RFP 693JJ321R000006 Questions and Governments Response - Amendment 0002 .pdf

RFP 693JJ321R000006 Questions and Government’s Response

# Question Government’s Response

1 Would the Government please clarify if Cover

Pages, executive summaries or cover letters, table of contents, lists of acronyms, etc. are considered out of page count

Cover pages or letters, executive summaries, tables of content and lists of acronyms are not counted against the overall page count.

2 Part IV – Past Performance:

Will the Government consider compelling commercial and/or international client examples?

Yes, the Government will consider past performance from other than Federal

Government work.

3 SECTION B – Supplies or Services/Prices

Given the scope of this vehicle including an estimated 5 year PoP, is the current $10M ceiling subject to change?

No, the ceiling is not subject to change, the current ceiling is based on program need and historical data.

4 SECTION C.3: Delineation of Contractor

Tasks – Task Area L

Task Area “L. State, Metropolitan, Rural and

Tribal Planning” – Could the Government further clarify the focus of this task? Are there any specific elements that vendors should emphasize?

Contractors shall be completely aware of the requirements in Map-21 and the Fast Act and the federal Planning rules and how these rules are administered through TIP/STIPS Long

Range Plans, Performance Measures and all other Planning requirements.

This is one of FHWA’s core Transportation

Planning Capacity Building emphasis areas.

The bullets listed in the RFP adequately cover our needs.

5 SECTION L.3 Proposal Format:

“(b) Text shall be printed using a Times New

Roman or Arial font, size no less than 12 point font.

(d)Footnotes, legends, or labels associated with tables or diagrams, and other information that is ancillary to the main text, may be presented in a font size smaller than 12 point font---provided that any such smaller font is fully legible.”

Will the Government allow for a smaller font size to be used in tables and figures?

Yes, the offeror may use smaller font for tables and figures, but please keep in mind that it must be legible at 100% zoom level.

6 SECTION L.4 Proposal Content and

Configuration:

Can bidders provide an preliminary overview and then highlight how team structure and staffing will be crafted depending on the specific assignment requested?

This is acceptable as long as there is enough information provided so FHWA understands who will be involved and that their backgrounds are suitable for our needs.

7 SECTION L.4, Proposal Content and

Configuration -- final bullet:

Could the Government please confirm how vendors should address 508 compliance?

There is a 508 info link on page 17of the RFP.

It is suggested that offerors provide examples of past 508 compliant work.

8 SECTION L.4 Proposal Content and

Configuration:

P. 70, #3 references “Identification of the

‘Project Manager’ for the contract.” However a

“Project Manager” is not listed as Key

Personnel in the list which follows on same page, nor is a Project Manager listed in

Attachment J.3. Could the Government please clarify the use of Project Manager and Program

Manager?

The language on page 70 of the RFP should say Program Manager and not Project

Manager. Please see the amended RFP for more information.

For the IDIQ, there will be only the Program

Manager labor category. However, it is anticipated that program managers, as well as

Planner Level III and Transportation

Specialist III may act as a Project Manager at the task order level.

9 Key Personnel – General Labor Categories

Are the 12 core Key Personnel positions fixed, or will the Government consider alternatives?

The labor categories for the IDIQ are fixed. It is anticipated that if other disciplines are needed, that the current labor categories are broad enough that they can be used to cover any additional more specific labor categories at the task order level.

10 What is the NAICS Size Standard that applies to this procurement and what is the size standard amount?

$16.5 Million

11 Section I.3(e)(1) states that “Notwithstanding the requirements of the clauses in paragraphs

(a), (b), (c), and (d) of this clause, the

Contractor is not required to flow down any

FAR clause, other than those in this paragraph

(e)(1) in a subcontract for commercial items.”

Please confirm that FAR clauses, other than those in paragraph (e)(1), would not be required to flow down to subcontracts with universities, research institutes, and nonprofits.

The prime contractor will be held accountable for meeting the terms and conditions of the contract, including all applicable clauses as outlined in the solicitation. As noted in FAR

52.212-5(e)(2), … “while not required, the

Contractor may include in its subcontracts for commercial items a minimal number of additional clauses necessary to satisfy its contractual obligations.”

