RESPONSES_TO_CONTRACTOR_INQUIRES.doc

RESPONSES TO CONTRACTOR INQUIRES

001: Section 3.2 of the Solicitation requests past experience and performance and a demonstration of ability and success working on projects of similar size and scope anticipated under the contract. What is the anticipated size and scope of the projects? How much of the work is anticipated in the Great Lakes regions? As a small business, what type of geographic range are you anticipating for the selected small business?

Answer: Award of Task Orders under this IDIQ contract will vary from a minimum of $3,000.00 to a maximum of $2.5M per task. It is unknown the amount of work to be performed in the Great Lakes regions. The small business(es) will be expected to cover the geographic range identified in the announcement which states, “Services may be required in any of the United States, U.S. territories, or any place where the USCG may have a mission interest. However, a majority of the work would be performed at USCG facilities along the coastal United States (ocean, Great Lakes states, and inland rivers) and U.S. territories.”

002: As a small business, we would be interested in pursuing this contract with named, large business teaming partners. We would have established teaming agreements in place and included with the solicitation response; however, we would not establish a JV. In this case, can a small business with named teaming partners use the entire team’s capabilities to meet the evaluation criteria defined in the solicitation? Additionally, when addressing evaluation criteria which discusses performance of work “in house” or with “in house personnel” (3.3a, 3.3b, 3.4c), would performance of the work by any formally named team member constitute performance of the work “in-house”, as described in the solicitation?

Answer: As stated in this announcement, any resulting contract with a small business will include FAR Clause 52.219-14 -- Limitations on Subcontracting. This clause states, “At least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern.” Small business concerns are allowed to have sub-consultants, but must comply with this clause. Sub-consultant experience may be used to respond to this notice, but it will not be considered in house. Any teaming relationships will be considered sub-consultant relationships with the prime small business entity.

003: For project write-ups, are both IDIQs and Task Orders acceptable?

Answer: Yes.

004: Are completed projects, as well as ongoing projects, acceptable in Section F?

Answer: Yes.

005: Is there a limit to how old a project can be?

Answer: No.

006: Is there a specific number of projects that should be included in Section F?

Answer: Follow the instructions in the SF330. The SF330 specifies 10 projects unless otherwise indicated by the agency.

007: Are projects for both government clients as well as private sector clients acceptable in Section F?

Answer: Yes.

008: The solicitation states that only resumes for the 21 positions listed should be submitted; however, is it acceptable to submit more than one resume for any position?

Answer: Yes.

009: Do Part IIs count in the limit of 80 pages?

Answer: Yes.

010: Can you clarify what is meant by the attachment required for the organization chart?

Answer: Provide an organizational chart of the team you propose in Section C for this contract showing lines of authority and position titles/roles.

011: Can you please define the requirements you are looking for to fill the position of “staff engineer”?

Answer: Bachelor of Science in Engineering, or equivalent.

012: Can you please define the acronym “EMS”?

Answer: Environmental Management System.

013: Do you anticipate any of the scope of work items to include divestiture?

Answer: Yes.

014: To what extent do you anticipate remediation to be included in the scope of work?

Answer: Remediation may be performed under the scope of the contract, but only under special circumstances. The special circumstances are: incidental work under an A/E contract (FAR 36.601-3(d)), work that is urgent and compelling (FAR 6.302-2 or FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(A)), remediation services that are not severable from the A/E studies because of the level of quality required (FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B)), and remediation services that are not severable because the services are unique or highly specialized (FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B)). However, the firm may perform with greater frequency, remediation scoping, design, planning, specification, engineering analysis, cost estimating, selection, regulatory and public coordination, oversight, maintenance, and monitoring.

015: Are you looking for small business goals to be included in the SF330, or will that be discussed only after award?

Answer: Large businesses will be required to submit a subcontracting plan in accordance with FAR 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan upon submission of their cost proposal should they be chosen for contract award, i.e. after selection for award, but will be agreed upon prior to award.

RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS AS OF 13 NOVEMBER 2012:

016: Please define the role of Project Manager and whether or not this role would actually be performed by more than one person. If the USCG envisions more than one person taking on this title, may we provide resumes for those we would have fulfill this role?

Answer: Since a Project Manager is someone who manages a project, and since it is conceivable that one company could have multiple and varied projects, then more than one Project Manager may need to be utilized. Feel free to provide resumes as you see fit to answer the SF330 and Solicitation.

