AE_IDIQ_RFQ_Questions_7-8-21_2.pdf

NCA RFQ for AE Services SEAWALL, MULTI DISCIPLINARY SINGLE AWARD ARCHITECT ENGINEERING (AE) IDIQ

1. Including the Part IIs in the page count greatly reduces the page count for us to respond to the requirements in Part I. Would NPS consider excluding Part II from the 50 page limitation?

Page limit requirements are being removed. Please follow the instructions on the SF330.

2. May Section D be an 11x17 page and count as only one page? If yes, please confirm that using the reverse side of Section D in an 11x17 would also count as only one page. Page limit requirements are being removed. Please follow the instructions on the SF330.

3. Would NPS consider expanding the page count for Part I to 75 pages? Page limit requirements are being removed. Please follow the instructions on the SF330.

4. Please confirm that CPARs and PPQs are not required for Section F projects. If they are, may they be included as an Appendix? Please review the RFQ. The past performance information requirements are stated in the RFQ.

5. Does a Project Manager count as a Key Personnel and require a resume? Use your best judgment in providing your firm’s approach to this requirement.

6. Will you be providing the Dewberry repot on previous wall inspection? The Dewberry Report is not an inspection report and will not be provided at this time for purposes of this RFQ.

7. The paragraph titled “Small Business Participation Requirement” indicates that a minimum of 5% of the total contract value shall be performed by Small Business. The next paragraph titled “Large Business Only – Notice of Subcontracting Plan Requirements” states the subcontracting goals for Small/DBE/SDVO/HUBZone etc. totals 59.25%. Does that mean 59.25% of the 5% for Small Business? Or 59.25% of the total contract value?

The “Small Business Participation Requirement” indicates that a minimum of 5% of the total contract value shall be performed by Small Business.

Separate from the 5% requirement, the total small business subcontracting goal for all of NPS is 43.25% for the entire NPS Agency for all of its FY21 contracts. It does not mean that this contract must subcontract 43.25%.

The percentage of 5% is based on our market research, and is a % of the total Contract award amount (which is unknown at this time). It is mandatory % amount, and will show in the clauses to the contract.

The other percentages are calculated from that 5%.

Attached is an example that would be used by Large Businesses in their Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Plan). The Plan will only be requested from the selected most qualified respondent at the time pricing is requested.

8. All responding firms must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ ) before submitting their SF330. The terms "firm" or "team" or "offeror" shall refer to the company or organization that is proposing on this contract. The "firm" or "team" will include the prime contractor, partners, subcontractors, joint or other business ventures that are proposed to work as the prime firm on this IDIQ If read literally, one might conclude that the JV entity must be registered in SAM prior to submitting a proposal. For most federal pursuits, the language usually states that the JV must be registered in SAM at the time of award. Both partners (and all of our proposed subconsultants) are registered, but our JV would not be registered unless/until we are indicated for award. Please confirm that JV partners and subs can be individually registered at the time of proposal submission, but that JV does not have to be registered at that time.

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/

JV partners must be registered in SAM, either as a JV or as separate entities, at the time of submitting your response to the RFQ.

The offeror that is selected as the most highly-qualified respondent to this RFQ would receive the RFP.

As part of the response to the RFP, the offeror firm would need to submit additional information, including but not limited to, Representations and Certifications. Therefore; the offeror firm, including but not limited to a JV, would need to be registered in SAM as its own entity at time of submitting a response to the RFP, and would be required to submit Representations and Certifications as its own entity.

See also the RFQ for past performance information required for related entities or former firm names.

9. Please provide additional details for the required discipline, Environmental. What is the focus area for this individual? Is there a required registration or certification for the position (e.g., Professional Engineer - Environmental, Certified Environmental Professional, Certified Hazardous Materials Manager, other)? Use your best judgement in the context of the scope of this project and ensure your team meets requirements for registration of designers to prepare or review and approve the design of architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, civil, or other engineering features of the work. FAR 52.236-25.

10. Cost Estimating was listed in both the required and additional disciplines. Please explain the difference desired for the two disciplines, such as differences in performance requirements and necessary certifications. Use your best judgment in the context of the scope of this project, to state your firm’s qualifications or rationale for how you approach the performance and certification requirements.

