DRAFT_Instructios_to_Offerors_and_Eval_Criteria_22Nov21.pdf

ADDENDA TO FAR 52.212-1 INSTRUCTION TO OFFERORS

PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

1 – General Instructions Offers shall conform to the instructions provided in this section. Offers shall be neat, clearly and concisely written, indexed and logically assembled. The intent of your offer is to communicate why you should be selected. Therefore, ensure you address all evaluation criteria contained in FAR Clause 52.212-2. Failure to properly respond may eliminate you from the competition.

1.1 Prospective offerors shall concurrently submit three separate documents:

a) Volume I - Technical - DO NOT return the entire solicitation with your offer. DO NOT include price/cost information with the technical volume.

(i) Respond to each evaluation criteria in FAR clause 52.212-2. See below for additional information on the preparation of the Technical volume.

b) Volume II – Past Performance – DO NOT include Technical volume information in the

Past Performance volume. DO NOT include Price information in the Past Performance volume.

c) Volume III – Price – DO NOT include Technical volume information in the Price volume.

DO NOT include Past Performance volume information in the Price volume. DO NOT return the entire solicitation with your proposal. Include in your Price volume:

(i) Completed and Signed SF-1449. Signatory must have the authority to legally bind the company to a contract.

(ii) Completed “Offer Submission Package” included within this solicitation document.

(iii)Additional cost or pricing information is not required at this time but may be required prior to award if necessary, to determine fair and reasonable pricing.

d) Alternate line-item structures may be submitted provided that the offer meets all requirements otherwise outlined in the solicitation documents. Such offers may be considered if overall performance would not be compromised, and offer is in the best interest of the government. Alternate offers shall be clearly identified.

1.2 All offers must be complete, self-sufficient, and respond directly to the requirements of this solicitation. Apparent inconsistencies between promised performance and statement of work/specifications shall be fully explained. Any significant inconsistency, if unexplained, raises a fundamental issue of the offeror’s understanding of the statement of work and/or ability to perform the contract. This may be a basis for rejection of the offer. In no case shall words like “we will comply with the requirements of the contract,” or equivalent statements, be acceptable to meet the requirements of this solicitation. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in the offer being found non-responsive and removed from further consideration.

1.3 Offeror’s are cautioned that the government intends to award a contract based in initial submissions without further communication with offerors. Offers should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms that the offeror can submit to the Government, from both price and technical standpoints. However, the Government may communicate with offerors during the evaluation process as needed. Offers that do not address one or more factors or sub-factors, may not be considered for award.

1.4 Submitted materials should be fully responsive to and consistent with the requirements of the solicitation and the evaluation criteria listed. The format of the Technical volume shall be:

a) Pages shall be 8 ½ x 11. Typing fonts should be no smaller than 10 pitch in a font that is easily readable such as Times, Times New Roman, or Arial.

b) Each volume shall be presented separately.

c) Each volume shall be submitted in electronic format only. Hard copies will not be accepted.

d) Technical volume shall not exceed more than 100 pages.

e) Past Performance volume shall not exceed more than 50 pages.

f) Page limitation does not apply to the Price volume.

1.5 Restriction on disclosure and use of data: Offerors that include information that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose shall mark the title page with the following legend:

“Proprietary Information – Do Not Release”. Other pages may reference the title page statement. Pages marked in this manner may still be subject to release under Freedom of Information Act guidelines.

2.1 Proposal Preparation Instructions for Evaluation Factors

The Offeror’s Technical Volume will be incorporated by reference into any resultant contract.

The instructions below contain the minimum requirements for all volumes but may not be all inclusive. Contractors shall review the scope of work, all exhibits, and the evaluation factors in 52.212-2 in order to determine relevant information to include for each factor/subfactor.

2.1.1 TECHNICAL VOLUME

Team Qualifications. (See Performance Work Statement for specifications, Exhibit 3 and Technical Capability Confidence Ratings) Identify the owners, managers, pilots, mechanics, ground crew, and other staff, including subcontractors, that will be assigned to this project and provide specific, relevant training and experience to the type of services each would provide. Also provide an organizational chart that includes the on-site project manager and describes the limits (if any) of their decision-making authority.

