DTFH6117R00014_Request_For_Proposals.pdf

DTFH6117R00014

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See Section L

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SECTION B - Supplies or Services/Prices

B.1 ID/IQ MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNTS

The Government intends to award a single Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) type contract with a sixty (60) month ordering period to a Small Business.

During the term of the contract, the Government shall place orders totaling a minimum of $25,000.00. The maximum amount of all task orders issued against all contracts awarded as a result of this acquisition shall not exceed a ceiling of $6,600,000.00.

The task orders placed under the contract will be Firm-Fixed Price (FFP), Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF), or a hybrid of both types based on a determination by the Contracting Officer (CO) at the task order level.

B.2 SCHEDULE OF RATES

Labor skill sets and rate ceilings governing this contract shall conform to the descriptions found in Exhibit No. J.1 and shall be listed in the Microsoft Excel format found at Exhibit No. J.1 and apply for each of the described categories for each of the contract years. The unit of issue (rates) is the fully burdened fixed price hourly rate. Please see 52.216-29(c)(2).

The maximum amount of the contract listed in Section B.1 includes travel and materials. Travel and materials will be reimbursed at cost. Inclusion of indirect burden amounts or fee on material costs, including travel expenses, is not allowable.

B.3 FIRM FIXED PRICE TASK ORDERS (TOs)

For FFP type TOs, the quantity of each item or labor category proposed will be multiplied against the fully loaded labor rate as negotiated for at the TO level. The cumulative extended total of all items ordered will define the fixed price of the TO.

B.4 COST REIMBURSEMENT PRICING

All TOs issued on a Cost Reimbursement basis will be priced in accordance with approved forward pricing rate agreements (FPRA) rates or forward pricing rate recommended (FPRR) rates based on Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA)/Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) audits (or FAR Part 31, Contract Cost Principles and Procedures rates). Direct and indirect cost rates will be established at the IDIQ for task order use. For Cost Reimbursement Task Orders, the Contractor will provide complete supporting schedules identifying all applicable direct and indirect rate estimates building up to the TO cost. Contractors shall submit their most recent approved provisional indirect billing rates, if available and actual rates for Exhibit 1 - Cost/Price Proposal Worksheet. Contractors without audited rates shall propose indirect rates in accordance with FAR Part 31, Contract Cost Principles and Procedures. The fee will be negotiated in the IDIQ for task order use. Profit/fee is unallowable on ODCs.

Contractors with approved rates should submit their most recent accounting system audit and provisional indirect billing and actual rates for both direct and indirect rates. Contractors without audited rates shall propose indirect rates in accordance with FAR Part 31. (FHWA considers only offerors with approved accounting systems are eligible for contract award per FAR 16.301-3(a)(3)).

(End of Section B)

SECTION C - Description/Specifications

C.1 BACKGROUND

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) maintains and operates a geotechnical research program and laboratory at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) in McLean, Virginia. The laboratory conducts both small scale and full scale testing of bridge foundations, earth retainment systems, pavement structures, and other geotechnical assets related to highway engineering to determine their performance under various limit state conditions. This work forms the basis for developing codes and design methodology that can improve the cost and time effectiveness of highway structures while still ensuring adequate performance and safety.

Current activities in the laboratory include investigating technologies for bridge support, earth retainment and stabilization, analysis of design methodologies, testing and refining methods to measure earth pressure and deformations, quantifying the strength characteristics of structural backfills through large scale laboratory testing, and developing remote data acquisition systems to evaluate the in-service performance of bridges and other geotechnical assets. Other focus areas in the geotechnical research program are Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD), numerical modeling, material characterization, embankments, scour, quality control, subsurface investigation, performance management, and the subsequent development of design and constructions specifications. The program also has elements of information collection, risk management, asset management, and geo-hazards. It is expected that investigating the long term deformations of geotechnical structures to define performance measures and service limit state criterion will be a primary focus of the research program for the next few years.

Development of models to improve the knowledge of substructure superstructure interaction is also expected to be another primary focus of research during the period of performance of this contract.

There are outdoor and indoor geotechnical testing laboratories at TFHRC. The outdoor facility has two pits to test full-scale structures and an adjacent building with a control room and storage for hydraulic loading equipment and other equipment. Computerized data acquisition equipment is used in combination with traditional geotechnical equipment to monitor the behavior of the structures during testing. A separate outdoor strong floor is available for conducting experiments.

The indoor laboratory facility has the capabilities to perform common soil characterization tests and small scale experiments. There are plans to upgrade the indoor laboratory to focus on the development of methods to accelerate the construction of bridge approaches and characterize geotechnical materials.

There are many other laboratory facilities at TFHRC that the geotechnical program utilizes. The main structures laboratory is primarily dedicated to testing full-scale structures and components.

The annex structures laboratory has similar capabilities but is smaller than the main laboratory.

Additional laboratories performing work related to the geotechnical program are the concrete materials laboratories, asphalt pavement laboratories and accelerated pavement loading facility.

Operation of these facilities is not the primary focus of this contract, but work in these areas may be required to support the geotechnology research agenda.

