ECO3-Industry Questions and Answers.pdf

Environmental Compliance and Operations 3 (ECO3) Industry One-on-One Meeting Question and Answers

SAM.GOV key word search “ECO3”

Number Type Reference Comment or Question Answer 1 General Not

Applicable (N/A)

What are you looking for in a new contractor? National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will select a contractor based on the evaluation criteria listed in the draft Request for Proposal (dRFP).

2 General N/A What geographical areas will this contract cover?

The contract will cover work at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) White Sands Test Facility (WSTF).

3 General N/A Does NASA allow for JVs, and how does NASA feel about them?

Yes, NASA intends to provide for the inclusion of Joint Ventures (JV) in the dRFP.

4 General N/A Is the incumbent a JV? No, the incumbent is not a JV.

5 General N/A Is the contract run through JSC? Who runs the contract?

The current contract is administered at WSTF by the JSC WSTF Procurement Office alongside the WSTF Environmental Office.

6 General N/A Will NASA release information regarding the number of people currently on-site and their positions?

NASA intends to provide Specified Resources, Government Resource Estimate (GRE), and Workload Indicators in Section L.

7 General N/A What is the % breakdown of onsite staffing

vs. traditional project support?

See Response No. 6 above.

8 General N/A Will NASA provide access to the existing CBA agreement?

NASA plans to release the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in the technical library.

9 General N/A Was the pecan shell methodology that was discussed at the last remediation conference held at WSTF in 2018 ever further implemented or researched?

The pecan shell project was part of a PhD student dissertation and was a partnership between NASA Headquarters and WSTF. The pecan shell research was not implemented.

10 General N/A Is the solar farm operational on site? Yes, as described in the Performance Work Statement (PWS), the ECO3 contractor only provides data management and metric tracking for the solar program.

11 General N/A Will the Continuing Resolution impact the procurement timeline?

Currently, NASA does not foresee a continuing resolution impacting the procurement timeline.

12 General N/A The new contract award would result in a renegotiation of the labor union agreements.

Can NASA provide the status of the union pension fund and would the contractor be required to make the fund solvent, if necessary?

A successor contractor must uphold the CBA entered into under the predecessor contract, per FAR 22.1002-3. The current CBA expires June 15, 2024. However, the incumbent is responsible to ensure the union pension is fully funded.

13 General N/A With the changing health environment do you anticipate the possibility of an in-person meeting prior to the issuance of the final

RFP?

NASA intends to conduct the entire ECO3 acquisition virtually.

14 General N/A How many personnel are currently subject to the CBA and which job classification titles and/or roles are currently subject to the CBA?

NASA plans to release specified resources and the GRE in the dRFP. They would identify positions covered under the CBA. The specific number of work-year-equivalents (WYEs) that support the current contract is business sensitive information and cannot be released.

15 General N/A We know that this is a re-compete on ECO2 with a two-term incumbent. Are there any best practices or lessons learned that the contracting office could share?

NASA does not release internal best practices or lessons learned.

16 General N/A Will NASA be providing a virtual library as a part of the RFP package to allow offerors access to recent technical documents?

Yes, NASA anticipates providing a technical library.

17 Procurement

Industry Bulletin Slide 42 on SAM.gov

(ECO3)

What is the anticipated award date? Please refer to Slide 42 of the industry bulletin, the anticipated procurement schedule is provided. Continue to monitor the ECO3 website, https://www.nasa.gov/jsc/procurement/eco3, for updates.

18 Procurement

Sources Sought Notice on SAM.gov

The Sources Sought is due on a Sunday. Is that the intended deadline or will that be adjusted?

The Sources Sought response due date expired February 24, 2022. NASA is no longer accepting Sources Sought Responses

19 Procurement

31 on

Can you provide additional information on the Streamlined Evaluation Approach?

NASA anticipates utilizing a Streamlined Source Selection Process in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 15 and NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) part 1815, the Price Past Performance Trade-Off

(PPTO).

20 Procurement

31 on SAM.gov

(ECO3)

The technical acceptability would be performed as a pass/fail evaluation, based on pre-defined technical acceptability sub-factors– please confirm that ‘technical acceptability’ only includes the proposed ‘technical approach’ to PWS elements, i.e., no past performance, cost, or other corporate qualifications weigh in at this stage of evaluation?

NASA is considering several options and intends to define the technical acceptability evaluation criteria in the dRFP.

21 Procurement

31 on

Given the global price increases for materials, equipment, and supplies, and our experience working at similar sized scope/contract for the USAF, these items are procured using a cost reimbursable line item with government approval. Will the material, equipment, NASA anticipates 100% Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) with both cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price Task Orders to be used for any appropriate cost or pricing arrangement necessary to comply with the scope of work.

supplies, and IDW disposal be cost reimbursable?