11. Please provide additional details for the required discipline, Civil. What is the focus area(s) for this individual(s)? The Washington DC Code includes multiple specific discipline classifications for the general category of Civil. Use your best judgment, in the context of the scope of this project, to provide your qualifications to meet the requirements for registration of designers to prepare or review and approve the design of architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, civil, or other engineering features of the work. FAR 52.236-25.

12. Is it acceptable to include 2 resumes to cover the required discipline Architecture (Contemporary and Historic)? Historic architects are generally highly specialized, and the contemporary architecture can be addressed by others. Use your best judgment in the context of the scope of this project, to provide your response.

13. Page 7 of the RFQ includes the requirement for an FPRA that covers direct costs, indirect costs, service centers, escalation, and other costs. Can NPS share additional detail on the composition of the FPRA. For example, will NPS accept indirect rate approvals from DCAA as part of the FPRA. Details of the FPRA will be requested from the apparent most highly qualified firm at the conclusion of selection through this RFQ, and when requested by the Contracting Officer. It is not necessary to provide this information at this time.

14. Do you want the program manager and task order managers as required disciplines? These individuals will be very important in working with the NPS and overseeing the projects performance. If they are to be required, can the page count be increased above 50 for the inclusion of their resumes.

Please use your best judgment. Page limit requirements are being removed. Please follow the instructions on the SF330.

15. Given the diversity of required disciplines for this complex program, our team includes staff from multiple offices as well as subconsultants. This will necessitate an additional page for Section C and multiple pages for Part II. We request that the 50-page limit excludes Part IIs since these are not directly related to the selection criteria. Page limit requirements are being removed. Please follow the instructions on the SF330.

16. Are covers, tabs, and the Letter of Interest included in the 50-page limit? Page limit requirements are being removed. Please follow the instructions on the SF330.

17. Page 6 of the RFP, Subcontracting Plan Requirements: Please confirm that the requirement listed under “Small Business Participation Requirement” only refers to Prime Consultants which are Small Businesses, and the requirement listed under “Large Business Only” only refers to Prime Consultants which are not certified Small Businesses. In other words, the small business participation goals depend on the status of the prime firm submitting. This is not an RFP. It is an RFQ. Confirmed, the Small Business Participation Requirement” only refers to Prime Consultants which are Small Businesses.

Confirmed the requirement listed under “Large Business Only” only refers to Prime Consultants which are large businesses.

18. Page 6, Large Business Only – Notice of Subcontracting Plan: The RFP notes the subcontracting goals for this contract are that a minimum of 43.25% of the contractor’s intended subcontract amount be placed with small business and references additional goals. Please confirm this percentage is of the subcontract amount, not the entire contract value. This is not an RFP. It is an RFQ. See answer to Question 7 above. See attached SAMPLE calculation explaining the goals, attached hereto. Please consult your firm’s small business point of contact, your local SBA office, or local PTAC office.

19. Page 6, Large Business Only – Notice of Subcontracting Plan: The RFP notes the subcontracting goals for this contract are that a minimum of 43.25% of the contractor’s intended subcontract amount be placed with small business, 5% with small disadvantaged business, 5% with women-owned business, 3% with service-disabled veteran-owned small business and 3% with HUBZone firms. Are the goal percentages listed for small disadvantaged business, women-owned business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business and HUBZone firms included in the 43.25% goal, or is the intent that these are in addition to the 43.25% goal, resulting in a grand total goal of 59.25%?

See answer to Question 7 above. See attached SAMPLE calculation explaining the goals, attached hereto. Please consult your firm’s small business point of contact, your local SBA office, or local PTAC office.

20. Under “Required Services,” the RFQ presents a list of required disciplines and refers to possession of

“professional licenses and/or certifications…in Washington, DC.”

Under “Registration Requirements,” the RFQ states that the proposed firm “must have or be eligible to acquire professional licensing…in Washington DC within 30 days of being notified of most highly qualified status.”

Please confirm that offerors are not required to submit resumes demonstrating licensing/registration in Washington DC with the SF330, nor will the evaluation of professional qualifications be affected by whether key personnel are currently licensed/registered in Washington DC. Use your best judgment, in the context of the scope of this project, to provide your qualifications to meet the requirements for registration of designers to prepare or review and approve the design of architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, civil, or other engineering features of the work. FAR 52.236-25.

