ACQ-27-182_RFI QUESTIONS - ANSWERS_9-17-26.pdf

COOP RFI Questions and Answers 5/4/2026Number Potential Offeror Comments/ Questions USPTO Response

USPTO-Specific Experience: The RFI requests an understanding of current USPTO space standards, business units, regional functionality and operations, and unique staff requirements. Is previous direct experience supporting USPTO required to be considered qualified for the Alternative Competition, or may a respondent demonstrate its ability to rapidly apply comparable federal agency/GSA experience to USPTO requirements?

Previous direct experience to support the USPTO is preferable and expected.

However, in lieu of that, the agency will review and consider the depth and overall experience of respondents as it relates to their work with GSA, the Department of Commerce, and other executive agencies with a focus on those based in the Washington, DC area while also having multiple facilities nationwide.

Please clarify whether the four locations (Alexandria, Detroit, Dallas, San Jose) fall under one uniform scope of services, or whether the direct lease at San Jose requires different services (for example, broker of record functions) than the GSA leasehold negotiation support at Alexandria and Detroit.

Broker services are not required. All four locations should fall within one uniform scope.

3 Will any state licensure be required under the anticipated contract? No

Does the "twenty plus years" experience requirement need to be demonstrated at the corporate level, in aggregate across the proposed team, or held by individual key personnel?

20 years experience desired for key personnel. The 20‐year measure is not absolute ‐ However, that marker was included to strongly emphasize that OAS is looking primarily for a firm or firm(s) with substantial demonstrated experience with GSA policies and procedures.

Will an organizational conflict of interest clause apply to this requirement, given the negotiation support role with GSA?

No

What types of assignments and near-term projects are anticipated in the first 12 to 24 months?

1) support the USPTO to find a new location for our Detroit Regional Office through GSA lease process, will also involve relocation and project management. 2) USPTO's main campus lease expires in Aug, 2029, we are working with GSA on a Lease Prospectus project.

What is the likely distribution of effort among lease and occupancy-agreement negotiations, portfolio planning, programming, design, and project administration?

Likely a split between lease/ OA negotiations and project administration

How will the contractor’s responsibilities differ for GSA-leased space, GSA-owned facilities, and USPTO-direct leases, including San Jose and the East Garage? What role will the contractor have in GSA negotiations and direct dealings with lessors? Does the Alexandria scope include parking and garage planning?

The vendor will support USPTO to have fruitful conversations with lessors and the GSA. Vendor is not expected to negotiate directly with those partes. Yes, the Alexandria Campus scope includes the East Garage which main remain as a direct USPTO lease.

What existing portfolio records, space standards, programs of requirements, utilization data, and business-unit and union requirements will USPTO make available to support the work?

USPTO will provide all those records to the awardee.

What on-site activities and travel are anticipated, and which activities may be performed remotely?

Interactions with the USPTO can be virtual, vendor requires presence or deep knowledge of Dallas, San Jose, Detroit, and DMV. Travel may be required for site visits to assess potential locations for offices that we relocate to.

May the requirement for 20-plus years of experience be demonstrated through the combined experience of the proposed team, key personnel, predecessor organizations, and subcontractors, or must the prime contractor itself possess 20-plus years of corporate experience?

Prime contractor must possess 20+ years of experience

Please clarify which facilities are anticipated to be within the contract's scope. Will services cover Alexandria, Detroit, Dallas, San Jose, the East Garage, and the Lorton and Springfield warehouses, or only the Alexandria and Detroit leasehold interests?

All facilities are within scope. Acute needs are associated with Detroit and Alexandria.

Please provide the anticipated workload, including known lease actions, occupancy-agreement actions, programs of requirement, consolidations, space reductions, relocations, or other major portfolio decisions expected during the first two years.

In the near term, Detroit- serve as consultant to support USPTO in lease negotiations with GSA, relocation, and project oversight. Alexandria- support USPTO on Lease Prospectus.

Which positions will be designated as key personnel, and what minimum qualifications, certifications, experience, or commitment documentation will be required for those positions?

This is a Sources Sought for market research only, key personnel will be specified in the SOW with the full soliciation. It is desired for key personnel to have 20 years experience of real estate analysis, working with the GSA on lease negotiations, and be familiar with GSA policies and procedures.

May knowledge of USPTO space standards, business units, regional operations, and union requirements be demonstrated through a proposed transition and discovery approach, or is prior direct USPTO experience required?

(See question 1 above )

Are the staffing positions required to be onsite, or will they be able to be a combination of hybrid/remote?

