Responses__N4425518R5016_8-8-18.pdf

Environmental Restoration N44255‐18‐R‐5016 8‐Aug‐18

NAVFAC

PPI #

PRE-PROPOSAL INQUIRY GOVERNMENT RESPONSE Date

Received Amendment number

1 To best illustrate overall team experience relevant to the Statement of Architect/Engineering Services through the eight projects included in Criterion 1 – Specialized Experience (SF330, Part I, Section F), please confirm that consultant/subcontractor projects are acceptable and equally weighted as prime/joint venture partner projects in the Government’s evaluation of this selection criteria.

Yes, this is acceptable. Complete Section 25 of Section F accordingly.

7/19/2018 3

2 On one of our most highly relevant projects, we recommended a solution that saved the government months of schedule relative to the original POP. As a result, all technical work has been completed, yet the POP does not expire until several months after the due date of the SF330. Does this meet NAVFAC’s definition of a completed project for Criterion 1 – Specialized Experience (SF330, Part I, Section F)?

The actual date is required in the form, however in the description, be sure to address that the project is complete, and the reasons it was completed early

7/19/2018 3

3 Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) states that a “past performance evaluation should take into account past performance from predecessor companies, people with relevant experience, or subcontractors” who will do a meaningful amount of work. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently ruled a RFP for the United States Army Corps of Engineers was “unduly restrictive of competition because the agency refused to consider past performance of affiliates that would participate meaningfully in contract performance (Iyabak Const., LLC, B-409196).” Consistent with recent GAO decisions and the above FAR provisions will experience of predecessor companies, affiliates, and subcontractors be evaluated? If this experience will be evaluated will this experience be evaluated using the same criteria as experience from the prime offeror if meaningful involvement of the affiliate is demonstrated for contract performance?

Yes, this is acceptable if the predecessor companies, affiliates and subcontractors are designated in contract performance. Complete Section 25 of Section F accordingly. Do not confuse Past Performance (Criterion

3) with Specialized Experience (Criterion 1). Past Performance ( Criterion 3) shall be submitted for projects included in Criteria 1.

7/19/2018 3

4 Many projects will be complete but waiting for final contract closeout. Please provide a definition of complete when referring to projects. If this means complete contract closeout will the Navy please consider allowing projects that are 80% complete as this allows for submission of experience that is complete but the contract is not closed out.

The actual date (Period of Performance) is required in the form, however in the description, be sure to address that the project is complete, and the reasons it was completed early.

7/19/2018 3

5 If a subcontractor, affiliate, or predecessor company will be providing meaningful involvement and provides significant value to the Navy by supporting an aspect of the work (geography or scope) will the Navy allow for and score specialized experience (Projects submitted in Section F) submitted from these legal entities?

52.244-4 -- Subcontractors and Outside Associates and Consultants (Architect-Engineer Services).

As prescribed in 44.204(b), insert the following clause:

Subcontractors and Outside Associates and Consultants (Architect-Engineer Services) (Aug 1998) Any subcontractors and outside associates or consultants required by the Contractor in connection with the services covered by the contract will be limited to individuals or firms that were specifically identified and agreed to during negotiations. The Contractor shall obtain the Contracting Officer’s written consent before making any substitution for these subcontractors, associates, or consultants.

52.244-4 -- Subcontractors and Outside Associates and Consultants (Architect-Engineer Services).

As prescribed in 44.204(b), insert the following clause:

Subcontractors and Outside Associates and Consultants (Architect-Engineer Services) (Aug 1998) Any subcontractors and outside associates or consultants required by the Contractor in connection with the services covered by the contract will be limited to individuals or firms that were specifically identified and agreed to during negotiations. The Contractor shall obtain the Contracting Officer’s written consent before making any substitution for these subcontractors, associates, or consultants.

Same answer as #1 and the company shall be listed as a sub consultant for this project. Section C of the SF330.

7/23/2018 3

6 Will the Navy consider allowing for projects that are 80% complete allowing for finalization of project closeout?

Yes, If the project is physically completed.

FAR 4.804-4 -- Physically Completed Contracts.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) below, a contract is considered to be physically completed when --

(1) (i) The contractor has completed the required deliveries and the Government has inspected and accepted the supplies;

(ii) The contractor has performed all services and the Government has accepted these services; and

(iii) All option provisions, if any, have expired; or

(2) The Government has given the contractor a notice of complete contract termination.

(b) Rental, use, and storage agreements are considered to be physically completed when --

(1) The Government has given the contractor a notice of complete contract termination; or

(2) The contract period has expired.

7/23/2018 3

7 Will this IDIQ require any innovative mechanical design? The reason I ask is that I have been to several conferences where either the owner or a consulting firm needs a mechanical engineering firm to design either a process tool or an attachment to an existing tool for work in restoration.

Referencing the requirements of the synopsis, “mechanical design” is not specifically required. The scope includes but is not limited to the items listed therein (pages two-three).

7/19/2018 3

8 In regards to the contract listed above, is this contract an architectural services lead? The IMS lists architecture services, civil engineering, environmental engineering/planning/design, and habitat restoration/wetlands restoration. Although the solicitation has no mention of architectural services.

The first paragraph of the solicitation does mention Environmental Restoration Architect-Engineer services

Per the Synopsis, this will be an Architect-Engineering contract procured using procedures in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 36.6. The requirements are included in the scope but is not limited to the items listed therein (pages two-three).

7/23/2018 3

9 A few of our most relevant projects demonstrating specialized experience are cost reimbursable. Will cost reimbursable projects be evaluated equally to fixed price projects?