22 Procurement

30 on

Can you confirm that this contract will be an IDIQ with TOs?

The proposed contract type is a Single Source Award, 100% Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) with both cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price Task Orders.

23 Procurement

Modification

1- RFI OCI

listed on

We do not anticipate any OCI issues. Are further actions necessary?

Please refer to Modification 1 of the special notice on SAM.gov.

24 Procurement Modification

1 RFI OCI

listed on SAM.gov

(ECO3)

As far as OCI concerns, are there any potential conflicts if companies are performing environmental work for other site entities (for example under USACE) at White Sands? We are trying to understand the site as a whole and how all site entities interact.

This is a stand-alone procurement for environmental services at WSTF. There are no other Government Agencies associated with the ECO3 acquisition.

25 Procurement

Modification

1 RFI OCI

listed on

What do you mean about mitigation strategy for OCIs?

NASA intends to provide OCI instruction in the dRFP.

26 Procurement

N/A Will Key Personnel be defined?

NASA is considering several options and intends to define evaluation criteria in the dRFP.

27 Procurement

N/A Will resumes and Letters of Commitments be required for the proposal?

See Response No. 26 above.

28 Procurement

N/A Will NASA provide a staffing plan as a part of the RFP package, so all offerors use the same basis for their proposals?

See Response No. 6 above.

29 Procurement

N/A Should offerors include New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax (NMGRT) in the cost proposal?

NASA anticipates including NMGRT in applicable cost elements identified on the electronic price model (EPM) which would be included in section L under cost/price.

30 Procurement

N/A When will NASA determine competition type?

Competition type will be determined as soon as possible.

It is anticipated this requirement will be announced when posting the dRFP. Continue to monitor the ECO3 website, https://www.nasa.gov/jsc/procurement/eco3, for updates.

31 Technical PWS Are there improvements or modifications NASA would like to see made regarding the current program?

The goal of the environmental program is to effectively manage all aspects of the compliance, restoration, and sustainability program as described in the Performance Work Statement. Efficiencies and improvements to the program activities, in any area, are always encouraged.

32 Technical PWS Does the existing contractor perform all the work under the contract onsite?

The existing contractor performs all the work onsite.

33 Technical PWS 3.2.1, 3.2.3, and 3.2.4

Are there any significant changes in the new scope from the existing scope?

The significant change is the transition from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permitted Fuel Treatment Unit to the Propellant Waste Central Accumulation Area (90-day unit) for management of propellant contaminated wastewater.

Additionally, the Performance Work Statement was updated to indicate the RCRA permit is currently in the renewal process to transition into a corrective action only permit. NASA will update the PWS, as needed.

34 Technical PWS 2.0 Has the scope of the corrective action changed with being out the RCRA?

The scope of the corrective action program has not changed. Additionally, the program requirements are not expected to change after the RCRA permit is modified and renewed as a corrective action only permit.

35 Technical PWS 2.1, 2.3 Is it WSTF’s objective to perform source reduction to reduce long term liabilities or is it to maintain or enhance the operation of the existing groundwater treatment system?

The objective is to perform both requirements. Source reduction to reduce environmental liabilities is only possible with the continuous operation of the existing treatment system operations. Enhancements to improve effectiveness are considered a standard part of the program requirements.

36 Technical PWS What improvements in the compliance, operational and remediation activities at the Center would you like to see over the term of the next contract?

The goal of the program is the effective management of all Performance Work Statement elements. Continuous improvement to enhance current operations in any area of the work is always encouraged.

37 Technical PWS 3.1.3, 3.2.1

Is the container storage unit the same place as the Propellant Waste Central Accumulation Area (PWCAA)?

No, they are separate locations. The container storage area is in the 100 Area and the PWCAA is in the 500 Area.

38 Technical N/A Is WSTF interested in development relationships with higher education entities for use in remediation activities at the Center?

Higher education entities have previously participated with some areas of the environmental program. Offerors are encouraged to propose the approach they believe to be most effective for meeting contract requirements.

39 Technical N/A There was another reflective technology discussed at the remediation conference, was this technology implemented onsite?

A new reflective technology for groundwater treatment systems has not been implemented.

40 Technical PWS 2.1, 4.0 Is the objective for the Groundwater Treatment System (GTS) to be operational 100% of the time?

Yes, the GTS should be operational 100% of the time per the PWS requirement and associated Performance Standards.

41 Technical PWS Are the scope areas listed in order of importance in the PWS?

No, the PWS requirements are not listed in order of importance.