The geotechnical research program also maintains the capability of evaluating in-service structures in the field. Manual and computerized instrumentation equipment is used to measure strains, stresses and deformations of structures under both static and live loading conditions.

C.2 CONTRACT SCOPE

The overall scope of the contract shall involve providing on-site and off-site engineering, technical, logistical, and administrative services to support research program activities for the Geotechnical Laboratory at the TFHRC in McLean, Virginia.

The Contractor shall provide staff with the expertise necessary to maintain and operate the laboratories in a safe, efficient, cost-effective, and innovative manner. These individuals shall assist FHWA personnel by conducting load tests, soil and material characterization, and completing other technical tasks such as literature searches, technology evaluations, numerical modeling, and computer aided design projects. Field-testing and research at off-site bridge locations or other construction sites, as well as work at outside research facilities, other DOTs, or universities may also be performed under the contract.

The Contractor shall also maintain a strong, multi-disciplinary scientific and engineering base responsive to technical issues of importance to the FHWA geotechnical research program. The Contractor’s management team shall integrate excellence in laboratory operation, business operation, and research management with sufficient technical depth to perform world-class research.

C.3 OBJECTIVE

The objective of this contract is to provide services to operate and maintain the Geotechnical laboratory and support the Geotechnical research program at the TFHRC to include conducting related studies for the FHWA at off-site locations.

C.4 DETAILED REQUIREMENT

The Contractor shall perform, at a minimum, the following types of services under this contract to support the FHWA Geotechnical Engineering Research Program. All work will be defined under the task orders awarded through the IDIQ contract.

A - General Engineering Support

The Contractor shall provide qualified personnel expertise in or capabilities to support the operation of the Geotechnical Laboratory and Research Program, in the following areas:

1) Geotechnical Engineering

2) Soil Laboratory Management

3) Laboratory Soil and Material Testing

4) Foundation Load Testing

5) Finite Element Modeling

6) Soil Constitutive Modeling

7) Load and Resistance Factor Design (LFRD)

8) Instrumentation

9) Data Acquisition Systems

10) Data analysis, Interpretation and Reporting

11) Accelerated Construction

12) Scour

13) Quality Control

14) Geotechnical Aspects of Pavements

15) Earthwork

16) Foundations

17) Research

18) Subsurface Exploration

The following items listed below describe the type of work that may be performed under General Engineering Support, but not limited to:

1) Literature searches

2) Guidance development

3) Technology evaluations

4) Research needs assessments

5) Technical report and paper development

6) Technical report and paper review and evaluation

7) Computer-aided design and analysis projects

8) Facilitation at meetings, lab instruction, workshops, and conferences

9) Presentations at various meetings, workshops, and conferences

10) Other miscellaneous technical, computer, drafting, and clerical tasks

B - Special Engineering Support

The Contractor shall provide qualified personnel to perform tasks under the following, but not limited to, broad headings:

1) Bridge Management

2) Bridge Engineering

3) Compaction

4) Structural Backfills

5) Granular Bases for Pavements Structures

6) Deep and Shallow Foundation Engineering

7) Deep Mixing Methods

8) Deployment Support

9) Durability of Materials

10) Earth Pressure

11) Excavation Technology

12) Geotechnical Procedures

13) Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Technology

14) Geo-Hazards

15) Ground Improvement

16) Ground Anchors

17) Innovative Load Testing Method

18) Instrument Evaluation

19) Intelligent Construction

20) Material Testing

21) Micropiles

22) Slope Stability

23) Soil Nails

24) Reinforced Soils

25) Rock Slope Engineering

26) Recycled and Reused Material Utilization

27) Retaining Wall Systems

28) Risk and Asset Management Methods

29) Scour

30) Seismic Response of Soils

31) Soil-structure Interaction

32) Quality Assurance/Quality Control

C - Geotechnical Laboratory Support

The Contractor may be required to perform the following types of work under Geotechnical Laboratory Support include, but not limited to:

1) Assisting the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) in conducting experiments in the outside test pits (Foundation Testing Facility), outdoor geotechnical strong floor, or in any of the indoor laboratories at the TFHRC.

2) Supplying the necessary engineers, technicians, and laborers to conduct experiments at any of the laboratory test facilities.

3) Excavating and refilling the pits at the Foundation Testing Facility.

4) Constructing and testing full-scale foundations or other related features at TFHRC.

5) Constructing and conducting scaled or full scale model experiments.

6) Procuring equipment and or material to support laboratory experiments and/or operation to include the rental of equipment as required. Written authorization from the COR is required to procure equipment and material.

7) Providing qualified staffing to support the development of the indoor geotechnical laboratory at TFHRC, including assisting the COR in the design, setup, and operation of a new laboratory facility.

8) Providing experimental testing and analysis including load test and instrumentation setup, laboratory hardware and software maintenance, and operation, calibration, and maintenance of mechanical testing equipment.

9) Performing engineering services in support of advancing design and construction practices for geotechnical assets.

10) Conducting basic and specialty geotechnical material testing experiments.

