Department of Financial Management 411 West Ocean Boulevard, 6th Floor

Long Beach, CA 90802

(562) 570-6425

December 18, 2024

NOTICE TO PROPOSERS

ADDENDUM NO. 1

RFQ No. PW-23-269

As-Needed Construction Materials Testing, Hazardous Materials Testing, and Special Inspection Services

This addendum changes and supersedes the language in the original RFQ. Please acknowledge receipt of this addendum by signing and submitting with your proposal. Any proposer who fails to submit this addendum may be disqualified.

The City would like to remind Proposers that pursuant to Section 5.2.26 of the RFQ, the City will not be responsible for or bound by any oral communication or any other information or contact that occurs outside the official communication process specified herein, unless confirmed in writing by the City Contact.

The City would like to provide the following changes:

• RFQ PW-23-269 REVISED 12/17/24 VERSION 2 has been uploaded to Long Beach Buys.

• Second round of questions due 11:00 AM, January 7, 2025

• Proposals due date 11:00 AM January 28, 2025

• Please note that attachments have been renamed and some have been removed

The questions and answers are as follows:

1. Q: Can you please confirm that the requirement to sign the PLA only applies to the 2.1.1 inspection services and 2.12 materials testing scopes and not to the 2.1.3 environmental services and 2.1.4 hazardous materials testing scopes?

A: PLA applies to certain field activities for 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, and 2.1.4. Please refer to Exhibit B.

2. Q: Do you consider laboratories that are providing analytical services a sub-contractor?

A: It will be a subcontractor to the prime contractor/consultant, unless the laboratory is owned by the prime consultant.

3. Q: Do you consider driller a sub-contractor?

A: If the driller is not W2 employed by the prime consultant, yes, it is considered a subcontractor.

4. Q: Who are the current incumbents that hold this contract?

A: Ninyo & Moore, Twining Lab, Kleinfelder, Group Delta, RMA Group, Willdan, are incumbent for Materials Testing and Inspection. Please note that in this solicitation, we are allowing consultants to submit proposals for activities other than Materials Testing and Inspection including Environmental and Hazardous Material Testing.

5. Q: Is there any extra credit percentage points for having employees that live within the boundaries of the City of Long Beach?

A: No. Please refer to Section 3.3, and Attachment C, Local Preference Program. The credit applies to the principal place of business.

6. Q: On page 17 of the SOQ, under the Cost proposal, it states that it should be submitted as a separate password-protected file. What is the preferred method for submitting the password to the City?

A: The City no longer requires password-protected files for rate sheets (cost proposal) per RFQ Revision 2 V2 Addendum 1. However, we still require separate file(s) for rate sheets.

7. Q: Regarding the scopes 2.1.3 and 2.1.4, should the cost proposal include lab fees? If so, what are the anticipated tests needed and the anticipated turnaround time? Or should we include a general list of tests we can perform?

A: Yes, please include itemized lab fees for each testing. Anticipated tests and turnaround time are project specific. Please include the list that your firm can test or perform along with unit prices associated with each test.

8. Q: Page 24, section 4.2.4 states that the price forms and templates cannot be modified.

Will the city accept adding additional lines as needed? Or can we include our full standard cost sheet after the form?

A: Per 4.2.4. Item 1 “If forms and templates are provided for the Price Proposal, use them without modification. Additional items may be submitted, but only in addition to, not in lieu of, the requested Price Proposal. When submitting an additional item, clearly identify it as an additional.”

9. Q: How many consultants are you anticipating selecting for each scope task?

A: Depending on qualifications, we cannot determine the number of consultants to be selected at this time.

10. Q: Who are the incumbents?

A: See answer to question no. 4

11. Q: How much was the previous contract for?

A: $36M aggregate amount for five years (included two year extension) for authority granted to all six consultants.

12. Q: Within the SOQ, there are additional forms, IE: section 4.2.1 has the Organization

Capacity & Experience form; is it acceptable to modify these forms to allow for easier completion?

A: No. The goal is to establish uniformity for equitable review. Minor reformatting is acceptable.

13. Q: Can you please confirm that all mandatory attachments are available on longbeachbuys? We cannot find Attachment F. Certification of Indirect Costs and Financial Management System.

A: Attachments have been renamed, please review revised V2 of RFQ-23-269.

14. Q: Is the file titled “Copy of Attachment J – Schedule of Rates Charges for Geotechnical Materials Testing Services” the same as the mandatory Attachment I. Schedule of Rates & Charges Template?

15. Q: Is an editable version of the “organizational capacity & experience” table available on longbeachbuys?

A: Editable version of “organizational capacity & experience” is now available in Long Beach Buys.

