Attachment_1_-_Responses_to_Solicitation_Questions.pdf

ATTACHMENT 1 - RESPONSES TO SOLICITATION QUESTIONS

SOLICITATION # 72030618R00002 - Afghan Urban Water and Sanitation

A. GENERAL

Question No. 1: Does the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation under solicitation number 72030618R00002 contain requirements similar to a current contract? If possible, please provide the current contract number. Or, is this a new requirement for the government?

USAID Response: This is a new requirement and there is no current incumbent.

Question No. 2: Will the Mission confirm whether contract holders of the Engineering Support Program or other construction oversight contracts are eligible to bid for AUWS?

USAID Response: As currently structured, no offeror will be restricted from competing.

However, should contract holder(s) of the Engineering Support Program or other construction oversight contracts win, a different construction oversight firm will be used.

Question No. 3: Per the cover page, the submittal email for USAID is listed as kblaidoaaoiteam@usaid.gov but Section L.5.3.a) lists the submittal email as kbloaaoiteam@usaid.gov. Can USAID please confirm the correct email for submittal of questions, requests for clarification, and proposals?

USAID response: The correct email address is kbloaaoiteam@usaid.gov. Section L.5.3a has been updated

Question No. 4: We are preparing to put together a team to meet the requirements of this solicitation, are there any meetings planned to discuss the details of security and site specific issues of AF property rights and easements?

There are of course many other details to this type of project, but with familiarity in both wastewater, and with Afghanistan, we can zero in on a lot of the potential show-stoppers well in advance of each city’s project exercise.

USAID Response: USAID does not envision any planning meetings.

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B. COST/BUSINESS PROPOSAL

Question No. 5: Will USAID please provide an exchange rate to use in rate and budget negotiations to ensure consistency among bidders?

USAID response: No. Offerors should indicate the exchange rate used in their cost estimate assumptions.

Question No. 6: For costing purposes, will USAID provide an exchange rate that offerors should use?

USAID response: See response to Question 5.

Question No. 7: Can USAID confirm that offerors may include relevant direct labor, materials, indirect costs, and fixed fee associated with the management of CLIN 0002?

USAID Response: Yes. Offerors are to provide fully burdened security costs under CLIN 0002.

Question No. 8: Section B.4 – Can USAID please confirm that the fee for CLIN 0004 is not meant to be included in the fixed fee schedule under Section F.5?

USAID Response: The fixed fee schedule under section F.5 must include all proposed fees.

Question No. 9: Section B.4 of the RFP (page 11) makes reference to “furnishing the level-of-effort specified in paragraph (c) above”, however, there does not appear to be a paragraph (c) that references such level-of-effort. Can USAID please clarify this reference to level-of-effort, and clarify whether payment of fixed fee for CLIN 0004 will be tied to LOE?

USAID Response: Reference to “furnishing level of effort (LOE) specified in paragraph (c) is deleted. Section B.4 has been updated.

Question No. 10: Section B.4 (b), page 11, states “The fee set forth in B.4 (a) is based on furnishing the level-of-effort specified in paragraph (c) above.” The “level-of-effort” reference implies that fee will be paid upon furnishing of a specified level-of-effort which is reflective of a CPFF term type mechanism. Could USAID please clarify what “level-of-effort” is being referenced?

USAID Response: See response to question No.9

Question No. 11 Section B.5: For budgeting purposes and consistency, will USAID consider providing a plug figure to offerors for CLIN 0003?

USAID Response: No. Offerors should propose 20% of their total estimated cost (TEC) for

CLIN 0003

Question No. 12: Section B.5: For budgeting purposes and consistency, will USAID consider providing a plug figure to offerors for CLIN 0004?

USAID Response: No. Offerors should propose 20% of their total estimated cost (TEC) for

CLIN 0004.

Question No. 13: If USAID will not provide a plug figure, can USAID clarify whether 20% of the TEC is meant to be a ceiling amount for CLIN 0003? Section B.5 states that the cost should be “at least up to 20% of TEC), while Section L.7 (k) (3) states, “Offerors must budget up to 20% for CLIN 0003”.

USAID Response: Offerors must budget 20% of the total estimated cost (CLINs 1-4) for CLIN 0003. Section L.7, Part 3 has been revised.

Question No. 14: If USAID will not provide a plug figure, can USAID clarify whether 20% of the TEC is meant to be a ceiling amount for CLIN 0004? Section B.5 states that the cost should be “at least up to 20% of TEC), while Section L.7 (k) (3) states, “Offerors must budget up to 20% for CLIN 0003”.

USAID Response: Offerors must budget 20% of the total estimated cost (CLINs 1-4) for CLIN 0003 and CLIN 0004 respectively.

Question No. 15: Sections B.5 and L.7.2 (page 129) state that CLIN 0003 should be 20% of TEC (total estimated cost). Please clarify whether TEC for this purpose refers to the overall total of all CLINs (1 – 4), or to the total of CLIN 1 (or CLINs 1-2).

USAID: The TEC as used in the referenced sections refers to all CLINs (1-4)

Question No. 16: Sections B.5 and L.7.3 (page 129) state that CLIN 0004 should be 20% of TEC (total estimated cost). Please clarify whether TEC for this purpose refers to the overall total of all CLINs (1 – 4), or to the total of CLIN 1 (or CLINs 1-2).

USAID Response: See responses to question 11-15 above.

Question No. 17: Sections B.4 and B.5, page 11, state that total estimated cost of CLIN 3 and CLIN 4 are “at least up to 20% of TEC”. In contrast, in Section L.7, Page 129 states that “Offerors must budget up to 20% for CLIN 3 and up to 20% for CLIN 4”. Can USAID clarify that offerors should budget “up to 20%” for CLIN 3 and “up to 20%” for CLIN 4, and modify the wording in Section B accordingly?

USAID Response: See responses to question 11-15 above.

Question No. 18: In Section B.4 (page 11), the offeror is advised to insert a CLIN#0004 ceiling cost “at least up to 20% of the total cost, exclusive of the associated maximum fee of $ TBD.”

However, on page 129, Section L.7, Instructions for the Preparation of Cost Proposal, states that

“Offerors must budget up to 20 percent for CLIN#0003 and up to 20 percent for CLIN #0004 as well.” Should offerors understand the 20 percent to be a cap for each CLIN?

USAID Response: See responses to question 11-15 above.

Question No. 19: Section B. 5: Can USAID clarify whether the estimated cost for CLINs 0003 and 0004 should be exclusive of applicable indirect cost and fixed fee, and if these costs should be included under CLIN 0001?

USAID Response: CLIN 0003 and CLIN 0004 costs should be inclusive of direct cost, indirect cost and fixed fee. See note referenced in section B.5. of the RFP.

Question No. 20: Section B.5 Contract Budget: Can USAID please clarify the anticipated tendering process for the IDIQ sub-contracts under CLIN 0004?

USAID Response: See section H. 33

Question No. 21: Section B.5 Contract Budget: Please provide clarification on what USAID means by “equipment” and “equipment improvement” under CLIN 0003.

USAID Response: For the purposes of CLIN 0003, “equipment” is different from “project equipment” that might be purchased for use by the implementing partner. For CLIN 0003 “equipment” refers only to items that may be purchased for the strategic business units, once clearly identified in the business plans. “Equipment” may include items required for water treatment, water distribution, metering, etc. “Equipment improvement” refers to any upgrading, not replacement in lieu of, existing “equipment” already being operated by the strategic business units. Language in Section L.7 (b) Part 3 has been revised.

Question No. 22: Section B.9 states that “payment of fixed fee under this contract will be tied to the completion of deliverables specified in Section F.5.” and Section L.7.3 states that “the Contractor will be reimbursed for allowable costs under CLIN#003 and CLIN #004 (cost reimbursement basis). However, the Contractor must ensure infrastructure and equipment improvement projects, including but not limited to acquisition of equipment and construction projects, are priced on a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Basis.” Could USAID please clarify whether task orders under CLIN #004 are 1) cost-plus fixed fee, completion, 2) cost plus fixed fee, term (level-of-effort-based), or 3) firm fixed price?

USAID Response: The use of Task Orders under the RFP has been eliminated. See section B.4 and section L.7 (b) Part 3 for revised guidance.

Question No. 23: Regarding firm-fixed price contracts on the following pages:

a. Section B.5, page 12, states that “Only Firm Fixed Price (FFP) sub-contracts shall be issued under CLIN 0003 and 0004.”

b. b. Section L.7, page 129, states that “…Contractor must ensure infrastructure and equipment improvement projects, including but not limited to acquisition of equipment and construction projects, are priced on a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) Basis.”

c. Section C, page 24, Supplemental Technical Assistance states that “Infrastructure improvement activities might include; assessment of current infrastructure, design, construction, training and logistics support.”

Per the reference in Section C, can USAID confirm that CLINs 0003 and 0004 may include activities and costs (including labor, materials, indirect costs and fee) required to ensure successful delivery of the Firm Fixed Price contracts for infrastructure and equipment?

