RFP_No._693JJ320R000005.pdf

693JJ320R000005

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD

4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. SOLICITATION NUMBER

7. ISSUED BY CODE 8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than Item 7)

ORDER UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NUMBER

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations "offer" and "offeror" mean "bid" and "bidder".

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

SEALED BID (IFB)

5. DATE ISSUED

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED RATING PAGE OF PAGES

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C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

EXT.NUMBERAREA CODE

B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS)A. NAME

10. FOR

INFORMATION

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CAUTION: LATE Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals: See Section L, Provision No. 52.214-7 or 52.215-1. All offers are subject to all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

(Date)(Hour) local timeuntildepository located in copies for furnishing the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in Item 8, or if hand carried, in the

SOLICITATION

9. Sealed offers in original and

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

INSTRS., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

CONTRACT CLAUSES

PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

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CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

PACKAGING AND MARKING

DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSESPART I - THE SCHEDULE

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SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE(S) (X) DESCRIPTION SEC. (X)

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

18. OFFER DATE17. SIGNATURE

SUCH ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE.

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16. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER15A. NAME

DATEAMENDMENT NO.DATEAMENDMENT NO.

and related documents numbered and dated):

amendments to the SOLICITATION for offerors

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of

14. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENTS

CALENDAR DAYS (%)30 CALENDAR DAYS (%)20 CALENDAR DAYS (%)10 CALENDAR DAYS (%)

(See Section I, Clause No. 52.232.8)

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

by the offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within ______________ calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted

NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

IMPORTANT - Award will be made on this Form, or on Standard Form 26, or by other authorized official written notice.

28. AWARD DATE

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

CODE 24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7)

ITEM

(4 copies unless otherwise specified)

23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN

41 U.S.C. 253 (c) ( 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c) (

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION20. AMOUNT19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED

AWARD (To be completed by government)

CODE

11/06/2019 X

HCFA

FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

OFFICE OF ACQUISITION & GRANTS MANAGEMENT

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON DC 20590

1200 ET 12/06/2019

Hector Santamaria hector.santamaria@dot.gov

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Stephanie Curtis

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

Previous edition is unusable

STANDARD FORM 33 (Rev. 9-97)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(c)

HIF200004PR

No hard copies. See Section L.7 for delivery instructions.

RFP NO. 693JJ320R000005

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B. 1 ID/IQ MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNTS

This is an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract utilizing Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP), Time and Materials/Labor Hour (TM/LH), or a hybrid of both Task Order (TO) types in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 16.500. This ID/IQ is designed to address the Government’s need for a full range of non-personal services as broadly described in Section C, Statement of Work.

During the term of the contract, the Government guarantees award of TOs totaling a minimum of $25,000 under this contract. The maximum amount of all TOs issued by the Government shall not exceed a ceiling of $17,500,000 in total cumulative value across all multiple-award contracts awarded by the Government for the subject services.

B.2 SCHEDULE OF RATES FOR TIME AND MATERIALS/LABOR HOUR

All TOs issued on a TM/LH basis will be subject to the pricing set forth in Attachment J.1, Labor Rate Schedule. Labor categories and hourly labor rate ceilings governing TOs under this ID/IQ contract shall conform to Attachment J.1. The hourly labor rates (unit of issue) are the maximum burdened rates allowable for TM/LH TOs. The Contractor may elect to propose lower hourly rates on a TO basis. The rates that are proposed and accepted at the time of TO award shall remain in effect with the TO award.

The hourly labor rates reflect fully-burdened hourly rates for each labor category with all proportional overhead, fringe, profit/fee, G&A, etc. The labor rates under this contract represent the blended hourly rates and include Contractor employee labor, subcontractor employee labor, and consultant labor. The labor rates set forth in the table reflect one rate applicable for performance at a Government site or for performance at a Contractor site.

At any time and throughout the life of the contract, at the request of either the Contractor or the Government, the Contractor may propose additional labor categories, rates and descriptions in addition to the Government labor categories. These additional labor categories, rates, and descriptions will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

NOTE TO OFFERORS: Price proposals shall adhere to the pricing structure established in Attachment J.1 and instructions in Section L. The fully burdened TM/LH ceiling rates awarded at initial ID/IQ contract award shall serve as the basis for all future year pricing for those ceiling rates. Resulting ID/IQ contracts will include Attachment J.1 with the accepted Contractor loaded labor rates inserted in the pricing table.

