VSFB SABER_RFI Responses_Rev 20240730.pdf

1. How will 3 contractors with equal qualifications be selected if their coefficients are all different?

In accordance with Section M paragraph 5.0 bidders coefficients will be added and averaged to come up with a Total Evaluated Price. Bids will then be ranked by Total

Evaluated Price from low to high. Award will be made to the three lowest priced, responsive, reasonably priced, and responsible bidders.

2. Please give an example of the requirements for the contractor to provide a SOW with the task order. Example: Are we to provide an in house CAD drawing, or a simple work plan, SOW page, and other supporting documents to show a thorough understanding of the work?

In accordance with SABER Master Specifications Section 01 00 00 paragraph 1.4.13.1.b

“The SOW shall provide a written narrative describing the Contractor’s approach and shall document the Contractor’s basic design solution to the subject project. The

Contractor shall not simply re-state the goals of the Government SOO, but provide sufficient information to demonstrate to the Government a complete and thorough understanding of the requirement and all applicable codes and regulations.”

The requirement design documentation is separate from the requirement to provide a

Statement of Work. In accordance with SABER Master Specification Section 01 00 00 paragraph 1.4.13.1.c “…the Contractor shall provide sufficient design documentation to substantiate the proposed approach for the task. Design documentation shall provide enough detail to verify line-item quantities in the cost proposal are accurate and enough detail to clearly convey to the Government what the Government will be receiving.”

3. If shop drawings/floor plans are needed, will they need to be stamped by a CA Licensed

DOR?

No, the SABER will not require the use of a registered architect or engineer. In accordance with SABER Master Specifications Section 01 00 00 paragraph 1.4.10.2 “If the design requires the services of a registered architect or professional engineer, it should be considered outside the parameters of the SABER program and the Contractor shall notify the CO immediately.”

4. Will a master set of admin submittals be used for the contract and addendums added for each awarded task order? Example: APP/ QC plan, Etc.

In accordance with SABER Master Specifications section 01 35 29 site specific

“Occupational Safety/APP Checklist” will be required for each task order. Only a contract level Quality Control Plan will be required in accordance with SABER Master

Specification 01 45 00. Environmental Protection Plans generally are not required, but may be required on specific task orders.

5. What is the estimated volume of task orders per year to expect.

Through option year 3 of the current SABER the Government averaged approximately 20 task orders per year with the high being 26 and the low being 13. To date in Option Year

4 the Government has solicited 20 task orders and awarded 15 of them.

6. The awarded contractors are to provide software training for 27 gov. employees.

Why/Can this be split up by the 3 awarded contractors if all are using RS Means? This would help on upfront costs for contractors.

In accordance with SABER Master Specifications Section 01 04 00 “Each contractor shall be responsible for and assume the cost of training 9 government employees.”

7. When submitting RSMeans cost data for a task order, will the Total O&P column be used as the pricing that is reviewed or will pricing be based on the bare cost column?

In accordance with SABER Master Specification Section 01 04 00 “This SABER contract will allow the Contractor to use either the second column from the right of the

UPB, labeled “Total,” or the far-right hand column of the UPB, labeled “Total, Including

Overhead & Profit,” for each line item required on a task order. The “Total” column should be utilized for work performed in-house and the “Total, Including Overhead &

Profit” column should be utilized for work performed by subcontractors. The Contractor will sum all line items, including the city cost index adjustments, and multiply this by their proposed coefficient to arrive at a task order proposed price.”

8. Please provide an example of what the selection process looks like and what leveled bids mean to the gov.

Please refer to Solicitation – FA461024B0003, Section M-1, Para 5.0, Evaluation

Process, for a detailed description of the bid evaluation process. Bid leveling requires a comparison of proposals, which is not a function within the process stated in the above reference. Bids will be ranked according to the proposed coefficient’s Total Evaluated

Price and then individual checks on responsiveness, price fair and reasonable on the proposed coefficients, and a responsibility determination. At no point will a bid be compared directly against another bid.

9. Please describe what CMMC compliance is needed by the contractor.

No CMMC compliance is required as clause DFARS 252.204-7021 is not included.

10. If the coefficients stay fixed for the life of the contract, does that mean that you are locked into base year for life, or each price listed for that option year?

Yes, the coefficients proposed for the base year and each option period are set at the time of award and no adjustments will be authorized during the life of the contract.

11. If a contractor has different coefficients for each year, how will the gov. evaluate those against others? Will they average the years and go for lowest overall average?

In accordance with Section M paragraph 5.0 bidders coefficients will be added and averaged to come up with a Total Evaluated Price. In Attachment 06, Coefficient

Worksheet, the coefficient average is calculated in cell G24. Bids will then be ranked by

Total Evaluated Price from low to high. Award will be made to the three lowest priced, responsive, reasonably priced, and responsible bidders.

12. The solicitation does not specify a requirement for non-prepriced coefficients. How will non-prepriced line items be utilized on this contract?

The use of Non-Priced Items (NPIs) is detailed in SABER Master Specification sections

01 00 00 paragraph 1.4.13.1.d. NPIs will only be allowed on a “by-exception” basis by the contracting officer and may require substantiating information be provided to the contracting officer.

13. If a contractor is selected and graduates from the 8(a) program before the next option year is exercised, will they still be eligible, or will they be disqualified due to not having current 8(a) status?

Per 13 CFR 124.521(e)(1), a business is considered an 8(a) participant for the life of an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract if it is eligible at the time of its initial offer. If an 8(a) Participant is qualified at the time of initial offer for a Multiple

Award 8(a) Contract, then it will be considered an 8(a) Participant for each order issued against the contract, unless a contracting officer requests a new 8(a) eligibility determination in connection with a specific order.