No preference for contract type. 7/27/2018 3

10 Will subcontractors’ projects be rated higher if the prime also worked on the project?

Page four of the synopsis: "The following elements may result in a higher rating and should be addressed accordingly when preparing criteria responses: a) Completed projects that demonstrate association between team members submitted in Criteria 1 and key personnel identified in Criteria 2; b) Firms demonstrating experience in the specific components identified in Criteria 1; c) Firms demonstrating experience within the task order range of $100,000 to $2,000,000."

This excerpt is referring to a demonstrated association between team members and not a prime/subcontractor relationship.

7/27/2018 3

11 The synopsis for procurement N44255-18-R-5016 indicates that the contractors should provide resumes specifically for six indicated positions, but it is not clear that those are the only key positions that will be evaluated in Section E. Is it the intent of NAVFAC that the contractors should provide a broader list of key personnel to support a contract such as this in addition to minimum indicted six key positions?

The Government will only be evaluating a maximum of 6 resumes for overall (base) contract performance asked for in the Synopsis. These 6 are the ones that would then fall under the Key Personnel NAVFAC Clause (5252.236- 9309, Key Personnel).

7/27/2018 3

12 In Criterion 1-Specialized Experience, under Submission Requirements, first sentence, the solicitation states ".a maximum of eight completed projects.". Under FAR 36.6 Brooks Act A/E procurements we are allowed to submit project experience with projects that are "substantially complete" or 85% complete or better. Is this acceptable for this solicitation?

Please see responses #6 and #2 as appropriate. 7/27/2018 3

13 Will projects (SF330 Section F) and resumes (SF330 Section E) from Team Subcontractors be considered for this solicitation?

Please see responses #1, 3, 5 as appropriate. 7/27/2018 3

14 Please define what "primary Alaska locations" means in the solicitation section Criterion 5 Submission Requirements: 3. Location "Firms with primary Alaska locations, knowledge and experience may be considered more favorably." The SF330 Block C 9 Firm Name has an option to check branch office, are we correct in assuming a branch office can be a primary Alaska location?

Primary Alaska locations are defined as locations with a historic Navy presence in which active Navy restoration activities are occurring or are planned to occur. Locations include, Kodiak Island; from the Aleutian Islands: Adak Island, Amchitka Island, Kiska Island, Unalaska Island and associated Naval Sea Defense Areas; and on the northern slope of Alaska, Point McIntyre, Icy Cape, Barrow, Tin City, and Prince of Wales. Firms do not need to be located in Alaska , but provide experience working in these locations to be more favorable.

7/27/2018 3

15 For submission requirements in Criterion 2, the RFP indicates that Project Managers “must be professionally registered in their discipline.” As the most important industry-recognized certification for project managers will a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification meet the requirement for being professionally registered in the discipline of project management?

"All Project Managers and DORs must be professionally registered in their discipline. Provide license number in addition to state of registration and discipline in Block 17 of the resume. Licensing may be verified."

This is referring a Professional Engineering (PE) or Professional Geologist (PG) or Licensed Geologist (LG) type of registration, which is state managed. If the PM is an engineer, they must be licensed in their discipline, e.g.

Civil, Mechanical, Environmental, Chemical, etc. This establishes that the PM should also have a technical background since they make choices that influence the outcome of the task order.

7/31/2018 4

16 On page 6, Criterion 2, the solicitation says, “Provide brief resumes of Key Personnel, including those of each proposed team member who will serve as the overall contract Project Manager, discipline Designers of Record/Environmental Engineer (maximum of four), and the primary Cost Estimator. The Designers of Record (DOR) shall perform and direct the design within their respective discipline and shall sign and seal the drawings.” By “Designers of Record/Environmental Engineer,” is NAVFAC expecting contractors to provide 1) a DOR who is an environmental engineer or 2) a combination of DORs and Environmental Engineers? We are assuming that you would like to see a combination of the two, and that both would be weighted equally.

Second question regarding Key Personnel: our support resources are largely centralized as employees of the parent company. Will a primary Cost Estimator who is an employee of the parent organization be both acceptable and weighted equally to an employee of the responding subsidiary firm?

Does NAVFAC expect us to prove that we are permitted by law to practice A-E with just the certification/registration number or are we supposed to submit actual certificates?

A combination of DORs and Environmental Engineers. It is up to the offeror to establish its organizational structure in support of this contract and choose the disciplines that comprise the Designers of Record and an Environmental Engineer can also be a DOR.

As long as the named Cost Estimator is managed as Key Personnel, it is up to the offeror to establish its organizational structure in support of this contract.

The offeror shall submit the information required by the SF330 and this synopsis.

8/1/2018 4

17 Would team members (prime or subcontractors) performing work on other NAVFAC NW Environmental Services Contracts like Long Term Monitoring, Operations, and Maintenance incur a conflict of interest in competing on the NAVFAC NW IDIQ Contract for Environmental Restoration AE Services (Solicitation No. N44255-18-R-5016)? Would the Navy determine a conflict of interest exists on a task order basis or at the time of IDIQ contract award?

Would prime contract holders or teaming subcontractors on the winning NAVFAC NW IDIQ Contract for Environmental Restoration AE Services (Solicitation No. N44255-18-R-5016) be excluded from competition on the NAVFAC NW Long Term Monitoring, Operations, and Maintenance Environmental Services Contract (Solicitation No.

N4425518R5011) due to an Organizational Conflict of Interest?

Conflicts of Interest would be determined at the Task Order level for each contract.

No.

8/2/2018 4

18 In the Submission Requirements instruction only the Part I is mentioned with a 75-page limit. Is the government also interested in a Part II? If so it there a page limit or is it to be included in the total 75-page limit?

The SF330 should be completed in its entirety. There is not a page limit specified but Part 2 is intended to be a 1-page synopsis of the qualifications of the office/sub/partner/branch office etc. (as needed) per the SF330 format.

8/7/2018 4