DTFACT-15-R-00025 amendment 000001.pdf

DTFACT-15-R-00025

Amendment 000001

A. THE FOLLOWING CLARIFICATIONS/REVISIONS ARE PROVIDED IN RESPONSE

TO CONTRACTOR COMMENTS/QUESTIONS, AND ARE HEREBY INCORPORATED

INTO THE ABOVE SIR:

Question Response

1. Analytical Laboratory – Is the engineer to propose an analytical laboratory and their pricing to support the contract?

Laboratory/subcontractor services will be part of several tasks orders and will require proposed cost at the task order level.

The Analytical Laboratory (s) must be certified to perform work. Also see SOW Section C.9 and C.10 for additional Laboratory requirements.

B.3 … “Travel, other direct costs and laboratory/subcontractor services, if required, will be pass through costs only, with no mark up for general and administrative or profit.”

2. C.7 Personnel Requirements – Does the FAA only want resumes for personnel listed as * Key personnel and should personnel not be duplicated or are they looking a resume for every category?

For evaluation purposes, resumes are to be provided for key personnel as stated in Section L.9.1.1 FACTOR I – KEY PERSONNEL and SOW Section C.7. …”Contractor shall submit detailed resumes for ALL key personnel.”

Note: …”Key personnel must work directly for the contractor.”

3. Do you have a preferred resume format for key personnel resume (Form 330) or standard?

Standard Format

4. Does the FAA want to see full certificates for advanced degrees, PE licenses and professional certifications or only NJ PE numbers for example?

As identified in Section C.7 of the Statement of Work;

Personnel supporting this contract and applicable task order(s) must possess, at a minimum, the experience, education, special licenses and other requirements as described for that position below. Contractor shall submit detailed resumes for ALL key personnel. Include all qualifications beyond the minimum requirements and copies of advanced degrees, PE licenses and professional certifications with individual resumes.

5. H.5 Contractor Capability Requirements - The contractor must be licensed to perform engineering work in the State of New Jersey and have a New Jersey licensed professional engineer(s) on staff. Can the prime supplement their staff through teaming partners to meet this requirement or does the prime must employee the PE and PE license in

NJ?

Prime must employee the PE and PE license in NJ

SOW paragraph C.7. Note: …”Key personnel must work directly for the contractor.”

6. The Offeror must submit proof that it has no environmental violations, how are we to demonstrate this item if we do not have violations? All we could provide would be a statement.

Signed affidavit will be accepted.

7. Is this procurement going to be set-aside?

As identified in the solicitation, this procurement is being solicited as Full and Open.

8. Solicitation Page 17, Parag. C. 4

With reference to the above solicitation paragraph was the “work that has been ongoing”:

A. This solicitation is a follow-on to an existing contract.

B. Contractor is TRC Environmental Corporation. It would be inappropriate to provide names of individual personnel.

A. been performed using government employees or contractors?

B. If by contractors, can you provide a list of the names of the specific contractors and when they performed their respective contracts and what services they provided?

9.

A. Is the referenced solicitation a totally new requirement, a modified requirement based on an incumbent contract?

B. Is there an incumbent contractor, and if so can you provide their name?

A. This solicitation is a follow-on to an existing contract.

B. The incumbent is TRC Environmental Corporation.

10. Solicitation Page 17, Parag. C.6

With reference to the above solicitation paragraph:

A. Has there been a specific “expert Biota team” under contract or subcontract, and if so can you provide their name(s) and point(s) of contact information?

B. If there has not been a specific “expert Biota Team” under contract or subcontract, do you have a specific preferred team of experts as a result of their specific knowledge of the site, and if so, can you provide their name(s) and point(s) of contact information?

A. Subcontract personnel supplied by the incumbent. It would be inappropriate to provide names and contact information.

B. See A above.

11. Does the “Ecological Risk Assessment Manager and Senior Ecologist” have to work for our firm or team?

SOW paragraph C.7. Note: …”Key personnel must work directly for the contractor.”

