RE RFP amendment 1 w RFIs.pdf

(x)

33330221RF0010001

x x copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted ; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication 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 letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication 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

10/30/20200001

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

10/30/2020

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 data, 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.)

Please see the attached list of questions and answers, which are incorporated into this solicitation by reference.

The bid date is extended to December 11, 2020 at 3:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

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)

Thomas Dempsey

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 11/2016)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

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 .

F21R010001 for Real Estate IDIQ

# Bidder Question SI Answer

1 Can the November 30th due date be extended until December 2nd given when the Thanksgiving

Holiday falls?

We will be extending the bid date to December 11 to account for the

Thanksgiving Holiday.

2 Will it suffice if Contractor agrees to use an insurer with a rating by AM Best of VII? Yes

3 Will it suffice if Contractor agrees to disclose the coverages required in the contract verses provide copies of the full policies?

Yes

4 Will it suffice if a material change is defined as “changes to the insurance limits, terms and conditions in this section H.13”?

Unfortunately, SI directives dictate policy terms, applicable conditions and coverage limits, so this change is not workable.

5 Section H.13.2.2 Professional Liability: This section requires Contractor’s policy to extend to subcontractors and agents. Will is suffice for Contractor to agree to require subcontractors and agents to provide the coverage required in this section?

No

6 This section requires a specific additional insured endorsement. Will it suffice if Contractor provides a blanket endorsement covering all of Contractors contracts?

No

7 This section requires Contractor’s additional insured coverage to protect subcontractors and agents.

Will it suffice if Contractor requires any subcontractors and agents to provide additional insured coverage to the Smithsonian?

No

8 Is the Smithsonian looking for technology to self-perform lease administration or does the Smithsonian want the successful bidder to provide both the technology and lease administration services?

Neither. The Smithsonian is currently not using technological solutions for lease administration, but will consider these alternatives in the future. We would ask the Offeror to assist with consideration of these alternatives on an informal basis.

9 What technology platform do you use to support the lease administration function today? See above.

10 How are lease-related payments to landlords being done today? What accounts payable or ERP system is used to process payments?

The Smithsonian uses PeopleSoft to process payment obligations.

11 Do you currently have all of your leases scanned and stored on a central, web enabled repository? No

12 Given many are working remotely as a result of COVID-19, it may be challenging to reach a reference.

If Smithsonian is unable to reach a reference, will Smithsonian alert the Offeror so that we may coordinate contact?

Please provide as current information as is feasible. We typically do not provide a second bite at the apple after two follow up emails to the reference.

13 The solicitation indicates that Smithsonian may select one or more Offerors and establishes no baseline for anticipated workload or compensation. Can Smithsonian provide further clarity as to the number of service providers they anticipate selecting as the number of Offerors selected impacts the resources required and the potential revenue associated with the contractl? Is there a maximum number of Offerors that can be selected?

Typically the Smithsonian has two IDIQ consultants.

14 As referenced in the Submission of Proposals section (E.1), can Smithsonian confirm Offerors can choose to submit the Technical and Price Proposal via email, omitting the delivery of hard copies?

Yes

15 If email submissions are acceptable, will Offerors need to distinguish between “original” and “copy” versions of the proposals?

No

16 Smithsonian indicates there is no obligation to utilize the services of the successful Offeror(s). Is it

Smithsonian’s intent to utilize services from other real estate service providers only when the services of the successful Offeror(s) is not adequate?

No; the goal with this language is simply to reflect that two consultants are typically contracted and the need for services year over year.

17 What priority projects does Smithsonian have in the next 24 months that the Offeror will help execute? Data Center (47,500 SF) analysis in VA; Office Flex (50,000 SF) analysis & potential lease in PG County; potential warehouse (22,000 SF) renewal in PG

County. Potential 2,000 SF Flex space lease in NYC, and potential 10,000 SF sublease in NYC.