11) Maintaining an inventory of all equipment.

12) Maintaining an inventory and catalog of all test materials.

13) Maintaining, cleaning, and organizing all geotechnical laboratory facilities.

14) Maintaining a safe work environment.

15) Ad-hoc facilitation of collaborative research efforts requiring geotechnical laboratory support and expertise.

D – Field Experimentation

When tasked, the Contractor shall assist the COR in planning, designing and performing field experiments on highway structures or any other geotechnical project category. The work will require the cooperation and coordination with all parties involved in the design and construction of the highway feature. A member of the Contractor’s staff shall acquire and maintain nuclear density certification.

The following are examples of, but not limited to, work related to Field Experimentation:

1) Collect and test soil samples.

2) Communicate the requirement with on-site personnel.

3) Install and operate automated data collection systems.

4) Collect deformation measurements.

5) Load structures using either jacks or calibrated vehicles.

6) Install instrumentation to evaluate the performance of bridge foundations.

7) Measure strain, acceleration, loads, and deflections on bridge structures.

8) Analyze results and write research reports.

E - Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD)

When tasked, the Contractor shall assist the COR in performing any of the following investigations related to LRFD procedures for geotechnical structures:

1) Development of Protocol for Geotechnical Strength and Service Limit States Data Collection

2) Obtain relevant test data and evaluate quality

3) Perform reliability analyses (e.g. First Order Second Moment (FOSM), Monte Carlo simulations, etc.)

4) Assist in the Development of LRFD Specifications for Geotechnical features specifically related to:

i. Reinforced Earth (e.g. GRS) Structures

ii. Drilled and Driven Foundations

5) Conduct Comparative Designs

The Contractor may be required to perform all tasks necessary to complete theoretical correlations, development of procedures, or comparison calculations.

F – Geotechnical Laboratory Setup

When tasked, the Contractor shall assist in the development of FHWA Geotechnical Procedures/Operations Manual, which may include, but not be limited to, the following sub-tasks.

1) Upgrade the geotechnical laboratory facilities.

2) Modify the existing laboratory facilities.

3) Maintain an inventory of all laboratory equipment.

4) Maintain an inventory of all laboratory materials.

5) Maintain a laboratory safety plan and adhere to all rules.

G – Computational Modeling and Programming

When tasked, the Contractor shall assist in the development of numerical models (2D, 3D, and 4D), constitutive models, and computer programs which may include, but not be limited to, the following sub-tasks.

1) Finite Element Modeling of Geotechnical Structures.

2) Discrete Element Modeling of Geotechnical Structures.

3) Finite Difference Modeling of Geotechnical Structures.

4) Computer Programs as a Design Aid for Geotechnical Structures.

H- Report Development

At the completion of all tasks or projects, the Contractor shall prepare a report or summary on the findings for acceptation. This information will be used for the Contractor to develop the final deliverable. At a minimum, the report shall contain the following information or as otherwise directed in the individual task order:

1) Outline of the work, objective, and scope.

2) Summary of the data to include graph, tables and other related visual aids.

3) Location of the stored information on a shared FHWA network drive include data backup in another secure location.

4) Conclusions and recommendations.

Staffing

Staffing under this contract will fall under two categories: 1) Key Personnel to perform the daily functions of operating the geotechnical laboratories and 2) Other Required Personnel to satisfy the technical requirements of specific research tasks or projects as required. The offeror shall be required to provide the Key Personnel on-site at TFHRC on a full time basis. Other Required Personnel may be required to be either on or off site as required by specific task orders.

At a minimum, the Contractor shall provide the following staff with the stated qualifications:

Key Personnel

Program Manager/Research Engineer Specialist (PMRE/S):

The PMRE/S is responsible for all work performed under this contract and shall assure that the requirements of the contract are met. The PMRE/S shall be responsible for determining staffing needs, providing and supervising personnel, and determining man-hour and hard cost requirements of all task orders under this contract.

The PMRE/S shall have at a minimum, a B.S. in civil engineering or geological engineering.

The PM must have demonstrated experience in geotechnical engineering and the management of personnel, this includes laboratory management, logistics and the successful completion of the projects on schedule and budget

Also, the PMRE/S shall have demonstrated oral and written communication skills with demonstrated experience in writing publication-ready research reports as well as participating and presenting during demonstration projects, seminars, committee meetings, and workshops. If required to manage a study, the PMRE/S shall also have documented management experience.

The PMRE/S shall possess writing and verbal communication skills in the English language.

The PMRE/S shall provide demonstrated experience in geotechnical engineering with expertise in at least 5 subject items listed in A - General Engineering Support The PMRE/S shall provide demonstrated experience in project management. Experience in highway geotechnical engineering and demonstrated understanding of research centers and the transportation sector is also required. The PMRE/S shall provide demonstrated experience in geotechnical engineering and the management of personnel.

