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Facility Assessment Services Pre-Solicitation NIHOF2011389 Questions and Answers – Posted 7/15/11
Q1: The “Notice Type” for this solicitation number is shown as a “Presolicitation” on FBO.gov.
Please confirm whether you are requesting actual qualification documents (SF330) with responses due by 8/1/11, or should interested vendors wait for a “Solicitation” Notice to respond with qualification statements?
A1: The Government is requesting actual qualification documents (SF330) with responses due by 8/1/11.
| Q2: Please provide details on the current database system used to house the existing condition and sustainability data. It is referred to as the “FSB database”. What does the acronym “FSB” stand for? The evaluation criteria indicates that the submittals will be evaluated on “method of migrating data from existing to new database”. More details will be needed on the current database in order to ensure the offeror’s selected data management system and software can match up with the existing data. |
| A2: FSB stands for Facility Stewardship Branch. The software currently being used is propriety software. If you need more details, please submit specific questions. |
| Q3: The evaluation criteria requires “report samples generated by software”. Capital Asset Management software is a collection of data (often in Oracle®) and reports can be customized for the user needs. Is there a specific report format that is requested? |
| A3: Few reports that are frequently used: asset list and detailed reports, requirement summary and detailed reports, CI reports. On sustainability, reports on green actions, energy performance, building snapshots, payback, LEED and Guiding Principles scoring. |
| Q4: Please confirm that the request for qualification items B.1. Management, B.2. Staff and B.3. Scope will be evaluated only as part of the discussion phase (interviews) with the short listed firms and that the SF330 submittal should only focus on items A.1. through A.4. |
| A4: The answer to this question will be posted by 7/20/11. |
Q5: Reference is made to “....will include but not be limited to setting up records for infrastructure assets in the existing assessment database;...”
Can you provide the brand name of the existing assessment database? Are bidders required to use that program or will a similar program be accepted?
A5: Currently, NIH uses VFA Facility. Bidders are not required to use this program; however, the proposed software should have the capability to migrate and house all the existing NIH data in VFA Facility and be able to generate similar required reports. Example of reports mostly use: asset list, requirement list and details, energy reports and various green assessment reports such as snapshot, green actions, LEED score, payback.
| Q6: Reference is made to “...providing a web-based capital planning and management tool and database...” What is the extent of the use of the web-based program by the government? How many users and will any users require the use of the embedded cost estimating program? |
| A6: The government uses the web-based capital planning program for project prioritization, budget planning and project implementation records. |
| Q7: The solicitation states, “Small business responding to this solicitation must demonstrate the capability to perform a minimum of 51% of the required work.” Does the 51% need to be performed by a single small business or can the 51% be distributed between multiple small businesses? |
| A7: The prime or joint venture must perform at least 51%of the work (labor) with its own work force. |
Q8: Can you clarify the roles anticipated for planners (urban/regional), economists, cartographer and ecologists as they relate to task orders described?
A8: We need people with skills and knowledge to conduct, perform and evaluation all aspects of the traditional and sustainability assessments and the capital planning analysis.
Planners: for project planning and cost estimates.
Economists: Capital planning analysis Cartographer: Infrastructure mapping Ecologist: vegetation and environment evaluation and planning.
| Q9: Who is the incumbent on this contract? |
| A9: VFA, Inc. |
| Q10: How frequently does NIH normally conduct facility condition assessments? (on a 3 year basis? 5 year basis?) Do they cover all the facilities at once, or is it done on a rolling, as-needed basis? |
| A10: Every 4 year on a rolling basis. |
| Q11: What type of existing software is currently being used to store asset records and work orders? Do you expect us to migrate the data FROM this system, or TO this system? |
| A11: The existing software being used: VFA Facility. The vendor is expected to migrate all current data from existing database to the proposed software. |
| Q12: Can the sustainability assessment include those who are not part of the traditional assessment of developing infrastructure assets, system deficiencies, and cost estimates? Meeting the requirements of EO 13423 and LEED EBOM often require a whole systems approach that does not always lend itself well to evaluating on a system by system basis. |
| A12: The sustainability assessment will be integrated and in conjunction with the traditional assessment when possible. The sustainable existing building assessment methodology will be consistent with the Guiding Principles and LEED-EB guidelines and checklists. |
| Q13: Is there an SF 330 page limit? We typically see limits in the range of 35-50 pages. Can a fold-out 11 x 17 page be used for a chart? |
| A13: The limit is 40 pages and yes you can use an 11 x 17 fold-out chart. |
| Q14: Is there a current incumbent for Facility Condition or Assessment services? Are sustainability assessments or horizontal infrastructure services currently being performed by other firms? |
| A14: The facility condition and sustainability assessment is currently performed by a contractor. The horizontal infrastructure service is in the process of being setup. |
| Q15: Is the “FSB database” being populated/updated by a consultant firm or by NIH in-house staff? |
| A15: FSB database is being populated by a contractor. Update can be done by both NIH or the contractor. |
| Q16: Can proposals be hand delivered to the address provided in the solicitation. |
| A16: Yes |
| Q17: Please provide some background on the current “FSB database”. Since one of the Evaluation Criteria is the method of migrating data from existing to new database, it is important to understand the structure and data elements of the “FSB database”. Related questions are: What kind of database is FSB? Was it provided by a consultant or developed in-house? What are the basic data elements for condition and sustainability? Is it maintained on an NIH server or a consultant server? |
| A17: NIH is current employed proprietary software provided by the contractor to house the assessment data. It is web-based capital planning and management software. The software consists of number of modules and is capable of generating various types of reports. The database keeps records of all assets data, utility data, asset condition, project data and other facility related documents. The database is currently hosted on contractor’ server. |
| Q18: Is there currently a program for horizontal infrastructure services? Is this information stored in the FSB database? |
| A18: Not yet. |
| Q19: Will the new web based capital planning and management tool and database referred to be set-up and maintained on an NIH server or hosted by the selected consultant. |
| A19: Can be either. However, if it is to be hosted on NIH server, the selected contractor will have to work with NIH IT to establish all necessary works related to the setup, connection, management and maintenance of the new database. |
| Q20: Is NIH considering more than one contract award? |
| A20: No |
| Q21: Please clarify the evaluation criteria. Our understanding of the solicitation is the SF 330’s submitted will be evaluated based on paragraph “EVALUATION CRITERIA” paragraphs A.1 through A.4 to determine a “shortlist” only. Once the “shortlist” is determined, a more detailed scope of work will be provided to the shortlisted firms, any scoring or ranking from the SF330’s will not be counted, and the shortlisted firms will be evaluated based on criteria shown in paragraph B.1 through B.3. |
| A21: The answer to this question will be posted by 7/20/11. |
| Q22: Please confirm criteria in paragraph B.3 Scope which indicates firms shall demonstrate an understanding of the SOW including: team’s approach to site planning issues; firms approach to overall design of buildings; firm’s ability to address specific planning issues; team’s master planning experience; etc. Are these services contemplated as part of this Facility Assessment Services RFP? |
| A22: The answer to this question will be posted by 7/20/11. |
| Q23: Please confirm Section G SF 330 required disciplines. Are disciplines such as Cartographer and Economist required? |
| A23: The answer to this question will be posted by 7/20/11. |
| Q24: Has this project been funded? |
| A24: The answer to this question will be posted by 7/20/11. |
| Q25: What is the duration for the first phase? |
| A25: The first phase could be a year and the duration is depending on the task on order. |
New questions and answers will be posted next week.
