S05 Response to Solicitation 36C10F24R50000 RFIs.docx

1. Are submissions of PPOs required if CPARS information on the offeror is already available to the Government review team? Yes, for the basis of evaluation of the Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQ), the VA will assign a rating based on the information provided by the references and any other source. In the case of an offeror without a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available, the offeror may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on past performance and will receive a neutral rating. However, the proposal of an offeror with no relevant past performance history, while rated neutral in past performance, may not represent the most advantageous proposal to the Government. The Evaluation Team may consider past performance data from a wide variety of sources both inside and outside the Federal Government. The Evaluation Team will also consider the relevancy of the submitted projects related to the RFQ, relevancy will be evaluated as very relevant, relevant, somewhat relevant, not relevant (see Relevancy Rating Chart). The Government evaluation team will conduct an evaluation based on past performance of offerors as it relates to the probability of successfully performing the solicitation requirements, and the Past Performance evaluation will assess the relative risks associated with an offeror’s likelihood of success in fulfilling the solicitation’s requirements based on the performance risk standards as indicated below. In addition to PPQ the Government will review the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) for evaluation of the contractors’ performance on previously completed government projects. Assessment Reports in CPARS will take precedence over the submitted PPQ. If an offeror has no Assessment Report in CPARS, they will be rated neutral for that element.

2. Please Clarify that Phase 1 Solicitation is just requiring Documents and References only no monetary Value is being requested in Phase 1. Confirmed, for Phase 1 submissions no pricing information is being requested for the proposed scope of work, although under the Previous Experience factor, pricing information for previous projects being submitted are to include total contract amounts.

3. Please Clarify as it relates to a JV or Teaming agreement (which would have its own EIN number How would we submit the information needed below if ultimately in Phase 2 the JV would be approved by the VA? Should we Provide documentation and experience from both Companies? Per solicitation section A1.A, the solicitation is set aside for a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, and as such, requires SDVOSB certification.

4. Pedestrian walk ways, are they too enclosed walkways? Only the walkway that runs between the existing Boiler Plant and the planned Central Utility Plant location is to be a protected walkway – “protected” meaning plywood or other similar material on both sides and on top with lighting included.

5. What are the locations to be for the temporary oxygen tanks and chillers? The scope of work is intended to allow the facility to continue use of the existing oxygen tanks and chillers until the new units installed as part of the Central Utility Plant are tested, operational and then connected to the main facility system feeds, therefore temporary units should not be required.

6. Is there a time allotment for each phase? The only time requirement is that the total contract duration is anticipated to be 1460 calendar days. How the successful offeror splits the time among the various project phases is up to the offeror.

7. The prints call for ramps, what are the ramps to be used for? The documents provided by the VA are schematic only and not intended to be final design documents to be followed by the successful offeror and therefore what is shown on the provided documents may or may not be include in the final design documents. However, the ramps shown per key note 10 on drawing CS201 are intended to allow a smooth transition from sidewalk to roadways and back to the sidewalk on the other side.

8. 8,000-gallon fuel tank what is the new location or is the a swap? The detail shown is a standard VA detail for underground fuel storage tanks. If the designer of record determines a new underground storage tank of 8,000 gallons or larger is to be included as part of the project, this detail is to be followed.

9. Please advise if the Solicitation Number is 36C10F24R50000 or 36C10F24R5000 (four 0s versus three 0s). "Four 0s" is featured on SAM and on the SF 1442; "three 0s" is featured on Solicitation page 8 of 94. We are accustomed to the format being four digits after the "R". Use “Four 0s”.

10. Please confirm that the Project Number is "654-212". It seems shorter than usual. Confirmed the project number is 654-212.

11. We respectfully request that the Government allow for the submission of CPARS evaluations in lieu of PPQs (if CPARS exist for a particular project). The reason being is many of our project POCs have either moved on to other agencies or have retired. Furthermore, many have stated they will no longer complete PPQs because CPARS evaluations have already been issued. To add, Solicitation page 23 of 94 states that CPARS will take precedence over submitted PPQs. Offerors are expected to submit PPQs as per the solicitation. We do acknowledge that CPARS information will take precedence over PPQ’s in our evaluations of Past Performance, so Offerors may take that into consideration as they decide what to provide in their Phase 1 qualifications.

12. Please advise if "852.219-75 VA NOTICE OF LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING-CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE FOR SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION (NOV 2022)" (beginning on page 61 of 94) should be completed and submitted with the Phase I RFP submission or the Phase II RFP submission - or at all. Requested requirement shall be completed and submitted with the Phase 1 submission.