Research Engineer/Technician (RE/T):

The RE/T shall have, as a minimum, a Bachelor’s degree in geotechnical engineering or a related physical science or demonstrated equivalent experience. The RE/T shall have demonstrated oral and written communication skills with the ability to write publication-ready research reports as well as participate and present during demonstration projects, seminars, committee meetings, and workshops. The RE/T shall provide demonstrated experience in advanced geotechnical laboratory testing. This expertise includes knowledge of standard AASHTO and ASTM soil test methods and techniques, particularly large sample testing methods such as the large scale direct shear test and large 6 inch triaxial device. The RE must have knowledge and experience in setting up interface shear experiments, and laboratory and field load test experiments. The ability to collect and present test results, review and synthesize the literature on a variety of topics within the scope is also required. The RE/T shall also demonstrate data analysis capabilities and possess good communication skills. The ability to review and synthesize the literature on a variety of topics within the scope is also required. The RE/T shall also demonstrate excellent data analysis capabilities and possess good communication skills.

Research Engineer Modeler (RE/M):

The RE/M shall have, as a minimum, a Master’s degree in engineering, preferably civil or geotechnical engineering, or a physical science. The RE/M must provide demonstrated experience in numerical modeling, to include pre- and post-processing, with the ability to simulate both geotechnical and structural transportation features. The RE/M shall also be capable of performing laboratory testing as required to develop input parameters for various constitutive models. The RE/M shall also demonstrate data analysis capabilities and possess good communication skills.

Geotechnical Technician (GT):

The GT shall be responsible for setting up tests, installing instrumentation, conducting tests, and acquiring data in the laboratories. The GT shall coordinate research plans with engineering staff and take the lead to implement these plans with minimum supervision. The GT shall be able to perform standard geotechnical laboratory tests according to American Association of Testing and Materials (ASTM) procedures and have knowledge of standard geotechnical monitoring equipment. The GT shall provide demonstrated experience in geotechnical foundation testing techniques. The GT shall be capable of directing the work of a team of Construction Technicians (CT) and Laborers (L) for large projects. The technician shall have an advanced education or training in geotechnical testing and it is preferred that the technician has a B.S. degree.

Other Required Personnel

The Government anticipates that additional on-site and/or off-site effort will be required from specialized consultants and other sources for the completion of specific tasks. Task Orders for these services will be issued on an as needed basis. The descriptions below are a general guide to the skills required for each position and may change throughout the course of the contract. The exact roles and experience needs will be established by the task order proposal requests (TOPR) issued by the Contracting Officer (CO) or Contract Specialist (CS).

Research Engineer Specialist (RE/S):

Same description as Key Personnel. Master’s or Ph.D. degrees in civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, or a physical science may be required for some task orders.

Geotechnical Technician (GT):

The GT shall be responsible for setting up tests, installing instrumentation, conducting tests, and acquiring data in the laboratories. The GT shall coordinate research plans with engineering staff and take the lead to implement these plans with minimum supervision. The GT shall be able to perform standard geotechnical laboratory tests according to ASTM procedures and have knowledge of standard geotechnical monitoring equipment. The GT shall provide demonstrated experience in geotechnical foundation testing techniques. The GT shall be capable of directing the work of a team of Construction Technicians (CT) and Laborers (L) for large projects. The technician shall have an advanced education or training in geotechnical testing and it is preferred that the technician has a B.S. degree.

Consultant (C): This category includes subject matter experts that provide demonstrated experience on the subject matter project outlined in the statement of work at the task order level.

Computer Specialist (CS): As a minimum, the CS shall have a 4 year technical degree from an accredited university or college. CS shall have considerable knowledge in the information management and development of web based database systems for geotechnical engineering applications.

General Laborer (L): Laborers may be required to assist the RE/S, GT and PM personnel in physically setting up tests and other duties related to maintenance and operation of the geotechnical laboratory facilities at TFHRC.

Office Support Personnel (SP): The SP shall be proficient in word processing and be able to prepare research reports. This includes preparation of tables and figures and the associated 508 captions and figure permissions.

Construction Technician (CT): The CT shall have basic skills to include carpentry, foundation construction methods, concrete placement, plumbing and electricity. The CT shall also be qualified to operate heavy equipment.

C.5 ID/IQ PROGRESS REPORTS

The Contractor shall submit a monthly progress report by the 10th of the month following the reporting period. The report shall provide at a minimum:

(a) Clear and complete account of the work performed under each task order during the reporting period.

(b) The cumulative amounts expended under the IDIQ.

(c) An outline of the work to be accomplished during the next reporting period.

(d) A description of any problem encountered or anticipated that will affect the completion of any individual Task Order within the time and fiscal constraints as set forth in the Task Orders, together with recommended solutions to such problems; or, a statement that no problems were encountered.

C.6 TASK ORDER PROGRESS REPORTS

For each task order issued, the Contractor shall provide monthly progress reports:

a) Monthly Status Reports – the Contractor shall submit monthly progress reports no later than 30 days after the end of the month being reported on in the format specified by the COR. The progress report shall describe work completed during the period, anticipated work, problems encountered and and/or anticipated as well as financial status including at least hours expended and other costs.

b) Project Schedule – the Contractor shall submit, to the Government, an initial project schedule in Microsoft Project format within sixty (60) days after the effective date of task order award and updates showing the percent complete of major deliverables every 30-days thereafter. The schedule shall include at a minimum, the major deliverables, and milestones and adhere to the Microsoft Project template structure provided by the COR. Any changes to due dates after the initial project schedule baseline must be approved by the Government. The Contractor shall support the identification of schedule dependencies related to the project and in accordance with the Government defined process.

