Addidtional QUESTIONS FOR MARAD SOLICTATION 693JF722B000005.docx

GORDON / GILLILAND Solicitation 693JF722B000005 Questions:

1. The period of performance dates for Item Nos. 00032 through 00035 still show the dates 07/16/2022 to 07/15/2023. Should these dates show 03/17/23 to 03/16/2024?

Answer: yes it should say 03/17/23 to 03/16/2024

2. Paragraph C.4(A)1. states that the water depth shall be at least four (4) feet greater than the estimated deep draft of the type of vessel to be located at the layberth. The design draft for the vessel as shown on MSC Dwg. No. 8616637is 35 feet. The draft information as provided by the United States Navy Fact File shows the Navigable Draft as 35 feet and the Draft Limit as 37 feet. Section J.2, Attachment 1 shows that the estimated draft at berth will be 29’ FWD and 30’ AFT. Should the minimum water depth be calculated using the information shown in Section J.2, Attachment 1 (30 feet)? Or, should it be calculated using the MSC Drawing (35 feet)?

Answer: Water depth is based on the information in Section J, 30’, making the minimum water depth 34’

3. Paragraph C.4(A)1. States that the berth soundings shall be verified annually and that the survey be accomplished while the berth is clear and scheduled to coincide with seatrials. Will the government agree to have the berths clear at least annually? If not, please require that all bidders include a disconnect, connect, and movement costs to conduct an annual multi-beam surveys in their bid. Moving a ship of this size is quite expensive and this bidder believes that the cost should be included in all bidders quotes.

Answer: MARAD has not been vacating the berths to take soundings, however, if the vessels do depart the berth, it provides a window for the layberth operator to take the soundings.

4. Section M – Evaluation Factors for Award, paragraph M.2(a) states, “After bids have been received, MARAD will determine whether to award the Five-Year or Ten-Year Alternative. MARAD shall then award to the responsive, responsible bidder(s) submitting the lowest evaluated price(s) for that alternative. Section M.3, Financial and Technical Ability, provides a detailed narrative for a post pricing, two-part pre-award survey that may be conducted. Paragraph 1 describes the survey for part two. Its purpose is to determine: (1) capable of providing a safe berth in accordance with the statement of work; (2) capable of mooring the vessel(s) in a manner that will result in obtaining an approved heavy weather mooring plan based on the vessels remaining at the dock under all weather conditions and: (3) located in a full port services complex as defined in the statement of work with a reasonable expectation that the services in the port complex can in fact (rather than in name only) be provided to MARAD's vessels.

a. What timeframe after the pricing evaluation will the contractor have to provide the information required by subparagraphs 1 through 20?

Answer: The request for information is “as soon as it can be provided”. Generally speaking, we get the materials within 2-3 weeks of the request to submit it.

b. Is there a graduated level of acceptance to the requirements noted in subparagraphs 1 through 20?

Answer: There is no graduated acceptance, it is pass/fail.

c. If the requirements noted in subparagraphs 1 through 20 are not met in their entirety, will the government find the bidders proposal to be unacceptable?

Answer: That would depend on what is not met in their entirety. For instance, if the offered parking spaces are 9’ x 20’ and the requirement is for 10’ x 20’, that is something that is evaluable, but if the requirement is to have X amount of ship assist/harbor tugs within a certain distance and there is not that many available, then the bid would be “non-responsive”.