AMENDMENT 2 10-14.docx

AMENDMENT 2

RFP DTFH61-10-R-00014

Transportation Planning, Real Estate and Environment Training

Q&A and Revisions

REVISIONS TO THE RFP

The FAR Counsels have issued a Final Rule [FAC 2005-40] effective today implementing the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System [FAPIIS] as required by section 872 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act. The law, and thus the FAR, addresses concerns over awards to businesses that are not “responsible” within the meaning of FAR Part 9. The implementation of FAPIIS is part of an initiative to increase consideration of contractor integrity and the quality of their work when awarding government contracts. In addition to enhanced research by Contracting Officers, contractors must self report criminal convictions, civil liability and adverse administrative actions. Contractors who are proposing on contracts over $500,000 must first report all adverse actions in FAPIIS. Contractors who hold more than $10 million in active government contracts and grants are required to keep the information updated semiannually.

As required by these FAR changes, two provisions and one clause are hereby added to the RFP:

52.209-5, Certifications Regarding Responsibility Matters APR 2010 52.209-7, Information Regarding Responsibility Matters APR 2010 52.209-8, Updates of Information Regarding Responsibility Matters APR 2010

QUESTION: If an amendment is issued subsequent to your receipt of our proposal, how should the submission of a new proposal cover page (with acknowledgement and listing in Section 14) and responding to amendments (if any change to our proposal is needed) be dealt with?

RESPONSE: You are free to withdraw or amend your proposal up to the closing date and time. Should an amendment in anyway impact your already submitted proposal, a letter indicating the changes submitted by the due date and time is sufficient. You can have replacement pages, added pages or just a narrative to explain the changes you are making as appropriate. I will include copies for the evaluation teams since they will have the CDs to work from..

QUESTION: The RFP states it could take “one or more working days” for the packages containing the proposals to be delivered from the mail room to the Office of Acquisition Management. Would it be possible to define the upper limit of this range?

RESPONSE: A reasonable question, but one we cannot answer. The mail handling operation is completely out of our control, and we really have no way of knowing how long mail takes to be delivered. It is likely that mail is delivered within a working day or two, but we cannot guarantee this. Most either hand deliver or use either FedEx or UPS without incident.

QUESTION: Could we get confirmation that our proposals were received before the deadline by the Office of Acquisition Management?

RESPONSE: One can get this when using FedEx, UPS or other carriers. We do not send acknowledgements of receipt.

QUESTION: Has FHWA established a percentage amount or dollar value for small business concerns that is to be met by large businesses responding to this solicitation? These percentages or dollar values are to be included in our Small Business Subcontracting Plan, correct?

RESPONSE: No, however, the acceptability of the plan is based on it being prepared in the spirit of the various small business laws that strongly encourage both government agencies and their prime contractors to make serious efforts to reach out to small businesses. Thus, plans with little or no subcontracting to small businesses may not be accepted, therefore rendering the offeror ineligible for award.

QUESTION: If proposing for both NHI Course Development/Update and NHI Course Delivery are offerors limited to 25 pages per area or 25 pages total?

RESPONSE: 25 each.

QUESTION: If we are submitting two proposals in response to the RFP, can we use the same three references, hence forms, if submitting separate proposals for task A and B?

RESPONSE: Yes. Remember the past performance references are included with the hard copy original only so will be made available to the appropriate review teams who only receive the CDs.

QUESTION: We are not certain if the last sentence in the fifth paragraph “Provide the following supplemental information (not to exceed two pages per reference)” is linked to those three questionnaires being submitted or, whether that information is / can be independent. Can you clarify if that supplemental information is independent of the Past Performance Questionnaires submitted?

RESPONSE: They are independent.

QUESTION: We assume that both the submitted (enveloped) Past Performance Questionnaires and the “Supplemental Information” stipulated in Section L.18 are part of the “…and past performance material.” that is excluded from the 25 page limit as articulated in Section L.2. page 46th (second paragraph).

RESPONSE: That is correct.