Prebid meeting notes revised.docx

Solicitation AG-4756-S-11-0015 Cadastral Surveying Services, Cherokee National Forest Pre-bid meeting, March 3, 2011 10:00 – 12:00 a.m.

Attending for the Government: Nina Barrow, Cherokee National Forest Contracting Officer Scotty Myers, Cherokee National Forest Surveyor

Contractors in Attendance: See attached Sign-In Sheet.

Contracting Officer discussed topics relating to the solicitation and award of contracts as follows:

This solicitation is set aside for Small Business under NAICS code 541370. Size standard is $4.5M average annual receipts for the preceding 3 fiscal years. Business size will be determined by firm’s size status as listed in Central Contractor Registration. Process for obtaining a Dun and Bradstreet number, completing Central Contractor Registration (CCR), and completing Online Representations and Certifications (ORCA) were discussed.

Solicitation will result in award of more than one Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contracts. Base period will be from date of award through Dec. 31, 2011. Four option years may be exercised at the unilateral discretion of the Government. Contract completion date will be 12/31/2015. Work will be accomplished through issuance of task orders. Each order will be negotiated individually with most qualified firm using Brooks Act procedures. Forest Service guarantees awarding a minimum of $3000 in work over the life of each awarded contract.

Anticipated number or dollar amount of task orders issued per contract cannot be determined.

A provision is in place to exit or enter contractors into the pool of selected contractors at the discretion of the Government.

Selection of firms for award of contract will be made using Brooks Act procedures (Reference: FAR 36.6, A&E Services). Evaluation Board will evaluate all firms’ submittals and recommend the most qualified firms to the Source Selection Official. Source selection official will review the recommendations and make the final selection. Firms on the final selection list will be sent to the Contracting Officer for price negotiation. Negotiations will begin with most preferred firm. If a mutually satisfactory contract price cannot be negotiated, CO shall obtain firm’s written final proposal and notify the firm that negotiations have been terminated. CO shall commence negotiations with the next most preferred firm. Award notice will be posted in FedBizOpps.

Question: is there a limit on the number of pages permitted in firm’s response? Answer: no.

Question: are there any incumbent contractors for this work? Answer: no.

Question: what are the administrative boundaries of the Cherokee National Forest? Answer: Map has been scanned and will be posted as a separate attachment.

Forest Surveyor discussed the following items related to the work to be performed:

The Cherokee National Forest has about 1800 miles of exterior boundary distributed in 10 counties in SE and NE Tennessee. About 70% of this boundary is on the North End of the Forest (between Great Smokey Mountains National Park and the Virginia line), and about 30% is on the South End (GSM National Park to Georgia line).

Surveys are performed for acquisition, trespass and encroachments. Tracts to be surveyed may range in size from 10,000 acres to .25 acre. Cherokee National Forest work is performed to USDA Forest Service Region 8 specifications.

Forest Service requires a Registered Professional Surveyor to be on the ground when work involves measurements or setting corners. Forest Service has the capability and reserves the right to check your firm’s measurements.

Our work involves traversing very difficult mountain terrain. Acquisition surveys started for the Cherokee National Forest in 1911, and you may be asked to work in an area where the last survey was done in the early 1900’s.

Regarding project location: it would not be unusual to be assigned a project that required you to drive as far as practicable, and then walk an hour or two to reach the project site before work could begin. Projects may be located at elevations up to 6000’ and there can be snow on the ground both early and late in the winter season. If we need to have an acquisition survey performed, there may be time constraints requiring immediate performance and the awarded firm may have to work in less than ideal weather conditions.

Question: what about ATV use in remote areas? Answer: Contractors can be permitted to use ATVs/UTVs on a case by case basis. These are not allowed in designated Wilderness Areas (chainsaws are also not allowed in Wilderness Areas).

Question: what if the performance period is impacted by severe weather? Answer: the impact of severe weather is considered on a case-by-case basis.

Boundary line maintenance may be performed either during leaf-off or leaf-on time.