C.7 ANNUAL REPORT

The contractor shall furnish 1 electronic copy (in Microsoft Office 2010 or equivalent) of a letter-type annual report to the Contracting Officer and to the Contracting Officer’s Representative on or before 30 calendar days before the end of each contract year. The annual report shall contain the following:

(a) A brief narrative commenting on performance during the reporting period for each of the following areas:

(1) Quality of Product/Service

(2) Schedule

(3) Cost Control

(4) Business Relations

(5) Management of Key Personnel

(6) Utilization of Small Businesses

(7) Other

The annual report will be used by the COR as part of the annual performance review.

C.8 KICKOFF MEETING

Within 45 days following contract award, the Contractor shall facilitate a kickoff meeting to be held at the TFHRC, located in McLean, Va., with its representatives, ensuring all parties have a common understanding of the contract tasks and requirements. The contractor shall bring, at a minimum, its key personnel to this meeting.

(End of Section C)

SECTION D - Packaging and Marking

D.1 PACKAGING

Preservation, packing, and packaging of items for shipment shall be in accordance with best commercial practices and adequate for acceptance by common carrier for safe transportation at the most economical rates.

The contractor shall clearly mark each shipment with the company name, the contract number, Task Order number (if applicable), and as appropriate the item identification, quantity of items, and notice of partial or final delivery.

D.2 MARKINGS

All deliverables submitted to the Contracting Officer (CO) and the designated Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) shall be accompanied by a packing list or other suitable shipping document that shall clearly indicate the following:

(a) Contract number;

(b) Task order number;

(c) Name and address of the consignor;

(d) Name and address of the consignee;

(e) Government bill of lading number covering the shipment (if any); and

(f) Description of the item/material shipped, including Deliverable Item Number (If applicable), Report Requirement, or Project Title under which the item is being delivered.

Specific marking objectives may be addressed in individual Task Orders.

The offeror shall take all necessary precautions to ensure that all sensitive data developed under this contract are delivered to the Government in a secure manner.

D.3 EQUIPMENT REMOVAL

Any and all Offeror-owned equipment, accessories, and devices located on Government property shall be dismantled and removed from Government premises by the Offeror, at the Offeror’s expense, within 30 calendar days after contract expiration, or as mutually agreed by the Government and the Offeror. Exceptions to this requirement shall be mutually agreed upon and written notice issued by the Contracting Officer. Specific objectives will be addressed in individual Task Orders.

(End of Section D)

SECTION E - Inspection and Acceptance

E.1 52.246-4 INSPECTION OF SERVICES - FIXED-PRICE. (AUG 1996)

E.2 52.246-5 INSPECTION OF SERVICES – COST REIMBURSEMENT (APR 1984)

E.3 ACCEPTANCE

All work hereunder shall be subject to review by the Government. The COR or Task Order Contracting Officer’s Representative (TOCOR) as specified in each notification letter at the contract and task order level, is responsible for inspection and acceptance of all incoming shipments, documents, and services. The COR or TOCOR will provide written acceptance of deliverables.

E.4 GOVERNMENT ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

Unless stated elsewhere in each task order, the COR will have 14 calendar days to review draft deliverables and make comments. The Contractor shall have 10 calendar days to make corrections and return the corrected deliverable to the government. Upon receipt of the final deliverables, the COR will have 14 calendar days for final review prior to acceptance or providing documented reasons for non-acceptance.

The COR shall have the right to reject or require correction of any deficiencies found in the deliverables that are contrary to the information contained in the Contractor’s accepted proposal.

In the event of rejection of any deliverable, the contractor shall be notified in writing by the COR of the specific reasons why the deliverable is being rejected. Unless otherwise directed by USDOT, the Contractor shall have 14 calendar days to correct the rejected deliverable and return it per delivery instructions.

(End of Section E)

SECTION F - Deliveries or Performance

F.1 52.242-15 STOP-WORK ORDER. (AUG 1989)

F.2 52.242-17 GOVERNMENT DELAY OF WORK. (APR 1984)

F.3 52.247-34 F.O.B. DESTINATION. (NOV 1991)

F.4 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE (IDIQ)

The period of performance of this Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity Contract (for the purpose of placing orders) is 60 months from the date of award.

F.5 DELIVERABLE/DELIVERY SUMMARY (IDIQ)

For task orders issued under this contract, specific deliverables and due dates will be specified in the task order documents.

F.6 PLACE OF DELIVERY

All deliverables, except the annual and monthly progress report shall be delivered to the COR at the following address:

To be completed at time of award

The annual and monthly progress reports shall be delivered to COR and Contract Specialist at the following address:

Fill-in Name and Title at Award Fill-in E-mail Address at Award

F.7 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE (TASK ORDER SPECIFIC)

The location of work performed under this contract will be specified in each task order.

