10-14 AMENDMENT 1.docx

RFP DTFH61-10-R-00014 Amendment 1 Page 2 of 6

AMENDMENT 1

RFP DTFH61-10-R-00014

Transportation Planning, Real Estate and Environment Training

Q&A

QUESTION: The subject solicitation is marked “Unrestricted” yet the size standard is $6.5M. It would seem that the solicitation should be marked “Set-Aside for Small Business”?

RESPONSE: It is unrestricted. However, given that small businesses are encouraged to submit, that they must certify to being small, and that a company can be small or not small depending on the size standard used, we must announce the standard. It is our intention to make one or more awards to small businesses if possible. We collect and report data on small business awards so their certification is important.

QUESTION: The RFP states to include Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQ) to be filled out by the prime as well as the subcontractors. Does this rule apply to any independent retained consultants that we traditionally use for some of our specialized projects? Does this rule also apply to consultants from academia if we choose to use?

Are these individuals required to submit PPQs as well as their Letter of Intent?

RESPONSE: We are looking to the prime contractor as responsible for successful performance. Therefore, you should have 3 questionnaires for yourself, and may choose to have one or more for a consultant or sub if you believe it will enhance your proposal.

QUESTION: The RFP states "Submission of cost or pricing data is not required" - What does this mean? QUESTION: The RFP states: “submission of cost or pricing data is not required”, yet under section M, Basis for Award, it states that price will be considered in the award decision and will be analyzed to assess realism. Please clarify.

RESPONSE: “Cost and pricing data” is a term of art in Federal acquisition that means the submission of a complete cost breakdown describing all elements of direct and indirect cost plus profit. This is not required – only your loaded hourly rates which will be evaluated against each other and our estimate based on market research. [This far less detailed information is cleverly known as “other than cost and pricing data.”] Please keep in mind that you are only required to submit your loaded rates. Detailed cost and pricing data are neither requested nor desired.

QUESTION: Can we use Project Experiences in the content of our technical proposal to refer some relevant work that had been completed more than three years ago?

RESPONSE: Yes, but it will have less impact than current work.

QUESTION: While we understand that when hand carrying proposals, FHWA is not responsible if someone is not immediately available to pick up your proposal. Since this seems to be the most reliable way of delivering our proposal, can you make someone available certain times for proposal delivery?

RESPONSE: We do not necessarily agree that hand carried is the most reliable method. Traffic and parking around the building are a challenge. Packages hand carried still must go through security screening before they can be picked up. We do not have the ability to have people just sitting by the telephone over several days waiting for a call from the guard. One cannot predict what they will experience simply getting to the building entrance, nor how backed up the guards may be, or if the x-ray equipment is working at that moment, nor how many others are attempting to process packages at that time, or whether someone from our office will be able to stop what they are doing and make the trip down to the security office and get back to our office in time. There always seems to be someone who shows up minutes before the deadline and ends up angry because their proposal is deemed untimely.

QUESTION: Is there an official end date to submit questions regarding the RFP?

RESPONSE: No. However, keep in mind that questions posed close to the deadline for submission of proposals may not be answered. We need time to review and research the questions and our response, and then post them on the FedBizOpps site for the benefit of all. It is not our practice to respond directly to the questioner without providing the same information to all interested parties.

QUESTION: Can we submit our proposal electronically?

RESPONSE: No. The original proposal must be a hard copy signed by an official authorized to bind your organization and must stipulate that it is predicated upon all the terms and conditions of this RFP. Your proposal must be submitted in the number of copies, to the address and marked as indicated in Section L. Proposals shall be typewritten, paginated, reproduced on letter-sized paper, and legible in all required copies.

QUESTION: Should I use any special markings on my proposal?

RESPONSE: Be sure to prominently mark the outside package as follows:

“Proposal in response to RFP DTFH61-10-R-00014 To be opened by authorized personnel in the Office of Acquisition only”.

QUESTION: May I hand carry my proposal, or send a courier?

RESPONSE: Yes. However, please be aware that the security procedures in the DOT Building prohibit individuals from delivering material directly to offices in the building. Individuals dropping off a package must report to the guard station at the DOT Building. The guard will accept the material and dismiss the individual. The material will be examined and x-rayed prior to being delivered to Room E66-312. Material left with the guard will then be delivered through the normal internal mail delivery procedures. As this can take up to several working days, offerors must make allowances to assure that offers arrive in Room E66-312 on time. Offers must be received and date/time stamped in Room E66-312 by the prescribed date and time to be considered timely, not just delivered to the guard station, the mailroom or loading dock.

QUESTION: I see there are elements dealing with small business. Do I have to meet the requirements of a small business?

RESPONSE: No. This solicitation has been issued unrestricted. It is open to all who wish to participate.

QUESTION: Are we required to return all of the pages of the RFP?

RESPONSE: That is preferred. You need only send in one copy of the completed RFP packaged with the original of your proposal. Be sure to fill in all of the requested information. We ask for it because we need it, and need it in your response. Failure to do so may result in no award, or at best, a delayed award which may prevent your participation in the initial task order solicitations. Also, be sure to acknowledge all amendments to the RFP which may be done on page 1 in the designated blocks.

QUESTION: Is there a preferred or sample format for proposals in regards to this solicitation?

RESPONSE: No. For clarity, the “original proposal” includes: 1. the RFP filled in and signed, 2. the past performance questionnaires and 3. the proposal. Unless you are a small business concern, you must also include your subcontracting plan. The 8 additional copies for the evaluation team should only include the proposal you are submitting. Be very careful to address the evaluation factors in Section M as that is how you will be evaluated and determined to be eligible or ineligible for award. Many choose to organize their proposal according to the factors and subfactors in Section M to ensure the evaluation panel can easily track their responses against the factors and subfactors.