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 BACKGROUND

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Geotechnical Team (NGT) develops regulations, policies, and guidelines to ensure the successful delivery of the national bridge and tunnel program. The staff supports research of state-of-the-art technologies and provides leadership in the deployment of emerging technologies to improve the condition and durability of the Nation’s bridges, tunnels and other highway structures. Injecting new technologies during hands-on design and construction reviews of major and unusual bridge and tunnel projects, as well as geotechnical and hydraulics features is just one way the staff advances technology deployment. Technical leadership is provided through the development of manuals, guidance, and training on bridge and structure design, geotechnical and hydraulic feature design, construction, inspections, load ratings, system preservation and management. NGT staff also advance the body of knowledge through active participation in technical committees of Transportation Research Board (TRB) and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The NGT is comprised of engineers located in the Office of Bridges and Structures (HIBS), the National Highway Institute (NHI) in the Office of Technical Services (OTS), and the Office of Infrastructure Research and Development (HRDI) in the Office of Research Development and Technology (HRD).

The focus of this ID/IQ is to provide geotechnical engineering support for the team. This support will allow the team to continue to provide national and international leadership in geotechnical engineering through the execution of research, the development and implementation of policy and guidance, development and implementation of technical training, development and updates of technical publications, and technical assistance to our partners and customers to enhance the design of new structures and retrofit of existing structures. Support may also include providing expert consulting services for difficult highway structures, scour, geotechnical, and foundation problems.

C.2 OBJECTIVE

The objective of this ID/IQ contract is to secure professional, technical and engineering Contractor services to support the Geotechnical Engineering Program and the NGT.

C.3 SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor shall perform the services necessary to support the Office of Bridges and Structure’s and National Geotechnical Team’s activities. The Contractor shall furnish all necessary labor, materials, facilities, and supervision to perform all technical, non-personal services necessary. Anticipated work and activities include Contractor support to advance the state of the practice and implement best practices for the Geotechnical Engineering Team for bridges, tunnels, earth retaining structures, and other geotechnical features. Support for the geotechnical program will include work in the areas of policy support through HIBS, training development and delivery through NHI, and research through HRDI. The anticipated work will fall under the following broad subject areas:

• Research and development – tasks in this area involve practical applied and exploratory research for development of technology and guidance in support of program initiatives and advancing knowledge.

• Expert task forces – tasks in this area are aimed at supporting initiatives and advancing knowledge through assembled groups of subject matter experts.

• Engineering services and technical support - tasks in this area involve providing design and construction services including but not limited to Specialty Consulting and Engineering Services, Design, Construction, and Inspection Services and Emergency Response Services.

• Technical guidance development – tasks in this area are aimed at establishing and documenting the state-of-the-practice for recommended technical guidance. The documentation may be in the form of geotechnical design, construction, and inspection manuals, guidelines, software technical briefs, technical advisories, and guide specifications. Development, maintenance, and enhancements of web-accessible versions of the documents are also within the scope of this work.

• Training development, updating, and delivery – tasks in this area include the development, update, and delivery of instructor-Led Training (ILT), web-based training (WBT), web conference training (WCT), videoconference training (VCT), flipped classroom training, new and evolving training delivery platforms, and new technologies such as mobile apps and virtual world delivery. Additionally, this ID/IQ provides for the development and update of supplemental materials and services to support training, advance the state of practice, and implement best practices in Geotechnical engineering.

• Technology exchange – tasks in this area include conducting workshops and making presentations of the best practices and innovative technologies. The delivery mechanism includes face-to-face workshops, web-based training, and technical presentations.

• Demonstration projects – tasks in this area will be conducted in collaboration with highway agencies to showcase and promote the deployment and implementation of selected technologies.

• Technical assistance – tasks in this area will involve providing technical assistance to

FHWA to promote and facilitate deployment and implementation of technology.

• Conference facilitation – tasks in this area shall provide a means for FHWA to organize or participate in and fund national and international conferences of interest to the highway community.

C.4 TASK REQUIREMENTS

Specific work to be performed will be set forth under individual TOs in one or more of the following Task Areas. When a TO is awarded, the Contractor shall perform in accordance with the requirements of the work statement. The Contractor shall be able to perform the TO requirements in all of the following Task Areas:

NOTE TO OFFERORS: A proposal shall demonstrate that the Contractor’s team is capable of performing in all Task Areas. The Contractor’s team includes the prime Contractor and any subcontractors.

TASKS AREA A - RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

The Contractor shall conduct research studies for the development of state of the art technology, and verification and advancement of the state of practice in support of geotechnical programs.

The subjects may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Limit States Design and Reliability Analysis for Geotechnical Features

• Subsurface Investigations and Site Characterization

• Geotechnical Monitoring and Instrumentation

• Deep and Shallow Foundations

• Earth Retaining Structures

• Soil and Rock Slopes

• Ground Modification and Improvement Techniques

• Geotechnical Hazards and Extreme Events

• Geotechnical Aspects of Pavements

• Risk-based Assessments

• Data Mining, Analysis, and Reporting

• Quality Assurance for Reporting and Field Acceptance

• Asset and Performance Management

The Contractor shall also assist in writing technical, professional-quality articles suitable for scientific publications, peer-reviewed journals, newsletters, briefing papers and brochures as requested.

