MACC_Questions-_Amendment_6.pdf

QUESTION #1-EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, SECTION L, L.4.9 PAGE LIMITATIONS

RFP PAGE 101 OF 114

Section L.4.9 of the RFP solicitation makes reference to an “executive summary (not mandatory),” which is not counted against the proposal page limitations. This executive summary does not appear to be referenced anywhere else in the RFP or solicitation documents.

Please confirm it is acceptable to submit an executive summary with the offeror’s proposal that does not count against the page limitations.

ANSWER: Confirmed.

QUESTION #2 PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT-FUTURE TASK ORDERS SECTION

I PAGE 66 OF 114

1. RFP Section I – Contract Clauses 52.222.33 and 52.222.34: Please confirm that FAR Clauses

52.222.33 and 52.222.34 are self-deleting and do not apply to this solicitation as the seed project is not a large scale construction project of $25 million dollars or more as required under FAR Subpart 22.5 for use of Project Labor Agreements.

2. RFP Section I – Contract Clauses 52.222.33 and 52.222.34: On any future task orders under this MACC will PLAs be required in all cases where the awarded task order is in excess of the $25 million dollar threshold? If required, would submission following task order award be acceptable in lieu of negotiating and putting a PLA in place prior to submission of proposals?

ANSWER:

1. Those clauses are not applicable to the seed project, however, they remain at the IDIQ level as they may be required for future task orders.

2. The task order Contracting Officer will make the determination if the clauses shall apply and how/when the PLA shall be submitted. RFP.

QUESTION #3 PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT-FUTURE TASK ORDERS SECTION

I PAGE 66 OF 114

Request (Explain your request in detail here): RFP Section I – Contract Clauses 52.222.33 and 52.222.34: Because of the high demand for skilled labor anticipated throughout the United States for the duration of this NIH MACC, the use of PLAs would put additional pressure on an already constrained construction labor market, especially if the MACC requires union-only labor. To avoid exacerbating this labor shortage, it is strongly recommended that clauses 52.222-33 and 52.222-34 be omitted from the NIH MACC?

ANSWER: The clauses shall remain at the IDIQ level. Clauses may be used in future task order request for proposals. The task order Contracting Officer will make the determination if the clauses shall apply and how/when the PLA shall be submitted. Please refer to Amendment 0003, Question #137.

QUESTION #4-COVER SHEET AND PAGE LIMITATIONS, SECTION L, L.4.15,

Please confirm the cover sheet referenced in paragraph L.4.15 is not counted towards page limitations specified for each volume.

ANSWER: Confirmed.

QUESTION #5-COVER LETTER, SECTION L, L.4.9, PAGE 101

Please confirm a cover letter is not counted towards page limitations specified for each volume.

ANSWER: Confirmed.

QUESTION #6, ADVERSE INFORMATION – PROPOSAL LOCATION, SECTION L,

L.7.4, PAGES 103-104

RFP Section L, paragraph L.7.4 Adverse Information states, “Offerors shall provide any adverse information they or the teaming partner received in the past five (5) years, such as Letters of Concern, Cure and or Show Cause Notices, Terminations for Cause/Default and a narrative explaining the circumstances resulting from its receipt and corrective actions taken, if applicable.”

Please confirm this information is to be provided on attachment 2, Part 3, Items 4 and 5 for each featured project only.

ANSWER: For any featured project as well as other projects the Government may review (see Section M, paragraph M.2.3.), offerors shall provide any adverse information at stated in Section L, paragraph L.7.4. The Government will follow the direction provided by Section M, paragraph M.2.3.”Other sources may include, but are not limited to, the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) and/or similar systems, Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) using all CAGE/DUNS numbers of contractors who are part of the partnership or joint venture identified in the Offerors proposal, inquiries of owner representative(s), Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity (FAPIIS), Electronic Subcontract Reporting System and any other known sources not provided by the Offeror.”

QUESTION #7, ADVERSE INFORMATION – FEATURED PROJECTS OR ALL

PROJECTS, PROPOSAL LOCATION, SECTION L, L.7.4, PAGES 103-104

Regarding RFP Section L, paragraph L.7.4 Adverse Information, please confirm that adverse information is required to be submitted for the featured projects (required per paragraph L.7.3) only. For some potential offerors, it may be unreasonable to compile this information for all projects, company-wide, within the past 5 years.

ANSWER: The direction provided by the referenced paragraph L.7.4does not specific applicability to only the projects required per paragraph L.7.3. Also see the answer to Question #6.