Following is a general description of the types of work to be performed; specific information is found in specifications:

A. Boundary Line to be Surveyed: Involves surveying legal boundaries; payment unit is “mile”. Firm will contact adjoiners and perform typical surveying work. It is very important to the Forest Service that your firm know exactly where the line is on the ground – we want you to actually traverse the line, locating stations every 200’ or so. We are paying you both for the survey and for knowing where that line is. You will note the locations of improvements, roads, streams, etc.

B. Tie Line: Typically, it is not necessary to know the actual location of the line. You would traverse the easiest possible way between two points or corners. Payment would be for the straight line distance between corners by the mile. The purpose of this work is to establish accurate distances or angular rotation between corners or points without the need to know the actual lines location on the ground. You will not be required to paint or post lines in this pay item.

C. Corner Monumentation: Forest Service will supply all materials for this work, including monument, signs, and posts. You will be required to install the monument, mark witness trees, and post with a sign. Payment is “each”.

D. Corner to be Re-Monumented: for a monument that needs refurbishing; for example, re-establishment of bearing trees and providing an updated corner card. Payment unit is “each”.

E. Boundary Lines to be Marked (Painted): refer to contract specifications and examples. The Forest Service requires a specific pattern for blazes, etc. Painting and posting requires a lot of work. Line must be brushed 3’ wide.

Note: the Forest Service wants your firm to be fully successful, and we expect to receive an excellent product from you. This is Federal work, and we have very high standards.

Question: Are local coordinates used? Answer: this will vary from job to job. Most Forest Service boundaries were established using astronomic north. We may rotate the new work to an existing tract. Forest Service must receive State Plane coordinates on at least one corner. If we require projects to be rotated to State Plane, this should be accomplished with survey grade equipment. Typically, we will get your survey rotated to an existing tract. Furnish State Plane coordinates for one corner.

Question: in addition to a plat, would we be asked to deliver something in GIS format? Answer: We can receive DXF files, CAD files, or shape files. If your firm can provide deliverables in this format, show it on your SF-330 and in your narrative.

F. Boundary Line Maintenance: Work consists of refurbishing an existing red-painted line. No surveying is involved in this work item. You will be required to brush the line and replace signs as needed. Forest Service will furnish paint, nails and signs. Question: does this work require an RLS on the ground? Answer: no, but Forest Service does want the RLS to supervise the project. A detailed report is required to be submitted following completion of field work.

Question: what is your policy on safety while working in remote locations? Answer: Your safety is of great importance to the Forest Service. Make sure your office knows where you will be working on a given project. Check in with your office when you leave the field in the evening. Some areas do not have cell phone coverage.

G. Line to be Obliterated: consists of blacking out existing red paint and removing boundary line signs.

H. Plats: Will be accomplished to State standards and will meet all Forest Service stated requirements. An accompanying report is required. Plat size is usually 8 ½ x 11, but may be legal size.

Question: Will a subdivision plat ever be required? Answer – No.

Question: How should plats be priced? Answer: each.

Question: are Davis Bacon wage rates included: Answer: no. Three applicable Service Contract Act wage rates will be posted for Monroe County, McMinn/Polk Counties, and all North End Counties (Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington).

Question: Would an 1100 acre survey still be shown on an 8 ½ x 11 sheet? Answer – probably so. Project might require a larger format.

Question: What about showing easements and encumbrances? Answer: our work typically does not require a great deal of detail due to the rural nature of the projects. But if details for a particular tract cannot be shown on smaller size plat, you would have to go to a larger size.

Question: So you are saying that one project, or task order, might include all of the work items that you have discussed? Answer: yes. This allows us to customize our order to fit our needs on the ground.

Question: what is the time frame for award of contracts? Answer: Intend to award by May 1.

Question: what is Contractor’s role in resolving conflicts? Answer: typically, the same as any project that your firm would endorse.

Question: what is the typical lead time for task orders? Answer: lead time is project-specific.