Cx_RFI_Responses_FINAL_FBO.pdf

Attachment J-1: Cx RFI Responses Dated: 05 May 2016 Pages: 7

Request of Information (RFI): Responses

Request for Proposal (RFP): # HQ0034-15-R-0136

Commissioning Services

RFI # Question Answer

001 Will the government allow the site commissioning past performance to be supplied by the subcontractor?

This requirement is a small business set aside. In accordance with

FAR SubPart 52.219-14 -- Limitations on Subcontracting, the successful offeror must follow the guidance set forth in the prescribed clause for subcontracting on this requirement.

002 Section 4.1.3.1 and 4.1.3.2 identifies major roles in the proposal. Can the requirements be reassigned to require the

PM to be a member of the prime contractor team instead of the Lead Cx?

The Lead CS is the primary contractor interface with the

Government Cx Program Manager and must work for the prime contractor. PWS paragraph 4.1.3.2 permits the Lead CS to also be a CS PM; in that instance both functions would be performed by prime contractor personnel.

003 Do all personnel need a secret clearance or can they be US citizens with background checks?

The successful offeror will be responsible for classified and unclassified work for the duration of this contract. Any personnel performing classified work will require a security clearance. PWS paragraphs 4.1.3.1-4 have been revised in Amendment 3 to reflect a SECRET security clearance requirement for some of the Key

Personnel so that performance of classified work can commence with contract award.

004 Is it a mandatory requirement to store classified document on site? Will the prime be required to store classified documents?

At this time all classified work will be performed on site and all classified documents will be stored on site. If a future task order requires classified document storage at a contractor facility that information will be included in the task order DD254.

005 Will there be travel allowance as part of the program? Should specific travel be bid or will a standard number be assigned?

All work is considered local, i.e., all sites are within the National

Capital Region (NCR). There is no travel allowance; any travel cost included in a bid will be rejected as non-conforming.

However, sample task order 0001 includes a site access and travel allowance by increasing FPT performance quantities by 20% for other NCR sites ( See Table 1 note)

006 Factor 3 section (Relevant Project is

Defined as) states that the prime contractor must be the prime contractor for commissioning projects. Can the subcontractor also participate in commissioning? Section 4.1.3 of the amendment seems to allow the subcontractor to commission if the prime cannot fulfil the requirement. The majority of the required expertise for this project must be part of the skill and experience set of the prime firm making the proposal. If the prime firm does not have sufficient skills to commission a specific system, the prime firm shall subcontract with a qualified party to do so.

See RFI 001 response. In addition, Standards for Evaluation in

Section M: Factor 1, sub-factor c; Factor 2, sub-factor b (3); and

Factor 3 have been revised in Amendment 3 to more clearly address prime and subcontractor participation and evaluation.

007 The Past Performance Data Sheet, Attachment J-L2, states that “contracts and subcontracts currently in process or

Section L.2 is correct. M.2, Factor 3 Past Performance, 1st paragraph has been revised in Amendment 3 to “within the last five (5) years”. However, Relevant Project definitions in the completed within the past five (5) years.”

This is in conflict with RFP Section M.2

Factor 3 Past Performance Relevance

Rating Scheme on page 81 of 84 that states “contract performance must have occurred within the last 36 months (three years) from the date of the proposal submission.” Please clarify.

rating scheme look at other timeframes to ensure that expired contracts are relatively current and recent contracts have a reasonable period of performance being evaluated.

008 Attachment J-L1 Past Performance

Questionnaire states that “Washington

Headquarters Services is currently in the process of soliciting offers for a contract for the purchase of Arc Flash Uniforms.”

We are assuming this is a mistake.

Please correct.

Corrected J-L1 Past Performance Form is included in Amendment

3 as a Word Document for ease of use.

009 Amendment 001, Section L.1.1 a: The table listing the Volumes, copies and page limits includes “Project Master List

– no page limit” for Volume III. Could you explain what this includes?

Item deleted in Amendment 3

010 Section M2 Factor 1, Sub-factor c on page 75 of 84. Is there any significance in the 13-24 numbering scheme for key personnel as opposed to 1-12?