TASK AREA B- EXPERT TASK FORCES

The Contractor shall organize and facilitate expert task forces to support the geotechnical program’s and NGT’s initiatives. Participation on task forces may include subject matter experts from highway agencies, industry, consulting, and academia. The Contractor shall convene and facilitate meetings (face-to-face or web-based), prepare task force meeting agendas, handout materials, and follow-up minutes.

TASK AREA C- ENGINEERING SERVICES AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT

The services shall include engineering services and other technical support to FHWA with special engineering expertise and design and construction support services as follows:

Subtask Task C.1: Specialty Consulting and Engineering Services Specialty consulting and Engineering Services that might consist of any or all services necessary to:

a. Provide engineering analysis, design review, and inspection in response to inquiries on design, construction, and inspection and evaluation documents prepared by others.

b. Provide support services for construction cost estimating, advise on the effects of construction processes on design, or advise on the impact of design features on the probable cost of construction for designs prepared by others.

c. Provide engineering services to review and prepare reports.

Subtask Task C.2: On-Call Design, Construction and Inspection Services:

On-Call Design, Construction and Inspection Services might consist of any or all services necessary to:

a. Review and prepare the analysis for any bridges, tunnels, and other geotechnical structures and features.

b. Review construction related plans, special provisions, cost estimates or schedules, and perform any or all of the following tasks:

i. Serve as advisor to the FHWA for assistance in the forensic investigation of bridges, tunnels, and other geotechnical structures and features.

ii. Make other engineering reviews or analyses, as requested.

Subtask Task C.3: Emergency Response Services:

Emergency Response Services might consist of engineering and other related technical services in response to any FHWA or State emergency (within the United States), such as natural or man-made disasters that involve bridges, tunnels, or other geotechnical structures or features.

When required, and in conjunction with the above work, the Contractor may be required to provide technical support that consists of literature searches; technology evaluations; research needs assessments; review of bridge and tunnel design, construction and inspection; technical report development; computer-aided technology; numerical modeling; and program/project review.

TASK AREA D- TECHNICAL GUIDANCE DEVELOPMENT

The Contractor shall develop reports, manuals, guidelines, technical briefs, technical advisories, briefings, articles, web pages, and guide specifications, as required, to document the state of practice, and support implementation of the geotechnical program. The subjects of these documents may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Limit States Design and Reliability Analysis for Geotechnical Features

• Subsurface Investigations and Site Characterization

• Geotechnical Monitoring and Instrumentation

• Deep and Shallow Foundations

• Earth Retaining Structures

• Soil and Rock Slopes

• Ground Modification and Improvement Techniques

• Geotechnical Hazards and Extreme Events

• Geotechnical Aspects of Pavements

• Risk-based Assessments

• Data Mining, Analysis, and Reporting

• Quality Assurance for Reporting and Field Acceptance

• Asset and Performance Management

The Contractor shall also assist in writing technical, professional-quality articles suitable for scientific publications, peer-reviewed journals, newsletters, briefing papers and brochures as requested.

TASK AREA E- TRAINING DEVELOPMENT, UPDATING, AND DELIVERY

The Contractor shall provide for the development, update, and delivery of ILT, WBT, WCT, VCT, or flipped classroom training, new technologies such as mobile apps and virtual world delivery, and new evolving training delivery platforms as well as the development or update of supplemental materials and services to support training, advance the state of practice, and implement best practices in geotechnical engineering.

TASK AREA F- TECHNOLOGY EXCHANGE

Subtask F.1: Technical workshops and training The Contractor shall develop and deliver professional workshops and training based on the information developed under Tasks A and D. Workshops will vary in length of time, and emphasize hands-on application of technology and be presented at one or more times and/or places.

Subtask F.2: Webinars and web-based training The Contractor shall develop and deliver national webinars or web-based training, subject to review and approval by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). The webinars shall be based on topics identified by the Government. The Contractor shall make all training materials, including presentation slides as well as key documents referenced in the webinar discussion, available online for immediate download by all participants at the end of each webinar.

Subtask F.3- Cooperative delivery of technology The Contractor shall work cooperatively with industry or professional organizations to develop training modules for delivery by the partner organization, subject to reviews and approval by the COR, on topics established by the Government. The Contractor shall utilize the knowledge and experience available from the Contractor team, FHWA, and the industry participants.

Subtask F.4- Technical presentations The Contractor shall develop and deliver technical presentations at seminars, conferences, workshops and/or meetings relating to the areas identified in the objectives, subject to approval by the COR.

Subtask F.5- Open house events The Contractor shall organize and deliver open house events that showcase best practices or innovative technologies, subject to approval by the COR. The open house events will be designated by the COR based upon an assessment of project features that may be of special interest to highway agencies in other states.

