Amendment 2 to RFP-2026-10245 10.30.26.pdf

Request for Proposal for Modification No. RFP-2026-10245()

Amendment No. 02

Date: 10/30/2026

ISSUED BY:

National Laboratory of the Rockies 15013 Denver West Parkway Golden, CO 80401

PROJECT NAME:

Building America Subject Matter Expert Technical Support

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth below. The hour and date specified for receipt of offers

[X] is not extended. [ ] is extended to

FAILURE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AMENDMENT MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SOLICITATION DOCUMENT REMAIN UNCHANGED AND IN FULL FORCE

AND EFFECT. ACKNOWLEDGDGMENT SHOULD BE IN PROPOSAL COVER LETTER.

Subcontract Administrator: Kim Tangler

Amendment No. 02 is hereby issued in response to questions received regarding the subject Request for Proposal (RFP) No. RFP-2026-10245(). Please note that some questions may have been edited to address duplicate questions or to protect business-sensitive information provided in the original question(s). The essences of the original questions are not affected. Questions are in no particular order.

MERIT CRITERIA AND LIMITED SCOPE QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1

The Qualitative Merit criteria suggest that NLR strongly prefers proposers who can effectively address all six Task topics. That said, a proposer who has deep expertise in only a few (e.g., 2-3) of the Task topics could, potentially, provide superior quality and value to NLR for those few areas; NLR could then task combinations of subject matter experts (SMEs) from the up to 10 respondents selected for an award to address Tasks it needs to complete. Is NLR considering - or would NLR consider - pursuing this latter approach?

ANSWER 1

NLR will score each technical proposal based on the qualitative merit criteria provided in the RFP document. There is no scoring consideration, or “preference”, for Offerors that bid on all SOW Tasks versus a subset of SOW Task(s).

One technical proposal is required for each SOW Task under this solicitation.

The approach to issuing work will be addressed with specific successful Offerors.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 2 - 10*

NLR intends to award up to ten (10) subcontracts that cover the statement of work (SOW) task areas. Offerors may propose on all tasks or a subset of task(s) (one, multiple or all tasks) for this solicitation.

Offerors must include a technical proposal for each SOW Task they are submitting a proposal for. The technical proposal should address all merit criteria listed in section 6 of the RFP document.

QUESTION 2*

Please clarify the minimum scope coverage required for an offeror to be considered technically acceptable. Is an offeror required to demonstrate qualifications and capabilities across the full Statement of Work, or may an offeror identify and propose only those technical areas for which it possesses relevant expertise and experience?

Amendment 2 to RFP-2026-10245 10/30/2026

QUESTION 3*

SOW - Section 4 states that assignments will generally include tasks from “any or all” of the areas identified in sections 4.1 through 4.6. Does NLR expect each awarded subcontractor to demonstrate capability across all task areas, or may subcontractors be selected and issued work orders based on demonstrated expertise in a subset of these areas?

QUESTION 4*

Must each offeror demonstrate capability across all six SOW tasks (4.1–4.6)? Or will NLR consider offers that address a subset, such as analysis, market scaling, and guidance, without lab, or field testing?

QUESTION 5*

RFP §4, p. 2 - Is the intent to award up to ten subcontracts with identical scope, or will awards be aligned to specific SOW task areas (4.1–4.6)? May offerors propose to only a subset of task areas?

QUESTION 6*

Could we propose a specialty offer limited to section 4.4, with technical evaluation and work orders aligned to that scope?

QUESTION 7*

May an offeror propose a specialized subset of the sow, particularly task 4.2 industrialized construction optimization and related factory data collection, validation, implementation support, and guidance, without proposing energy or hygrothermal modeling expertise under task 4.3

QUESTION 8*

Does NLR expect each offeror to demonstrate capability across all task areas identified in the Statement of Work, or may offerors identify and propose specific areas of technical specialization, such as building-envelope performance, moisture intrusion, air and water infiltration, field testing, and field validation?