21. Not all disciplines listed under “Required Services,” are eligible for a “professional licenses and/or certifications…in Washington, DC.”

Please specify the licensing, certification, and/or registration requirements for any discipline that not eligible for a Washington DC professional license and/or certification. Professionals that are required to be licensed to practice in Washington DC will be required to be licensed. Use your best judgment, in the context of the scope of this project, to provide your qualifications to meet the requirements for registration of designers to prepare or review and approve the design of architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, civil, or other engineering features of the work. FAR 52.236-25.

22. Under “Required Services,” the RFQ states, “[The additional disciplines] are not required to be included in the initial proposal.”

The selection criteria refer to evaluation of “professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of required services.”

If an offeror believes that one or more of the Additional Disciplines are necessary to perform the required services, and includes resumes for those disciplines, will NPS evaluate and score those resumes using the same criteria and weight of resumes of Key Discipline personnel?

The proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria stated in the RFQ. The quoted section above is cut-off – it states in full: “Additional disciplines which may be required for some projects include professionals registered or certified professionals in the following areas. These disciplines are not required to be included in the initial proposal, but firms must acknowledge their willingness to seek out these disciplines as needed and negotiate fair and reasonable rates post-award….” Use your best judgment in responding to the RFQ requirements.

23. Under “Notice of Subcontracting Plan Requirements,” the RFQ states, “The subcontracting plan is not required with this RFQ submittal.”

However, the selection criteria states, “All offerors…will be evaluated relative to the Small Business Participation and Subcontracting Plan Requirements provided in this RFQ.”

Please confirm that the Subcontracting Plan is not required at this time.

If the Plan itself is not required, please confirm that offerors may document proposed levels of commitment to small businesses in Section H to satisfy the criteria requirement.

The Small Business Subcontracting Plan is not required at this time. With respect to the Selection Criteria, stating that, “All offerors, both large and small businesses, will be evaluated relative to the Small Business Participation and Subcontracting Plan Requirements provided in this RFQ,” the requirement is to provide a proposal that demonstrates your qualifications to meet the small business goals. See also answer to Question 7 above.

24. The selection criteria state that the evaluation of specialized experience will account for “experience in energy conservation, pollution prevention, waste reduction, and use of recovered materials described in this RFQ.” However, some of these elements are not described in the RFQ.

Is it NPS’s intention (and considering the space constraints for the response) that these elements be specifically addressed? Please use your best judgment. Page limit requirements are being removed.

Please follow the instructions on the SF330.

25. The RFQ states that Part 1 and Part 2 cannot exceed 50 pages combined.

Given the detailed requirements of the RFQ and the diversity of services required, as well as the NPS’s encouragement of prime-subconsultant relationships, it is likely that offerors will include in their submittals numerous resumes and a range of specialty subcontractors, with corresponding Part 2s for each.

We respectfully request that Part 2s be excluded from the page count. Page limit requirements are being removed. Please follow the instructions on the SF330.

26. Please confirm that the Letter of Interest required by the RFQ is not included in the (50 maximum) page count. Page limit requirements are being removed. Please follow the instructions on the SF330.

27. Please confirm that the Letter of Interest, described under "Submission Requirements," should be submitted with Offerors' completed SF330.

If it is not to be included with the completed SF330, please indicate when and how NPS wants to receive the LOI. Submit the Letter of Interest with the completed SF330.

28. The fourth bullet, which begins, "Past Performance on contracts . . ." indicates that Offerors "will be evaluated in terms of how the AE Firm performed on project examples, other known projects, by contacting reference, either listed or not . . ."

Please confirm that Offerors are not to include CPARs, PPQs, or other client evaluation documents with the completed SF330. CPARs, PPQs, or other client evaluation documents don’t need to be included.

Please follow the instructions on the SF330.

29. Please indicate if NPS will allow Offerors to use one side of an 11 x 17 sheet of paper for Part I, Section D Organizational Chart.

If yes, may Offerors count this 11 x 17 sheet as one page?

This is a digital submission only, via email. See the RFQ instructions. Hard copies will not be accepted. Page limit requirements are being removed. Please follow the instructions on the SF330.

30. Please confirm that the following items will not be counted toward the 50-page maximum:

- Proposal Cover and Back

- Required Letter of Interest

- Cover Sheet

- Table of Contents

- Acronym List

- Part, Section, and Other Separator Tabs

Page limit requirements are being removed. Please follow the instructions on the SF330 and the RFQ.