Key Personnel numbering updated to reflect 1-12 in Amendment

011 Section M2 Factor 3 Past Performance on page 78 of 84 under Standard for

Evaluation. In the first paragraph under

2) it states “The offeror has performed similar work to that described in the solicitation on at least three (3) relevant projects of comparable size and complexity.” At the bottom of that same page under a. Relevant Project

Summaries it states Each offeror shall complete and summit summaries, as described below, for seven (7) projects –

.“ Could you please clarify?

Offerors should submit a minimum of three and a maximum of seven (7) relevant project summaries. It is expected that offerors will have at least three (3) relevant project summaries to submit.

Offerors without three relevant project summaries will be evaluated but may be considered limited or neutral confidence for past performance depending on the projects submitted by the offeror.

012 Is the NAICS code 541330 with a size standard of $15M (page 62) or is it or

541350 with a size if $7.5M highlighted on the cover page?

FAR SubPart 52.219-1 has been updated to reflect the correct

NAICS Code of 541350 with a $7.5M Small Business Size

Standard.

013 Will the rates proposed in the sample task be rates required for all future tasks?

Offerors are to propose rates for the Base Year and each of the four (4) Option Years per attachment J-B1. Task orders issued in the Base year will use the Base Year rates, task orders issued in

Option year 1 will use the Option year 1 rates, and so on. Offerors are to use the Base Year rates and proposed hours in Attachment

J-B2 for the Sample Task Order 0001 pricing.

014 Will the sample task be awarded? No, the Sample Task Order 0001 will not be awarded. However, multiple task orders will be awarded, as required, for different portions of the task order PWS. The Sample Task Order 0001 is used to provide offerors an idea of the types of work typically performed on the Commissioning Services Contract and it will be used, in conjunction with Attachment J-B2 to evaluate pricing as required in section M.

015 Will travel be bid based on the individual task order?

See RFI 005 response.

016 If an SME is necessary to provide services will there be a travel allowance provided?

See RFI 005 response.

017 Would an FBI SF-86 base security clearance badge be acceptable until project award

No. Offerors shall follow the security guidelines as identified in

Section M and paragraph 8 of the PWS.

018 According to the FBO posting, proposals are due on May 4, 2016. However, on page 1 of the Solicitation document, the proposals dead line is dated April 29, 2016.

The revised due date, which was posted as Amendment 0002 is now 18 May 2016 at or before 11am.

019 Does the Lead CS Specialist needs to be working onsite at the Pentagon, and if so, approximately what percentage of time?

No, however, offeror’s proposal should address whether off-site work is local or out of the NCR and how the Lead CS will perform duties, especially if outside of the NCR.

020 Will the government allow two small businesses to quickly (between now and proposal submission) form a Joint

Venture to meet the Secret Facility

Clearance and Commissioning Past

Performance requirements, respectively?

Can the small business companies provide these capabilities separately or must the JV entity have already been established and have the past performance as the JV?

If an offeror is already a joint venture (JV) that meets SBA requirements including the small business set-aside and Secret

Facility Clearance requirements it would be acceptable. However, a JV formed now would likely not be able to meet the requirements, e.g., the JV would not have been able to obtain an active Secret Facility Clearance prior to proposal submission.

Past Performance would be evaluated based on each relevant project summary submitted for the JV partner, subcontractor or team member. The offeror must show how the team member or subcontractor significantly contributed to the successful completion of the submitted project and how the JV partner, team member or subcontractor will contribute significantly to the successful completion of the solicited work.

To be considered for award, the proposing offer must meet the

Total Small Business status as the Prime Contractor and the Prime must have an Active Secret Facility Clearance at time of proposal submission as required, no exceptions. If you are proposing a teaming or subcontracting arrangement, each key personnel employed by a team member, JV partner or subcontractor must meet the qualifications for the key personnel, and all prime contractor, subcontractor, team member or JV partner personnel including key personnel that perform work on a task order must have a secret personnel clearance, which must be active on the proposal due date and remain current throughout the performance period.

0021 We are total small business and currently have an interim Secret

Facility Clearance Facility. Can we participate in this proposal?

All security clearances, both interim and active will be verified to satisfy the clearance requirements before moving into the source selection process as defined in section M.

