CTIMR_Area_1_Questions_and_Answers_Rev1_(Final).PDF.pdf

Comprehensive Tactical Infrastructure Maintenance and Repair (CTIMR) Work Area 1 – San Diego / El Centro Site Visit

Questions and Answers to Solicitation HSBP1013R0017

1. Will you accept CCASS evaluations in lieu of PPQ?

Answer: No

2. Will there be security for employees and equipment parked over night at sight?

Answer: The Government will not provide security (for personnel, equipment or materials, etc.). The Contractor is required to provide any security it deems necessary.

3. Travel times?

Answer: Reference Section 4.0, Paragraphs (e) and (f) of the Sample Work Plan Request (Attachment

3) for a list of all travel time assumptions.

4. Water cost?

Answer: The Government currently obtains water from local sources. However, the contractor will be responsible for arranging its own source(s) for water.

5. Did your team do a SS for 8(a), SDVOB, women owned, and Hub Zone prior to Small business?

Answer: Yes

6. Where can construction water be obtained for this project?

Answer: See Question 4.

7. Who is the incumbent on the project?

Answer: Karen M Spina (DBA) Cerrudo Services

8. What are the government estimates for each job?

Answer: This information is not authorized for release

9. Bid guarantees on paper work at least one place states 0%.With the unknowns of this project how will come to an agreement on bonds?

Answer: Amendment A00001 deletes this requirement

10. What is the mark‐up percentage to cost plus work?

Answer: There is not mark‐up percentage addressed in the RFP. However, in accordance with FAR 15.404‐4(c)(4)(i)(c), there is statutory fee rate limits for a cost‐plus fixed fee contract. As such, an offeror is responsible for proposing a fee structure that is in accordance with the instructions provided in Section L of the RFP.

11. Do contractors have to be union workers?

Answer: No

12. Can former PPQ from a different MATOC be supplied as PPQ for this RFP?

Answer: Offerors may use any past performance that it deems to be relevant, similar in both size and scope of the requirement, and in accordance with Section L of the RFP.

13. Are contracted personnel required to be badged? If so will badges be provided by Customs and Border

Protection to the contractors?

Answer: Reference Page 23 of the RFP, Section 6.1 of the SOW, which states, “Contractor personnel are also expected to wear identification badges that will allow the Border Patrol agents to positively verify they are Contractor employees. The Contractors shall be responsible for issuing the identification badges but the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) will provide the requirements for the identification (e.g., the overall badge size, photo size, and information to include).”

14. If you are a small business, can you subcontract/team with a large business or must all subs/ joint ventures partners’ ne small businesses?

Answer: The Government places no limitations on subcontracting/teaming arrangements, as long as the Prime is a Small Business and at least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel is expended for employees of the small business concern, in accordance with Clause I.30, 52.219‐14 LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING (NOV 2011) of the RFP.

15. Is there a contractor currently performing this work? If so can you provide the name of the current contractor?

Answer: See Question 7.

16. Can a team (under teaming agreement) submit a proposal with more than one prime?

Answer: The Government places no limitations on subcontracting/teaming arrangements.

17. Under a CPFF contract will there be an audit of the prime contractor before the work is started? Will there be periodic audits through the term of the contract?

Answer: Yes. The contractor must have an approved accounting system in order to bill the government. The initial step to determining the adequacy of the contractor’s accounting system is to complete a pre‐award survey (provided as attachment (13) in the RFP).

18. What security measures will be provided by the Government and what is required by the Contractor?

Answer: See Question 2.

19. What material/equipment will be provided by the Government and what is the Contractor expected to provide.

Answer: All available Government Furnished Material (GFM) is listed in the RFP (on Page 24, Section

6.4 of the SOW). Outside of available GFM, the Contractor is expected to provide all material/equipment necessary to meet the requirements of the RFP.

20. How will the offeror’s proposed cost be factored into the resultant contract?

Answer: The costs proposed for the Sample Work Plan activities (routine, urgent, and improvement) and Program Management CLIN will become the contract ceiling for the base period. The option period costs will be calculated by applying an escalation factor (as stated in Section L of the RFP).