F.8 DELIVERABLE/DELIVERY SUMMARY

Deliverable Delivery Date Format Recipient Monthly Progress Reports

Monthly, by the 10th of the month following the month being reported

Email/ MS Word / Adobe

PDF

CO, COR

Weekly Meeting Summary

Weekly Email/ MS Word / Adobe

PDF

COR

(End of Section F)

SECTION G - Contract Administration Data

G.1 PAYMENT- (IDIQ)

For each firm fixed price task order, the Government shall pay the contractor for the prices delineated in each task order. Payment shall be made upon review and written acceptance of the firm fixed price deliverable(s) by the Government.

The Contractor may be reimbursed for direct and indirect costs incurred in the performance hereof as are allowable under the provisions of Part 31 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation in accordance with the terms of approved Task Orders, subject to the Limitation of Funds Clause.

For Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee Task Orders, the Contractor may request monthly interim payments for costs incurred during the performance of each specific task order. See the “Invoices” section for submittal instructions. A statement of costs incurred by the Contractor in the performance of Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee task orders issued under this contract and claimed to constitute allowable costs shall support each monthly interim payment request. Any payments hereunder will be made upon determination by the Contracting Officer that the requirements of the contract are being met.

a. In accordance with clause 52.232-25, "Prompt Payment," monthly interim payments will be made by the 30th day following receipt of proper request for payment by the designated billing office, unless audit or other review is considered necessary to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract. All interim payments hereunder will be made upon further determination by the Contracting Officer that the Contractor is making adequate progress toward successful contract completion.

b. Final invoice payment shall be made upon the CO's determination that all contract requirements have been completed, and the contract is ready to be closed out.

The payment due date for final invoice shall be established in accordance with the FAR clause 52.216-7.

PAYMENT OF FIXED FEE (CPFF Type Task Orders) - The actual amount of fixed fee payable under this IDIQ contract will be established through the issuance of Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee task orders under the contract. In accordance with 52.216-8 “Fixed Fee”, payment of the fixed fee shall be made as specified in the Schedule; provided that after payment of 85% of the fixed fee, the Contracting Officer may withhold further payment of fee until a reserve is set aside in an amount the CO considers necessary to protect the Government’s interest.

G.2 BILLING RATES

The direct labor rates and the provisional indirect rates negotiated under this contract for billing purposes shall remain in effect until revised rates have been approved in writing by the CO. The Contractor shall request new provisional billing rates in writing. Such requests shall delineate the current and proposed rates to be used, along with the effective rate of escalation.

G.3 ESCALATION RATE

The Contractor shall provide support for any proposed escalation over the life of this IDIQ contract.

G.4 TRAVEL AND PER DIEM

Travel (other than local) may be expected to occur throughout the duration of the contract. The COR will issue the written request for travel if required (excluding local travel).

The Contractor shall invoice in accordance with FAR 31.205-46, Travel Costs, and Federal Travel Regulations, and must submit documentation of all travel costs.

Travel requirements under this contract shall be met using the most economical form of transportation available. All travel shall be scheduled sufficiently in advance to take advantage of offered discount rates, unless authorized by the Contracting Officer.

The following web site provides information on current Per Diem rates:

http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/100120

G.5 COST ACCOUNTING SYSTEM

As required by the FAR, the Contractor shall have an adequate cost accounting system for accounting of costs under cost reimbursement contracts. If the Government finds the Contractor’s accounting system to be inadequate, the Contractor shall have 60 days from written notification from the CO in which to address the identified accounting system deficiencies, or a time period otherwise agreed upon by the CO in writing. Failure to adequately address, or make progress towards addressing, such deficiencies may result in contract termination.

NOTE: The Contractor shall not be eligible for payment of invoices until such time as the Contractor’s accounting system is deemed by the CO to be adequate for accounting of costs under cost reimbursable contracts.

G.6 SUBCONTRACTS – ADVANCE NOTIFICATION AND CONSENT

Under this contract, the requirement of FAR 44.2, Consent to Subcontracts, has been fulfilled for the following subcontracts:

(Filled in at Award) See Section I, 52.244-2

Any future change or revision to the Statement of Work or other applicable aspects of this contract shall include the subcontract(s) only to the extent that performance of the subcontract(s) is directly affected by the change or revision.

G.7 INVOICES

Submit all invoices to one of the following invoice addresses:

All invoices and required supporting documents shall be sent via e-mail to the following e-mail address: 9-AMC-AMZ-FHWA-Invoices@faa.gov.

(a) Include the invoice as an attached PDF document

(b) Include in the e-mail subject line the following:

(1) Invoice No.