QUESTION #8, ADVERSE INFORMATION – QUALITY PERFORMANCE

INDICATORS, SECTION L, L.7.4, PAGES 103-104

The last sentence of RFP Section L, paragraph L.7.4 Adverse Information states, “Submittal of quality performance indicators or other management indicators that clearly support than an Offeror has overcome past problems is required.”

Please confirm this information to be provided within Volume 2 on Attachment 2, Part 3, items 4 and 5 for each featured project only.

ANSWER: Information should be included in Volume 2 and for information specific to “featured” projects, the information shall be submitted on Attachment 2. Further see the answer to Question #6 and 7.

QUESTION #9, SELECTIVE DEMOLITION-HAZARDOUS MATERIALS,

ATTACHMENT 8, SECTION 01732 SELECTIVE DEMOLITION, PARAGRAPH 1.7.F.

PAGE 126 OF 221, DRAWING E1.05 AND DETAIL 1

The Selective Demolition Specification Section 01732 states that hazardous materials are not expected to the encountered with the work. However, the removal and replacement of the diesel fuel tank creates the expectation that this work will require handling of diesel fuel.

Please clarify who is responsible for handling, removal, disposal of any remaining diesel fuel in the tank to be removed.

ANSWER: Contractor

QUESTION #10-SELECTIVE DEMOLITION-AS-BUILTS, ATTACHMEBNT 8B,

SECTION 01732 SELECTIVE DEMOLITION, DRAWING E1.05 AND DETAIL 1

Are as-built construction documents available for any or all of the elements scheduled for removal, including the generator and day tank? If so, could you please provide these documents to the bidders?

ANSWER: Available floor plans /electrical drawings/photos were provided in Amendment 0005. Due to the age of the building, exact existing conditions drawings aren’t fully available.

QUESTION #11-SELECTIVE DEMOLITION-EQUIPMENT REMOVAL AS-BUILTS,

ATTACHMEBNT 8B, SECTION 01732 SELECTIVE DEMOLITION, DRAWING E1.05

AND DETAIL 1

The Demolition General Note 1 on E1.03 states: “All Equipment removed is the property of the Owner. If the Owner deems the equipment “unsalvageable”, the contractor is to dispose of it in the proper manner.” Means and methods, and thus costs of removals are impacted by whether the equipment needs to be salvaged and turned over or disposed of. In order to facilitate competitive and accurate pricing of the removal work, please clarify the equipment that is required to be salvaged vs. disposed of.

ANSWER: Consider all equipment removed under this note to be unsalvageable.

QUESTION #12-NEW CUSTOM CHAIN LINK FENCE, DRAWING E1.05, NEW

WORK PLAN NOTE 1

Please provide a specification for the basis of bid for the new custom chain link fence noted in New Work Plan Note 1 on Drawing E1.05. In addition to the specification, since Detail 3 on E1.05 is not to scale, please provide a height of the fence, and a height and width of the gate.

ANSWER: See Amendment 0005, responses to Questions 9 and 47’s #17.

QUESTION #13-CONSTRUCTION COST TEMPLATE, ATTACHMENT 5-NIH

DIVISION 50 CONSTRUCTION COST TEMPLATE

Please clarify the Proposal Submission requirements related to Attachment 5-NIH_Division 50 Construction Cost Template.

1. Is the completion and submission of this form required?

2. If required, can an additional 3 days after the bid submission be allowed to provide sufficient time to accurately populate all of the required information?

3. If required, can this form be submitted electronically 3 days after the bid submission?

4. What is the intended use of this form in relation to the lump sum contract terms?

5. If required, is the Summary tab / worksheet sufficient to complete the submittal requirements?

ANSWER:

1. Yes

2. No

3. No

4. Price evaluation (see M.3)

5. No

QUESTION #14-SUBMITTALS AND DELIVERABLES, ATTACHMENT 8-

STATEMENT OF WORK, PAGE 5 OF 8

Paragraph 4. Scope of Services, ii. Submittals and Deliverables, subpart c. seems to read that only one printed copy of printed deliverables is required for the review of the PO. Is this correct?

Please clarify the required printed copies for submittals.

ANSWER: For the Building #4 Generator project Shop Drawings provide one printed copy and a PDF version.

QUESTION #15-SELECTIVE DEMOLITION-HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SURVEY,

ATTACHMEBNT 8B, SECTION 01732 SELECTIVE DEMOLITION, PARA 1.7.F,

PAGE 126 OF 221, DRAWING E1.05 AND DETAIL 1

The Selective Demolition Specification Section 01732 states that hazardous materials are not expected to the encountered with the work. Since we are performing selective demolition through existing unknown materials a hazardous material survey will be required to maintain a safe working environment.

