Questions__2.pdf

1. Reference Section L; Please advise whether offerors are to separate each proposal volume

(Volume I:Business Proposal, Volume II: Technical Proposal, and Volume III: Price Proposal) into separate binders. Or are the three volumes able to be included in one single binder and tabbed accordingly.

Response: Section L is changed as follows. Volume I: Business Proposal will combine the information called for in the solicitation for Volume I and Volume III. This new version of

Volume I will be called Price Proposal. Volume II: Technical Proposal will remain unchanged.

Volume III will no longer be a separate volume.

Volume I: Price Proposal must be in a separate binder from Volume II: Technical Proposal.

2. If separate binders are required for each proposal volume (Volume I: Business Proposal, Volume

II: Technical Proposal, and Volume III: Price Proposal), please verify that offeror’s are to submit

(1) original and (5) copies for each volume. This yields a total of 6 binders for each volume and

18 binders over-all for the submission.

Response: You are required to submit (1) original and (5) copies for each binder. See question one above for change to number of binders.

3. Please clarify packaging required for proposal submission (i.e. Proposal submission documents are to be included in a single box and marked according to the Solicitation RFP#, with offerors name, address, and contact information)

Response: This is the correct markings. The government prefers the submission be in one box.

However, if unable to fit in one box, in addition to the markings above mark “Box 1 of 2”, “Box

2 of 2”, etc.

4. Please reiterate whether a bid bond (bid guarantee) is required to be submitted for the sample/seed project. If so, please indicate the amount required (i.e. 20% of sample/seed project).

Response: Since this is a sample project and is not being awarded, no bid bond is required.

However, we need something from your bonding company stating your bonding capacity as stated on page 49 of the solicitation.

5. Reference Section L, Volume I Business Proposal; Please verify that the SF1442 (#SB1341-13-

RP-0031) is to be included in this section. If so, please indicate whether offerors are to provide any information on Schedule (pp. 3 of 55, pp. 4 of 55) portion of the SF1442 (#SB1341-13-RP-

0031).

Response: Section L is changed as follows. Volume I: Business Proposal will combine the information called for in the solicitation for Volume I and Volume III. This new version of

Volume I will be called Price Proposal. Volume II: Technical Proposal will remain unchanged.

Volume III will no longer be a separate volume.

6. Reference Section L, Volume III Price Proposal Fixed Price Type Contracts, (a) Price proposals must generally adhere to the pricing structure established in Section B, Schedule of Prices;

Section B is not included in the MATOC RFP. Please verify that the referenced “Section B” is for the sample/seed task order SF1442 (#SB1341-13-RP-0001) pricing schedule.

Response: This is correct. The Sample (Seed) task order was supposed to be marked as section

B. Please ensure pricing follows the structure in the Sample Project (generally).

7. Please verify that Amendments must be acknowledged on both Sample/Seed Task order SF1442

(#SB1341-13-RP-0001) and in the business proposal SF1442 (#SB1341-13-RP-0031).

Response: Amendments must be acknowledged on the SF1442 for the MATOC (SB1341-13-

RP-0031)

8. Reference Section L, Volume II Technical Proposal, Experience; Please verify the total number of reference projects to be submitted by contractors. If there is not limitation, please indicate as such.

Response: There is no limit. However, you must show experience in each of the areas

(cleanroom construction, research laboratory, and semiconductor or nanofabrication processing.

9. Reference Section L, Volume II Technical Proposal, Key Personnel; If offerors are submitting as a joint venture, please indicate whether resumes (Project Manager & Field Supervisor) for each respective JV partner will be required.

Response: Setting up a JV creates a separate entity. For the purpose of the contract, (once a JV is approved as meeting the requirements of a JV) both partners are looked at together as one company and no longer viewed as separate companies for the purposes of the contract. As such the JV must submit the resumes for its Project Manager and Filed Supervisor. Keep in mind, the managing partner must continue to have control of the JV.

10. Reference Section L, Volume II Technical Proposal, Key Subcontractors; If offerors are submitting as a joint venture, with one of the JV partners being a mechanical/electrical contractor, please clarify that offerors are permitted/required to submit representative information for the respective mechanical or electrical JV partner in both the Key Subcontractor section and the

Experience section of the offerors Volume II: Technical Proposal.

Response: Since the JV is created as a separate entity made up of the individual partner companies, if one partner is the mechanical/electrical contractor that will be doing the work, then this is “self-performed by the JV through (name of partner)”. For the purposes of a contract between the government and a JV under this MATOC, subcontracts between the JV and the partners will not be recognized. To qualify as a JV on this government contract, once the joint venture is approved as meeting the requirements, the JV is viewed to include the partners as part of the JV entity. Therefore, any work done by the JV partners is self-performed by the JV. This is also true when calculating to see if a company is making its required 15% self-performance requirement on this small business set-aside.