QUESTION 9*

If specialized expertise is acceptable, may offerors identify the specific Statement of Work task areas for which they would be best suited to receive individual work orders?

QUESTION 10*

Scope of expertise - Given the range of services identified in section 4 of the statement of work, may offerors demonstrate qualifications in one or more individual task areas rather than all six?

QUESTION 11

May an offeror use the experience of a named lower-tier subcontractor or teaming partner to meet the examples requested in sections 6.1 to 6.4? If so, should the partner be identified as such in the technical proposal?

ANSWER 11

The partner (lower tier subcontractor) should be identified in the technical proposal.

QUESTION 12

RFP §6.2, p. 3 - May examples, facilities, and equipment from proposed lower-tier subcontractors or partners be used to demonstrate qualifications under the merit criteria?

ANSWER 12

Yes.

QUESTION 13

Will the technical support be limited to residential buildings, or will commercial and industrial buildings be within scope?

ANSWER 13

Commercial and industrial buildings are within scope.

QUESTION 14

It is my understanding that historically Building America projects have been focused on residential buildings. What kind of buildings would be supported through this work and are you interested in us demonstrated through our RFP response? Should we include experience related to both residential and commercial buildings in our RFP response?

ANSWER 14

Commercial, residential, and industrial buildings are within the scope of this program.

QUESTION 15

Relevant industry experience - For evaluation criterion 6.1, may experience in federal, commercial, and institutional construction be considered relevant industry experience?

ANSWER 15

Yes.

QUESTION 16

Research and analysis - For evaluation criterion 6.2, may applied industry research, construction process analysis, and technical evaluations be credited as relevant research, analysis, and technical output experience?

ANSWER 16

Yes.

QUESTION 17

Personnel Experience - For Evaluation Criteria 6.1 through 6.4, may offerors demonstrate relevant qualifications through the proposed personnel’s experience gained while employed by other organizations, provided their individual roles and contributions are clearly identified?

ANSWER 17

Yes, we accept the personnel’s experience from all applicable roles.

QUESTION 18

Does NLR encourage offerors to team with other organizations? If so, will the experience, facilities, and capabilities of proposed lower-tier subcontractors be considered in evaluating the offeror’s technical proposal against the qualitative merit criteria?

ANSWER 18

Teaming is not a requirement for this solicitation. However, this is a decision for each Offeror to make on their own.

QUESTION 19

Task 4.1 of the SOW indicates that the Subcontractor shall conduct lab or field experiments. Are testing services required to be performed in-house by subcontractor or can services be performed by a third-party accredited lab and monitored by the subcontractor? Are laboratory experiments required to be performed by a laboratory located within the United States? If a third-party laboratory is to be used, are they required to be listed as a partner on the project submission?

ANSWER 19

LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS ARE REQUIRED TO BE PEFORMED BY A LABORATORY LOCATED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES. DOMESTIC THIRD PARTY LABORATORIES OR SERVICES CAN BE USED. THE AFFILIATION AND

CAPABILITY OF THE ARRANGEMENT SHOULD BE CLARIFIED IN THE SUBMISSION.

PRICING QUESTIONS

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 20 - 21*

Each Offeror should propose in accordance with their approved accounting practices. NLR will consider rate escalation if economic factors support the proposed percentage/increase. It is anticipated that each Offeror will propose competitive rates.

QUESTION 20*

Rate escalation - The solicitation calls for fixed hourly rates across a 12-month base period and four 12-month option periods. Will NLR allow annual rate escalation for the option periods (for example, a fixed percentage or an index), or must the proposed rates stay flat for all five years?

QUESTION 21*

Attachment 2, Work Order Process, item 5 - Should proposed rates include escalation for each option period?

Will rates be fixed for all five years once awarded?

ANSWER TO QUESTIONS 22 - 23*

Offerors should propose labor categories required to complete the work effort and in accordance with your accounting system.