TASK AREA G- DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS

The Contractor shall design, construct, study, and report on demonstration projects in collaboration with host agencies of selected technologies involving the use of innovative materials, construction techniques, or construction equipment. The scope of work for this task includes the identification and selection of the technologies to be demonstrated, subject to review and approval of the COR; identification and selection of host States for the demonstrations;

coordination of demonstration-related, technology-transfer activities; and documentation of the demonstration projects. An open house event shall be conducted for each demonstration project, and workshops and training on subjects relevant to the demonstration projects may be conducted in conjunction with the open house event.

TASK AREA H- TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

The Contractor shall provide technical assistance to FHWA. The scope of technical assistance includes, but is not limited to, the following activities involving subjects covered within the scope of this contract as described under Tasks A and D:

• Peer-to-peer guidance to highway agencies for project development involving technologies that are new to the State but are within the scope of this contract.

• Forensic evaluations of bridges, tunnels, or other structures either during construction or shortly after opening to traffic, as well as those exhibiting unusual performance problems.

These assistances shall be provided as guidance only, subject to review and approval by the

COR.

TASK AREA I- CONFERENCE FACILITATION

The Contractor shall organize national or international conferences on related topics over the duration of this contract, with review and approval of the COR, for delivery in the United States to attract both domestic and foreign participants. The conferences will vary in length over contiguous days and shall be held in non-resort locations with international airport service.

Additionally, the Contractor will be required to arrange booth spaces for exhibitors, as appropriate. The Contractor shall make all of the conference material available in electronic format for distribution at the conference and for web posting following the conference.

NOTE: Food and beverage costs are not allowable meeting/conference expenses for direct reimbursement under this contract unless approved in advance by the Contracting Officer (CO).

Light refreshments (coffee, tea, and water etc.) are allowable if they are included in a conference/meeting room price as standard commercial practice and not separately charged/billed to your organization. All conferences require advance approval within FHWA and no work for conferences within Task Order can occur until approval is received.

C.5 CONTRACT LEVEL REQUIREMENTS

C.5.1 LABOR CATEGORIES

The Contractor’s project team must possess the necessary combination of qualifications and experience to provide superior-level support and products to the satisfaction of FHWA. The following labor categories, skills/disciplines, and/or expertise are anticipated for the successful completion of all anticipated work under this contract.

Program Manager

The Program Manager (PM) shall be responsible for administration and management of the ID/IQ personnel, which includes coordinating time and travel for the contract personnel. The PM shall be responsible for the submission of all TO proposals, progress reports, final reports and all other deliverables. The PM shall be the point of technical and administrative contact between the Government, to include COR and CO, and the Contractor and shall be responsible for the successful completion of all work required under this contract.

The PM shall have, at a minimum, an advanced degree (e.g. Master’s or Ph.D.) in civil engineering with specialization in geosciences or geotechnical engineering. The PM shall have at least 15 years of experience in the management of technical personnel, research, and technology studies of a complex nature. The PM shall have a general understanding of structural engineering, and demonstrated communications skills.

The PM shall maintain close and regular communication with the COR through regular, frequent meetings, email and/or video-conferencing. The PM shall be available to meet with the COR and/or CO as necessary to address questions and/or concerns.

Principal Investigator

The Principal Investigator (PI) shall conduct research and development dealing with geotechnical engineering. This includes design, quality assurance (QA), data collection, specifications and acceptance plan evaluation and development and data validation procedures.

In addition, the PI shall assist in developing webinars; providing training and assistance to Contractors and/or State highway agencies; and writing reports.

The PI shall have a minimum of 10 years of experience in geotechnical engineering related to highway construction, project delivery and relevant research and development experience. The Principal investigator shall have demonstrated experience interacting with highway agencies to advance construction technology. The PI shall have, at a minimum, an advanced degree (e.g.

Master’s or Ph.D.) in civil engineering with specialization in geosciences or geotechnical engineering. A Ph.D. is preferred.

Project Manager/Task Order Lead

A Project Manager/Task Order Lead shall be responsible for all aspects of a TO performance.

A Project Manager provides overall direction to all project level activity and personnel interfaces with client personnel. A Project Manager ensures schedules are met, monitors performance indicators such as cost, timing and manpower loading.

A Project Manager/Task Order Lead shall have, at a minimum, an advanced degree (i.e.

Master’s) in civil engineering or related field and at least 12 years of experience in civil engineering or related field with specific experience in managing projects.

NOTE: The Project Manager/Task Order Lead may vary by TO/project.

Geotechnical Engineer

A Geotechnical Engineers shall have, at a minimum, an advanced degree (i.e. Master’s) in civil engineering with specialization in geotechnical engineering. A Geotechnical Engineer shall be registered as a Professional Engineer (PE). The Contractor shall provide sufficient Geotechnical Engineers to cover the core areas shown below.