12. Can a Master degree in zoology, training in aquatic larval phase Trichoptera and Odonata and experience in collection and identification of aquatic trichoptera and odonata species and over 15 years experience in ecological risk assessment satisfy the requirement for the Trichopertist/Odonoatist?

Without a resume for review, it would be inappropriate to speculate on and answer to this question.

See SOW paragraph C.7.2 “ … may be combined … provided proper education and field experience can be provided to the acceptance of the FAA.”

13. Can a bachelors in environmental studies and a masters in Environmental Science, and 5 years experience in ecological evaluations related to risk assessment, and completion of over 50 Ecological Risk Assessments satisfy the requirements for Project Ecological Risk Assessment Scientist?

See Section C.7.1 *Ecological Risk Assessment Manager and Senior Ecologist – P3 Minimum of 10 years of experience with demonstrated competence in managing ecological risk assessments conducted under Superfund guidelines. Minimum of Bachelor’s Degree in biological science, ecological science, or related environmental science discipline.

Requires extensive biota and wetlands experience and assessments as well as fisheries biology and aquatic ecology. Expertise preferred in use of nonparametric statistics for data analyses and in sampling and evaluations of mercury loads in zooplankton, aquatic macroinvertebrates, aquatic vertebrates, birds and bats.

12. Can one individual fulfill multiple Personnel categories?

Key personnel, it is not desirable but is not prohibited.

Expert Biota/Ecological Team, positions can be combined.

See C.7.2 for additional requirements.

13. Can the performance of project related ecological technical studies substitute for or be considered as “technical and professional publications?

Yes.

14. What is the size limit on pages?

Are 11X17 inch pages allowed?

Submission is Electronic only. Letter size.

15. We presume Advanced Degree diplomas, PE Licenses and Professional Certifications do not count toward page limit for 3 page resumes. Is this correct?

Correct.

16. Section L.9.1.5 Cost/Price States “This Volume must include a completed copy of Section B of the SIR with the Contract Line Item (CLIN) Fully Burdened Labor Rates completed along with offeror’s proposal for Task Order 0001. The proposal for Task Order 0001 shall include a breakdown of all cost associated with completing the requirement (labor categories, rates and hours, Travel and Other Direct Costs).” On the price tables there is no requirement for pricing for Task Order 0001. Please clarify.

Pricing for Task Order 0001 must be provided in Cost Volume. It should be labeled separately.

17. Section L.9.1.3 requires that Quality of Service, Timeliness of Performance, Customer Satisfaction, Business Relations/Integrity/Effective Management, Ability to Manage Cost/Control Cost, Environmental Violations/Enforcement Actions be addressed in narrative form. We

Correct, L.9.1.3 - Submit Past Performance for their five

(5) most recent relevant contracts.

Please see #43 below for update to Section L.9.1.3.

presume this requirement for this narrative only applies to the 5 most recent relevant contracts. Is this correct?

18. Section C.8 General Requirements Comment: This requirement reads that “all contractor and subcontractor employees must have the 40 hour HAZWOPPWER training and annual 8 hour updates.”

Question: Please confirm that contractor and subcontractor personnel not entering the AOC areas or working off-site will not be required to have the noted training.

C.8

1. Mandatory Training: All contractor and subcontractor employees must have the 40 hour HAZWOPPWER training and annual 8 hour updates. Contractor must provide training certificates upon selection, and whenever new personnel are proposed to be used.

19. Can you advise if there will be a site visit/site meeting for this opportunity?

No site visit/site meeting will take place

20. Are the Attachment 004. Past Performance Data Evaluation forms part of the 10 page limit for Factor III? Must the forms be kept to one page in length?

Attachment is Part of 10 page limit.

Page can be expanded but total pages must not extend 10 pages.

Please see #43 below for update to Section L.9.1.3.