Equipment. (See Performance Work Statement for specifications, Exhibit 3 and Technical Capability Confidence Ratings) Identify the equipment that will be used on the project, including but not limited to the aircraft (application and observation, Exhibit 3.2 and 3.3), dispersal system(s) (Exhibit 3.11), DGPS (Exhibit 3.9), and AFF (Exhibit 3.10). In addition, the Offeror must provide the information requested below.

i. Application and observation aircraft – information that supports the aircraft’s safety and suitability for the mission (e.g., survivability, visibility, maneuverability and ease of control effort) (Exhibit 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3)

Dispersal Systems. (See Performance Work Statement, Exhibit 3.11, and Technical Capability Confidence Ratings) The dispersal systems must meet the specifications listed in the Performance Work Statement, Exhibit 3.11. To support compliance with the listed specifications, Offerors must either provide operational data from within the past five years or mount and aerially test a complete dispersal system on each type aircraft proposed for use and provide the information listed below as part of the Technical Proposal if submitting an offer for any item. Procedures to conduct calibration and characterization tests are provided in Exhibit 3.11.2 and 3.11.3.

1. Data from calibration trials for each of the specified doses of Disrupt/sticker and SPLAT are required with proposals.

2. Data to support the proposed swath spacing during application (characterization trials).

3. A description of the Disrupt/sticker or SPLAT loading procedures.

4. A description of overall system performance including a history of design, development, testing, modification(s), and use in field tests and/or operational projects. The description of system performance must include an assessment of how well the system holds or is expected to hold calibrated flow rates during operations and how this would be monitored.

5. A quality control plan that addresses the following aspects of the dispersal system proposed for use:

a. Reliability

b. Maintainability (i.e., methods/procedures that will be used to maintain the system(s) at operational level for extended time periods; cleaning procedures, replacement parts, hours of use before maintenance is required)

Site inspections to evaluate dispersal systems may be conducted at the discretion of the Government prior to award. The Offeror shall be able to perform a demonstration of the dispersal system within five (5) calendar days of notification by the Government.

Operations Approach. (See Technical Capability Confidence Ratings) Describe how your firm would accomplish the work and clearly demonstrate that the proposed numbers of aircraft, personnel, other equipment and supplies will support completion of the work in a safe, efficient, and timely manner with emphasis on (1) achieving required production rates in each of the project areas and (2) maintaining the aircraft and equipment for the duration of the project. Additionally, include:

i. A schedule outlining a typical workday on the project that includes all activities done to accomplish the specified work in a safe and successful manner from arrival of contractor personnel at the airport to the end of a workday.

ii. An outline of any plan to incorporate the use of bio-based products or other sustainable products into the project.

iii. A list of agreements with suppliers and subcontractors.

Safety. (See Performance Work Statement Exhibit 3.13 and Technical Capability Confidence Ratings)

The Contractor must provide a written submittal in response to Exhibit 3.13 (Safety Management System Components Questionnaire) from the Performance Work Statement as part of the technical submission and the submittal should consist of implemented practices for their specific company. For purposes of this submittal, the contractor must describe how the specific processes or requirements are implemented within their organization. This submittal will be incorporated and made part of the contract.

Offerors shall submit information on their safety program including, at a minimum:

i. The information requested in Performance Work Statement (PWS), Exhibit 3.13 – Safety Management System Components Questionnaire and Accident History.

ii. The Contractor is required to submit their total number of flight hours for the previous five years along with any NTSB reportable accidents as defined within 49 CFR 830.2.

Flight hours and accidents are for all aircraft (rotor wing and fixed wing) operating under the contractors operating certificates.

iii. FAA Accident, Incident, and Enforcement Action Histories during the past 36-months or a statement(s) that there have been none during the past 36-months for individual personnel as well as the firm.

iv. If your company has had a mishap (NTSB classified accident or NTSB reportable incident) in the last 5 years, provide a mishap prevention action plan or evidence of actions taken to prevent future mishaps.

v. A project spill response plan.

