RFI_ _Response_NIHOF2011367_10-14-2011.pdf

Market Tier 1

Number Question Answer

Are you looking for a mechanical contractor to bid as prime or does the mechanical contractor have to be teamed with a GC?

We do not have requirements for the type of contractor submitting a proposal as prime. Our only requirements for submitting a proposal are listed Mandatory Criteria of the solicitation (Section L - page 90).

The roles designated as Key Personnel differ between G.2 Key Personnel HHSAR 352.242-70 (January 2006) and Phase 1 Factor C – Experience of Key Personnel (Subfactor C.1 and C.2).

G.2 designates key personnel as **1. GC- GC - Project Executive; Project Manager(s); QA/QC Manager; Design Manager;

Superintendent(s) **2. A/E- Project Executive, Project Manager(s) Phase 1 Factor C adds additional roles as key personnel **1. GC- safety officer, Project Scheduler, BIM coordinator, LEED Coordinator **2. A/E- LEED AP, BIM Coordinator Which are required with the Phase I submission?

Please refer to the key personnel defined under Phase 1 - Factor C

This contract is intended to replace the MAC IDIQ for Large Business Concerns and estabilsh two new MAC IDIQ contracting mechanisms for 8(a) and Small Business Concerns. The following is a list of the MAC IDIQ for for Large Business Conern (expired):

* Gilbane Building Company

* Tishman Construction Corp of Maryland

* Forrester Construction Company

* Grimberg John C Co

Is what was posted on FedBizOpps on September 29th the final Solicitation, or will there be final Solicitation documents released “Around October 14, 2011”?

The final solicitation will be posted on October 14, 2011.

5 Have the pre-proposal conference date(s) been established yet?

For Market Tier 1 (only), the pre-proposal conference will take place on Thursday October 27, 2011 at 9:30 AM in the Building 10 Lipsett Auditorium on the Bethesda Maryland NIH campus.

Are there incumbents for Market Tier 1 for this procurement, and if so, who are they?3

Market Tier 1

2nd Paragraph; “Offerors whose team, (Contractor and Contractor's A/E(s)), collectively demonstrates experience in all types of spaces, as defined in Section C.1.3 - Task Orders, shall be rated more favorably.” Where might offeror locate Section C.1.3 – Task Orders?

The types of spaces are located under Article C.4.b.

Once awarded a contract, will 8(a) and Small Business awardees be able to pursue task orders from the “large” pool ($10m - $25M) or will they be restricted to the task order ranges within their respective Market Tier?

Once contracts have been awarded, Awardees will be restricted to submitting proposal against Task ORder Request for Proposals (RFP) submitted to their market tier. The Contracting Officer may submit a RFP to a Market Tier that is outside of the established Market Tier dollar ranges.

Can a business submit on more than one Market Tier (e.g., Submit for Market Tier 1 and then Market Tier 2)?

A company may submit a proposal in different market tiers.

9 If yes, will they be eligible for award in both market tiers?

Yes the company would be eligible for award in both market tiers provided that they can meet the mandatory requirements established in for each proposal submitted.

Due to the late date (yet to be set) of the Pre- Proposal Conference; would the government consider an extension in the Due date of the Market Tier 1 submissions?

No the Market Tier 1 proposal due date will not be extended. The pre-proposal conference is to review the proposal requirements that are already established in the solicitation attachment. The information has already been provided.

11 Has a date been set up for the Pre-proposal Conference for Market Tier 1?

The date for the pre-proposal conference has been set for 9:30 AM on Thursday October 27, 2011 at the NIH, Bethesda Campus Building 10 Lipsett Auditorium

The links provided in the solicitation documents for Section J – List of Attachments, p.76 (Similar Project Template Contractor, Similar Project Template Contractor AE, Past Performance Questionnaire etc.)

are not working – can you please provide these proposal forms?

Please see the zip file associated with solicitation number NIHOF2011367 on the FedBizOpps.

The solicitation documents recommend that the Phase I proposal follow Tabbed Sections 1-5 as listed on p. 86 of the solicitation – however the proposal requirements request a section for Key Personnel (Contractor and AE) that would add an additional two sections to the proposal. Can you please clarify the desired organization of the Phase I Proposal contents?

Correct: The tabbed sections have been updated.

Market Tier 2

Number Question Answer

Are there incumbents for Market Tier 2 for this procurement, and if so, who are they? No, this is a new requirement.