14. How much work is anticipated at NBVC Port Hueneme or Point Mugu?

The Government does not expect much work at Naval Base Ventura County Port

Hueneme or Point Mugu. Most of the prior SABER contracts have not had any work at those locations, however, they are included in this program should the need for a project at the locations arise.

15. We kindly ask that the qualifications for 8(a) status on JV’s be changed to only allowing bid submissions from SBA 8(a) approved JV’s at the time of bid. It is not fair for current active 8(a) NON JV’s (stand- alone companies) if you allow JV’s to submit their JVA to the SBA prior to bid due date.

Request is noted. The requirement to allow 8(a) joint ventures without a certification entrance and exit dates arises from the SBA acceptance of the program which states

“…SBA does not approve joint ventures in connection with competitive 8(a) procurements…As such, a joint venture offeror should not be eliminated from consideration where its profiles in the Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) and the

System for Award Management (SAM.gov) do not reflect 8(a) joint venture certification entrance and exit dates.” Furthermore 13 CFR 124.501(h) states “For a competitive 8(a) procurement, a firm must be a current Participant eligible for award of the contract on the initial date specified for receipt of offers contained in the solicitation as provided in §

124.507(d)”.

16. Will offeror’s who meet all qualifications and are NOT bidding as a JV be evaluated any differently? We feel a stand-alone contractor should have more value vs. a JV with a larger company backing a small company.

No, there will not be any evaluation preference between joint ventures and non-joint venture participants

17. After 3 contractors are selected, will the Gov. notify the next in line contractors who might get on ramped in the future?

In accordance with Section H, “Upon contract award, a maximum of three (3) SABER

IDIQ contracts will be awarded with an effective date of "To Be Determined (TBD)" for

"On-Ramping" purposes. However, the Government reserves the right to award more, less, or no contracts at all, if determined to be in the best interest of the Government.”

Any contractors identified as being assigned as a TBD IDIQ will be notified.

18. During the rebid meeting, it was stated that contractors have the option to choose from multiple RS Means based programs due to potential renewal issues. Given the potential for variation and inconsistency across proposals, will the Government select and standardize one RS Means based program for all contractors?

No, the Government will not require a standardized RS Means program for all contractors.

19. Section 1.2.1 of the SABER Master Specifications outlines that contractor personnel are subject to COMSEC procedures, including monitoring and review of communications with DOD organizations. Please provide detailed guidelines on the specific COMSEC monitoring procedures that contractors should be aware of, including any protocols for reporting and managing potential security incidents identified through COMSEC monitoring.

No specific COMSEC requirements are required by the contractor. The referenced paragraph in SABER Master Specification Section 01 55 01 is a notice that Government communications are monitored. Any COMSEC actions are to be taken by the

Government.

20. Will this contract require NIST SP 800-171 compliance? If so, please specify at what level.

Clause DFARS 252.204-7012 requires compliance with NIST SP 800-171. Clause

DFARS 252.204-7020 requires contractors to complete an NIST SP 800.171 DoD

Assessment. No assessment beyond the Basic level is anticipated.

21. Will a separate APP, QCP, and EPP be required for each Task Order? Or, will a Master

APP/QCP/EPP be acceptable?

In accordance with SABER Master Specifications section 01 35 29 site specific

“Occupational Safety/APP Checklist” will be required for each task order. Only a contract level Quality Control Plan will be required in accordance with SABER Master

Specification 01 45 00. Environmental Protection Plans generally are not required, but may be required on specific task orders.

22. Please confirm that a bid bond/security is not required for this solicitation.

Confirmed, a bid guarantee bond is not required

23. Please confirm that electronic bid packages submitted via email are sufficient, and hard paper packages are not mandatory for this solicitation.

In accordance with Section L, sub section L-2, paragraph 1.6.1, electronic bids should be submitted through the DoD SAFE site, with a request for a DoD SAFE drop-off link being submitted at least one business day but not more than 14 business days in advance of the bid due date.

24. In the SF 1442, Block 10, Letter B, it notes a maximum of (3) contracts will be awarded.

Will it be (3) per NAICS code or (3) overall? Please clarify.

It will be a maximum of three (3) contracts overall for the program.

25. L-2 BID PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS, 2.0. Specific Instructions, SUBMIT THE

FOLLOWING:, 2.1.6. Chapter 5 - Coefficient Narrative:--is there a Standard Form or format available for use to provide the requested coefficient narrative information? If so, please provide.

As there are multiple ways companies derive their coefficients, there is no standard format required for the coefficient narrative.

26. L-2 BID PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS, 2.0. Specific Instructions, SUBMIT THE

FOLLOWING:, 2.1.6. Chapter 5 - Coefficient Narrative instructs the KTR to include bond premium and Section 01 04 00 Unit Price Book and Software Requirements, 1.2.17 notes that 01 31 13.90 Performance bonds are available for use when preparing estimates—is the coefficient supposed to include bonding or is bonding costed per TO?

Please clarify.

Bond costs can be included in either the coefficient or the cost estimates. Offerors should be aware of the limitations and risks associated with each option and build their coefficients as is best appropriate for its business and are reminded that award will be made to the three lowest priced, responsive, reasonably priced, and responsible bidders.

27. Section 01 04 00 Unit Price Book and Software Requirements, 1.2.17 DIV 01

Subcategory Items, please confirm these items are NOT included the coefficient as part of the General Administrative expenses.

The list of Categories/Subcategories in SABER Master Specification 01 04 00 paragraph

1.2.17 are those that are authorized for use in cost estimates. Offerors may include those costs in their coefficients should they chose. However, offerors are reminded that award will be made to the three lowest priced, responsive, reasonably priced, and responsible bidders.