Core Areas:

• Limit States Design and Reliability Analysis for Geotechnical Features

• Subsurface Investigations

• Geotechnical Monitoring and Instrumentation

• Deep and Shallow Foundations

• Earth Retaining Structures

• Soil and Rock Slopes

• Ground Modification and Improvement Techniques

• Geotechnical Hazards and Extreme Events

• Geotechnical Aspects of Pavements

• Risk-based assessments

• Data mining, analysis, and reporting

• Quality assurance for Reporting and Field Acceptance

• Asset and performance management

NOTE: Each core area shall be covered by a Subject Matter Expert (SME). An SME is highly specialized and proficient in relevant core areas, and is recognized at the industry level in development of national technical guidance and contributing to technical committee activities for organizations such as TRB and AASHTO. Any combination of individual(s) may be proposed to cover the core areas of expertise. For example, one individual may cover more than one core area.

Research Engineer

A Research Engineer shall, at a minimum, have a Ph.D. in civil engineering with specialization in geotechnical engineering. The Contractor shall provide sufficient Research Engineers to ensure the team covers all of the following core areas.

Core Areas:

• Limit States Design and Reliability Analysis for Geotechnical Features

• Geotechnical Monitoring and Instrumentation

• Deep and Shallow Foundations

• Earth Retaining Structures

• Soil-Structure Interaction

• Soil and Rock Slopes

• Ground Modification and Improvement Techniques

• Geotechnical Hazards and Extreme Events

• Geotechnical Aspects of Pavements

• Data Mining, Analysis, and Reporting

• Quality Assurance for Reporting and Field Acceptance

• Asset and Performance Management

• Advanced Numerical Analysis

• Statistical Analysis and Risk Assessment

• Nondestructive Testing Evaluation and Monitoring

NOTE: More than one person can be listed. Any combination of individual(s) may be proposed to cover the core areas of expertise. For example, one individual may cover more than one core area.

Administrative Support

The Administrative Support will be responsible for technical report preparation, meeting planning and facilitation. Administrative Support shall have two years of relevant experience providing administrative support to technically focused teams, program development, site selection and other aspects of planning a successful meeting.

Technical Editor

The Technical Editor shall have a Bachelor’s degree and five years of relevant experience, working with technical, engineering documents. The Technical Editor will be responsible for writing and/or editing technical articles or publications. More than one person can be listed. The individual(s) may also be a subject matter expert in geotechnical engineering research. The Technical Editor develops high-quality graphical illustrations, including three dimensional figures and other visualization tools useful for demonstrating engineering concepts. The Technical Editor collects and reconciles review comments during document development. The Technical Editor shall edit technical documents for organization, content, and style. The

Technical Editor screens technical documents for spelling, grammar, punctuation and incomprehensible statements.

Instructional Systems Designer (Section 508 compliance)

The Instructional Systems Designer (ISD) shall have a Bachelor’s degree and five years of relevant experience, working with Section 508 and Section 504 requirements. The Instructional Systems Designer assures compliance for all electronic and information technology identified within this ID/IQ to meet the applicable accessibility standards of 36 CFR 1194, which implements Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. The Instructional Systems Designer shall provide documentation of testing of all electronic materials. More than one person can be listed.

Engineering Technician

The Engineering Technician shall have a Bachelor’s degree and two years of relevant experience performing standardized or prescribed assignments in support of Geotechnical and Research Engineers.

C.5.2 KICK-OFF MEETING

The Contractor shall attend an in-person kick-off meeting within three weeks of the contract award. The objective of this meeting is to introduce attendees, to provide an opportunity for Contractors to meet with the CO and/or Contract Administrator, the COR, define roles and responsibilities, and respond to questions. Contractor Key Personnel shall attend this meeting.

The costs incurred to attend the kick-off meeting are unallowable direct costs under the contract and, therefore, cannot be charged as direct costs to the Government. Contractors are to handle such costs in accordance with their disclosure statements/cost accounting systems.

C.5.3 ID/IQ PROGRESS REPORTS

The Contractor shall submit an electronic copy (2016 or higher Microsoft (MS) Office or PDF) of a contract level consolidated monthly progress report to the CO and/or Contract Administrator, and the COR, by the 10th of the month following the calendar month being reported. The costs incurred in the administrative reporting are unallowable direct costs under the contract and, therefore, cannot be charged as direct costs to the Government. Contractors are to handle such costs in accordance with their disclosure statements/cost accounting systems.

The report shall provide, for all active TOs under the contract, a summary that includes at a minimum:

(a) TO number, TO title, TO type (i.e., FFP or TM), period of performance, TO COR.

