FA4610-11-R-0009_Questions_and_Answers.docx

FA4610-11-R-0009

5-Yr SABER Acquisition Questions and Answers

Q: per Page 9, under Coefficients #3 e, the solicitation states “In accordance with SABER Technical Specification 01 04 00, the coefficients will remain fixed for the life of the contract…” This conflicts with the statement on Page 63, Volume I—Executed Contract Documentation and Price Proposal, # 2, “The coefficients must be downward sloping demonstrating year over year decreases. Offerors who do not comply with this requirement shall be considered unacceptable and not eligible for award.”

A: The coefficients the offeror proposes must be downward sloping. Upon award the coefficients proposed by the offeror will, at that point, be set (fixed) for the life of the contract. A downward sloping coefficient is one where each year, the coefficient is less than the previous year.

Q: On page 74, in Section M, Section M-1 Source Selection, Item E, the RFP states that the evaluation process will use two steps. The first step is to, “Perform price evaluations on all proposals and rank them from lowest to highest.” In this process, will Vandenberg AFB rank the price bid for the Demonstration Project and base the price evaluation solely on the Demonstration Project price?

A: The Demonstration Project price will have no bearing on price evaluations. Only coefficients will be evaluated in the price evaluation.

Q: On page 75, in Section M, Section M-2 Evaluation Factors, Item B, the RFP states that, “The offeror’s Price Proposal will be evaluated by reviewing the proposed coefficients for each year (base and four options). … The coefficients for the base period and four option years will be added, averages, evaluated for “reasonableness,” and then ranked from lowest to highest.” How will this evaluation and ranking of the coefficients be used in the selection process? This process appears to be inconsistent with the evaluation process described in Section M, M-1 Source Selection, Item E, please clarify how the price evaluation process will be performed.

A: Price evaluations will be performed by adding, and averaging offerors’ coefficients, evaluating the coefficients for “reasonableness,” and then ranking the coefficients from lowest to highest.

Q: per page 9, #6, the solicitation states “The Government shall provide escorts in work areas requiring higher than “secret” clearance.”

a. Please confirm that the contractor is in fact responsible to have their employees obtain “secret” clearance.

A: The contractor is not responsible for having their employees obtain a “secret” clearance. Should a task order require escorts, the role may be fulfilled by a subcontractor or may be provided by the Government, if resources are available.

Q: Per page 9, #6, the solicitation also states “the contractor is required to obtain an Automated Entry Control Card (AECC)”.

a. Please advise the cost to contractor of obtaining an AECC and the lead time required to secure same.

A: The AECC is not a requirement for award and will be obtained after award through coordination with 30 CES at no cost to the contractor.

Q: At the Pre-proposal Conference for the Vandenberg SABER there was discussion concerning staffing and allowing one person to have multiple roles, but there was no mention of the staffing as it relates to multiple roles in the Questions and Answers posted on FBO. Can you elaborate on what would be acceptable for multiple roles for this Solicitation?

A: Individuals within an organization can perform multiple roles so long as they have responsibilities, qualifications, and levels of authority similar to the roles identified in SABER Technical Specification Section 01 31 01.

Q: Section 01 04 00 UNIT PRICE BOOK AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS Para 1.1.1 states “The contractor shall purchase and maintain for the government the copies of RS Means CostWorks for Windows by RS Means as listed in this specification.” I have not been able to locate in the specification the number of copies of the CostWorks program to be provided to the government. Please clarify.

A: The contractor will not need to provide the Government with copies of the RS Means CostWorks software. SABER Technical Specification Section 01 04 00 has revised to remove the references to this requirement.

Q: L-1 PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS, VOLUME II- TECHNICAL PROPOSAL Para. 5.f requires the contractor to submit a completed form AF 3065, Contract Progress Report. Shouldn’t this be an AF 3064, Contract Progress Schedule which sets up the use of the AF 3065 as the project progresses? Please clarify.

A: No, the AF Form 3064 will not be used as part of the SABER program. In accordance with SABER Technical Specification Section 01 00 00, the AF 3065 should reflect the major components and the associated percentage of the construction effort and will be updated weekly to provide construction updates on each task order.

Q: On page 76, in Section M, Section M-2 Evaluation Factors, Item C, Sub-Factor 4: Quality Overview, the RFP states that the standard for evaluation includes “…forms and records to be used.” To meet this standard, we intend to provide examples of the forms that we would use. Can we assume that these forms will be excluded from the maximum number of pages (50 pages) specified for Volume II Technical Proposal on Page 63?

A: No, Volume II is limited to a maximum of 50 pages.

Q: Please advise if Offeror is required to submit an actual Quality Control Plan with our Technical Proposal as an example?

A: In accordance with the standard for Sub-factor 4: Quality Overview identified in M “This requirement is met when the offeror (prime contractor) submits an effective Quality Control Plan…”

Q: Please confirm that all Demonstration Project information, including the detailed line item cost estimate, is included in the 50-page limit for the Technical Proposal.