0022 We assume a PECP is required for the

Prime only. Please advise if a PECP is required for any/or all sub‐

M-2 Pass/Fail: Professional Employee Compensation Plan (PECP) has been updated to include a required PECP from both Prime and

Subcontractors/Teaming Partners in accordance with FAR

SubPart 52.222-46.

consultants?

Subcontractors may choose any method that they desire to provide their PECP since it may contain proprietary information. Some methods used in past procurements have been delivering the

PECP directly to the Contracting Office, delivering the PECP sealed to the Prime Contractor and requesting confirmation from the Contracting Office that the contents were received in subcontractors sealed packaging, etc. Please choose what best works for your company.

0023 Both the J‐B1 and J‐B2 attachments are missing the Code Enforcement labor categories. Does WHS want to revise these documents to include these labor categories?

J-B1 and J-B2 are revised in Amendment 3

0024 The information required on the Past

Performance Data Sheet if supplied meeting 12pt font/1.5 spacing will not fit in the allotted space of the form nor in a one‐page length. Could the 12pt font/1.5 spacing proposal requirement be excluded for this attachment or the pricing ?

Offerors may use a smaller font, i.e., 8-11 for the Attachments J-

B1, J-B2, J-L1, and J-L2 only. All other proposal documents shall meet standard font size requirements.

0025 The Past Performance Data Sheet instructions list “completed in past five (5) years.” Should this item be revised to read

“three (3) years”?

J-L2 and Section M updated in Amendment 0002 to reflect

“within the last five (5) years”.

0026 Item 13 of the Past Performance Data

Sheet states to provide a summary not to exceed ONE (1) page length. Does this mean that each

Data Sheet should consist of a total two

(2) pages including this attachment which contradicts the page count on page 68 of the solicitation?

Yes, Attachment J-L2 will have the attachment and maximum one-page summary for a total of 2 pages. The total page count for this section is 14 pages for the 7 project summaries. Section L has been updated.

0027 Over the 5‐year IDIQ Contract, what is the anticipated ratio of Cx vs

Code Enforcement review services?

Commissioning – ~50%

Document Management – ~20%

Code Enforcement - ~30%

0028 What professional engineering services are anticipated to be provided by the

MEP Plan Reviewers? Could 10 years of substantial code enforcement experience along with ICC certification replace the need for a PE being required?

Plan Reviewer requirements are revised in the Amendment 3

PWS.

0029 Is WHS planning to conduct interviews? WHS is not planning to conduct interviews.

0030 The Past Performance Questionnaire states a due date of April 29. Is this date correct or should it be revised to read

May 4?

The revised PPQ with the corrected date is added to Amendment

0003 as a word document for ease of distribution.

0031 Is there a “live” Word‐format of the Past

Performance Questionnaire available for distribution – which would aid our references in filling out the form neatly?

See RFI 0030

0032 What volume does certificates and representations go in?

Certificates and Representations shall be submitted with your

SF1449.

0033 Please confirm the PECP is a requirement that only needs to be completed by the Prime Contractor. Will

DOD provide PECP format for small businesses to complete?

See RFI 0022. No, the format is up to the individual offeror but shall include the PECP factors found in section M of the RFP and in accordance with FAR SubPart 52.222-46.

0034 Will DOD provide PECP format for small businesses to complete?

See RFI 0033

0035 Please verify that the labor categories on form J-B1 can be changed to include all labor categories on key personnel list.

J-B1 and J-B2 are revised in Amendment 3

0036 PWS Sample TO #0001, p. 8, Table 2:

Please clarify if unit for ‘Total per Year’ column is actions or hours.

Tables 2-5 revised in Amendment 3 to reflect quantity is each, i.e., actions not hours.

0037 PWS Sample TO #0001, p.8, Table 3:

Please clarify if unit for ‘Total per Year’ column is actions or hours.

Tables 2-5 revised in Amendment 3 to reflect quantity is each, i.e., actions not hours.

0038 With regard to PWS Sample To #0001, p

9, Table 5: What percent or quantity should be assumed for labor categories

(in key personnel RFP para 4.3) in each project noted in Table 5?