(b) A description of any problem encountered or anticipated that will affect the completion of any individual TO within the time and fiscal constraints as set forth in the TO, together with recommended solution to such problem; or, a statement that no problem was encountered.

(c) For TM/LH only, a tabulation of the planned, actual and cumulative person-hours expended by the personnel identified in each TO.

(d) For TM/LH only, a chart showing:

i. Current and cumulative expenditures versus planned expenditure for each TO.

ii. Cumulative expenditures versus obligated funds.

(d) A summary on a task by task basis for all work under the specific TO that includes:

i. A clear and complete account of work performed on each task and an outline of the work to be accomplished during the next reporting period.

ii. Identified risks.

iii. Plan to mitigate identified risks.

iv. Project schedule status based on opinion of the PM, shown as red (major delays and significant impact overall), yellow (slight delay to schedule but minimum impact overall), and green (on schedule).

(e) For TOs that the period of performance has expired and/or the technical requirements have been completed, the Contractor shall include a statement indicating this status.

C.5.4 TECHNICAL REPORT SPECIFICATIONS

As required, the Contractor shall develop and update technical reports as a product of research and development, guidance and policy support, technical assistance requests, or other tasks that require a written product. Technical reports required under this contract shall be prepared in accordance with the latest version of the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center R&D Communication Reference Guide. All fonts used in the documents shall be supplied with the submittal such that the document will print as it appeared on the Contractor’s equipment. Files shall be included in the programs of origin, such as MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc., so these files can be modified or corrected and re-imported into the full text document. Graphics shall be created as separate elements and imported into the text file. An electronic file of each imported graphic shall be delivered to the COR or as otherwise noted in the TO. Graphics shall be produced in a program that can export an interchange file format that can be imported into the full text. Photos must be in TIF or EPS (GIF and JPEG are acceptable for electronic publishing) with on-screen preview and with line screen appropriate for printing. Files should be provided in a manageable size of 3 Mb or less.

C.5.5. TRAINING DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY

NOTE: Unless otherwise specified in the TO, the intent is that any training developed under a TO will follow NHI guidance. See the Resources for Instructors and Developers section of the NHI website for more details.

As required, the Contractor shall develop, update, and deliver ILT, WBT, WCT, VCT, or flipped classroom training, new technologies such as mobile apps and virtual world delivery, and new evolving training delivery platforms as well as the development or update of supplemental materials and services to support training, advance the state of practice, and implement best practices in Geotechnical engineering.

When training development or delivery is required by TO, the goal is to optimize training for https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/general/15058/ https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/general/15058/ https://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/intro_developing.aspx maximum effectiveness, ensuring that the greatest amount of learning takes place within defined constraints. As part of this process, the Contractor shall develop and update course materials to be responsive to the training needs of the target audience, with clearly articulated learning outcomes. The Contractor shall incorporate the principles of adult learning and ISD into the curriculum materials, as well as an end of course learning assessment (i.e. exam, skill demonstration, etc.) in order to be consistent with the International Association for Continuing Education and Training requirements. Classroom training includes a combination of instructional strategies, such as lectures, facilitated discussions, group exercises, case studies, workshops, interactive knowledge checks/responses, field trips, and/or participant presentations.

Highly qualified, experienced, and knowledgeable instructors have been the hallmark of NHI training courses. To be truly effective, ILT requires skilled, competent, and credible instructors with relevant, nationwide project level experience. These instructors must be so well versed in their specialty area, that upon thoroughly reading an NHI Instructor Guide and reviewing associated course materials, a qualified and experienced instructor could teach an NHI course session within their program area.

NHI designs individual course developments for a national audience. However, to ensure that every NHI training session is a relevant and meaningful learning experience for all participants, in some TOs NHI instructors are required to perform pre-delivery work in advance of a course session. Specifically, NHI instructors are required to determine which "hot issues" or local topics should be addressed after contacting the local host for the training session, the FHWA Division office, the State Department of Transportation (DOT) and/or other "key" contacts.

Additionally, TO instructors shall continually monitor course materials to ensure they are accurate and contain the latest information. This includes refreshing case studies and group exercises if needed; incorporating examples of current best practices or notable projects;

including references and resources which may be valuable to augment the existing materials. By reviewing completed course exams, instructors can determine if any questions need to be revised, eliminated or new questions written. If so, Contractors can compile a listing of suggested improvements to discuss with the NHI Training Program Manager and FHWA Program Office lead. These sorts of course changes are required as part of a delivery TO.

However, any change to materials shall not be made without approval of the COR. In terms of administrative responsibilities, the prescribed series of requirements NHI instructors are to follow is available on the NHI website-- http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/.