A: Volume II Technical Proposal is limited to a maximum of 50 pages.

Q: Part of the Volume I requirements (shown on page 64 of the RFP) include providing a letter from SBA showing “evidence of SBA sanction of the teaming effort” in the case of a teaming arrangement or joint venture. Our SBA District does not approve joint ventures prior to proposal submission; rather, they approve the joint venture after proposal submission and prior to award of the contract. May we provide evidence of SBA’s approval of our joint venture as soon as it is received after proposal submission?

A: Yes, in the event a joint venture is created for the purposes of proposing on this solicitation, an offeror may submit evidence of SBA’s approval as soon as it is received after proposal solicitation. However, if SBA’s approval of the joint venture is not received prior to award or the joint venture is denied by SBA, the offeror will be determined nonresponsive and ineligible for award.

Q: Does past ‘performance information (or questionnaire)’ exclude from this solicitation?

A: Past performance is not required as part of this solicitation.

Q: On sample project, is striping required on new pavement?

A: See the Statement of Objectives (SOO), sketch and SABER Technical Specifications.

Q: On sample project, what will be width of new pavement?

A: See the SOO, sketch and SABER Technical Specifications.

Q: On sample project, what will be dimensions for existing swale? (width, depth, etc)

A: See the SOO, sketch and SABER Technical Specifications.

Q: On sample project, what is existing swale made of?

A See the SOO, sketch and SABER Technical Specifications.

Q: On sample project, how deep existing utility lines are buried?

A: Contractor shall assume existing utility lines were installed in accordance with the SABER Technical Specifications.

Q: On sample project, drawing shows ‘asbestos cement’ on existing water line. Does Contractor need to abate this asbestos cement? If yes, please specific quantity and location of asbestos cement.

A: See the SOO, sketch and SABER Technical Specifications.

Q: On sample project, what is existing water main made of?

A: See the SOO and sketch.

Q: On sample project, how many new fire hydrants shall be required?

A: See the SOO, sketch and SABER Technical Specifications.

Q: On sample project, what will height for pre-engineered building?

A: See the SOO, sketch and SABER Technical Specifications.

Q: On sample project, will the new lighting fixture be located 3’ above finished floor? If so do you have specific type of lighting fixture to use?

A: See the SOO.

Q: On sample project, will Government provide existing grading plan to design new grading plan?

A: See the SOO and sketch.

Q: On sample project, what is slope for existing swale? (west to east)

A: See the SOO and sketch.

Q: Can the government provide CAD files of the proposed site and existing utilities for use in preparation of the Demonstration Project proposal?

A: As this is fictitious project, CAD drawings do not exist. Offerors shall use the SOO and sketch to identify site and existing utilities.

Q: Can the government provide a standard Vandenberg drawing border in CAD for use on the Demonstration Project proposal?

A: CAD drawings are not required for use on the Demonstration Project.

Q: As the site grading will be well in excess of one acre, will the contractor be responsible for the cost, without reimbursement, of the professional engineer to prepare the SWPP to submit for permits?

A: A SWPP will not be required as part of the Demonstration Project package.

Q: Will the contractor be responsible for the cost, without reimbursement, of the professional engineer required to do calculations and prepare the storage building foundation design?

A: A professional engineer will not be required to do calculations and prepare the storage building foundation design. Offerors should use the SOO, sketch, SABER Technical Specifications and their expertise for the storage building foundation design.

Q: Will the contractor be responsible for the cost, without reimbursement, of the professional engineer required to do calculations to size and design the culvert pipe and headwall?

A: A professional engineer will not be required to do calculations to size and design the culvert pipe and headwall. Offerors should use the SOO, sketch, SABER Technical Specifications and their expertise to size and design the culvert pipe and headwall.

Q: Will the contractor be responsible for the cost, without reimbursement, of the professional engineer required to do calculations to size and design the roadway sections / equipment pad, and layout?

A: A professional engineer will not be required to do calculations to size and design the roadway sections/equipment page and layout. Offerors should use the SOO, sketch, SABER Technical Specifications and their expertise to size and design the roadway sections/equipment page and layout.

Q: The statement of work does not include the actual surface area of the site to use for drainage calculations. Can that be provided?

A: See the SOO, sketch and SABER Technical Specifications.

NOTE: The purpose of this Demonstration Project is to validate the offeror’s ability to submit a proposal with little input from the government.

This is a design-build and as such a 100% design is not required, and the use of professional engineers is not required for the design. All of the information necessary to develop a complete proposal submission can be found in the SABER Technical Specifications, the Demonstration Project SOO and sketch, and other locations where referenced by the SABER Technical Specifications, such as CALTRANS specifications. The Government is looking for contractors who are able to work and develop SOW’s independently.