12 Many university subcontractors may have difficulty complying with the requirements of the Dissemination of Contract Information clause in TAR 1252.242-72. Could language be added stating that educational institution subcontractors will be subject to the TAR clause 1252.242-70 Dissemination of

Information—Educational Institutions (OCT

1994) in lieu of 1252.242-72?

The prime contractor selected for award will have to ensure compliance with the contract terms and conditions outlined in the solicitation. In the event the prime contractor is other than an educational institution - TAR clause 1252.242-72 would not generally be applicable. Please note the excerpt below from the solicitation which documents the procedure if there is an exception requested to a specific term or condition stated within the solicitation:

(e) The Offeror must state that they agree to all terms and conditions of the model contract of this solicitation, which consists of the RFP Sections A through J, including all documents, exhibits, and all other attachments that are incorporated therein by reference and made a part thereof, or provide an explanation for any exceptions.

13 In the event that certain FAR clauses are required to flow down to universities, research institutes, and nonprofits, could additional alternate FAR clauses applicable to universities, research institutes, and nonprofit subcontractors be added to the IDIQ?

Alternatively, could certain FAR clauses that are not applicable to universities, research institutes, and nonprofit subcontractors be waived upon request?

The prime contractor selected for award will have to ensure compliance with the contract terms and conditions outlined in the solicitation. In the event the prime contractor is other than an educational institution - TAR clause 1252.242-72 would not generally be applicable. Please note the excerpt below from the solicitation which documents the procedure if there is an exception requested to a specific term or condition stated within the solicitation:

(e) The Offeror must state that they agree to all terms and conditions of the model contract of this solicitation, which consists of the RFP Sections A through J, including all documents, exhibits, and all other attachments that are incorporated therein by reference and made a part thereof, or provide an explanation for any exceptions.

14 Section H.11 (Organizational Conflict of

Interest and Limitation on Future Contracting) states that “the Contractor is expressly prohibited from competing on all related work.” We have the following questions:

See 14a and 14b

14a Consistent with the organizational conflict of interest principles found in FAR Subpart 9.5 that allow for reasonable mitigation of conflicts of interest, in particular unequal access to information conflicts, would FHWA revise this clause to state that “Therefore, to the extent that the Contractor cannot reasonably mitigate the actual or potential conflict arising from such access or participation, Contractor is expressly prohibited from competing on all related work.”

The language has been updated to reflect the ability to reasonability mitigate the conflict.

Please see the amended RFP for more information.

14b The open ended nature of this prohibition makes it difficult to evaluate the impact on

Contractor’s ability to compete for future work. Would FHWA consider adding a limited time period during which this prohibition would be in effect (for example, the duration of the applicable Task Order, or a specific period of years from the end date of an applicable

Task Order)? This would be consistent with previous IDIQs.

It is anticipated that there is no conflict of interest on the IDIQ level, but there may be specific conflicts of interest that could arise on a specific task order. If a task order will contain work that could pose as a conflict of interest, it will be identified in the Task Order

Proposal Request and the time frame for the conflict will be listed at that time. Please see the amended RFP for more information.

15 Please clarify whether the Organizational

Conflict of Interest and Limitation on Future

Contracting clause in Section H.11 applies to

It is anticipated that there is no conflict of interest on the IDIQ level, but there may be specific conflicts of interest that could arise subcontractors as well. If so, could an exception be granted for certain subcontractors, such as educational institutions and nonprofits?

on a specific task order. If a task order will contain work that could pose as a conflict of interest, it will be identified in the Task Order

Proposal Request and the prime and subcontractors may be limited to future contracting. Please see the amended RFP for more information.

16 Attachment J.1 does not include a Project

Manager category for individuals that will have responsibilities for managing project staff and meeting specific task order objectives. Would

FHWA consider adding a Project Manager labor category to cover project management responsibilities? We note that project management responsibilities, as distinct from

Program Management, are enumerated in most

FHWA TOPRs over and above the technical research work. This would be consistent with previous IDIQs.

The language on page 70 of the RFP should say Program Manager and not Project

Manager. Please see the amended RFP for more information.

For the IDIQ, there will be only the Program

Manager labor category. However, it is anticipated that program managers, as well as

Planner Level III and Transportation

Specialist III may act as a Project Manager at the task order level.

17 Would FHWA consider in the proposal the recommendation for additional labor categories that reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the work being conducted? For example, with a greater emphasis on outreach and public involvement, we have seen in other

IDIQs/TOPRs the inclusion of Program

Support, Conference Planning, and Facilitation labor categories. These are distinctly different from Graphic Design and Communication

Specialists. Another example relates to specialty analysis skills now referred to as Data

Scientists that are integral to modern analytical techniques with education and experience that is not captured either in GIS or modeling.

These would be consistent with previous

TOPRs.

The Government will consider additional

Personal as long as they process the experience needed to complete the Tasks.

It would be impossible to list every possible

Labor Category to fit our needs but

Conference Planning and Facilitation should be highlighted in the proposals .

18 Would FHWA consider in the proposal the recommendation to expand the labor categories to provide for Junior, Midlevel, and Senior for disciplines such as Transportation Modeling, Graphic Designer, Editor, and/or

Communication Specialist? The expectations and use of these highly sought after skills could be stratified across a range of education and experience as has been the case in engineering and planning disciplines, which could be beneficial to the Government if reflected at different rates for key personnel.

The labor categories for the IDIQ are fixed. It is anticipated that if other disciplines are needed, that the current labor categories are broad enough that they can be used to cover any additional more specific labor categories at the task order level.

19 Section K.2 refers to TAR 1252.239-71

(Information Security Plan and Accreditation).

Please clarify what type of information should be included in the proposal (if any) to address this requirement, and whether this information is required for the prime/offeror only, or for both prime/offeror and subcontractors.

The TAR clause 1252.239-71 has been removed from the RFP, please see the amended RFP for more information.

20 Section L.3, states “Text shall be printed using a Times New Roman or Arial font, size no less than 12 point font”. Would a font size smaller than 12pt font be acceptable for tables and figures?

Yes, the offeror may use smaller font (no less than 10 point font) for tables and figures.

Please ensure that the font is legible at 100% zoom level.

21 Section L.3 states, "One Email with each part of the proposal volumes attached as individual files. Email should not exceed 8 MB." Given the overall size of the submittal and the anticipated file size for each volume, would the

FHWA allow for the proposal to be provided in two emails, one email for proposal Volume I (2 files total, one for each part) and a second email for proposal Volume II (5 files total, one for each part)?

The file size limitation has been increased.

The system should be able to accept attachments up to 25MB. If a proposal is more than 25MB, please send them as separate emails, clarifying in any subsequent emails that it is a second (or third) file for the proposal.

22 Section L.4 requires an “original signed copy” of Standard Form 33 and an “original letter of commitment” for personnel who are not members of offeror’s staff. Because this is an electronic submittal, can FHWA confirm that that electronically or digitally signed copies of these documents, or scanned signatures, will be sufficient for purposes of these documents?

Yes, electronic and digitally signed copies will be sufficient.

23 Section L.4, Volume I, please clarify where the required list of writers should be placed and if it is counted toward the page limit for either

Part I or Part II?

Requirement to list writers has been removed from RFP.

24 Section l.4 Volume I, Part II, please clarify if the 12 Key Personnel are limited to the

Offeror’s employees or if subcontractors may be proposed as Key Personnel.

Subcontractor personnel may be proposed as key personnel.

25 Section L.4, Volume I, Part II, please clarify if the required resumes are limited to the 12 key personnel or to all personnel proposed as key personnel or other proposed staff, including subcontractors.

Please only include resumes for key personnel.

26 Section L.4, Volume I, Part II requires the following: “For all personnel who are not currently members of the offeror’s staff, an original letter of commitment shall be submitted with your proposal.” Please clarify whether the it is sufficient for the contractor to:

(a) obtain letters of commitment from each

Yes, the contractor shall obtain letters of commitment only from those personnel identified as key personnel who are not currently members of offeror’s staff

Letters of commitment from subcontractors

(not all their staff) is fine.

subcontractor (but not each individual personnel of each subcontractor); or (b) obtain letters of commitment only from those personnel identified as Key Personnel who are not currently members of offeror’s staff.

