N6274223R0004_Questions and Answers.pdf

QUESTION # QUESTION GOVT RESPONSE

Due to the Veteran’s and Thanksgiving holidays in the month of November, would the Government consider extending the due date to December 5? The due date has been updated to December 09, 2022 at 02:00 PM HST.

As of April 4, 2022, the Federal Government has stopped using DUNS numbers.

Please confirm all references to DUNS in the solicitation are meant to say Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number which is now the system of entity identification used by SAM.gov. The Data Universal Number System (DUNS) has been omitted and replaced with Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Ref. Pg. 10, Submission Requirements: “The SF-330 package submitted in response to this announcement must include (1) original and two (2) paper copies, and one (1) CD of the completed SF330.”

Please remove the requirement for hard copy and allow the use of an electronic submittal. This is consistent with other DoD Agency requirements, minimizes environmental impacts, and imposes a consistent submittal deadline that does not need to consider transit time for hardcopy delivery. Submission requirements remain as stated.

Ref. Pg 2 Specialized Experience, paragraph 2 “New construction projects shall be $20M…and completed within the past ten (10) years…” and Pg. 3, bottom of first paragraph: “Block 24 shall include...(9) original construction contract award amount;

(10) final construction contract amount...”

These statements seem to indicate that offerors must include projects where construction has been completed. Since design services typically precede construction completion by several years, experience presented in Section F may not be representative of current design practices. To ensure the government receives highly relevant and recent A-E services project examples, please allow offerors to present projects with an estimated construction value of $20 million or more where design and engineering services were completed within the past ten (10) years, even if construction is not completed. Selection Criterion (1), Specialized Experience, remains as stated.

On Page 10 of 11, SF-330 Submission Requirements, the Solicitation states: "Part II, shall be submitted for each firm identified in Part I, Section C." Does NAVFAC want only one (1) Part II from each firm represented? Or are firms allowed to include a Part II from multiple branch offices?

Yes, firms are allowed to include a Part II from multiple branch offices. Per the SF-330 instructions, if a firm has branch offices, submit a separate Part II for each branch office seeking work.

The Synopsis asks teams to include DUNS numbers in multiple places in the SF330 requirements. Please clarify if the Navy intends to require Unique Entity Identifiers (UEIs) in place of DUNS numbers, or should teams show DUNS and UEIs, where applicable, as the Government has transitioned to UEIs? The Data Universal Number System (DUNS) was omitted and replaced with Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

On Page 2 of 11, Selection Criterion 1 Submission Requirements, the Solicitation requires 5 (five) completed projects in Section F. Because of the wide geographic region, challenging remote locations, and the requirement for more variety of project types and services, we ask that NAVFAC increase the number of projects to ten (10 projects). NAVFAC has allotted substantial page count for Part I so there should be enough space in the SF330 to show the variety of services, projects, and project locations. This increase in Section F would lower NAVFAC's risk in obtaining an AE firm that provides the Specialized Experience required for this complex contract. Selection Criterion (1), Specialized Experience, remains as stated.

For Selection Criterions 1 (Section F) and 2 (Section E), will NAVFAC allow short introductions for these SF330 sections? If so, will these introductions be scored?

Selection Criterion (1), Specialized Experience and Selection Criterion (2), Professional Qualifications, remains as stated.

On Page 6 of 11, Selection Criterion 6, Sustainable Design. Because NAVFAC now requires all new general building construction projects to follow the latest version of the UFC 1-200-02, “High Performance and Sustainable Building Requirements” (HPSB), will NAVFAC accept the inclusion of HPSB Checklists to demonstrate certified projects with Guiding Principles compliance? If so, can those attachments be presented in an appendix and excluded from the page counts?"

Compliance with UFC 1-200-02, High Performance and Sustainable Building Requirements and submission of the corresponding HPSB Checklist will be considered an equivalent certification for the purpose of this selection criteria evaluation. Submitted documents must be in accordance with the Selection Criterion (6) Submission Requirements.