017: What types of environmental services may be required for ATON?

Answer: Common examples are, environmental investigations (e.g., CERCLA investigations), environmental liability determinations, environmental compliance support and analysis, environmental planning and analysis (i.e., connected to direct Federal actions such as major maintenance or divestiture), and pollution prevention assessments. Other services within the general scope of this contract may also be performed.

018: Are 11X17 pages counted as 2 pages per side?

Answer: No. One side of an 11X17 page counts as one page. A double-sided 11X17 page counts as 2 pages.

019: Are Part IIs forms to be included in this submittal and if so, are they excluded from the total allocated page count?

Answer: Part II forms are to be included, but they will now be excluded from the 80 page limitation. Please include a separate Part II for each branch office and each sub-consultant as applicable to this announcement. See revisions to the announcement via Amendment 0002.

020: We understand that Part IIs will be included in the 80 page limit. However, is it acceptable to include just one Part II for the Prime’s corporate headquarters, and one Part II for each additional subconsultant’s corporate headquarters, or do individual Part IIs need to be included for each branch office used in the proposal?

Answer: See previous response.

021: Including the SF330 Part II in the total page count will limit our ability to be responsive to all of the requested/required content for Part I. Will the USCG reconsider the previous inquiry response and allow the 80-page limit to be applicable only to Part I of the SF330?

Answer: See previous response.

022: Due the relatively short duration for response to this solicitation and given the Thanksgiving Holiday falls within that short duration, will the USCG consider extending the due date of the SF 330 submittals to Wednesday December 5, 2012?

Answer: No.

023: Response due date: Will the government consider extending the due date to December 7, 2012 as there are two holidays – Veterans Day and Thanksgiving – in November?

Answer: No.

024: Response due date/time: Will the government consider extending the time at which responses are due?

Answer: No.

025: In the first paragraph under Submission Requirements, this language appears: “As an attachment, provide an organization chart of the proposed team showing the names and roles of all key personnel listed in Section E with the associated firm as listed in Section C. This attachment will be included in the total page count.” The question is: if we put the organization chart in Section D, will it meet the requirement of ‘an attachment’ from the Submission Requirements paragraph? Or do you want a separate organizational chart as an attachment for a total of two organizational charts?

Answer: One organizational chart is required and will be considered part of the page count. The explanation under Submissions Requirements, was intended for the organization chart listed in section D.

026: Will there be task orders set aside for the SB contract holder(s)? Or will the SB contract holder(s) be required to compete against the LB contract holders for task orders?

Answer: See Amendment 0001 to this announcement and the second paragraph of the Small Business section of this announcement.

027: If task orders are set aside for the SB contract holder(s), will the SB contract holder(s) also be allowed to compete with the LB contract holders for task orders?

Answer: Yes.

028: If more than one SB contract award is made, will the SB contract holders compete for task orders (in a SB pool if you will)?

Answer: Yes. See FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(F) which states, “In accordance with section 1331 of Public Law 111-240 (15 U.S.C. 644(r)), contracting officers may, at their discretion, set aside orders for any of the small business concerns identified in 19.000(a)(3). When setting aside orders for small business concerns, the specific small business program eligibility requirements identified in part 19 apply."

029: Does the applying firm have to be an architect or engineering firm?

Answer: Any firm applying for consideration on this contract shall be able to meet the requirements as described in the Description of Work section of this announcement. Meeting the requirements may be accomplished through in-house personnel or sub-consultants. Professionally stamped design documents may be required as a deliverable for a task order under this contract.

030: The Synopsis states that “All pages submitted will be considered as part of the page count with the exceptions of Part II – General Qualifications, joint venture paperwork as noted above, front cover, back cover and divider pages/tabs.” If we include a Title Page, Table of Contents, List of Figures, and/or List of Acronyms, are those pages excluded from the total page count as well?

Answer: Yes.

031: Please advise on what is meant by the following:

a.

Permitting and regulatory support, including professional certification.

Answer: To provide contractor support regarding environmental permitting and regulatory compliance. Contractor support includes professional certification of environmental permits and environmental plans where needed and applicable.

ANY ADDITIONAL INQUIRIES SUBMITTED MAY NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. (SEE LAST PARAGRPH OF SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS)