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Questions and Answers for Region-wide A/E IDIQ
Q:
Can you please confirm that these services will replace the work that is being performed under current contract # GS05P09GBD0008- 12, GS05P09GBD0017, GS05P09GBD0020.
A:
This procurement will replace the above listed contracts.
What is meant by a “partial small business set aside”?
A:
This means that the GSA intends to award some of the contracts resulting from this procurement to small businesses and some to other than small businesses.
Q:
Does partially set aside mean that some of the anticipated 3-5 contracts will be awarded to Small Businesses but not all?
A:
Yes, the GSA intends to award some of the contracts to small businesses, and some to other than small businesses.
Q:
The solicitation has a small business set aside of $7 million. Would firms that are not a small business by these standards be precluded from submitting or given consideration?
A:
Since this procurement is only partially set aside for small businesses, no, non-small businesses are not precluded from submitting and being considered for award.
Q:
Are non-small businesses permitted to respond as a prime?
A:
Yes, non-small businesses are permitted to respond as a prime contractor.
Q:
How many small business firms are you anticipating selecting out of the 3-5 contracts awarded as part of the partial small business set aside plan?
A:
The GSA intends to award approximately half of the contracts to small businesses.
Q:
Would you consider using either an SBA Mentor Protégé agreement or one that the firm’s set up for themselves?
A:
The GSA will not be considering submissions for this solicitation under the Mentor Protégé Program.
Q:
Can firms submit as a joint venture?
A:
Yes, as stated in the announcement, joint ventures are permitted. Please be advised that if your firm submits as a joint venture: your firm size will be evaluated based on the combination of the the two firm’s financials; all written and portfolio submission limits apply, you can not submit more pages or sample portfolio projects; there must be a single Lead Designer identified that will lend his/her overall design vision to the contract.
Q:
Can we form a Joint venture between 2 architectural firms to lead the project? Our experience has been that the GSA prefers to have one firm lead and other firms work in a consulting capacity. Could you share the GSA opinion of Joint Ventures versus Consulting Arrangements?
A:
Please see above answer. The combination of firms that form a joint venture is entirely at the discretion of the firms forming the arrangement. Historically, since this contract has been solicited as a partial small business set-aside, the GSA has observed limited benefit to firms forming such relationships for the purpose of proposing on this contract, as opposed to utilizing a traditional prime/sub relationship. However, it is each firm’s individual responsibility to determine the best approach for their company when forming any business relationship and pursuing any contract.
Q:
We understand that we are to only list 6 team members (firms) as part of our team under section C of the SF330 form. Is it expected that these 6 firms will be able to cover all of the disciplines and expertise that are listed in the synopsis?
A:
No. This list of six should include your firm and up to five consultants. The consultants you list in this section should be your most important/largest consultants. Given the indefinite nature of this contract, not all consultant requirements can be planned for at this time. Additional specialty consultants will be brought on board as needed. This list is intended to be those team members you can identify now and you feel contribute/fill out your team the most.
Q:
It is not clear to us in the solicitation whether we are supposed to include mechanical, electrical etc.. as part of the “team”, including the required “6 team members” to be listed, or if this is for you to select Architectural firms in this first round, and then we will propose a complete team for round 2.
A:
Please see above answer. You are to provide those consultants that you feel complete your team the best. You can provide up to five consultants. Which disciplines you provide is up to you. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of consultants, more can be added as required after award of the contract. This is your only chance to submit written information, therefore a well rounded team is expected. There is no “round 2”. Should the GSA find it to be in their best interest, there may be interviews of the short-listed teams to clarify this written submissions.
Q:
Do firms need to include their entire list of subconsultants at this stage?
Comment by jennifer.calik: Camdon, Please review and provide your feedback.
Comment by jennifer.calik: Camdon, Edits made, please review
Comment by camdon.hindes: Just added the (5)
A:
Firms should provide information on as many consultants as they feel complete their team the best, up to the maximum limit specified in the announcement (5). See above answers.
Q:
If a firm has both architecture led and interior design led projects that meet your criteria, is it possible to submit both project types?
A:
Yes, but all limits on the number of submitted sample projects apply.
Q:
Can you clarify what hazardous material removal services would be required by the A/E firm?
A:
Any hazardous material removal services required of a vendor as a result of this solicitation would be limited the design services related to the removal of the waste. Given the indefinite nature of this contract, we do not know if any of the projects will require hazardous material removal and of what variety.
Q:
Can you divulged some of the project types that might be under consideration for this round of IDIQ?
A:
No. Given the indefinite nature of this contract, the amount, size, or type of projects that will be pursued under this contract are unknown. Historically, typical projects that utilize services off of this type of contract are studies for all sized projects and design services for repair and alteration projects with estimated construction costs below the prospectus threshold (currently $2.8 million).
Q:
Is it better for our team to concentrate in one area of the Midwest rather than cover the entire region?
A:
The purpose of this contract is to provide Architectural and Engineering services for projects throughout the GSA, PBS, Region 5 (as defined in the announcement). As such, firms must be able to perform the requested services across the entire region. Please refer to Evaluation Factor II.
Q:
Is it permissible to simultaneously submit as a prime contractor and as a consultant on another firms submittal?
A:
Yes, this is permissible.
Q:
In the Supplemental Standard Form 330 Instructions, Section C. You have stated “Do not modify the form by providing more than six proposed team members”. In Section E you state ”Do not provide any more than six key personnel”. Are you just restating the comment from section C or do you mean to say “Do not submit more than 6 team members and Do not submit more than 6 resume’s per team member”?
Comment by jennifer.calik: Camdon, Edits made, please review
Comment by camdon.hindes: Add last sentence?
A:
In section C, firms are limited to providing information on 6 team members (firms), including themselves. In section E, firms are limited to providing resumes for 6 key personnel (people). Not all firms provided in section C need to be represented by a key personnel resume in section E. Identification of who are the Key Personnel is up to the submitting firm.
Q:
Is it acceptable to print the SF330 responses to the Great Lakes IDIQ double sided?
A:
Yes.
Q:
Is it acceptable to utilize tabs for organizational purposes?
A:
Yes.
Q:
A:
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