On Page 9 of 11, SF-330 Submission Requirements, the synopsis states: "All contractors are advised that registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) database is required prior to award of a contract." We have confirmed with the OUSD for Acquisition and Sustainment that the Class Deviation – System for Award Management (SAM), provided under DARS Tracking Number: 2022-O0009, to mitigate delays in SAM entity registration has not been extended past 31 October 2022. Will entities that are not registered in SAM, but have initiated the SAM registration remain eligible for a contract award due to SAM registration delays? The original OUSD letter is attached to this email for NAVFAC's reference. Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) database is required prior to award of a contract.

Page 5 of 11. CRITERION 3. Submission Requirements. The Solicitation states: "For each relevant project submitted in response to Selection Criterion (1), Specialized Experience, submit a DD2631, Performance Evaluation (Architect-Engineer) or Contractor Performance Assessment Report (CPAR) Architect-Engineer." It is common for design projects performed by AE firms to receive Interim CPARS from the Government throughout the delivery process, yet sometimes clients do not issue a 'Final' CPARS in the system. Will NAVFAC accept the most current 'Interim' CPARS rating received for a project where design is completed as meeting this submission requirement for past performance? Yes.

Given Hawaii’s remote location and possible mail delays with the due date just following Thanksgiving and so close to Pearl Harbor Day, will NAVFAC Pacific consider allowing electronic upload using PIEE rather than the submission of printed binders? Selection Criterion (9), Submission Requirements, remains as stated.

The solicitation title, services, and requirements appear to match the solicitation (N6274217R0008) associated with the contract currently held by GSK JV (N6274218D0005), with only the value increasing. Is this a recompete of that contract?

If not, will NAVFAC identify the differences between the services for this new contract and the GSK JV contract?

This prospective contract is not a new requirement. The incumbent is GHD Setiadi Kaula AE Joint Venture. The contract number is N62742-18-D-0005.

SELECTION CRITERION (2)(a): SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS. “Resumes of key personnel shall indicate active U.S. professional registration (include State and discipline)” Much of the work under this contract will be in Pacific locations where well qualified engineers from partner nations have performed a significant amount of relevant work. Will NAVFAC accept resumes for key personnel who have registrations in partner nations (like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, etc.) but do not have US professional registrations, as long as one of the teams has a licensed US professional in the same discipline, that can review and sign drawings? This could be reflected on the team organizational chart and additional resumes provided, if desired. Selection Criterion (2), Professional Qualifications, remains as stated.

Since the work under this contract will include remote and/or international locations in the Indo-Asian-Pacific Ocean, will NAVFAC consider projects completed by the Offeror’s international affiliates equivalent to those of the Offerors? No.

SELECTION CRITERION (3) SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: “NAVFAC/USACE PAST

PERFORMANCE QUESTIONNAIRE shall be from the contracting agent and/or their representative responsible for the contract administration, or from the facility owner/user. It shall not be from the prime contractor on a design-build project nor shall it be from a prime contractor to a subcontractor. If work was performed as a subcontractor for a project under Selection Criterion (1), provide a completed Past Performance Questionnaire. Past performance evaluations for other than the firm will not be evaluated.” Several international defense agencies that regularly partner with US military agencies on projects, do not utilize CPARS and will not execute a PPQ for a subconsultant. NAVFAC also does not issue PPQs to DOR subconsultants on design-build projects. Based on this, will NAVFAC consider modifying this language to allow for PPQs from a prime consultant/contractor? No.

Criteria 1 and 2 indicate projects located in tropical environments similar to Hawaii, Guam, Tinian, Diego Garcia, Australia, and other Pacific Ocean areas, may be evaluated more favorably. Will NAVFAC confirm that Florida is considered a similar tropical environment? No.

Are you able to please let us know which firms are the incumbent for the IDIQ AE Services for Base Infrastructure Projects and Other Projects Under the Cognizance of Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific (Solicitation N6274223R0004)?

The incumbent is GHD Setiadi Kaula AE Joint Venture.

In reference to page 1/11 of the Subject solicitation – At the end of the first paragraph, it says, “Estimated start date is October 2022.” Can NAVFAC update the estimated start date? The estimated start date was updated to November 2023.

