RFI RESPONSES Part I.pdf

RFI RESPONSES

N40085-21-R-2561 Water Testing Services Naval Submarine Base New London 19 May 2021

1. Can the government confirm that physical copies of the proposal is required to be submitted?

See response below (after RFI 3)

2. Would the Navy consider proposals be submitted only in electronic format in 2 separate volumes/documents for the Price and Non-Price Factors?

See response below (after RFI 3)

3. Proposal Delivery. If hard copy submittal is required, given the delays in delivery by US Mail and FedEX can the hard copies be hand delivered? If so, please provide location and instructions for hand delivery.

Response to 1, 2, &3:

An electronic format, separated into 2 volumes/documents (one for Price-Related Factors and one for Non- Price Related Factors), is acceptable as an initial submission, but a hard copy should also be delivered. As long as the electronic copy is received prior to the bid submission deadline, the submission will be considered valid. Electronic copies may be sent to kristin.zambarano@navy.mil and I will reply with a verification of receipt. Hard copies should be sent in a timely manner so that they arrive as close to the submission date as possible. A bid will not be disqualified if the hard copy arrives after the submission deadline, as long as the electronic copy was received on time. Hand delivery of hard copies is acceptable. They may be submitted Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:00AM and 4:30PM. Delivery information is as follows:

Attn: Kristin Zambarano PWD - B135, 1st Floor Naval Submarine Base New London Groton, CT If I am not in the office when a bid is hand delivered, please give it to another employee and they will get it to me.

4. Can the government please explain why this solicitation is issued under the facilities NAICS code 561210?

NAICS 561210 is for Facilities Support Services. It is the same NAICS used for the previous water testing contracts and is considered a common NAICS for “base facility operation support services”. Water testing is a service necessary to support base operations and therefore fits into this category.

5. Please clarify if the below text on page 76 of the PDF was added in error:

“a. The low offeror for purposes of award shall be the conforming, responsive, responsible offeror offering a technically acceptable proposal and (1) the lowest total price for Contract Line Items OR (2) the best value to the Government.

b. Offerors shall be submitted for the performance of work for the period identified in the "PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE" clause.

c. Offers are solitude on an "all or none" basis and FAR 52.216-16, "CONTRACT AWARD - NEGOTIATED" provision, Section L, is hereby modified. Failure to submit offers for all items and quantities listed shall be cause for rejection of the offer.”

This was included in error. Please disregard those three articles of text.

6. Given the limited page count for the technical proposal, would the Navy consider offerors use a font of 10 point minimum in the proposal?

A use of 10 point font minimum is acceptable.

7. Corporate Experience Form Attachment: Please confirm the Corporate Experience Form Attachment can be amended in format to include key personnel who have relevant experience, as requested in Section M B. Factor 2

- Corporate Experience, so long as all the information required is presented.

As long as all requested information is present, format may be adjusted to include key personnel.

mailto:kristin.zambarano@navy.mil

8. Section M B. Factor 2 - Corporate Experience. Please consider allowing Corporate Experience to be 2 pages per project, as a 12 point font limits the amount of data to be presented.

As stated above (see RFI 6) a minimum of 10 point font may be used. As a smaller font will be allowable, please keep Corporate Experience descriptions to one (1) page per project.

9. Section M C. Factor 3 - Past Performance. This factor requires submittal of CPARS and/or PPQs for up to 5 projects. The CPARS and PPQs are typically 3-7 pages each. Please confirm that the CPARS and PPQs required in Factor 3 Past Performance are excluded from the 25 page limit for the Non-Price Proposal/Technical Binder.

The CPARS or PPQ pages may be excluded from the total 25 page limit count for the Technical Binder. As a reminder, an Offeror shall not submit a PPQ when a completed CPARS is available.

10. Please clarify that the page limit of 25 pages is for the Factor 1 technical approach only and the factors 2 through 4 are outside of this limitation.

Per the language on Page 71 of the solicitation, Factor 1 responses shall not exceed 10 pages. The “complete” technical binder, including Factors 1, 2 and 4, shall not exceed 25 pages (allowing for the exception listed above in RFI 9 for CPARS or PPQ pages).

11. SUBASE Drinking Water Sampling Plan (Section J attachment J-1800000-03) was not provided online with the solicitation. Can this be provided?

The LCR, RTCR, and DDBPR attachments for Conning Towers, Nautilus Park, Trident Park, Polaris Park, and Main Base constitute the drinking water sampling plans.

