RFP_Question_and_Answers_Part_2_Amendment_9.pdf

Question 8

Section/Subsection Number: Section C (PWS) II B.1 - Pg.14

Question: Of the required 1,000 beds how many are for males and how many for females? How many beds in the short stay unit are for males/females or can the beds be in the unit without designation of gender? How many beds are required for each administrative segregation, disciplinary segregation and general population two-bed dorms, specifically for each gender in the facility? What is the expected length of stay for detainees at this location?

Answer 8

There are approximately 400 female/600 male beds on a daily average. The short stay unit consists of approximately 25 beds, and should be flexibly designed to allow for peak times for either gender. The Special Management units should have a combination of two-bed and single bed cells, with the bunk beds designed to minimize suicide risk.

Approximately10% of the total capacity for SMU beds is required; however, the makeup of the

SMU beds is flexible, provided the design meets the minimum requirements of the PWS, the

RFP and the design standards therein.

Question 9

Section/Subsection Number: Section C (PWS) II B.1 – Pg. 15

Question: What is the expected breakdown in the number of detainees, by gender, based on the different classification levels? What type of housing style is required for each classification level and gender (open dorms; 4-person rooms within a housing unit; individual 8-person rooms)?

Answer 9

The majority of the populations for both male and female gender classification levels are predominately Low Risk (Level 1) detainees. High (Level 3), Medium High (Level 2), and

Medium Low (Level 1.5) combined are expected to make up less than half of the current populations. The exact breakdowns by gender and classification level vary significantly throughout the year. The housing unit design should allow for adjustments should there be a surge in detainees at higher or lower classification levels.

The housing unit designs must meet the minimum requirements of the PWS, the RFP and the design standards therein. Housing units are encouraged to have innovative designs, such as including dorms where beds have low privacy partitions, separate rooms for quiet activities/programming and television viewing/exercise; or 4- person or 8- person rooms with sinks, tables and televisions opening into a common dayroom.

No housing unit should have more than 64 beds. At least four separate 8- person rooms (not opening onto a dayroom) must be included for vulnerable populations or special categories of detainees. These rooms should be more spacious, with ample seating and tables, bathrooms, space for activities, etc.

Question 10

Section/Subsection Number: Section C (PWS) II B.1 – Pg. 15

Question: Will cafeteria style meal service be only applicable to general population detainees?

Will feeding in the housing units be acceptable for the disciplinary segregation/ administrative segregation/short stay unit?

Answer 10

Yes, cafeteria style meal service is only applicable to the general population detainees. Feeding in the housing units will be acceptable for the segregation / administrative segregation, and short stay units.

Question 15

Section/Subsection Number: Section C (PWS) II.B4 ICE Administrative Space – Pg. 22

Question: For the ICE processing area how many hold rooms are required? What is the capacity required for each of hold rooms - male vs female?

Answer 15

The contractor has flexibility in determining the number of hold rooms required, provided the design meets the minimum requirements of the PWS, the RFP and the design standards therein.

However, they must have a holding capacity of at least 120, broken down into large, small, male, female and segregation rooms.

Question 17

Section/Subsection Number: Section C (PWS) II.B4 ICE Administrative Space – Pg. 23

Question: How many holding rooms does EOIR require and what is the capacity of each one?

Can we use one holding area for detainees awaiting hearing and another for those who are finished with their hearing?

Answer 17

The contractor has flexibility in designing the holding rooms for EOIR for court purposes, including the appropriate capacity, provided the design meets the minimum requirements of the

PWS, the RFP and the design standards therein.

Question 18

Section/Subsection Number:

Section II, B-Tasks, B.4 Additional Requirements, Part c- Communications Equipment – Pg. 25

Question: This section states contractor shall purchase, install and maintain a complete communications system in compliance with ICE specifications.

Can ICE please provide the stated specifications for the communications system?

Answer 18

This language has been revised in Section L of the RFP. Contractors shall propose the communications system in accordance with industry design standards, and must specify what those standards are in their proposal.

Question 19

Section/Subsection Number: Section C (PWS) II.B4 ICE Administrative Space – Pg. 25

Question: What space requirement does the government want for contact visitation? How much contact visitation is expected on a daily basis?

Answer 19

The Contractor shall provide detainees opportunities for both contact and non-contact visitation.

Contractors may determine what sufficient space is for this purpose, provided the design meets the minimum requirements of the PWS, the RFP and the design standards therein. However, the contractor must also provide sufficient space for attorney-client (detainee) rooms. Visitation space should be sufficient to support daily utilization consistent with the extended General

Visitation hours outlined by PBNDS 2011 and the RFP/PWS.

Question 24

Section/Subsection Number: Section C (PWS) III.B Receiving and Discharge – Pg. 35

Question: How many escorts per day/week/month are expected to be used for airport duties?

How many officers per detainee are required to provide escort on airport runs? How many detainees are expected to be transported to the airport each day? What are the hours of operations for airport escort duties?

Answer 24

Approximately 4 per week, 2 Officers per detainee, number and hours of operation vary.

