BG11001 BGPF - Response to RFI Questions for RFQ - 2020-02-18.pdf

Solicitation No. RFQBG200049

RFQ

Botanic Garden Production Facility Renewal

Response to Bidder Questions

February 18, 2020

AOC’s response to questions received from potential bidders for Solicitation RFQBG200049, Botanic Garden Production Facility Renewal are as follows:

1. Please provide the following:

a. SF for the:

i. Education Center Response: Total 5,000 SF for classrooms, offices, bathrooms, kitchen, and storage.

ii. Demonstration Kitchen Response: Included in Education center.

iii. Storage Facilities Response: 7000 SF includes existing storage and requested additional capacity.

iv. Farm Response: 21,780 SF total, does not have to be contiguous or orthogonal.

b. Copy of the Master Plan and Project Development Study (PDS) Response: Master Plan will be distributed to the firms selected to proceed from the RFQ. There is no PDS.

c. SF for the outdoor growing areas, storage buildings, mulch bins and smaller greenhouses that will also be consolidated, relocated, renovated and/or constructed if not specifically available in the Master Plan and PDS Response: Per Master Plan, “Provide open growing area equivalent to existing growing areas totaling 18,000 SF.” Mulch bins include (3) 17’x10’, (5) 17’x18’, and (3) 30 yd. dumpsters for compost, 750 SF pesticide storage shed, 7000 SF total indoor storage, 6,000 SF quarantine green house, and 5,700 SF hoop houses.

d. Overall site area under development consideration Response: Approximately 10 acres - exact area of development to be determined during POR.

2. Does everyone on the team have to be LEED Accredited (Principal-in-Charge or Program

Specialist) or just the Key Personnel (the team members listed)?

Response: Just Key Personnel are required to be LEED Accredited.

3. Can the listed projects be by consultants on the proposed team?

Response: Yes.

4. Will projects where the Senior Architect (prime on this proposal) served as consultant to one of the proposed team members be considered or will such project listings receive less points? Our reason for asking is that many past greenhouse projects have required the Landscape Architect to be the prime; while given the complexity of the USBG project, the prime for this proposal is likely to be an Architect or A/E firm.

Response: Will be considered, but may receive reduced rating depending on strength of bidders.

5. Description of demo[nstration] kitchen.

Response: Per the Master Plan: “A space to accommodate food preparation programs.”

The demonstration kitchen requirements are to be further developed in the POR.

a. Please provide the Equipment list Response: To be determined in the POR/Design.

b. Is the intent of the demo kitchen to sell food?

Response: Not likely, but the requirements are to be determined in the POR/Design.

c. Depending on the complexity of the equipment, a commercial type I hood might be required to go above cooking equipment. Has this been considered?

Response: To be determined in the POR/Design.

d. Who will be operating the demo kitchen?

Response: To be determined in the POR/Design.

e. Is there a budget established for equipment? If so, can the budget be shared?

Response: To be determined in the POR/Design.

f. Will the plans approvals and decisions for the food service portion be provided by a food service expert?

Response: Not likely, but will be determined in the POR/Design.

6. Is there design ambition for the project? How much of the existing building will remain and how visual an impact would this replacement have?

Response: Please see the description in the SOW.

7. Do you have a construction budget for the project?

Response: Not able to share the construction budget at this time.

8. Is there an anticipated timeline for the project?

Response: POR is estimated to take 11 months. Design phases I, II, and III is estimated to take 16 months. Timeline is subject to change.

9. I am curious about the scope of the US Botanic Garden Production Facility Renewal RFQ. Is this for the design and construction of an entirely new production greenhouse only?

Response: No, the scope includes renewal of the entire site at the Botanic Garden Production Facility.

10. The RFQ (RFQBG200046) references the “Master Plan for the USBG Production Facility”… is this document available? If yes, where can I find it?

Response: See response to number 1b.

11. Selection Factors #3 states “Provide documentation of each company’s ability to assign adequate workforce to this project in the required timeframe.” Will information provided under #9 Part 2 of the SF330 suffice to meet this requirement?

Response: See response to number 8.

12. What level of programming has been done to date?

Response: A Master Plan has been completed with programmatic costs.

13. Is there an established construction cost and total square footage for the project?

Response: See response to number 1d.

14. Can you elaborate on the scope and aspirations of the educational facility with a demonstration kitchen and urban farm. Is the goal with this program to increase visitors?

Response: USBG wishes to provide an educational and learning center targeted to school groups, educational and community organizations, and the general public.

15. Is the Master Plan for the USBG Production Facility available for sharing?

16. What is the anticipated delivery method for design and construction of this project?

Response: Design-Bid-Build

17. “All text shall be a minimum of 12 pt. font” Is it acceptable for information submitted on SF330 Part II forms to be in 10 pt font or would you please consider expanding the page limit? Changing the inputted information to 12 pt will cause the Part IIs of many of the firms we’re considering submitting to go to two or more pages and will likely make it impossible for us to fit our whole team into the page limit if we are to cover all of the disciplines listed in the solicitation.

Response: 10 pt. font is acceptable.

18. Does the 40 page limit of the “narrative information and other attachments” include all of the required SF330 documents (part I A-D, part I E resumes, part I F example projects, part I G key personnel matrix, part II firm qualifications) along with the narrative in part I section H?

Response: 40 page limit includes entire submittal, with all required SF330 documentation.

19. What roles do you anticipate that the horticulture specialist and the education specialist will play on our team? How will these specialists interact with expertise at the AOC?

Response: The horticultural specialist will advise on the design of the greenhouses and the urban farms, and outdoor growing areas. The education specialist will advise on the design of the education center.

20. Can you provide a link to the USBG Project Development Study and Masterplan referenced in the document?