13. Please advise if "Section K - Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of Offerors or Respondents" (beginning on page 79 of 94) should be completed and submitted with the Phase I RFP submission or the Phase II RFP submission - or at all. Requested requirement shall be completed and submitted with the Phase 1 submission.

14. Solicitation page 19 of 94 states that the "Phase I technical qualifications shall not exceed 25 pages." We respectfully request that the Government either increase this limit to 50, assign page limitations for each Factor, and/or stipulate which documents will not count against the page limitations (e.g., CPARS if allowed to submit, safety documentation, etc.). Offerors that are planning to submit five projects instead of the minimum three are at a disadvantage, and with seven key personnel, quality control narrative, and safety documentation and narrative to present, the 25-page limit is easily exceeded. Government extends the submissions requirement from 25 to a 30-page limit. However, if an offeror elects to include CPARS information from previous Government projects as part of their submissions, those documents will not be counted against the 30-page submission limitation.

15. Are we safe to assume that Site Visit would occur after Phase 1 proposals and before Phase 2? That is correct assumption, the planned site visit for the offerors that will submit phase 2 offers will be scheduled at a later date.

16. The ACM survey is very difficult to read, Can the VA confirm NO ASBESTOS is in this building, or send a better copy? The asbestos report information which was provided was a courtesy copy provided by the facility. It is required that the final successful offeror will conduct their own hazardous material survey of the existing Boiler Plant prior to demolition of the building. The VA presently cannot confirm the existence or non-existence of Asbestos Containing Material or other hazardous substances within the Boiler Plant.

17. Does the VA have a certain time frame in mind for the Design Phase? The only time requirement is that the total contract duration is anticipated to be 1460 calendar days.

18. In the scope it mentions we can start construction after 35% documents are approved, but usually we have to wait for 100% CDs before we are allowed to start construction, so is this statement correct and work can start after 35% approval? The referenced statement was included in the solicitation to assure a true design-build effort. The VA does not need complete 100% design packages for all disciplines before construction activities can start if the successful offeror schedules the work accordingly. If the successful offeror initiates work activities prior to submission and approval of 100% design documents, they do so at their own risk.

19. Will (DBT) be granted unlimited access to Boiler Plant (Building 8) and surrounding area during the design phase? Access to the existing Boiler Plant during the design period will not be “unlimited” as the Boiler Plant is a secure building. However, the successful offeror can coordinate with the on-site Resident Engineer who will work with the facility to obtain all necessary access.

20. Can the VA please confirm the Bid Bond is not required until Phase 2 Proposal? Yes, the Bid Bond are not required until Phase 2 proposal submissions.

21. Will we have to have any site super, QC or safety on site during the design phase? If the intent of the offeror is to develop complete or nearly complete design documents before any on site construction activities start, the site super, QC or safety staff would not be required on site during the design phase. However, once construction activities do begin, that staff would be expected to be on site 100% of the time.

22. If required to have any site super, QC or safety on site during the design phase, can we use the same personnel that are currently on this site but on another job, or will they have to be separate / different employees? If the intent of the offeror is to develop complete or nearly complete design documents before any on site construction activities start, the site super, QC or safety staff would not be required to be assigned 100% of the time on the VA Reno Central Utility Plant project site during the design phase. However, once construction activities do begin, that staff would be expected to be on site 100% of the time.

23. A3. Source Selection. B. The Evaluation Method explained seems to be unclear and leaves open many methods open for the evaluation. Can the VA please consider to narrow this down so it is understood exactly how the evaluation is to be conducted and ranked? The evaluation method of the offeror’s proposals will be based on the Basis of Evaluation for each factor as indicated in Phase 1 and Phase 2.

24. What would the Award Fee that the VA is considering be? And has that been decided yet? If Not will it be decided before the Phase 1 Proposal is due? Additional award fee information will be provided to the offerors selected to proceed to Phase 2 of the solicitation process.

25. We usually see a maximum file size in Mb for the Phase 1 and Phase 2 proposals, but could not find that in the solicit. Can the VA please confirm maximum file sizes that can be electronically submitted? The only submission requirement is that submission should not exceed 25 pages maximum, not including CPARS.

26. Can the VA confirm the SDVOSB contractor or Joint Venture need to be registered in Sam at the time of Phase 1 submission? Offerors are requested to go to https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/ , search FAQs at that website.

27. We see FAR 852.219-75 is included in the solicit and requires signature but didn’t find which Phase this along with any other FARs are to be submitted. Can the VA please confirm which phase to submit any FARS? Requested requirement shall be completed and submitted with the Phase 1 and Phase 2 submissions.