In reference to page 3/11 of the Subject solicitation – The top paragraph states, “To enable verification, firms should include the DUNS number along with each firm name in the SF330 Part I, Section F, Block 25, “Firm Name”. Please confirm that a DUNS number is required since DUNS is no longer available in SAM.gov or if the Unique Entity Identifier (UID) is required. The Data Universal Number System (DUNS) was omitted and replaced with Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

In reference to page 10/11 of the Subject solicitation, “Part I shall not exceed 200 single–sided 8.5 by 11 inch pages (the page limit does not include ISRs, certificates, PPQs, licenses, or the draft joint venture agreement, proof of A-E firm registration…” – Are the licenses you are referring to pertain to Criterion 2, the Key Personnel’s licenses (i.e. PE, RA, LEED AP, etc.)? Does NAVFAC Pacific require individual Key Personnel’s license(s)? On page 4 of 11, Selection Criterion (2)(a) Submission requirements, 2nd paragraph, 3rd sentence, “Resumes of key personnel shall indicate active U.S.

professional registration (include State and discipline),……..”, Which type of license is excluded from the 200 page limit?

Are the licenses you are referring to pertain to Criterion 2, the Key Personnel’s licenses (i.e. PE, RA, LEED AP, etc.)? YES.

Does NAVFAC Pacific require individual Key Personnel’s license(s)? NO. Does NAVFAC Pacific require individual Key Personnel’s license(s)? NO. Which type of license is excluded from the 200 page limit? ALL LICENSES.

Please define Environmental Engineer and what degree and registrations are acceptable for the Environmental Engineer?

Submit resume in accordance with Selection Criterion (2)(a) Submission Requirements to demonstrate that the key personnel who are selected by the firm have the necessary professional qualifications required to lead the Environmental Engineering services under this contract.

In reviewing details in the solicitation, may our JV be simply a contractual arrangement between the two Prime firms or must we codify our arrangement in a more formal format (i.e. as in a Limited Liability Company (LLC))? A Joint Venture must be it's own entity.

The solicitation states a requirement for criterion (1) of $20 million for new construction. Can a firm also submit projects for repair and renovation that are less than $20 million as part of the five projects? No.

Can a firm submit a project for criterion (1) that has a completion date after the date of issuance of this notice but prior to the submission date of December 5th, 2022? No.

Would submission of a project under criterion (1) for which the original task order was for civil engineering studies and a concept design charrette be acceptable as one of the five projects in the category "civil engineering studies"? The scope included:

geotechnical investigation, topographic survey, and utility and environmental studies.

Note that a subsequent modification was issued against the original task order for full design of this project. However, the concept design work was completed prior to the issuance of this solicitation.

Yes and all verbiage in Selection Criterion (1), Specialized Experience, remains as stated.

Is the proposal officially due on 05 DEC 2022, as noted on SAM.gov, and not due as posted in the Solicitation on 28 NOV 2022? The due date has been updated to December 09, 2022 at 02:00 PM HST.

Selection Criterion 1 Submission Requirements: When a project has multiple CLINs for discrete design phases (e.g. PDA is CLINXXX, 35% design is CLINXXX, ...etc.), can an individual CLIN be considered a 'Completed Project' as long as the CLIN described in the section F project description has been completed in the last 10 years?

Selection Criterion (1), Specialized Experience, remains as stated.

Selection Criterion 7: Small Business Utilization, Submission Requirements, Item (1) Achievements states that – “All firms shall provide a narrative (shall not exceed two (2) single-sided pages or (one (1) double-sided page) to describe their achievements in supporting the Government’s policy to provide maximum practicable opportunities for Small Business (SB)...” Please identify where in the SF-330 submission NAVFAC would like to see this narrative since it is excluded from the page limitation.

See updated Synopsis.

Criterion 2 Professional Qualifications Item (a) states "SF330, Part 1, Section H.

Provide a list of key personnel for two (2) design teams that shall be limited to the following…" Does NAVFAC want us to provide an additional list of the design teams in Section H or should this be provided in Section E which is focused on the qualifications of our personnel. Selection Criterion (2), Professional Qualifications, remains as stated.

The last sentence of the third paragraph of the solicitation states "Estimated start date is October 2022." Does NAVFAC actually mean to specify October 2023, a year from now? The estimated start date was updated to November 2023.