The Contractor shall ensure that NHI instructors take the NHI Instructor Development Course (IDC) -or an approved equivalent instructor-training program-- to become a certified NHI instructor. Only the NHI Instructor Liaison can approve waivers from the IDC for curricula from equivalent instructor-training programs. NHI does not automatically approve college level teaching experience as meeting the NHI instructor requirements. More information on the procedures for becoming certified is available on the NHI website -http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/.

The Contractor shall implement and follow NHI procedures, processes and standards. See the Resources for Instructors and Developers section of the NHI website for more details.

http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/ http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/ https://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/intro_developing.aspx

In terms of volume, Geotechnical engineering courses are very popular with sessions held monthly at various locations across the country. The Contractor is required to have qualified instructors who can meet these demands with 30 days' notice.

C.5.6 MEETINGS, WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS SUPPORT

When required by a TO, the Contractor shall plan, develop, organize, schedule, and deliver webinars, meetings, workshops, and conferences. Unless otherwise specified in the TO, the Contractor shall provide all technical and administrative functions associated with arranging and coordinating webinars, workshops, meetings, and/or conferences, such as: arranging web connections, contacting participants, and developing online scheduling. For workshops, the Contractor shall provide all technical and administrative functions associated with arranging and coordinating, such as: arranging the meeting location, contacting participants, securing lodging and meeting space, developing schedules, obtaining miscellaneous equipment and expendable supplies, and other workshop support functions.

When required by a TO, the Contractor shall make all travel arrangements for non-federal workshop participants. Arrangements will include, but not be limited to: transportation reservations and tickets; hotel reservations; local transportation between transportation terminals and hotel and, if relevant, between hotel and meeting site; and other arrangements necessary to support the successful travel and room and board for participants. The Contractor shall be responsible for the travel costs associated with non-federal workshop participants who qualify for invitational travel. (Invitational travel means non-federal individuals who are providing a direct service to the agency, such as making a presentation or advising in an area of expertise.)

The Contractor shall provide documentation of costs as needed for FHWA’s meeting reporting processes.

SECTION D - PACKAGING AND MARKING

D.1 PACKAGING

Unless otherwise specified, preservation, packing, and packaging of items for shipment shall be in accordance with best commercial practices and adequate for acceptance by common carrier for safe transportation at the most economical rates.

D.2 SHIPMENT AND MARKING

The Contractor shall clearly mark each shipment and all information submitted to the CO and COR with the company name, contract number, TO number (if applicable), and as appropriate the item identification, quantity of items, and notice of partial or final delivery.

D.3 F.O.B. POINT

The F.O.B. point for any hard copy submittals and delivered items, unless otherwise directed by the Government shall be:

Federal Highway Administration Office of Bridges and Structure

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590 Attn: COR designated at award

D.4 EQUIPMENT REMOVAL

Any Contractor-owned equipment, accessories, and devices located on Government property shall be dismantled and removed from Government premises by the Contractor, at the Contractor’s expense, within thirty (30) calendar days after contract expiration. Exceptions to this requirement shall be mutually agreed upon by the Government and the Contractor and written notice issued by the CO.

SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

This contract incorporates the following clauses by reference with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text.

52.246-4 INSPECTION OF SERVICES - FIXED-PRICE. (AUG 1996)

52.246-6 INSPECTION - TIME-AND-MATERIAL AND LABOR-HOUR. (MAY 2001)

52.246-9 INSPECTION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (SHORT FORM) (APR

1984)

E.2 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

All work hereunder shall be subject to review by the Government. All deliverables will be inspected for content, completeness, accuracy, and conformance to TO requirements. Delivery of deliverable items shall not constitute acceptance. The COR is responsible for inspection and acceptance of all deliverables and services.

The Government requires a period not to exceed thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of final deliverable items for inspection and acceptance or rejection, unless otherwise specified in the TO. For periods exceeding thirty (30) days, it is the responsibility of the Contractor to confirm receipt and acceptance of the deliverable(s)

E.3 ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

Certification by the COR or CO of satisfactory services provided is contingent upon the Contractor performing in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract, any TO issued, and all modifications. Deliverable items rejected under any resulting TO shall be corrected in accordance with the applicable clauses. Reports, documents and narrative type deliverables will be accepted when all discrepancies, errors or other deficiencies, identified in writing by the Government, have been corrected.

SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

F.1 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

This contract incorporates the following clauses by reference with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text.

52.242-15 STOP-WORK ORDER. (AUG 1989)

52.242-17 GOVERNMENT DELAY OF WORK. (APR 1984)

52.247-34 F.O.B. DESTINATION. (NOV 1991)

F.2 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance under this ID/IQ contract (for the purposes of placing orders) is five years from the effective date of the contract. TOs may be issued up to the final day of the contract period of performance provided that the TO can be completed in accordance with FAR 52.216-22. There are no option periods under the contract. Options may be used for TO performance.