Question 31

Section J: Attachment 1. Wage Determinations

Question: Please confirm that these Wage Determinations need to be utilized for any

Construction required. If so, please provide Wage Determinations for all areas within the acceptable area defined in the RFP.

Answer 31

Yes, Attachment 1 has been updated with this information.

Question 33

Section/Subsection Number: Section M5: Responsible Prospective Contractors

Question:

This section includes a number of evaluation factors that are not part of the submission requirements outlined in the RFP. With proposals absent of the information listed in the six bullet points, how does ICE intent to evaluate vendors on these requirements?

Have adequate financial resources to perform the contract, or the ability to obtain those resources;

Be able to comply with the required or proposed delivery or performance schedule, taking in to consideration all other business commitments

Have a satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics

Have a satisfactory performance record

Have the necessary organization, experience, accounting, and operational controls, Be qualified and eligible to receive an award under applicable laws and regulations.

Answer 33

The responsibility determination is completed in accordance with FAR Part 9 prior to award. It is not an evaluation factor that requires submissions by the prospective contractors.

Question 43

Performance Work Statement, VIII., Section I.

Question: How many single cells are required?

Answer 43

Approximately 10% of total capacity shall be single cells.

Question 44

Question: What is the ratio of cells to dorm?

Answer 44

Contractors have flexibility in determining this ratio, provided the design meets the minimum requirements of the PWS, the RFP and the design standards therein.

Question 45

Question: Can the cells have two bunks in them or just one?

Answer 45

Contractors may propose either, provided the design meets the minimum requirements of the

PWS, the RFP and the design standards therein.

Question 46

Section C, Part II. Performance Work Statement, Subsection

B.1 Detention Services

Question: Aforementioned Section/Subsection states “Historically, the majority of the Houston

AOR detained population is criminal alien.” However, the breakdown of how many detainees are criminal v. non-criminal is not articulated within the solicitation. Is the Department at liberty to provide an estimated percentage of criminal v. non-criminal detainees?

Answer 46

Refer to Answer 42. Estimated current percentages are 65% criminal, 35% non-criminal.

Question 51

Section/Subsection Number: Attachment C

Question: Please explain how Attachment C Past Performance Summary Sheet is to be completed. Should a Past Performance Summary Sheet be completed for each reference? Is the form to be used to provide the information required in section L.6 concerning Volume II Past

Performance?

Answer 51

Attachment C Past Performance Summary Sheet is to be completed by the offeror and included in its Volume 2. The Past Performance Questionnaires are not to be included in Volume 2.

These questionnaires are to be submitted separately and directly to the POC specified in Section

L. Section L has been revised to clarify.

Question 54

PWS/L. Facility Staffing Plan and Key Personnel

Question:

PWS, Section L, page 31, there are references to deductions of up to 20% in accordance to

Deliverables and Performance Standards for falling below 95% of staffing levels and Key

Personnel absences over five working days. Please clarify the specific Deliverables and

Performance Standards being referenced.

Answer 54

See Attachment A – QASP, Workforce Integrity.

Question 58

Exhibit A

Question:

Below are several questions regarding Exhibit A Service Contract Act – Price Adjustment

Proposal Adequacy Checklist.

a. Should the citation in the first paragraph to the FAR –read FAR 52.222-43 or -44?

b. Who is the “reviewer” referenced in the first paragraph? Please confirm that the

"reviewer” is the contracting officer, the individual authorized to approve REAs. If so, would ICE change the language to make sure it is clear who is being referred to?

c. Please confirm that the first paragraph does not grant the government any more rights than are provided by the FAR. In other words, if the Contractor meets the FAR requirements, the government will grant the full wage and benefit adjustment. Please confirm that the language in the first paragraph does not grant the government the right to refuse an adjustment where the FAR requirements have been met or to negotiate a lower adjustment than the Contractor is entitled to under the FAR provisions.

d. Bullet point 3 references an "employee seniority list." Is ICE referring to seniority at the specific facility where services are provided under the contract or with the contractor/company?

e. Bullet point 4 references “state-issued documentation of the workers compensation rate or documentation for the workers’ compensation insurance provider. . .” Please confirm that this sentence is requesting proof that Contractor is paying workers compensation.

f. Bullet point 6 references “financial formulas.” Please confirm that this bullet point is just asking for the information requested in FAR 52.222-43 or -44, which is the difference between the wages and benefits paid prior to the increase and the wages and benefits paid after. Is there any other formula ICE is referring to? If so, please describe what ICE is looking for here.

g. Bullet point 7 requests a “narrative explanation . . . that describes the basis of each element. . . [and] the calculation methodology.” Please confirm that this is intended just to be a statement that the Contractor has subtracted the prior wages and benefits from the post-adjustment wages and benefits in order to reach the difference between the two. If ICE is looking for some additional description, please provide what ICE is seeking here.

h. At the end of the document, ICE notes that common elements for adjustment may include the “Industrial Funding Fee.” Please explain what this is referring to. Please confirm that the Industrial Funding Fee is to be a fee paid to GSA as part of the GSA schedule and unrelated to the work that will be performed for ICE under the contract or to wages and benefits paid to SCA-covered workers.