1. Is an existing hazardous material survey available that includes of the demolition work for this contract scope available?

a. If not available, who is responsible for the costs of the hazardous material survey?

b. If available, who is responsible for any work actions listed in the survey?

ANSWER: See Amendment 0005 responses to Questions 15, 37, 77, 86 and 95.

QUESTION #16-CONSTRUCTION COST TEMPLATE, ATTACHMENT 5-NIH

DIVISION 50 CONSTRUCTION COST TEMPLATE

Since this contract is a bid-build lump sum contract, please clarify the Proposal Submission requirements related to Attachment 5-NIH_Division 50 Construction Cost Template:

1. What is the intention for separate line items for overhead and profit in a lump sum contract?

2. What price breakdown line items are desired for the General Conditions, Division 1?

3. What is the expected level of breakdown of “work items” for each of the 50 divisions?

ANSWER:

1. Please see Sections L.8.1 and M.3

2. For Division 1 lump sum is sufficient.

3. Per L.8.1, the price breakdown should reflect a clear understanding of the requirement.

QUESTION #17-SELECTIVE DEMOLITION-HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SURVEY,

ATTACHMENT 8B, SECTION 01732 SELECTIVE DEMOLITION, PARA 1.7.F,

DRAWING E1.05 AND DETAIL 1

With respect to the removal of the existing fuel tank, does the facility have an active Oil Operations Permit through the Maryland Department of the Environment that would apply to this project?

ANSWER: Yes. Existing fuel tank is part of a NIH wide fuel tank permit.

QUESTION #18-RFP, SF 1442 SECTION I, PAGE 61 OF 114

The RFP for this project contains FAR clause 52.215-20. Please confirm that, per 48 CFR 15.403-1, certified cost or pricing data will not be required for the initial contract due to the fact that it will be awarded based on adequate price competition.

Answer: Confirmed.

QUESTION #19-REDACTION REQUIREMENTS; L.6, L.7, L.8, PAGES 102, 103, 104

L.6 VOLUME 1 - TECHNICAL (FACTOR 1) [Also applies to requirements for volumes 2 and 3, L.7 and L8] “(One (1) Original Hard Copy (unredacted), three (3) Redacted Hard Copies, and 1 Electronic Copy (unredacted). Redacted means no reference to offeror to include company name or names of individuals. Redaction may include removal or darkening out of names or references.”

1. Does this include every single mentioning of company name even in logo format?

2. Does this include company name in Header/Footers, on covers; on NIH required forms, such as Attachments 1, 2 and 6; on all price bid documents; Bonding and EMR letters; etc.? Does this include address, DUNS, etc. on SF 1442, and does it include individual names and their signatures where required? We understand that this is to avoid evaluation bias, but it seems difficult, seeing as the NIH will receive our company information on Past Performance Questionnaires for evaluation directly from our clients, and shipping labels will identify company name and address.

Answer:

1. Yes

2. Please follow the directions on redaction as it clearly states “Redacted means no reference to offeror to include company name or names of individuals. Redaction may include removal or darkening out of names or references.” The Government has an internal action plan to redact information from the PPQs.

QUESTION #20-ADDITIONAL THREE CONTRACTS, L.7.3, PAGE 103

L.7.3. Recent & Relevant Contracts: “Offerors shall submit information on the Past Performance Information Sheet (PPIS) on a minimum of four (4) and maximum of six (6) recent contracts from the prime contractor considered most relevant in demonstrating performance abilities on the MACC. In addition, Offerors shall include up to three (3) recent contracts performed by each teaming partner and/or joint venture partner considered most relevant in demonstrating their ability to perform the MACC.” While we are not proposing with a teaming partner or joint venture, will the NIH accept three additional project examples with corresponding Attachment 2 forms here? Can these three additional “contracts” be three similar overall MACC or MATOC contracts we have performed under? Also, would these three additional contracts require three corresponding PPQs?

Answer: The maximum number of total PPISs is 6 projects. See Amendment 0003, responses to questions #150, 157, and 168.

QUESTION #21-ADVERSE INFORMATION REQUIREMENT CLARIFICATION,

L.7.4., PAGE 103

L.7.4. Adverse Information: “Offerors shall provide any adverse information they or the teaming partner received in the past five (5) years, such as Letters of Concern, Cure and or Show Cause Notices, Terminations for Cause/Default and a narrative explaining the circumstances resulting from its receipt and corrective actions taken, if applicable. This may include a discussion of efforts accomplished by the Offeror to resolve problems encountered on prior contracts as well as past efforts to identify and manage program risk.” Does this apply to the 4-6 past projects we include in “Past Performance,” or to every single project we have performed in the last 5 years? Also, are all actual letters/email correspondence/show cause notices from the client required, or just a narrative summary? Will the NIH consider accepting narrative summaries of overcoming challenges with effective solutions on a handful of relevant representative projects?