12. Should training specific to SUBASENLON (A-4A-0026; RADON Annual training, associated training under ECATTS, etc.) be included in the total Contractor cost estimate?

This should be a determination made by the Contractor/Bidder. It is individual discretion as to how you wish to amortize training costs.

13. Will there be another RFI date before Contract Proposals are due?

There will not be another RFI date.

14. Section 2.3.3 of the 1800000 – Environment document states, “In the case of noncompliance, the Contractor shall assume legal and financial liability for the noncompliance and take corrective action immediately to remedy the noncompliance.” Can this be reworded so that the Contractor assumes legal and financial liability for the noncompliance if it falls within their scope of work (or something to that affect)?

Liability for non-compliance is in reference to the scope of work. Wording will be update to make that reference explicit rather than implied. The new wording will read “In the case of a noncompliance, as related to the scope of work, the Contractor shall assume legal and financial liability for the noncompliance and take corrective action immediately to remedy the noncompliance.” The attached “1800000-C Water Testing PWS” document contains the updated language.

15. What percentage of rework should be assumed for collecting drinking water samples in housing areas when no one is home? Or is it “one attempt and done?”

This is a performance based contract, therefore the collection of drinking water samples in housing areas will continue until the contract requirements are met.

16. Where should costs for quarterly stormwater visual sampling be allocated?

The ELINs were not structured dictating frequency. The Bidder should use the permits plus any local, state, and federal guidelines to determine the required frequencies and use those frequencies to estimate annual costs. The monthly price is simply 1/12th of the annual cost. The price for stormwater sampling should be allocated to whichever ELIN under “stormwater“ is applicable (A001AA or A001AB or both). The same methodology should be applied for all ELINs on the recurring services.

17. Are recurring ELINs to include all costs associated with the sampling inclusive of labor, ODCs, and analytical costs?

Bidders should include the fees they deem necessary to cover their costs. This should be a determination made by the Contractor.

18. Item A001AA and A001AB – Is the Stormwater sample collection weather dependent?

Section 5(e)(2)(E) of the Industrial permit covers the inability to collect a sample. The collection timings (for previous storm events and beginning the collection of grab samples), coupled with lab hold times and driving times, has resulted in the last several collection events being divided up over several rain events within the sampling period—the current permit does not specify all parameters “shall” be collected at the same event, but that may change this fall. It is greatly preferred to sample early in each collection period; I don’t believe we’d be able to justify a missed sample.

19. Items A001BA and A001BQ – What are the steps taken to mitigate COVID-19 exposure when sampling at residences?

Policy will be altered as pandemic circumstances change and may incorporate updates in policy from the Navy Housing Service Center and Beacon Point Homes. Specific requirements will be relayed at the beginning of the new performance period. It is currently anticipated that health and safety requirements for the new contract during the pandemic will continue as prescribed for the existing contract. Current requirements are as follows:

“… resume water testing in Government housing units in accordance with the contract following all safety regulations, local, State and Federal to include guidance provided by the CDC.

• You will be conducting wellness-screening procedures for all team members to ensure fitness for duty prior to starting work.

• You will follow guidance for COVID-19 and the proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

• You will continue to ask a series of screening questions to understand any possible COVID-19 exposure within the household; these questions will be asked via phone calls with numbers provided to you by the Government before going to the home and will be confirmed again when your team arrive at the home.

• Your team members will wear proper PPE, to include facemasks and gloves.

• Your team members—and all household members—will be expected to practice social distancing at all times;

residents will further be asked to remain a safe distance away from the work area in another part of the home while work is being performed.

• You will utilize disinfectants to clean work areas both prior to and upon completion of the required tasks.”

20. Item A731 – Does this item account for the labor associated with performing sampling on all the ELINs under the non-recurring work schedule or is it only applicable for ELINs A701-A729?

The ELIN structure has been corrected so this answer refers to corrected ELINs. (See beta.SAM.gov for the “J-0200000-08 ELINs Amended” attachment.)

The Labor Line item (A,B,C,D or E731) is only used in conjunction with the (A,B,C,D or E732) the price for the other line items on the non-recurring ELINs should include the cost of labor, material and supervision/quality control with the exception of (A,B,C,D or E736-752) which use (A,B,C,D or E754) Sample Collection which is the labor rate associated with those line item.

21. Item A700 – Description specifies compositing grab samples from 6 ballast tanks. Is the composite sample (1) to be analyzed for O&G per 1664A?

