Q&As_HQ0034-17-R-0026.pdf

HQ0034-17-R-0026

Questions & Answers

January 13, 2017

Q1. pp. 1-2. Please clarify your small business goals. Is the goal 5% for all small businesses with the subcategories (SDVOSB, WOSB HUBZone) within that 5% for small businesses? Is the goal 38% of total subcontracted value? Or is the goal 38% of entire awarded value?

A1: pp 1-2 of the Synopsis has been updated with strikethrough and bold red font to reflect/include the following:

To be considered for award, the Small Business Participation Plan shall demonstrate how the offeror, for each task order exceeding $100,000 awarded under this contract, shall meet a minimum 35% of the total task order value being performed by small business concerns.

Q2. p. 3, Evaluation Factor 1. The RFP requests five projects “with the design completed within the past 7 years.” On page 4, the RFP states that the Section F shall be completed. Please confirm that design alone of the five projects must be complete.

A2: Page 4 of the Synopsis has been updated with bold red font to reflect the following:

Projects submitted on the SF 330 in Part 1 Section F shall be completed design projects (client accepted the final design package for DBB or DB). Projects where the design was not completed will be excluded from evaluation consideration. If the client accepted the final design package but chose not to construct; provide reason(s) in Section F.

Firms that submit projects where construction has been successfully completed and client accepted the final design package for DBB or DB in accordance with the offeror’s design, will be rated more favorably. A floor plan, site plan, or other appropriate drawing, and a minimum of two photographs must be included for each project where construction has been completed.

Q3. p. 3, Evaluation Factor 1. For the fifth project (campus/installation-wide master planning, sustainability or energy audit project), are those elements in order of importance? For example, would a campus master plan be scored higher than an energy audit project?

A3: The projects are not listed in any order of importance.

Q4. p. 5, Evaluation Factor 2. We would expect an electrical engineer and perhaps other categories to be included as key personnel. Is the offeror to define key personnel beyond the list provided, and will additional positions (as identified by the offeror) be scored under this evaluation factor?

A4: The Synopsis has been updated with bold red font to include an electrical engineer in the list of key personnel. Firms may submit additional key personnel which will be evaluated.

Q5. p. 5, Evaluation Factor 2. Are you requiring copies of professional licenses? Item b) requires “education, experience, registration,” while on page 8, Submission Requirements, the RFP states that proof of licensure is outside of the page count.

A5: Proof of Licensure is required. The Synopsis has been updated in bold red font to reflect this change.

Q6. p. 5, Evaluation Factor 3. May we provide a CPARS/ACASS evaluation instead of a Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) and will it be scored in the same way?

A6: Page 6 of the Synopsis has been updated with bold red font to reflect the following:

Yes, Firms are to submit a completed CPARS/ACASS Evaluation (if available) for each project. Firms that do not have a completed CPARS/ACASS Evaluation for a project, are required to submit a Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ).

The Past Performance Questionnaire will be scored in the same manner as the CPARS/ACASS Evaluation.

Q7. p. 5, Evaluation Factor 3. Please confirm that design alone, representing completion of the offeror’s work, of the five projects must be complete for past performance evaluation. For example, if our role on a project required bridging design or RFP document preparation for a design-build solicitation will the project be considered complete if construction has not been completed.

A7: Design must be successfully completed for projects submitted under the past performance evaluation factor to be evaluated.

Q8. p. 6, Evaluation Factor 4. Organization charts in an SF 330 are usually in Section D. Do you want to see the same organization chart in Section H, too?

A8: The organizational chart may be attached in Section D or in Section H, but not in both sections.

Q9. p. 8, Submission Requirements. Please confirm that the SF330 Part IIs are not included in the page count?

A9: SF330 Part II is not included in the page count.

Q10. p. 8, Submission Requirements. Please confirm that the cover, back and dividers/tabs are not included within the page limit.

A10: Cover, back and dividers/tabs are not included in the page count as there is no content on those pages.

Q11. Page 3 of the synopsis states “Provide up to 5 total relevant projects with the design completed in the past 7 years from the date of this Notice.” Page 4 of the synopsis states that “Projects submitted on the SF 330 in Part 1 Section F shall be completed projects. Projects not completed will be excluded from evaluation consideration.”

Does this statement on Page 4 refer to the A-E’s design or the actual construction? These statements seem to be contradictory if the completion refers to construction.

A11: See response to question two (2).

Q12. Evaluation Factor 2. identifies several Key Personnel. Among them is a Scheduler.

Factor 4 identifies additional minimum disciplines. Among them is a Sustainable Development Person. Pleased identify the Registrations/Certifications required for those disciplines.

Synopsis has been updated with strikethrough and red font to reflect the change.

A12: PMI-SP is preferred certification for the scheduler. Sustainable development personnel is deleted from Evaluation Factor 4.

Q13. Is it required to send in a both an ACASS or CPARS and a PPQ or will one or the other do?

A13: See response to Q6.

Q14. Is it permissible to use a PPQ that we have submitted on other proposals as long as it addresses the same questions?

A14: Yes, as long as the PPQ meets the requirements in the synopsis for recent and relevant Past Performance.