Answer 58

a. It should be FAR 52.222-43 or 52.222-44.

b. Generally, the ‘review’ referenced will be the contracting officer. ICE is not planning to revise this language at this time.

c. The contract language represents the Agency’s authoritative interpretation of the relevant provisions of the FAR for purposes of this contract and the logistical requirements by which a contractor must demonstrate, consistent with the FAR, its entitlement to and the quantum of any adjustment. The paragraph is part of the contract and will be enforced as such.

d. The employee seniority list refers to employees covered by the SCA for whom

SCA adjustments could be sought under the contract and applicable FAR provisions if wage determinations are changed.

e. We cannot confirm as requested. The sentence speaks for itself and seeks information about the cost of workers compensation applicable to the SCA covered employees performing under the contract.

f. The bullet point speaks for itself. It seeks transparency into how the contractor calculates its proposed price adjustment.

g. We cannot confirm as requested. The sentence speaks for itself. The interpretation proposed by the question is an unduly narrow construction of the sentence, which seeks more than a mere certification that the contractor has performed the subtraction described in the question. The Agency declines to accept the invitation of the questioner to narrow the terms of bullet point

7. The purpose of bullet 7 is for the contractor to explain the basis of its proposed adjustment.

h. The Agency can confirm as requested in the question.

Question 60

Attachment 1: DOL Wage Determinations

Question: Are DOL Wages required for the proposed construction of a new facility or are they relative only to the operation of such?

Answer 60

DOL wages are required for both construction (Davis Bacon) and operations (SCA).

Question 61

Amendment 4

Question: In light of the extension of the due date for submission of proposals, would the

Department be willing to provide a new timeline regarding the anticipated date of award and subsequent issuance of a NTP?

Answer 61

All dates are subject to change. Detainee intake will begin at the end of the transition period.

Question 62

PBNDS/Facility Design

Question: (1) Does compliance with the 2011 PBNDS standards need to be 100% or will exceptions be made for existing facilities that can only comply with 90% of the standards. (2)

All things being equal and one submittal meets all of the 2011 standards and one does not, can the pricing overcome the standard requirement. (3) Is an open campus style design preferred over the traditional two story facility?

Answer 62

(1) ICE expects 100% compliance with mandatory requirements of the PBNDS 2011 (as opposed to the optimal requirements in the standards). It will consider exceptions to specific optimal requirements on a case-by-case basis as necessary based on physical limitations or other concerns regarding feasibility. Waivers of mandatory requirements may be granted only in rare and compelling circumstances; the most likely areas for waivers are for provisions that the contractor can demonstrate have no bearing on security, life and safety issues, or detainee rights, privileges, health, or general well-being. If there are any particular provisions the contractor anticipates difficulty in meeting, it should submit a detailed explanation of the reason, along with an estimate of any costs that would be required to achieve compliance, if realistically attainable.

(2) Price considerations are not a sufficient basis for waiving important mandatory requirements of PBNDS 2011.

(3) The agency prefers a design that maximizes the freedom of movement with as much time outside of the housing unit as possible, in additional to meaningful programming, recreation, and/or exercise opportunities within the housing units.

Question 63

Question: Normally facilities have auxiliary power for essential services, in the requirements it states, “The facility shall have 100% auxiliary power and be constructed to withstand a category five Hurricane.” Does this mean the facility shall be able to operate the entire facility and all functions on auxiliary power?

Answer 63

Yes.

Question 64

Section B: Option A: Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs

Question: Can the Government please confirm that this begins on August 15, 2017 (as revised in

Amendment 5)?

Answer 64

Question 65

Section/Subsection Number: Section B: Option A: Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs

Question: Contract term for both Option A and Option B identifies a 60-day transition period with full performance beginning October 16, 2017. Can you confirm that detainee intake will occur after the Transition Period and issuance of Notice to Proceed?

Answer 65

Question 66

Question: What is the assumed ramp-up time for detainees? How many detainees per week will be transferred to the facility? Can the government please provide an estimate as to how long ramp-up to the 750 bed minimum guarantee will take?

Answer 66

The government intends to move forward with the ramp-up plan proposed by the Contractor who receives the contract. It is anticipated the ramp up plan will move as swiftly as possible, considering the contractor is paid on a man-day rate.

Question 67

Question: Will the detainees be transferred directly from the incumbent contractor’s facility? If so, what level of intake screening will be required at the new facility? Will the detainee’s complete record be transferred with the detainee? Please specify what records will accompany the detainee to the new facility.

Answer 67

The transition from the existing facility to the new facility will be transparent to the contractor.

A ramp up plan for in-take of detainees will be coordinated and accepted by all parties. Yes, the new Houston CDF contractor will be required to provide a full intake screening of detainees.

Question 68

Question:

Should the Base Period CLIN 0001 have 304 days or 228,000 Bed Days?

Should the Base Period CLIN 0002 have 304 days or 76,000 Bed Days?

Should the Base Period CLIN 0003 have 10 months?

Answer 68

Yes.

Question 69

Question: Should the successful contractor expect intake of detainees to begin on 10/16/2017?

Answer 69