27 Section L.4, Volume I, Part II requires the following: “For all personnel who are not currently members of the offeror’s staff, an original letter of commitment shall be submitted with your proposal.” Do the letters of commitment count toward the Part II page limit?

Letters of commitment do not count towards the page limit. Please see the amendment to the RFP for further clarification.

28 Section L.4, Volume II, Part III, Offerors are required to list all contracts terminated for convenience by the Government in the past 3 years. Please clarify whether “Government” is limited to the Federal Government.

This is limited to the Federal Government.

29 Section L.4, Volume II, Part III refers to “a completed, signed, and dated FAR 52.219-28

(Section I)”; however, this Section I containing

FAR 52.219-28 certifications does not appear to be included in the solicitation. Please clarify.

52.219-28 is included in the clause 52.212-5

Contract Terms and Conditions Required to

Implement Statutes or Executive Orders—

Commercial Items (Jan 2021) staring on page

46 of the RFP.

30 Section L.4, Volume II, Part III, please clarify whether Terminated Contracts is required for the prime/offeror only, or if this information is required for both prime/offeror and subcontractors.

Please include terminated contracts for the

Prime only.

31 Section L.4, Volume II, Part III, please clarify whether the Representations and Certifications is required for the prime/offeror only, or if this information is required for both prime/offeror and subcontractors.

Reps and Certs applies to Prime offerors only.

32 Section L.4, Volume II, Part III, please clarify whether the FAR 52.219-28 (Section I) is required for the prime/offeror only, or if this information is required for both prime/offeror and subcontractors.

This requirement is only for the Prime

Contractor.

33 Section L.4, Volume II, Part III, please clarify whether Conflicts of Interest is required for the prime/offeror only, or if this information is required for both prime/offeror and subcontractors.

Conflicts of interest applies to both the prime and subcontractors.

34 Section L.4, Volume II, Part III, please clarify whether the Acceptance of Terms and

Conditions is required for the prime/offeror only, or if this information is required for both prime/offeror and subcontractors.

This requirement is for the prime contractor only.

35 Section L.4, Volume II, Part IV, please confirm that there is no page limit for the

Subcontracting Plan.

There is no page limit for the Subcontracting

Plan.

36 Section L.4, Volume II, Part IV, please clarify whether a Master Subcontracting Plan is required to be submitted in addition to the

Subcontracting Plan format in J.2.

Only the Subcontract Plan format in J.2 is required.

37 Given that the Section L.4 Volume I, Part II instructions only require the offeror to identify the names of the key personnel being proposed, can the Government please confirm that the instructions for Volume II, Part II found in L.4 only require the offer to identify the names of individual consultants and the names of subcontractor personnel that are being proposed as key personnel.

Yes, the contractor shall obtain letters of commitment only from those personnel identified as key personnel who are not currently members of offeror’s staff

Letters of commitment from subcontractors

(not all their staff) is fine

38 Will the Government clarify the Past

Performance instructions in L.4 Part IV with regard to Key Personnel? Is the Government requiring a past performance example for each key personnel proposed, is the Government allowing for past performance from a proposed key personnel even if the work was performed with a prior employer, or is it something else?

The Government is requesting past performance examples for the prime contractor or any subcontractors. We are not requesting past performance for key personnel in this section. It is expected that key personnel’s experience will be covered under

Volume I.

39 Will the government please clarify the labor category requirements (Attachment J.3) for the

Transportation Specialist/Civil Engineer family. For example:

39a The Transportation Specialist III/Civil

Engineer III has an education requirement for either a BS/BA in an appropriate field with 5 to

8 years of experience; an MS/MA in an appropriate field with 3 to 6 years of experience; a PhD in an appropriate field with

2 to 4 5years of experience; or 15 years’ appropriate work experience with no degree. Is the years’ experience range for this labor category and a PhD 2 to 4 years of experience or 2 to 5 years of experience?