21. How will the contractor work plan be developed? How will the estimated cost of each work plan

(provided by the Contractor) be incorporated into the contract?

Answer: Reference Section 3.1.7 of the SOW (Page 18 of the RFP), which states in part, “The Contractor shall develop a proposed work plan that identifies the Government‐directed and contractor‐ recommended work to be accomplished by work category and work classification to cover the COR‐ designated work plan period of performance, including a detailed cost estimate and associated basis of estimate for all proposed work activities and a schedule to accomplish this work.” The Government COR will provide any Sector prioritized requirements that should be included in the Contractor Work Plan. While it is the contractor’s responsibility to develop the Contractor Proposed Work Plan as part of its deliverables, the Government and Contractor will "work together" to finalize the work plan.

Once the final work plan is approved by the Government, the Contractor will execute the work plan.

22. Government supplied materials?

Answer: See Question 19.

23. Delivery of the government materials if any?

Answer: As stated in Section 6.4 of the SOW (Page 24 of the RFP), “the Contractor will be responsible to arrange for safe loading, transport and inventory tracking of all materials authorized to be used from the Government storage facility in Fabens, TX.”

24. What kind of soil stabilizer is the government using in San Diego sector and is the government providing said stabilizer?

Answer: Soil pack/lignin. See also Question 19.

25. What is the possibility of touring the border fence areas with Subcontractors? If at all possible, are there procedures in place for access?

Answer: Other than private property, the border fence areas are located on property that is accessible by the public. It is the responsibility of the offerors to identify which property along the California border is open to the public.

26. Will/Can previous repair data of say a one year period be posted to create a repair model scenario?

Answer: No.

27. Can large business team with small businesses?

Answer: See Question 14.

28. Can subcontractors team with more than one prime contractor?

Answer: See Question 16.

29. Will the briefings and list of attendees by posted to FBO

Answer: Yes.

30. Is the use of the Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) template required? Can a different PPQ format be used instead?

Answer: Use of the PPQ template is required.

31. Can you explain the bid guarantee requirement?

Answer: The clauses requiring a bid guarantee were deleted in Amendment 0001.

32. Are small businesses required to submit a Small Business Subcontracting Plan?

Answer: No, the requirement to submit a Small Business Subcontracting Plan was deleted in Amendment 0001.

33. Are lay down areas provided?

Answer: The Government has Government Furnished Material (GFM) stockpiled in Fabens, TX that is available for the Contractor’s use. A list of available GFM is provided in the RFP. Any other lay down areas the offeror deems necessary for executing the requirements will be the responsibility of the offeror.

34. How will security of equipment along the border be provided?

35. Can the Government provide a copy of the Independent Government Cost Estimate?

Answer: No.

36. Is the Government open to innovative techniques?

37. Can you provide further clarity on the Fee on Improvement Activities? Should the Fee for the

Improvement Activities be included in the Fee CLIN “upfront”?

Answer: Yes. The fee for improvement activities shall be proposed separately in the Fee CLIN.

38. The RFP states that it is recommended that teams travel in pairs? Is this a requirement?

Answer: For safety purposes, all maintenance, repair and project/improvement teams shall consist of at least two people.

39. Is private security a requirement?

40. With the due date of 2/7/13 be extended?

Answer: The proposal due date remains unchanged.

41. When was the current Work Area 1 contract awarded? How long has the incumbent been in place?

Answer: February 2013. The RFP is a re‐compete requirement.

42. Was the current contract awarded as a HUBZone?

43. Formats for the proposal calls for MS Office 2003. May we use Office 2010?

44. During the site visit it was stated that there will be no Government Furnished Materials; however, the solicitation (pg. 24) reflects that there may be some available. Please verify which is correct?

Answer: See Question 19.

45. The solicitation states that a Bid Guarantee is required; however, does not state percentage or dollar value; whichever is less?

Answer: This requirement was deleted via Amendment A00001.

46. The RFP states the Sample pricing given in the proposal will be used as a basis for the awarded contract.

What does this mean? Can you please explain further?