Remote, with the possibility of a few on-site meetings in Alexandria.

Section e(i) states that past performance should include twenty-plus years of real estate analysis and planning experience. Is this requirement based upon the company’s years in business and corporate past performance, or may it be satisfied through the cumulative experience of the proposed key personnel and contractor team?

20 years experience desired for key personnel. The 20‐year measure is not absolute ‐ However, that marker was included to strongly emphasize that OAS is looking primarily for a firm or firm(s) with substantial demonstrated experience with GSA policies and procedures.

In evaluating the twenty-plus years of experience and the other qualifications under sections e(i) through e(v), will USPTO credit relevant experience that proposed key personnel gained while employed by the federal government or by previous employers?

(See question 1 above )

Does section e(ii) require previous contract performance directly for USPTO, or may a respondent demonstrate its understanding through comparable experience involving other federal agencies, GSA-controlled space, unionized workforces, and complex federal real estate portfolios?

(See question 1 above )

Twenty-Year Experience Requirement: For the requirement that the contractor demonstrate twenty-plus years of real estate analysis and planning experience involving GSA policies and procedures, may the required experience be demonstrated through the combined experience of the respondent’s key personnel, principals, and proposed teaming partners/subcontractors, or must the prime contractor itself possess twenty-plus years of corporate experience?

USPTO is seeking a full‐service firm(s) that can address the full scope of work. A teaming arrangement or portioned approach is not well suited for this requirement

Aggregation of Experience: May the twenty-plus years of required experience be satisfied through the collective experience of multiple proposed key personnel, or must a single individual or corporate entity independently demonstrate the full twenty-plus years?

The 20‐year measure is not absolute ‐ However, that marker was included to strongly emphasize that OAS is looking primarily for a firm or firm(s) with substantial demonstrated experience with GSA policies and procedures.

Teaming Partner Experience: Will USPTO give full consideration to relevant past performance and specialized GSA/federal leasing experience performed by a proposed subcontractor or teaming partner when determining whether a small-business prime is among the contractors most likely to successfully meet the requirement?

USPTO is seeking a full‐service firm(s) that can address the full scope of work. A teaming arrangement or portioned approach is not well suited for this requirement

Anticipated Award Structure: Does USPTO currently anticipate making one award or multiple awards under the follow-on procurement?

USPTO is seeking one full‐service SB firm that can address the full scope of work.

May the twenty-plus years of real-estate analysis and planning experience described in item e(i) be demonstrated through the combined relevant experience of proposed key personnel and a named teaming partner, or must the responding prime contractor itself possess twenty-plus years of corporate experience?

USPTO is seeking a full‐service SB firm that can address the full scope of work. A teaming arrangement or portioned approach is not well suited for this requirement

Please confirm whether only firms qualifying as small businesses under NAICS 531210 may be selected for the alternative competition, and whether SBA-approved joint ventures, mentor-protégé joint ventures, or prime/subcontractor teams are eligible.

USPTO is seeking a full‐service SB firm that can address the full scope of work. A teaming arrangement or portioned approach is not well suited for this requirement

26 Is there a minimum percentage of work required for the small business to perform?

USPTO is seeking a full‐service SB firm that can address the full scope of work. A teaming arrangement or portioned approach is not well suited for this requirement

May a prime contractor satisfy the qualifications under sections e(i) through e(v) through the combined capabilities of the prime contractor, key personnel, subcontractors, and consultants?

If so, are there particular qualifications or minimum capabilities that the prime contractor must independently possess?

USPTO is seeking a full‐service SB firm that can address the full scope of work. A teaming arrangement or portioned approach is not well suited for this requirement

What furniture planning, procurement, installation, and space-utilization support is currently planned for this work, and how will it be coordinated with existing USPTO contracts?

OP: None anticipated at this time. We already have both a separate furniture BPA and interior design BPA in place.

What does the Government contemplate for contract structure, number of awards, period of performance, estimated annual workload, and pricing arrangements?

OP: It will be FFP. And It will likely be either a single award FAR 12 BPA or an FSS- BPA depending on the pool of possible offerors we develop through market research. Usually we look to award a Base year + 4 option years - but no final determination has been made yet

What period of performance, contract type, ordering structure, and estimated value or level of effort does the USPTO anticipate for the resulting requirement?

OP: It will be FFP. And It will likely be either a single award FAR 12 BPA or an FSS- BPA depending on the pool of possible offerors we develop through market research. Usually we look to award a Base year + 4 option years - but no final determination has been made yet

Acquisition Vehicle: The RFI requests an FSS Schedule contract number “only if applicable.”