QUESTION 22*

Does NLR have a preferred or required set of labor categories, or may offerors propose their own categories on the Labor Rate Break-Down Proposal Form?

QUESTION 23*

RFP §10(d), p. 6 - Does NLR prescribe standard labor categories, or should offerors propose their own? Is there a maximum number of labor categories?

QUESTION 24

For a lead-SME proposal using a market-based fully burdened commercial hourly rate, will published comparable rates and a clearly identified estimated cost allocation satisfy the labor-rate support requirement, or must the proposal include the offeror’s actual payroll and historical indirect-cost computations?

ANSWER 24

Yes, commercially hourly rates with comparable hourly rates will support labor rate documentation.

QUESTION 25

Attachment 2, Work Order Process, items C(i)–(j) - Because labor rates are fully burdened, please confirm G&A and profit apply only to non-labor costs (e.g., materials, ODCs) in work orders.

ANSWER 25

If an Offerors accounting system is designed for G&A to be applied to non-labor costs, this must be spelled out in your proposal for NLR to consider. Profit will not be added to non-labor costs.

FUNDING QUESTIONS

QUESTION 26

Expected work volume. Funding is described as approximately $100,000 per year, with up to ten awardees.

What is the anticipated number and average size of work orders per awardee per year, and is any minimum volume guaranteed?

ANSWER 26

There is no minimum work volume guaranteed under these subcontracts. The size of each work order will vary based on the subject matter expertise required for that specific work order.

QUESTION 27

Section 4 states that annual funding is expected to be approximately $100,000, with a five-year ceiling amount of $500,000 each. Can NLR clarify whether the anticipated $100,000 in annual funding applies to each awarded subcontract or represents the anticipated aggregate annual funding available across all awarded subcontractors? Can NLR also confirm whether the $500,000 five-year ceiling applies individually to each awarded subcontract?

ANSWER 27

NLR anticipates a $100,000.00 annual ceiling for a subcontract with all tasks, resulting in potentially ten $500,000.00 agreements for the overall work effort. However, the actual totals may differ based on whether an awarded subcontract covers all tasks or a subset of tasks.

QUESTION 28

RFP §7; §10(d); Attachment 2, Work Order Process ¶5; RFP §13 (Labor Rate Break-Down Proposal Form) - Section 7 states that “proposed fully burdened labor rates for all labor categories will be used for determining price,” and Attachment 2 (Work Order Process, Paragraph 5) states that the Subcontractor will use “fully burdened hourly labor rates” in preparing work order proposals. Section 10(d), however, requires the “Labor Rate Break-Down Proposal Form,” which asks offerors to disclose base wage rates, labor overhead, fringe benefits, G&A, and profit percentages for each labor category and option period, along with supporting payroll records and indirect rate computations.

Because NLR will evaluate and award only on the fully burdened rate, and because this is a Firm Fixed Price work order subcontract, the component cost elements are not needed for price evaluation. They are also competitively sensitive and proprietary to each offeror.

Will NLR replace the “Labor Rate Break-Down Proposal Form” with the “Fully Burdened Labor Rate and Expense Proposal Form” available on NLR’s website (www.nlr.gov/workingwithus/forms.html)?

ANSWER 28

The proposed labor rates provided in section 10(d) “Labor Rate Break-Down Proposal Form” will be used in all work orders issued by NLR to successful Offerors. NLR has requested each Offeror to complete the “Labor Rate Break-Down Proposal Form” to support the fully burdened labor rates for each potential subcontract. If an Offeror chooses not to provide cost elements for each component then NLR will have to make assumptions if labor rates need to be negotiated. NLR will not be changing the requested labor proposal form.

