SABER Questions and Answers.pdf

SABER Questions and Answers Solicitation FA4897-10-R-0005

23 July 2010

The following is a list of comments/questions sent to 366 Contracting Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, ID:

1. Question: At what date did 8(a) firms need to have a bona fide branch office in Idaho?

Answer: SBA Boise District Office replied with the following information: “In order for an out of state 8(a) firm to establish a bona fide office in Idaho they must contact their servicing district office to submit the proper documentation to the Boise District Office.

Once our office receives the package from the SBA District Office we will conduct a site visit and review. To apply for a specific 8(a) Competitive Solicitation, such documentation must be submitted at least 15 working days before initial offers that include price are due.” Please contact the Boise SBA if you have further questions at

(208) 334-9004 x349.

2. Question: We currently have some IDIQ contracts that are still being performed and would like to use some of the individual task orders for our past performance. Is this acceptable?

Answer: As long as the projects meet the definition of recent and relevant as outlined in the solicitation: Section L, General Instruction (3) Past Performance.

3. Question: Please confirm that project supervision and labor burden is to be included in our coefficient.

Answer: The answer to this question can be found in Section B of the solicitation under Special Instructions, Coefficients, b. “Offered coefficients must contain all allocable and allowable Contractor costs…….

4. Question: Could you please address the Design portion of the coefficient?

Answer: Please refer to Section B of the solicitation, page 4, SABER Project Design/Estimating. Also refer to the SABER statement of work section 4.1.2.

5. Question: What are the Davis Bacon rates for this project?

Answer: Since the sample project is to build a warehouse, the wage determination is “Building”. Refer to solicitation attachment 2.

6. Question: Will 8” CMU, split face masonry walls wrap around the perimeter of the metal building at 8’ high? I’m assuming the CMU will be 4” thick. With the room dimensions and the width of the bldg. dimensions, the 3-5/8” studs and the 5/8” drywall leaves only room for 4” thick CMU walls. You’ll also loose ½” to one of the rooms. Is this a correct assumption?

Answer: Refer to solicitation attachment 9, SABER Sample Project Statement of Work (SOW), page 1, Masonry, second item. “Lower exterior walls to be 8” CMU, split face, and fluted…”

Building dimensions on the government drawing are nominal dimensions, conceptual in nature.

7. Question: Will bollards be required? If so at what locations?

Answer: Bollards will be required on each side of the roll-up door, interior only.

8. Question: 3000 PSI slab on grade line item is not available in the RS means book as required in the SOW. Will 3500 PSI be allowed for the flatwork and thickened edge line items?

Answer: 3000 PSI concrete is available as an individual line item in R.S. Means, despite its omission as an assembly, i.e. “slab on grade”.

9. Question: In the SOW under concrete it mentions 6” slab with WWF. Does the WWF abbreviation stand for Welded Wire Fabric?

Answer: WWF refers to Welded Wire Fabric.

10. Question: In the SOW under concrete it mentions FFE to be 2996.00. Does the FFE abbreviation stand for Finish Floor Elevation?

Answer: FFE refers to Finish Floor Elevation

11. Question: The solicitation mentions that cost work is to be used for the sample project. Will estimates using e4 clicks be acceptable? e4 clicks contains the RS means line items.

Answer: Any R.S. Means based method of estimation will be accepted for the sample project. CostWorks will be required for contract performance.

12. Question: Should we plan on insulating the wall that separates the warehouse area from the office area?

Answer: The wall separating the warehouse and office should be insulated to R22.

13. Question: Should we plan on insulating the wall that separate the mechanical room from the office area?

Answer: Insulate the wall between the mechanical room and the office area to R22.

14. Question: At the site visit the Government mentioned that the drawings and SOW were conceptual. If we see areas that require items beyond that mentioned in the SOW should we include them? Will this affect the overall grading of the sample project if we include items others than those mentioned in the SOW?

Answer: The drawings and the sample project SOW are conceptual. All designs and construction should be in compliance with the solicitation attachment 1, SABER Statement of Work, Unified Facility Criteria, NFPA, etc.

For further reference refer to Section M of the solicitation, page 64, Evaluating Technical Proposals (Sample Project).

15. Question: If the building size changes slightly from solicitation floor plan due to CMU thickness and bond beam location will this affect the overall grading of the sample project? If the building is to stay the same size then the interior room dimensions will change slightly.

You’ll lose approx. 8-1/2”. Or we could increase the bldg. size by 8-1/2”. This is the case if you use 8” thick CMU.

Answer: Refer to solicitation attachment 9, SABER Sample Project SOW, page 1, Masonry, second item: Lower exterior walls to be 8” CMU, split face, and fluted…

Dimensions on the government drawing are nominal dimensions, and conceptual in nature. The contractor should exercise professional judgment during design.

16. Question: Is the government bringing the gas line to the building? If I understood correctly the contractor will pick up connect at the government installed meter at the building.

Answer: Refer to solicitation attachment 9, SABER Warehouse Project Assumptions, page 4: Natural gas lateral and meter bar supplied by others.

17. Question: At the southeast intersection of Liberator Street and 1st avenue sets a power pole with existing risers. Should we assume picking up power for the bldg. at this location? Should we plan on boring under the road or trenching?

Answer: Refer to solicitation attachment 9, SABER Warehouse Project Assumptions, page 4: Existing primary electrical has adequate capacity at nearest sectionalizer.

For further reference refer to solicitation attachment 1, SABER Statement of Work, section 1.5.3.9: Utility installations for crossing streets, sidewalks, curbs, or gutters…

18. Question: In what appears to be a break room on the floor plan it looks like a countertop with a sink and next to that there is a box that I would assume is a drinking fountain. There is no mention of this in the scope of work. Will you please clarify what these are?

Answer: Refer to solicitation attachment 9, SABER Sample Project SOW, page 2, Plumbing, sixth item: Install refrigerated drinking fountain.

(end of Questions and Answers)