This is a typo – the language should say mean

2 to 4 years. Please see the amended RFP for more information.

39b The Transportation Specialist II/Civil Engineer

II has an education requirement for either a

BS/BA in an appropriate field with 3 to 5 years of experience; an MS/MA in an appropriate field with 6 to 12 years of experience; a PhD in an appropriate field with 8 of experience; or 20 years appropriate work experience with no degree. Is it the government’s intent to require more relevant work experience for a PhD than an MS/MS and more work experience for an

MS/MA than a BS/BA?

“Or 20 years appropriate work experience” was an attempt to recognize there are good candidates working in the field with no degree, but many years of experience.

39c The Transportation Specialist I/Civil Engineer

I has an education requirement for either a

BS/BA in an appropriate field with 6 to 8 years

Level I should be 2-4 years with a Master’s

Degree or 6-8 with BS/BA and has been of experience or MS/MA in an appropriate field with 4 to 8 years of experience. This directly overlaps with the degree and years of experience requirements for the Transportation

Specialist III/Civil Engineer III. Is this the government’s intent?

corrected in the RFP. Please see the amended

RFP for more information.

40 The following Labor Categories in Attachment

J.3 do not provide years of experience requirements: GIS Specialist/Geospatial

Analyst, Transportation Modeling Specialist, Graphic Designer, or Editor. Will the

Government provide minimum years of experience requirements to ensure a common understanding of the government’s requirements?

The labor categories for the IDIQ are fixed. It is anticipated that if other disciplines are needed, that the current labor categories are broad enough that they can be used to cover any additional more specific labor categories at the task order level.

41 In Attachment J.3, the Labor Category description row 11 is cut off - will the government provide the remainder of the description please?

Please see the amended RFP for the full information.

42 Please confirm that the Contractor's 5 day correction period for deliverables in Section

E.2 is subsequent to the COR's 15 day period of review and comment.

Confirmed, this is correct.

43 Will the government modify the cure period of

5 days offered in Section E.2, Government

Acceptance Period, to 10 days in line with

FAR 52.249-8?

The RFP does not include the clause FAR

52.249-8, and the conditions set in Section

E.2 are not relevant to the cure period regardless. Please see FAR 52.212-4 Contract

Terms and Conditions- Commercial Items for information regarding Inspection/Acceptance.

44 Section B.2 states that no burdens shall be applied to material costs or travel expenses as well as fee. Consistent with some contractors government approved accounting practices, will the government allow contractors to apply material & handling and general & administrative costs to ODC and travel expenses?

If your company or any subcontractors require the addition of indirect rates on ODCs and

Travel, please include this information in the separate tab for assumptions or conditions.

The request for G&A will be considered at that time.

45 Considering the fact that this relatively short solicitation period coincides with holidays and spring break for many of our team, would the

FHWA consider extending the solicitation due date?

The RFP has been extended until April 30, 2021.

46 Will the Government please clarify if resumes are only required for the listed key personnel positions?

See Q&A 25 above

47 Please clarify that the Government is expecting only one candidate per key personnel LCAT.

Only expecting 1, but include more if you like

48 Will the Government allow major subcontractors submit Past Performance references?

As supplemental material it is fine, but not required.

49 In light of the Passover and Easter holidays, would the Government please consider a one-week extension?

We can accommodate a one week extension

50 Would the Government please clarify if only two seats are reserved for Small Businesses, or if that is a minimum and there may be additional small business awards?

The 2 reserved is anticipated to be a minimum amount.

51 As currently written, the LCAT 5

Transportation Specialist III / Civil Engineer

III requires less experience than the LCAT 7

Transportation Specialist I / Civil Engineer I

(LCAT 5 requires at minimum a BS/BA with

5-8 years while LCAT 7 requires a BS/BA with 6-8 years). Further, LCAT 5 requires fewer years of experience without a degree than LCAT 6 Transportation Specialist II/Civil

Engineer II (LCAT 5 requires 15 years of experience without a degree, LCAT 6 requires

20 years of experience without a degree).