(2) Contract Number

(3) Name of your Company/Organization

(4) Attention: Contract Specialist

Example: Invoice No. 35 – DTFH6114D00033 – Contractor Name – Attention: Contract Specialist

If the invoice and supporting documents exceed 8 MB as an e-mail attachment, the Contractor must select one of the other submission options presented below:

Invoices submitted via an overnight service must use the following physical address:

MMAC

FHWA/AMZ-150

6500 S. MacArthur Blvd Oklahoma City, OK 73169 Attention: Contract Specialist Express Delivery Point of Contact: Ryan Wisniewski, 405-954-8252

Invoices may be submitted via regular U.S. Postal Service to the following address:

Federal Highway Administration Markview Processing P.O. Box 268865 Oklahoma City OK 73126-8865

Attention: Ryan Wisniewski, 405-954-8252

An invoice submitted to an address other than those identified will be returned to the vendor as non-conforming.

G.8 FINAL INVOICES

Final invoices are not to be submitted until the Contractor obtains the authorization to do so by the CO.

G.9 TECHNICAL DIRECTION

Performance of the work under this contract is subject to the Technical Direction of the COR.

The term “Technical Direction” is defined to include, without limitation, the following:

(a) Direction to the Contractor which redirects the efforts, shifts work emphasis between work areas, requires pursuit of certain lines of inquiry, fills in details or otherwise serves to accomplish the statement of work;

(b) Provision of information to the Contractor that assists in the interpretation of drawings, specifications or technical portions of the work description; and,

(c) Review and approval/rejection of technical reports, drawings, specifications and technical information to be delivered by the Contractor.

All Technical Direction must be within the general scope of work stated in the contract. The COR does not have the authority to and may not issue any Technical Direction that:

(i) constitutes an assignment of additional work outside the general scope of the base contract;

(ii) constitutes a change as defines in the base contract clause entitled “Changes”;

(iii) in any manner causes an increase or decrease in prices set forth in Section B; or

(iv) changes any of the expressed terms, conditions or specifications of the contract.

All Technical Direction must be issued in writing, or shall be confirmed in writing by the COR within 3 working days after issuance. The Contractor shall proceed promptly with the performance of duly issued Technical Directions. However, if in the opinion of the Contractor, the direction issued but the COR is within one of the prescribed categories in (i) through (iv) above, the Contractor shall not proceed, but shall notify the Contracting Officer in writing, within 3 working days after receipt of any such direction. The Contracting Officer will determine if the Technical Direction is proper, or if a contract modification would be required to properly implement the direction. Failure of the parties to agree upon the nature of the direction or upon the contract action to be taken with respect thereto shall be subject to the clause included in Section I entitled “Disputes.”

G.10 CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE AND TASK ORDER COR

(a) The Contracting Officer is the only individual authorized to enter into or terminate this contract, modify any term or condition of this contract, waive any requirement of this contract, or accept nonconforming work delivered under this contract.

(b) The Contracting Officer shall designate a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) by written notice to the Contractor. The COR’s responsibilities shall include technical monitoring of the Contractor’s performance on the overall contract award and inspecting and accepting deliveries under the contract. The COR shall be appointed in writing, at which time ALL of the responsibilities of the COR shall be detailed, and a copy of the appointment memorandum shall be furnished to the Contractor. Any changes to the COR delegation shall be made in writing, either by changes to the existing memorandum, or by issuance of a new appointment memorandum. Copies of any changes shall be provided to the Contractor.

As needed, the Contracting Officer may appoint a TOCOR. The TOCOR’s responsibilities shall include technical monitoring of the Contractor’s performance as well as inspecting and accepting deliveries under specified task order(s). Any changes to the TOCOR delegation will be made in writing, either by changes to the existing memorandum or by issuance of a new appointment memorandum. Notification of any changes will be provided to the Contractor and COR.

(c) The COR and, if designated, the TOCOR are not authorized to perform, formally or informally, any of the following actions:

(1) Promise, award, agree to award, or execute any contract, contract modification, or notice of intent that changes or may change this contract;

(2) Waive or agree to any modification of the delivery schedule;

(3) Make any final decision on any contract matter subject to the Disputes Clause;

(4) Terminate, for any reason, the Contractor’s right to proceed, or issue any order causing the Contractor to stop work; or

(5) Obligate in any way, the payment of money by the Government.

(d) The Contractor shall comply with the written or oral direction of the Contracting Officer or authorized representative(s) acting within the scope and authority of the appointment memorandum. The Contractor need not proceed with direction that it considers to have been issued without proper authority. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer in writing, with as much detail as possible, when the COR or TOCOR, if applicable, has taken an action or has issued direction (written or oral) that the Contractor considers to exceed the COR or TOCOR’s appointment, within 3 days of the occurrence. Unless otherwise provided in this contract, the Contractor assumes all costs, risks, liabilities, and consequences of performing any work it is directed to perform that falls within any of the categories defined in paragraph (c) prior to receipt of the Contracting Officer’s response issued under paragraph (e) of this clause.

(e) The Contracting Officer shall respond in writing within 30 days to any notice made under paragraph (d) of this clause. A failure of the parties to agree upon the nature of a direction, or upon the contract action to be taken with respect thereto, shall be subject to the provisions of the Disputes clause of this contract.