16. Q: The instructions on Attachment G mention that “Attachment A must be included in each submittal,” – can we just upload one pdf of Attachment G in our bid?

A: Yes, please note that attachments have been renamed, please review revised V2 of

RFQ-23-269.

17. Q: Do you want Attachment G Proposer Line of Service Selection Form uploaded under Mandatory Attachments as well as under “Proposer Line of Service” on long beach buys?

A: Upload it under Proposal Line of Service and see answer #16.

18. Q: We are submitting for both services, on-call materials testing and inspection services and on-call environmental testing services, how do you want the attachments provided?

a. Mandatory attachments – one set of attachments that covers both services, or one set of attachments for each service separately – yet uploaded as one pdf?

b. Narrative proposal – one narrative proposal for each service separately – yet uploaded as one pdf?

c. Cost proposal - one cost proposal for each service separately – yet uploaded as one pdf?

d. Proposer Line of service – one page pdf uploaded that covers both services?

e. Financial Stability Documents – one pdf uploaded that covers both services?

A: Submit only one SOQ Package containing one or multiple category/service(s) defined in Attachment E. Attachments A to D can be single submittal, and Appendix 1 and 2 shall have separate submittals for each category/service.

19. Q: Are the fees fixed for 3 years?

A: Yes.

20. Q: Can we submit our full fee schedule in lieu of filling out Attachment H? Or attach our complete fee schedule to what we can fit within Attachment H?

A: Per 4.2.4. Item 1 “If forms and templates are provided for the Price Proposal, use them without modification. Additional items may be submitted, but only in addition to, not in lieu of, the requested Price Proposal. When submitting an additional item, clearly identify it as an additional.”

Also please note that attachments have been renamed, please review revised V2 of

RFQ-23-269

21. Q: Our firm provides all services listed in the RFQ Scope of Work. Is it acceptable for us to submit a single proposal covering all categories?

A: You can submit one single SOQ package, but separate cost proposals (rate sheets) each category/service.

22. Q: Is there a total page limit or any formatting requirements (e.g., font size, margins)? If a specific font size is required, are we allowed to use a smaller font for graphics, such as the staff organization chart?’’

A: No.

23. Q: For the Financial Stability requirement (RFQ Section 4.2, page 18 – Proposal Appendices), please confirm that you are requesting one of the following three types of financial documents for both primes and subconsultants/subcontractors: 1) financial statement or annual report; 2) business tax return; or 3) statement of income and balance sheet.

A: Yes, for both prime and subconsultant/subcontractors

24. Q: The Davis Bacon Related Act (DBRA) Wage Rates attachment has no place to add a signature. How would you like us to proceed with this document?

A: Attachments have been revised in V2 of RFQ-23-269; DBRA Wage Rates have been removed.

25. Q: For the password-protected cost proposal submission, will a separate submittal link be provided for upload on Long Beach Buys?

A: See answer to question no. 6.

26. Q: Can we apply an escalation percentage to hourly rates for the upcoming years of the contract, or are we required to maintain a fixed hourly rate for the entire three-year duration? Please note that our firm is subject to prevailing wage increases and will need to adjust wages in accordance with the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) requirements

A: It is fixed for the 3-year period.

27. Q: The RFQ lists a Certification of Indirect Costs and Financial Management System attachment as a required appendix item, but the form does not appear on the bid site.

Could you please advise where we can access it?

A: See answer to question no. 13.

28. Q: In the Schedule of Rates and Charges Template, the rates provided on Tab 8 (titled Testing Labor) appear to be fixed labor rates. Please confirm you want these on this form.

A: Yes, unit price for testing labor is fixed hourly rate, non-adjustable for three years.

29. Q: Does the City currently have contract(s) in place for these services, or will this SOQ result in new contract(s) for these services?

A: It is a replacement to the existing contract for Materials Testing and Inspection, and will result to a new contract. The City is looking for new contracts as well for Environmental and Hazardous Materials Testing.

30. Q: If this SOQ is prompted by cycling of existing contract(s), may we ask who are the incumbent contractors? This can help for teaming purposes.

A: This is for the new contract. See answer to question no. 4.

31. Q: The SOQ refers to an Evaluation Committee, who will review and select from the submittals. May we ask who comprises the City’s Evaluation Committee?

A: The City’s subject matter experts. The names of the evaluation committee cannot be disclosed.

32. Q: If there are existing contract(s) in place, may we ask what the approximate annual gross billing value has been over the life of the contract?

A: It varies and cannot be provided at this time.