The NPDES Permit #CT0003921 was uploaded as an attachment the week of May 10. Please refer to all NPDES requirements and regulations as they apply to DSN 009-1 Floating Dry Dock Ballast Water. Table footnotes and remarks state O&G per EPA Method 1664A for oil and grease applies to the six (6) ballast tank wastewater samples only. Therefore, the composite sample does not require O&G analysis.

22. Item A700 – Is field testing (pH and TRO) performed for each of the six (6) grab samples collected from the ballast tanks. Is it acceptable to test for free chlorine in lieu of TRO or does each ballast tank equipped with a TRO analyzer for field readings?

Please refer to all NPDES requirements and those specific to DSN 009-1 as listed in the Attachment NPDES CT0003921. The ballast tanks are not equipped with a TRO analyzer. Analysis must be completed by approved EPA methods by the Contractor.

23. Item A701 – What are the analytical requirements for the Steam Condensate Wastewater, Cond. Return, Collection Tank Overflow or Steam line Leak Wastewater?

Please refer to the analytical requirements as listed in the Attachment of the NPDES Permit #CT003921 for DSN 017-1 Steam Condensate.

24. Item A706 – Does trench dewatering samples require analysis for nutrients?

Trench dewatering has been discontinued at SUBASENLON therefore, analysis is not required for DSN 012-1, 014-1 and 015-1. The following DSN are also no longer active discharges: DSN 001-1, 002-1, 003-1, 004-1 and Intake 01H.

25. Items A709 to A713 – Can the analytical requirements for the field QC samples be verified?

The analytical requirements correspond to the discharge the QC samples would support.

26. Items A714 to A716 – Can the government provide the WTK SAP to determine the emergency sampling requirements?

These items apply to “emergency” circumstances when a shorter turn-around time (TAT) for analytical results are required. Bid should include 24-hour, 48-hour and 3-6 day TAT price factors. Under normal circumstances/monthly monitoring, the laboratory’s standard turn-around time is acceptable (typically 10- 14 days). The KTR is responsible for providing the WTK SAP to SUBASENLON under this contract.

27. Items A720 to A724 – Can the government provide the location specific analytical requirements as applicable to the NPDES permit?

Items A720 to A724 are contingencies for future sampling needs for screening analysis/characterization of a new or modified discharge for permitting purposes. IDIQ should include pricing per sample as is referenced in Attachment O of the current NPDES application form located at www.ct.gov/deep to determine analytical requirements.

28. Items A725 to A727 – Can the government provide the toxicity testing requirements and the information on the incumbent laboratory performing the testing.

Please refer to the Attachment NPDES Permit #CT003921 for toxicity testing requirements. New England Bioassay performs current toxicity testing and reporting as a sub-contractor to the current Water Testing Contractor.

29. Items A728 to A729 – Can the government provide the analytical requirements.

Please refer to the Attachment NPDES Permit #CT003921 for analytical requirements.

30. Item A736 – Can the government provide the laboratory performing the Acute toxicity sampling? Is this a composite sample?

As stated in the response to question #27 above, New England Bioassay performs the toxicity analysis.

Please refer to the remarks for DSN 011-1 in Attachment NPDES Permit #CT003921 for requirements.

Grab samples shall be used for all monitoring for this wastewater.

31. Items A756 to A757 – Can the government provide the analytical requirements.

For A756, Hydrocollator, B449, please reference Table 5B-2 in the General Permit for the Discharge of Wastewaters from Significant Industrial Users (SIU GP) to determine the requirements for this wastewater discharge. For purposes of this bid, the category is “Non Process Wastewater”.

For A757, please refer to the General Permit for the Discharge of Wastewater Associated with Food Service Establishments.

http://www.ct.gov/deep

32. Item A764– Can the government provide the analytical requirements.

Please refer to two attachments: General Permit for the Discharge of Wastewaters from Significant Industrial Users (SIU GP) and the Final SIU GP permit registration application to determine the requirements for this wastewater discharge. SUBASENLON awaits the final permit approval with monitoring tables from the CT DEEP which will be provided if received prior to the bid submission date.

33. Items A773 to A782 – Can the government provide the Comprehensive GP Table 5.2 and 5.3 and other associated analytical requirements.

The Comprehensive General Permit for Discharges to Surface Water and Groundwater (GP COMP) has been uploaded as an attachment, and is available to the public at www.ct.gov/deep. Please also refer to the SUBASENLON permit approval #CTCSW0034 to determine the analytical requirements for this wastewater discharge.