31. For electronic submission purposes, please indicate the maximum size file that Offerors may electronically submit in response to this RFQ. Please keep total submission under 34MB.

32. Page 9 of the RFP indicates that questions to NPS related to the RFQ should be submitted no later than July 02, 2021. Please inform Offerors of the latest time questions are due on that date if one has been determined. These were due at Close of Business.

33. Please clarify that the 5% goal for subcontractors refers to 5% of the entire contract value for this specific contract. Please see answer to Question 7 above.

34. Is the contract value of the design or the design and construction? This RFQ is for design services only.

Review the RFQ for particulars as to contract value amounts.

35. Please clarify that the 43.25% that shall go to small businesses is a percentage of the 5% of the contract value (i.e. roughly 2.2%). Please see answer to Question 7 above.

36. If the contract value is $1M, what is the minimum dollar amount for SDB and SDVOSB? Please refer to RFQ for percentages.

37. Are there any available drawings of the project area including any repairs? This question is not relevant to a response to the RFQ.

38. Given that question are due on July 2 and the deadline is July 19, we would like to request a 2 week extension to August 2. NPS will not be granting an extension at this time.

39. On page 2, under the Required Services section, the RFQ states, "Improvements to the surrounding infrastructure … and improvements to the surrounding landscape." What is the upland limit of the surrounding landscape? The upland limit will be determined during design.

40. Can you point us to the detailed description referenced on page 7, of the RFQ, for experience and technical competence, experience in energy conservation, pollution prevention, waste reduction? Use your best judgment in the context of the scope of this project, to state your firm’s qualifications.

41. Are services during construction engineering assistance or construction management? The services are as stated in the RFQ.

42. Will NPS make available the attendee list from the recent industry site visit day? This was posted as an amendment to the industry day announcement. This information is available in beta.SAM.

43. Will there be a separate RFQ/procurement for NAMA 245076, Develop Master Plan for the Tidal Basin

Area? Or will the planning + design of the “interior” Tidal Basin also be procured under a separate, future process? The master plan for the Tidal Basin is a separate project. That project is not relevant to this RFQ.

44. If a firm is awarded this A/E IDIQ contract (whether as a prime or a subcontractor), will they be eligible to compete on future construction of the seawall rehabilitation (whether as a prime or a sub)? At this time, the procurement strategy is for a design-bid-build effort. Under this planned scenario, a firm responsible for the design will not be eligible for the construction contract because that firm would be developing the scope of the work for the project.

45. Will this A/E IDIQ contract be awarded to a single firm/team? Or will there be multiple awards?

Refer to the RFQ.

46. In the specific agency requirements of the RFQ, it is described that Both Parts 1 and Parts 2 cannot exceed 50 pages combined. SF330 guidelines require a Part II for each firm involved on the team and those branch offices that have a key role on the project. The number of Part IIs will vary for each team.

One team might have 8 teaming partners while another firm might have 12 teaming parts thus 8 Part II versus 12 Part IIs. This difference will give those firms who use less teaming partners an advantage with additional pages (in this case 4 pages) to be used elsewhere in the SF330. DSC’s practice on recent RFQs requesting SF330 was to cap the Section H at 20 pages which was consistent to all firms. We would like to suggest that the Part IIs not be included in the overall page count as not to penalize firms that might have more firms or branch offices involved on their team and that you cap the page limit for the SF330 Part I only. It could be that you limit the pages to SF330 Part I to 40 pages or prescribe a page limit to Section H as you have done in the past. As this would have ramification to each A-Es approach in responding with the SF330, it would be helpful to get an answer to this particular question timely.

47. In order to show fully depict our team including the additional disciplines requested in this RFQ may we provide an 11x17 org chart to be counted as a single page? Please review the RFQ for submittal instructions. Page limit requirements are being removed. Please follow the instructions on the SF330.

48. Are the Cover, Cover Letter and Dividers excluded from page count?

Page limit requirements are being removed. Please follow the instructions on the SF330. Also, no hard-copies will be accepted. Please see RFQ for electronic submission requirements and answers above.

49. Due to the number of resumes to support the Required Disciplines, plus the five projects, and our

Quality Control Plan, we respectfully request that the 50 page limitation apply only to Part 1.