11. Reference Section L, Volume II Technical Proposal, Key Subcontractors; How many key subcontractors (Mechanical/Electrical) shall be listed in this section of the RFP? Please advise as to the limit accepted or requested.

Response: There is not a limit to the Key Subcontractor for Mechanical/Electrical subcontractor.

However, Key Subcontractors are treated like Key Personnel. The Key Subcontractor(s) are evaluated in determining award and cannot be changed without the Contracting Officer’s approval.

12. Reference Section L, Volume II Technical Proposal, Past Performance ; Please advise whether offerors are required to submit their past performance references on a standard PPQ form

(typically provided by government agency in the RFP) for this submission.

Response: Offerors are not required to use a specific form. However, you must include the information asked for, in the section. Include

a. Provide the contract number with project title.

b. Provide the name of the owner (not a construction company)

c. Provide the telephone, email address, and fax number of the owner

d. Provide a dollar amount of the construction contract amount and period of performance.

(Provide additional information on modification amount and period of performance extension over base contract information.)

e. Provide a brief narrative how the referenced project scopes are similar to NIST’s requirements.

13. Please clarify that this is in fact a 100% small business set-aside. It was noted that a large business general contractor was present at the site visit on 5/21. Please verify that if large business general contractors are pursuing this MATOC, they must be the minority JV partner in the proposal submission in order to be considered for award.

Response: This is a small business set aside. The only way a large business can be involved is either purely as a subcontractor, with the small business prime contractor performing at least 15% of the work or as part of a JV in a very limited set of circumstances. SBA holds the regulations on when a JV can compete for a small business set aside. For a large business to be part of a JV on a set aside, the small business must be the majority partner and control the JV, which would make the large business a minority partner. In addition, the large business must already be the mentor for the small business of the JV in the SBA’s 8(a) mentor-protégé program. Finally, any JV regardless of the make-up can only have 3 contracts awarded to it in a three year period.

14. Reference Section L & M, Volume II Technical Proposal, Past Performance; Please verify that if offerors have no relevant past performance or if past performance is unavailable, they will be rated neither favorably/unfavorably in accordance with Section M.

Response: Yes. This is a FAR requirement. However, also in accordance with the FAR, any past performance that is relevant may be evaluated, as long as the contractor has had a chance to comment on it. This includes all sources available to the Contracting Officer.

15. Please extend the proposal due date and time so that offerors may more adequately prepare and price proposal submissions.

Response: The proposal due date is not being extended.

16. Please advise whether representations and certifications are required to be submitted in the

Volume I: Business proposal if they are currently available on SAM.gov.

Response: Reps and Certs need to be submitted with your proposal or up to date on SAM.gov.

Online reps and certs are only valid for one year from when you accomplish it. If you are relying on SAM.gov, it would be wise to ensure it is not over one year old prior to submitting your bid or submit your reps and certs with your bid.

17. Reference Section L, Volume III Price Proposal Fixed Price Type Contracts, (b); Please verify where unit prices, if any, are to be included in the proposal. Please clarify whether the proposed cost breakdown is to be provided at time of proposal submission or if it will be requested, at the

Governments discretion, after submission on the sample/seed task order and/or any subsequent task orders under the MATOC contract.

Response: Follow the pricing structure in the Sample (Seed) project. The government reserves the right to ask for cost breakdown to support your pricing. This breakdown is not required with your submitted proposal, but be prepared if you are asked to supply it to determine reasonableness of the pricing.

18. On Fed Biz Ops you have 3 Amendments listed, but the first one is not numbered on the original document, the second one is numbered as 001 on the document, and the third one is numbered

002 on the document. Are we to acknowledge all three on the 1442 when we submit our bids or only the ones that have a number on the actual document?

Response: Acknowledge all three. For the first one, list the date only.

19. Can one of the Contractors selected as one of the MATOC winners use another MATOC winner as a subcontractor on a specific Task Order?

Response: This will be allowed on a case by case basis. For competitively bid Task Orders, the determining factor is if adequate competition still exists. In addition, if using another MATOC holder as a substitution for a Key Subcontractor (Mechanical/Electrical) you must still get CO approval for the replacement of the Key Subcontractor.

20. When the MATOC winners competitively bid on a Task Order, will the winning bid be posted or otherwise be made known to the non-winners?

Response: In accordance with the FAR, orders against Multiple Award IDIQs are not posted.

FAR 16-505 governs ordering procedures for IDIQ contracts. FAR 16-505(b) specifically talks about ordering under a Multiple Award IDIQ. When competitively bid, the bidders will be notified directly if they are issued the order or not. Orders over $5 million must give an opportunity for a post-award debriefing.