Answer: See Question 20.

47. What is the Shadow Fence Crew? What does shadow existing fence crew mean? What comprises the existing fence crew?

Answer: One of the requirements contained in the Sample Work Plan Request is to Shadow Existing Fence Crew. During this activity, the contractor will observe the current contractor and/or Government in the performance of specific fence and gate activity requirements for the number of hours stated in the Sample Work Plan Request.

48. Is it possible to get the names of the Interested Vendors from the Federal Business Opportunities website? Typically there is a tab on FBO with a link to this information. Otherwise, can we get the list of attendees from the site visit on January 7 and 8?

Answer: A list of site visit attendees is posted on FBO.

49. It is understood the NAICS code for this acquisition is 237990 – “Other Heavy and Civil Engineering

Construction”. This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in heavy and engineering construction projects (excluding highway, street, bridge, and distribution line construction). The work performed may include new work, reconstruction, rehabilitation, and repairs. In the Pre‐Proposal RFP Review conducted on Monday January 7, 2013 it was stated that in accordance with FAR 52.219‐14 Limitations on Subcontracting the small business Prime must perform at least 50 percent of the overall cost of contract performance. According to the FAR clause mentioned, this at least 50% performance requirement applies to “services” (except construction). In the same FAR clause it is written under “General Construction” that the concern will perform at least 15 percent of the cost of the contract, not including the cost of materials, with its own employees. Please clarify if this is a service or construction type acquisition and what percentage of the work as described in section C must be performed by the small business as there is confusion in this FAR wording and what was said at the RFP review meeting.

Answer: The primary requirement is for maintenance and repair “services” of existing infrastructure, some of which (as indicated during the site visit), are impacted by changes resulting from weather related events such as (flooding, debris, roads washout, etc.) and/or human alterations. It was also stated that the Prime must be Small Business and perform at least fifty percent (50%) of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be employees of the small business concern, irrespective of teaming arrangements.

50. What type of soil stabilizer is to be applied on El Centro FC‐2, 1.67 miles?

Answer: Soil pack/lignin

51. What type of aggregate and soil stabilizer are required for San Diego FC‐2, 30.52 miles?

Answer: Crushed aggregate (Class 2 base) and soil pack/lignin.

52. What is the average width of the road?

Answer: The width of the roads across Work Area 1 varies; however, the minimum width for each road type is 12 feet.

53. Where is the 30.52 mile section located?

Answer: The tasks included in the Sample Work Plan Request are to be used “only” for the purposes of developing a sample work plan (in the Technical Proposal) and costs (in the Cost Proposal). They represent “sample” requirements and required maintenance and repair actions to be performed by the Contractor.

54. Closest rock quarry to work area

Answer: The contractor will be responsible for arranging its own rock quarry source(s).

55. Closest water supply to work areas

Answer: See Question 4.

56. Location and size of laydown yard. Is it already fenced?

Answer: See Question 33.

57. What if the key personnel listed are no longer with the company when contract is awarded?

Answer: The contractor is required to comply with the provisions of Section H.1 (Page 32 of the RFP) before replacing key personnel on the contract.

58. Is this contract written so that it is favoring a “specific” contractor? The specs quote “specific” information that requires more to develop a competitive proposal. As such more time is needed. Trust you will extend the time for submission of the Proposal.

Answer: The requirement is NOT written to favor a “specific” contractor. The proposal submission is due in accordance with Section L of the RFP.

59. Section‐B Supplies or Service & Prices or Cost: Is the intent of items 60& 70 of this form to be the sum of all the fees & OH, G&A for all work associated with items 10,20,40 & 50from the cost template? By doing so are we fixing the total amount of the fee as lump sum payment regardless of the amount of work actually performed?

Answer: Yes. The contract type is a Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) contract

60. Section B‐ Supplies or Services & Prices or Costs: For item 90 ‐ improvement activity, is the price of one each intended to be the maximum amount of improvement $750,000 or $2,250,000, 3x’s that?

Answer: The estimated not‐to‐exceed (NTE) amount per individual improvement activity is $750,000.