ANSWER: Please refer to the answer to question #8.

QUESTION #22-ATTACHMENT 8 SEED PROJECT

The Solicitation does not request information on a technical write up or give direction on where to place the information that the statement of work requests, such as “project manager shall be identified in the proposal prior to contract award” (page 4) and “provide a baseline construction schedule with the bid proposal” (page 6). Should this just be ignored, or should it be placed in one of the solicitation volumes?

ANSWER: The project manager shall not be identified in the proposal prior to contract award. The project manager for the seed project will be identified post task order award.

Please refer to this amendment on the deletion of the requirement for baseline construction schedule submission at the MACC IDIQ proposal level.

QUESTION #23-CONCRETE PAD, DRAWING E1.05

Are the existing concrete pads to be removed? If so, please provide dimensions and requirements for disposal. Are there any as-builts?

ANSWER:

1. Yes, refer to Amendment 0005, responses to Questions #18 and 47 answer 1.

2. No.

QUESTION #24-MISSING SPECIFICATIONS

The following trades required per the bid documents have no specifications sections. Please provide specifications and/or requirements. Concrete, rebar design, fencing, access control/security and plumbing.

ANSWER: For concrete and rebar, the contractor should follow ASTM and ACI standards appropriate for the project conditions and generator manufacturer recommendations. For access control/security work use Division 16 specifications. For plumbing see the generator flue-pipe specification.

QUESTION #25-GENERATOR EXHAUST DRAWINGS, 22 09 00

There are no plans or details regarding specification section 220900. Please provide plans or details if available. If none are available please advise on how the contractor shall quantify and price the associated work.

ANSWER: See Plan E1.05. Also, see Amendment with photos for Generator Engine exhaust flue.

QUESTION #26-C.7.2 CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

Will concrete testing be required under the seed project?

ANSWER: Yes. ASTM C1077.

QUESTION #27-G.12 TASK ORDERS MAY BE PERFORMED AT THE FOLLOWING

LOCATIONS

Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina (12 buildings, 1,077,674 SF), The Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Hamilton, Montana (40 buildings, 378,322 SF)”. Please confirm if task orders associated with this MACC will be issued at these locations?

ANSWER: The majority of work will be at the NIH main campus in Bethesda. Task Orders may be issued at RTP or RML locations. See Section G.12 TASK ORDERS MAY BE PERFORMED AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:… “If contractors have the ability to do the work at designated location they should submit a competitive offer, however if they cannot successfully perform at a location, they should notify the CO of a "no-bid" with a supportive rationale”

QUESTION #28-G.15 INVOICE SUBMISSION

Will NIH allow Bi-Monthly payment requests?

ANSWER: Progress payments will be authorized on a monthly basis unless otherwise agreed to by the Contracting Officer.

QUESTION #29-PANELBOARD WARRANTY, SPEC SECTION 262416-3

The specifications call for a 5 year warranty. Please confirm this is a material and labor warranty.

ANSWER: Confirmed.

QUESTION #30-GENERATOR WARRANTY, SPEC SECTION 262213-4

The specifications call for a 5 year warranty. Please confirm this is a material and labor warranty.

ANSWER: See Specification Section 1.6.A for Special Warranty requirements

QUESTION #31-GENERATOR MAINTENANCE SERVICE, SPEC SECTION 263213-4

1.7 Please confirm a quarterly maintenance check will be required for the 1st year after substantial completion and is to be included in the seed contract price.

ANSWER: Confirmed.

QUESTION #32-CUTTING AND PATCHING, SPEC 017131

Will any x-ray of the existing surfaces be required prior to core drilling? If yes, please provide requirements. Will this work be performed off hours?

ANSWER: X-Ray not required. Contractor shall take all reasonable precautions before Core Drilling. Work can be done during normal work hours.

QUESTION #33-PENETRATION FIRESTOPPING, SPEC 078413

Are there any fire rated walls or floors associated with the seed project? If yes, please provide details and the fire rating of the assembly.

ANSWER: Yes. See SECTION 078413 - PENETRATION FIRESTOPPING

QUESTION #34-TEMPORARY FACILITIES, SPEC 015500

Please confirm utilities including water and power will be provided by the Government at no cost to the contractor.

ANSWER: Confirmed.

QUESTION #35-DRAWING E1.04, DEMO GENERAL NOTE 1

"All equipment removed is the property of the owner". Does the owner want the old equipment including the generator and fuel tank? if yes, how shall the items be stored? If not, are there any special requirements for the disposal specifically regarding the fuel tank.”