Please confirm whether firms without a GSA/FSS Schedule remain eligible to be selected for the subsequent Alternative Competition.

Yes, firms without GSA schedule contracts do remain eligible.

Team Changes After RFI: If a respondent is selected to participate in the Alternative Competition, will it be permitted to add or substitute qualified key personnel or teaming partners between the RFI stage and submission of the subsequent proposal, provided all solicitation requirements are satisfied?

Yes. If you are selected to receive an RFQ, your proposal will be evaluated on its own merit.

For item c, what documentation does USPTO prefer as proof that a respondent is a small business under NAICS 531210? If NAICS 531210 is added to and active in the respondent's SAM profile before the response deadline, will the SAM record and applicable size representation be sufficient?

NAICS 531210 - This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in acting as agents and/or brokers in one or more of the following: (1) selling real estate for others (2) buying real estate for others and (3) renting real estate for others. From past experience, this NAICS provided USPTO with the largest pool of contractors who could be expected to provide a responsive proposal. However, if your firm is under another NAICS yet you meet all the criteria, your response to this RFI will be considered. If your firm then does receive an RFQ, you will still need to be a small business in 531210 at the solicitation deadline for your proposal to be considered responsive.

Is there a preferred page limit or format for the RFI response, and should key-personnel resumes and representative project descriptions be included as attachments?

No, this RFI is for market research purposes only. While there there are no page limits or a set format for how you provide the information we are requesting, we suggest you be as brief and to the point as possible.

Will USPTO issue this as a task order against an existing GSA Multiple Award Schedule (such as 03FAC), or as a stand-alone contract?

It depends. It will likely be either a single award FAR 12 BPA or an FSS-BPA depending on the pool of possible offerors we develop through market research

36 When does USPTO anticipate issuing a solicitation for these services and making an award? We have no date yet.

What is the anticipated contract type (FFP, T&M, or a mix), estimated value, and period of performance including option years?

It will be a FFP. Usually we look to award a Base year + 4 option years - but no final determination has been made yet.

Can assignments be scoped and priced by project or deliverable, with personnel matched to the work? What scope, schedule, and acceptance criteria will be provided before pricing, and how will changes be addressed?

Yes, each BPA-call will be a separate project

Does USPTO intend to use a small business set aside, and if so, which socioeconomic category (8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB) is of interest, or is this open to all small businesses under NAICS 531210's $15 million size standard?

At this time we are looking to keep it open to all SBs under NAICS 531210

40 What is the anticipated schedule for the next acquisition stage? This is the market research stage. We have no date yet for the next stage (pre-solicitation)

What factors will USPTO use to determine which small businesses are “most likely to successfully meet” the requirement, and approximately how many firms does USPTO expect to invite to the alternative competition?

This is Market Research so there are no set factors. Please provide enough information about your company for the agency to discern whether or not your company can be expected to fulfill this requirement. There is no set number of firms who could receive and RFQ.

42 Is the Government requiring Key Personnel names and resumes at this time?

This is Market Research so we are not "requiring anything". However, you should follow the instructions in the RFI and submit information (including resumes if you choose) that will help determine whether or not your company could succesfully be able to fulfill this requirement

43 When does the Government anticipate releasing this RFP? We have no date yet.

The RFI requests an FSS Schedule contract number “only if applicable” and permits responses through either eBuy or email. Will holding a GSA MAS/FSS contract be required to participate in the contemplated alternative competition, or may an otherwise qualified small business with an active SAM registration participate without an FSS contract?

No decision has been made about procurment strategy sofirms without GSA schedule contracts are eligible to respond and should respond if they believe they can fulfill this requirement.

Are there page limitations, formatting requirements, limits on the number or recency of past-performance examples, or resume limitations for the September 15 response?

No, this RFI is for market research purposes only. While there there are no page limits or a set format for how you provide the information we are requesting, we suggest you be as brief and to the point as possible.

What factors will USPTO use to determine which respondents are most likely to meet the requirement and will therefore be invited to participate in the alternative competition?

This is Market Research so there are no set factors. Please provide enough information about your company for the agency to discern whether or not your company can be expected to fulfill this requirement. There is no set number of firms who could receive and RFQ.

Is USPTO considering a socioeconomic set-aside, including an SDVOSB set-aside, for the contemplated procurement?

At this time we are looking to keep it open to all SBs under NAICS 531210

RE SVCES- RFI