2.1.2 PAST PERFORMANCE VOLUME (See Past Performance Confidence Ratings).

2.1.2.1 Experience Information

To be considered, projects must be determined both recent and relevant.

Recency

Effort that includes performance occurring within 5 years of the solicitation issuance date.

Relevancy

Past/present performance effort similar to services provided under this solicitation, including type of services provided, magnitude of effort, and complexities of this requirement.

Furnish the following information for at least three, but no more than five, of the projects most relevant to requirements under this solicitation. If your firm is not able to submit at least 3 recent and relevant projects, provide the following information for all projects your firm has completed in the last 5 years.

i. the name of the project,

ii. the location of the project,

iii. the total cost of the project,

iv. project start date and date of completion,

v. a brief narrative of the project,

vi. name of the Government Agency, Company, or Individual contracting the work,

vii. the name, e-mail address, and phone number of the Contracting Officer, project manager (if a non-government project), or individual administering the project, and

viii. copies of any formal performance evaluations that you received, such as Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) evaluations

These project references may be contacted by the government to provide ratings for evaluation Factor 2. If the Government is unable to validate performance for projects submitted, the work will not be considered as part of the Past Performance confidence rating.

The Past Performance volume must address present/past performance for both the Offeror and any proposed major subcontractors. Companies lacking relevant past performance history will be evaluated on past performance information regarding predecessor companies, key personnel who have relevant experience, or subcontractors that will perform major or critical aspects of the requirement when such information is relevant to this acquisition.

Firms lacking a past performance record (e.g., new firms or those with no relevant experience within their organization) will receive an UNKNOWN CONFIDENCE rating.

The Government will utilize the information provided to assess past performance, as well as any other information available, including but not limited to, CPARS evaluations, COR knowledge, other known project contacts, or other means determined appropriate by the Contracting Officer.

2.1.2.2 Mishap History for the previous 5 years

Include all aircraft that have operated under your Operating Certificates (fixed wing and rotor wing). Complete the questions below that apply to your company mishap history.

(1) Total number of flight hours for the previous 5 years: _____________________

(2) Number of aircraft mishaps (accidents and incidents) reported to NTSB in the previous 5 years: ______

Note: If your company has had a mishap in the last 5 years provide a mishap prevention action plan or evidence of actions taken to prevent future mishaps.

2.1.2.3 Accident Prevention and Safety

The Contractor shall furnish the COR with a copy of all reports required to be submitted to the FAA in accordance with 14 CFR that relate to pilot and maintenance personnel performance, aircraft airworthiness or operations. The Contractor will submit an FAA Form 8010-4, Malfunction or Defect Report, or file electronically in the FAA’s Service Difficulty Reporting (SDR) system any maintenance deficiency identified in 14 CFR Part 21.3(c), 135.415, 135.417 or as requested by the government for what it considers a significant discrepancy.

2.1.2.4 Accident Prevention Program

Is your company a participant in any accident prevention program such as Air Carrier Association, Safety Management System (FAA), Tour Operators Program of Safety (TOPS), Medallion Foundation, NAAA Professional Aerial Applicators Support System (PAASS) or Other Safety program? If so, please list your prevention programs.

Has the company received a reduction in rates from your carrier as a result of your safety prevention program?

Yes No

If yes, please briefly explain

List your insurance provider, their address, phone number and agent’s Name.

2.1.2.5 Pesticide Enforcement Actions

Provide copies of any state pesticide regulatory enforcement actions that were issued in the past 36 months or a statement that there have been no actions taken in the past 36 months for all personnel that handle or apply pesticides.

2.1.3 PRICE.

Refer to Section L.2.1.1(b) and the offer submission package for price proposal preparation instructions.

OFFER SUBMISSION PACKAGE

Volume III – Price

OFFERORS SHALL SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING PAGES IN ADDITION TO THE

COMPLETED SF1449. This will become your price proposal and will be incorporated into resulting contract. Technical Proposal shall be submitted as a separate document. To be eligible for award, offeror must have an active registration in www.sam.gov.