QUESTION: Will an oral presentation of our proposal be required?

RESPONSE: No

QUESTION: The RFP requests original letter of commitment and agreement to serve from the proposed people not currently members of the offeror's staff. Does this also apply to our key personnel who are currently the members of our staff or such letters are needed from them at the time of responding to a task order if selected?

RESPONSE: At this point we assume you can and will assign current employees as proposed. However, as to whether an outsider really intends to join you is a different matter. Thus, we ask for letters only from non-employees [consultants or subcontractors]. When task order RFPs are issued, we will again ask contractors to address the key personnel they would use if awarded that specific task order.

QUESTION: Is the subcontracting plan included in the 25 page limitation?

RESPONSE: No.

QUESTION: Are we suppose to send our proposal to the address indicated in paragraph L.1 of Section L, Proposal Instructions?

RESPONSE: Yes.

QUESTION: If the offeror plans on responding to both the course development/update and course delivery areas, are separate 25 page proposals expected for each area or are you expecting one 25 page proposal that talks to both areas?

RESPONSE: Since course development/update and course delivery involve different skill sets and unique project teams, separate proposals are expected for each area, with a 25 page limit for each proposal.

QUESTION: Does each subject area of this solicitation (Transportation Planning, Environment and Real Estate Services) require its own 25 page proposal or should they all be addressed with one 25 page proposal?

RESPONSE: The RFP is open to those who wish to submit a proposal for only a portion of the work specified, e.g. those who only wish to do course development or those who only wish to instruct courses and to those who only wish to propose for a specific topic area. While three general topics -- Transportation Planning, Environment and Real Estate Services -- are the basis for this solicitation, there is a great deal of overlap between Planning and Environment. Therefore, both topics may be addressed with one proposal. However, Real Estate Services is a distinct topic area and a separate proposal is required.

Thus, offerors could submit four separate proposals of up to 25 pages each:

1. Course development/update: Transportation Planning and/or Environment

1. Course development/update: Real Estate Services

1. Course delivery: Transportation Planning and/or Environment

1. Course delivery: Real Estate Services

Or one could choose any element or combination of elements, e.g. Transportation Planning delivery only; Real Estate Services development and updates only; Environment delivery only; Environment development and delivery; etc. Someone who wanted to propose on all areas would submit four separate proposals of up to 25 pages each:

1. Course development/update: Transportation Planning and Environment

1. Course development/update: Real Estate Services

1. Course delivery: Transportation Planning and Environment

1. Course delivery: Real Estate Services QUESTION: Section L.6 states “Offerors are reminded that, in addition to the entry in K.2 above, per FAR 52.204-7: 1. The offeror shall enter, in the name and address block of the cover page of their offer, the annotation “DUNS” or “DUNS +4” followed by the DUNS or DUNS +4 number that identifies the offeror’s name and address exactly as stated in the offer.”

Should we include only the DUNS number in the name and address block, or should we include the DUNS number in addition to our name and address?

RESPONSE: First, the reference should be to “K.3” not “K.2.” Our mistake. Both your address and your DUNS number must be provided. The warning notice in your question is because many seem to miss the requirement. Unfortunately, the designated place for the data is rather small [page 1, Block 15A]. The important thing is that the information is provided. You may use either the “Code” or “Facility” boxes by crossing out the printed entry and writing in “DUNS.”

QUESTION: Is the cost proposal to be included as a separate section of our proposal?

RESPONSE: Yes.

QUESTION: Are you looking for the instructors to also be the instructional designers, or can they be separate people that are employees or subcontractors of the vendor?

RESPONSE: It would be unusual for the instructor to be the ISD, but it is up to you.

QUESTION: If separate instructional designers are allowed are they, also, required to be subject matter experts just like the instructors?

RESPONSE: No. Subject matter knowledge is helpful, but not required.

QUESTION: Do the designers need to also be certified like the instructors?

RESPONSE: No.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

The following companies held the expired ID/IQ contracts for Transportation Planning, Environment and Real Estate Services Training:

Planning, Environment & Real Estate IDIQ Award Recipients

Nichols Consulting Engineers

DTFH61-03-D-00107

Real Estate All Areas A & B- Course Development & Delivery A & B- Course Development & Delivery C - Research & Promotion

CDR Associates

DTFH61-03-D-00108

Environment A & B- Course Development & Delivery A & B- Course Development & Delivery

Parsons Brinckerhoff

DTFH61-03-D-00109

Environment A & B- Course Development & Delivery A & B- Course Development & Delivery

Texas Transportation Institute

DTFH61-03-D-00110

Environment A & B- Course Development & Delivery A & B- Course Development & Delivery

University of Tennessee

DTFH61-03-D-00111

Environment A & B- Course Development & Delivery A & B- Course Development & Delivery

University of Maryland

DTFH61-03-D-00112

Environment A Course Development A & B- Course Development & Delivery

Cambridge Systematics

DTFH61-03-D-00113

A & B- Course Development & Delivery

GKY & Associates

DTFH61-03-D-00114

A & B- Course Development & Delivery

McCormick Taylor

DTFH61-03-D-00115

A & B- Course Development & Delivery

OR Colan Associates

DTFH61-03-D-00116

A & B- Course Development & Delivery

Wilbur Smith Associates

DTFH61-03-D-00117

A & B- Course Development & Delivery

Allen, Williford & Seale

DTFH61-03-D-00118

B- Delivery

Equals Three Communications

DTFH61-03-D-00119

C- Research & Promotion

KBA Enviroscience

DTFH61-03-D-00120

A- Course Development

Resolve

DTFH61-03-D-00121

B- Course Delivery

Tech Prose

DTFH61-03-D-00122