21. There are several places with this proposal submission requiring the signature of an authorized individual for the company. The instructions for the solicitation require that proposals may only be submitted electronically. There are three ways that the authorized signatures may appear on documents submitted electronically, as follows:

a) Scan of the document original bearing the live signature;

b) Adobe Electronic Signature; and

c) Certified Adobe Electronic Signature using a signing certificate.

Please advise which of the above formats are acceptable for this solicitation.

Scanned Original signature or Certified Adobe Electronic Signature using a signing certificate.

22. Please confirm that Task 0001 is TBD per page 3 of the SIR and is not to be included in the Cost proposal per page 78 of the SIR.

The price of Task Order No.0001 is TBD by the proposal for Task Order No.0001 as proposed in accordance with requirements of the SIR.

Contract award will include Task Order No.0001 pricing (i.e., minimum ordering obligation is the price of Task Order No.0001 with a maximum ordering obligation

TBD)

23. The standard of "demonstrate experience for geology work, hydrogeology work and groundwater modeling work in a geologic formation presenting similar hydrogeological features" is inherently subjective, potentially problematic, and preferential to the incumbent as an eligibility (i.e., Go/No Go) criterion.

The Go/No Go criteria in Section L.8.1 has been updated to delete this criteria from PHASE I - Go/No GO

CRITERIA.

See #46 below.

Additional information related to the type of formation found on the FAA Technical Center can be found on the NJ Department of Geological Survey at:

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/enviroed/infocirc/kirkwoo d-cohansey.pdf http://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/enviroed/infocirc/kirkwood-cohansey.pdf http://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/enviroed/infocirc/kirkwood-cohansey.pdf

We request the Government delete this requirement as a Go/No Go criterion. We note that the requirement to address "Performance of Complex Groundwater Modeling in Cohansey aquifer and aquitards in the Pinelands portion of the Outer Coastal Plain of New Jersey; or an aquifer demonstrating similar geological and chemical properties” is already included in the Factor II Corporate Experience criteria.

Alternatively, we request the Government to specify what constitutes 'similar' in this hydrogeological context.

24. The solicitation identifies the Small Business subcontracting goals. Please confirm whether or not the goals in the solicitation are based off of Total Subcontract Value or Total Contract Value.

Total Contract Value

25. Per FAA clause 3.6.1-4, a Year- End Supplementary Report for Small Disadvantaged Businesses must be submitted each year in eSRS. A similar requirement in the Federal Acquisition Regulation was removed within the past few years.

Please confirm this is a requirement.

As required by AMS Clause 3.6.1-4

26. FAA clause 3.6.1-4 requires that “the offeror will include the clause of this contract entitled "Utilization of Small Business Concerns" in all subcontracts that offer further subcontracting opportunities”. A clause of this

AMS Clause 3.6.1-3 title was not found. Please confirm this is referring to FAA clause 3.6.1- 3, "Utilization of Small, Small Disadvantaged and Women-Owned, and Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Concerns".

27. In the solicitation, it states that the Subcontracting Plan identify the percentage and dollar value of the planned subcontracts allocated to small business by type. It then gives an example mentioning women-owned and veteran-owned small businesses. FAA clause 3.6.1-4 does not require the breakdown of veteran-owned small businesses, only service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. Please confirm whether or not the solicitation meant service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses instead.

service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses See #42 below

28. The solicitation asks that the Subcontracting Plan contain the names of the subcontractors.

However, FAA clause 3.6.1-4 only requires that the type of services to be subcontracted be identified.

Please confirm whether or not we can leave the names of the subcontractors out of the Subcontracting Plan (team subcontractors excluded) as it is not required information.

Annex #2, Subcontractor names shall be included.

See AMS Clause 3.6.1-4 (11) (vi)

29. L.9.1.5, p. 78; C.5, p. 17 Comment: The requirement for Cost/Price reads, “This Volume must include a completed copy of Section B of the SIR with the Contract Line Item (CLIN) Fully Burdened Labor Rates completed

SOW for Task Order is attached.

along with offeror’s proposal for Task Order 0001. The proposal for Task Order 0001 shall include a breakdown of all cost associated with completing the requirement (labor categories, rates and hours, Travel and Other Direct Costs).”