Table 5 includes estimated hours of effort associated with each size of project. Offeror will propose the labor mix to accomplish the review.

0039 Please provide typical duration for projects of each size:

Small (~26 hours)

Medium (~96 hours)

Large (~320 hours)

Estimated hours and quantity of project reviews accomplished in the task order are already provided in Table 5. Duration of a task order is typically one year.

0040 Attachment J-B1, Pricing Schedule lists

10 different labor categories that require pricing. However, none of the listed labor categories are those key personnel labor categories listed in para 4.3.

Request clarification of this table and requirement.

J-B1 and J-B2 are revised in Amendment 3

0041 Section M requires submission of a

Professional Employee Compensation

Plan (PECP). Is a PECP required to be submitted by both prime and all subcontractors? If so, what method should be used by the subcontractor to submit PECP to the Government as this documents contains company proprietary information?

See RFI 22

0042 For pricing tables, J-B1 and J-B2, can the government provide excel spreadsheets?

J-B1 and J-B2 are provided in Excel format in Amendment 3.

0043 Request clarification of pricing requirement for Sample Task Order 0001

(Attachment J-B2). Per attachment J-B2, contractor is to input base year rates and proposed quantity of hours for each task.

Per Section M, Factor 4b, line item pricing shall include all labor, travel, indirect, and/or direct costs including, overhead, profit, and supervision.

See RFI 13

0044 Reference Section M Factor 3 – Past

Performance. States offeror must be prime contractor for commissioning projects. Request clarification of term offeror in this sentence. It is our understanding that in this context offeror is meant as the prime contractor and all subcontractor teammates submitted as part of the proposal and is not meant strictly as the prime offeror submitting the proposal. Request confirmation of this assumption.

See RFI 006

0045 Request clarification of page limitations for proposal. Section M states that proposal is limited to 75 pages; however, individual page limits in Section L are significantly less than a total page count of 75 pages. Are submissions limited to individual page limitations per Section L or 75 page total count as outlined in

Section M?

Follow individual page limits per Section L.

0046 Request clarification of pricing table J-

B1. It is our understanding that the hourly rates being submitted are fully burdened rates inclusive of all indirect burdens and fee. Please confirm.

All rates shall be fully burdened with all labor, overhead, profit, etc.

0047 One page 1 of the Amendment, 11a makes note of acknowledging receipt of the Amendment by completing Items 8 and 15, and returning ___copies. How many copies and when does acknowledgement of receipt need to be submitted?

Please acknowledge all Amendments when you submit your final proposal. Your acknowledgement is only a copy of Page 1 of each

Amendment with the completion of Item 8 and 15 on each amendment. Only 1 copy of EACH Amendment (Page 1 only) is required at time of submission.

0048 Will the Lead CS Specialist be working onsite at the Pentagon, and if so, approximately what percentage of time?

Refer to RFI 19

0049 Can one person can serve multiple key personnel positions

Refer to RFI 2. In addition, one person can serve multiple key personnel positions if the key personnel resume demonstrates the skills, education, PE licenses, etc. to support this and the management section of the proposal addresses the proposed configuration. The evaluation will consider whether multiple positions provided by one person increases performance risk or provides benefit to the Government.

0050 The pricing template J-B2 has hours pre-populated in section 2.2. Is this the level

Pre-populated hours are an error. J-B2 is revised in Amendment

3.

of effort expected by the Government or is the level of effort per the PWS?

0051 If a company was already in the process of obtaining a facility clearance would their bid for commissioning opportunity be considered?

See RFI 20

If a Joint Venture was in the process of being formed to capitalize on past performance, would the Joint Venture be allow to submit a bid for commissioning?

See RFI 20

0053 If a company is in the process of getting a facility clearance would they qualify for a joint venture consideration?

See RFI 0020

0054 Is fire protection systems commissioning included in this contract.

No. The OPFM fire protection services support contractor performs those services. PWS Paragraph 7.0 states that

Contractor commissioning effort for life safety systems is generally limited to coordination with and reporting of OPFM fire protection services support contractor commissioning results. The fire protection commissioning results are reported is in the monthly commissioning report identified in Sample task order

0001, paragraph 3.0/Table 2.