18 While Smithsonian is requesting consulting services to assist in the lease administration scope, can

Smithsonian confirm it is not requesting the Offeror to self-perform lease administration services?

The Offeror is not being requested to provide lease administration services.

However, from time to time the Offeror may be asked to assist with communicating complex concerns to landlords.

19 Is Smithsonian interested in the Offeror providing space planning services or having that capability in-house in order to review plans prepared by others?

Space planning services may be occasionally be requested.

20 Smithsonian references utilizing the percentages listed on the Price Proposal for certain transactions to establish a firm fixed price cost proposal for each future Task Order involving these transactions. In the event that the final transaction under a Task Order is materially different from the transaction originally contemplated by that Task Order, is it Smithsonian’s intent to perfect a modification to the

Task Order adjusting the budget/cost to reflect the proposed percentage applied to final transaction value?

The Smithsonian will consider requests to modify task orders on this basis, but

Offeror should be prepared to show accounting of time and costs associated therewith.

21 How should Offerors address the hourly rates for the labor categories that are not directly related to

Smithsonian’s scope or typical of what a real estate advisor (Offeror) executes? Examples include Legal

Counsel and Auditor.

If these categories are not provided in house by Offeror, it is acceptable to omit them or to provide subcontractor qualifications.

22 Can Smithsonian clarify what services an Auditor would provide excluding financial models prepared by the Offeror’s financial services group?

On more complex projects, the Smithsonian has consulted auditors to understand cost pools and overhead in proposals and cost projections for property management.

23 We are a wholly owned subsidiary of a publicly traded global real estate advisory company. As such, we do not have independently audited financial statement for the offering entity. Our global parent’s financial statements break out North American revenue and profit, which is 100% attributable to North

America, as the company’s only business unit in North America. Please confirm that presentation of these financial statements is satisfactory and meets the requirements.

This is acceptable.

24 Offeror is required to demonstrate a minimum of 10 years’ experience. Please confirm that there is no page limitation for this section (Tab 2).

Confirmed. Please note that the page limit is established for the Offeror's benefit as well as for the Smithsonian's.

25 The RFP states that “Offerors must submit a minimum of ten (10) references for projects for which the

Offeror has provided similar consulting services as envisioned in this RFP”; however, Appendix C and

Appendix D both state the following: “Do not include more than ten (10) projects collectively for

Appendices C & D.” Please clarify whether the ten (10) reference requirement constitutes a minimum or a maximum of ten (10) projects.

Ten projects is the minimum. Please see above.

26 Please define and describe responsibilities for the following labor categories in the context of the required scope of this contract:•Reproduction Specialist•Technical Specialist •Technical Writer

Occasionally the Smithsonian has requested renderings and printing services for internal presentations to its leadership. This is not typical.

27 Please list the following information on Smithsonian’s leased portfolio? •Lease expiration dates per location •Lease locations annual base rent •Leased locations which Smithsonian does not pay rent

The Smithsonian's Real Estate Office generates a Future Mimimum Rent Report for SI leadership. The report includes only properties that SI leases from other owners and does not include SI owned properties. Leases, for which

Smithsonian pays no rent, are handled by the Smithsonian's Real Estate Office without the help of consultants. All commissions are paid by the property owner or Seller, as part of the transaction. Quotes for services to purchase property are requested in this RFP. Quotes for services to sell property are requested in this RFP. These include properties that are given to the

Smithsonian.

28 Please confirm for all commission structures (with cooperating broker), that Smithsonian is requiring that the Offeror quote only the Offeror’s commission and that Smithsonian is not expecting the Offeror to commit to the commission that the Smithsonian would be responsible for paying to the co-broker.

See the Answer to #27 above, but also Smithsonian will ensure that the Broker is paid out of the transaction.

29 For Sale of Property commission structures, it is customary that the buyer compensates the buyer’s own broker; therefore, Smithsonian would not be responsible for paying any co-brokerage fees. Could you please elaborate on Smithsonian’s rationale in distinguishing between the commission structures between (without cooperating broker) and (with cooperating broker)?