WORK ORDER PROCESS QUESTIONS

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 29 - 35*

Work orders will not be competed against subcontractors. NLR technical staff will reach out with a scope of work based on technical expertise. Should a subcontractor not have capacity, NLR will go to the next best technical expert. There is no minimum work volume guaranteed under these subcontracts. The size of each work order will vary based on the subject matter expertise required. At this time NLR does not have a way to determine the estimated value/per work order or the number of work orders to be issued for each award.

http://www.nlr.gov/workingwithus/forms.html

QUESTION 29*

The statement of work indicates that specific tasks will be defined by NLR on an as-needed basis. Where multiple subcontractors are awarded under this solicitation, can NLR clarify how individual work orders will be assigned or completed among awarded subcontractors?

QUESTION 30*

Work order competition. - Will work orders be competed among all awardees, assigned to a single awardee, or a mix? How will NLR choose an awardee for each work order?

QUESTION 31*

How will NLR distribute work orders among awardees? For example, will it compete them among awardees, assign them directly by expertise, or rotate them?

QUESTION 32*

Will Subject Matter Experts have the option to accept or decline individual task assignments on a rolling basis based on capacity or other factors?

QUESTION 33*

Work Order Assignments - Does NLR anticipate issuing work orders aligned with individual subcontractors' demonstrated areas of expertise?

QUESTION 34*

Can NLR provide an anticipated range for the value and number of individual Work Orders expected to be issued under each subcontract?

QUESTION 35*

SOW - Section 3 states that some tasks may require short notice (2 business days) with final delivery within 5 business days. Can NLR clarify whether awarded subcontractors are expected to maintain availability to accept assignments within these timeframes, or whether individual work orders will be issued based on subcontractor availability and acceptance?

PROPOSAL PREPERATION QUESTIONS

QUESTION 36

Please confirm that resumes, the SOW change attachment, and the Labor Rate Break-Down form are excluded from the 8-page technical proposal limit.

ANSWER 36

Confirmed.

QUESTION 37

Does NLR prefer that resumes and proposed changes to the Statement of Work be provided as appendices to the technical proposal or as separate files?

ANSWER 37

No, the RFP clearly states that changes to the SOW must be spelled out in the cover letter (see section 10 (g)).

Resumes should be included at the end of the technical proposal(s).

QUESTION 38

Is there a length limit for the cover letter or the resumes?

ANSWER 38

No.

QUESTION 39

Each of the criterion numbered in section 6 lists multiple groups of examples. For example criterion 6.1 lists “provide 1-3 examples….” And “provide 1-3 examples.” Should we interpret this as providing a total of 2-6 examples in response to criterion 6.1?

ANSWER 39

Yes.

ANSWER 40 - 41*

For each technical proposal (per Task) there should be a title page (title page does not count against the 8-page technical proposal limit) , qualitative merit responses (8 pages or less), and resumes (no page limit). This will be for each Task area your organization chooses to submit for.

Business proposal PDF submissions are required for the following:

Labor Rate Break-Down Proposal Form Representations & Certifications form OCI form (either Disclosure form or the Representation Statement form) Cover letter

QUESTION 40*

RFP §10, pp. 5-7 - Please confirm that the following is correct: The Technical Proposal (encompassing Technical Expertise and Industry Experience, Research, Analysis, and Technical Output, Collaboration and Workforce Development, and Knowledge Transfer) and the Title Page will be included in a single PDF with a page limit of 8 pages. The Cover Letter, Proposed Changes to the SOW, Resumes, Labor Rate Break-Down Proposal Form, Representations & Certifications, and OCI Representation or Disclosure Statement will all be included as their own separate PDFs. Therefore, there should be a total of 7 PDFs submitted in a zipped folder.

QUESTION 41*

RFP §10(c), p. 6 - Is there a page or length limit for resumes?

QUESTION 42

RFP §10(a) and (h) - Please confirm proposals be emailed to the NLR RFP contact. Is there a maximum file size, and is a confirmation of receipt provided?

ANSWER 42

Per the RFP document sentence “SUBMIT OFFERS TO…RFP CONTACT” per section 2 of the RFP entitled “NLR RFP Contact” the electronic PDF files should be submitted via email to the NLR RFP contact. There is not a known maximum file size. If concerned with file size, zip the PDF proposal sections into one submission. Each Offeror will receive an email confirmation acknowledging proposal submission.