Likewise, the years of experience required with a PhD are greater for LCAT 6 than LCAT 5, despite LCAT 5 being the more senior position. Please clarify the seniority of the positions and the educational requirements for

LCATs 5, 6, and 7.

The labor categories requirement has been updated. Please see the amended RFP.

52 Page 3 of 80: In Section C.2 Objective, the

Government lists 15 task areas as a minimum indicating a diverse range of technical expertise will be needed to be prepare adequate responses to anticipated task orders. Will it be possible for us to list more than one key staff for each of the 12 labor categories with the understanding that only one rate per labor category will need to be provided? Page Also, if more than one resume can be submitted for each labor category, can we assume that the resumes will still not count against the 30 page limit for Part II?

This is reasonable

Answered above

Only need resumes for Key Personnel.

53 Page 70 of 80: In the section titled L.4

PROPOSAL CONTENT AND

CONFIGURATION, under instructions for

Part II, the RFP states “Each resume should clearly indicate which specific Task Areas (A through F) the individual’s experience directly applies to.” We assume that this is a typo and should actually read “….Task Areas (A through T)….”?

Yes that is a Typo, please see the Amendment to the RFP for more information.

54 Page 71 of 80: Based on Para (b) (2) of the

Volume II – Business and Cost/Price/ Part I –

Cost/Price Information, it is our understanding

Yes, this is an accurate assumption.

that the Government is seeking a single

Schedule of Rates chart (J.1) which is inclusive of all prime contractor and subcontractor personnel. In other words, a J.1 is not needed for prime and each sub. Is this an accurate assumption?

55 Page 74 of 80: Can you please clarify if the four or more sources cited in FAR 52.216-27 are in addition to the intent to award “no less than two contract awards will be reserved for small businesses in accordance with FAR

52.219-31” cited in the opening para of Section

L?

52.216-27 Single or Multiple Awards. (OCT

1995)

The “four or more sources” included in FAR

52.216-27 is inclusive of the Small Business

Reserves.

56 Attachment J.3. Labor Category

Descriptions

The description of Job Level 1 cites “Program

Manager / Industry Expert - Program Manager with responsibility and oversight of all

Planning projects OR providing expertise in a topic with high industry costs/rates.” Can you clarify what you mean by “providing expertise in a topic with high industry costs/rates”?

This language was left in error, please see the amended RFP for clarifying information.

57 Also, the Qualifications of Job Level 1 also indicates “Corporate management experience includes a BA/BS in Planning or appropriate field.” Does a degree in Civil Engineering count as an appropriate field if the rest of the resume is aligned with what the Government is seeking in terms of qualifications?

Yes

58 Based on previous experience, we have noted that sometimes other labor categories such as

Travel Demand Modeling, Instructional

Systems Design or Software Programming on

Administrative Support may be appropriate to include as labor categories for the work envisioned by the RFP. Would the Government be willing to entertain additional labor categories?

The labor categories for the IDIQ are fixed. It is anticipated that if other disciplines are needed, that the current labor categories are broad enough that they can be used to cover any additional more specific labor categories at the task order level.

59 Would Travel Demand Modeling be needed as a core expertise? If so, can it be included?

This is covered above.

60 Is text in tables and figures considered

“information that is ancillary to the main text”

(per RFP Section L.3 page 67) and therefore allowed to be presented in a font size smaller than 12 point?

Yes, the offeror may use smaller font for tables and figures, but please keep in mind that it must be legible at 100% zoom level.

61 Are the resumes described in RFP Section L.4, page 70 required for all proposed staff or just key personnel?

Only key personnel.

62 In response to RFP Section L.4, page 70, can we propose more than one key personnel for each Labor Category and can the key personnel be either prime or subcontractor staff who are proposed to perform the essential role of the required work?

Please only propose on key personnel per labor category. Subcontractors can provide key personnel.

63 In RFP Section L.4, page 70, the RFP requires

“Identification of the Project Manager for the contract”. Can FHWA confirm that the individual proposed as the Program Manager will fulfill the requirements of the Project

Manager role for the contract, and that only one Project Manager is required for the overall contract?