50. Will NPS be advancing a larger master planning process for the overall Tidal Basin area concurrent with the seawall rehabilitation process? If so, when is that process planned/scheduled to start? How do you anticipate the seawall team will support and respond to that master planning process moving forward?

The mater planning for Tidal Basin is a separate project. The Tidal Basin master plan project is a separate project and is not relevant to this RFQ.

51. Does NPS plan to issue a task order under this IDIQ for a full EIS? If so, how would NPS handle the repair of portions of the seawall that are limiting visitor access today and creating a safety hazard? That has not been determined at this time and is not relevant to this RFQ.

52. Does NPS anticipate the need for an aquatic ecologist or a fisheries scientist? Please review the RFQ requirements.

53. What is the selection process and schedule? How many firms will NPS shortlist and will interviews be anticipated? Selection process will be conducted in accordance with FAR 36.602 Selection of firms for architect-engineer contracts, and evaluation procedures stated in the RFQ.

54. Is there any existing environmental data or studies, as-built or repair drawings that will be provided to the selected team, including but not limited to, the quality of the materials (soils, sediments, water, etc) to aid in the design of the seawall, sampling program and material management? That will be determined when once a successful candidate is selected, and is not relevant to this RFQ.

55. The RFP requires a “Letter of Interest” in addition to the SF330. Is this Letter excluded from the page count? Page limit requirements are being removed.

56. Please clarify what is the focus of the required discipline "Environmental": Soil, Groundwater and Sediment Characterization / Remediation, or ecological response or regulatory compliance. Use your best judgement.

57. Given the large number of key personnel resumes required for this proposal, can Part II or the Quality

Control Plan be excluded from the 50 page limit? Page limit requirements are being removed. Please follow instructions on the SF330.

SAMPLE CALUCULATION FOR LARGE BUSINESSES – THIS IS HOW THE SMALL BUSINESS

SUBCONTRACTING PLAN WOULD LOOK (this does NOT need to be submitted with the RFQ. See answers to Question 7 and 23 and RFQ instructions):

Sample contract amount $12,000,000.00.

a. Total estimated dollar value of ALL planned subcontracting, with ALL types of concerns (large & small), under this contract 5% of total Contract Value of $12,000,000: Dollar Value: $600,000.

b. Total estimated dollar value and percent of planned subcontracting:

SMALL BUSINESSES (SB): (Including VOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone SDB, and WOSB) Dollar Value: $600,000 % of “a” above: 100% In this example, Contractor is stating it will divide up all (or 100%) of the subcontracting to the categories below. This $600,000 or 5% of the total contract amount is a minimum. The contractor could choose to subcontract more of the work, and would be required to meet those higher amounts.

The National Park Service (NPS) FY21 subcontracting goals are as follows (these percentages are NOT cumulative/added.

1. Small Business Concerns: 43.25% (NPS Agency Goal);

2. Veteran Owned Business Concerns: 3.0%,

3. Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Concerns: 3.0%,

4. HUBZone Small Business Concerns: 3.0%;

5. Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns: 5.0%;

6. Small Women-Owned Business Concerns: 5.0%.

Note that VOSB and SDVOSB are overlapping categories and are counted as one amount ($18,000). Also, EDWOSB and WOSB are in the one category of WOSB.

SAMPLE CALCULATION

So, for this example contract, the Contractor would have to do a minimum of $600,000 in subcontracting. Based on the FY21 NPS goals shown above and noted next to each amount, the breakdown is as follows:

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS

Dollar Value: $600,000 % of “a” above: 100.00%

[This amount counts toward the overall Agency goal of 43.25% for all NPS projects for FY21]

VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES (VOSB):

Dollar Value: $18,000 % of “a” above: 3.00%

SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES (SDVOSB):

Dollar Value: $18,000 % of “a” above: 3.00% HUBZone SMALL BUSINESSES (HUBZone):

Dollar Value: $18,000 % of “a” above: 3.00%

SMALL DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES (SDB):

Dollar Value: $30,000 % of “a” above: 5.00%

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES (WOSB):

Dollar Value: $30,000 % of “a” above: 5.00%

Note that VOSB and SDVOSB are overlapping categories and are counted as one amount ($18,000). Also, EDWOSB and WOSB are in the one category of WOSB.