QUESTION 43

RFP §11(c); Appendix C-1/C-2 - Please confirm which IP appendix applies based on offeror business type, and whether exceptions to data rights may be proposed in the cover letter.

ANSWER 43

Refer to the cover page of each Appendix where the applicable business type/size is prescribed. If you are unsure of your business type/size you can note which appendix you believe applies in the cover letter. No data right exceptions will be granted. Data Rights will be governed in accordance with Appendix C.

QUESTION 44

RFP, Section 13. Solicitation provisions, P.9 - Will NLR allow and accept offerors redlines to the applicable terms and conditions as part of the proposal submission package?

ANSWER 44

Yes, you can submit redlines to applicable terms and conditions as stated in section 10(g) of the RFP document.

Please note: any proposed change/exception must contain sufficient amplification and justification to permit evaluation. Such proposed changes/exceptions will not, of themselves, automatically cause an offer to be termed unacceptable. However, a large number of proposed changes/exceptions or one or more significant exceptions not providing any obvious benefit to the NLR or the Department of Energy may result in rejection of such offer as unacceptable.

EVALUATION PROCESS QUESTIONS

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 45 - 47*

Please see Amendment 1, dated 10/15/2026, to RFP-2026-10245().

QUESTION 45*

Could you also clarify whether selection follows the best-value approach in Sections 5–8 or the lowest-price technically acceptable language in Section 9?

QUESTION 46*

Sections 5–8 describe best-value selection with weighted technical criteria, while Section 9 refers to technically acceptable lowest-price selection. Which evaluation and award method governs this solicitation?

QUESTION 47*

Sections 8 and 9 are both titled “Evaluation process” but describe different evaluation steps and selection methods. Section 8 describes evaluation against the Statement of Work and qualitative merit criteria, taking into consideration proposed price (cost), while Section 9 describes evaluation of technically acceptable offers for price reasonableness and potential award to the lowest price (cost), technically acceptable offer. Can NLR clarify whether both sections are intended to apply and, if so, how they should be read together? If not, please confirm which evaluation process applies to this solicitation.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 48 – 49*

Fully burdened labor rates will be evaluated across comparable categories and expertise.

QUESTION 48*

Section 7 states that proposed fully burdened labor rates will be used for determining price, while Section 10(d) states that the number of hours and other expenses will be proposed and negotiated as part of the subcontract work order process. Can NLR clarify how proposed labor rates will be evaluated and compared across offers in the absence of proposed labor hours or a specified labor mix?

QUESTION 49*

RFP §7, p. 4 - How will fully burdened labor rates be evaluated for price (e.g., averaged across categories, weighted by anticipated hours, or compared by category)?

MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS

QUESTION 50

Are all subject matter specialists required to be United States citizens/residents to provide services on this opportunity, required to reside within the United States, and/or required to be within the United States at the time that services are performed?

ANSWER 50

Yes.

QUESTION 51

RFP, Section 13. Solicitation provisions, P.9 - Could NLR include direct PDF copies of the applicable appendices in the Q&A release, rather than relying on external links? This would help ensure all offerors are reviewing the same versions and allow us to identify and redline the correct terms and conditions.

ANSWER 51

No, this solicitation is full and open on SAM.gov and NLR relies on links to ensure the most up to date documents are available to Offerors.

QUESTION 52

Attachment 2, p.3, ORDER OF PRECEDENCE - During negotiations, will NLR allow the subcontractor to expressly incorporate specific elements of its technical proposal, such as assumptions, into higher-precedence documents, including the SOW or Schedule, so they are part of the agreement?

ANSWER 52

No, the entire technical proposal(s) is already incorporated into the Order of Precedence as “7. The Subcontractor’s technical proposal, if incorporated in this subcontract by reference of otherwise”.