QA_Substation_Maintenance_20190404.pdf

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

Substation Maintenance Re-Compete

FA4610-19-Q-A001

Questions were due to 30 CONS by 4:00PM PST Wednesday, 27 March 2019. The following questions were received and answers are provided below. Quotes are due by 4:00PM PST Monday, 26 April 2019.

Question 1: What is the threshold for repairs?

Response 1: See PWS paragraph 4. The Repairs CLIN is NOT to be priced by the contractor. Repairs are defined as labor and materials under $50,000. Repairs shall not exceed the cumalitive amount of $50,000 per year. Historical data reflects that most repairs did not exceed $5,000 per substation per year.

Question 2: What are typical outage timelines?

Response 2: Typically one transmission switching bay requires less than a week of downtime to finish preventative maintenance. For a single-bay switchyard, the contractor can normally accomplish required tasks between a Monday and a Friday, or between a Monday and a following Monday. For 2-bay switchyards, the work can be accomplished in the 11-day period between one Monday and the Friday of the following week. For our biggest switchyards, the outage durations can vary greatly depending the availability of the remainder of the grid to support back feeding operations.

Question 3: Are we able to get the most recent discrepancy reports from the current contract?

Response 3: A sanitized discrepancy report will be provided to awardee. Provided is an example of a filled out report and blank templates to be used for each substation.

Question 4: Any issue with Canadian reps attending the site visit?

Response 4: Site visit has already been accomplished.

Question 5: Can you confirm that the site visit is NOT mandatory?

Response 5: The site visit was NOT mandatory, but highly encouraged.

Question 6: My Company employs both Canadian and American Technicians. Are there any site security/access requirements that might preclude Canadian technicians with appropriate US work visas from conducting work on Vandenberg? Are there any site access/ security requirements for Americans to conduct then work?

Response 6: Any contractor will have to be cleared by the 30 SFS visitors center before access to base is provided. All personnel must have valid government issued identification.

Question 7: Could you please tell me if this is a new requirement, or if there is a current or previous contractor who has performed similar services? If available, can you please send along the incumbent contract or task order number?

Response 7: The current contract is FA4610-13-D-0011 and the contractor is Siemens Industry Inc.

Question 8: The solicitation indicates that the project is budgeted for $4.8M. Can you confirm if that budget covers just the base year, or if that is the budget for the Base year + the option years?

Response 8: Originally the budget was $4.9M for the base period plus all of the option years. With the changes to the PWS and Repair CLIN the new budget for the entire contract (base + option years) is $5.2M.

Question 9: Is office space/equipment storage available on site long-term?

Response 9: Currently there is no office space/equipment storage for this contract. The Government will allow the contractor to store necessary gases at each substation. If the contractor would like to set up an office space, the Government will assist in procuring a space on “Contractors Row”. The contractor will be responsible for the land space (such as clearing vegetation and setting up a perimeter fence) as well as providing their own storage/office space.

Question 10: Is this a new requirement or does it replace a previous requirement? If it does replace a previous requirement, can you tell me who had the previous contract?

Response 10: The current contract is FA4610-13-D-0011 and the contractor is Siemens Industry Inc.

Question 11: Please confirm that there is to be just 1 outage per substation, per year to accomplish the inspection and repairs necessary for “maintenance”.

Response 11: The number of outages needed per substation will depend on the number switching bays in each yard. The Government will work with the contractor to schedule needed outages in order to accomplish the work in a timely manner.

Question 12: The Performance Work Statement indicates that the contractor personnel possess documentation of completion of training on NFPA 70 safety requirements. Please clarify.

Response 12: In general personnel with electrical certifications are required to know and understand NFPA 70 safety requirements. The Government asks that you are proficient and understand the requirements of NFPA 70.

Question 13: The RFQ requests a Technical Response Questionnaire be submitted illustrating similar experience within the last five years. Contractors present at the site visit are new 8(a) contractors, and though these contractors have the years of seasoned in-house experience to qualify and meet the performance questionnaire, they do not under the 8(a) Contractors name. Please advise if experience listed can be relevant to the cumulative years of personnel experience versus the single Contractor identity.

Response 13: The Contractor may submit technical experience from employees who have worked under another contractor. Please note that the Government will be verifying any contracts that are listed that they meet the criteria for this contract.

Question 14: Will the contractor be required to provide a full time Superintendent, Quality Control Manger (QCM), and Site Safety Health Office (SSHO)? If so, can the Site Superintendent act also as the QCM and SSHO? One person wearing all three hats?

Response 14: The Government cannot direct the contractor who they will employ or how their business should be set up. As long as the contractor meets the qualifications, understands the contract and can manage the Service Summary Items listed in the PWS, any set up is suitable for the Government.

Question 15: Did the prior contract holder set up local office/storage/equipment management?

Response 15: Currently there is no office space/equipment storage for this contract. The Government will allow the contractor to store necessary gases at each substation. If the contractor would like to set up an office space, the Government will assist in procuring a space on “Contractors Row”. The contractor will be responsible for the land space (such as clearing vegetation and setting up a perimeter fence) as well as providing their own storage/office space.

Question 16: For clause pertaining to FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting, can AF Contracts confirm 52.219-14, Part(c), Subsection (4) “Construction by special trade contractors” is applicable for this contract, and not part (c) Subsections (1)-(3)?

Response 16: For clause FAR 52.219-14 “Limitations on Subcontracting” FAR 52.219-14(c)(1) is what applies to this contract, “Services (except construction). At least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern.”

Question 17: Please provide the list with the existing deficiencies which will need to be repaired in the first year of the contract.

Response 17: A sanitized discrepancy report will be provided to awardee. These discrepancies will be covered under the repair CLIN. Provided is an example of a filled out report and blank templates to be used for each substation.

Question 18: It is difficult for any contractors to provide for future/unknown repairs. Would it be acceptable to provide the proposal with the cap on the deficiencies repairs (e.g. $12k Material and 480hrs Labor per year?

Response 18: See PWS paragraph 4. The Repairs CLIN is NOT to be priced by the contractor. Repairs are defined as labor and materials under $50,000. Repairs shall not exceed the cumalitive amount of $50,000 per year. Historical data reflects that most repairs did not exceed $5,000 per substation per year.

Question 19: Per the site visit a new Performance Work Statement was to be provided reflecting changes in scope of work discussed at site walk. This included misc. repairs to be performed, frequency of test reporting, coating re-equipment’s etc..

Response 19: An amendment to the PWS and answers to questions will be posted to FBO.

Question 20: Confirm weed abatement is not included in this contract?

Response 20: The actual removal and/or treatment of weeds is not required in this contract. The contractor will be required to report weed and other vegetation growth problems following monthly substation visits and visual inspections.

JOHN E. CRUZ

Contract Specialist