F14SOL10033_Amendment_3_.pdf

(x)

F14SOL10033

x x

1 copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted ; or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT

THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted , such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

x

OCON

Washington DC 20013-7012

MRC 1200

P.O. BOX 37012

OCON

OCON

Washington DC 20013-7012

MRC 1200

P.O. BOX 37012

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

06/20/2014000003

13. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS. IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) is not extended.is extended, Items 8 and 15, and returning

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended , by one of the following methods: (a) By completing

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

FACILITY CODE CODE

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., street, county, State and ZIP Code)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6)CODE 6. ISSUED BY

PAGE OF PAGES

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.3. EFFECTIVE DATE2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 5. PROJECT NO. (If applicable)

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

05/29/2014

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority) appropriation date, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return __________________ copies to the issuing office.

ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

Amendment 3, issued June 20, 2014, includes Questions&; Answers for all questions submitted by 4:30 PM EST on June 18, 2014.

Section 5 of the RFQ is hereby amended to include the following language:

Please provide three (3) hard copies of SF 330 submissions and one (1) hard copy of the sample master plan to the address in Question 11. Additionally, please provide a .pdf copy of the SF330 to ErricksonE@si.edu.

Please note that final questions are due by June 23, 2014 at 3:00 pm. The Smithsonian will answer final questions by 5:00 pm on June 26, 2014.

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

15C. DATE SIGNED 16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR 16C. DATE SIGNED

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

Dorothy A. Leffler

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 10-83)

Prescribed by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

NSN 7540-01-152-8070

Previous edition unusable

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9 A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect .

Answers to Questions submitted as of 4:30 PM EST, June 18, 2014

Questions & Answers for F14SOL10033, Selection of IDIQ A/E, Master Planning & Multidisciplinary

1. We noted under “Who May Apply” that states “All responsible sources, except those holding current IDIQ contracts with 3 or more years of potential extensions remaining as of the announcement date on this solicitation.” Our inquiry is whether this applies only to firms with Prime IDIQ contracts with

Smithsonian, or does it include any A/E firms that are a subconsultant on a Smithsonian IDIQ?

Answer: This applies only to the A/E with the Prime IDIQ contract. Subconsultants to those A/E firms may apply for this IDIQ.

2. Has a contractor performed similar work for the government in the past? If available, please provide the incumbent contract number? If you are unable to provide the contract number, it is safe to assume this is not a new requirement for the government?

Answer: The individual portions of this scope are not new requirements for the Smithsonian. Please review our archived solicitation #F12SOL10015 for Campus Master Planning services. The Smithsonian has also selected A/E teams for master planning from among those firms holding IDIQ Multidiscipline

Architect-Engineer Contracts with the Smithsonian and may continue to do so.

3. Section 2 indicates a size standard of $7.0 Million in average annual receipts—is this solicitation limited to small business concerns that are below the $7.0 Million limit?

Answer: Prime contractors of all sizes are invited to respond to this solicitation. Please note, however, that large business concerns are required to submit subcontracting plans that meet the secondary selection criteria set out in sections 2 and 4. The small business concerns included in a bidder’s subcontracting plan must meet the minimums and size standards in the solicitation.

4. Will a pre-proposal meeting be held for this proposal?

Answer: No. Interested firms are invited to tour the public areas of our facilities on their own.

5. Our firm completed a number of commissions for the Smithsonian Institution in the 1990’s.

Since then, we have completed projects for a number of small museums locally, focusing on some of the disciplines mentioned in the solicitation. Would the Smithsonian consider a proposal from our firm as a prime contractor? This scope would pose an enormous administrative effort for us, but feel we could provide excellent service on your task orders.

Answer: The solicitation states that firms should be capable of responding to and working on two comprehensive master plan projects simultaneously. Smaller firms that have that capacity should make sure that their submissions respond convincingly to selection criteria D.

6. Must the awardee for this solicitation be capable of performing in all the regional areas in the solicitation?

Answer: Yes, although 90 percent of the work is anticipated in the DC area there is a possibility that services will be needed outside this area. The firm must be capable of performing services in all locations listed. However professional licensure is not required for all areas. Federal contracts only require that professionals be licensed in one of the 50 states and this is sufficient to work in all areas except for rare instances to comply with local regulations that the Institution is not exempt from. .

Because 90 percent of the work of this IDIQ is expected to be performed in the DC area, the capability of firms to perform here is paramount. Key staff licensed in or located in offices proximate to other regions where the Smithsonian has facilities should note that in their submissions. Please be aware that the Smithsonian has other IDIQ contracts with AE firms located in more remote regions and relies primarily on these firms for many smaller projects in those locations. Additionally, master plans for our two units with most of the remote sites – Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory – have been completed in the past six years and are not currently scheduled for major updates.

7. How many contracts will be awarded under this solicitation?

Answer: The Smithsonian reserves the right to award more than one contract. The exact number of contracts cannot be determined at this time but will be based on projected workload closer to the time of selection and award.

8. Our firm attended a Smithsonian information event in 2013, and was given to understand that 3

IDIQ contractors may be solicited for 1) Master Planning services; 2) A/E services and 3) Miscellaneous

Services for the Smithsonian’s Tropical Research Institute in Panama. The current solicitation contains all three components. Are additional solicitations expected, and if so, how will this impact the expectations for the remaining IDIQs?

Answer: A/E services (2) and Services for the Smithsonian Tropical Research institute in Panama (3) have already been solicited. This solicitation for Master Planning and Design services is the only expected solicitation for A/E services this year. While this IDIQ is primarily for master planning, firms could also be asked to do other design services, including services in Panama.

9. In regards to the Smithsonian IDIQ A/E Master Planning & Multidisciplinary solicitation, can you please clarify the following statement in the solicitation, “Who May Apply: All responsible sources, except those holding current IDIQ contracts with 3 or more years of potential extensions remaining as of the announcement date on this solicitation”. It is any federal IDIQ contract or an IDIQ contract with the

Smithsonian?

Answer: This requirement applies only to Prime A/E firms holding IDIQ contracts with the

Smithsonian.

10. Please provide the Smithsonian’s standard form of A/E IDIQ contract as referenced in Section 5.

Answer: Please see the attachment to this Amendment. The terms are not subject to negotiation.

11. It is acceptable to send submissions via Fed Ex?

Answer: Yes. The best address for Fed Ex submissions is:

Smithsonian Institution Office of Contracting Attn: Eve Errickson 2011 Crystal Drive Suite 350 Arlington VA 22202-3709

12. Do you envision this to be filled by an Executive Architect or a Design Architect? As a follow on, do you consider the scope of work to have a strong design focus?

Answer: We will select the team(s) that best meets the selection criteria in the solicitation regardless of how candidate firm(s) labels themselves as one type of architect or another. The selection criteria require teams to demonstrate expertise in design.

13. Can design firms partner with engineering firms to meet the required scope of work?

Answer: Yes. The nature of the relationship (prime and subconsultant or joint venture) must be identified in accordance with the solicitation and instructions for Form 330.

14. May a firm that is currently an IDIQ prime contractor at the Smithsonian partner with a project team as a subcontract for this scope of work?

Answer: Current Smithsonian IDIQ prime contractors with 3 or more years of potential extensions remaining as of May 29, 2014 are not eligible to apply as either a prime or a subcontractor.

15. Are members of the selected IDIQ team eligible to pursue other Smithsonian project solicitations, both as a single firm or as part of another team?

Answer: That will depend on the specifics of future solicitations. Recently completed individual

Smithsonian project solicitations have not excluded IDIQ team members from competing.

16. Does this project have anything to do with the 2012 Campus Masterplan?

Answer: NO. This is not a project. It is an IDIQ contract that we expect to use to complete other master plans and design projects for other areas and facilities of the Smithsonian.

17. Should we include a programming consultant on our team?

Answer: A separate programming consultant is not required. Teams should include architectural programming capability as a necessary part of master planning and design but it does not need to be provided by a separate consultant.

18. Do you have an estimated value or budget for this scope of work?

Answer: No. This is an IDIQ, not a Scope of Work.

19. Can you tell us which firms have Smithsonian contracts IDIQ with three or more years of potential extensions remaining?

Answer: We would suggest searching www.fbo.gov for archived solicitations and contract award notices on www.fbo.gov, limited by “Smithsonian Institution” or “Smithsonian Institution, Office of the Chief Financial Officer.” This would provide you with publicly available background information on past awardees.

20. Does this proposal submission require tabs for the Part I and Part II section of the SF330? Would the

Smithsonian like the evaluation criteria sections of Section H separated with tabs?

Answer: Tabs are not a requirement. However, firms may use them if it helps them to provide a concise, well-organized and well-designed submission booklet.

21. Is there any restriction on the number of consultants? May multiple consultants be provided under each discipline?

Answer: There is no restriction on the number of consultants. However, the solicitation states in 3.A

“Firms are encouraged to minimize duplication within disciplines and in project roles in the selection of subconsultants or joint venture partners.” If multiple consultants or joint venture partners are provided in a single discipline, firms should utilize Section H to explain why such duplication represents a more effective and economical approach for the Smithsonian to procure master planning and design services and how the services of duplicate discipline team members would be utilized on projects.

22. Will master planning be limited to interior architecture, or will any exterior/base building services be required in the scope of this project?

Answer: Master planning projects will not typically be limited to interior architecture. For example, current and recent Smithsonian master plan projects include evaluation of building sites, utilities, landscapes, exterior building conditions, historic structures and cultural landscape reports, massing of potential additions and prototype building designs among other services.

23. I note that a sample master planning report (associated with one of the Example Projects provided in section F of SF 330), should be provided with our submission. Are there any additional requirements for the master planning sample report referenced in item C of the solicitation document? Also, is the http://www.fbo.gov/ http://www.fbo.gov/ master planning report limited to interior architecture, or should it also be reflective of base/building work as well?

Answer: There are no additional requirements for the sample report beyond what is stated in the

Solicitation. The report could be limited to interior architecture or it could reflect work on whole buildings and sites.

24. Will fees or hourly rates be required in a final submission?

Answer: Hourly rates are not part of the selection process. Once the most highly qualified firms have been identified and recommended for award the negotiation of fees will commence. If agreement on fair and reasonable hourly rates cannot be achieved the

Smithsonian will terminate negotiations with the firm and initiate rate negotiations with the next ranked firm recommended in the selection report. No further discussions with the initially higher ranking firm will be entertained and no contract will be awarded to that firm.

25. Is there a specific format for attached items to Section H of the SF 330?

Answer: No. However, it is preferable to avoid providing information that duplicates what is provided elsewhere in the SF330 and to provide information that specifically responds to the requirements and selection criteria of the solicitation.

26. Given the limited space in Section F, is it possible to expand on the example projects with extra sheets on Section H with images and additional information?

Answer: Expand on the projects within Section F. Many firms provide 2 or more pages on a single project and firms may also vary the number of pages for different projects to allow more elaboration of some projects, particularly those that are most relevant to the selection criteria and best demonstrate the performance of key staff and subconsultants. Care should be taken to be succinct and clear in the presentation of project information and information should be limited to that which is most relevant to the solicitation evaluation factors. Excessive narrative and exposition of non-relevant information should be avoided.

27. Does the statement relating to “all responsible sources” refer to current on-call contracts with the

Smithsonian Institution or does it refer to all “current IDIQ contracts” with agencies or institutions other than the Smithsonian Institution?

Answer: See previous answers to questions 1, 9 and 14.

28. Should my project examples in Section F – Projects of the SF330 be limited:

a) To a total of ten Projects?

b) To only Prime Projects or may we insert projects from our subconsulting engineers?

c) If a single SF330 Item F project example is the result of an On-Call Contract, does the

Smithsonian require that the SF330 Item F Project be limited to an individual Task Order or may we show more than one representative task order under the master on-call?

Answer: a) Yes. Provide only 10 projects. Other relevant projects may be highlighted in the resumes of key staff or in Section H, but that is not a requirement.

b) Projects may be the Prime’s projects or the projects of one or more subconsultants. Where the project is that of a subconsultant, the presentation of the project should focus on that subconsultant’s area of expertise and contribution rather than confusing reviewers by primarily illustrating the planning or design work of another firm who is not on your team.

c) For ‘On-Call Contracts’ the firm may submit a single task order that best exemplifies a focused aspect of the selection criteria listed in this solicitation or multiple task orders that may better demonstrate the breadth of selection criteria the firm has. The firm has complete freedom to strategize how best to use a single SF330 Section F project sheet or sheets to demonstrate firm experience in relation to the selection criteria when submitting ‘On-Call Contracts’.