ANSWER: COR will determine what is “unsalvageable”. See Responses to Amendment 0005.

QUESTION #36-TEMPORARY BARRIERS, SPEC 015000

Please confirm all interior work under this solicitation will require temporary construction barriers. If yes, will the barriers be left in place for the duration of work?

ANSWER: Yes, barriers must allow for access by maintenance workers and comply with life safety requirements.

QUESTION #37-BUY AMERICAN, CLAUSE 52.225-9

Please confirm the generator under the seed project is required to meet the buy American requirement.

ANSWER: Confirmed.

QUESTION #38-CONTRACTOR SUPERVISOR ORIENTATION Solicitation H.45 How long is the contractor supervisor orientation? When/how often is the orientation scheduled? Will the supervisor have to attend an orientation for each task order, or will the orientation carry over from previous work?

ANSWER: 4-hour course. Conducted as required. And would be valid for the term of the MACC IDIQ contract.

QUESTION #39-BACKGROUND CHECKS, SOLICITATION H.5.3

Will all on-site personnel be required to undergo a background check?

Who will provide and pay for the checks?

ANSWER:

1. Yes.

2. NIH will pay cost of processing background checks. Any associated Contractor labor hour costs for background checks are to be included in the offeror’s proposal.

QUESTION #40-BID BOND

Will future task orders require a bid bond?

ANSWER: No.

QUESTION #41-PAST PERFORMANCE INFORMATION, ATTACHMENT 2

We request that the response to Part 4 not be included in the page limit.

ANSWER: No; the PPIS/attachment 2 and the page limit provide adequate space.

QUESTION #42-PAST PERFORMANCE, L.7 VOLUME 2-PAST PERFORMANCE,

1. The Past Performance page limit for the volume states 60 pages. Given the following elements are included in the volume, we ask that the page limit be changed to unlimited (or at least 200 pages):

2. The Prime can have 6 projects with a 5 pg limit for each project for the Past Performance Information (40 pages est.);

3. Offeror has to provide projects for each team member and can have multiple team members (15 – 60 pages est);

4. Must include CPARs and PPQs for each project that can be multiple pages (54 pages est);

5. Will also include information on adverse information and organization that can be multiple pages (5 pages est.)

ANSWER:

1. No, however see Amendment 0003 where the page limit was expanded to 80 pages.

2. There is a maximum of 6 and a minimum of 4 PPIS allowed. 6x5=30 pages

3. Team members are only applicable to JV and mentor/protégé teams, of which all PPIS shall not exceed a total of 6. See Amendment 0003, responses to questions #150, 157, and 168, as well as question #20 above. Past performance is not requested nor will it be reviewed for subcontractors, please refer to Sections L & M.

4. You should not be submitting a PPQ for a project that has a completed CPARS, please see Sections L & M.

5. Please adhere to the 80 page limit for Volume

QUESTION #43-AMEDNMENT 3, Q&A #62 Answer 1 Amendment 0003 and in response to Question 62, NIH stated that “[n]o teaming partners experience or past performance other than SBA approved Joint-Ventures and Mentor-Protégé agreements will be accepted.” Based on the phrasing of this language can you please confirm that NIH will only accept experience and past performance for 8(a) joint ventures, which is the only type of joint venture that SBA approves, and those between a mentor and protégé.

ANSWER: That is not a correct understanding. NIH did not limit Joint Ventures to only SBA 8(a) Joint Ventures. NIH previously understood the entirety of question #62 in Amendment 0003 to be specific to SBA Joint Ventures and Mentor-Protégé offerors only.

Accordingly, both parts of our answer (1 and 2) were specific to SBA Joint Ventures and Mentor-Protégé offerors. To clarify our response, NIH replaces our answer to question #62

(1) in Amendment 0003 with the following:

1. As previously stated in Amendment 0001, Teaming Agreements will not be considered. Any reference or language in the solicitation to teaming is in reference to Mentor-Portege or Joint Venture. Joint Ventures are not limited to being only SBA Joint Ventures. If the offeror is proposing utilizing an SBA Mentor-Portege or Joint Venture (this includes SBA and non-SBA based JVs), then the offeror may utilize past performance from each company within the team/partner. See Amendment 0003, responses to question #150 “The JV should submit 4-6 projects performed by the JV or its individual members, as prime with no additional projects” and question #157 that confirms a maximum of 6 total PPIS are allowed.

However, as directly stated in Sections L and M, as well as multiple Amendments, proposed subcontractors are not considered part of the “team” and their experience or past performance will not be accepted.