33. Q: Do you have any expectations for project site that will contain contamination?

A: Some of the anticipated contaminants are: asbestos containing items (AC pipe, roofing, flooring, fire proofing), lead, hydrocarbons, arsenic, methane, paint chips and paints (lead/latex/oil based), paint thinners, sand blasting media, contaminated soils, mercury containing items (switches, thermostats, devices), semi-empty containers and aerosols, batteries (consumer and automotive), motor fluids (oil, antifreeze, automatic transmission fluids, etc), treated wood, fuel or solvent impacted groundwater, soils contaminated with lead from burned trash (burn ash), joint and curing compounds, landscaping materials: fertilizer, pesticides, fungicides.

34. Q: What is the anticipated percentage of the total contract will be used for Construction

Materials Testing vs. Environmental/Hazardous Materials Testing?

A: Undetermined percentage at this time.

35. Q: We have reviewed the sample agreement and have a question regarding the year/date in paragraph 22 (page 13, line 13). Is the year/date supposed to be 2104?

A: The intent of this language is for consultants to insert "© City of Long Beach, California" on produced document for the City with an appropriate year of production.

For example "© City of Long Beach, California 2025".

36. Q: Can consultants use City of Long Beach references in our proposal?

A: Yes, and please provide other references as well.

37. Q: Can the City provide a sample agreement/contract?

A: See Exhibit A.

38. Q: Are subconsultants required to complete any of the mandatory attachments?

A: For this SOQ, we only require these from the prime.

39. Q: We seek clarification regarding the "skilled and trained" workforce requirements outlined in the PLA. Specifically, we understand that to meet the criteria of being "trained," a worker must either be registered in an approved apprenticeship program or have graduated from one.

Provide details on the apprenticeship programs that satisfy this requirement?

Confirm whether non-union companies are eligible to participate in these approved programs?

Additionally, if non-union companies are not permitted to participate in such programs, does this contract effectively exclude non-union companies from providing services?

A: The Skilled and Trained Workforce requirements only apply to solicitations regulated by Statute, such as Design-Build Projects. It is not applicable to this solicitation. In addition, regardless of applicability, all firms, both union and non-union, are eligible to participate and propose to all public solicitations that require a Skilled and Trained Workforce provision.

40. A: Per page RFP page 6, Section 2.1: Description of Services, firms can choose to propose under one or multiple program categories (listed below) within in Attachment G (internally labeled "Attachment AA" in the word document provided).

• 2.1.1 Inspection Services

• 2.1.2 Certified Material Testing Lab Services

• 2.1.3 Environmental Services Testing

• 2.1.4 Hazardous Materials Testing and

• 2.1.5 City-Furnished Services

However, required Attachment G only provides 2 categories to choose from:

• On-Call Materials Testing and Inspection Services

• On-Call Environmental, Testing Services

Please clarify how the City would like to see categories identified.

A: The Description of Services listed in RFQ Section 2.1, are all scope descriptions to the main categories/services mentioned in Attachment E. Per the revised Attachment E (Addendum 1), the SOQ is broken down into three services/categories:

□ On-Call Materials Testing and Inspection Services

(Per Section 2.1.1 and 2.1.2 of the RFQ Addendum 1)

□ On-Call Environmental Services

(Per Section 2.1.3, of the RFQ Addendum 1)

□ On-Call Hazardous Material Testing and Services

(Per Section 2.1.4, of the RFQ Addendum 1)

41. Q: Please also clarify if Attachment G is the same as Attachment AA labeled in the provided form.

42. Q: In section 4.2 of the RFP, it states “The Cost Proposal shall be submitted as a separate password-protected file(s)”. How should each firm provide the password to the City upon submission? Additionally, if there are multiple cost proposal documents submitted (Attachment H & Attachment I(J)? Do both documents need to be password protected?

A: See answer to question no. 6.

43. Q: Is attachment I anticipated to be released by the City, or is attachment J to be used in lieu of attachment I?

44. Q: Is a firm submitting on the geotechnical/materials testing services required to submit both Attachments H – Cost Proposal & Attachment I(J) – Schedule of Rates Charges for Geotechnical?

A: Appendix 1 is a supplemental to Appendix 2. If staff/service is not mentioned in Appendix 2, please fill up Appendix 1 for supplemental rates. Note that attachments have been renamed, please review revised V2 of RFQ-23-269.

45. Q: Is the City requiring a separate proposal for each category being proposed on?

A: See answer to question no. 21.

PREPARED BY: Janet Kariuki, Buyer I

ACKNOWLEDGED BY:

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