(f) The Contractor shall provide copies of all correspondence to the Contracting Officer and the COR and TOCOR, if applicable.

(g) Any action(s) taken by the Contractor, in response to any direction given by any person acting on behalf of the Government or any Government official other than the Contracting Officer or the COR acting within his or her appointment, shall be at the Contractor’s risk.

G.11 CONTRACTOR SUPERVISION

The Contractor shall provide total supervision of its staff. Government personnel are not authorized or permitted to supervise any contractor personnel. The contractor's Program Manager for this contract is [Fill-in at Award], who shall communicate with the COR to determine the Government's work requirements as set forth in the Statement of Work and shall assure that these requirements are fulfilled. In the event the designated Project Manager is incapacitated due to illness or injury or otherwise is to be removed by the Contractor during the contract performance, replacement of the incumbent Project Manager shall be subject to the approval of the CO.

G.12 AGENCY TASK ORDER OMBUDSMAN

The Contracting Officer’s selection decision on each Task Order request shall be final and is not subject to protest, except for a protest that the Task Order increases the scope, period, or maximum value of the contract. Accordingly, in accordance with FAR 16.505 (b) (5), an ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of contractor’s concerns resulting from task order award. The existence of the ombudsman does not diminish the authority of the Contracting Officer. Further, the ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of the proposals or the adjudication of formal contract disputes. Therefore, before consulting with the ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements and/or recommendations to the Contracting Officer for resolution.

If the Contracting Officer cannot make resolution, interested parties may contact the FHWA ombudsman at the following address:

United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Location: E65-101 Attention: Ombudsman

G.13 TASK ORDER SELECTION CRITERIA

The FHWA anticipates that the following elements will be the standard criteria for awarding individual task orders: Technical/Management Approach, Past Performance, and Price in relation to task order requirements. Each task order will indicate any changes or additions to standard criteria. The order of importance for the factors will be identified in each individual task order proposal request. Evaluation of past performance will be based on the past performance data in each awardee’s proposal as supplemented by the Government and Contractor during the period of performance. As work proceeds under this contract, it is probable that the past performance data submitted with the original contract proposal will be given less weight than current performance reports received on task orders performed under this contract.

G.14 TASK ORDER PROCEDURE

All funds expended under this contract shall be incurred and accounted for under individual task orders. All task orders (TOs) are subject to the terms and conditions of this contract.

The following ordering procedures apply to all task orders issued under this contract. All task orders under this contract will be competed unless a special exception to competition applies.

Any supplies/services to be furnished under this contract will be ordered by issuance of written TOs. TOs shall be issued in accordance with FAR 52.216-18, 52.216-19, and 52.216-22 (See Section I). In addition:

(a) Only an authorized FHWA Contracting Officer can issue a task order for this contract.

(b) All task orders are subject to the terms and conditions of the contract. In the event of conflict between a task order and the contract, the contract will take precedence.

(c) All costs associated with preparation, presentation, and/or discussion of the Contractor’s task order proposal shall not be billable as direct contract expenses.

(d) The Contracting Officer or COR will issue Task Order Proposal Requests (TOPRs) electronically to each IDIQ Contractor awarded a contract in response to DTFH6117R00014, in accordance with Fair Opportunity to Compete clause, as requirements are identified. Each TOPR will indicate the objective or results required by the Government. This objective will be within the scope, period, and maximum value of the contract. Each TOPR will indicate the Task Order type, the due date for proposal submission, the estimated level of effort (if applicable), any Government estimates for equipment and/or travel, any special requirements, and any additional selection criteria not specifically identified in the Task Order Selection Criteria clause below.

(e) Upon receipt of a TOPR, the Contractor shall prepare and submit a written task order proposal within the timeframe specified for submission. The Contractor shall submit one electronic copy of the task order proposal to the Contracting Officer and one electronic copy to the COR. The task order proposal shall include, as a minimum, the following information:

(1) A discussion of the task order objective demonstrating the Contractor’s understanding of the required outcome.

(2) A concise work plan for achieving the task order objectives that clearly demonstrates the Contractors’ understanding of and planned approach to the problem.

(3) A performance schedule that provides the following information:

(i) Planned accomplishments/milestones

(ii) Anticipated problems or challenges

(iii) Planned solutions to anticipated problems or challenges

(4) Qualifications of the proposed staff, including any proposed subject matter expert consultants.

(5) A detailed price proposal, including:

(i) Proposed level of effort and labor categories

(ii) The corresponding labor rates

(iii) Other Direct Costs as applicable (materials, travel, shipping, copying, etc.)

(6) Task Order Conflicts of Interest: The Offerors shall provide a brief statement in each task order proposal that describes in a concise manner all past, present or planned organizational, contractual or other interest(s), which may affect the Offeror’s ability to perform the proposed task order in an impartial and objective manner. The Contracting Officer will review the statement and may require additional relevant information from the Offerors. In accordance with FAR Subpart 9.5, all such information, and any other relevant information known to DOT, will be used to determine whether an award to the Offerors may create an actual or potential conflict of interest.