34. Items A755 to A782 – Can the government provide a line item for labor associated with these line items?

The ELIN structure has been corrected so this answer refers to corrected ELINs. (See beta.SAM.gov for the “J-0200000-08 ELINs Amended” attachment.)

(A,B,C,D or E755) is associated with (A,B,C,D or E753-754). Items (A,B,C,D or E756-793) should include all labor the cost of labor, material and supervision/quality control.

35. Items A788 and A791– Does LIP follow the EPA 3T rule? Does the samples include resampling as well?

Yes, Navy policy for Lead in Priority Areas (LIPA) references and is based on EPA 3T guidance. ELIN A791 is an estimate of the number of initial samples needed at affected facilities while A788 is meant to account for any required re-sampling at these facilities.

36. Item A793– Is the contractor to assume that the field blank is included with the sample number?

Yes, the number estimate accounts for the extra samples required by the specified EPA test method. ELIN A793 applies to only one sample location.

37. Populations stated in the 2019 Drinking Water Sampling Plans are as follows: Main Base (9,800); Nautilus Park (3,000); Trident Park (700); Conning Towers (425); and Polaris Park (200). Have these populations changed since July 2019 and are they anticipated to change within the next five years? This will affect some of the drinking water sampling parameters (number of samples collected).

These population estimates are not known to have changed and are not expected to change to the degree that sample quotas for each system will be affected. It is anticipated that Sampling Plans will be reviewed and revised as appropriate during the next scheduled Sanitary Survey in 2023.

38. The most recent drinking water sampling plan (2019) states that total coliform sampling be conducted on a rotating weekly basis. Since the system(s) is not a state-recognized Public Water System (PWS) but a Community Water System (CWS), can sampling events be more condensed (monthly or bi-weekly) as opposed to a rotating weekly schedule? Is there a specific reason for the weekly sampling?

All sampling noted in the plans are as a result of Navy requirements for drinking water quality monitoring.

While it is true that the systems noted in the contract are not regulated public water systems subject to CTDPH requirements, Navy policy is such that monitoring requirements for such systems should match those for regulated systems subject to federal and state regulations. In this context, weekly bacteriological monitoring was established as per Navy policy and the frequency is not expected to change at this time.

39. Is it possible to obtain previous drinking water sampling data from the last few years?

Yes, copies of Consumer Confidence Reports will be provided upon request or can be viewed on-line at the following website:

https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrma/om/environmental_support/water_quality_information.html

40. It is assumed that the Contractor will subcontract a certified laboratory. Should all laboratory costs be included in the total Contractor price estimate?

Yes, the lab costs are part of the contract bid price. The total price estimate shall include all costs related to monitoring, analysis and reporting, whether completed by the contractor or sub-contractor.

http://www.ct.gov/deep https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrma/om/environmental_support/water_quality_information.html

41. Can routine sample pickups be done by staff from the certified laboratory performing the analyses if organized and scheduled by the Contractor? Similarly, sampling from stormwater events are to be picked up within 4 hours of sample collection. Can these be picked up by the laboratory (under coordination from the Contractor)?

Access to the installation is limited to those holding identification cards/passes. The company awarded this contract may make arrangements with laboratory personnel to meet them outside the installation if the Contractor chooses not to drive them to the laboratories after collection. US Naval Submarine Base New London personnel are not available to coordinate laboratory pick-ups.

*For Stormwater, the PAP is incorrect/incomplete: there is no Industrial permit requirement for a 4 hour pick up, and the Recurring sampling will also be accomplished by contractor personnel. If desired, the 4 hour pickup standard can be retained for Non-recurring (IDIQ) collection of any government-collected IDDE samples under the MS4 permit (I’d estimate <4 per year).

42. To verify- there are no metal finishing wastewater’s discharged from the site and all discharges are composed of process and/or non-process wastewater?

Correct. SUBASENLON has no metal finishing wastewaters.

43. Section 2.7.1.2 of the 0200000-Management and Administration document states the Quality Manager should be available on-site within one hour after the Government’s request. Based on the Contractor’s main location, can this time frame be increased to three or four hours?

Wording for this requirement has been changed to read as follows:

“The Quality Manager may not be the same person as the Project Manager. The QCM or alternate shall be available on-site within four (4) hours after the Government's request.”

The revised version of 0200000-C Management and Administration has been posted as an attachment to the solicitation on beta.SAM.gov.