See the Answer to #27 above, but also Smithsonian will ensure that the Broker is paid out of the transaction.

30 The schedule does not include commission structures for the acquisition of a property on

Smithsonian’s behalf. If Smithsonian anticipates that acquisitions could potentially be required, should the schedule be amended to allow Offerors to quote that commission structure for acquisitions of property as well?

See the Answer to #27 above, but also Smithsonian will ensure that the Broker is paid out of the transaction.

31 For Lease Acquisition Services there is a gap between $500,000 and $1,000,001 How would you like us to address this?

Please add a line or bracket to price this size of transaction.

32 Attachment A, B.4 “Miscellaneous Support Services” – What should proposers provide to answer this section? Is SI looking for a description of capabilities for each of the 14 support services listed?

Yes, a description of the listed support services is appropriate.

33 Attachment A, Page 4 – How would you describe the level of completeness and accuracy of your existing portfolio data?

The portfolio data provided with the RFP is intended only as a general overview.

34 Attachment A, Page 4 – Is rent payment processing currently centralized across your global portfolio?

(If not, how is this currently managed?)

No. The Smithsonian's research institutions and related units have vastly different missions, approaches and needs. Accordingly, it is challenging to establish uniform, centralized policies applicable to such differing programs. As an example, the Smithsonian's Real Estate includes leasing for housing and offices for small, short term research projects as well as long term ground leases, slip leases, and other efforts that support large permanent facilities. As the landlords and lessors are incredibly variable, rent payment is likewise variable.

35 Attachment A, Page 4 – Are you looking for any support with lease accounting compliance? If yes, please outline the scope.

Smithsonian is not anticipating lease accounting compliance assistance under this contract.

36 Attachment A, Page 5 – Can you provide the number of subleases (income leases), by country? Smithsonian is occasionally, but infrequently, involved in subleasing property.

Smithsonian is not anticipating subleasing property outside of the US.

37 Attachment A, Page 9 – Will the “Description of Services Provided” in the Comparable/Non-

Comparable Experience forms suffice for the “brief narrative of services” in the Past Performance section?

Yes

38 Attachment A, Page 32 – There are a number of Properties that have many facilities. From a reporting perceptive, for the owned sites, can we assume we shall report one single property? For the Leased sites, can we assume there is one single lease for each property?

Smithsonian is not anticipating brokerage assistance on Smithsonian owned properties, including locations involving multiple buildings.

39 Appendix E – Pricing provides a list of titles for which we are to enter hourly rates. We have a GSA

Professional Services Schedule (PSS) which establishes positions/titles and the corresponding rates.

Can we provide hourly rates only for positions/titles which we use in our firm? Or does SI expect us to enter rates for every position/title listed in Appendix E?

Please see Question 21.

40 Appendix E – Can we include as separate schedule the costs for Technology? Additionally, we typically price Lease Administration on at a record/lease level and are seeking your approval.

This is acceptable.

41 Exhibit 1, Portfolio Composition – Should we assume one lease record for each facility, for lease administration purposes? Or can additional detail be provided as to the number of leased and owned records to be managed, by country?

Smithsonian is not anticipating brokerage assistance on Smithsonian owned properties, including locations involving multiple buildings. See also the answer for question #36, above.

42 What services, if any, may be required for museums and research facilities? Museums and research facilities have conventional needs for office swing space, but typically are more concerned with leasing specialized storage space.

Communicating the requirements for environmental controls and secured access to collections or specialized equipment is a top priority.

43 Can you advise what current technologies are used for: transaction management, lease administration, and miscellaneous services.

Please see Question 8.

44 Would it be possible to receive responses to these questions by end of day Friday, November 20 given the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday?

We will be extending the bid date to December 11 to account for the

Thanksgiving Holiday.