The Government estimates that a total of three (3) separate improvement activities will be required each year (base year plus four option years (if exercised)). The total NTE ceiling amount for the Improvement Activity (CLIN 90), which includes the cost of three (3) improvement activities each year, will be incorporated into the total contract dollar value.

61. Please elaborate on the statement made at the site visit “the contractor will be paid the fee for improvement activity is performed.”

Answer: See Question 37.

62. Please elaborate on the statement made at the site visit “the amount bid for the base year, and subsequent 4% increase for the option years, is established the ceiling for the contract for each year.

Answer: See Question 20.

63. Section c‐62/ Safety Considerations: If for the safety of their workforce the contractor determines that private security is required to successfully perform the work, will the cost of that security be considered reimbursable?

64. Sample Work Plan Request: Reference the first item, PF255 Primary Bollard‐repair served bollard, as an example seen throughout the document. When the item specifies a quantity of 3 per week, is the contractor to price 3 per week x52 weeks for a total of 156 each bollard to be repaired?

65. Sample Work Plan Request: Reference is made to several styles of fence and improvements for which there are no typical details provided. For example PF255 Primary bollard is called out but there is no detail provided to guide the contractor in pricing the work.

Answer: Details and specifications on each fence type can be found in the TI Design Standards (Attachment 10 to the RFP).

66. Sample Work Plan Request‐ El Centro Fences/ VF300 Normandy: This work item specifically includes 2 hours of round trip travel time. Are we to assume that when travel time is not called out that the reimbursable hours of work will start when the crew arrives at and leaves the site? If the contractor feels travel time will be needed in items that it is not specifically called for is that time to be included in the Program Manager Support pricing?

Answer: See Question 3.

67. Sample Work Plan Request: In the San Diego Gates section there are several quantities missing in the “Each” column.

Answer: See Amendment 0002. The Sample Work Plan Request (Attachment 3) has been updated to include the number of manual vehicle gates, manual pipe gates, and manual pedestrian/monument gates in San Diego.

68. Sample Work Request:/Draining and Grate Systems: When the item is 385 each inspect culverts and the number of incidents is 1 per quarter, do we price inspecting 1 each culvert per quarter or 1 each 385 culverts per quarter?

Answer: The requirement is to inspect/repair 385 culverts each quarter.

69. Attachment 4‐ Cost Template Guide: Is the format provided only as an example or is the format to be used?

Answer: It is a recommended sample guide. If a different format is used, be sure to include all formulas from which to retrace the figures and include the cost breakdown and basis of estimate.

70. Is a separate cost breakdown required for every item in the sample work request or for groups of items?

In other words, for El Centro fences, is the requirement to provide 12 individual breakdowns or 1 for 12 items detailed in El Centro Fences?

Answer: Yes. The vendor is expected to provide a breakdown for each separate requirement listed in the Sample Work Plan Request. For example, for 18.2 miles of PF255 Primary Bollard (under El Centro Fences), the offeror should price out the cost for repairing severed bollard (3 times per week x 52 weeks). The offeror’s breakdown should include labor hours, labor rate, labor category(ies) , as well as any equipment, material, subcontractors, ODCs, and travel required.

71. Sample Work Plan Request, Section 3.2 Description of Work‐ Urgent Requirements: This section details a specific Sample Urgent Requirement but there is no bid item for an Urgent Requirement. Was the intent to price that work similar to the Sample Road Improvement Project? If so should there be a bid item added?

Answer: The cost for the urgent work requirement (stated in the Sample Work Plan Request) should be included under the Fence and Gate CLIN.

72. Page 89 ‐ "The three contracts must be at least 25% complete, and must be similar in size and scope to the requirements identified in the RFP and attachments." This seems strange that we can use a contract that has only been started for past performance. Normally they must be 95% complete. Seems unreasonable to assume any experience can be demonstrated. Please clarify if this requirement.

Answer: See Amendment A00002. This requirement has been revised to state, “The three contracts must have at least one year of performance history, and must be similar in size and scope to the requirements identified in the RFP and attachments.”