Question for the Campus Plan RFP.pdf

April 2, 2012

Question for the Campus Plan RFP F12SOL10015

1. Do the RFP organizers aim for this to be a preservation project, where the goal is to maintain/upgrade the history of the site, or are the design teams encouraged to propose innovative solutions and interventions for the Smithsonian’s new campus master plan? The interest in innovation and new design isn’t clear in the project brief, and neither is the extent of the preservation requirements.

Answer: Design teams are encouraged to propose innovative solutions and interventions. Bold designs that are appropriate to the varied historic context of the study area will be encouraged.

The design team’s sophisticated understanding of this historic context would be important in developing innovative design options. The Smithsonian expects to present the proposed

Campus Master Plan – Phase 1 to the National Capital Planning Commission, the US Commission of Fine Arts and the DC Office of Historic Preservation and may require the selected design team’s participation in briefings of agency staff, in conducting a coordinated NEPA and Section

106 process and in preparing agency submission packages. The Smithsonian values its historic buildings and while encouraging innovation, preservation will always be a consideration in the final design. The Campus Master Plan – Phase 1 will not require the development of historic structures reports, historic building or district nominations or detailed preservation plans for individual buildings.

2. Selection Criteria, Section 2. Proposed Key Personnel Qualifications (pg 4 of 7). It states that the selected firm should have experience in the disciplines noted. Is it a requirement that disciplines listed be included on our team for this submission?

Answer: YES

3. Subcontracting Plan Requirements (p5 of 7). Is the 8% goal for Small Disadvantaged Business

(SDB) meant to be included in the overall 30% Small Business Concerns goal or is the 8% in addition too? Further, the percentages listed for the types of Small Disadvantaged Business

(SDB) do not add up to 8%, instead they add up to 14%, with no percentage given for Historically

Black Colleges or Minority Institutions. Please advise how the Smithsonian sees the 8% goal being achieved with the listed categories. We understand that the actual subcontracting plan is not required for this submission, but the answers will certainly help us form our team with an eye towards the next step in the process.

Answer: The SI‐wide goal for the sub‐contracted amount is 30% of the subcontracted amount.

The 8% goal for Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) is meant to be included in the overall 30%

Small Business Concerns goal. Further, the percentages listed for the types of Small

Disadvantaged Business (SDB) do not need to add up to 30%. They are subsets of the 30%.

There are no percentage given for Historically Black Colleges or Minority Institutions, therefore the offeror is free to propose the percentage they determine attainable. The Smithsonian sees the 8% goal being achieved with the listed categories as follows: If award is made to a large business, they are free to elect to subcontract the portion of the work they deem necessary to

April 2, 2012 complete the project. The Smithsonian asks that the offeror consider including as much small business participation in that subcontracted work as possible (at least 30%). The large business is responsible for determining the amount of the work they will subcontract, and they may elect to do the majority of the work themselves. So the thirty percent is attached to the amount they subcontract, and the subcontract goals accomplishments may be counted in multiple categories. Therefore, when a sub‐contract is awarded to single vendor who is certified in more than one small business category the credit can be taken for each category for which the sub‐ contractor qualifies.