OFFEROR NAME ___________________________________________________

OFFEROR DUNS NUMBER ___________________________________________

OFFEROR EMAIL ADDRESS _________________________________________

SCHEDULE OF ITEMS

It is the intent of this solicitation is to secure a Fixed Price, Requirements Contract with a Base Year and four Option Years for the aerial application of mating disruptants to control gypsy moth on up to 353,480 acres per year. This solicitation is sub-divided into three acreage items;

http://www.sam.gov/

Item 1 includes treatment blocks located in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia and a treatment window that extends from early June to late July. Item 2 includes treatment blocks located in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio and a treatment window that extends from mid-June to early July. Item 3 includes treatment blocks in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin with a treatment window spanning from late June to early August. The total acres assigned to the Base Year Contract (2022) represent current draft acres and are subject to change depending on federal funding and final planning. The total acres assigned to each Item in the four option years represent the mean (2017 to 2021 data) for each year and not definite quantities. Award(s) will be made to all three items. Item 4 is established as a Cost Reimbursable line item or aircraft fuel reimbursement at actual cost. No add-on rates are allowed, and invoicing must include receipts for all fuel charges. Items 1 thru 3 should not include fuel costs.

All of this work (100%) is set aside for small business.

Offers may be submitted for Item 1, Item 2, or Item 3, or for all three items. Four separate price proposals may be submitted if necessary (i.e., Item 1 only, Item 2 only, Item 3 only, and Item 1, 2 and 3). If an offer is submitted for all three items only and you do not wish to accept an award of less than all three items, indicate “all or nothing” on your offer. For each item offered, the Offeror is required to provide a unit price per acre and total amount for aerial application at the doses specified and a unit price per hour and total for observation aircraft for the base year and all option years. If the intent is to propose only one Item, enter “no proposal” in place of prices on the item you do not intend to compete. For example, if you wish to offer on item 1 only, you must submit pricing for item 1(a), (b), and (c) for the base year and all option years and write “no proposal” for items 2(a), (b), (c) and 3(a), (b), (c), for the base and all option years.

Note: The contractor is not required to provide aerial observation in the state of Wisconsin.

Base Year Contract (2022)

Item No. Description Estimated

Quantity Unit of Issue Unit Price Total Amount

1(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

63,694 Acres

1(b) High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

500 Acres

1(c) Observation Aircraft in all states 40 Hours

TOTAL, Item 1 (a, b and c)

2(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

93,005 Acres

2(b) High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

4,786 Acres

No. Description Estimated

Quantity Unit of Issue Unit Price Total Amount

2(c) Observation Aircraft in all states 90 Hours

TOTAL, Item 2 (a, b and c)

3(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

151,975 Acres

3(b) High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

8,000 Acres

3(c) Observation Aircraft in all states except Wisconsin

20 Hours

TOTAL, Item 3 (a, b and c)

4 Aircraft Fuel Reimbursement (Cost Reimbursable) 1 Lump

Sum

Option Year 1 (2023)

No. Description Estimated

Quantity Unit of Issue Unit Price Total Amount

1(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

83,987 Acres

High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

6,344 Acres

1(c) Observation Aircraft in all states 52 Hours

TOTAL, Item 1 (a, b and c)

2(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

69,315 Acres

High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

8,267 Acres

2(c) Observation Aircraft in all states 52 Hours

TOTAL, Item 2 (a, b and c)

3(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

139,641 Acres

High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

0 Acres

Observation Aircraft in all states except Wisconsin

53 Hours

Quantity Unit of Issue Unit Price Total Amount

TOTAL, Item 3 (a, b and c)

4 Aircraft Fuel Reimbursement (Cost Reimbursable) 1 Lump Sum

Option Year 2 (2024)

No. Description Estimated

Quantity Unit of Issue Unit Price Total Amount

1(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

1(c) Observation Aircraft in all states

52 Hours

TOTAL, Item 1 (a, b and c)