Criterion 3, Past Performance Submission Requirements states "SF330, Part I, Section H. For each relevant project submitted in response to Selection Criterion (1), Specialized Experience, submit a DD2631, Performance Evaluation (Architect-Engineer) or Contractor Performance Assessment Report (CPAR) Architect-Engineer." Would it be acceptable to NAVFAC to include narrative material relating to past performance in Section H and to attach the actual Past Performance Documentation (CPARS or PPQs) for Criterion 1 projects as an appendix/attachment to the SF330?

Selection Criterion (3), Past Performance, remains as stated.

We have a question related to definition of a Project for section F. We have a large task order with over a dozen individual CLINS, each for a different location/installation/facility to conduct requirements analysis and/or planning charrettes in the development of RA document and /or project programming documentation/DD1391s. Two CLINS/Projects were in support of conceptual design and costing of aircraft hangars at Wheeler Army Airfield in Hawaii and we have completed and submitted the DD1391s and they have been accepted. The overall task orders still has some CLINS to be completed at other installations around the world at other installations and for other types of facilities. Can these two completed CLINS be considered completed projects for purposes of this solicitation?

Selection Criterion (1), Specialized Experience, remains as stated.

Will the Government under Criterion 6 Sustainability evaluate Envision projects as an “equivalent Third Party Certification agency” ? No.

35 Are certificates required in the submittal for Criterion 6? See updated Synopsis.

In Section (2) Small Business Participation and Commitment, part c states:

“ c. The anticipated prime and first tier overall small business participation rate for this acquisition (i.e. work to be performed by small businesses as the prime and/or subcontractors) is 20% of the contract value. Firms are encouraged to exceed this percentage and seek meaningful levels of participation in each of the small business socioeconomic programs listed in Attachment C consistent with efficient contract performance. Firms shall explain in their participation and commitment strategies how proposed participation rates were established. The small business participation and commitment strategy must be in agreement with any required small business subcontracting plan and will be made a part of the contract upon award.

Slated large business firms will be required to submit a Small Business subcontracting plan prior to the interview.”

If the Prime Bid entity is a JV, and the JV includes 1 or more small businesses, would the work performed by the SBs in the JV entity count towards the 20% or greater Small Business participation value calculation for the Contract, and should the work by the SB JV partners be included in the Small Business Subcontracting Plan?

In section (2) Small Business Participation and Commitment, paragraph a states: Identify in terms of dollar value and percentage of the total acquisition the extent of work the firm will self-perform as the prime contractor.

If submitting an offer as a joint venture, identify the percentage of work each member will be responsible for and indicate the size status of each member (e.g. small business, woman-owned small business, other than small business).

In section (2) Small Business Participation and Commitment, paragraph c states: The anticipated prime and first tier overall small business participation rate for this acquisition (i.e. work to be performed by small businesses as the prime and/or subcontractors) is 20% of the contract value.

The Small Business Subcontracting Plan should detail the breakdown of the work to be subcontracted. Work to be performed by small business joint venture partners should be identified within the total prime-performed.

Selection Criterion (1). Page 3 of 11. First Paragraph. The solicitation specifies that we include the (9) original construction contract award amount; (10) final construction contract amount in Block 24. Please note that the official "final construction contract amount" isn't available until the contract is financially closed out. Furthermore, since A- E firms' services are often limited to design services and construction contractors are not required to share the final construction cost with the project designer, the information for item 10 (final construction contract amount) is not typically available to A-E firms. Selection Criterion (1), Specialized Experience, remains as stated.

By contrast, under Selection Criterion (2) Professional Qualifications (page 4 of 11, last full paragraph), the solicitation specifies that project examples included on the Project Manager resumes in Block 19 include the contract award amount and the estimated construction cost. These two data points are available to A-E firms.

Selection Criterion (2), Professional Qualifications, remains as stated.

We request that NAVFAC modify the Criterion 1 requirement for items 9 and 10 (Page 3 of 11) to be contract award amount and the estimated construction cost to be consistent with Criterion 2 metrics and reflect information that A-E firms are able to provide for Criterion 1 projects. Selection Criterion (1), Specialized Experience, remains as stated.