures, Door Equipment, Wiring, Crane (if needed), Cab Interiors. Shouldn’t these components be included at this master IDIQ stage, or are intentionally left for the Task Ordering stage?

The IDIQ base ceiling pricing does not include every component in the elevator. Each Task Order will be separately priced; the priced components at the IDIQ level, if included in the task order pricing, must be equal to or less than the IDIQ ceiling prices.

Section B8, Page 12/85. Question: Is it reasonably fair to assume that the Government expects ALL materials (CLINs 0102, 0103, 0104, 0105, 0106 etc.)

pricing should include mark-ups?

Yes. These prices are ceiling prices at the base IDIQ level. The prices proposed at the task order level will be equal to or less than the IDIQ level prices.

Section B8, Page 12/85. Question: There are other LARGE dollars major elevator components/items missing in the line items, such as: Fixtures, Door Equipment, Wiring, Crane (if needed), Cab Interiors. Shouldn’t these components be included at this master IDIQ stage, or are intentionally left for the Task Ordering stage?

These base IDIQ ceiling prices are only a few of the components involved in major elevator modernization. However, it allows the regional acquisition teams to have insight on maximum allowable task order pricing for a portion of the task order requirements.

Section B8, Page 12/85. Question: Is it reasonably fair to assume that the Government expects ALL materials (CLINs 0102, 0103, 0104, 0105, 0106 etc.)

pricing should include mark-ups?

Please reference question 12.

Pg. 83 (Teaming Arrangements). Does a Teaming Arrangement meeting FAR 9.6 suffice? Or, will Offeror's Teaming Arrangements be subject to a more rigorous GSA Regulation or Bulletin providing specific criteria when evaluating the efficacy of a Teaming Arrangement? If the latter, please identify the document and/or specific items a GSA-acceptable Teaming Arrangement must include.

Please reference FAR 9.604(e). The evaluation will ensure the prime contractor meets the requirements of the solicitation.

Pg 79 (Google Form for Proposal Check in.) Please provide (post) a .pdf copy of the Proposal Check In Pages that we might use to draft the questionnaire page by page prior to doing the online data entry?

DISCUSSION: Form design doesn't allow scrolling past the page being worked on until all mandatory fields are filled in. As such, we don't know what's required for the next page and makes it unnecessarily complicated and inefficient to provide GSA what it wants with the best / most accurate and detailed information.

If we have a pdf of the pages, we can organize our information and perform timely data entry to GSA's--and the Offeror's--benefit.

A pdf form has been uploaded into SAM.gov with the solicitation amendment.

17 With regards to GSA 527, Section III Financial Statements, How old does the financial statement have to be?

Block 21 must be the most current balance sheet information based on your company's latest financial statement.

18 Does the NTE pricing include tax?

Not to exceed pricing is the ceiling price. This price will be the highest price any IDIQ holder will be able to bid for that component when competing for a regional task order.

19 Is a SBA certification required?

SAM.gov Entity Registration linked to the UEI will provide the evaluators verification of the proposal submissions. The SBA certification attachment will not be necessary unless there is a question from the evaluation team.

The current price range is listed at $75,000- $1M but the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT) is up to $250,000. Will this IDIQ be used for mod projects that fall between $75,000 and $250,000?

It is allowable if the requirements are within the scope of the IDIQ.

http://sam.gov/ http://sam.gov/

The Pricing structure calls for an NTE hourly rate. However, hourly rates can drastically vary based on union local. Does the GSA want us to provide a NTE hourly rate for each region, or just provide the hourly rate for the most expensive region?

The NTE prices that are proposed should be the ceiling price of all regions in which a vendor is eligible to compete.

The GSA has requested that we complete the Google Check in form with our proposal. Based on the instructions to offerors, some of these questions will impact the format of the documents we will submit with our form. The form is 6 pages long and will not let us move on to the subsequent pages until we complete each question which prevents us from seeing all the information requested and planning our responses accordingly. Can the GSA provide us with a copy of the questions asked in the google form to reference while compiling the requested information?

Please reference question 16.

Volume 2 requests proof of our ability to bond jobs and specifically references including sample bonds currently in use as proof. In lieu of sample bonds which we are not comfortable providing, can we provide the GSA with a letter from our surety stating our bonding capabilities?

Please reference question 9.

Can the GSA please clarify the extent of the design requirements for the individual task orders? Will contractors be responsible for providing complete design packages including architectural, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, and fire alarm for each task order?

Depending on the scope of the design requirements, task orders may have design requirements.

Will the prime contractor be responsible for contracting a 3rd party historic preservation architect on task orders that have historical elements, or will the GSA RHPO manage the historic preservation scopes for each task order?

Each project and each region has its own set of requirements regarding historic preservation.

Will the prime contractor be responsible for completing pre-alteration surveys to identify the presence and location of lead, asbestos, and other environmental threats for each individual task order?

When possible and applicable, task order solicitations will include a building asbestos containing materials (ACM) report or a similar report.

Is the line item NTE pricing in section B.8 meant to indicate Direct replacement in a like for like situation or will the replacement NTE pricing need to include the ancillary materials required to replace components with new non-proprietary equipment under the most current code?

DISCUSSION: Many components are outdated and new components incompatible with existing equipment. Their replacement often requires additional materials. For example, Controller Replacement often precipitates items to include hall stations, hoistway wiring, car top box and Car Operating Panel replacement, as well as traveling cable replacement. At this magnitude, the replacement is no longer direct replacement or like for like and requires additional code compliance to newer standards. Please define the extent of which the NTE pricing should be inclusive. Is it to be assumed a like for like replacement is available and only the controller is being replaced for purposes of the pricing sheet? The logic is applicable to all the material line items requesting NTE

Ancillary materials should not be included in the NTE pricing. Note that the IDIQ base level line items are only a portion of the requirements that an elevator modernization may require. Each task order will be priced according to the project requirements.

pricing. Clarification on inclusion of any ancillary items is necessary to appropriately schedule pricing.

Shall contractors be required to provide teaming agreements for their Licensed Design Firm or professional registrations be required for in house design teams?

DISCUSSION: Section C repetitively indicates design services, engineering data and calculations. Shall contractor be required to provide corresponding design team credentials and agreements to meet this portion of the Statement of Work?

This is critical information and can carry significant project costs occupying significant portions of participation on single elevator smaller jobs as indicated in this Solicitation.

Not all task orders will be for the same requirements. Task orders requirements are determined per project.

Shall sales tax be excluded from consideration in the NTE Pricing?

DISCUSSION: The Federal government does not pay sales tax, however, there are some states in which the Federal Government tax exemption does not pass through to the contractor (At least 4). Respectfully request addition of language to exclude sales tax from the NTE pricing and consideration be given for the tax burden as a line item on a task order basis as it applies to the non-exempt states.

NTE pricing is a vendor's business judgement regarding pricing a proposal. The vendor must ensure that the NTE ceiling price covers all the costs of that line item plus risk. Task orders issued from this IDIQ will consider this pricing. However, the IDIQ base pricing is not inclusive of a full elevator modernization typical of a task order; the IDIQ pricing reflects only a portion of the components/labor typically required in an elevator modernization.

Vendors may always lower IDIQ component pricing when competing on task orders but cannot raise IDIQ component pricing when competing on task orders.