The language on page 70 of the RFP should say Program Manager and not Project

Manager. Please see the amended RFP for more information.

65 Regarding past performance (RFP Section L.4, page 72 and Section M.2, page 79), can the experience of firms serving as subcontractors to the prime offeror be used to meet the past performance requirement?

Yes, the experience of subcontractors can be used to meet the past performance requirement.

66 In Attachment J.2 Subcontracting Plan, regarding “Subcontracting Goals – Base Year”, “Total prime contract amount – Base Year” and “Total Planned subcontracted amount –

Base Year”, please confirm whether “Base

Year” means the entire 5-year period, or if the subcontracting plan is required to provide a break down for each individual year.

Attachment J.2 Subcontracting Plan should say Years 1-5 instead of Base year. Please see the amended attachment for more information.

67 In Attachment J.2 Subcontracting Plan, please confirm that the offeror shall use $10,000,000 maximum ceiling as total prime contract amount.

Please use the $10 million amount as the maximum ceiling amount for the contract.

68 In Attachment J.3, Labor Category

Descriptions, please clarify the requirements for Job Level 5 (Transportation Specialist

III/Civil Engineer III) and Job Level 6

(Transportation Specialist II/Civil Engineer II).

Specifically, please confirm that the stated years of experience for various degree levels are correct. Based on the degree levels shown, it appears that some of the stated years of experience should be either higher or lower.

Please see the update labor category descriptions as the years of experience have been corrected.

69 Section C.7, also in Section F.4 (Page 20 and

23)- As with other FHWA IDIQ contracts, the

RFP requires an Annual Progress Report to be delivered “on or before 30 calendar days before the end of each contract year.” We have found that a more comprehensive Annual

Progress Report can be completed upon the completion of each contract year. Would

FHWA consider revising the requirement to

The government agrees to this change, please see the amended RFP for more information.

instead deliver the Annual Progress Report

“within 30 calendar days of the end of each contract year” rather than before the end of each contract year?

70 Section I.3 (Page 57)- The table of Key

Personnel under the contract, indicating that

“Before removing, replacing, or diverting any of the specified individuals, the Contractor shall notify the contracting officer, in writing, before the change becomes effective.” This table includes Key Personnel for every labor category. At the IDIQ contract level, typically in the past we have seen Key Personnel defined solely as the Program Manager, or in some cases including senior level staff labor categories. Would FHWA consider not requiring named Key Personnel for labor categories such as Junior Planner, Transportation Specialist I/Civil Engineer I, Graphic Design, Editor, Communications

Specialist, that are not generally considered

“Key Staff” for IDIQ contract management?

Key staff may still be specified at the individual Task Order level.

No, the Government requires this detail in the proposal.

71 Section L.3 (Page 67)-The RFP specifies that

“Text shall be printed using a Times New

Roman or Arial font, size no less than 12 point.” This is a large font given the short page limits for the proposal to address such a large scope. Would FHWA consider modifying this to allow other fonts as long as they are no less than 11 point? Can table or figure captions be provided in a smaller point font as well?

Yes, the offeror may use smaller font for tables and figures, but please keep in mind that it must be legible at 100% zoom level.

72 Section L.4 (Page 68)-The requirement provides page limits for each section. Part I, which includes all Technical Capabilities and

Approach to all 20 Task Areas (A through T), is limited to 25 pages; while Part II on Staffing

(not including resumes) is limited to 30 pages.

Were these page limits meant to be reversed

(30 for Part I and 25 for Part II), or would

FHWA consider adjusting so that Part I is limited to 40 pages and Part II to 15 pages? We anticipate that describing capabilities and approach in Part I would require more text than the staffing discussion in Part II, when not counting resumes in the page limit.

The government agrees with this comment.

The RFP has been changed to allow 30 ages for Technical Approach and 25 for Staffing.

Please see the amended RFP for more information.