[our underlining]

Question: We are unable to identify Task order 0001 in the provided procurement documents. Where can offerors locate Task Order 0001?

30. C.7.1, p. 18; Attachment 2 Comment: In addition to the 6 key personnel positions identified in C.7.1, Attachment 2 also provides asterisks next to Human Health Risk Assessment Manager, Human Health and Safety Manager, Senior Groundwater Modeler, and Onsite Senior Project Engineer.

Question: What do the asterisks in Attachment 2 signify? If they signify key personnel positions, please confirm which positions are key.

Key Personnel are Program Manager, Remedial Design Manager, Feasibility/Risk Assessor Study Manager, Senior Design Engineer, Remedial Investigation Manager and Senior Ecologist and Ecological Risk Assessment Manager.

Attachment 002 has been revised. Updated document is attached.

31. L.9.1.3, p. 76 Comment: The requirement reads, “The offeror must submit Past Performance information that includes details about the offeror, proposed principal subcontractors, and critical team members, if applicable. … The Offeror must also submit Past Performance for their five (5) most recent relevant contracts and/or subcontracts awarded.”

Question: How many of the five (5) most recent relevant contracts should be from the prime and how

There is no minimum requirement.

many can be from principal subcontractors and/or critical team members?

32. L.9.1.4, p. 77 Question: How long is the Transition Period expected to be?

Can we assume 30 days?

L.9.1.4 requires the proposal to address this time period as part of the plan, “…detailed with solid time estimates of how long it would take to achieve full capability…”

33. L.9.1.4, p. 77; L.9.1.5, p. 78 Comment: A requirement for Factor IV is to provide “costs impacts of a transition” And “actual costs to achieve full capability….”.

Conversely, Cost/Price instructions state, in part, “All cost/price and cost/price supporting information must be contained in Section B and the Cost/Price Volume. No price or pricing information shall be included in any other technical volume including cover letters.”

Question: How can offerors comply with the L.9.1.4 instruction to provide transition cost without violating the prohibition against providing cost information in the Technical section?

All cost/price and cost/price supporting information must be contained in Section B and the Cost/Price Volume.

Pricing for Transition Plan must be included in Cost/Price Volume and priced and labeled separately.

See #44 below

34. M.4.5, p. 83 Question: How will the government evaluate offerors’ pricing for Task Order 0001?

Pricing for Task Order 0001 will be evaluated to establish reasonableness and consistency between the technical and proposed prices and labor mix for Task Order.

35. L.8.3 – Annex #2, pp. 72-73 Question: Are the FAA Small Business subcontracting goals against total contract value or as a percentage of total subcontracting?

Total Contract Value

36. L.8.3 – Annex #2, pp. 72-73;

M.2, p. 81 Question: How will the offerors’ Small Business Subcontracting Plan be evaluated?

Based on the requirements as identified in Section L.8.3

37. C.2 Objectives; C.4 Scope Comment: Section C.2 states “The objectives also include accelerated remediation to reduce FAA’s overall total environmental liability”. Section C.4 Scope states “tasks include …. Designs of new remedial systems…”

Question: We understand the importance of remediation acceleration and optimization through new innovative technology, and want to highlight our experience in these areas, but are unclear where you would like to see this information. Please provide your preference to where you would like to see this information detailed.

Sections C.2 and C.4 as quoted are addressing two separate requirements. C.2 is for enhancements of existing remediation; Section C.4 referrers to remediation which has not been designed yet, C2 is an Objective and C.4 is within Scope.

38. L.9.1.4 Transition Plan How many onsite personnel are required to be at the Technical Center full time?

Currently – one (1)

39. C.7, p. 18; L.5, p. 70; L.9.1.1,

p. 74 Comments: The requirement in Section C.7 includes this requirement: “Include all qualifications beyond the minimum

As identified in Section C.7 of the Statement of Work;

Personnel supporting this contract and applicable task order(s) must possess, at a minimum, the experience, education, special licenses and other requirements as described for that position below. Contractor shall submit detailed resumes for ALL key personnel. Include all requirements and copies of advanced degrees, PE licenses and professional certifications with individual resumes.” Sections L.5 and L.9.1.1 limit resumes to 3 pages each.

