Site Visit Minutes.pdf

Site Visit Solicitation No. AG-7103-S-10-0011

RECOVERY – Repair Auxiliary Spillway Ozan Creek Site 11, Hempstead County, Arkansas

April 7, 2010, 10:00 a.m.

1. Introductions were made by Government personnel and contractors. All attendees were asked to sign-in for a record of attendance.

2. This procurement is a Request for Proposals. There will not be a public bid opening.

3. Offers are due Friday, April 23, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. Offers must arrive on time or may not be considered.

4. In order to submit an offer a business must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) and Online Representations and Certifications through ORCA, an annual registration.

5. If you have not performed work for USDA in the past year, if selected for contract award, you will be required to file an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) form with the National Finance Center, who makes payment for NRCS. Company information that differs from IRS records will delay contractor approval and the IRS can penalize a company for conflicting information.

6. The SF1442 was discussed

a. This procurement is advertised using funding from the American Recovery and

Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). We’ll discuss the additional requirements for Recovery Act projects later.

b. Magnitude of work is between $25,000 and $100,000.

c. This projects is 100% set-aside for Service Disabled, Veteran Owned small business firms.

d. This procurement is a simplified acquisition and will not have a public bid opening.

e. Performance time (Page 13) is 40 calendar days, which starts the day after issuance of the notice to proceed. This time includes weather days stated on page 17.

f. Payment Bond or payment protection is required within 10 days of receipt of notice of award (Page 76)

g. An offer guarantee is NOT required.

h. You may mail, handcarry, or fax your offer to my office. It must be received by 2:00 p.m.

CST on April 23rd. Fax requirements start on page 117. You should confirm receipt of your faxed offer to be certain that it was received. Emails will not be accepted.

i. You must provide at least 60 calendar days for Govt. acceptance of the offer. Offering less than 60 days on the back of the SF1442, Block 17, may result in your offer not being considered for award.

j. Offeror must complete blocks 14 – 16, may leave block 17 blank or provide more than 60 days acceptance time.

k. Offer must complete block 19 with amendment numbers and date issued. No amendments have been issued to date. Failure to acknowledge amendments could result in the offer not being considered for award.

l. Offeror must complete blocks 20 A – C by typing or printing name of the authorized person who can bind the company, signature of the binding party, and dating the offer.

m. Do not complete anything after block 20C.

7. Solicitation Requirements:

a. There are required clauses and provisions in the solicitation for procurements using ARRA funds, specifically:

FAR 52.203-15 Whistleblower Protections under the American Recovery and

Reinvestment Act of 2009 (MAR 2009) FAR 52.204-11 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act—Reporting

Requirements (MAR 2009) Contractors will be required to report contract information quarterly from the award date of the contract to the final payment date.

Much of the contract specific information will be provided to the contractor with the exception of subcontractor information and jobs created or retained. Failure to report will be cause for an unsatisfactory performance evaluation.

FAR 52.225-21 Required Use of American Iron, Steel, and Other Manufactured Goods—Buy American Act—Construction Materials (MAR 2009)

FAR 52.225-22 Required Use of American Iron, Steel, and Other Manufactured Goods—Buy American Act—Construction Materials (MAR 2009)

b. Bid schedule was reviewed. Item 0002 through 0007 are estimated quantities. You can not exceed the total amount of the contract unless authorized by the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer’s Representative, the inspector or the landowner or sponsor cannot change or obligate the Government. A modification will be done at the end of the contract to adjust to actual quantities required to perform the work.

n. Offer submission requirements are listed on the bidding schedule.

o. Offerors must be current in the Central Contractor’s Registry (CCR).

p. Offerors must be current in the Online Representations and Certifications (ORCA).

q. Page 13, Commencement, Prosecution and Completion of Work – 5 days to start work after

NTP received and complete within 40 calendar days, including cleanup.

r. Page 16, Maximum Workweek – 6 days a week, 10 hour days, no work on holidays.

s. Page 17, Time Extensions for Unusually Severe Weather – Completion time includes weather days. If weather exceeds the number of days stated in the contract, then additional time may be due. This should be discussed with the COR and requested from the Contracting Officer.

t. Page 108, certification that CCR and ORCA current is required.

u. Wage Determination AR080205 at Attachment 2 requires contractors to pay at least the wages stated in the determination.

9. The meeting was then turned over to Pat Henry to discuss the technical elements of the solicitation.

The following issues were noted:

a. NRCS Safety Supplement is at Attachment 3 and is a supplement to the OSHA requirements

b. Mr. Henry discussed how NRCS references construction specifications on the bid schedule, and how the construction specifications are detailed and covered in each element of work.

He also discussed what is meant by subsidiary items and to include the cost of these items in the price for other line items.

c. It was stated that ingress for this project is on a private gravel road. The road must be maintained and will be repaired upon completion of the project.

d. Measurement and payment for each line item was discussed.

e. Approved sources for rock riprap were addressed. Smith County Stone in Locksburg, AR is an additional source and will be added to the list on Page 61-4 of Attachment 1 to the solicitation by amendment.