73 Section L.4 (Page 68 and 70)-Volume I (b)

Part II (Staffing Proposal) page limit does not include resumes. Page 70 also indicates that a

That is correct, the tables and resumes are not included in the page limit.

summary table be provided listing the names of individual proposed as Key Personnel and “a separate summary table shall be provided containing information on other proposed staff” and indicates that both these tables do not count against the page limit. Please confirm that these two tables and the resumes are not included in the page limits for Part II.

74 Section L.4 (Page 70)-Part II – Staffing

Proposal /Resumes (first paragraph) indicates, “Each resume should clearly indicate which specific Task Areas (A through F) the individual’s experience directly applies to.”

Please confirm this should say “Task Areas (A through T).”

Yes, this is correct, it should say Areas A through T. Please see the amended RFP.

75 Section L.4 (Page 70) Please clarify the expectations for Key Personnel and submitting resumes. Page 70 of the RFP indicates to provide “Name of the individual proposed as

Key Personnel for that labor category.” For an

IDIQ contract, outside of the Program

Manager, it seems unusual to have some of these labor categories (such as Junior Planner) designated as Key Personnel at the contract level. Please confirm whether a staff person within each of these labor categories should be designated as Key Personnel, or whether the

Key Personnel designation can be reserved for contract management or senior labor categories. Please also confirm that offerors may include multiple resumes per labor category, given the diversity of technical capabilities required across the task areas.

Key Personnel will stand as written in the

RFP.

76 Section F.1 (Page 23)-For purposes of pricing, what date should be assumed for the start of

Year 1 of the contract?

Please use the assumed start date of June 1, 2021.

77 Solicitation Section L.4, Part II – Staffing

Proposal/Resumes, page 70 of 80, first paragraph, states each resume should clearly indicate which specific Task Areas (A through

F) is applicable to the individual’s experience.

However, SOW Section C.3 describes Task

Areas A through T. Please clarify the Task

Areas indicated on the resumes includes all

Task Areas A through T.

Yes this is correct, it should say Areas A through T. Please see the amended RFP.

78 Please confirm if it is acceptable to provide the subcontracting plan using an in-house template that meets all FAR questions, in lieu of the J.2

FHWA SUBCONTRACTING PLAN that was provided with the RFP package.

No, please use the provided template. All subcontracting plans have to go through approval at the Department level and they are looking for this exact template.

79 Solicitation Section L.4, Part II – Staffing

Proposal/Resumes, page 70 of 80, bullet #3, states identification of the Project Manager.

Please advise if this should read “Program

Manager” or if the Project Manager is a non-key role that should be identified.

The language on page 70 of the RFP should say Program Manager and not Project

Manager. Please see the amended RFP for more information.

80 Solicitation Section L.4, Part II – Staffing

Proposal/Resumes, page 70 of 80, Key

Personnel, please confirm that only one individual should be named for each Key

Personnel Category, or if multiple individuals can be named to provide experience aligned with Task Areas A-T.

1 resume per Key Personnel.

81 Solicitation Section L.4, Part IV – Past

Performance, page 72 of 80, is there a form you would like us to use? Also, confirm if the

Government will accept CPARS or other client-generated evaluation forms.

There is no specific form for the past performance. Please ensure each past performance reference has all the information requested in L.4. Please do not submit

CPARS or client-generated evaluation forms.

82 Solicitation Section L.4, Part IV – Past

Performance, page 72 of 80, please confirm that relevant contracts include IDIQs and

MATOCs, and that task orders associated with these contracts will be inclusive.

Please include any past performance similar in nature to the requirements of the solicitation and performed within the last three years.

83 Confirm that the Government is not expecting standalone project sheets.

Standalone project sheets are not expected.

84 Please advise if a new Key Personnel Labor category can be added for Senior Technical

Advisor.

FHWA will not add a new Senior Technical

Advisor Category. TSIII or Planner III may cover TA role

85 Solicitation Section L.4, Part I – Technical

Capabilities and Approach, beginning on page

68 of 80, please clarify if the bullets shown related to elements the Offeror should demonstrate, are to be discussed in depth for each Task Area, or in a more over-arching manner within Part I.

We will use these elements to review the applications. It is up to the contractor how they demonstrate them.