Questions_Responses.docx

Questions Submitted in Response to AG-0109-S-10-0004 Updated 13 May 2010

1. Are the resumes and reference letters considered in the 50 page limit?

Forest Service response: References and resumes should NOT be included in the 50 page limit. The certifications and representations included in Section K are also not included in the 50 page limit.

2. Under Factor 1. Professional Qualifications (C): What is considered a technical task?

Forest Service response: Examples of technical tasks include: surveying, geo-technical Report, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and telecommunications design/engineering, landscape architecture and design, specifications, cost estimating, construction manager and superintendent

3. Why is there duplicate information under the Return Package and the Issued Solicitation?

Forest Service (FS) Response: The return package includes the information that needs to be returned with your proposal. The return package includes the SF 1442; Section K – Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements of Offerors; Section L – Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors and Section M – Evaluation Factors for Award.

4. Under Factor 4. Technical Qualifications (B) is the information requested the information provided in the Return Package on pages 27-32?

Forest Service response: The exact information under Factor 4 is included in the solicitation and the return factor. See response above to question # 3.

5. Factor 5, item A “subcontractor participating on the offeror’s team” “Indicate workload and availability for the project team (including subconsultants/subcontractors)”

Question: Dependent on the information in the Phase II Request for Proposal, our requirements for subcontractors may change. Can subcontractor requirements be removed from Phase I and moved to the Phase II submittal? Are all subcontractors to be included as part of the technical proposal.

Forest Service response: The requirement for the subcontractor information will remain part of the submission and evaluation for Phase One. The selection of the “short listed” contractors will be based upon this information that is submitted. Offeror’s shall include the major subcontractors by responsibility, specialty, function, design and construction.

6. Factor 5, item A For each project, identify the current fee”

Question: This information is considered proprietary and confidential. Can a general statement of percentage range be substituted for this information request?

Forest Service response: This is referring to the current contract amount. The contract amount is not considered propriety and confidential.

6. Factor 5. B.

Describe the project team's experience in successfully delivering projects per performance schedule, providing timely construction support, and successfully completing multiple projects with similar delivery dates.

Question: By performance schedule are you referring to incentive or late delivery clauses? Are you referring to multiple projects under a central client, such as a campus with multiple buildings?

Forest Service response: Performance Schedule is the project schedule for design and construction and the proposers compliance with all target due dates. It may/may not include projects with special completion incentives/penalties depending on the proposers experience.

7. There is no indication in the solicitation package that the Technical Qualifications portion of the response be completed in SF 330 format. Is that correct or should we submit on the SF 330 form?

Forest Service response: Since the prime contractor submitting a proposal may be either a construction contractor or an A & E contractors – a SF 330 is not required to be submitted. Please ensure your proposal includes all of the information contained in Section M for the Phase One evaluation factors. Please note that the maximum size of Phase One submittal is limited to 50 pages.

8. Page 1, Item 13A requests one original and 4 copies of the submittal. Page 40, Item (4) requests one copy of the offer and 4 copies of the technical proposal. Page 41 Item F requests 5 hard copies, one original and 4 copies. Further page 41 Item F, subparagraph “e” requests the submittal in three ring binder format. Would you please clarify the desired number of copies and if all copies are to be in three ring binder format?

Forest Service response: Page 40 of the solicitation package will be corrected to read: correct to read: Five copies of the technical proposal. One original plus 4 copies are required to be submitted. Each proposal must be submitted in a three ring binder format as indicated on page 41.

Page 41, paragraph F(a) will be changed to read: In addition to the one original plus 4 copies provided, one electronic disk shall be included with the technical proposal.

9. Is there a design program for the laboratory portion? Or a website therein the lab’s current activities are described?

Forest Service response: The building will consist of research laboratories, offices, storage and a conference room. The types of laboratories will be analytical, biological, sterile and sample preparation. The potential bidders will not actually be designing anything until Phase Two of the solicitation so the Prospectus/Design/Space Program will be provided only to the short-listed contractors.

10. I am having trouble locating the retainage or liquidated damages for this project.

Forest Service response: FAR 52.232-5 Payment under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts is included by reference in Section I. Paragraph (e) of this clause addresses retainage. There is no liquidated damages clause included in the contract. The contracting Officer stated that after award of the contract, if it appears that the completion date may not be met, appropriate steps may be taken such as issuance of a cure notice or show cause notice.

11. Please clarify the applicability of FAR 19.10 and this project. I would like to know what the programmatic goals for this project are and if there are any bid incentives for those firms who we are a DBE.

Forest Service response: The solicitation will not be set-aside for small business concerns. In accordance with FAR Subpart 19.10, the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program provides the ability of small businesses to compete successfully in certain industry categories without competition being restricted to small business set-asides. This portion of the program is limited to designated industry groups listed in section 19.1005. The NAICS 236220 is one of the designated groups under the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program so an unrestricted acquisition is appropriate.

FAR 52.219-4 Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns is incorporated by reference in Section I. Paragraph (b)(3) of that clause states: A concern that is both a HUBZone small business concern and a small disadvantaged business concern will receive the benefit of both the HUBZone small business price evaluation preference and the small disadvantaged business price evaluation adjustment (see FAR clause 52.219-23). Each applicable price evaluation preference or adjustment shall be calculated independently against an offeror’s base offer. These individual preference amounts shall be added together to arrive at the total evaluated price for that offer.

In accordance with 19.1102, USDA Forest Service does not have statutory authority for use of the Small Disadvantaged Business price evaluation adjustment. Since our solicitation AG-0109-S-09-0004 does not include FAR 52.219-23 Notice of Price Evaluation Adjustment for Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns a price adjustment for SDB will not be applied in our evaluation.

Based upon the above information, the only evaluation preference that will be applied is the HUBZone small business price evaluation preference. FAR 52.219-4(b) states:

(b) Evaluation preference.

(1) Offers will be evaluated by adding a factor of 10 percent to the price of all offers, except—

(i) Offers from HUBZone small business concerns that have not waived the evaluation preference; and

(ii) Otherwise successful offers from small business concerns.

Additional Questions Asked After the Meeting

12. Is a stipend to be paid to the short listed contractors chosen for Phase Two evaluation?

Forest Service response: Preparation of the Phase One and Phase Two proposals are entirely at the expense of the offerors and no stipend will be paid by the Forest Service.

13. Factor 6 – Geographic Location. Please clarify “geographic area” means the State of Alaska, or specifically the Juneau area.

Forest Service response: For the purpose of this project, the geographic area means the State of Alaska.

14. Please clarify if a bid guarantee is to be submitted as part of the response for Phase One.

Forest Service response: The bid guarantee shall not be submitted as part of Phase One submission. A bid guarantee is only required from the short listed contractors for Phase Two.

15. Prior to the submission of my Phase One proposal I would like to look at the project site. Is prior notification to the Forest Service required?

Forest Service response: The site has a public access path thru the middle of the land so it is not restricted access. No one needs to be notified of their visit but it is requested they stay on the paths.

16. The solicitation package included sheets 70 – 75 which is an evaluation package. Are we supposed to send them to past project representatives, have them filled out and then send them to you?

Forest Service response: The revised Past Performance Questionnaire should be completed and returned to the Contracting Officer, kweidenbaugh@fs.fed.us not later than 02 June 2010. This should be completed by the company/person providing the reference. This does not need to be included with your technical proposal but can be emailed separately. Amendment 02 includes the revised questionnaire which includes the details of where to submit the complete response.