Q15. Would the Government please confirm that successful offerors (and their sub consultants) for this procurement are prohibited from priming or subcontracting on the Construction Management Technical Support Services re-compete, the solicitation for which is expected to be issued around January 2017?

A15: The A-E Firm selected for this requirement will be prohibited from priming or subcontracting on the present and future WHS Construction Management Technical Support Services contract and, potentially, evaluated on a case-by-case basis, any other procurement that utilizes the offeror’s work under the contract awarded pursuant to this synopsis.

Q16. The submission requirement for Evaluation Factor 1 states that the five relevant projects are to have design completed, does a completed design mean 100% of the design is completed or 100% of the construction must be completed? The contact may be at 35%, with the design at 100%.

A16: See response to question two (2).

Q17. A follow-on to the question above. If the base scope of a project is complete and the contract is still not closed out because the Client wants to issue a contract modification to add scope, can the project be considered complete for purposes of Evaluation Factor 1?

A17: Projects evaluated under Factor 1 shall be completed design projects where the client has accepted the final design package for DBB or DB projects.

Q18. Is proof of licensure required for the proposal?

A18: Yes, see response to question five (5).

Q19. If we submit five projects for Evaluation Factor 3 that are different from the five Section F projects for Evaluation Factor 1, do we submit the additional five projects for Evaluation Factor 3 in Section F or Section H?

A19: See synopsis “Evaluation Factor 3 Past Performance (SF330 Part I, Section H)”.

Q20. At the bottom of Evaluation Factor 8, there is a sentence: “Firms do not submit data for this factor.” Please clarify.

A20: In accordance with PGI 236.602, the Government will use data extracted from the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS).

Q21. Are Part II forms considered part of the 75 page count?

A21: See response to question nine (9).

Q22. We are a small business consultant who wish to submit as a Joint Venture (JV) with another small disadvantaged business consultant. As a JV consisting of small business enterprises are we required to submit a Small Business Contracting Plan?

A22: As stated in the synopsis: “A small business, if selected for award, is not required to submit a Small Business Subcontracting Plan.” AND “Firms who are offering as a Joint Venture should include with their submission a copy of the joint venture agreement.

Failure to include the joint venture agreement will result in the firm’s elimination from further evaluation.”

Q23. Are all personnel required to have active security clearances? For example our Cost Estimator does not currently hold an active security clearance.

A23: All personnel requiring access to classified documents, CAD drawings, or sites shall have the appropriate active security clearance. Not every task order will require a secret clearance. If a task order is issued with a DD254 requiring a secret clearance, all prime and subcontractor personnel requiring access to classified documents, drawings, or sites must be a United States citizen and shall at a minimum, be eligible for access to classified information at the Secret level as verified through the Joint Personnel Adjudication System (JPAS). Firms must determine the personnel who will need a security clearance in order to meet the terms and conditions of the contract and resulting task orders.

Q24. On the bottom of page 1, the solicitation outlines the small business goals of 5% Small Business, 5% Small Disadvantaged Business, 5% Woman-Owned Small Business, 3% Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, 3% HUBZone. Is this the required breakdown, or only a suggestion?

A24: See response to question one (1).

Q25. Regarding the 5 project examples in Section F of the SF330, are all 5 project examples required to be from the prime, or can teams include projects from their subs?

A:25 As stated in the synopsis: Do not utilize experience of a proposed subcontractor to demonstrate experience. If the offeror served as a subcontractor on a submitted project, indicate the value and significance of the work the offeror provided as a subcontractor toward the performance of the overall project. The description should clearly describe the work actually performed by the offeror/team member as a subcontractor and the roles and responsibilities of each on the project, rather than the work performed on the project as a whole.

If a project was performed by a joint venture, and not all joint venture partners are on the team proposed for this contract, the offeror/team should specifically address the significance of the work performed by the joint venture partner offering/teaming on this contract.

If the project description does not clearly delineate the work performed by the entity/entities offering/teaming on this contract, the project could be eliminated from consideration.

Q26. Under submission requirements you list that Part 1 is 75 single sided 8.5x11 pages. Are 11x17 pages allowed if each counted as two pages? Would it be allowed in Section D for the Org Chart?

A26: Yes, 11x17 is allowed and count as one page each. Organizational Charts are allowed to be placed in Section D.

Q27. Regarding Past Performance Questionnaire Submissions: Are we able to submit a copy of completed CPARS/ACASS evaluations that have already been completed by our clients?

A27: Yes, Firms may submit completed CPAR/ACASS evaluations that have already been completed by clients as long as it’s a final report and it’s relevant in accordance with the synopsis requirements. Firms shall comply with requirements in the synopsis for Factor 3.

Q28. Also, are we able to submit previously completed Past Performance Questionnaires with our proposal, rather than requesting our clients complete new PPQ’s to submit directly to you?

Q28: The Government will not accept previously completed PPQs from potential firms themselves. PPQs for projects meeting the requirements in the synopsis for past performance must be submitted by the client directly to the Government points of contact.

Q29. Can the font be smaller than 11 point for charts, tables, and other graphics

A29: Font can be no smaller than 10 point for charts, tables, and other graphics.

Q30. Can an 11X17 piece of paper be used and counted as two pages?

A30: Yes, an 11x17 piece of paper can be used and will count as one page.