28. Does the VA have any requirements or restrictions regarding phasing? As the project is a design-build project, the successful offeror will be responsible to develop complete construction documents. Therefore, it is possible the location of the Central Utility Plant as shown in the solicitation package may not be the final location of the building. However, if the design results in the Central Utility Plant being located where shown, or in close proximity to where shown on the solicitation documents, at a minimum the following constriction activities have to occur in the order shown: Phase 1 – accomplish the work shown in the existing gravel lot, Phase 2 – construct the new Central Utility Plant, Phase 3 – Test all systems in the new Central Utility Plant, Phase 4 – switchover all facility utility services from the existing Boiler Plant to the new Central Utility Plant, Phase 5 – demolish the existing Boiler Plant and construct surface level parking lot at that location, Phase 6 – Reallocate the parking stalls provided in Phase 1 per final layout of that lot.

29. Commissioning is required for the project. Does commissioning have to be done by a 3rd party or can it be the Design-Build Team (DBT)? Commissioning is the requirement of the Design-Build team, the Government will hire a third-party firm to oversee and verify the commissioning process for the project.

30. Section 01 45 00 para 3.4.B. states that the CQC System Manager is required to be a graduate engineer, graduate architect, or a graduate of construction management… Please confirm that the term “graduate” in this context does not refer to a master’s degree. Correct, master’s degree is not required.

31. Will the VA clarify if the Contractor’s Site Superintendent, if duly qualified, may also serve in the roles of SSHO and CQC, or will a separate individual be required for either of these two rolls? If so how much time per week is each required to be on site during construction? While we leave that flexibility up to each Offeror, we do note that per VA Safety Requirements specification 01 35 26 “The Prime Contractor shall provide a minimum of one “Full-Time” SSHO at each project site, for each shift (with no other duties) that holds as current, a professional safety certification with at least 3 years of dedicated construction safety related experience.” Therefore, a site Superintendent cannot serve as SSHO as well.

32. Can the VA Provide as-builts for the building(s) and surrounding site (utilities) before Phase 2? VA will provide as-builts that are requested by any offeror prior to submissions of the phase 2 package. However, the facility has advised the team that they do not have complete as-built drawings for all buildings on campus and therefore some of the requested as-built drawings may not be able to be provided.

33. We would like to respectfully request an extra time extension for Phase 1 submittals because we would not be able to start Phase 1 until we receive the answers to RFI's as this could make a huge difference on the proposals. Phase 1 is Request for Qualification; therefore, Government does not intend to provide a time extension for Phase 1 submissions.

34. "Solicitation section 001121, section A1.G: Notes “Prior to beginning with the design, the Design-Build Architect / Engineer (DB-A/E) shall perform a complete assessment of the scope and area to be familiarized with the project and identify all design/construction concerns, non-compliance issues and deficiencies that need to be addressed along with their respective solutions. Included within this assessment will be an evaluation of the life safety measures within the existing Boiler Plant, Building 8. Building 8 is rated by the VA as being seismic Exceptional High Risk. The DBT will propose measures or physical improvements to Building 8 that mitigate life safety risks and improve the Boiler Plant’s functional sustainability in the event of a seismic event. Given that Building 8 will be demolished after construction of the new CUP, any proposed measures should be short-term and/or temporary in nature. Measures that are intended to enhance the life safety of building occupants have the highest priority. This assessment will be undertaken immediately after the DBT is issued the Notice to Proceed. The Government will review the DBT’s proposed measures and decide what, if any, subsequent action to pursue.”

0. Is the D/B to include both the assessment and recommendations, but not design associated with recommendations? The initial effort by the D/B will be to accomplish the assessment and then submit a report including the recommendations. The Government will then determine if the D/B is to proceed with any of the submitted recommendations.

0. Will any government selected improvement measures be included as a contract change? If the Government determines to proceed with any of the recommendations in the submitted report, the Government will issue a change order directing the D/B to proceed.

0. Parameters for seismic upgrade are not provided:

2. Is a complete ASCE 41 evaluation required and if so, what are the evaluation performance objectives? While we would defer to the D/B for specific recommendations, we believe an ASCE 41 Tier 1 screening type evaluation would be appropriate. The objective would be to identify prospective temporary life safety measures.

2. What earthquake hazard level should be used for the evaluation? For the evaluation of Building 8 we suggest ASCE 41-13, Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings. We suggest evaluating Building 8 for an enhanced building performance objective as directed in the VA H-18-8 Handbook, Seismic Design Requirements. A building performance objective of Immediate Occupancy (IO) under the Basic Safety Earthquake-1 equivalent to new building standards (BSE-1N) seismic hazard, and of Collapse Prevention (CP) building performance objective under the Basic Safety Earthquake-2 equivalent to new building standards (BSE-2N) seismic hazard are suggested.