2 Is there a general contractor bidders list available? No, there is no list available.

3 Will there be a pre-proposal meeting? If yes, what are the location and time?

Market Tier 2 and 3 will have a combined pre-proposal conference at 9:30 AM on Thursday November 10, 2011 in the Building 10 Lipsett Auditorium located on the Bethesda, Maryland NIH Campus

Will the winning general contractors be responsible for hiring the construction materials testing/inspection services?

The winning General Contractor (GC) may be required to provide commissioning services, however, the GC will not be responsible for commissioning their own construction work.

5 Is there a prebid meeting scheduled for this solicitation?

Market Tier 2 and 3 will have a combined pre-proposal conference at 9:30 AM on Thursday November 10, 2011 in the Building 10 Lipsett Auditorium located on the Bethesda, Maryland NIH Campus

6 When/where is the Pre-proposal conference schedule?

Market Tier 2 and 3 will have a combined pre-proposal conference on Thursday November 10, 2011. The time and place are to be determined.

If GC is a small business bidding under Market Tier 2, does the A/E have to be a small business also?

For 8(a) and small businesses, as long as the Concern performs 15% of the work, the A/E could be a large business.

Bonding (See Page 90), Small Business Set- Aside: Bond requirement for Market Tier 2 is requesting single bonding capacity of not less than 10 million and an aggregate with bonding capacity of not less than 20 million; since Market Tier 2 is limited to $3.5 – 10 million.

Please clarified?

The aggregate bonding amount remains $20 million. The Contractors must show that they have the ability to bond for more than one task order at a time as there are times when multiple requirements are issued at the same time to an individual MAC awardee.

2nd Paragraph; “Offerors whose team, (Contractor and Contractor's A/E(s)), collectively demonstrates experience in all types of spaces, as defined in Section C.1.3 - Task Orders, shall be rated more favorably.” Where might offeror locate Section C.1.3 – Task Orders?

The types of spaces are located under Article C.4.b.

Once awarded a contract, will 8(a) and Small Business awardees be able to pursue task orders from the “large” pool ($10m - $25M) or will they be restricted to the task order ranges within their respective Market Tier?

Awardees will be restricted to submitting proposals against Task Order Request for Proposals (RFP) submitted to their market tier. The Contracting Officer may submit a RFP to a Market Tier that is outside of the established Market Tier dollar ranges.

Market Tier 2

Can a business submit on more than one Market Tier (e.g., Submit for Market Tier 1 and then Market Tier 2)?

A company may submit a proposal in different market tiers.

12 If yes, will they be eligible for award in both market tiers?

Yes the company would be eligible for award in both market tiers provided that they can meet the mandatory requirements established in for each proposal submitted.

Due to the late date (yet to be set) of the Pre- Proposal Conference; would the government consider an extension in the Due date of the Market Tier 1 submissions?

No the Market Tier 1, 2 & 3 proposal due dates will not be extended. The pre-proposal conference is to review the proposal requirements that are already established in the solicitation attachment. The information has already been provided.

Since this is a multi-tier project, can we as an 8A go as prime for the 8A set aside Tier 3 and small business Tier 2 but also a sub on other large teams for Tier 2 and Tier 1 levels?

Offerors may qualify for more than one tier of this multiple award contract. (An 8(a) and Small BusinessConcern may qualify for the next market tier provided that the offeror meets the all mandatory and technicalqualifications.) Offerors may not be awarded more than one contract in the same Market Tier.

Market Tier 3

Number Question Answer

Are there incumbents for Market Tier 3 for this procurement, and if so, who are they? No, this is a new requirement.

Since this is a multi-tier project, can we as an 8A go as prime for the 8A set aside Tier 3 and small business Tier 2 but also a sub on other large teams for Tier 2 and Tier 1 levels?

Offerors may qualify for more than one tier of this multiple award contract. (An 8(a) and Small BusinessConcern may qualify for the next market tier provided that the offeror meets the all mandatory and technical qualifications.) Offerors may not be awarded more than one contract in the same Market Tier.

3 Does this solicitation nullify Solicitation NIHOF2011354 8(a) set-aside, due 31 October? Soliciation number NIHOF2011367 and NIHOF2011354 are not related.

4 NIHOF2011354 lists a pre-proposal conference for 14 October. Is this still taking place?

Solicitation number NIHOF2011354 is unrelated. I am unaware of the schedule related to that soliciation.