MACC REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 24 AUGUST - 1 SEPTEMBER UPDATE.pdf

MACC: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI’S)

24 August 2020, updated 1 September 2020

SOLICITATION NUMBER: FA286020R0045

1. Question 60: Solicitation page 38, FAR

52.228-15, Performance & Payment Bonds—Construction, IDIQ contracts “the price payable for the specified minimum quantity”. Please lower Single Project Bonding Capacity from $15M, which is the stated maximum, to $500,000, the stated minimum, task order amount.

The Governments decision is to have single bonding capacity at $15M.

2. Question # 16 - Attachment 16 is only 3 pages. How shall offers submit the two additional allowed pages?

Referencing the following: In Section L, paragraph L.4.2. the government states that offers may submit 4 past performances of 5 pages each and in Amendment 2 Q&A, answer #16, the government requires contractors to type our PPI responses on Attachment 16.

The additional 2 pages can allow for additional information to supplement the PPQ information.

For example: If letter G does not provide adequate space to reference your experience use these additional pages for expand upon that and reference the pages.

3. Section L5.0 (c) states that section shall be returned in its entirety along with

PRICE PROPOSAL.

No Price Proposal needed. The updated Section L posted with the last amendment removed that language.

4. The answer to Question number 60 that states – “Bonding capacity letters need to show the company’s ability to obtain a $15,000,000.00 bond on a single task order” is too restrictive. The ability to obtain $5,000,000.00 bond on a single task order is more appropriate for most 8(a) firms in the region and will increase more competition for the MACC Solicitation. The $15,000,000.00 single task order requirement will severely limit the competition to larger 8(a) firms with unlimited bonding capacity. Please, re-consider this requirement to allow for more robust competition.

See Answer to #1

5. Per question #17. L.2.11 Organization/Number of Copies/Page Limits: Each page shall be counted except pages titled “Left Intentionally Blank” or cover sheets. How many pages do we have for the table of contents in Factor 1:

Technical? Your answer: is that yes it’s included in the page count. We were given page limits for the Volume I and Volume II separately. We were not given an overall page limit. From what page limit would the table of contents be counted from?

After further consideration, the table of contents page does NOT count against the page limits of Volume I or Volume II. Offerors are advised that information contained in the ToC should be refer the reader back to specific pages/sections and not contain additional evaluation content.

Note: Then number of pages listed for each subfactor is a “not to exceed” amount.

Offerors are to utilize the pages as they see fit without going over the allotted page counts for each section. If there are remaining pages the offerors may allocate those as they see fit, i.e. summaries or supplemental information.

6. Per question #41. We are given page counts for the three subfactor plans in the technical proposal, there is not an overall Tech Vol page count. How many pages are in that volume? Your answer:

Attachment 15, Section L, Table 1 – 45 pages on the technical volume. On page 7 of 18, Table 1 has the Technical Volume as 75 pages. Please confirm the total page count from Volume I.

See Answer to #5

7. In relation to the historical workload in L.3.2.1 addressing projects only to $750,000, which does not align with Section C of projects ranging in size from $500,000 to $15 million. This is important because Section L.3.2.2 makes reference to those historical numbers. Will you provide a historical workload of projects ranging from $500,000 to $15 million or otherwise clarify the historical volume provided and its relationship to this MACC?

*Note: this question was submitted as part of the original RFI questions, however

The Government will not be providing any historical contracts for reference. Offerors are encouraged to search beta.SAM, FPDSNG, and other public sites if they have interest in historic contracts.

omitted from the responses in the original posting.

8. Question 60: Task orders are anticipated to be between $500,000 and $15M (Solicitation Section C), the majority of which have historically been under $700,000 (L.3.2.1.). Relevant past performance project threshold is $100,000 (M.5.2.2). The requirement of 15M Single Task Order Bond Capacity will be exclusionary for firms who might otherwise qualify to perform under this contract, especially being a project set aside for 8(a) small businesses. Since bonds will be required for individual task orders, companies will only participate in those task orders within their own bonding capacity. Please consider lowering the Single Project Bonding Capacity to more accurately reflect the majority of task orders anticipated for this contract.

See Answer to #1

9. Paragraph L.3.2.2 Technical Subfactor I:

Management Plan, Item 2. – Can the organizational chart be on 11x17 page?

Yes.

10. Paragraph L.3.2.2 Technical Subfactor II:

Staffing Plan - Are we to include full page resumes for all key personnel, including major subcontractors/subconsultants?

No, do not include resumes. Per Section L, complete a personnel matrix for all key personnel.

11. Paragraph L.4.2.1 Summary and Past Present Performance Information Sheets, regarding the requested information item 1 (The offeror shall provide a maximum of 4 references), the requested information following in paragraphs A-G, is this information required in addition to the PPPI sheets?

Refer to Section L 4.2.1.

No, a max of 4 references.

12. Are the references being requested the same projects that we are submitted on the PPPI sheet?

Yes, see Answer to #11

13. Do we need to submit 4 separate references in addition to the PPPI sheets?

See Answer to #11

14. Do we need a letter of commitment from each major subcontractor/subconsultant?

No.

15. L.4.2.1 Summary and Past Performance Information (1)_The following information shall be included for each identified contract/or subcontract. There is a list of (a) through (g). Is this information to be provided separately for each project or included in Attachment 16?

IAW L 4.2.1 This is separate from Attachment 16.