2. Can the VA expand on the criteria of “improving the Boiler Plant’s functional sustainability” to help the A/E team better understand the depth of assessment required." Our goals for this assessment would be to identify temporary measures to improve life safety AND to ideally maintain the operation of the Building 8 Boiler Plant.

35. Will a mechanical equipment schedule be provided? Is mechanical equipment shown on MH101 sized to reflect equipment noted in the Design Narrative (500HP boilers, 500T chiller)? This is a design-build project and therefore the successful D/B offeror will be the designer of record. The documents provided by the Government are to be considered preliminary design information which may or may not be accurate and is to be confirmed by the designer of record during the design process. The designer of record will determine the final mechanical equipment schedule.

36. The condensate storage tank can’t be located on the general arrangement drawing. Please advise. The documents provided by the Government are to be considered preliminary design information which may or may not be accurate and is to be confirmed by the designer of record during the design process. The designer of record will determine the final location of the condensate storage tank.

37. Confirm emissions requirements (NOx, SOx, etc.) for new boilers. The facility is subject to the jurisdiction of the Northern Nevada Public Health Air Quality Management Division which will provide the allotted emission levels for the subject project.

38. Who will be responsible for air permitting? The successful D/B offeror.

39. Confirm a cooling tower and boiler stack dispersion analysis is required. The designer of record is required to develop and submit all required design information.

40. The Plumbing Design Narrative (D, Boiler System Section) notes the water softening system needs to be sized for 3 months of capacity. Please clarify what part of the system needs to be sized for 3 months (salt storage, brine tank, etc). This equipment is not immediately clear on sheet P-101, please clarify where this footprint is accounted for. All equipment which is part of the boiler feed water system must be part of the water softening system. The designer of record is responsible for layout of all equipment to be included in the Central Utility Plant.

41. P-502 has a detail for a reverse osmosis system, but no reference to an RO is made in the narrative nor footprint accounted for on the floorplans. RO is mentioned in various specification locations, but a full RO spec is not included. Confirm an RO system is not desired. A reverse osmosis system is to be included as part of the new Central Utility Plant. The package provided by the Government is to be considered as preliminary information only.

42. Is the existing backup fuel oil system to be re-used as part of the project? If so, please confirm: Yes, it can be re-used, however, validation of system integrity must be provided by the successful D/B offeror prior to the Government approving re-use of the system.

0. Will it remain in the same location or need to be relocated? If system integrity is validated, system can remain in the same location.

0. Confirm location on site plan of existing backup FO system. The successful D/B offeror will have to validate existing utility locations as part of the design effort, however the information provided on the solicitation documents should be fairly accurate.

0. Confirm backup fuel system meets VA requirements. Existing equipment does meet some, but not all, of the VA fuel system requirements. The successful D/B offeror must provide a design that meets 100% of the applicable VA requirements for generator and boiler fuel system emergency and future expansion capacity storage requirements.

0. Can this be used for both generator and boiler fuel? The existing system can be re-used once validation is provided for both the generators and the boiler fuel, but a new fuel scrubber system is to be provided for the generator fuel system.

43. Is the intent of the Oxygen system to be designed and procured by the D/B team or will it be designed/installed by a local gas company? It is up to the successful D/B offeror if they want to design the oxygen system in-house or contract will an oxygen supplier to provide the design.

44. In the Solicitation document for Project Number 654-212, Part 1 – General, Section A1 – Scope, pdf page 13 of 94 it notes all construction activities will be accomplished by firms which have a current license issued by the Nevada State Contractor’s Board, or equivalent document from another state. Please confirm that the Offeror/SDVOSB proposer does not need to have a contractor’s license provided all construction activities are performed by subcontractors who hold a contractor’s license. Provided all construction activities are conducted by firms which have a current license issued by the Nevada State Contractor’s Board, or equivalent document from another state, we consider this requirement in the RFP to be met.

45. Is the submission of Phase 1 Past Performance, Project Experience, Technical Qualifications of Key Personnel, Quality Control Procedures, and Safety Record required to be specifically for the Offeror/SDVOSB proposer itself, or can it also include qualifying information for the design and/or construction project team, regardless of the contractual relationship with the Offeror/SDVOSB proposer? The Government will review all information submitted in response to the Phase 1 solicitation. Offerors are free to submit any information they believe is relevant to the applicable parts of the solicitation in consideration of the 30-page limit on submissions, including information representative of their entire D/B team.

46. Is it possible based on the RFI's that this (offeror response date for Phase 1 submissions) can be postponed as we dig into all the information ? Phase 1 is Request for Qualification; therefore, Government does not intend to provide a time extension for Phase 1 submissions.