F.3 METHOD OF DELIVERY

Electronic copies shall be delivered using Microsoft (MS) Office suite of tools (for example, MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Project, Or MS Access format) version 2016 or later, unless otherwise specified by the COR. Electronic submission shall be made via email, unless otherwise agreed to by the COR.

F.4 DELIVERABLE/DELIVERY SUMMARY (ID/IQ)

SOW Reference Contract Deliverable Due Date Format C.5.2 ID/IQ Progress

Reports 10th of every Month Electronic 2016 or higher MS Word, Excel, or PDF.

NOTE: TO deliverables and performance standards will be specified in each TO.

F.5 PLACE OF DELIVERY

All TO deliverables shall be delivered to the COR. The monthly progress reports shall be delivered electronically to the Contract Specialist/Administrator and the COR.

F.6 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE (TO SPECIFIC)

Unless otherwise designated at the TO level, the Contractor shall perform most the work at the Contractor’s facility.

SECTION G - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

G.1 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

The Contractor shall provide sufficient management to ensure that this contract is performed efficiently, accurately, on time, and in compliance with the requirements of this document.

Specifically, the Contractor shall designate a single Program Manager (PM) to oversee this ID/IQ contract and supervise staff assigned to this ID/IQ contract.

The Contractor shall provide all personnel, supplies, facilities, transportation, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to meet the requirements of the individual TOs.

G.2 CONTRACTING OFFICER’S AUTHORITY

The CO is the only person authorized to make or approve any changes in any of the requirements of this contract, and, notwithstanding any provisions contained elsewhere in this contract, the said authority remains solely with the CO. In the event the Contractor makes any changes at the direction of any person other than the CO, the change will be considered to have been made without authority and no adjustment will be made in the contract terms and conditions, including price.

G.3 CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE AND TASK ORDER COR

(a) The CO is the only individual authorized to enter into or terminate this contract, modify any term or condition of this contract, waive any requirement of this contract, or accept nonconforming work delivered under this contract.

(b) The CO designates TBD as COR. The COR’s responsibilities shall include technical monitoring of the Contractor’s performance and inspecting and accepting deliveries under the contract.

As needed, the CO may appoint a TO Contracting Officer’s Representative (TOCOR). The TOCOR’s responsibilities shall include technical monitoring of the Contractor’s performance as well as inspecting and accepting deliveries under specified TO(s). Any changes to the TOCOR delegation will be made in writing. Notification of any changes will be provided to the Contractor and COR.

(c) The COR and, if designated, the TOCOR are not authorized to perform, formally or informally, any of the following actions:

(1) Promise, award, agree to award, or execute any contract, contract modification, or notice of intent that changes or may change this contract;

(2) Waive or agree to any modification of the delivery schedule;

(3) Make any final decision on any contract matter subject to the Disputes Clause;

(4) Terminate, for any reason, the Contractor’s right to proceed, or issue any order causing the Contractor to stop work; or

(5) Obligate in any way, the payment of money by the Government.

(d) The Contractor shall comply with the written or oral direction of the CO or authorized representative(s) acting within the scope and authority of the appointment memorandum. The Contractor need not proceed with direction that it considers to have been issued without proper authority. The Contractor shall notify the CO in writing, with as much detail as possible, when the COR or TOCOR has taken an action or has issued direction (written or oral) that the Contractor considers to exceed the COR or TOCOR’s appointment, within three days of the occurrence. Unless otherwise provided in this contract, the Contractor assumes all costs, risks, liabilities, and consequences of performing any work it is directed to perform that falls within any of the categories defined in paragraph (c) prior to receipt of the CO’s response issued under paragraph (e) of this clause.

(e) The CO shall respond in writing within 30 days to any notice made under paragraph (d) of this clause. A failure of the parties to agree upon the nature of a direction, or upon the contract action to be taken with respect thereto, shall be subject to the provisions of the Disputes clause of this contract.

(f) The Contractor shall provide copies of all correspondence to the CO and the COR and

TOCOR, if applicable.

(g) Any action(s) taken by the Contractor, in response to any direction given by any person acting on behalf of the Government or any Government official other than the CO or the COR acting within his or her appointment, shall be at the Contractor’s risk.

G.4 TASK ORDER PROCEDURE

The following ordering procedures apply to all TOs issued by the Government under this contract. Fair opportunity for all TOs will be given to all awardees unless an exception applies in accordance with FAR 16.505(b)(2).

Any supplies/services to be furnished under this contract will be ordered by issuance of written TOs. TOs shall be issued in accordance with FAR 52.216-18, 52.216-19, and 52.216-22 (See Section I).

In addition:

(a) Only an authorized FHWA CO can issue a TO for this contract.

(b) All TOs are subject to the terms and conditions of the contract. In the event of conflict between a TO and the contract, the contract will take…