42 Technical PWS 2.2 I don't see Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the PWS or Bulletin. Is it a problem at WSTF?

As part of the standard groundwater monitoring program, confirmational PFAS sampling and analyses work was completed to identify any possible issues within the groundwater plume. Based on this data, PFAS is not currently considered a problem at WSTF.

43 Technical N/A How will NASA ensure they provide offerors access to documents to address potential Conflict of Interest?

See Response No. 16 above.

44 Technical N/A How is WSTF’s general relationship with New Mexico Environment Department

(NMED)?

Historically, communication between WSTF and the various NMED bureaus has been cooperative and productive, although previous experience does not guarantee future interactions.

45 Technical PWS 3.13.4 Any Notices of Violation (NOVs) or Notices of Deficiency (NODs) from NMED in current contract?

There are no current or recent NOVs or NODs from any NMED agencies. The last NOV received was in 2019 and was specific to missing an identification number on a hazardous waste manifest.

46 Technical PWS 2.1 Regarding groundwater remediation, any emphasis on accelerated cleanup (liability reduction), optimization, and/or identification of remedial alternatives?

The primary emphasis of all groundwater remediation efforts is to maintain plume capture while reducing long-term liability. Optimization of the current systems and evaluation of remedial alternatives is on-going and is expected to continue with the follow-on contract.

47 Technical PWS 2.1 Please describe NASA’s remedial objectives for the Plume Front Treatment System (PFTS) and Mid-Plume Interception and

The treatment system remedial objectives are two-fold.

First, the PFTS contains the leading edge of the plume and ensures that westward migration of contamination is contained. Secondly, the MPITS extracts and treats

Treatment System (MPITS) during the existing contract and follow-on contract?

higher concentration contamination from the plume pinch-point upgradient of the PFTS system. These objectives are part of the current contract and are expected to continue with the follow-on contract.

48 Technical Industry

31 on SAM.gov

(ECO3)

Regarding groundwater remediation, will there be cost/value attribute tradeoffs for accelerated cleanup (liability reduction), optimization, and/or identification of remedial alternatives that will accomplish the same Remedial Objectives (ROs) at lower cost?

NASA does not anticipate utilizing cost/value attribute tradeoffs.

49 Technical PWS 2.2 Has PFAS sampling been conducted?

See Response No. 42 above.

50 Technical PWS 1.5, 1.6, and 2.2

How are the monitoring data managed at this facility? Does WSTF use a database, if so which one?

Monitoring data are managed using standard MicrosoftTM database systems in addition to an extensive records management system that is part of a larger Environmental Information Management System

(EIMS).

51 Technical PWS 3.10 What are NASA’s goals and expectations for sustainability for this facility?

The sustainability goals are to effectively manage all aspects of the Performance Work Statement inclusive of recycling, waste minimization, pollution prevention, affirmative procurement, and outreach and awareness.

52 Technical PWS 2.3 Does WSTF anticipate achieving site closures under or as a requirement of this contract?

Currently, final closure procedures for both solid waste management units and hazardous waste management units are in progress. It is feasible that some individual unit clean closures (no further action petitions) could be negotiated and finalized with NMED during the ECO3 contract.

53 Technical N/A Does WSTF plan to provide scope details that support competitive pricing? (number of sample locations, wastewater permits, air quality sampling, drinking water permits, etc.)

NASA intends for the technical library to be populated with documents that provide detailed scope specific to the permits and compliance requirements. Workload indicators relative to the Performance Work Statement will also be provided with the dRFP.

54 Technical N/A What special access requirements will be needed to access the document library?

NASA intends to post procedures on how to access the technical library on https://beta.sam.gov.

55 Technical PWS 3.5 What is the level of effort for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)? For example, how many Environmental Assessments (EAs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) would be needed and what is the complexity of them (low complexity of most EAs for example or medium)?

NEPA support is based on the quantities of new projects at the facility, which is highly variable. Historically, the NEPA effort processes 1-2 records of environmental consideration each month and has supplemented that with 2-3 low complexity EAs over the last 3-4 years. An EIS has not been required during the term of the ECO2 contract.

56 Technical PWS 3.5 Are there site staff currently providing NEPA biological support? How many site staff are there? Are they full time on NEPA or what percentage of their time is on NEPA?

The current on-site staff manage all NEPA documentation and biological program support on an as-needed basis as described in the draft Performance Work Statement. This work is performed on-site but is only on an as-needed basis dependent on new programs and projects. Examples of these documents will be provided in the Technical Library. Additionally, workload indicators will be provided with the dRFP that explain estimated requirements for each PWS element.

57 Technical PWS Will the PWS include any other specific requirements?

NASA will update the PWS, as needed.