Question: Do you want copies of advanced degrees, PE licenses, and professional certifications? If so, are they excluded from the 3-page limit per resume?

qualifications beyond the minimum requirements and copies of advanced degrees, PE licenses and professional certifications with individual resumes.

Copies of degrees, licenses and certifications are not included in the 3 page limit.

40. L.6, p. 70 Question: Are foldout pages (i.e., 11 x17-inch pages) allowed? If so, how many pages should they count?

If allowed, should they be one-sided?

Submission is Electronic only. Letter size.

41. L.3.8 Annex #2, p. 73 Comment: The North American Industry Classification Standard (NAICS) code for this procurement is 541620 – Environmental Consulting Services. The Size Standard for this code is $15M. The NAICS code will be used to determine Small Business eligibility for prime contractors. Prime Contractors must use the same NAICS code for all potential sub-contractors.

Question: Section FAR 19.102, entitled "Size Standards", paragraph (b)(1) states – “Classifying the product or service being acquired in the industry whose definition, best describes the principal nature of the product or service being acquired”. Will the appropriate Small Business NAICS size standards for the items/services being provided by our team SBs be

Statement has been removed: Prime Contractors must use the same NAICS code for all potential sub-contractors.

To determine small business status for subcontracting plan purposes, NAICS for that service/supply will apply.

See #45 below accepted, and not the prime’s 541620 NAICS code (i.e., lab services under 541380)?

THE FOLLOWING REVISIONs ARE MADE TO SECTION L AND IS HEREBY

INCORPORATED INTO THE SIR:

42. The following sentence is hereby revised, Section L.8.3 Annex #2:

FROM: The Subcontracting Plan must identify the percentage of subcontracting expectation over the life of the contract and the percentage and dollar value of the planned subcontracts allocated to small businesses by type (e.g., woman-owned, veteran-owned, etc.)

TO: The Subcontracting Plan must identify the percentage of subcontracting expectation over the life of the contract and the percentage and dollar value of the planned subcontracts allocated to small businesses by type (e.g., woman-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, etc.).”

43. The following sentence is hereby revised, Section L.9.1.3 FACTOR III –PAST

PERFORMANCE:

FROM: The following items should be addressed in narrative form:

TO: The following items should be addressed in narrative form on Attachment 004 Past Performance Evaluation Data form:

44. The following sentence is hereby revised, Section L.9.1.4 FACTOR IV –TRANSITION

PLAN:

FROM:

Finally, it shall be detailed with solid time estimates of how long it would take to achieve full capability, technical transition estimates and the actual costs to achieve full capability from the contract award.

TO:

“Offeror shall provide detailed, solid time estimates of how long it would take to achieve full capability and technical transition estimates. Finally, the actual costs to achieve full capability from the contract award must be provided in Volume III Cost/Price.”

45. The following sentence is hereby revised, Section L.8.3 Annex #2, North American Industry Classification Standard (NAICS) code:

FROM: North American Industry Classification Standard (NAICS) code for this procurement is 541620 – Environmental Consulting Services. The Size Standard for this code is $15M. The NAICS code will be used to determine Small Business eligibility for prime contractors. Prime Contractors must use the same NAICS code for all potential sub-contractors.

TO: North American Industry Classification Standard (NAICS) code for this procurement is 541620 – Environmental Consulting Services. The Size Standard for this code is $15M. The NAICS code will be used to determine Small Business eligibility for prime contractors.