16. Attachment 16_PPI PDF_In Section G offerors are asked to illustrate how our experience on this program applies to that sub-factor. Due to space restrictions in the PDF it will be difficult to illustrate for each subfactor. Can the offeror include additional information at the end of the PPI since we are allowed 5 pages per project?

Yes.

17. Section L 3.3.2 Staffing Plan Key Personnel Skills Matrix. At a minimum we are to include (1) PM at JBA and (1) QCM. If we add additional key personnel to the org chart must we add them to the key personnel matrix?

This is up to Offeror discretion on who, outside the required key personele listed on section L, a key personnel matrix is completed for.

18. Section L.4.2 Past Performance. If the Offeror has PPQ’s completed for prior proposals can the offeror include them in

The Offeror may, however previous PPQs will not satisfy the requirements of L4.2.2 the past performance section to assist with the quality assessment?

19. For the organizational chart, can we include a corporate health and safety manager if we do not consider he/she key personnel?

Offerors Discretion

20. Most vendors presumably will graduate from the 8(a) program before the end of the contract term, will awardees still be eligible to receive TO’s for entire contract term?

The agency’s decision to require re-certification also is consistent with the regulatory scheme applicable here. As a general rule, an 8(a) contractor’s eligibility is determined as of the date that the concern submits its initial offer. FAR § 19.805-2(b);

13 C.F.R. § 124.507(b)(4). Similarly, the determination of a business’s size status also occurs as of the date the concern submits a written self-certification that it is small to the contracting activity as part of its initial offer.5 FAR § 19.301- 1(a); 13 C.F.R. § 121.404(a).

A concern that qualifies as a small business at the time it receives a contract is generally considered a small business throughout the life of that contract. 13 C.F.R. § 121.404(g).

However, for purposes of contracts with durations of more than 5 years (“long-term contracts”), including GWACs, a contracting officer must request that a concern recertify its small business size status no more than 120 days prior to the end of the fifth year of the contract, and no more than 120 days prior to exercising any option thereafter. Id., § 121.404(g)(3). Additionally, a contracting officer has the discretion to require concerns to re-certify their size status in response to a solicitation for an order under a long-term contract; where the contracting officer requires concerns to do so, SBA will determine size as of the date the concern submits its self representation as part of its response to the solicitation for the order. Id., § 121.404(g)(3)(v). If a contractor represents (or SBA determines) that the concern is other than small, the contracting agency can no longer count the options or orders issued pursuant to the contract towards its various small business goals. Id., § 121.404(g)(3);

FAR § 19.301-2(d).

21. Is it a requirement of the 8(a) offeror to have teaming agreements in place with their subcontractors to be compliant and eligible for award (i.e., if A/E is shown on org chart and their qualifications are included for evaluation, does that require

TA?)”.

22. Attachment 1 (MACC SOW) indicates MD PE licensure is required. Will other state licensure be required for projects located in DC and VA?

To be determined on a Task Order by Task Order level.

23. Will non-DMV state PE licensure be acceptable for signing/sealing plans?

Yes

24. Will every proposal require a technical evaluation? Or is LPTA intended to be used also?

Technical Evaluations will not be required on awards that are based on Low Price (LP) only.

25. Is an electronic architect/PE license sign/seal acceptable?

Yes

26. Will (or can) design submittals be used with the selected web based submittal tool? If so, will hardcopies of design deliverables still be required

No, soft copies only unless specifically stated at the Task Order level.

27. For Joint Base projects, we understand the requirement to comply with each base governing standard. In addition, will all Joint Base projects be required to comply with AF standards only? Or Navy only? Or Other?

Air Force will be the lead on all bases, however if there is a conflict Offerors will need to confirm with USG on which to follow.

28. How much time, in general, will be given to review the design plans and specifications for Design-Bid-Build efforts?

Cannot provide estimate at this time as times may vary depending on complexity of project.

29. Will projects located outside of JBAB and Anacostia be required to comply with the MACC standard electrical, mechanical and fire protection requirements?

Yes.

30. Will fire protection personnel be required as part of the key personnel? It was not indicated in Attachment 17 (Instructions).

31. Will new construction be included under this contract?

No. Refer to Attachment 1, SOW, for type of work to be performed under this IDIQ.

32. If you are entering into a Joint Venture should the proposal be submitted under the name of the Joint Venture or the name of the 8(a) contractor

Name of the JV. Please indicate how the JV has obtained their 8(a) status.

33. Since the financial information is required to be submitted before the final proposal response, will this be a two-step process, where the financials are approved first? If so, will we be notified if we are eligible to continue to the next step and when can we expect such a notification?

There is no plan to notify Offerors they may proceed with submitting the remaining portions of the proposal.

34. Can you extend the due date? Amendment 04 has extended the proposal due date.

35. In section M its noted to describe the hiring criteria. Please clarify what is to be included in the key personnel matrix for each key discipline.

Section M has been updated accordingly.

Hiring criteria is not required. Refer to the matrix to confirm the info requested for each position.

36. Please confirm that in lieu of resumes, the requirement for key personnel qualifications will be satisfied by the submittal of the Personnel Skills Matrix.

Yes.

37. Would it be possible for you to set-up a secure link to upload responses as opposed to email, which will have a size limit and would be unsecured? If not, can you let respondents know the maximum size limit for the email response?

At this time there is no intention of having a secure link to upload proposals to. The Government asks Offerors that submit more than one email to label them accordingly, ex:

“1 of 2”. It is the Offerors responsibility to ensure the Government has received their proposal in its entirety.