2(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

2(c)

TOTAL, Item 2 (a, b and c)

3(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants states except Wisconsin

4 Aircraft Fuel Reimbursement (Cost Reimbursable)

Lump Sum

Option Year 3 (2025)

Quantity Unit of Issue Unit Price Total Amount

1(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

2(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

3(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

Option Year 4 (2026)

No. Description Estimated

Quantity Unit of Issue Unit Price Total Amount

1(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

Quantity Unit of Issue Unit Price Total Amount

2(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

3(a) Low Dose: Aerial application of the 6 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

High Dose: Aerial application of the 15.2 g ai/ac dose of mating disruptants

Disruptant Offered

No.

Disruptant Offered (Disrupt and/or SPLAT)

Price per KG of disruptant (inclusive of sticker if Disrupt)

Government Buy-Back of Excess Disruptant or Use of GFP Disruptant

Excess disruptant product, as a result of the government’s estimate of the host type within the application block estimate being ± 5%, will be purchased from the contractor by the Government at the prices indicated in the disruptant tables located in the schedule of items above. Conversely if disruptant is supplied to the contractor as Government Furnished Property (GFP), the disruptant will be purchased from the government by the contractor at the price indicated in the disruptant tables located in the schedule of items above. These purchase(s) will be reflected as lump sum adjustments in the payment documents.

52.212-2 Evaluation – Commercial Items (OCT 2014)

(a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered.

(b) Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

(c) BASIS FOR CONTRACT AWARD.

This is a competitive best value acquisition utilizing simplified acquisition procedures in accordance with FAR Part 13.5.

Comparative Evaluation. The Government may perform a comparative evaluation (comparing offers to each other) to select the contractor that is best suited and provides the best value, considering the evaluation factors in this solicitation.

The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers:

1) Technical Capabilities Evaluation

a. Team Qualifications

b. Equipment

c. Dispersal System

d. Operations Approach

e. Safety

Confidence Ratings for Technical Capability

Rating Definition

High Confidence The Government has high confidence that the Offeror understands the requirement, proposes a sound approach, and will be successful in performing the contract with little or no Government intervention.

Some Confidence The Government has some confidence that the Offeror understands the requirement, proposes a sound approach, and will be successful in performing the contract with some Government intervention.

Low Confidence The Government has low confidence that the Offeror understands the requirement, proposes a sound approach, or will be successful in performing the contract even with Government intervention.

2) Past Performance Evaluation

To be considered, projects must be determined both recent and relevant.

Recency

Effort that includes performance occurring within 5 years of the solicitation issuance date.

Relevancy

Past/present performance effort similar to services provided under this solicitation, including type of services provided, magnitude of effort, and complexities of this requirement.

In evaluating past performance, the government reserves the right to give greater consideration to information on those contracts deemed most relevant to the effort described in this solicitation.

Offerors are cautioned to submit sufficient information and in the format specified.

Offerors may be asked to clarify certain aspects of their proposal (for example, the relevance of past performance information) or respond to adverse past performance information to which the offeror has not previously had an opportunity to respond.

Offerors with no record of past performance (i.e.: new contractors) will be rated NEUTRAL in Factor 2. Trade-offs may be made in order for the Government to take advantage of a higher priced, higher rated offer.

Adverse past performance is defined as past performance information that support a less than satisfactory rating on any evaluation element or any unfavorable comments received from sources without a formal rating system.

Confidence Ratings for Past Performance

Rating Description

High Confidence Based on the offeror’s performance record, the government has high confidence the offeror will successfully perform the required effort.

Satisfactory Confidence Based on the offeror’s performance record, the government has confidence the offeror will successfully perform the required effort.

Low Confidence Based on the offeror’s performance record, there is substantial doubt that the offeror will successfully perform the required effort.

Unknown Confidence No performance record is identifiable, or the offeror’s performance record is so sparse that no confidence assessment rating can be reasonably assigned.

3) Price The price evaluation will document the reasonableness and balance of the proposed total evaluated price.

(f) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.