USAID Response: See responses to question 19 and 22 above.

Question No. 24: Section F.4 A., Page 35, and Section F.4 C., page 39, state that the final version of the Initial Annual Work Plan is due within 90 days of contract award. Page 35 also states that “the first initial Annual work plan must be submitted after completion of the baseline assessments, Task 1.” Are contractors required to complete the Task 1 baseline assessments of AUWSSC and the 6 SBUs required in less than 90 days of contract award?

USAID Response: The Initial Annual Work Plan is due within 60 calendar days of contract award and then final is due 30 days after receipt of USAID comments on the initial draft.

Solicitation has been updated by deleting conflicting language.

Question No. 25: Section H.16.B: Please confirm that a six-day work week is approved for all LTTA US expatriate and TCN employees.

USAID Response: Yes. See section H.16.B (2)

Question No. 26: Attachment J.6: Assuming that the Equipment tab in the budget template included with the RFP refers to equipment that is for the regular use of the project, please confirm that offerors can use their own budget template, provided it contains the same information as in the template provided by USAID.

USAID Response: The equipment tab in the budget template is for regular project equipment and does not include equipment under CLIN 0003. The offeror may use their own template, the provided template is not mandatory.

Question No. 27: Attachment J.6: The budget template included with the RFP includes a tab for "Equipment." Will USAID please confirm that this equipment is for the regular use of the project, and is not meant to be used to estimate costs for CLIN 0003: Equipment?

USAID Response: See response to question #26 above.

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C. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

Question No. 28: Section C.3: By sanitation, please confirm that USAID wants implementers to focus primarily on water-based sanitation (sewerage and septic mainly) and wastewater treatment, consistent with the assigned responsibilities of AUWSSC and municipalities.

USAID Response: USAID wants implementers to focus on water-based sanitation (sewerage and septic mainly) and wastewater treatment, consistent with the assigned responsibilities of AUWSSC and municipalities.

Question No. 29: Regarding Section C.5, Task 1, Deliverable (v), and Page 21: The RFP asks for a “baseline assessment of sanitation service provision in the service areas of the six AUWSSC strategic business units.” Given the ongoing support of the German government to prepare the Kabul sanitation master plan, will USAID consider revising this deliverable to include the other five SBUs (not Kabul) in order to align with the deliverables of Task 3?

USAID Response: USAID would still like a baseline to be conducted that will allow the current progress in Kabul to be captured. This baseline may be much less rigorous than the 5 other baselines and be more of a stocktaking of the current progress the Germans are making on the sanitation master plan.

Question No. 30: Can offerors add to the deliverables beyond those specifically referenced in Section C and/or disaggregate the deliverables referenced in Section C?

USAID Response: Yes, offerors may add deliverables and/or disaggregate those already referenced in Section C.

Question No. 31: Section L.5.1 (b): Will USAID please provide additional instructions for Annex A, Initial Annual Work Plan, and Annex D, Implementation Schedule and Mobilization Plan, to clarify the requirements for the work plan and implementation schedule, and how they differ?

USAID Response: Annex D has been deleted.

Question No. 32: Section L.5.1 (b): Please clarify whether USAID seeks statements of qualification and resumes, or resumes only, as part of Annex H?

USAID Response: USAID requests only resumes as part of Annex H. See revised language in the solicitation.

Question No. 33: Section L.7, page 85, asks for copies of policies and procedures for accounting, purchasing, property management, personnel and travel in Afghanistan to be submitted as part of Annex 8 (assume Annex 9) of the Cost Proposal. Could USAID confirm that these documents are not required if Offerors have U.S. government experience in Afghanistan?

USAID Response: Yes, copies of policies and procedures for accounting, purchasing, property management, personnel and travel are not required for Offerors with USG experience.

Question No. 34: In Section L.6.6 (1a), page 122, the RFP refers to Attachment J.3. Can USAID please confirm that Attachment J.3 should only be completed for projects that are not in PPIRS?

USAID Response: Yes.

Question No. 35: On page 118, Section L.5.1 (a) states, “The technical proposal must be submitted in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) and Word Microsoft format.” On page 121, Section L.5.3 states “USAID email gateway accepts messages whose total size with attachments is 8 MB.” As requested documents such as signed letters of commitment and eSRS reports are typically PDF files, and because Word files tend to be much larger in size than PDF files, can USAID confirm that text-accessible PDF is acceptable in lieu of Word to fulfill the RFP requirements?

USAID Response: No. If documents exceed 8 MB, Offerors should split the documents in several parts to fit the file size restriction.

[End of Attachment 1]