46. The following paragraph is hereby removed from Section L.8.1 PHASE I- GO/NO GO CRITERIA: “The Offeror must provide information demonstrating experience for geology work, hydrogeology work and groundwater modeling work in New Jersey’s Cohansey aquifers, streams and surface water in the Outer Coastal Plain OR a geological formation presenting similar hydrogeological features. If a different geological formation is used, provide location(s), aquifer, geology and surface and ground water chemistry information sufficient to allow a relative comparison.” Therefore, Section L.8.1 Phase I – Go/No Go Criteria is revised as follows:

FROM:

L.8.1 PHASE I – GO/NO GO CRITERIA

The Government recognizes that potential conflicts of interest may arise depending on the Offeror’s past or current work, and where possible, the Government will permit the Offeror to submit a mitigation plan. After review of the mitigation plan, the Government reserves the right to reject the Offeror’s proposal if the Government determines the Offeror’s past or current work presents an unacceptable conflict of interest.

Offeror must provide credentials demonstrating that the offeror has on staff, a Professional Engineer (PE) licensed in the state of New Jersey designated as key personnel for the proposal submitted in response to this SIR that will sign and seal drawings, specifications, cost estimates and permits.

The Offeror must submit proof that it has no environmental violations or enforcement actions that would negatively affect work on the FAA Technical Center superfund project and its environmental compliance work under the Federal Facility Agreement (FFA).

The Offeror must provide information demonstrating relevant experience for Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and it amendments, National Contingency Plan (NCP) on a federally listed Superfund site on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) National Priority List (NPL). The Offeror must provide information demonstrating relevant experience on preparation of all required CERCLA products in sequence: Field Sampling Plan/Quality Assurance Quality Control Plan (FSP/QAQC), Health and Safety Plan (H&SP), Community Relations Plan, Preliminary Assessment Site Inspection (PASI), Remedial Investigation Feasibility Study (RIFS), Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA), Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA), Proposed Plan (PP), Record of Decision (ROD), Remedial Design (RD) and 5-year reviews. Provide the NPL sites, EPA ID number, and Points of Contacts (i.e., Case Manager) phone numbers and email addresses.

The Offeror must provide information demonstrating experience for geology work, hydrogeology work and groundwater modeling work in New Jersey’s Cohansey aquifers, streams and surface water in the Outer Coastal Plain OR a geological formation presenting similar hydrogeological features. If a different geological formation is used, provide location(s), aquifer, geology and surface and ground water chemistry information sufficient to allow a relative comparison.

TO:

The Government recognizes that potential conflicts of interest may arise depending on the Offeror’s past or current work, and where possible, the Government will permit the Offeror to submit a mitigation plan. After review of the mitigation plan, the Government reserves the right to reject the Offeror’s proposal if the Government determines the Offeror’s past or current work presents an unacceptable conflict of interest.

Offeror must provide credentials demonstrating that the offeror has on staff, a Professional Engineer (PE) licensed in the state of New Jersey designated as key personnel for the proposal submitted in response to this SIR that will sign and seal drawings, specifications, cost estimates and permits.

The Offeror must submit proof that it has no environmental violations or enforcement actions that would negatively affect work on the FAA Technical Center superfund project and its environmental compliance work under the Federal Facility Agreement (FFA).

The Offeror must provide information demonstrating relevant experience for Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and it amendments, National Contingency Plan (NCP) on a federally listed Superfund site on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) National Priority List (NPL). The Offeror must provide information demonstrating relevant experience on preparation of all required CERCLA products in sequence: Field Sampling Plan/Quality Assurance Quality Control Plan (FSP/QAQC), Health and Safety Plan (H&SP), Community Relations Plan, Preliminary Assessment Site Inspection (PASI), Remedial Investigation Feasibility Study (RIFS), Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA), Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA), Proposed Plan (PP), Record of Decision (ROD), Remedial Design (RD) and 5-year reviews. Provide the NPL sites, EPA ID number, and Points of Contacts (i.e., Case Manager) phone numbers and email addresses.

B. Attachment 005 Task Order 0001 Statement of Work has been attached.

C. Attachment 002 Spreadsheet has been revised to clarify key personnel.